Achieving Peak Awesomeness in PR

We’re all pretty awesome at PR, as shown by our smiley/happy Facebook feeds and gorgeous/clever Instagram posts, but there is always room to be even awesome-er.

Here are five ways to reach Peak PR Awesomeness in 2015, gleaned from some of the best PR minds I know…

1. Stop using words like ‘awesome.’ (Francis Ingham, UK PRCA / ICCO, @PRCA_Ingham)
Some words make us sound silly — sick, wicked, awesome, etc. Others make us sound insecure and or caught up in our own little jargon-filled heads — go-to-market strategies, alignment solutions, synergies and Big Data should be banned, among many others. Just talk normal to be awesome-er.

2. Get up early. (Ketchum colleague, Stephen Waddington, @wadds)
Sorry, but successful PR people don’t lie around. Extra effort requires extra time, and that’s generally more available at the beginning of the day than at the end, so if you want to find a half hour for exercise, meditation or planning out your day, don’t hit the snooze button.

3. Read more. (David Fleet, @davefleet)
Not just tweets or status updates, but long articles. Even books. Your own writing will improve, your perspective will widen and you’ll need to fill those extra early morning minutes doing something anyway. Here’s how.

4. Get into shape. (Eva Bojtos, Barclaycards social media expert AND a personal trainer, @Eva4Eva)
PR is an intellectual contact sport, and sound minds require sound bodies. She recommends setting manageable goals at first (a few workouts for a week or two,) and then build up from there.

5. Update your LinkedIn profile. (Recruiter friend who wishes to remain anonymous)
You may not be looking for a change, but you never know who might be looking for you. Besides, updating your bio now is a good reminder of what you’ve achieved and a catalyst for setting bigger goals in the New Year.

Do you have a technique to achieve Awesomeness in PR? Feel free to leave it in the comment section below!