By Karalyn Hoover
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been an outgoing, ambitious person – especially when it came to public speaking. So, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to my family and friends when I decided to major in public relations at Monmouth University’s Honors School in the fall of 2017.
At 17, my perception of public relations was, “writing press releases, communicating with celebrities, creating and monitoring social media, and event planning.” And while each of those components is a small piece of the public relations profession, I am so fortunate to know now that there is so much more.
For those of you who were/are like 17-year-old me and believe PR is simply “writing press releases, communicating with celebrities, creating and monitoring social media, and event planning,” here are FIVE reasons why PR is so much more (and why I love it):
1. PR is constantly adapting. Up until 2004, major social networking sites like Facebook did not exist. In today’s world, one bad product or service review can go viral, resulting in a major crisis for any company. 20 years ago, bad news only traveled as fast as the newspaper could be written, printed, and delivered - or broadcasted on television. Yet, today, over 3 billion people use at least one platform of social media. With that many social media users all over the world – news travels fast. PR has to be faster.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it” – Warren Buffet.
2. PR is creative. Journalists want to see something newsworthy. As PR professionals, we constantly have to develop new strategies to gain media attention. Whether that’s the “Unhappy Meal” campaign from Burger King or the life-sized Candy Land road-turned-board game, public relations professionals have to think of something just sensational enough to gain media attention.
3. PR is meaningful. I get asked this question by a lot of people: “How is PR different from advertising?” The difference is that PR is earned. While it is true that advertising can certainly gain media exposure, it is an expensive, paid placement that is guaranteed. PR, on the other hand, is all about persuading media that our product or service is newsworthy – we can’t bribe them for it.
“A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front-page ad” – Richard Branson
4. PR is fast-paced. Whether you have two clients or 200 clients, PR moves quickly. PR is an opportunistic job, and opportunities can pass you by as quickly as they came. And because of that, projects are constantly being put on hold and juggled around. I’m not sure anyone will ever be bored if they work in PR – you’re constantly on your toes jumping to the next task. As an ambitious newcomer, this is a must have for me.
5. PR is people-oriented. A PR professional’s goal is to earn trust from the public for clients - and there’s no better way to do that than to show that you care. At the other end of every phone pitch, every email, and every interaction is a new personal connection. PR provides you the opportunity to build strong relationships to those at your job, those in the media, and those you hope to work with in the future. Networking events like dinners or conferences are just one of the ways to meet new people – you can never have too many connections.
While I could go on and on about my love for public relations thus far, I know I'll have a multitude of new reasons to add five years from now. Until then!
Karalyn Hoover is a senior communication major, with a concentration in PR/ Journalism and a minor in marketing, at Monmouth University. She is co-president of MU PRSSA Shadow PR firm. Karalyn interned with Coyne PR this past summer and will be returning after graduation as an account coordinator