Tips to building a successful Public Relations Career ( Part 2 )


6. Embrace numbers.
No doubt, figure has been a weak point in the PR profession for a long time. Nowadays, companies demand more. This is especially the case for social media and paid media programs. The days of output-focused measurement are numbered, and outcome-focused measurement is on the rise. You don’t need to be an expert in dissecting website traffic more especially if you have a measurement team supporting you. But as a PR professional, you should know the basics and know how to coach clients and people within your organization on how to approach measurement effectively.

7. Measure through the life cycle.
Measurement is so much more than reporting, and companies are demanding more from PR measurement nowadays. Know how to take full advantage of the potential that measurement holds throughout a program:
·         Inform your objectives (setting realistic goals, fueled by insights from past programs);
·         Fuel your planning (again, with insights from past work);
·         Identify and help to address issues mid-flight;
·         Measure results and generate new insights to fuel future work.
8. Solutions Provider
Tough challenges are a fact of life in the PR industry, where the role of communications is often to help change behavior or perception. In some cases, it is to manage reputation. That’s difficult. Few things will endear you to your clients. Become the person who comes forward with solutions alongside their problems. It doesn’t have to be the solution they choose (that helps, though), but the fact that you are thinking it through and considering solutions demonstrates the kind of your mindset. Clients gravitate towards such PR expert.
9. Keep your head cool.
PR professionals frequently have to deal with difficult situations, many of which can’t be predicted. These are moments where you can distinguish yourself and improve your reputation, or the reverse. Be one of those people who keep a cool head. Stay calm, and focus on solutions .Remember: frantic doesn’t mean effective.
10. Know what you don’t know.
Self-awareness is a valuable trait, regardless of where you are in your career. Be humble enough to know when you are out of your depth, and to learn from those who have experience in areas you don’t. Make sure that when you find yourself in that situation you don’t sit paralyzed until it’s too late for anyone to help you.

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