Working in public relations can be tricky, especially if you are just starting out in the career. It is important that you not only understand the needs of your clients but also your own needs. Never forget to advertise yourself as well. After all, if you cannot make yourself look good to potential clients, how are you supposed to make your clients look good to others? Below are some helpful hints both new and seasoned RP agents can use to improve themselves and their business.

Promote Yourself Along with Your Clients

A PR agent’s main job is to make sure that their clients always look good– in regards to their reputation both on and offline. At the same time, the PR agent needs to make sure that they are not letting their own image slip. So, what can a PR agent do to keep themselves looking good so that more clients will come seeking their services?

Making sure both your personal and business social media accounts are up to par is one of the best ways to make sure that you stay relevant to potential clients. Doing this, so long as you are not posting anything negative or controversial, can also help to boost your online reputation. This rule stands for both a PR agent’s personal and business social media account.

What kinds of things should PR agents be posting on their business social media accounts? Posting pictures of or with your clients is a great way to earn positive attention. The more popular your client, the more likes and shares your post will likely get. Posting photos of yourself or your employees on the job can also help to attract positive attention. Posting press releases, artwork or advertisements for current or future projects, and inspirational or funny quotes can also boost follower post interactions.

Research Products Associated with Your Client

One of the biggest PR nightmares out there is having to deal with a product that doesn’t perform as it should. According to GlobalCom PR Network, a whopping 63% of PR problems come from trying to cover up mistakes, while an additional 22% of PR problems come from defective products. Luckily, researching products before you link them to a client can help to avoid these issues.

So, what steps can a PR agent take to make sure their product collaborations don’t turn into a nightmare? As an example, let’s say that the product is a type of greens powder. These powders are somewhat controversial because they are usually used to help build muscle or lose weight. Sometimes products like this can cause more harm than good. Examples mostly include making the consumer ill. So, for a product like this, a PR agent would do well to see if the product has a history of making people ill. Checking customer reviews is a good place to start.

Hold Employees Responsible for Their Actions

While this tip may seem obvious, it is surprising how many PR agents have to douse fires due to employees acting improperly in one way or another. According to the same GlobalCom PR Network source above, personal misconduct from higher-ups (managers, CEOs, etc.), make up 29% of PR nightmare scenarios. This does not even include the additional 30% of issues due to various management failures. The best way to prevent these kinds of issues is to make an example of employees who act inappropriately. As an example, one of the most common things celebrities face backlash for is making racist comments, whether in person or online. Making negative comments on gender, sexuality, LGBT+ issues, and related content often also carries negative consequences.

Whether you have been a PR agent for a while or you are just starting out in the career, you can use these tips to make sure you perform at your best. Remember to always hold yourself, your employees, and your clients to high standards. Do these things and all should go swimmingly.