Day in the Life of a PR

Ever wonder what life is like working as a PR? Here is your chance you find out. This week Senior Account Executive Alice takes you through a typical day in PR

Mornings..

I must admit I’m not an early riser. I wish I could be! So whilst I would love to say I start my day with a gym session or yoga the harsh reality is run out of the house and catch up on morning emails on the tram.

A morning Nespresso is essential! I start the day by reading a paper, it’s really important to know what is going on in the world. We are always on the look out for opportunities for clients for example festival guides, survey stories or partnership announcements.

Time to catch up on a few emails from clients and suppliers and set out what I will be ticking off the to do list for the day. I always try and write my list before I leave the night before then look back over it in the morning to make sure I haven’t missed anything.

I like to be really organised in a morning and make sure I have my priorities for the day. Quite often we have team catch ups in the morning to make sure everyone knows their actions for the week. As well as PR I am also involved in the digital team so I will check clients’ social media channels, respond to enquiries and ensure all content is scheduled.

I have just finished Liverpool Sound City festival which was amazing! Festivals are always a great experience (tiring but great) Now that is done I’ve got two big projects for the summer – One is helping organise a large summer installation for one of my clients and the other is a new client we have just taken on and helping them launch a new location.

Lunch is pretty much on my mind from 9:05am so I try and stop for lunch at about 1pm. I try and have a relatively healthy lunch as we are a super ‘snacky’ office so there is always biscuits and chocolate floating about in the afternoon. There is a new Hawaiian place that has opened up in the Northern Quarter called Oke Poke which has become my new favourite lunch spot.

Afternoon…

I spend most of my afternoons speaking to press selling in a story, writing press releases, speaking to suppliers and clients. I have client meetings twice a week and two conference calls a week to update my clients on actions for the week and coverage that’s appeared. No two days in PR are the same and it really is true! My afternoons are often really busy especially when it comes to the end of the month and its reports week!

In PR there is a lot of organising – this could be arranging photographers for events, sorting logistics, booking client activity, award entries, blogger activity – the list could go on. When you have five accounts it’s really important that you know the deadlines you’re are working towards.

PR has really changed since I began 3 years ago. Everything is far more digital which I love. Bloggers have really taken off and the content they are creating is brilliant. I am an Instagram addict! I am constantly scrolling through feeds to see who is reviewing what, where press are being taken and what the next new launch is. I think it’s really important to know what it going on online as well as in print.

I normally finish at about 6 – 6:30pm. Before I leave I go through all my emails from the day to make sure I haven’t missed anything and make my to do list for the next day.

I have to walk through the Arndale to get the tram home so I sometimes (*cough cough all the time) find myself in a couple of shops. I just can’t help it, I’m a totally shopping addict!

Best piece of advice…

INTERN! I spent every summer at University interning in London sofa surfing. I had some absolutely amazing experiences and have called upon those contacts since. If you work hard it never goes unnoticed and make sure if you have a passion you follow it!