Working at a PR agency means that every day you’re going to be working across several clients spanning different industries, media and audiences. I’ve been an account executive for just shy of a year, and I can say with absolute certainty that no day is the same. It can sometimes feel like you’re having to keep a lot of plates spinning at once, but the fast-paced nature of it all keeps it exciting.
One task I do tick off every day, is the morning news alert which is the first thing I do when I log on. It’s a great opportunity to send any relevant stories to our clients, the rest of the agency or sometimes just a story we know will be of interest (or offer a good laugh on a Monday morning!). I collate all these and send an alert to the team. Flagging relevant articles for different clients can also help kickstart some newsjacking opportunities and keep a pulse on the different industries our clients work in.
Morning
My day can then vary a lot. Mornings tend to be when I spend time issuing articles and getting in touch with journalists. We are always building our media lists and taking the time to reach out to the right people really makes a difference.
If I’m not issuing, my focus tends to be on writing. I find getting my head into a meaty trade piece first makes it much easier to progress, rather than getting caught up in other tasks and leaving it until later in the day.
I’ve also found if I need people to be in a TikTok, morning is the best time to catch them so often some filming gets slotted in here!
Breaking up the day
On a WFH day, I’ll take my dog on a walk on my lunch break, getting some fresh air for the both of us but in the office it’s normally a relaxed chatty lunch in the breakout area, with a stroll on the roof if the weather permits.
Afternoon
The latter part of my day is often filled with client meetings, internal catch ups, more writing and client admin. Varying from social copy, fun consumer pieces, press releases or newsletters there is always something new to be written. I’ll put aside time to stay up to date with client evaluation and reporting, tracking coverage and updating our hit rate.
It’s hard to summarise what a day looks like as an account executive at Whistle PR because every client differs and so do their needs from day to day. If something urgent happens, you must be prepared to rejig the to-do list and reprioritise your day. I used to want to plan out my entire week but swiftly learned that the quick-moving news agenda doesn’t quite allow for that level of organisation. You must be flexible and willing to strike while the iron’s hot with certain things.
Before I log off, I wrap up anything that’s outstanding and make sure my inbox is dealt with (I’m always aiming for the empty inbox)!
Life at an agency is fast paced and busy but that’s what makes it fun.
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Courtney Caile is PR & Social Media Account Executive at Whistle PR which offers a range of integrated communications services including strategic consultancy, PR, digital and internal communications. For further information, email info@whistlepr.co.uk or contact us here.
