The communication business is rapidly growing. As the competition becomes fierce, it becomes vital to brand yourself original. In an age where many PR consultancies are coming up, it becomes crucial to understand the skills required to excel in a PR start-up.
To be a successful communication professional in a start-up, you need to offer a wide variety of skills. It can range from critical thinking to attention to detail. When it comes to working for a start-up, you need to stand out from the competition. Developing and demonstrating the skills required that are in high demand can go a long way.
Below are the essential skills required to excel in communications in a start-up.
Learn to communicate
Communication is a crucial skill when it comes to public relations. You must be able to communicate clearly and be an excellent listener. Maintaining and building relationships is one of the most important tasks in PR, making effective communication crucial. When the pandemic hit and the companies adopted the work from home policy, it changed the nature of communication forever. With events and meetings taking place virtually, having great communication skills is the way to stand out.
Get creative: Marketing on a shoestring budget
With so many start-ups coming up lately, communication professionals need to acquire diverse skill sets. If you want to grow in a start-up, it becomes imperative to understand all the aspects of marketing, including sales and digital marketing. Start-up marketing happens in an environment with a small budget and no brand equity. It is important to drive the growth through diverse channels to achieve the growth of your brand.
Acquire data analytical skills
Lately, PR professionals are under pressure to prove the return on investments and the attribution. Potential impressions and the earned media value are not enough. It is essential to understand google analytics and other measurement factors to help uncover the sales number, site traffic, sentiment, share of voice, impact of each campaign etc. As the business evolves and grows, the opportunities for a PR person are immense and the challenges too continue to thrive. So, it is always good to learn new things to stay on top of things.
Develop futuristic thinking
Things change quickly in PR and a good communication professional will always be a step ahead. By being on the trend and having the ability to predict what is coming next, a PR professional will be able to present the best solutions to the client’s problem. Information travels rapidly in this global age, thanks to the use of social media. It becomes crucial for PR professionals to react quickly to crises and be careful not to make mistakes. So, working on a forward-thinking ability and learning to react to difficult situations will make you a strong PR professional.
Art of time management
Throughout your PR career, you will be handling multiple projects and facing several project deadlines. In instances like this, time management becomes the key. If you master the ability to organise and prioritise your task, it will help you become an effective PR professional. The ability to achieve time management skills is very crucial in the fast-moving world. Making a list of the activities, setting deadlines, and sticking to them are a few factors that can help you achieve time management. It is also important to relax and rest at times to help with critical thinking to complete your task on time.
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Neena has over 15 years of experience in the PR business and has worked with top-notch brands such as PolicyBazaar, LT Foods, Radico Khaitan, PTC Inc. and Orient Blackswan on their external communication mandates. At CommsCredible, she focuses on strengthening media relations, nurturing editorial partnerships and applying an integrated communications approach for partner brands. She will help the firm manage media outreach in states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala and expand its client portfolio in South India.
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