PR WEBINAR: How to Pitch the Media
What is it like to work in public relations?
Ruby Media Group Founder Kris Ruby recently taught the CSU Long Beach Department of Public Relations & Journalism students Media Relations Fundamentals. During the interactive Facebook Live teaching and public relations class, PR students learned how to create a newsworthy pitch, how to secure press coverage and how to break into the Public Relations industry.
How can you get a job in public relations?
Topics included:
- Public Relations 101
- Working in public relations
- A day in the life of a public relations professional
Thinking of a career in public relations?
Click here to watch the full media relations training. This training is suitable for public relations majors who are interested in having a career in PR.
Curious about working in PR? Read a first hand PR internship experience by former PR intern Katie Iver.
Pandemic Diary of my Virtual PR Internship
What I learned from my Virtual PR Internship
By Katie Iver, PR Intern, Ruby Media Group
Originally published on Internqueen
“The media will not stop for a pandemic and neither should you.”
The impact of COVID-19 has been immense. Lives have been lost, the economy has spiraled and job opportunities have declined, dried up or become nonexistent. Many ambitious college students have lost their summer internships. These internships are crucial for students because it provides a learning experience that cannot be found in school.
Summer internships offer students a glance into the real world. What will life be like after college? It’s crucial that students dip their toes into the work world before graduation. Many companies retracted this opportunity due to the dangers that COVID-19 brings forth; however, Kris Ruby did not allow a pandemic to stop her company from giving students a chance to learn.
In March, the pandemic brought me home from Binghamton University. My classes were online for the rest of the semester, providing me with way too much free time. I spent the first week watching movies and enjoying this extra time, however, I soon realized this was not enough. How could I make the most of this time? I wanted to be as efficient as possible and Kris Ruby, CEO of Ruby Media Group, allowed me to do just that.
Every week I received a new email from one of the internships that I applied for that the program had been cancelled. These cancellations did not stop me. I was determined to find an internship. It wasn’t until I was scrolling on social media and saw Intern Queens Instagram story that I decided to give finding an internship one last shot. I applied via e-mail after seeing the public relations internship opportunity. Later that month, Ruby Media Group offered me a virtual internship.
I initially wondered how a virtual internship would function. Would we video chat during the day? How could I work for a company without ever meeting my boss? I soon learned how productive, beneficial and straightforward a virtual internship could be.
Interning virtually has some significant benefits. For example, all work has a purpose and you will never be assigned busywork (one of the key benefits to virtual vs. in person). Also, you do not have to commute, which is another major bonus.
Every day at noon, I opened my laptop to the real world. It’s the equivalent of driving to work; only shorter and does not require gas. The first step to making a virtual internship work properly is to have a professional mentality. Understand that working from home holds the same expectations and requirements as working in an office. A virtual internship requires this mindset in order to reach career success.
I began my work day by emailing the company founder Kris Ruby my daily agenda, which is a list of tasks that I intend to complete during the day. I end the day with my end of day report, a detailed list of what I accomplished throughout the day. This transparency and organization allowed for a clear understanding of daily projects.
Despite not meeting in person because of Covid-19, Kris and I were able to build a professional relationship via Zoom and other video chat services. Communication is a key feature in making a virtual internship effective. Asking questions, clarifying tasks, and suggesting ideas is not always easy, however, it must be done in order to work productively.
A virtual PR internship did not stop my fellow interns and I from collaborating with one another. We shared our research, helped each other on projects and offered creative solutions to pressing PR challenges. During the day, we communicate through Slack, e-mail and video chat platforms. Working together has not posed a challenge because we are all eager to collaborate with each other. Being able to communicate with one another and collaborate on ideas makes the outcome of projects even better. We offer each other ideas that perhaps we could not have thought of alone.
We are also part of Ruby Media Group University, a members’ only PR group created by Ruby Media Group during the pandemic to ensure that interns (and those who were not fortunate to land an internship) learn something new each day in the field of public relations.
Within the PR University Facebook group, we learn from guest speakers, educational webinars and are encouraged to ask daily questions about working in the field. The opportunity to learn from industry leaders allows us to expand our network and stay ahead in our field.
Not only have I discovered the nuances of working a virtual internship, but I have also learned about the many facets of public relations. Social media marketing, content creation, podcast production, blog writing, and graphic design all play a role in an integrated public relations campaign. These items may seem simple at first, yet they are carefully considered and thought out plans.
