Tag Archives: public relations

Agency PR – Varied clientele or focused subject matter?

12 Mar

I started my public relations career at an agency. I did all of my college internships at agencies, except for one. I’m currently working – guess where – at an agency. Perhaps I could call myself a glutton for punishment. What do you think? :)

I can’t speak otherwise because I have yet to garner in-house/corporate experience, so please do take everything in this post with that understanding.

As I’m acclimating to my new position with KNB Communications specializing in healthcare technology, I’m looking back on the variety of experience that I’ve gained through all of my previous positions, and how I can apply that experience here. One question that keeps popping up in my head, and probably always will, begs: Is it better to work for a multitude of different clientele in different industries, or is it better to focus on a single subject matter in the agency world?

I asked this on Twitter and got responses from some friends:
tweetscreeenshot

After giving it some thought, I can definitively say for myself, one is not better than the other. Rich said it well: “Both have benefits.” Just as some work cultures are a better fit for some, the same goes for a varied client base vs. focused industry specialty.

Here are a few pros and cons I came up with if you just so happen to be grappling with this same topic. Would love your thoughts as well!

Variety of clients

Pros:

  • Almost always busy, day flies by
  • You can delve into a number of different subject matters creating connections across many media and potential client/new business platforms
  • If one client subject matter doesn’t thrill you, you can always take a break with it and switch to another client for a fresh topic

Cons:

  • Multitasking is a required art form in PR. Doing it between a variety of client subjects is a skill that very few actually possess
  • It’s rare to have the opportunity to work with the same reporters on a regular basis to develop valuable relationships
  • Most likely, your colleagues are also “Jacks of all trades,” leaving the team without a point person on the management level that is knowledgeable about every facet of the client’s business – especially if it’s a difficult subject matter such as investor relations, finance, real estate, etc.

Focused Specialty Clients

Pros:

  • You have the ability to learn everything about the client and the industry from A-to-Z, becoming a bit of a subject matter expert
  • In becoming a subject matter expert, on-boarding with clients can be streamlined. There’s less of a learning curve
  • You can dedicate your time with media outreach to building lasting relationships as you are in touch with these contacts on a daily/weekly basis

Cons:

  • The subject matter can fry your brain. Not only are you just covering one industry or subject, you’re doing it over and over again for different clients.
  • If you or a client burns any bridges with target industry media, it’s not fun. If a client backed out of an interview last minute, or you misdirected an email about a reporter to the reporter that says less-than-glowing things, you’re in big trouble (don’t put that kind of thing in an email to begin with…goes without saying)
  • Fatigue. I’ll admit that this one has gotten me previously. Similar to one single subject matter frying your brain, you can start to get hungry for variety if you’ve had it previously. Does the saying “the grass is always greener” have a place here? I think so.

Of course, all of the above can be a case-by-case basis. These are simply my experiences to-date. If you were to ask me which I prefer, I honestly couldn’t give an answer. What I can say is that I’m grateful and fortunate to have gathered as much experience as I have at different agencies both that focus on a single subject matter and that have a variety of clientele.

Tags: , , ,

Four Tips on Acing an Internship Interview

17 Apr

Internship interviews are just as important as any job interview. They should be approached with the same level of preparation and enthusiasm. As many college students and recent graduates are on the hunt for a summer internship position, I thought it would be a great time to share some solid tips for acing that internship interview.

1) Come prepared. This covers a lot! Bring a portfolio of your work from classes and previous internships if you have them. This will allow you to get specific about the experience you have and your writing skills by showing the work as you discuss it with the interviewer.

Research the company. You should have an idea of who the clients are, the number of people working at the company, who you will be meeting with, etc. Nothing screams “I’m half-hearted about this internship” more than someone who hasn’t even Googled the place they’re interviewing for.

You will be asked about previous work, school, club, volunteer and internship experience. Mentally prep yourself before the interview to know the important points you want to make. Simply saying that you built a media list at your last internship doesn’t give me a good indication of your skill set. Tell me what you built that list for, what type of media you were researching, how you helped the account person, and the ultimate result. What did you learn?

2) Dress appropriately. Come to the interview in business dress. First impressions are a big deal and you want the interviewer to pay attention to what you have to say, not what you are wearing. Dressing the part shows that you are taking the opportunity seriously. You should also steer clear of loud jewelry and flashy makeup. I heard a story of a candidate who had bangle bracelets on that kept banging on the desk in front of her, and all the interviewer could remember from the interview was the bracelets.

3) Be yourself. Nerves can get the best of us. We can speak too quickly, stutter and ramble if we get nervous in an interview. Take a deep breath before you get to the office so that you can best represent yourself in a calm and collected manner. Public relations is a high-stress job, and showing that you can remain cool under pressure will set you apart from other candidates.

