As the journey of my 1st year started unfolding, I
learnt a lot from the PR definition as it summarized what PR is about.
This is the
definition that helped me understand what PR is about:
Adopted by the Public Relations Institute of South Africa (
PRISA) states that ‘public relations is the management, through communication,
of perceptions and strategic relationships between an organization and its
internal and external stakeholders.
From the definition I knew that in order to make an impact,
you have to change people’s perceptions, how they view things.
Therefore ladies and
gentlemen I present to you tips to consider when studying when studying PR:
1. You have to get into the habit of reading
and staying informed of current trends and issues. This will help develop
critical thinking skills. You also need to look at different opinions regarding
PR, ideas about where PR is going- Follow Bizcommunity.
2. Do not be shy, share your ideas and
opinions, ask questions and take part in conversations. Participate in social
networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Follow PR
professionals so that you can learn from them. You can also get someone who is
in the business to mentor you.
3. Have good communication skills. Since
PR is challenges your thinking, you need to believe in yourself. You need
confidence in talking to a variety of people. You need to have the ability to
add value in people’s thoughts. You need to believe that you can make a big impact
in the industry. You also need to have good organization and planning skills. You
must also have a flexible mind.
4. Start a blog. In this way you get to
showcase your knowledge and experience. So blogging is an investment in PR as
you can reach large number of people.
5. Network all the time. This means you
need to build relationships with people. You should get to know people: learn
their real names and remember details about them. This will leave a good
impression on people.
