Perspectives About the Public Relations Industry

LA Final Paper
Student Full Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Full Name
Professor Full Name
Due Date
LA Final Paper
The essays focuses on key lessons from the course, covering important elements covered or acquired from the lessons. Notably, I reflect on important things that happened over 4 days, including meeting guest speakers, working on PR strategy presentation with a group, and pertinent lessons gained from the guest speakers.
Lessons From Guest Speakers
Perspectives About the PR Industry
One of the significant things I learned from the speakers today is the importance of building and maintaining relationships within the public relations industry. A large part of public relations revolves around developing relationships with various stakeholders. It is, therefore, important to maintain open communication with everyone to create a sense of trust. I support Amy’s assertion that while being nice to people is important, we are all in this industry at the end of the day and must, therefore, be cautious. Another key takeaway was from Claudia, who stated that the public relations industry is mostly about whom you know. The people you know in the industry can be a huge advantage when looking for opportunities, such as hunting for a job interview.
On a more personal note, I enjoyed touring Entertainment Tonight and gaining an inside perspective of what the Public Relations industry is like daily. A typical day at Entertainment Tonight starts with a meeting at 7 a.m. to discuss news. Then the news pieces get assigned to different directors. After that, the directors receive and send out pitches and handle special projects. Another key point mentioned by nearly all speakers is the importance of understanding the shows one is pitching. The speakers especially emphasized the role of background research in preparing a pitch. When developing a pitch, it is important to ensure the presentation is concise and includes the most important details. Moreover, it is critical to send a pitch via email and follow up via email.
Insights on Event Planning
Given my background in event planning, I was delighted to listen to Ginger’s experience. One of the things she mentioned about event planning that stood out to me is the importance of considering the event's overall objective. It is critical to determine what one hopes to achieve from the event. When it comes to event planning, one has to think through every aspect, including the site and location of the event. Some of the necessary considerations when planning for an event are checking where parking space is, an efficient checking-in process, and a proper place for the press.
If the check-in process is difficult for the press, they will likely write a bad review of the event. Furthermore, one must factor how the press will play into the event. Another critical component when it comes to planning an event is budgeting. You must factor in the venue cost, food, beverage, rentals, staging, lighting, banners, and other extraneous costs. The first step in planning an event is creating a timeline from when the event is scheduled to happen using as much detail as possible. Ginger also emphasized the importance of being organized. When she showed us her event bible, I saw the amount of detail that goes into planning major events. This opportunity helped improve my event planning skills. She also mentioned the importance of doing an event recap, such as asking yourself, “What went well?” “What were the challenges?” What can I do better?”.
The objective of any event planner is to give people positive experiences and memories. Finally, the other significant thing I learned from the speakers is the importance of being available, returning calls promptly, listening, and responding to client concerns on time. On a high note, some of the quotes I liked from some speakers include: “Do your level best at everything” and “Whatever you decide to do in life, you want to do it more than breathing.”
More Lessons on Public Relations
I learned many key aspects of the Public Relations industry from the speakers we heard today. The first speaker that we heard from today was Sheryll. When it comes to the Public Relations industry, she said the best part is figuring out what you want and not exactly having a path. When you get stuck on a plan, you may miss an opportunity. She also mentioned that a good unit publicist understands how an entertainment studio works. When it comes to jobs, her advice is to know who you are, what you want, and what you bring to the table. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. For crisis communications, you have to be quick and strategic and be able to spring into action quickly. A good publicist stays calm during a crisis. People look to you for stability and to stay grounded. Be the calming voice for those who are freaking out. Sheryll also states that you are not friends in the Public Relations industry. However, colleagues work together to promote the best products.
      The next speaker whom I learned a lot from was Jen. She talked about when working at an agency, you work on everything from TV, music, and film, all the way to charity. Some of her advice was to read everything out there; you want to know names and why they’re being covered. It’s important to have depth and perspective about what’s happening in the world. She emphasizes not being afraid to reach out to people and seeing if you can get lunch or go to their office. You never know where it will lead. Jen also talks about what it’s like working in the office daily. They always have a meeting a few times a week. She always asks if anyone needs anything. They also discuss...