The 3 Most Valuable Lessons PR Has Taught Me

By Laura Herrera, Quotes Board Member

Although I have only been in the advertising/public relations program at the University of Central Florida for a limited time, I have still picked up on some valuable lessons that I’m confident I will apply throughout the rest of my career. 

Study what you want to create. My professor Joan McCain engrained the David Ogilvy rule in my head. It sounds simple, but if you want to create great strategic communication, you need to read and watch great strategic communication. If you want to create great ads, you need to read and watch great ads. Creatives draw from an inspiration file we have accumulated throughout our professional lives. 

Public relations professionals embrace criticism. I have realized to work in public relations you must have thick skin. It’s no secret that initial ideas tend to not get chosen. Good ideas rise from the ashes. We must be prepared to gather honest feedback and remain open-minded to constructive criticism as it will only lead to greatness. I was once told, “If you’re not open to constructive criticism, then you’re not open to truly growing as a person.” 

Words are important. Whether writing an article or drafting a caption, word choice is crucial in the public relations industry. “Less is always more” is a rule I tend to live by. I used to overwrite, but after taking “Writing for PR” as a class, I learned that simple writing is straightforward. The ability to write succinctly and logically is vital in the PR field. 

Every day presents an opportunity to learn, grow and experience something new in our industry. My advice is to take in all your experiences and use them to grow as a professional and an individual. Accept that you’ll make mistakes; the most valuable lessons come from making them. They aren’t the most enjoyable, but we end up learning and growing from them.