As you might have gathered from ‘a day in the life’ of Shona and Helen, no two days in a PR and social media agency are the same! Whether we’re discussing social media strategy for a new client or checking in for a review on a long standing account, a lot of different activity takes place in this Ilkley agency – here’s what I get up to on a not-so-average average day.
6.30
The first thing I do when I wake up is check my phone (it’s terrible, I know!). WhatsApp messages aside, I usually head to Twitter which is my go-to for news updates (and American award ceremonies, depending on the time of year…).
7.30
My commute from Bradford to Ilkley begins; I head over Baildon and Ilkley Moors which make for a stunning, and relatively traffic-free, drive. I’m usually accompanied by BBC Radio 1 or an eclectic 90s – 00s playlist. Savage Garden, anyone?
8.40
Arriving in the office, I check in on emails and social media to see what the day is likely to shape in to. Current affairs such as the elections or big acquisitions can impact our clients greatly so it’s helpful to be aware of the day’s news so things can be planned accordingly.
I also use this time to update my to-do-list and highlight priorities for the day. I’m known as a bit of a magazine hoarder (in all aspects of my life) so this morning I spend some time catching up on the latest from KBBReview and CIPR Influence before filing them away. A tidy desk is a tidy mind…right?!
9.15
Once the team is in and settled, we head to our break-out area to read today’s newspapers, catch up on the morning’s client coverage (including a big Telegraph and Argus business page lead for one of our manufacturing clients!) and chat through our workloads for the week. We have a big regional sell in planned so I’m chasing up the client for final approval to ensure we meet press deadlines with the journalists.
9.45
I have an activity planning phone call with a client at 10am, so I spend some time preparing. The call is about a festive project which we’re due to start working on during the height of summer – always a juxtaposition in our world, but the planner in me loves it!
10.30
Shona and I are in the midst of pulling together a bespoke social media training workshop for a complex business, as part of our training arm, Approachability. We’ve chatted through key priorities with the client and shared the tasks between us.
I love introducing people to the benefits and power of social media – while many people in business appreciate that it’s a communication necessity, getting them to really understand why – and how best to use it – is really rewarding.
12.30
Lunchtime! This has been on my mind for at least two hours and I’ve already checked in to see what everyone else is having. I usually try to meal prep at home but I went out for tea last night (Rosa’s Thai Café in Leeds Trinity, would recommend), so it’s a classic M&S trip today.
1.15pm
We’re recruiting for a junior account executive at the moment and I’m helping Sarah with the interview process. We catch up on the CVs we’ve received so far and plan interviews. The communications industry changes so quickly, it’s really exciting to see what fresh approaches (ha-ha) and insights new team members could bring.
1.30
Checking in on emails, I read through a social media planner from Betty for a hospitality client. It’s all in line with the client’s PR strategy and creative as always, so I sign off on the planner and it’s ready to go over to the client.
2pm
We have a big client review coming up in a couple of weeks which means collating results and creating reports. I work on the presentation and brief out the remaining tasks; I’m (very!) pleased to see we’ve already exceeded the KPIs mid-project!
3pm
We have a couple of really interesting new business opportunities at the moment and I’m supporting Sarah and Suzanne on costings. I have to get my head down for this and the accompanying proposal so head back to the break-out area to pull my thoughts together.
3.30pm
I love the variety of my job but my one true love is still writing so I’m excited to get stuck into a press release for the rest of the afternoon. It’s for a professional services client regarding some of their social responsibility work in the local community. I’ve already spoken to the third party benefiting so I use my notes and get typing.
5pm
After a quick check of my inbox to make sure I’ve cleared everything for the day, I make a hasty attempt to tidy my desk and head home. Traffic is not my friend at this time so the 90s playlist is back to get me through!