Talk the Talk: Why Having a Personal PR Plan is Important

Talk the Talk: Why Having a Personal PR Plan is Important

By Laura Baumann, Intern

In the world of public relations we strive each day to represent our clients or companies in the best way possible. All professionals are only as good as their reputations, and maintaining that reputation should always be a top priority. When I take a look at some of the best people in the PR industry I can’t help but ask, what’s the secret? Not only are these individuals awesome at their jobs but they are really great at promoting themselves too. Many of us don’t realize that we are our own PR consultants and our PR plan is necessary for our own success.  The pros know firsthand how important it is to have a strategy which needs to extend outside the office. In order to act like a pro we have to think like a pro. There is a lot we can learn from these PR gurus and their belief in the basics. Below is an outline of a general PR plan and how you can apply the fundamentals to your own life to get the results you want.

Objectives:

Like any good PR plan the most important step is to establish objectives. First examine the current situation, and decide what kind of outcome you would like to gain. Try and be as specific as possible so you get the most out of all your hard work. It’s also a good idea to make sure that your goals are realistic and time-based. Will there be a measureable outcome and who exactly is your target audience?  Finally, make sure you know yourself. It is important to have established values so you can decide what you want and don’t want out of your experience.

Strategy:

Once you’ve determined what you want to gain from your experience you need to develop a strategy. Ask yourself, what can I do that nobody else is doing? Do I have a particular skill that sets me apart from everyone else?  What qualities do I like best about myself and what are some things I can improve? In an industry as competitive as PR, it is important to also be creative with your strategies. What can you do to rise above the noise? Once you’ve determined your strategy, set a timeline for what you want to accomplishment. It is vital to develop a time frame so that you can measure your results throughout the experience.

Implement Plan:

Now it’s time to put your plan to action. Make sure you have a clear understanding of how you are going to execute your plan. Also make sure to evaluate your plan throughout the process and measure your results. By measuring your progress, you’ll be able to make adjustments along the way to ensure you are on track to accomplish your goals.

Re-planning and Crisis Management:

Sometimes things do not go as planned and problems arise. Crisis management is extremely important in the PR world in order to deal with a problem quickly and effectively. If you run into difficulty, first determine what went wrong. Based off of your experience, what do you think worked and did not work? Finally, decide on how you can improve for the future. What did the experience teach you? By consistently working on your PR plan, you put yourself in a better position for new opportunities.