APRefresher

 

Last year at this time I was starting my Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) journey and had no idea where this process would take me. I found studying for and achieving my APR distinction extremely rewarding. It enhanced my understanding of my profession and greatly increased my ability to help my clients. 

 

Now, months later, I am regularly counseling public relations practitioners about getting their APR. This community has been extremely supportive and I’m honored to be part of it. I look forward to welcoming more professionals to the group! 

 

With April being APR month, I wanted to reflect on some of the things I learned while studying that have been the most beneficial to me in practice. I’m calling this an ‘APRefresher’ as I look back at these topics. 

 

In order to shift public opinion, you need to understand how and why people have formed their thoughts on a topic. For example, smoking in public places was once considered the norm and completely acceptable. It was commonplace to smoke indoors at a restaurant or on a plane. Today, that perception has radically changed. Why is that? Studying for the APR taught me that people’s opinions and attitudes can shift with the introduction of new knowledge. Also, you need to look at the factors of how the information is being presented and who presented it. Achieving social and cultural change is a process. As people better understand the harmful impacts of smoking and second-hand smoke, the public opinion of smoking indoors has changed. It took time, but the methodology is clear.

 

I never knew the value of solid research until I started working towards my APR. In fact, the number of research methods and the advantages and disadvantages of each is crucial to understand. Many decisions that PR practitioners make can’t be taken lightly. When time, money and reputation are at stake, you need clearly researched facts to back the decision up. The APR taught me how ‘research’ is a very impactful tool in my arsenal. 

 

Anyone who has worked through a crisis knows that pre-planning is key. The APR showed me how industry leaders strategize for a crisis and how they put that plan into action, when necessary. Plus, I learned all about various types of crises, how they are categorized and worked through differently. 

 

Especially during covid, networking can feel unattainable. However, the community of APRs I’ve worked with have been extremely supportive and proactive with reaching out for communication….after all, communication is what we do best! I got the opportunity to meet practitioners virtually and over the phone and create meaningful relationships with people in my field. This network has taught me so much as we share ideas and tips for work and the profession. It has been the most rewarding part of this process and I’m sure will help me throughout my career. 

 

If you want to know more about the APR journey, reach out to me!