Each month we have been reaching out to communications professionals to ask them a few questions about their experiences and interests, with the goal of providing some insights to others in the industry. For our latest edition of ‘Questions for the PR Industry’ we chatted with Maegan Holloway, PR pro at PHPR Inc. and creator of PerfectingPR, a PR and lifestyle blog.
Maegan Holloway
PR pro and blogger
@Maegan_Holloway
Why did you decide to pursue a career in public relations?
Going into college, I did not know right away that I was meant to be in the PR industry. I spent a year studying pre-med and the following two years studying nursing. My desire to succeed was certainly there, but it was clear that something was missing. While my classmates thought starting IV’s and drawing blood was fun, I was trying not to pass out. I began to question what I was meant to study and my mother told me I should look into PR. I took a leap of faith and threw out the scrubs and anatomy study guides, and jumped into a completely different field full of press releases and AP style fanatics. I truly fell in love with what I was studying and best of all, I had a natural talent for public relations.
What media outlets do you follow on a regular basis and why?
- NY Times
- Los Angeles Times
- Fox
- NBC
Two of the media outlets listed above are national news sources and the later two are local sources. My current boss, a well sought-after PR consultant, informed me that she would not hire a PR professional that was unable to name at least one national and local news source they follow daily.
- PR Daily News (@ PRDailyNews on Twitter)
- PR News (@ PRNews on Twitter)
- PR Media Inc (@ PRMediaInc)
The three news sources listed above are just three of many sources I follow daily that provide wonderful articles about PR and communication tips and trends. It is important for PR pro’s to stay up-to-date on what’s going on in the world and what’s going on in the PR world.
What skills do you believe are crucial to communicating a client’s message?
In order to successfully communicate a client’s message, impeccable written and oral communication skills are crucial. You must be able to not only write well, but write so that your client’s audience will read, understand and connect with their cause aka key messages. Creativity and an eye for detail will bring your client’s message to life and convince the target audience to engage in the desired action. Communicating the message may require more than writing. This is where diversity in skill such as photography or video production/editing may be necessary.
Thanks, Maegan!
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