In the world of public relations, winning and maintaining trust is one of the most important challenges (and responsibilities). In this interview with Valeria Volpato, PR Manager at Disclosers, we explore the most challenging aspects of this job, the skills needed to work across sectors, and the importance of local media in press office strategies.

How did you approach the world of PR?

I studied Foreign Literature and until a few months before graduation had no idea what I wanted to do "when I grew up." Fortunately, one day, while out to dinner, I find a newspaper with an article about jobs that will always be there tomorrow within which they talked about PR and the importance of the role of the press officer. From there I have a real enlightenment and I start to inform myself: thus I find a master's degree in Cattolica to which, however, I cannot get access. I don't give up and soon after I start a master's degree in media relations at the Sole 24 Ore Business School. Immediately I start an internship in a PR agency in Milan and the rest is history.

What are the most challenging aspects of PR work?

PR people have great responsibilities because a company's brand awareness depends heavily on their work. This in my opinion is the most challenging aspect of this wonderful profession.

As a result of your experience, you have developed a great ability to span different areas. What skills do you need to be able to work cross-functionally on different topics and fields?

I would say the main skill is to be well versed in the dynamics of press office and media relations. How to write pitches, how to set up emails, and how to write effective press releases. However, it is important to inform yourself and study the subject matter; it is impossible to do good PR work if there is no study of the client and their target industry behind it.

You are passionate about the animal world. As the pet economy sector is growing rapidly, what do you think are the most important aspects to focus on in a PR communication aimed at increasing a company's awareness in this area?

In my opinion, for a company that operates in the pet context (from the food world, to training, to the laboratory world) it is appreciated to take clear positions towards animal welfare issues, for example by supporting campaigns against stray animals or against animal testing. These are issues that I am very close to and in my opinion, if conveyed correctly, can add great value (not that a company has to be committed to animal welfare just to be able to tell the story, but it is certainly undeniably a good communication asset). 

In an effective PR strategy, how important is local media and why?

I would say that it depends on how interested the client is in them: there are companies for which it is essential to make themselves known (even) locally; conversely, there are companies that are absolutely not interested in this type of media. We must always remember to build a PR activity on the basis of the client company's needs, in fact, there is no strategy that can be applied horizontally, everything must be studied and packaged ad hoc according to the objectives of the individual client.

What are the characteristics that make a press release truly effective?

Good writing, the art of synthesis, and the ability to construct a text with an attention-grabbing headline, a couple of subheadings with the most salient details of the text, and a body divided between introduction, main body, and conclusion. They also sometimes reward short sentences instead of the use of long, intricate periods. 

What would you recommend to those who want to improve their skills in both writing and interpersonal skills in the PR world?

A lot of reading, a few ad hoc training courses, and a lot of hands-on testing of different types of press releases. Training courses, in general, can only help us grow and acquire new skills.