Six basic skills that every PR practitioner needs to know

Often it is assumed that public relations involve only dissemination of press releases in media outlets for publicity of a brand. But if you dig deeper, you will find various aspects of public relations that are not known by many people. According to Atul Malikram, Founder of a renowned public relations firm, “Public Relations is an amalgamation of different industries and therefore, the scope in the Public relations Industry is very high and so is the competition. Only those having proper skills and ability can build a successful career in this industry.” PR exists to shape public opinion that requires a definite understanding of the customer’s psychology. Suffice to say, it is not everyone’s cup of tea. To be a public relations practitioner, you need to have good technical, analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills. Aspiring PR practitioners must be well acquainted with media and brands. 

1. Communication

 It is of utmost necessity for a PR practitioner to have proficient communication skills. Without proper communication, PR cannot exist. To promote a brand in the market, you need to communicate with the target audience. Even small misinformation or misunderstanding in the public may cause severe damage to the reputation of your brand. Whether you are writing a press release or you are holding media interactions, you should always convey proper and precise information. Not only is it imperative to be able to communicate well verbally to get your point across effectively, but PR practitioners also need to have excellent writing skills. Needless to say, they must possess the ability to write an impressive and eye-catching content.

2. Creativity

In the present day and age, publicists need to come up with creative ideas and plans to capture the attention of the public. Brands need to stand out from the crowd to catch the public’s eye. It is, therefore, necessary for a PR practitioner to have out of the box ideas that will make a brand shine brightest among the others. Being creative does not mean you have to be an artist; it means you can solve any problem with an air of novelty. A publicist needs to have a creative and unique story idea while pitching the journalist. Therefore, creative and new ideas for brand campaigns and initiatives will give your brand a lot of exposure in the market.

3. Power of Persuasion

What makes a PR practitioner different from other professionals is the ability of persuasion. Pitching a journalist for a specific story related to a brand takes a lot of convictions. It is an ability to tell your idea or story most convincingly. This includes clear and precise communication from your end. You must impart what your brand is, what services it is offering, or how the public will be benefitted. In short, persuasion involves conveying your brand’s credibility to the media.

4. Versatility and multitasking

A good PR practitioner should be versatile and should have the ability to multitask. Whether it is organizing a press event or meeting deadlines or handling many clients, he/she should know how to handle various responsibilities at once. A PR specialist is responsible for all kinds of media engagement activities of its clients including press events, interactions, get-together, etc. Whether it is strategic planning or their implementation, he/she should have the ability to take the right decision at the right time to avoid any discrepancies. Also, a PR manager works 24×7. PR industry never sleeps because of which it is not limited to a 9- 5 work schedule. Whether you are an intern or a PR executive, you should be available to work anytime it is necessary.

5. Interest in Media

Of course, PR and media go hand in hand. Being a PR practitioner means having a keen knowledge of media and how it works. Also, a good PR person will be updated regarding current affairs and news and always enjoy learning something new. Keeping updated will help in planning brand campaigns and initiatives. Hearing a piece of news and analyzing how it will affect your brand and its exposure helps in maintaining proactivity with clients. Notably, PR professionals always maintain a good and friendly relationship with the media. Moreover, he/she should have good perception skills to understand what kind of news media wants to know and cover. Analytical and interpersonal skills come handy when you are in PR.

6. Tech-savvy

Nowadays, as we are advancing into the technology-based market, technical skills like social media content creation, analytics, SEO, and programming must be included in the traditional PR skills. In recent years, digital media has made a severe impact on the PR industry. However, social media platforms vary from each other in several aspects and therefore, require a different strategy. A tech-savvy PR practitioner knows what platform to use for what purpose to ensure maximum brand awareness. Having keen knowledge and understanding of social media is quite necessary if you want to use those platforms as PR tools for communicating with your audience.