So, who do you know?

I had breakfast with a PR friend of 20 years this week (outside, Petersham Nurseries, very nice, thank you) and I asked her what advice she’d give to PR juniors in this post-Covid (sort of) moment. 

She didn’t hesitate: “improve your contacts,” she said. Relationships are everything in PR and after a year where no one has really been able to start or build upon their contacts, those in the industry need to make the most of the opportunity to socialise again.

Even with her experience and contacts list this is the case, and she’s really felt the business impact over the last year of not being able to put her clients and products in front of fashion editors, writers and stylists. She has been doing appointments solidly for the last few weeks.

She said in every job she’s ever gone for the first question she has been asked is: “so, who do you know?” Before each interview she makes sure she has written down and memorised (because even the familiar names of genuine friends can fly out of your head under pressure) a short list of her best contacts – a couple on magazines, a couple on newspapers, a couple of stylists and freelance writers. And these are not people whose names you’ve seen in the masthead, but people you’ve met at press days, had breakfast with and who might even respond to your emails! 

If you don’t have six or eight relationships like that yet, don’t panic – everyone has to start somewhere. But, do make the most of the current new social freedoms to start rectifying that. Now is the perfect time to send out those invitations to breakfast or coffee somewhere nice.