Saturday, June 25, 2011

What a Non-PR Internship Taught Me About PR

As aspiring PR professionals, internships are invaluable to gaining real world experience in the industry. An internship at a PR agency or in a PR department can help you gain experience in the various PR processes. Still, don't discount the value of a non-PR internship.

I've been interning for a month at Progressive Business Publications, which produces content online and in print to help business professionals do their job better. Not only have I gained a better understanding of business, but I've also gained some useful insights for the PR industry:

1. Know Your Audience: At Progressive Business Publications there are newsletters for business pros such as Human Resource Specialists and CFOs. Each newsletter contains information specifically targeted to a particular business profession. Even with the disappearance of many print publications, subscriptions for the newsletters have remained strong because PBP caters to its various audiences. Likewise in PR, if you know your target audiences' preferences and dislikes, you can formulate an effective message.

2. Keep It Simple: Everyday at my internship it's stressed how important it is to write clearly and concisely. With just four or eight pages to fill with content in the newsletters, the writer must get straight to the point. Similarly in PR, your message is more likely to resonate with your target audience if it is delivered in a clear and concise manner.

3. Sell It: PR pros must constantly "sell" their client's product, event, cause or even the client them self. At my internship, I regularly contact subscribers to gain information for stories. The experience has taught me quickly how to "sell" myself, so these business professionals will let me interview them as they go about their workday. These phone interviews have made me feel much more comfortable about pitching the media.

Have you gained any PR skills from non-PR jobs or internships?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Shari Dacosta.

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