Being yourself is also paramount so the interviewer can pair you with the appropriate supervisor. Supervisors want to know who they will be working with and how their direct report works best. If a candidate acts one way in an interview, and completely different while on the job, it’s not doing anyone any good. Interns aren’t expected to know everything or be “perfect” at public relations (no one is!), so admitting your struggles and what you want to learn is OK. That’s why we have internships – so you can improve your skill set and eventually apply it in your career.

4) Write a thank you note. This should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised. Write a thank you note or email to everyone you interviewed with, and make it something personal and different for each person. A template thank you note doesn’t show a lot of originality or that you put a lot of effort into it.

We’d love to hear your internship interview tips as well! Feel free to leave a comment below.

And best of luck to all those on the internship hunt!

You can also see this post at Quinn & Co.’s Purple Lounge.

Tags: , , , , ,

‘Profits & Passions’ – Josh Sternberg

13 Dec

Since entering the professional world, I’ve made note of something that differs entirely from life prior. In high school and college, etc., we get to know people in so many different ways. We learn about their family, their hobbies, their likes and dislikes. Opening-up about personal things is not unheard of. However in the working world, we have jobs to take care of. Personal information isn’t an integral part of our daily lives anymore. Or at least isn’t always commonplace.

But over the last two years (namely via Twitter), I have met some outstanding people who I admire both professionally and personally. To this point, I will be writing a reoccurring ‘column’ as a sort of ‘profits and passions.’ What do people do from 9-5 and then what do they do before and afterward to let loose?

Josh Sternberg, Founder/CEO of Sternberg Strategic Communications, so kindly agreed to be my first guinea pig.

For those of us who know or know of Josh, we most likely know three things for sure: he owns and runs his own PR firm; he’s a skilled guest writer for The Huffington Post, Mashable, Mediaite and of course the PR Breakfast Club; oh and don’t forget, he’s a Yankees fan (like me!).

With prior teaching experience at universities in New Jersey, Josh “fell into the glamorous field of ‘public relations.’” After moving to Brooklyn to live with his then girlfriend, now wife, the two-river-commute proved less and less appealing. Josh decided to look at jobs that “might value an academic background,” but also allow him to learn about the real world, ultimately finding a PR firm that was the right fit for him. He’s been a PRo ever since.

A notable challenge in Josh’s professional realm is keeping a positive perspective. Understandably so, the territory comes with challenges and hard decisions I know I personally am not ready to take on. Recalling why he started his own firm keeps him focused: “I started this company because I was frustrated with previous bosses who had difficult times managing clients (as well as people) and wound up focusing on the money aspect and not the actual job.”

A specific part of his job that Josh loves is new business opportunities. “I love being able to walk into a new biz situation and explain how we can help that company grow. I also love how today’s environment lets potential clients learn about you before you go into a meeting. Clients today have an arsenal of tools to do their due diligence on you – not to mention the ease of contacting your current and former clients,” he said. “By being open, honest and available, our clients know they have the senior-level attention they’re paying for.”

Running a fledgling PR firm takes dedication and patience but also an understanding of what clients need. Incorporating intelligent and pragmatic solutions to clients’ communications problems takes knowledge, experience, and as most things in life, a little bit of luck.

Now you’re asking yourself, what does Mr. Sternberg do to relax? Any guesses?

Music. Yes, music is Josh’s passion.

After “toying” around a bit at the end of high school with the guitar, Josh met his musical matches at college and formed a band even penning his own songs (good practice for the PR world, right?). Despite the band breaking up only a few years ago after eight years of living and playing music together, Josh still plays every day for about an hour to relax or just blow off some steam.

I asked Josh if any fellow Twitter users share the same hobby. His reply included a gentle yet playful nudge at a Twitter user who recently moved into his neighborhood and just had a child (*cough cough*). The two have been aiming to get together for a while to hang out and play some music. Unfortunately jam sessions take a backseat to diaper duty.  :)

It would seem Josh’s complex schedule and ever-expanding responsibilities with his business and personal life would overwhelm most (raising my own hand here!) However, Josh keeps a refreshing positive perspective. His hard work and commitment have grown a PR firm that provides the top-quality service clients deserve, yet he still considers himself lucky. “I’m very fortunate, and while, yes, there are times that I lose sight of this (I am only human) I try to take a few seconds to breathe and contemplate my words, actions and decisions,” Josh said. “Also, it helps that I can plug in my electric guitar and wail away instead of getting upset.”

Tags: ,

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.