My First Year in the PR World

This week marks my one year anniversary of working at Buchanan Public Relations. I still remember pulling up to BPR for my interview, seeing Anne outside with beloved canine co-worker Buddy and walking in together. Little did I know that six months later, after the most integrated and in-depth internship I had ever experienced, I would become a full-time employee.

When I graduated from college last May, I had the basic skills to enter the world of PR, but my first year at Buchanan has taught me so much more. Below are three skills I learned during my first year in the business that I could never have learned in college.

1.) How to be a PR News Junkie   It’s no secret that staying on top of current events is a key skill in public relations, but what I have now learned is how to take what is going on in the world at-large and apply it to my  clients. For example, some of BPR’s most successful media placements have come from tying in current events – such as the anniversary of a law being passed or the birth of the royal baby – to our clients’ area of expertise.

2.) How to Send a Professional Email    A skill that is easily lost on many college students is the art of composing and sending a professional email.  Before pressing “Send,” I spend quite a bit of time reading and re-reading an email draft, making sure it is grammatically correct, precise and gets the message across to the intended client or reporter.

3.) The Art of Subject Lines    Catching a reporter’s attention can be tough – each day, they receive a barrage of emails that either don’t pertain to their beat or simply do not contain interesting material. While it’s important to always remain professional, I have found that it doesn’t hurt to make them laugh. I’ve made several connections using this tactic, and, even if a reporter isn’t interested at the time of the pitch, they are typically willing to pay attention the next time around.

I know that I still have much to learn before considering myself a “PR pro.”  But with guidance from the Buchanan team, and a little trial-and-error on my part, I look forward to what my second year in the “real world” has in store.