Recently, PR has become one of the most popular dream jobs for the freshman.
But what is PR exactly?
In Taiwan, the elders or those who are not familiar with this career would ask: PR? So you’re working in a nightclub and have to drink with the customers every day?
NOT. AT. ALL.
The full name of PR is “public relation,” to put it briefly, no matter you’re working under a specific brand or in a communication inc., we are the spokesman for each company; what a PR needs to do is to communicate with the clients and the media for the company and help them to create a positive brand image.
Because we are the spokesman for the company, we’ll have to organize several press conferences, attend the events and have after-parties with the media, sometimes, we will also receive some free samples. What’s more about it, there will be opportunities to meet some of the celebrities! The excitement is beyond words when you meet your idols, just like I met one of my favourite KOL, Peggy Lu at LOEWE fashion show when I was PR asst. intern there, shaking hand speaking with her in person, had made me so thrilled. If you’re interested in the fashion show, you might want to take a look at my post: LOEWE Fall Winter Fashion Show.
Yes, the life of a PR you imagine is like this,
or this;
however, the real life of a PR is like this:
Without press conferences and event, we’re also a normal white-collar who sit at the table in the office, there are also some monthly reports and routines to be done.
Even though I’m not yet in the fashion industry, I’m already a newbie PR after I graduated from university last June. Cosmetic and fashion industry might need to care more about their outfit since they have more events to attend, other industry, on the other hand, do the brainstorming in the office at most of the time, including managing the social media, answering inquiries, composing new pieces and translate; most important of all, we have to build up a strong connection between brands and the media and arrange the sample to the media.
Briefly speaking, the job content of the PR in every industry are similar.
Last July, I’ve become the PR for the PC industry, comparing to every module of graphic cards, motherboard and memories, which I only need to have a basic understanding, I have a deeper connection with the PC companies, media, modders and YouTubers around the world, one of my daily routine is to CHAT with them every single day.
Chatting sounds like an easy job without any professional skills; nonetheless, spending a lot of time and efforts with different kind of people is the most difficult part of this job, there’s no a rule to guide you how to chat with people. Plus, chatting with other colleagues in these fields isn’t as simple as chatting with your friends.
To me, chatting as a PR is just like playing chess.
People know fairly well:
the goal of chatting with different companies is to discuss the cooperation;
the goal of chatting with the media is to increase the exposure or to gain the opportunity to receive the free sample;
the goal for the blogger or Youtuber to chat with us is to hope to receive the sponsorship.
Working in this industry is quite cruel, even though you become friends with colleagues, doesn’t mean you already successfully help your brand increase their exposure. There are tons of PR and companies in the world, why is it worth for the media and the blogger to expose your brand? This all depends on the skill of PR.
I often switch the conversation while chatting:
Oh! Today we release the news for brand A, have you received the email? This time they’ve announced some interesting products! Definitely need to take a look!
Or, the media might bring back the conversation to requesting for free samples; whether you’re going to refuse or not, you have to choose carefully of what you say, for each word; how to refuse him with a convincing excuse? How to avoid making him think you refuse him because you think he’s not influential enough? When accepting his request, how to talk about the sponsorship with him while not burning any bridge behind you in case that the brand might suddenly cancel the sponsorship.
After being a PR for half of a year, I’ve become more observant than I used to be, before sending out every message, I would think twice and keep rewriting the content until I’m satisfied with my words.
Because every word is a double-edged sword,
it can tighten the relationship or ruin it. I think a PR puts more efforts on the strategy of speaking than doing creativity, we can’t only think about what do we mean when we’re giving out a message, it is essential to consider how would the receiver decode the message and any possible interpretation. It’s crucial to pay attention to the interested parties, do they have the conflict with the one you’re talking with?
You also need to be really sensitive as a PR, you’ll have to deduce the meaning of every message you receive, why does he say that? Why does he bring up the issue so suddenly? Would he be the best choice for other samples and other brands even if we refuse him this time?
To work as a PR, it is really important to be outgoing and easygoing, because social will be your basic routine!
