It’s hard to believe that I’ve been with Communiqué for a little more than two years – it’s been a great experience and I’ve learned so much. However, on Aug. 12 I will be leaving the company to pursue new opportunities in New York City.
I thought I’d take some time to reflect on what I’ve learned over the past couple of years.
- The media landscape has shifted and will continue to change. The economic downturn affected nearly every industry and organization – and print publications were no exception. In November 2008, we wrote a blog post about the economic impact on the industry’s top publishing houses. This downturn forced many magazines and newspapers to cut budgets and staff. During the past year or two we have found that editors have been more receptive to receiving bylined articles due to the decrease in resources. As a PR professional, this has greatly helped me boost my writing skills. Given resources are so limited and editors have less time to sift through e-mails, I have found that it is more important than ever to write very succinct pitches that tell a compelling story in order to secure coverage and share our clients’ story with key audiences.
- Social media is not a fad. It is here to stay. When I first started working at Communiqué Twitter was not the social media phenomenon it is today. I remember when US Airways flight 1549 landed in the Hudson River in New York – the fact that this news first broke via Twitter shows the way we exchange information has dramatically changed. Gone are the days when we would rely solely on TV, radio and newspapers to get our daily update on current affairs. In fact, more often than not I learn about breaking news events via Twitter or Facebook before I do via a traditional media outlet. I anticipate social media platforms will continue to expand and as they do, it will be important for organizations and PR professionals (like myself) to engage and familiarize ourselves with these different platforms.
- Transparency is not an option. Transparency, especially in light of the social media boom and popularity of online content, is truly an integral element to participating effectively in online conversations. When I tweet about a client, I make sure to let my followers know that I am promoting a client’s service, product or raising awareness of a recent announcement. I wrote a blog post in July 2009 about a company that failed to be transparent in publishing a product review and the ramifications that this had on the company’s reputation and image.
Working with clients including Attachmate, Tecplot, Tideworks Technology and Florentia Press has been such a pleasure. I’ve met some great people and have learned a lot about different technologies and products, as well as how a company works and the importance of client relations.
I want to thank everyone at Communiqué as well as the clients I have worked with the past couple of years. The experience and skills I have attained will be truly invaluable in my next adventure.