Maya's Memos

PRs need bloggers just as much as bloggers need PRs, so how do you get this relationship going?

Well... How would you impress someone on a first date? First impressions are everything and that's how it is in business, so let's use this as a guide!


Look your best. 

Make sure your blog is looking up to scratch before you approach brands and PRs. Brands have an image that they want to sustain, if it is a luxury product and your brand doesn't scream luxury -we don't have a match and it's just not going to work...

Be confident. 

Bloggers are just as influential as The Sunday Times if they have the right audience. Don't doubt your abilities. Approach PRs expecting to have something come out of it!

Be consistent. 

Ensure that you post regularly but with quality content. This is likely to gain you a larger following, but also gives the PR confidence that you will actually promote their brand and in good time.

Give them your number (s).

Make yourself easy to work with. Create a media kit all about your blog, stats, figures and audience so that they don't have to keep asking. This makes it easy for you but also easier for the PR person. It is also quicker way of keeping track of the success of your blog for your own reference. Make it downloadable from your website if you don't feel confident enough to send out large files to people you don't know yet.

Stay in touch.

Even if it's not love at first email this time, keep in touch as you never know when that brand may want to work with you. If you don't have 20,000 Twitter followers just yet or you don't get enough unique monthly users, stay optimistic and get back in touch when your blog is more of what they are looking for.

I have been lucky enough to gain valuable work experience in the PR industry and in 2013 I was one of the winners of the 'Employability Challenge'  at Birmingham City University.   Here's a few simple but realistic tips to getting the most out of your internship, but also being invaluable to your employers. No matter what job you undertake it will never be just what it says on the tin! 
Say YES. 
Because life starts at the end of your comfort zone. How do you know you can't do the task if you don't try? Will staying an extra 5 minutes really make that much difference to your whole day? Saying yes could lead to gaining a whole new set of skills or even just leave you in good stead to getting a call back when you finish your studies. Grad job sorted! 
Say NO.
Okay so I lied, saying no is important at times. If you have no idea how to do something it is always better to be honest, than waste valuable time making a botch job of it! Employers will respect your honesty and may even give you extra help to learn how to do something new.
Stay Positive.
Staying positive when times are tough, when you are tired and when the pressure is on is when you will stand out of the crowd. Attitude is everything, it's not always the smartest people that get to the top, it is often the people that are willing to work hard but with a smile on their face!
ASK. 
If you don't feel fulfilled in your job role and feel like you can take on a few extra challenges, offer to support another member of the team. This will make your CV look even better, but also show a hard working attitude.  Not sure how to do something? It is better to ask than to make a mistake and waste valuable time (go back to the part where I told you to say no) and your colleagues/employers will respect you for your honesty. 
Make Friends.
Not only is it important to have friends that you can chill out (or party) with outside of work, and it is even better when they can understand your working hours, but make friends because you never know where they will end up in 5 years time! Making friends with the same career aspirations as you is great, you could end up as business partners. Is your work experience PR? Building relationships with the media will mean that they will come to you with opportunities, and may even pull the odd favour! Use Linkedin to connect with people and start with me! 

a diary, and now I can't imagine life without one. Write down your plans for the weekend, write down what you plan to spend on food for the week, note down your shifts at work or even just draw a smiley face on a Friday to remind you it's not too far away.