How to be successful as a PR professional

Public Relations is not an easy sector to begin with and as a PR professional, you are your client’s representative. The way you act and handle things will directly be reflected on the reputation of your client in the market. Therefore, it is necessary to know all the dos and don’ts before you step foot into the industry. PR is an ever-evolving industry and while a good PR firm would always take the time to teach its employees the basics of navigating the communication and media world, there are some rules that are unwritten – these are the ones that the aspiring PR candidates need to understand on their own.

Let us discuss some of these unwritten rules of the PR world that can make or break your career.

Know your job role’s limitations

If you work for the leading PR firms in Delhi NCR, you have to know that there are certain things that are beyond your pay grade – for instance, finalizing deals or signing media invites. Only the executives of your company have that authority. It is, therefore, very important that you be aware at all times not to overstep your jurisdiction on such matters. Whenever you are in doubt, always consult your seniors for advice instead of taking the decision yourself. PR world is all about high stakes and your one ill-informed decision can become the undoing of a well-reputed organization. Needless to say, it will negatively affect your own career as well. So don’t take such chances.

Keep the bulb in your head on

PR requires hard work, dedication and constant innovation. If you don’t like being creative all the time then this is perhaps not the right career for you. But if you’re a natural problem solver and love challenges, then you’ll like it. Many PR firms in Delhi and in fact, all across India, value creative people. As a PR professional, you have to be a dynamic thinker and be able to occasionally venture out-of-the-box. People like things that are relatable yet unique and you need to make sure the stories you push out have those attributes. It’s not always easy but it’s always very rewarding.

Be a good conversationalist

Holding a meaningful conversation with an unknown person is an art in itself and if you’re looking to make an impact on the PR world, you should start training for it. It is a PR professional’s job to find opportunities for their clients and while this can be achieved in a number of ways, phone calls and face to face conversations are still the best methods of doing so. Written conversation isn’t always effective and it’s a one-way approach – whereas talking to someone allows you to understand their needs and demands in a much better way.

Keep the personal away from professional

If you’re planning a life where you’ll be dealing with people all day long, week after week, month after month, year after year – you cannot afford to be jumpy or someone who gets easily annoyed or angered. Diplomacy is always the way to go. Under stress of work and whatnot, the clients or the media house representatives can sometimes be curt. Sometimes, you may be blamed for something that isn’t your fault. Sometimes, someone may snap at you out of the blue. But remember to always keep your composure and take things in stride. Your politeness and positive attitude will help you develop lasting relations with people and since PR is all about creating networks, it’ll guarantee you success in the long run.