I started at RL&A a little more than two years ago as a college intern (I graduated with a journalism major from Iona College in New Rochelle last year). While I thought I learned about PR in the classroom, I’ll admit that I hardly knew anything about it except what I had read about in my textbooks. These textbooks discussed case studies and PR successes or flops, but what you really can’t learn in any course, and what I feel is the key thing I’m learning in the “real world” of PR is that success in getting placements – in both traditional and online media – is based on mutually beneficial relationships with the media.

In the beginning, it was intimidating to build these relationships, I’ll admit. I didn’t realize PR is pretty much like sales…just selling ideas and information in the hopes that a media person will “buy” and report on it.  So, I started out slow…developing relationships with beauty bloggers such as Temptalia and Beauty Blogging Junkie. Pitching bloggers was a relatively new concept when I started, but I enjoyed reading their reviews about products and I knew that I could work with them to create the same type of coverage for our clients.

Gradually, I started pitching traditional journalists.  I had the pleasure to meet some of the editors of top magazines and blogs who attended our events when we had the ROHTO Hydra launch party and the Softlips media briefing. It was great to match a face with a name and be more conversational with them.  It let me get to know them a bit, so it is more than just a pitch, but a relationship. 

It’s so rewarding to see when my hard work pays off, and I’m happy to report that I’ve secured client product coverage in magazines like Family Circle, Seventeen and online newspapers, and online magazines, with several more pending (though a good PR person doesn’t talk up pending placements until they appear…or it is like the kiss of death!).  I get very excited to see a placement, because I know the work it took through the whole process to make sure it eventually appeared with the proper messaging, etc.  I also continue to work on my media relationships, paving the way for future brand coverage…a win-win for all.