Have You Found Your Inner PR All-Star?
How many personality tests and feedback exercises have you been obligated to complete in your lifetime? You’ve probably taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment and its 93+ questions, whether you were a student completing a course assignment or an employee going through a team building exercise with your current coworkers.
What if I told you that, as a PR pro, these types of personality exercises could be the key to your professional success? We all know what makes a reporter pitch successful, but what is it exactly that differentiates you from your competitors? And how can you use that difference to your advantage? Some public relations pros may have the personality traits to open up industry opportunities, while others might use PR tools and resources that are crucial to maintaining relationships.
It’s not just about what you put into your reporter relationships and corresponding pitches. It also depends on your approach. The way you approach consistent organization, collaboration with team members, and ensuring the delivery of the best news for your clients is vital.
Which factors determine the way you approach a situation and, ultimately, grasp the power to lead to your success in PR? I would argue that the most important factor is your personality, whether you were born with the ideal personality traits for public relations or you worked hard to mold your character for lasting success. If you’re having trouble with your PR strategy, take a moment to determine if you’re getting in your own way. Identify potential challenges you may be creating for yourself and break down all internal walls holding you back from achieving professional success.
In a recent Huffington Post article, 5 PR Personalities – Which One Are You?, Catriona Pollard explores some of the crucial personality traits in the PR world. While it might seem pretty obvious that remembering a reporter’s name in a correspondence is important for avoiding a blacklist, are you aware of the qualities that make someone a PR “all-star?” And even further, how do you build yourself up to compete on that same level?
According to Pollard, “PR all-stars naturally build on relationships and know there are many different components to effective public relations. Realizing your target audience, putting yourself in other people’s shoes, and building relationships with your audience is the all-star personality that will help you be successful and gain the right type of media coverage.”
Chances are, others are assessing you based on your ability to manage your many relationships, cultivate reporter connections, and get responses to your pitches. Do you find that you have trouble meeting these constant expectations?
Here’s something that can help. With the PR tools that are available today, you no longer need to rely on your own personal organization and techniques. The days of double-pitching reporters, missing out on reporter intelligence, and hitting unavoidable challenges with client service are over.
So what are you waiting for? Begin your journey to becoming a PR all-star today. Learn how to be successful in PR, and discover how a public relations CRM can help.