Key Insights from PRSSA’s 2023 East Central District Conference
Posted on Feb. 23, 2023
By Evelyn Kretzer
PRSSA at The Ohio State University hosted the 2023 PRSSA East Central District Conference, titled “PR Pioneers,” where attendees explored the people, strategies, culture and campaigns that have shaped the PR industry. Here are key takeaways from some of the speakers that will help propel your success in the PR world.
Keynote Speaker
The next generation of PR professionals started their day of speakers, food and networking with keynote speaker Thomas McClure, founder and executive director of the Columbus Fashion Council and Fashion Week Columbus. Thomas discussed believing in your brand, message and vision; thinking outside the box; rolling with the punches; remembering your values; and more:
- Be rooted in your authenticity
- Create your own feedback loop, which starts with your inner voice and who you surround yourself with
- Be true to yourself and true to your brand, and communicate that transparently
- Tell your stories with confidence and don’t listen to the haters
- Be enthusiastic: if it’s not a “hell yeah” it’s a “hell no”
- Learn your leadership style and understand other people’s styles
- Compromise, but don't compromise yourself or your values
“If we can’t promote ourselves, we can’t promote others.” –Thomas McClure
Transforming Diversity in Communications
Christine King, vice president of digital marketing at G&S Business Communications, discussed DEI in communications, how diversity has affected her career, how to challenge the status quo and ways to foster an inclusive working environment.
- Put people first and business second
- You get out what you put in: you have to put the work in to get what you want out
- Acknowledge the disproportionate representation in the field of PR
- Persevere because there will come a time where you’ll be in a position to effectively make change
- Do not create an environment that makes people feel like they have to blend in
- Do inclusive recruitment and make inclusive accommodations to attract and retain employees
- It takes one person to speak up and start changing the narrative
“You can’t change the past, but you can do something about the future.” –Christine King
Core Skills You Still Need: AP Style
Katie Thomas, senior manager of Population Health Marketing at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, shared her top ten writing tips and other bits of wisdom from her years of writing, such as her love for AP style.
- Writing is a lifelong skill that you have to continuously practice
- Know your goal (Awareness? Persuade? Inform? Educate?)
- Know your audience (Teens? Doctors? Parents?)
- Know your channel (Print? Social Media? Blog?)
- Keep it simple (Use simple words to save time and have inclusive language)
- Eliminate unnecessary words (Are they very sad? Or are they sad?)
- Ask questions (If you don’t understand it, no one else will)
- Triple check names, dates, titles and organizations (matter of your branding)
- Leave it alone and come back to it (have a fresh mind when reviewing)
- Feedback is a gift (see how you can improve and grow)
- Every single word matters (Clarity, Accuracy, Brevity, Simplicity)
“We have a three second attention span, so we need writers that can get their point across clearly, concisely, in a short amount of time.” –Katie Thomas
Closing Ceremony
PR pros ended the day with some final remarks from Mary Sterenberg, professor at Ohio State, assistant professor of PRactice at The Ohio State University and co-founder of SALT effect.
- Showing up is important; showing your face is valuable
- Stop and reflect to learn and grow
- Grow your connections on LinkedIn: NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK!
Students’ Key Takeaways
For many attendees, this was the first in-person conference they’ve attended in their college career–and what a great one to start with! As the 2023 PRSSA East Central District Conference came to an end, students shared their biggest takeaways from the day. For example:
- Teamwork means working cohesively as a team and knowing when to listen and when to chime in
- Networking with peers and professionals is extremely important
- Partner with people who understand the community you are targeting
- Leverage with social media
- Ask what you can do to help
- The PR world is smaller than you think
- It is important to walk up and introduce yourself to people
- Find purpose in what you do
- Nothing will happen if you don’t try
About the author: Evelyn Kretzer is a student at The Ohio State University. She is a member of OSU PRSSA member and current intern with Fahlgren Mortine
