As I entered the room for the Ed2010 and PRSSA’s event “How to Be Your Own Best Publicist,” I had no idea what to expect. At first I thought it was going to be a very formal panel, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The authors of the book Be Your Own Best Publicist, Jessica Kleiman and Meryl Weinsaft Cooper, instantly made everyone feel at home. Throughout the course of the night, they gave amazing tips that not only pertain to the public relations world, but to any communication field as well.
From learning how you get your message across to knowing that Google is your first resume, the things they taught were priceless. They started off with basic points that we need to know when going into the public relations world.
1. Message is Key
2. What is your pitch?
3. The importance of who you know
4. Toot your own horn (but not too loudly!)
5. Anything you say, write, and post can, and will, be used against you.
At first this list really scared me, but as they started talking in depth about each, I definitely became enamored with everything they said. After the panel I asked Hofstra freshman Zoe Hoffman what she found was the most important thing we learned. She said that it was “the importance of the social media. It is important to use, but we must also be careful with what we say. Kleiman and Cooper both also discussed how your image is everything. How you perceive yourself is so important. If you make a mistake, be honest about it. Own it. As they said, every crisis has an opportunity. When the event came to a close, they authors signed books and answered any questions that we had. It was an evening full of laughs, stories, and great advice we all will be able to take into our careers. So be fearless on your way to being the best publicist you can be!”