# Key Insights from Amy Jackson on Building a Thriving PR Career
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Chapter 1: The Path to Public Relations Success
In the realm of public relations (PR), establishing a successful career demands a blend of expertise, networking, and strategic insight. Amy Jackson, founder of TaleSplash, shares her journey and essential tips for aspiring PR professionals.
PR professionals should confidently showcase their media coverage on social media platforms and their official websites. Journalists and social media teams appreciate this visibility.
A key component of building a successful PR career is making your knowledge accessible to journalists and their audiences. This approach helped Amy secure a recurring feature for one of her health and fitness clients, often on tight deadlines.
Have you ever watched the show Flack and considered a real-life PR career? What does it take to excel in this field? Is a college degree in PR essential? In this interview series titled "5 Essential Elements for a Thriving PR Career," we speak with accomplished publicists who share their valuable insights and stories.
Section 1.1: Amy Jackson's Journey
Amy Jackson has dedicated her career to brand development during times of significant change. She guided potato farmers through the low-carb diet trend, established effective PR strategies for startups like TripIt, and ultimately founded TaleSplash to help brands resonate in today’s media landscape. Throughout her journey, Amy passionately supports fellow working mothers and encourages individuals to realize their professional potential.
The Turning Point Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Amy. Can you share what led you to choose this career path? "The perception others have of you is a potent insight into branding," says Amy. While studying abroad, she confided in her roommate about her struggles between pursuing art or psychology. Her roommate pointed out Amy's natural talent for promotion and encouraged her to explore PR. Upon returning to school, she enrolled in journalism courses, secured a summer internship at Fleishman-Hillard, and graduated early to work there full-time. The rest, as they say, is history.
Subsection 1.1.1: Memorable Moments
A Milestone Experience "My first client, Love Talla, achieved placement in the Wall Street Journal just as I transitioned from corporate life to founding TaleSplash," recalls Amy. "It was a defining moment that reassured me I had made the right choice. I longed for those celebratory moments that were frequent during my time at TripIt when we secured major media placements. The thrill of the chase truly drives my success."
Learning from Mistakes Reflecting on her early days, Amy shares a humorous mistake: "During my initial on-camera interviews—long before Zoom—I found myself nodding excessively as the reporter spoke. It was cringe-worthy to watch, but now I use it as a teaching moment in media training sessions. Everyone has quirks they aren't aware of during interviews, so practicing on camera is invaluable."
Section 1.2: Current Projects and Trends
Exciting Endeavors Amy is thrilled about her current clientele, each of whom offers innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. These include insights for transitioning to electric vehicles, promoting health amidst life’s unpredictability, empowering tech professionals in developing regions, fostering empathetic workplaces, and helping companies harness data in creative ways.
Chapter 2: Key Traits for PR Success
Essential Character Traits As a distinguished leader, Amy identifies three key traits that have significantly contributed to her success: helpfulness, brevity, and persistence.
- Helpfulness: "In this industry, aiding clients to achieve their objectives and assisting journalists in sourcing information is paramount."
- Brevity: "The most valuable lesson I learned was the 'upside-down pyramid' approach to journalism, which emphasizes leading with the most critical information first. Mastering soundbites and writing impactful headlines are crucial skills for any PR professional."
- Persistence: "It's common to face rejection. I constantly seek connections between my clients' needs and journalists' current stories. It often takes numerous attempts to strike the right chord."
Understanding PR Forms "At its core, PR is about media relations," Amy explains. However, PR professionals engage in various roles, including crisis communication, public affairs, influencer outreach, social media marketing, content creation, and event management.
Section 2.1: Education and Networking
Starting in PR For individuals contemplating a career in PR, Amy recommends pursuing a degree in journalism to hone writing skills and understand journalists' perspectives. She notes that many successful PR professionals began their careers in journalism, though strong writing skills are essential for crafting compelling news hooks.
Networking Strategies "I advocate for connecting on LinkedIn with everyone you meet during calls or events, whether virtual or in-person," says Amy. "This helps to establish a personal connection and opens avenues for professional learning. I've utilized this strategy for years, and it has been instrumental in organically building my business."
Lead Generation Tactics "Referrals from colleagues and connections I've made over the past decade have been invaluable," she shares. "I keep a close eye on Austin's startup scene through Mason Rathe's newsletter and local business publications while enjoying my morning coffee."
Chapter 3: The 5 Essentials for PR Success
The Key Takeaways In conclusion, Amy outlines her "5 Essentials for a Successful PR Career":
- Become a Reliable Resource: Make your expertise available to journalists and their audiences, which can lead to recurring features.
- Facilitate Direct Interactions: Ensure that media, influencers, and customers can engage with your product or service personally.
- Surprise Them: Stand out by challenging norms; for instance, Amy once secured a feature for "Healthy Mr. Potato Head" in the New York Times.
- Promote Your Achievements: Share media coverage on social media and your website. Journalists appreciate the acknowledgment.
- Inspire Collective Empowerment: "I've been fortunate to connect with incredible women who inspire confidence and mutual support, leading to significant positive changes."
This conversation with Amy Jackson provides invaluable insights into the evolving world of public relations, highlighting the importance of adaptability, networking, and strategic thinking in building a successful career.