Time to say goodbye!

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all continuing to enjoy your placements. Sadly, yesterday was my last day at PPR. I would like to take this opportunity to publically thank all of the team at PPR; everyone at PPR is friendly and welcoming which has made my internship so enjoyable. It is definitely WA’s best PR consultancy for a reason! The staff work so hard for their clients I have been proud to be an intern at PPR.

So in my final week I have been involved in a number of activities that I have never done before but before I explain all of this I would like to draw your attention to the photo above which relates to the Chinese delegation I mentioned in my last post. The shovels pictured in the photo are the same shovels I slaved over, taking of the sticky labels and making them look presentable for the groundbreaking ceremony at the Midwest mine site. I was pleasantly surprised when one of the consultants showed me the photo which featured in an article in the West Australian. It proves my point that even the little tasks help to achieve the overall goal!

Now on to the things I managed to achieve during my final week. I was able to attend Greenland Day Conference which is run by the Government of Greenland to promote their resource rich country to WA investors and other interested individuals. PPR has been able to host this event for the last two years. I had never been to a conference before attending Greenland Day so this was a very new experience for me. I was assigned to the registration table which involved not only giving out name tags but also creating name tags for those delegates who didn’t register, giving out USBs when delegates entered the business card draw as well as answering any of the delegates’ questions. I was also able to sit in on the conference for a period of time so that I was able to experience what it is like during the presentations. I found the session I attended interesting although at times the geological terms and industry terms being thrown around were hard to grasp, however I understood the general discussion. I now know what a conference should be set out like and what kinds of things need to be taken into consideration i.e. food, drinks and what to do if a speaker finishes early/late. This was a great hands-on learning experience.

Also this week I have been able lucky enough complete some writing, I hadn’t been given an opportunity yet to write any content. One of consultants asked me to complete a question and answer sheet for a journalist who had enquired about ways to liven up your garden and outdoor area for the Christmas season. This content would then been approved and attributed to the specific client. I was able to source the information from previous media releases approved by the client along with information from the client’s website. The answers I had written were only slightly changed by the consultant which was good as it shows that my writing skills are improving. Being able to write concise and consistent content requires practice so I am happy to have gained a little practice while at my internship.

Also this week I was able to experience my first large scale mail out. Luckily I was assisted by another consultant as this mail out consisted of over 600 letters to stakeholders. Even though this task is highly repetitive and time consuming, I enjoyed the change of tasks as the majority of the tasks I have been involved in have required use of a computer. It’s nice to do manual labour every now and again!

As I leave the PPR office, I reflect on the main things I got out of my internship;

1. Exceed your clients’ expectations – Clients have particular expectations of what needs to be completed. It is important to understand their expectations and go above and beyond them. By proving to your clients that you can provide outstanding results every time, they will come back with more business and ultimately create a beneficial client consultant relationship with you.

2. Networks – Never forget those you have worked with and meet along the way as they may become vital contacts into the future.

3. Laugh & enjoy it – Having a sense of humour and being able to enjoy your work is vital in having a passion for public relations.

I have also found a great article that gives some tips to us, the next generation of public relations professionals. So please take a look and keep these in mind for the future. http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/10280.aspx

Once again, I’d like to thank PPR for taking me on as an intern and giving me the opportunity to learn from public relations professionals.

I would like to wish all those completing their PR393 placement all the best into the future.

I look forward to completing my degree and securing a full time position as a public relations professional.

Best wishes,

Deanne

Bentley Campus