I’ve been working on multiple events for a few different clients over the past couple weeks.  The anticipation and hard work that goes into planning events is pretty much half of our job description, while the actual event goes by in a flash.  The event that I just wrapped up yesterday I have been planning for months, so it’s kind of surreal to know that it’s all over.

This was me and my team yesterday, but in heels

Of course crashing into bed the night after event day isn’t the end of it.  Here are a couple things you need to be aware of and work to solve in your post-event depression:

Expect some crazy dreams – After spending all day in an event space and working your butt off, expect some weird work dreams in the nights ahead

Continue to work for your event – Follow up with all attendees and make sure they received all the information they needed at the event. Follow up with any samples, pictures or info

Start your event recap while it’s fresh in your mind – It’s easy to put off talking about the event since you’ve done nothing BUT for the past couple weeks, but write down some great feedback or details while you remember

Think of all the positives – When you next talk to your client, talk up your event!  Did you have great attendance? Did you see a new side of the brand you haven’t seen before?

Remember new relationships – Whether it’s a new vendor or editor you never met before, keep track of the new relationships you have

How do you help Post-Event Depression?

One of the best things you can do while in college is get involved in campus organizations. While I was in a sorority, I was also a part of our PRSSA chapter on campus. We were honored when we were approached by the PRSSA to write a post for its PRogressions blog about what inspires our blog posts and how we juggle life, work and other responsibilities. Below you can find a copy of the post, plus make sure you follow PRogressions for an inside look at industry professionals and more.

Multitasking is one of the hardest learned skills. Between juggling clients, your personal life and any outside responsibilities, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. While I have a fulltime job, I am also a co-founder of the blog nyc PR girls (www.nycPRgirls.com) alongside Meg, a best friend of mine I met during my first official job out of college.

We created the blog for several reasons, but one of the main reasons was to create a place that would inspire and bring together young upcoming professionals looking for real world advice. My dreams growing up were always to work in the big city in public relations (can’t deny that I was influenced by Samantha Jones from “Sex and the City” a bit) but while I was in college, there really wasn’t a place for me to go to learn more about what to expect and how to get there.

Meg and I created just that. We use the blog to document our day-to-day experiences and give as much advice as we can along the way. Blogging comes with a lot of responsibility and is a huge commitment, much more than I ever imagined. We write posts weekly, coordinate site formatting, update all of our social networks, check and follow-up on emails plus much more.

Many often question how we juggle both the blog and our fulltime jobs. While our blog work is done outside of work hours, here’s how I keep my head straight and learned how to juggle responsibilities.

• Write everything down. And I mean EVERYTHING. Bucket your tasks by category (i.e. personal, blog, client) and check off the list as you go.
• Mark your calendar. Keep it up to date with meetings and bucket your time for responsibilities. Devote an hour to developing that client recommendation.
• Give yourself deadlines. Even if you know something doesn’t have to get done until the end of the week, give yourself a personal deadline to finish it ahead of time and get it off of your plate.
• Prioritize. Schedules often shift based off of deadlines or client needs. Don’t let it throw you off and reorganize your schedule for the rest of the day.
• Use downtime to do what you love. While I love my job, I’m also extremely passionate about blogging. Downtime immediately after work or early in the morning is spent on blog activities. At the end of the day, it’s rewarding and gives me time for my personal life at night.
• How do we keep our Twitter conversation going? Schedule tweets – one of Tweetdeck’s best gifts.

Along the way, we’ve interacted and heard from so many public relations students and professionals. We thank all of our supporters and would love to hear from you if we haven’t already. Don’t be afraid to tweet us, Facebook us or drop us a note!

article originally posted on PRogressions, image via

At the NYU Women in Communications Panel last week, one of the questions was what is one of your biggest mistakes. While PR girls always try to pay close attention to detail, no one is perfect and we all make mistakes from time to time. Here are a few of the most common PR girl mistakes we can all work on fixing.

• Accidentally hitting the dreaded reply all.
• Paying too much attention to small details and forgetting the big picture.
• Not researching reporters before pitching.
• Sending an email to a reporter with their name spelled wrong.
• Wearing the most uncomfortable shoes during a day filled with walking.
• Over analyzing a client email.
• Panicking during a client fire drill.
• Spending too much time writing pitches that are way too detailed.
• Trying to pitch during a crisis.
• Spending late nights in the office for work that could be done the next day.
• Blasting emails to bloggers. Yes, this still happens.
• Not keeping in touch and losing media relationships.
• Overuse jargon that’s thrown around the office.
• Use office happy hours and the Christmas party as a time to unwind.

