Here's the Story...of a PR Lady

Sherwood Elementary, first grade. I anxiously wait at my half-moon desk. Bundles of flyaway hair, sweaty forehead down and legs wiggling and ready to run at breakneck speed if only my feet could touch the floor, waiting for the announcement. And then my teacher says it, my name ...out loud, in front of the entire school. The short book I'd written has been chosen for the school library. You’d think I’d won gold at the Olympic Games!

Skip to College, I need a major, like yesterday. Scanning my personality profile and assessments the career counselor remarks, "Have you thought about public relations?" PR was a little known career or field of study at that time. Once she explained what PR was about, I was interested!

Fast forward and I'm at home leaving for college. "You’re majoring in what? You’ll never make ANY money so why don’t you just go into something stable like accounting?" says my dad. And from then on I worked hard every day to prove him wrong. I did go into Public Relations and managed to make a little money along the way. And 20 years later I am still here --passionately promoting causes, companies, services and people while loving what I do.

What is PR?

Public relations is the practice of deliberately managing the flow of information between an individual or an organization and its publics to manage the company’s corporate image. Public relations may include gaining exposure to target audiences using topics of public interest and news items.

There is a negative, damage-control side of PR that isn’t just used for positive pitching of story ideas. It’s also used to mitigate any damage that could weaken a client’s reputation.

PR includes intermediary channels to communicate with your audience and influence them. Those intermediaries may be news media, influencers, stock analysts, investors, trend setters, industry analysts, customers, employees and news media.

PR professionals are adept at handling a wide variety of both good and bad circumstances, and must address these events so the public and client can maintain a beneficial relationship. PR consultants also play a role in advising management on the best policy decisions or actions to take, and conducting programs, such as fundraising or networking events, to help the public understand the organization’s goals. PR isn’t just used to influence a story after it happens -- it’s also used to write that story in the first place.

Why can't anyone just "do" PR?

A good public relations plan starts with someone that has years of experience working with key influencer groups, has advanced media training and experience in crisis situations, has great media contacts, has a lot of energy, a background in journalism and most of all a sense of humor.