Research always comes first

It always amazes me how much planning and research goes into public relations work. It’s obviously good practice to make sure everything with company’s name attached to it is well planned and researched. However, in PR, you’re not just protecting your company’s reputation from scrutiny – you’re also protecting the reputation of your client.

I’ve had numerous chances to get involved with client research and planning. It is very rewarding to see the information you research become part of a proposal, media release or even passed along to assist in a client meeting.

Because the information I gather travels everywhere, it has to be dead-on. That may sound dramatic and maybe even a little nerve-racking – probably why I like it.

Don’t get the impression that I am buried in research, making sure everything is correct before I send it off. No way, the great part about working in a team-based environment is that everyone pitches in. If I’m stumped on locating journalists who are supposed to attend the Chicago Auto Show or finding data on information technology, chances are someone on my team can help.