I recently made the decision to pack up my belongings and move from my hometown of Slippery Rock, Pa. to downtown Pittsburgh. Although moving to Pittsburgh was a logical choice (the long commute was taking its toll) and it fit with the trends of millennials (it is common for us to move into cities), it was still one of the biggest decisions I have ever had to make. We make decisions that will impact our personal and professional lives every day. I discovered many parallels between the choices I made regarding my move downtown and the evaluations I make as Assistant Account Executive at WordWrite Communications.
First, understand your situation. When WordWrite announced it would be moving the office location from Wexford to downtown, I realized that if I wanted to keep any sanity at all, I was going to have to move closer to Pittsburgh. The first step public relations professionals take when they start working on a new client project is to construct a situation analysis that helps them learn more about the prospective company and how they can best provide service for the company, assuming the partnership is an appropriate one for both parties.
Next, weigh your options. By researching and selecting logical options that best fit your situation, you can take a lot of stress off your shoulders. I had to consider where in Pittsburgh I wanted to live, as well as what type of apartment I wanted to occupy. Cost, safety, space and proximity to the WordWrite offices were also factors. With public relations, after we complete the situation analysis, we need to provide options that address the needs of the potential client; specifically identifying the tactics we feel would help the organization reach its goals within a formal proposal.
Now it’s time to make a choice. I’ve never been good at making choices, but after I performed the proper amount of research, this one was easier than I expected it to be. I knew I wanted to be Downtown and wake up to amazing views of what I think is one of the most beautiful cities in America. At WordWrite, a collaborative discussion and a review of the proposed plan of action lead to a verdict – does the potential new client want to hire us or does it want to look elsewhere for its needs?
After those calculations have been made, it’s time to make it happen. I worked through all the paperwork, patiently waited two months for my move in date, and with the help of my family and friends I moved in by the middle of October. In the public relations world, this would be akin to taking the leap and cementing the relationship between client and agency. You’ve done your due diligence, you’ve agreed upon the evaluation of the situation and steps to be taken, and agreed upon what constitutes a successful partnership. Now, it’s time to sign on the dotted line.
Finally, we always need to have continuous evaluation and measurement of our choices, so we can improve on the process and eliminate any mistakes moving forward. Did we make the right choice? Did we do it as efficiently as possible? What changes would we make the next time around? These are all considerations we make on a daily basis when making a decision. For a client, we always need to revisit the proposals and make sure we are providing the return on investment we outlined at the beginning of the engagement. Did we meet the goals and objectives? If so, did we do it in the most effective way possible? If not, what can we do better next time?
I couldn’t be happier with the decision I made, and I’m starting to believe it was one of my best. By paying careful attention to each of the steps outlined above, my choice was clear. The next time you are making an important decision, be sure to spend the necessary time to determine and evaluate the proper stages in the process and then follow them to your new home – whether that place is where you literally put your head down at night or where you feel best about addressing your public relations needs.
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Emma Walter is an assistant account executive for WordWrite Communications. You can find her on Twitter @emmasreallytall.
