By: Lianne Wiker Hedditch
I am celebrating my tenth year in PR (and here at Heron) this year and wanted to share the top ten things I’ve learned through my time here. Enjoy!
1) Relationships will always be at the forefront of importance, and you should always take care in your interactions. I’ve learned that in life, things always come full circle. You never know when that new blogger asking to attend an event will one day be the decision maker on a beat you’re pitching for a national publication, or when your boss at the internship you did in college is friends with the person you’re applying to work for and looking for a reference. Always remember that your reputation is important, and you only get one.
2) You’re ALWAYS learning. Whether it’s a new client industry or a changing technology, or whether you’re an intern or the president of a company, you’re always learning something from somebody and you should always be open to new concepts and ideas. This industry is ever changing, and evolving with it is crucial to staying relevant.
3) Every job says that organization and multitasking are important, but in PR, these skills are taken to a whole new level. From the agency side, if you’re working on a dozen accounts, with a dozen initiatives for each client to stay on top of day after day, it gets to be a lot to handle. PR pros learn to manage and take pride in organization under pressure. It’s no wonder planning my wedding was such a breeze and all of my vendors were surprised about how on top of things I was- it’s just the publicist’s nature!
4) Rejection is not always personal. In PR, you are rejected more often than not and it just goes with the territory- it’s our job to try, and try, and try again. You learn to roll with the punches and move on to the next idea!
5) Take pride in rolling up your sleeves and getting the job done. Coloring with sidewalk chalk to guerilla market a show throughout the streets of Chicago- check; Flyer windshields in strategic parking lots for prime audience capture- check; buy avocados for a Chef going on air in less than an hour who forgot said ingredient for his demo- check; beg a group of protesters to delay for just a few minutes while your client completes their publicity stunt in Daley Plaza- check… you get my drift.
6) Always take the time to give credit and thanks when due. Handwritten thank you notes are so few and far between in today’s day of emails and text messaging. Often people move too fast to take a minute to say “thank you”. In PR, it is our job to promote our clients and secure features for them that will elevate their reputation, ticket sales, reservations, etc. However, being on that side of the spectrum gives you a unique viewpoint on how it feels to receive thanks and recognition for hard work. Share that love and appreciation!
7) You will forevermore be a discerning consumer. After working in PR for a few years it becomes very apparent what is a paid placement on TV and radio, and what might actually be a legitimate great idea or product. I have become, unfortunately, very jaded after getting a glimpse “behind the scenes”!
8) There is no “I” in team. Cliché, I get it, but while I understand that some organizations and companies have just the budget to have one internal publicist, I don’t know what I’d do without our wonderful team when executing our strategies for clients. Working collectively as a team at our agency (we all have our arms and legs on every account) has paid off in so many ways- so many unique ideas, taking advantage of everyone’s great relationships, and being able to tackle deadlines and solve problems collectively has been great. When there’s a problem to solve, not being alone is so huge in making it through each day in this industry. I don’t know what I’d do without everyone here on our team at Heron.
9) To follow up #8, your coworkers are your second family. More often than not, you spend more of your time with your coworkers than your family. Respect one another, support one another and always learn how to work together. It just makes life so much better when you have a great support system surrounding you 40+ hours each week.
10) Being nice pays. Publicists tend to have a bond with other publicists due to the unique nature of the career field. There is a reason why PR is always at the top of “most stressful career” lists- It’s not easy. I’ve learned over the years that while some agencies and PR professionals tend to be competitive with one another, it always ends up paying off the most when you are kind and help lift other agencies up. Always take pride in your work, and stay above the drama. It always works out in the end and comes full circle.