I have learned to train my brain into understanding how to market a brand. Initially, I could not comprehend how to market brands in a public relations style. Advertising and marketing are vastly different. It is important to learn the nuances of public relations and how companies should be marketed and represented in digital platforms. Every tweet and Instagram post is intricately designed and debated upon.
Does this Facebook post represent the message we are trying to communicate?
How will people respond to the messaging in this podcast episode?
No action goes without contemplation.
Public relations is a complex and ever-changing field. Many people may be surprised that PR is not the glamorous lifestyle portrayed in the media. Time is extremely valuable, especially in PR. I have learned the importance of staying on top of the media, breaking news and current events. A pandemic will not stop life from creeping up on you. Take matters into your own hands. This is what Ruby Media Group did by launching a virtual internship program and PR University during the pandemic. As a result, I have learned pivotal career lessons. Innovation is a constant process and must never end.
10 TIPS TO SLAY YOUR VIRTUAL PR INTERNSHIP:
- Interning in public relations? Before starting your internship, study the field. Read some articles about how public relations works. This will help you start off your internship on a strong note. Brush up on your PR knowledge before your first day.
- Working with other team members virtually? Collaborate with them. Sharing ideas with each other will improve your projects and you can make new friends in the process!
- Communication is key. Do not be afraid to ask questions. By asking questions you not only learn more, but you also have the information you need in order to complete a project.
- In your downtime, think of ideas to help the company that you are interning for. Suggesting thoughtful and creative ideas is helpful. Even if an idea not used, suggestions may lead to bigger ideas and plans. Every idea you have is valuable.
- When creating a marketing strategy, always use the same format and track changes. This organization and cohesiveness make communication strategies easier to comprehend.
- When working on a brand’s social media strategy, consider their demographics. Different social media platforms may have more success depending on the age group of the brands followers.
- Before posting on social media, consider this question – how will this post represent the brand? You should be working towards a specific angle.
- Keep posts interactive. Brands should frequently post to maintain a social media presence. Posting polls and Q&A’s on Instagram is a great way to do this.
- As a public relations intern, consider new and creative ideas for the company you are working for.
- Do not treat a virtual internship any differently than an in-person internship at an office. You should always be timely and productive. Have a professional mentality.
Virtual Internship Bonus Tip: Take advantage of any and all training programs presented to you during a virtual internship. In Ruby Media Group’s PR University Facebook group, RMG recommends specific webinars and career advancement programs to us that we can learn from. This is a major benefit of the virtual internship program. I was fortunate to also have the opportunity to participate in some major industry conferences, including Social Media Week and #SMWone. I was encouraged to participate in these digital conferences and without RMG PR University or this internship, I would not have known about these opportunities.
RUBY MEDIA GROUP PR UNIVERSITY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR ASPIRING PR PRO’S
Want to master your PR skills during your virtual public relations internship?
- Collaborate with other PR industry professionals to build your network.
- Learn from PR industry leaders through group training and Facebook Live.
- Access member-only PR content, e-books, PDF’s and swipe files with PR career tips.
Join Ruby Media Group PR University’s *free* Facebook group with PR tips for aspiring Public Relations professionals.
About the Author:
Katie Iver is a Public Relations intern at Ruby Media Group in Westchester County pursuing a degree in English with a concentration in creative writing at Binghamton University. She is minoring in Mandarin and is interested in television writing, production and journalism.
KRIS RUBY is the CEO of Ruby Media Group, an award-winning public relations and media relations agency in Westchester County, New York. Kris Ruby has more than 15 years of experience in the Media industry. She is a sought-after media relations strategist, content creator and public relations consultant. Kris Ruby is also a national television commentator and political pundit and she has appeared on national TV programs over 200 times covering big tech bias, politics and social media. She is a trusted media source and frequent on-air commentator on social media, tech trends and crisis communications and frequently speaks on FOX News and other TV networks. She has been featured as a published author in OBSERVER, ADWEEK, and countless other industry publications. Her research on brand activism and cancel culture is widely distributed and referenced. She graduated from Boston University’s College of Communication with a major in public relations and is a founding member of The Young Entrepreneurs Council. She is also the host of The Kris Ruby Podcast Show, a show focusing on the politics of big tech and the social media industry. Kris is focused on PR for SEO and leveraging content marketing strategies to help clients get the most out of their media coverage.