With a Dunkin’ Donuts medium iced coffee in hand, I walked into Regan Communications Group’s Providence office to start my fifth college internship, ready to learn, succeed and gain new knowledge before entering the real world of post graduation. Weeks leading up to this experience of a lifetime, I knew that I was fortunate enough to be able to get hands-on with not just the client but with real publicity efforts. Here are the five most important things I learned during my time at Regan:
Step outside your comfort zone. On one occasion, I had to drive the Regan Communications’ giant SUV to pick up tables a few towns over from the main office. Acting as an ad-hoc moving company was mortifying at first, but it had to be done. A key tip for success that I have learned is to never say no. Push yourself to the limit and you never know what you might learn.
CisionPoint for the win, but never forget to double check. CisionPoint to a public relations professional is like icing to a cupcake. CisionPoint makes life easy. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean the information is always correct. Double-checking contacts (and anything else) before passing them along to the rest of the team is vital to assure efficiency and a job well done.
Master the perfection of clipping. I never realized how important that final media clip was until I started my internship. Clipping is really an art form and the end result must be precise. Media clips are the best way to preserve and keep track of your client’s coverage.
Bloggers, more important than you think. Who would have thought that Mommy Bloggers are taking over the world? Not me. Bloggers are extremely influential right now and should not be forgotten when creating media lists for pitching. The internet is the world we live in, might as well to continue to embrace it.
Work hard, play harder. It is always an adventure when I am
asked to leave the office for a task. Sometimes I joke that I am actually a hand model for Dunkin’ Donuts Providence. In reality, Regan Communications is their public face in Rhode Island and Bristol County, MA, which means that I am as well. The opportunity to work with clients like Dunkin’ Donuts and Feld Entertainment has by far been the best experience in my undergraduate professional career. Observing, assisting, and working with the media is not something that every intern gets to experience.
As a graduating senior who is venturing into the professional world, I can thank Regan Communications for supplying me with one of the best internship experiences to date. My time here has helped to shape me into a consumer-loving, ready for the real world, professional.
-Jamie Warner, Intern, Team Providence
