Major Challenges of PR Professionals
Tight deadlines, quick turnaround times and demanding clients are just some of the things PR professionals have to cope with on a daily basis. Yet public relations is an industry that is known for being on top of its game – we’re great at keeping up to date with our developments in our client’s industry and new technology that helps us do our job better.
Being a PR professional means facing struggles that require innovative thinking and creative approaches. Working day-in-day-out to supply relevant and effective content for clients and consumers, PR professionals have to deal with daily struggles. Here are just a few of them:
Unstable job description
PR is a constantly evolving field, and sometimes it feels like no one knows exactly what you do. There are so many elements that come with being a PR professional that are always evolving, like event management, relationships building, pitching, communications, digital engagement, and so on. PR professionals usually find that the list grows as the industry evolves.
PR professionals are good at a lot of things – and get a taste of working in different areas of business. “That’s what keeps PR interesting though – you’re never left doing the same thing day after day!” says Gabriella Brondani Rego, founder of Urban Espresso PR.
Staying up to date with the headlines
Knowing what’s happening locally, and in the world, that’s relevant to your industry is essential to enhancing and protecting your brand’s reputation. This means keeping up with the news 24/7.
There’s always interesting headlines and articles for PR professionals, so PR professionals are usually working, even when they’re not, just to stay informed. Jenny Griesel, media specialist from Jenny Griesel Communications says, ”I am online every day, consuming a lot of media and I network with people in the [PR] industry.”
Staying relevant
A real struggle for PR professionals is constantly finding ways to pitch your clients’ messages to the media. Keeping up to date with trends in the media landscape is a big part of the job description. If you’re not on the ball, then you can miss key opportunities for your brand.
“To remain relevant, you need to create the opportunities. This proactive approach has long been an issue in the PR industry. Don’t wait for the client to give you an angle, find one yourself and make it work. PR is only successful if it is consistent, thus requiring proactive attempts at creating relevant”, says Samantha Watt, owner of GinjaNinjaPR.
Creative Block!
We’ve all been there – sometimes it feels like our imagination and creativity is on hold. Even if you’re working for an amazing brand and have a generous budget, sometimes the best ideas take time and research. To combat creative block, it’s important to have a good work-life balance so your brain has time to refresh itself.
“I try to plan my time as carefully as possible so that I will be able to cater to the times when dealing with limited inspiration. This usually means an early start to my every day,” says Jeremy Briar, a PR professional at Total Exposure.
