“So what do you do?” – A Glimpse into a Day in the Life of a PR Pro

 
5 businesswomen at conference table
 

As a good big sister and the dedicated family spokesperson, I was performing my sisterly duties and gave my brother a quick phone call during my lunch break to check in. We got to talking, and he mentioned that he was near my office around lunch time earlier that week and thought about stopping by to say hello “because I know where you work, but I am not actually sure what you do. I think I need to come in check it out for myself sometime.”

This got me thinking – even after sharing many stories with my family of the successes I have achieved at work, my brother still didn’t really understand what a day at the office was like for me. To shed light on what this might look like for my brother and for family members of PR professionals who might not be brave enough to ask, “So what do you do?” I’ve mapped out what a typical Monday morning looks like at the TrizCom office.

 
 
 

Typical PR Day

8:30 a.m. – Arrive at the office, and check for any missed calls on the office line. Catch up on emails that came in overnight that were not previously addressed after-hours. Take a quick look at social media to see what is trending for the day and what is happening in the news.

9 a.m. – Prepare items to be added to the weekly staff meeting agenda.

10-11:30 a.m. – The team meets at the conference table every Monday to discuss upcoming action items and deliverables for our partners. Our firm does not specialize in specific communications: our partners vary from nonprofit, healthcare, lifestyle and events to business-to-business. We are smaller than other firms in town but are stronger because the entire team, including everyone from the CEO to our interns, has a working knowledge of what is happening with each account – thanks to our weekly check-ins.

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Check your email, and plan to grab a quick lunch – most likely from our newest partner, Taco Bueno, conveniently located across the parking lot from our office. I usually hop back on social media during lunch to ensure I haven’t missed any major news. We keep CNN on during the day and have push notifications set on our devices from national and local stations to prevent pitching new stories during breaking news.

12:30-2 p.m. – Email each partner, providing a quick status update on pending deliverables, media opportunities and recent news coverage.

 
woman's hands on a laptop keyboard with icons of envelopes floating to represent email
 

2-5:30 p.m. – Get to work on pending partner deliverables! This means researching information and topics to be discussed in upcoming press releases and pitches mapped out in the PR plan. Write the releases and pitches. Find out where these items will be sent, to whom and when.

5:30 p.m. – Go home, and prepare to do most of it again the next day. No day in public relations is ever the same. Even though I’ve left the office, work often follows me home. I’m always on call – monitoring my email and phone to ensure a crisis hasn’t popped up or an urgent media request hasn’t come in. You never know when a crisis will occur, but it’s almost guaranteed that it will happen when you least expect it and will be after business hours or on the weekend.

Each day brings new challenges and projects, often out of the left field. To be successful in this industry, it’s important to be organized to stay on track. But there will be times when your best-laid plans go astray – especially when the phone rings and a reporter is calling to set up a story that you pitched months ago or a news story breaks, and your partner is the perfect person to provide their thought leadership as a source. You will rarely find a day that isn’t interrupted by a media interview or partner meeting – but that’s what keeps work exciting!

So, little brother, you’re welcome to stop by anytime during lunch to see what I’ve been up to, but in the meantime, maybe this will give you an idea. 

Searching for a world-class partner to help your business get the attention it deserves?

You can look no further than TrizCom PR. We’re a leading public relations agency that helps our partners achieve their business objectives through dynamic and tailored campaigns. Every partner receives personalized support from experienced professionals, as well as customized strategies designed to fit their individual needs. Our company also understands how powerful effective storytelling can be.

With years of experience helping our partners succeed, you know you are in good hands when joining the TrizCom family. We understand the importance of building meaningful relationships, which is why personalization lies at the heart of everything we do here at TrizCom PR! Leverage this expertise and let us help bring your vision to life through creative campaigns to ensure people talk about your product or service — online and offline.

Contact us today to learn more about what makes TrizCom PR different from other agencies!