6 Things We Learnt About Public Relations From Maria Mahesar

So much of the marketing, strategy and messages we witness by brands or media personalities are the result of the hard work of a PR agency or professional. They help promote the brands they represent, and allow meaningful and strong relationships to be built between their clients and the audience. If this is a field that interests you and you want to know more about, you’re in luck! We had Maria Mahesar from Marketing Management come into Mashion HQ today and answer some of the questions you guys sent in. Read ahead to find out the 6 things we learnt from her!

1). Public Relations Enhances The Image Of A Brand

There are numerous benefits to having a PR agency looking out for your best interests. As Maria points out, it helps to enhance the image of the brand/individual. ‘It identifies the key moments and the right time when a message should go out.’ She emphasises the importance of it in building the profile of a brand or media personality. It’s a way to reach your audience effectively and connect with them, as well as increase your brand credibility and enhance your online presence.

2). Having A Relevant Degree Is Beneficial

While you don’t need a degree in PR specifically to excel in it, having one can play to your advantage. It allows you to understand how the industry works, and equips you with strong communication and promotional skills which will help when managing the reputations of clients. According to Maria it’s not important for it to be a public relations degree, but a degree that is instead relevant to PR. ‘It could be mass communications, marketing, media sciences; it’s very important to get a feeler or an idea of what marketing and PR is.’

3). Don’t Focus On Numbers

Lately the blogging world has taken Instagram by storm with influencers having more clout than ever before. If you’re someone who is looking to tap into this world, Maria advises to pay more attention to your content and less on the number of followers you’re getting. ‘It’s very important to know what your blog is about so look for engaging, authentic content. Don’t really focus on numbers – focus more on your content and what really is your area of expertise.’ Having engaging content that’s true to who you are will eventually itself lead to visibility and an increase in followers.

4). Difference Between A Manager And A PR Team

Sometimes, managers and PR agencies can overlap in their role, causing many to think that having both is redundant. However, there is a vast difference between the expertise and role performed by both. Managers are responsible for managing a media personality’s schedules, task for the day and everything else to do with a media personality. ‘You’re also responsive for giving career advice to them,’ says Maria. PR agencies however as previously discussed, are involved in enhancing a brand or personality’s image. ‘Networking, ensuring the right message is communicated at the right time and to keep the conversation going’ all fall within the job role of a good PR agency.

5). Progressing Further

If you want to get into the PR business, there are a few things to consider. Do you want to be a freelancer? Establish your own company? Once you know that, Maria says it’s important to surround yourself with people you get along with because having the right fit of clients plays a huge role in your success within this field. And like most other areas of work, it’s helpful to have passion for what you’re doing as it will motivate you to do your best. ‘Also constantly updating yourself with the current marketing trends, what’s happening around the world and keeping yourself updated with case studies’ – all will help you progress further.

6). Be Patient

Being ambitious and having goals is great for your development, but if they don’t immediately come to fruition, you shouldn’t let that frustrate you. Not everything happens in the pace one likes and Maria reminds us that ‘there’s a lot of competition in the industry and everything can not happen overnight, so stay calm and stay focused.’