Digital Communications Strategist and Integrated Marketer, Matt Kelly came to speak in our Social Media Strategies class. Now you are probably saying “so what” ,“who cares”, and wondering who he is. Matt Kelly was one of the people who came up with the Mountain Dew commercial last year that featured “Puppy Monkey Baby.”
Matt came into our class and delivered a powerful presentation on his life working for a leading public relations firm. There were a few things that I was able to take away and relate to my life being an Account Executive at Olivet Nazarene University’s Student-Run PR firm, Inspired Strategies Agency.
1. Don’t expect free time. You can always be working on something.
This one is given. When you are working on several different projects, there is always something that you can be doing. Matt said he does have free time sometimes, but it is extremely hard for him to get time off. He has to take time off months in advance. Before he takes time off, he has to figure out who can cover the tasks he will not be able to complete.
This is something that I can easily relate to. Being an account executive, it is my job to lead a team of individuals to meet the goals of our client. Being a leader requires a lot of me, and because I am the leader I can not miss time unless I prepare ahead of time so my team has direction while I am gone.
2. You always will be doing something different.
When working in a public relations firm, you generally manage more than one client. You will work towards meeting the goals of several different clients which leaves you with a mess and you have to be organized. Matt talked about how he has to manage his time between clients because some require more time than others.
In my agency life, this is reality. It is important to be organized to keep your projects on task. I currently am managing one client who has a few different objectives. I have to spend different amounts of time on each objective.
3. Its fun. I mean look at Puppy Monkey Baby…Its Creative.
The variety of things you get to do in a PR agency is widespread. You do not normally do the same thing every day. You get to creatively meet the objectives of your clients while have a fun time doing it. Staying creatively curious is extremely important.
When I was little I would ask my mother questions that were not really relevant such as “Mom, why did God make mosquitos?” just because I was a curious person. That curiosity has carried on with me and allowed me ask the “what if we did this” questions. It has helped me become a better problem solver. Each day a PR professional, especially in agency, is faced with a new problem to solve. That is what makes PR fun.
Overall, hearing from Matt was a great learning experience. It made me excited because I am hungry to get a job in a public relations agency. I look forward to my future, and hearing from PR professionals makes it seem like a reality.
Hayden’s Not-So-Important Opinion?
Agency life is great. It is always changing, and you stay fresh.
Hayden’s Advice of the Week?
Remember to stay curious. What questions do you have that you are dying to answer?
By Hayden Keifer, Account Executive, Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce
