5 Steps to Nailing Your Next PRoject (And, Impressing Your Boss Along the Way!)
As public relations professionals, there’s no doubt that we wear many hats. Even while in college, we learn how to multitask and become multifaceted, skilled professionals through juggling student organizations, homework, our social lives, you name it.
Being the pros we are, we must adapt to different situations, audiences, and messages. In this industry, there are many roles and positions for us to leap into that the options can seem limitless.
There are many roles that PR pros can take on but one of the most overlooked is taking on a role in Project Management. At a recent GrandPR meeting, we heard from Rachel DuShaw, Project Manager for Williams Group.
To give us an idea of her day-to-day, Rachel explained what it means to be a Project Manager. To start, she defined a project as a temporary endeavor to create a unique product, service, or result. There’s a defined beginning, middle, and end. Some individuals might view the concept of a project on a much smaller scale, but there is an intentional process put in place to ensure success.
To execute any project in the workplace, Rachel shared with us the five key phases to keep in mind:
Initiating: The pro has to gather preliminary details. This is where the majority of the digging happens to find out as much background information as possible prior to kicking things off.
Planning: This is, arguably, the most important and time consuming phase. The pro has to conduct research, create timelines, and set to do’s from the beginning of the project all the way to evaluating the success.
Executing: The pro has to carry out and implement the plan. This is where all of the action happens.
Monitoring & Controlling: The pro has to take note of each step in the process. This is important for determining the success of the project.
Closing: You’ve done it! This is the stage where the project is finalized. The pro must debrief, evaluate, and share the results of the project.
With all of those tips to keep in mind, Rachel wanted to emphasize one thing: set milestones. Breaking down long-term tasks into a series of short tasks makes it easier for the PR pro to dissect and prioritize each project. It’s also important to create status reports that identify which tasks were completed and what needs to be tackled next. By following these five steps, you’re able to manage your time and tasks accordingly.
In addition to the tips Rachel shared, an article from AdAge shares best practices for preserving and exercising creativity while juggling the steps for managing a project. A few of these practices are to eliminate redundancies and get organized early when taking on a new project. These are key tips to consider before starting the process to avoid having one of those dreadful burnouts.
A great reminder and way to stay on track when managing multiple projects is to schedule out weeks and months in advance. Project management has to be strategic and involves creating realistic goals throughout the duration of the project. So, being the busy college students we are, we’re actually getting early practice in managing projects by taking charge of our social, school, and work lives. You know the saying - prior planning prevents poor performance.
So, keep it up! You’re already on track to being able to take on any project - and kill it along the way.
About Olivia:
Olivia Windorf is a senior at Grand Valley State University studying advertising and public relations, with a minor in writing. She is the VP of fundraising for GVSU PRSSA and an Account Associate for GVSU’s student-run PR firm, GrandPR. Her aspirations as a public relations professional include working in media relations, public affairs, and focusing on the nonprofit sector. In her free time, Olivia likes hanging out with her roommates and her cat, George, and listening to true crime or conspiracy theory podcasts.