What are some other common mistakes PR girls make?

image ModCloth Blog

Since I have three work events next week, I have a little bit of a short fuse. Unfortunately it happens to the best of us.  I catch myself being a little shorter than usual with friends and colleagues, and I rush through projects and expect people to keep the same pace.  As a PR professional, we are expected to be poised and understanding, but it is hard to manage after the client sends you 100 of the wrong product,  the printer is going to be late with your press packets, or your intern has made a mess of the gift bags.

Put the gloves away, girl. No need for a fight.

Once you feel the steam coming out of your ears, it’s easy to let loose and blow up at the “guilty” party, especially if there are other stress points adding pressure to the situation.  But you need to keep the ‘tude in check.  No one wants to work with the crazy girl on important events or client situations. If you get a reputation as a hot head, you’ll be left out of some great opportunities.  Here are a couple things to keep in mind once you feel your blood boiling:

Remember, this isn’t about you – As much as it feels like this unfortunate event is happening to YOU, it isn’t.  We’re a team in the PR world, so we’re all in this together.  Don’t take any negative situation personally.

Imagine the other person’s position – If it’s a team member who has made a mistake, think about how embarrassed/frustrated/disappointed they must feel in the situation they are in.  We have all been there once!  And life happens.  Breathe.  If you’re working with an outside vendor, be understanding but it’s fair to be firm to find a solution.

If you need to vent, do it to an outside party - The best way for me to blow off steam is to talk it out.  The worst thing you can do is start gossip in the office – don’t do it.  Go to a trusted friend who can listen to your issues, or call your mom/sister/aunt/sorority sister.  Even if they don’t understand your PR jargon, sometimes it’s helpful to just spill out exactly what you’re feeling without holding back.

How do you keep your cool when a situation heats up?

image via

Last night, A and I were thrilled to be a part of the New York University Women in Communications PR Panel. We were on the panel alongside other PR professionals including Angela Bilog, head of PR and Marketing at Lomography, Kym Canter, Creative Director at L-atitude, Lauren Ellison of Mission PR and Perry Sun of DeVries Public Relations. We touched on some really informative topics such as our favorite campaigns, our biggest PR mistakes and what we look for out of interns and new hires.  Below are some of the questions we were asked last night, as well as our thoughts.

Where did you make your PR start in college?

Adrianna and I had two very different answers here.  Adrianna always knew she wanted to get into PR, so she took a few internships and did communications in college.  I never knew what PR WAS, until I researched a few industries that were heavy in writing and came to PR.  Both of us agreed that experience and internships are IMPERATIVE when choosing your path in PR during college.

What does your day-to-day look like?

No day is the same!  We are always pitching, monitoring, answering emails, drafting client documents. But one day you could be throwing together media deliveries, the next you’re on a flight to LA for a client meeting, the next you’re at Fashion Week.  Every day is different!

What was your favorite campaign to work on and why?

Each of us have those “baby” campaigns that we worked on from the start and loved to see grow.  Anything unique that challenges us (Adrianna said sponges and I said Cream of Wheat), is a favorite campaign of ours.

What qualities are you looking for when hiring an intern?

Someone who is resourceful and willing to learn. It’s okay to ask questions, but use your head and come prepared.  Have some passion for what you do.  Even if it’s hauling suitcases down Sixth Avenue to a celebrity’s hotel, find some glamour in the every day.

What do you do when you’re feeling overwhelmed?

Adrianna and I rely on each other a lot for this one.  We pretty much are talking all day long via text or gchat, so we have our friendship as a support system.  It’s important to create a “safe space” at work so you feel comfortable where you work and who you’re working with, but also have an escape…whether it’s a walk outside or Pinterest.

How do you focus on the “relations” part of media relations?

Making calls or writing emails every day, and planning in person lunches or breakfasts! Face time is important.  Treat these people like friends, not machines.  Be sure to tailor pitches to each editor and outlet.

What are some mistakes you’ve made at work?

We all agreed – watch out for reply all!

Where do you see yourself in 3 years?

Adrianna and I would love to see the blog grow.  We hope to continue creating this online resource for girls and guys looking to get into PR, since we didn’t have one when we were first starting out.  We are continuously inspired by our colleagues and readers, we just want to continue sharing the love!

Major thanks to the Women in Communications Group for having us!