breaking into public relations - a presentation for undergraduates looking to work in public...
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An introduction into public relations for people looking to start their career in public relations. Outline: What is PR, Is it for me, Different career options, Public relations in a changing media landscape, PR - hot right now.TRANSCRIPT
Alison OwenHead of PR at BDBInternational business-to-business PR specialistwww. bdb.co.uk @bdbmarketing @alisonmowen
Presentation at PRCA ‘Breaking into PR’ conference 11 February 2013Manchester Metropolitan University
Summary What is PR – the classic definition Different career opportunities PR vs advertising Is it for me? A typical day The changing media landscape The career choice of the future?
What is PR? Reputation management
– what you do
– what you say
– what others say about you
Planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and understanding between an organisation and its publics
Presenting a company favourably– Shaping information
– Targeting
– Engaging relevant audiences
Different career opportunities
Agency vs in-house Agency
– Small business or global network– Can offer faster promotion than in-house– Broad spread of clients – across different
sectors– Variety of work / disciplines
In-house– Corporate culture– Structured career path– Focused on core sector / related sectors– Marketing team – may work with an agency
Consumer vs B2B– Consumer (B2C)
– Brand you may have heard of– Products/services more accessible– Entry level usually junior– Media challenges– Faster pace / project turnover– Can be more UK-focused
– B2B– Often more technical– Can offer better opportunity for
progression– Media challenges– Longer term / longer lead times– Can be more international
PR vs advertising “News is what somebody somewhere wants to
suppress. Everything else is advertising.” Lord Northcliffe
Advertising– Hard-hitting
Space paid for Raising awareness Quicker results
Public relations– Softer skill
Editorial space free but earned on merit Shaping attitude Long term results
Editorial promotions / advertorials– Blurring lines
Is it for me? Personable
– Build relationships Good copywriter
– Variety of material Organised
– Good time management / deadlines Good memory
– Lots of projects ongoing– Eye for detail
Flexible– Late nights / travel
Initiative– Self starter
Creative ‘Passion for PR’
Don’t rule it out Don’t necessarily need a PR / marketing
communications degree– Scientists– Linguists– Humanities
A typical day? No such thing! Maybe
– Editor ring-round to ‘sell-in’ a story– Client meeting about a forthcoming event– Compile and evaluate a clippings report– Research for a new business pitch– Attend an exhibition to represent a client– Take part in a brainstorming session for
future project– Put together press lists for new product
launch – Research / draft press release– ...
The changing media landscape
Safeguarding reputation Transparent environment
– Instant / global
No reputation is bulletproof– “When everyone has a blog or Facebook entry,
everyone is a publisher
– “Your reputation is going to get set in stone so much earlier…a digital fingerprint that never gets erased”
Thomas Friedman, New York Times
How has PR changed? New digital channels
– Accelerated pace of working– Fragmented media– New skills / tactics
New influencers– Engagement
It’s all in the story Discipline of PR remains the same Creating a consistent message thread
– Across fragmented media
Engages audience– Relevant message
Create and protect
corporate reputation
/ brand loyalty
The power of social media Influence of bloggers
The power of social media
Headline news
Fast growing career choice
Corporate reputation is critical– PR is booming
$10bn business in 2011 1
Employs 66,000 people worldwide 1
Growing at 8% pa 1
– PR ranked no 5 “Hot Careers to Watch 2013” 2
1 Holmes Report, 20112 prnewsonline, 27 Dec 2012
Any questions?