What does it take to be a great public relations professional?
Consider something Aristotle said:
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
Work and repetition are essential to succeeding in PR. I’ve worked at a variety of agencies—large and small. Here are habits I’ve observed among the most interesting, accomplished and successful PR people:
1. They study. Start by having a voracious appetite for all types of content. Then, examine how major stories are crafted by top journalists. Deconstruct examples of storytelling, and analyze the communications strategy behind a successful media relations campaign.
2. They are curious. People with intellectual curiosity often do more for their clients. They’ll work to connect the dots to achieve valuable insight. Don’t fret if you’re not naturally curious. Similar to muscle memory, intellectual curiously can be developed.
3. They make recommendations. A frustrating professional stereotype about PR pros is that they are all “yes” people. Some of the most successful PR pros are cooperative, respectful and thoughtful. They’re committed to making high-quality recommendations and telling clients the truth even when it’s difficult or unprofitable.
4. They see the big picture. Begin a campaign with its end in mind. Great PR pros know that “results” must also include business goals. Gini Dietrich has an excellent post about strategic thinking in PR.
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5. They understand business. This is something many talented PR pros lack. A top communicator should understand a client’s entire business. They know how products get to market, how startups acquire funding, how public companies report earnings and how to read a balance sheet.
6. They listen. Listening is a highly underrated PR skill. Listen to your clients, team members, mentors, industry professionals and journalists—you just might learn something.
7. They’re always learning. You must regularly update and sharpen your skills. You might even have to reinvent them to keep up with trends. That’s what makes PR exhilarating, maddening and fun.
Dorothy Crenshaw is CEO and creative director of Crenshaw Communications. She has been named one of the public relations industry’s 100 Most Powerful Women by PR Week. A version of this story originally appeared on her agency's blog.
This article was originally published in PR Daily in October 2016.
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