Four PR lessons to learn from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

As a PR guru, you know that the industry can be rags one day and riches the next — nothing in your daily routine is normal. The ladies of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) know that every day has different challenges — from filming, managing beauty and clothing brands to dealing with family dramas.

The RHOBH understand your PR struggles better than you may think! How so? Well, just like their unpredictable lifestyle, you can never really manage what your client does or how the public perceives you. Life is easy when your brand presence is strong and positive, after all. 

But that can easily change as you work in an evolving market where your client can mess up big time, and you then need to fix it.

So, what are the secrets we can learn from these flamboyant ladies? Their famous saying sums it up — 'Life in Beverly Hills is a game, and I make the rules.' With this in mind, let media update's Jana van der Westhuizen help you define the rules of your PR game plan! 

Let's get boujee with these four lessons:

1. Erika Jayne: Always sign that prenuptial agreement

As we see in Hollywood, nothing lasts forever and that also applies to your PR strategy. Once your client has received their desired publicity results, they are more likely to kick you to the curb. 

Erika Jayne is a classic example of someone that put years of hard work into a marriage where she was not appreciated or treated fairly. She decided to take ownership of her life and filed for divorce, after which she was left with nothing — except her prenup!

So PR pro, nobody gets married with the idea of a divorce, but you nevertheless need to look at your client as a potential ex. Erika may have walked out of her marriage with little, but she made sure her reputation stayed intact, and so should you!

How can you avoid that divorce with your client?

Have a signed contract 
It's crucial to have a contract with your client, pointing out the legalities, services and duration of the agreement. Always include factors such as public appearances and the number of press releases they are entitled to.

Always have a third party present
Ensuring that conversations or meetings with your client are not held alone and that you have a third party present is key. A client can easily turn around and twist your words … so be prepared.

Conduct a yearly cost estimate
Doing a yearly cost estimate saves you time but also ensures that you have a set income. You can always quote on campaigns and extra press releases on an ad-hoc basis. 

Keep the campaigns comin'
Just like the housewives always need the next best Cartier jewellery piece, you must show your client why their brand needs you. Keep selling yourself long after your 'marriage'!

2. Kyle Richards: Emotion is not a sign of weakness

Throughout her RHOBH career, viewers experience the emotional rollercoaster that Kyle Richards has endured. This includes her broken relationships with her sister Kim Richards and Kathy Hilton. 

She has also experienced some rocky friendships with housewives Brandi Glanville, whom she blamed for stealing her sister. But, throughout it all, she is always honest about her emotions and, most of the time, is tearing up.

This is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign that she truly cares about the outcome of the given situation and the people around her. This is because her true emotions form lasting friendships. 

So PR pros, there is no reason that you need to fake it till you make it, but rather show how you truly feel. It's sometimes difficult to show emotion as not all brands appreciate it, but there are advantages to showing sentiment. Here are some examples:

Emotions create a sense of honesty and sincerity
Clients like to see the real you as they need to be able to relate to you.

Being more empathetic is a conversation starter
As a PR expert, this is an easy way to obtain new clients as they like to see that you care about them and their brand.

Teamwork makes for the dreamwork
Expressing emotion helps your colleagues and suppliers to feel that you are not superior but that you are working together with them. This is a sign of emotional intelligence that strengthens your work relationships to accomplish your client's communal goal.

Emotional awareness prevents misunderstanding 
Being situationally aware enables you to easily spot when a conflict may arise and to avoid any mishaps that can harm your reputation.

3. Lisa Rinna: Don't be a soccer mom

Lisa Rinna has been called lots of names, but boring ain't one of them! From creating her own beauty line Rinna Beauty to her full-time job at Days Of Our Lives, this housewife never stops exceeding expectations. 

When there is a fight, for example, with co-stars Garcelle Beauvais or Brandi Glanville, she never sits on the sidelines but always defends herself and her family.

Just like Lisa, you shouldn't sit by waiting for opportunities to cross your path. When — and believe me it will — a crisis strikes, always defend your brand as best you can and when you make a mistake, be transparent and own up to it — Lisa Rinna style.

Don't want to sit on the sidelines? Then ensure that you:

Always plan ahead 
Planning your brand's area of growth or potential risks helps you to be proactive.

Establish the right connections 
Networking is your best friend if you want to be seen as an exciting brand in the industry. The more you network, the more exposure your brand will receive.

Avoid conflict 
Whether it is with your client or the public, never fight dirty. Rather see how you can work around the problem by being concise, honest and taking responsibility. Throwing a glass of wine in someone's face is not the way to go … cough-cough, Lisa Rinna!

Think big 
The more ideas you have for your brand, the better. Always try your hand at new collaborations or campaigns. Boring never gets you anywhere!

4. Dorit Kemsley: Talk less, listen more

With housewife Dorit Kemsley, we see that it's easy to talk a lot, but still not really say anything. Her co-stars pointed out that Dorit sometimes goes on and on about a topic. This has caused plenty of frustration with the other housewives as they felt like they could not take part in a conversation without Dorit taking over.

As a PR pro, you know that this is a big no-no. The only way you can truly sell your brand is by listening to your client and their audience. The true answer lies in what people say because that portrays their real feelings towards you. 

Don't be a Dorit, rather listen up! Here's why:

Listening means understanding
If you listen to your client, you will better understand their needs and be able to create a better brand image for your client.

Opportunities are waiting
Listening helps you to see more opportunities; scouting the room for potential connections is the best way to silently do the talking.

Guidance is key
Allow your client to express their feelings because this helps you to pick up any undertones of what they may be feeling. Constantly checking in with your client can help you predict certain trends in their brand presence.

This will help you to avoid crises by knowing the brand activities, guiding them on how to handle situations and allowing yourself to analyse whatever is said to plan your next move.

Keep your eye on the prize
Talking to your client helps you to encourage them to reach their goals. You cannot manage a brand's image alone but need your peers to help you build the brand's reputation with you. Remember, a brand is only as good as its employees because they are direct brand ambassadors. 


PR pros, take your brand from rags to riches!

Are you a PR pro that strives to be better at your game plan? Then share your thoughts about it in the comments section.

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Feeling overwhelmed by your aim to be a top-notch PR pro? Then check out our article, Eight ways PR pros can stay sane in an insane world.

*Image courtesy of Instagram