Finding PR inspo in your personal life
Blend your personal and professional life to benefit both.
Kristin Zamani is senior account executive at Method Communications.
When working in PR, it’s hard to shut your mind off because the media never sleeps. While the constant flood of new information 24/7 can be overwhelming, it’s essential for PR pros to find new ways to source ideas for our clients.
While most people in our industry read daily newsletters, hunt for relevant Qwoted opportunities or even leave the news on in the background, there’s something to be said about finding PR inspiration in your personal life. Now, I am not saying you need to be on the clock 100% of the time, as that would deter you from a solid work-life balance. Instead, use personal tools to blend both your professional and personal life in strategic ways.
Here are three tips that have worked for me:
Become more active on LinkedIn
Although many of us use LinkedIn to build connections with colleagues or find jobs, journalists have started leveraging the platform to find sources for stories they’re working on. With many journalists opting to leave the platform formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn has become a more popular and personal platform where reporters are not only seeking sources, but also showcasing their work and sharing new beats and publication changes.
Adding personal touches to your pitches, such as “I saw that you went to UNLV and graduated from Greenspun. Did you take any classes with XX professor?” demonstrates you’ve researched not only their coverage area but them as people.
Since building connections in PR is key, be sure to add reporters to your network when you’ve connected with them via a pitch. If they end up including your client in their story, repost it to your page, thanking and tagging the reporter, and encourage your client to do the same. This not only helps the reporter garner views on their stories but helps position you and your client to become a go-to source moving forward.
Sharpen your social media algorithm
As publications adapt to how younger generations are consuming news, many have started posting pieces on their social media accounts. Lately, I’ve seen more and more reporters chatting about the circumstances of their stories via a video post that almost resembles a mini news broadcast. These are great touchpoints to build relationships with reporters and get to know them on a more personal level. To keep these types of videos in my algorithm, I make sure to like the post and read the full piece linked in the publication’s bio. If I find the piece is relevant to one of my clients, I’ll flag it to myself via email to discuss with my internal team.
Proactive walks and routine
Walks are a consistent morning routine thanks to my 90-pound Bernedoodle. However, I’ve made these walks productive from a PR perspective by catching up on the latest news podcasts, like Bloomberg Businessweek, The Daily from the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal’s Tech News Briefing. While I understand everyone’s morning routine is different, everyone has opportunities to catch up on the news via podcast, whether you do it while drinking your morning cup of joe or during your morning commute. For example, I came up with a rapid response idea around how to change your brand’s image for younger generations after listening to a podcast with the Mattel CEO discussing how the beloved “Barbie Movie” changed their brand.
While work-life balance is extremely important, finding PR inspiration in your personal life is about blending your work with the world around you in a way that feels natural and sustainable. By leveraging LinkedIn, engaging on social media channels and incorporating proactive routines like listening to news podcasts, you can stay on top of trends and generate fresh ideas without feeling overwhelmed. The key is not to constantly seek information, but to build habits that integrate PR with your everyday experiences. This approach not only helps maintain a healthier work-life balance, but also adds a personal, authentic touch to your work that clients and journalists alike will appreciate.
I enjoyed reading these tips on blending personal life with professional PR practices. I am also a frequent walker, so this was a great reminder that fresh ideas often come from our everyday experiences. The balance between staying informed and maintaining a work-life balance is key for longevity in this fast-paced industry. -Macy Barshick, writer/editor for Platform Magazine
RE: Adding personal touches to your pitches, such as “I saw that you went to UNLV and graduated from Greenspun. Did you take any classes with XX professor?” demonstrates you’ve researched not only their coverage area but them as people.
I did exactly that a few months ago, and “XX professor” was a former classmate of mine. Alsa, no response. I hope the editor appreciated my note anyway.