As 2022 draws to a close, it marks both the end of my first year at BIG in the Glasgow PR team as well as the end of another… let’s say ‘interesting’ year in the world of PR and communications.
Over the last 12 months, we’ve supported our clients to manage the media during a whole host of sensitivities, from the rising cost-of-living crisis, the passing of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II and not just one or two, but three prime ministers.
The role of PR has never been more important as we help to build trust and loyalty between our clients and the rest of the world, delivering tailored and meaningful content through creative concepts and proactive ideas.
Having worked in PR previously, before a slight detour into digital marketing, my love of storytelling drew me back and I jumped at the opportunity to join BIG in January 2022. From day one I was able to get stuck in and I’ve since had the chance to work closely with both corporate and consumer clients to deliver impactful PR campaigns and strategies, with meaningful results.
It is impossible to summarise all that I’ve learned in my first year at BIG, but I’ve managed to narrow it down to my top three learnings:
- It’s not what you know, it’s who you know – The need to cultivate strong relationships across the industry is so important in PR. Whether that’s with our clients whereby we act as an extension of their organisation or with the press where mutually beneficial relationships with journalists can often be the key to success. By showcasing the relatability of our clients’ brands and understanding the audience as real people and not just the bottom line, we can create a meaningful dialogue through which engagement is far higher.
- …okay it’s also what you know – It is our job to effectively communicate our clients’ brand values and key messages through the media, and ultimately to their targeted audience. We can only do this through close communications with our clients and a deep understanding of their goals. Whilst they are the experts in their field, we almost must be too which can mean confidently changing from a housebuilder to a master whisky maker to a solicitor all in the same day. That variety – it’s what we in PR agencies all love.
- It’s PR not ER – It’s easy to get caught up in juggling clients, looming deadlines and countless Teams meetings however, as important as our work is, we don’t operate in a hospital emergency room. Sometimes all we need to do is to take a step back from the madness and get a bit of perspective. At BIG, a positive workplace culture is at the heart of everything and whether it’s pizza Friday or the infamous social events, the culture makes it a fantastic place to work.