by Public relations skills are a wide range of capabilities and proficiencies that typically fall under the category of communications and marketing. These skills can be put to use for a variety of purposes, from introducing new products or services to enhancing the reputation of a company. In most cases, public relations skills help shape public opinion, which is especially helpful if a company wants to reshape its brand.
Public Relations experts ought to possess the following skills for a highly successful and rewarding career.
Creative
A public relations expert needs to be extremely creative and should be able to think out of the box. He/She should be able to come out with innovative ideas to promote the organization and its products among the target audience. In today’s world of fierce competition, it is really essential for marketers and public relations experts to experiment with new ideas /concepts and develop something which would benefit the end-users.
Excellent Writing Skills
A Public Relations expert needs to write well. He ought to be creative and should master the art of putting thoughts into meaningful words. Your words need to create the desired impact and influence the customers. Make sure whatever you write is relevant and puts your organization in the best light.
Focussed
Stay focussed and take care of even the minutest details. Do not ignore even the slightest doubt. Even a single detail left unattended can become a major cause of concern in the future. Crosscheck every single detail and observation before jumping to the final conclusion.
Study a lot
Public relations experts ought to study a lot and do extensive research before designing public relations activities.
Good Communication Skills
Public Relations experts must master the art of effective communication skills. It is really essential to speak well. Don’t just speak for the sake of it. Public relations experts must ensure the recipients have understood what they intend to communicate. Two-way communication is the essence of effective public relations. Whatever you communicate ought to make sense and well understood by target customers.
Proactive
A public relation professional ought to be proactive and on his toes always. He needs to have a strong grasping power with an eagerness to learn. Lazy individuals generally do not make good public relations professionals.
Competitors research
Keep your eyes and ears open. Find out what your competitors are upto. It is really important to keep a close watch on competitor’s activities and initiatives. You may draw inspiration from them but following them blindly would do no benefit and in turn tarnish your organization’s image.
Loyal towards your Job
Be loyal towards your job. Remember a public relations job is not only a nine to six job. You need to stay back sometimes even at odd hours and you can’t just complain. At times you need to meet lots of people in a single day but one can’t crib. One needs to be a little flexible. Make that little extra effort to satisfy your clients.
Be Friendly
A Public relations expert needs to have strong networking skills. As a Public relations representative one needs to have a strong association with people from media industry(TV, Radio, Print Newspapers/Magazines), employees, investors, shareholders, partners etc. Sometimes it really becomes essential to flash your smile and get your work done. Never ever spoil your relationship with anyone. Don’t fight with anyone. If you do not like someone, the best way is to ignore. You never know when you might need the other person.
Pleasing Personality
Public Relations Professionals need to have a pleasing personality. Make sure you dress smartly. Public relations experts need to be extroverts.
Tech savvy
Depend on social networking sites such as Facebook, Orkut, Twitter to spread awareness and promote your organization.
In workplace:
Flexibility: Being a public relations specialist requires you to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. For example, in one public relations campaign, your main responsibility may be to introduce a new product. In another, it may be to announce a shift in the company’s direction. You need to be flexible enough to be equally effective in both roles.
Initiative: Self-motivation is an important aspect of public relations work. You should be able to quickly figure out how you can benefit your client, whether it involves learning about new communication strategies or doing industry research.
Teamwork: Public relations professionals rarely work alone. In most cases, you will work as part of a team that may include researchers, marketers and others in similar roles. You need to be able to work well with others in high-pressure situations in order to carry out the most effective campaign possible.
Brand management: Public relations work often involves enhancing the reputation of your company’s brand. You should be able to leverage your brand’s strengths and present them in a way that appeals to the public.
How to improve public relations skills
Public relations is a fast-paced industry, so you should improve your skills regularly to remain competitive. Here are some suggestions on how you can improve your public relations skills.
- Learn new skills
Public relations work can place you in many situations, with new lessons to be learned every step of the way. Use these situations as opportunities to learn new skills, some of which you will be able to apply to other campaigns in the future.
- Be aware of industry trends
The longer you work in the PR industry, the more aware you will be about what other people are doing. Pay attention to what others are doing in your niche, as well as what is going on in the wider industry. It can be beneficial to follow social media postings of prominent PR professionals and to regularly monitor trade sites and publications to stay current with new trends.
- Try different writing styles
Experiment with different approaches to writing and voices you can use when communicating with the public. Over time, you may find yourself developing your own voice and gravitating toward it most of the time, which can give your writing a strong personal identity. Try spending some time every day to write and communicate with others to enrich your voice and to help you become a more versatile PR professional.
- Set goals for personal and professional development
Setting goals for yourself and striving to achieve them is an effective strategy for improving your skills as a public relations professional. For example, you could aspire toward better engagement over the next few months or increase the view count of a particular video. Establishing personal and professional goals will give you something to work toward and help you measure your progress.
- Learn more about your client’s focus
Ultimately, public relations work is about helping your clients achieve their goals. Whether they are launching a new brand, signifying a change in company direction or enhancing the company’s reputation, your role is to help them meet these objectives as effectively and as efficiently as possible. Therefore, you should constantly strive to learn as much as you can about your client and how you can help them realize their goals.
