Written by the SOJC Writing Central Team: Rachel Harbison, Claire Sigler and Aly Brandt.
Writing is one of the most important skills to master in order to become a successful PR
professional. Effective writing in this field requires more than just good grammar; it
involves strategic communication and carefully worded sentences. Here are our top 5
Essential Writing Tips for a PR Professional:
1. Pay Attention to your Audience
Always tailor your work to appeal to your specific target audience. Understanding your
audience’s needs, wants and motivations will enable you to tailor your messages and,
ultimately, better connect with people. To achieve this you should identify who you need
to target. Consider age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, education, geographic location
and other demographic information that might be useful to you. Research this
demographic and take note of their interests and the most effective ways to reach them.
2. Keep it Simple
Straightforward and clear writing is an essential aspect of PR. Stay away from wordy
sentences and make sure every sentence serves a purpose. Effective and concise
writing keeps readers engaged and interested. Here are some examples and exercises
to practice eliminating wordiness.
3. Include Facts and Stats
Backing up writing with solid facts and statistics gives you credibility and proves that you
put research and effort into what you wrote. Doing your research will make your
argument more persuasive and based on fact rather than opinion. Including this
information will show how knowledgeable you are of the subject matter and make you a
well-trusted PR professional.
4. Proofread
Grammar mistakes in the PR industry can make you look unqualified and careless,
especially since effective writing is such an essential skill for a PR professional.
Proofreading multiple times will minimize grammar, spelling and style errors and ensure
that everything you produce is a quality piece. Grammarly is a great resource to help you
catch all of these mistakes on social media, essays, emails, etc.
5. Second Pair of Eyes
Asking someone you trust to look over written work is a great way to learn and grow as a
writer. After working on something for so long it is easy to overlook a confusing sentence
or a misspelled word. Having a fresh set of eyes is a great way to get a new perspective
on what you have written.
As I continue my academic career through the SOJC I have found that in order to succeed it is imperative to be a good writer. This past term I created a blog for my Strategic PR Communication class and I think all of these tips will help me curate more engaging content. The thing I found most useful from this list was, pay attention to your audience. Tailoring specific work to appeal to a certain target audience will help create clear and concise messaging. Along with this, the tip about proofreading can not be emphasized enough. I have heard many of my professors and PR professionals mention that grammar errors are unacceptable in the public relations industry.