As a PR pro, your job often requires you to go
above and beyond for your clients. Sometimes you need to be flexible, and other times, thick-skinned — but you
always need to use your special collection of skills.
Can anyone say ‘superpowers’?Whether you need to fly in to manage reputations, pounce on new campaign opportunities or keep the moving parts of a crisis in the air, these are the things that make you a hero to your client.
So when duty calls, what else is there to do than take inspiration from comics and films before you suit up?
Here,
media update’s Maryna Steyn has assembled 10 quotes to abide by:
1. “LANGUAGE!” — Steve Rogers
Every PR practitioner knows that watching your language is key! And this doesn’t
just mean swear words. It also means that you need to be careful about how you phrase statements to determine if it’s appropriate or not.
What’s more, you need to make sure that the language you use is
inclusive. Are you addressing a specific gender, or are you making sure you include
all genders? Are you being considerate of other religions or cultures? Remember to ask these questions when you are choosing the language and words you use in your PR efforts.
2. “I have part of a plan.” — Star Lord
Often, you find yourself confronted with either a PR crisis or the start of a campaign — but let’s face it, you’re only human and you have to start
somewhere. That’s where you can draw inspiration from the famous words of Star Lord and say ‘I have part of a plan’.
In a crisis situation, for instance, you might need to respond
immediately — even if you only have partial information to go by.
For example, delivering a statement that the situation is under investigation will keep the public informed. That is part of a plan until you do have more details about the situation.
3. “It is time we stand for what is right.” — Gamora
Reputation is
everything — after all, that is
why PR exists. The goal is to create a reputation that a brand can stand by.
As a PR pro, you need to stand up for who the brand is and ensure that all the content, communication strategies and marketing efforts align with that personality.
4. “I am Groot.” — Groot
In order for your brand to be memorable, it’s not always about
what is said in their communications, instead, it’s about
how these messages are communicated. Much like the favourite tree giant in the Marvel universe, this phrase is iconic and recognised by
everyone. Isn’t that your client’s dream? So, how do PR pros help achieve these goals? One of their super powers is knowing how to phrase statements and brand messages effectively. They also know in which format to showcase them — is it a press release, script for an advert or copy for social media? Be a wordsmith in all cases.
5. “I’m here to pick up a fossil.” — Black Widow
Every now and again, it is clear that PR pros need to call on some
old school tactics — especially when building relationships between brands and customers. Just like Natasha Romanoff, you don’t need to think twice if you
know you need it.
These traditional forms can include communicating directly with sponsors and distributing press releases. Using targeted media channels, such as niche publications, can help you reach a specific audience.
The turnaround time on sending these messages out and seeing the response from the public might be a bit longer, but a good PR pro knows that the juice is
definitely worth the squeeze.
6. “What, no smile?” — Captain Marvel
Managing reputations and handling brand communication is
serious business, but the content you create doesn’t have to be. Just like Captain Marvel says, you can make people smile while achieving campaign goals.
If your brand allows for it, PR pros can add a
little bit of humour to their brand messages. This will help bring the point across
and encourage engagement with a social media post, for instance. The audience will remember the joke and a good laugh might encourage them to share it with friends and family too.
7. “What does Fury want me to do, swallow it?“ — Bruce Banner
Upon hearing this quote, it’s easy to see that the Avengers are wondering how to solve their tesseract problem. This might resonate with some PR pros in a special way if you have ever felt like you have to deal with an impossible task.
Am I right? In any challenging situation, like the start of a campaign or when faced with a crisis, you might wonder (or ask yourself sarcastically) how
on earth are you supposed to deal with what is happening? Regardless of the event, you handle it, don’t you?
That’s why another one of a PR pro’s superpowers is to conquer the
impossible.
8. “We’re Ravagers, we got a code.” — Yondu
Every good PR professional sticks to a code — a code of ethics. Just like Ravagers.
In public relations, ethics mean that the information is accurate and presented truthfully. Thus, all brand communications should be honest and show integrity. This doesn’t mean that the public needs to know
all the inner workings of your client’s brand, but rather that every statement needs to be true (
no lies or half-truths, people).
It also needs to show that you are respectful of your competition and don’t operate underhandedly. Stick within moral and legal laws when it comes to conducting PR.
9. “Don’t worry about it, you’re doing fine.” — T’Challa
Yes, even veteran practitioners can feel anxious. In this fast-paced environment, it's easy to become overwhelmed. That’s when you need to remember T’Challa’s advice and not worry, you’re
probably doing fine.
Feeling overburdened in a busy occupation like PR unfortunately comes with the territory. But
there are easy ways with dealing with the stressors and managing tasks to give you less anxiety.
However, you need to ensure that you aren’t causing your own anxieties about what
might go wrong. So take a breath and listen to a fellow hero’s advice.
10. “All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over.” — Peggy Carter
Striving for perfection is admirable, but in reality, life is
messy. Occasionally, things happen that are out of your control, and plans fail.
For example, if it’s a PR strategy that falls flat, you may have done everything in your power to make it succeed — and it just didn’t. This can be disappointing, but this is where you can hold onto Peggy’s words.
As PR pros, you need to remember that all you
can do is your best. And that might mean going back to the drawing board and reworking your strategy.
Did you think this article was super? Let us know in the comments below. And Hulk-smash that ‘Grande’!
*Image courtesy of Canva