There are six abilities public relations professionals must exceed in to succeed. This article lists and describes the must have six abilities for public relations practitioners.
There is no single type of personality for public relations (PR). Because the field is very diverse, it needs many differing personalities. Some PR jobs require consistently talking to clients and the public. Other jobs demand sitting at the desk, planning, researching, and writing.
In any PR job, an individual must have these six abilities:
The first ability is Writing Skills. For someone to convey information and ideas quickly, clearly and concisely in written form.
The second ability is Research. One should argue based on facts, not generalities. The person should be able to draw information from an array of sources and original research. For instance, information should be drawn by designing and implementing polls or audits. They should also read from internet databases and the newspaper.
The third ability is Planning Expertise. The individual must be able to develop or coordinate public relations tools and activities. He must plan that everything is on time, with no problems, and in the budget.
Recommended for You
The fourth ability is Problem Solving Ability. The individual must solve complex problems through innovative ideas and fresh approaches. Individuals that show they consistently come up with creative solutions receive higher salaries and more frequent promotions.
The fifth ability is Business/Economics Competence. Public relations practitioners must have a solid grounding in economics, marketing, and especially management. This is because many business decisions include PR professionals on the decision-making table.
The sixth ability is Expertise in Social Media. The PR practitioner is expected to have expertise in mainstream media relations and to be social media savvy. They are expected to have knowledge in social networks, blogging, tweeting, podcasting, search engine optimization, web content management, and social bookmarking.
Originally published here.