What is PR? …A question I get asked more times than I care to mention! From copywriting to brainstorming creative ideas, it’s almost impossible for the term to be pigeon-holed into a set definition of roles and responsibilities as it incorporates so many different day-to-day elements. Here’s a sneak peek into what I get up to on a daily basis at our Ilkley agency:
7.00
My alarm is still a shock to the system every morning and I wonder will I ever be a morning person? I quickly get ready (in a shocking 20 minutes), grab a well-needed caffeine hit and walk to my local train station in Hyde Park.
7.58
Once changing at Leeds station, I jump on the next train to Ilkley and begin some serious binge watching on Netflix. My latest obsession is Mad Men – which, as it’s based on a 1960s marketing agency, helps engage my brain first thing.
8.30
On arrival in Ilkley, I pop to M&S to buy the Telegraph and Argus and head to the office. I’ll make straight for the kitchen for my second caffeine hit and cereal and begin checking through my emails and writing my to-do list.
9.00
I nip down to WH Smiths and grab the morning papers for us to read, which allows us to keep updated with the latest news headlines and check for client coverage – I’m thrilled to see front page news in the Ilkley Gazette for one of our professional services clients! Workloads and priorities are chatted through with the team during our daily ‘spring’ and the day kicks off.
9.30
Time to get stuck into one of my favourite activities… social media planners! I have a planner to complete for a luxury hospitality client and a public sector project for the summer. It’s key for me to develop a different tone of voice for each whilst creating engaging and informative content. Relevant awareness days are always great to include and, believe me, there’s an awareness day for pretty much everything – even mustard?!
11.00
After receiving final press release approval from a manufacturing client, I begin a regional sell in. I pick up the phone and begin speaking to key journalists about their recent corporate social responsibility activity and the impact they’re making in the community. I then send over the release and accompanying photos and hope to see coverage come through shortly.
13.00
At lunchtime, I run (literally) across the car park to the gym to try and get some mid-week workouts in. In reality, this typically consists of a slower-than-average jog on the cross trainer while watching Doctor Who. No pain no gain, right?
15.00
The whole team heads to our newly refurbished meeting room for tea, biscuits and a new business brainstorm. Anisha is keen to gather thoughts for a soft PR trade launch for a potential manufacturing client, so we talk tactics.
15.30
Our lovely intern Melissa is in today, so I wheel over to her desk to brief her on how to approach (see what I did there?) writing a press release for us. We chat through our three key messages and how to communicate these, structure and look through previous examples.
17.00
It’s time for one last flick through my inbox to check I’ve not missed anything and begin my journey back to Leeds. I’ve usually always got my headphones in, and if it’s a Friday you can be sure I’ll be listening to Luther Vandross or Ronan Keating…
