PR Start by Nick Lucido

I’d be lying to you if I said I went to Chicago this weekend just for a conference. I’ve been itching to get back since I left last August, and since DePaul PRSSA was hosting Chicago PR: Get in the Loop, I figured it was the perfect time to come back.

Overall, I’m extremely impressed with the conference. DePaul has been emerging as a strong Chapter for the past several years thanks to strong leadership, and their conferences prove to be beneficial and insightful for any pre-professional. The next several posts on this blog will be recapping the event and sharing some of the key takeaways from the conference.

Get in the Loop kicked off with a keynote address from Susan Howe, Weber Shandwick’s Chicago president. Susan discussed five things in the indsutry every PR student should be aware of. Here they are:

1. Myriad specialty practices, many PR careers. Susan talked about how the industry has evolved past the traditional PR career. Now, campaigns have many components with even more specialists that develop digital advocacy, campaigns, nonprofit outreach, health alliances, endorsements, ads and more. PR is a place to develop your passions because the opportunities are numerous in terms of career paths.
2. Career experts bullish on PR. Even though the economy is still recovering, Susan aggregated some career data and discussed how PR is a field that is expected to grow through 2018, which means more jobs. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this comes true, and I am confident it will.
3. PR is inline storytelling. This discussion on the changing media landscape was my favorite part. Instead of PR communicating through journalists who tell a story to the masses, PR is now about how a company directly reaches its stakeholders. Susan said these new media have four principles: participation, communication, collaboration and connection. I believe these four principles must all be working together, or they don’t work at all.
4. It’s a brave new world. In addition to telling their own story, brands are trying to communicate their value and their values. People are still in a recession mindset and saving money is still on top of peoples’ minds. Moreover, people want to see companies who care about being a good global citizen, which is something my employer provides research on to make the case. Additionally, Susan discussed when opportunity knocks, it’s PR that must be ready to take advantage of it.
5. Be your own best advocate. By having a winnable outcome and with the right insights, you can be a powerful advocate for yourself and your client. Susan also added that in terms of advancing your career, PR professionals who can show creativity and strategic thinking are more likely to move ahead.

The presentation left me with a lot to think about in my own career. For those that were there, what did you think of the keynote. If you weren’t there, do you agree with Susan’s thoughts?