The year ahead: What PR pros need to keep in mind as we enter 2012

By Matter

Like most people, I entered this New Year with hopes to improve upon last year. As I was strategizing these goals, most of which included my career, I stumbled across an article on PR Daily, “New Year’s Resolutions for PR and Marketing Professionals.” Most of the resolutions in the article include things I was already taught during my first year at Matter, but all are important to remember as we go about the daily grind. The article had 11 resolutions, but I went through and picked the five that were most important to me for 2012.

1. Resolve to know your audience.

This has been ingrained in my head from all of my mentors here at Matter. Pitching a massive list of contacts with the same pitch is ineffective, and quite frankly, rarely garners results. Taking that extra step to get to know exactly who you’re pitching and why they would be interested is important, and something we all need to make priority in the New Year.

2. Resolve to stay ahead of the game.

In an agency, there are so many things going on at once that if you don’t stay organized and on top of things, you’re bound to forget something important. Although it may not seem possible some days, taking that extra minute to make sure you write something on your to-do list or finish up a task that has been on your to-do list forever can make all the difference.

3. Resolve to slow it down and clean up your act.

At Matter, we have professional development meetings that are meant to help the junior members of the team improve our skills and learn best practices. I chose to include this resolution because it is one that Matter takes pride in, and even had an entire development meeting dedicated to just this. Attention to detail is effective, saves time AND people (especially clients) notice!

4. Resolve to clear your head.

Even though, according to PR Daily, PR moved down on the list of most stressful careers from number two to number seven…it’s still number seven. Taking a moment to go for a walk with a colleague or grab a coffee can help you clear your head and make that to-do list look a lot more manageable. Matter’s employees are extremely hard workers, so we all know (or need to realize!) the importance of a quick breather to re-focus.

5. Resolve to be a storyteller.

This one was great to see on the list because inevitably, it’s our creative minds that help us drive great client results and think outside of the box. Using our brains to make facts and figures relevant to each publication we are pitching is an important skill for all PR professionals. Taking the shortcut and just relaying the facts may sometimes seem easier but really hinders your ability to create an idea for a good story – and hey, that’s one of the fun parts of our job!

What are some of your PR resolutions for 2012?