At the beginning of the summer I embarked on a journey at Broadreach Public Relations that would ultimately transform my view of the business world and immensely improve my skills in media relations. What I didn’t realize going into my internship was the vast amount of overlap that PR has with other areas of business; managing client social media accounts, advising important company decisions, and being the middle man between companies and the media. This experience has been invaluable for my development in the business world as I head into my final year at college.
I am currently a major in Media in Society at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. I have studied advertising but had never taken classes in journalism or public relations. My main ambition coming into my internship was to gain a better grasp of the PR industry, and also to improve my writing skills. My internship helped me accomplish these goals, and exposed me to writing press releases, managing social media accounts, making media calls, and the process of writing and editing a pitch. As I finish up my final week here at Broadreach, I wanted to share some key concepts and takeaways that I learned from my internship.
Communication and Followthrough: In the publishing world, endless amounts of press releases and pitches are received on a daily basis. Become someone your outlet knows and recognizes. Persistence will help you reach your editors, so don’t be afraid to follow up multiple times; many outlets even appreciate the reminder.
Editing: You can never edit or review too much. It is very important to have a clear understanding of where you are going with your press release or pitch before you begin writing. Make sure you research every person or company you involve, then outline your key points, develop a structure and have an end goal. Once you have started writing, there is no such thing as a final product until multiple people have reviewed it. Learn how to be your own editor, but understand that you can’t catch everything; make sure you get feedback. Precise, clear writing will take you places.
Work Environment: Last but not least, your work environment reflects the work you produce. The open office at Broadreach generates feedback, ideas, and a healthy, fun relationship with colleagues.
I am very happy that my time at Broadreach has solidified my professional experience, and excited for where this next year will take me. I would like to thank the Broadreach team for the many lessons I have learned and the connections I have made. I couldn’t have been luckier to work with such an established team, and I am eternally honored and grateful for this experience. — by Emily Martin, Broadreach Intern
