By Ashlea Mcconnell, PR Director

At one of the more interesting networking events I attended recently I embarked on a conversation with a fellow service provider as to what animal best sums up my industry. After a good half minute trying to come up with something exotic and quirky, I settled on a dog. Yes, A DOG (keep the jokes to yourselves please) – albeit a young, adorable puppy.

Just like puppies, PR professionals are known for their energy, enthusiasm and eagerness to please. We’re loyal and determined, often spending hours chasing down even the faintest whiff of potential coverage in a key target publication.

We tend to approach every new task with a certain optimism – buoyed by the belief that the stories we have will make news, and that the coverage we achieve will genuinely impact on the success of our clients and the wellbeing of our colleagues. Far more often than not, we are rewarded (though a cup of tea and a custard crème takes the place of a doggy treat in the subsequent celebration).

Good fit, I hear you say! But you see, that’s where the similarities end. We’re not daft, us PRs; in fact what we do is often well calculated and part of a much bigger picture. We take into consideration what our clients want to say, who they want to say it to and what reaction they want to generate from the people who read, hear or watch their message.

We are often seen running from meeting to meeting with journalists, making sure we stay abreast of roundtable and forward feature opportunities, editor handovers and reporter swaps. We start working on Christmas stories in June, and are slipping in to spring mode as the fun of Halloween gets underway. We are forever learning; evolving to new technologies and trends. Organised and efficient; adaptable and insightful – that’s us!

Although we will always hear what our clients say, we don’t just chase a ball – or press release – as it launches itself over the cliff edge and in to the abyss. We work with our clients to identify genuine news opportunities in their organisation and make recommendations on delivery to maximise return on investment.

Over the years MK has developed systems and processes to make all run smoothly, making sure our clients get maximum bang for buck – capitalising on a multitude of existing and emerging platforms (on, and offline) to get good news heard, and bad news balanced.

We are proud of our brand and the quality of the work we deliver, and so we choose to work with other companies and individuals who have the same pride in their businesses – knowing that if there is a story to tell, we are best placed to tell it.

So, do I wish I had told my companion that an adorable little puppy best reflects the industry I have dedicate the past decade to? In many ways, yes, though in hindsight perhaps a chameleon would have fitted the bill a little better!