A Day in the Life of a PR Person

By Jamie Hooker

 

Before I begin, it is important to know that a PR person does not work a nine to five job. Yes, we may go into an office every day and work eight hours, but when we leave to go home, we are by no means “off the clock”. Because of this, “A Day in the Life” can change each day, and we have to be prepared for anything. But that’s the beauty of PR, isn’t it?

An “average” day always begins with coffee and a mini pep talk to prepare you for the millions of emails that will flood your inbox when you open it. After replying to necessary emails and deleting unnecessary ones, you take a look at your to-do list for the day. More likely than not, this list is very long, but you can handle it because you’re a PR ninja. Following up with any reporters or media you have pitched is something you probably do daily. There’s always some pitch out there that the media should be reminded of. With most pitches comes writing a news release, which is also something you do frequently, and crafting it to have the perfect wording is an art. If a pitch and release gets a reporter’s attention, you’ll spend part of your day coordinating interviews, sharing photos, or organizing whatever the reporter needs for the placement. After all, placements are what we want and we hope that sharing new ones with clients is part of every day, too.

With the end of the year quickly approaching, 2016 plans are being put into place for clients. Meetings and phone calls with clients are in the mix to make sure you and them are on the same page.  You may even have a call scheduled with the client to have a mock interview to media train them before appearing on a segment.

Overall, a lot of days consist of writing, client management and media relations, with some fun, unexpected stuff sprinkled in.  It’s important to remember whom you’re working for and to keep them updated on at least a weekly basis. Being a PR professional, you need to be ready for anything. But I guarantee you that’s what most PR people love the most about their job.