Public relations professionals spend years studying and perfecting their craft to be competent in writing, pitching and establishing long-standing relationships. Often, this includes degrees from university communications programs, but continued learning does not stop after graduation.
Professional organizations provide PR practitioners with valuable workshops, conferences and networking opportunities to further their careers and grow the businesses that they represent. For PR professionals, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) serves as the cream of the crop for professional organizations.
PRSA is a membership-based organization that empowers PR professionals to succeed at every stage of their careers. The organization offers a wide breadth of professional development, networking and leadership opportunities. With access to mentors and industry-leading resources, members have the opportunity to further their professional development.
Professional Growth and Community Involvement
Katie LeChase, senior director at Treble, is a member of the PRSA’s San Diego/Imperial County chapter. She and the broader Treble team regularly attend its webinars, networking events and conferences to gain insight into the PR industry and to develop connections with other PR professionals. Earlier this year, LeChase participated in the chapter’s annual outreach event to help local nonprofits reach their PR and communications goals. The event, Quality Time with PR Minds, connected PR professionals with participating nonprofits to learn about organizational challenges and brainstorm tactics to support growth and success.
“PRSA offers a variety of workshops and events that allow for professional development,” said LeChase. “They’re a great way to meet fellow practitioners, learn and grow with one another, and give back to our communities.”
At this workshop, LeChase worked directly with North County Lifeline to create a list of narratives and action items for the organization’s 50th-anniversary celebration in 2023. They developed a number of storylines and event engagement activities for the nonprofit’s upcoming celebratory year.
The workshop gave PR professionals like LeChase the opportunity to give back to their communities by supporting local nonprofits with advice and guidance. This helps local organizations reach their goals while PR professionals support their broader communities.
Although Treble partners primarily with B2B technology companies, connections within any industry are valuable, and PRSA events provide a great place to foster those relationships. LeChase hopes to leverage the ideas discussed with North County Lifeline with Treble clients in the future if they have nonprofit partners.
Bringing Professional Education Back to the Agency
Gaining professional connections is vital to assist local businesses and raising awareness of Treble with local community members. As Treble continues growing its employee presence in the San Diego area, PRSA events will continue acting as invaluable tools for professional development.
As a member of Treble’s senior leadership team, LeChase said PRSA enhances her growth as a leader and benefits the overall group. PRSA provides access to informative webinars that discuss ways to be a better PR practitioner. LeChase brings key takeaways from monthly webinars and local, in-person events to empower professional education across the entire agency.
Treble leverages insights from organizations like PRSA on top of the experience of Treble team members (including longtime practitioners and ex-journalists) to inform agency-wide professional development-related sessions for its team. Every team member has the opportunity to learn and grow with PRSA, and these learnings are often shared with the team during agency-wide, bi-weekly educational sessions called PR 101s. With presentations led by members at every level of Treble’s internal team –– and occasional appearances by top tech journalists and PR professionals –– our PR 101 sessions provide on-the-job training and updates that ensure the team remains on the industry’s pulse.
These webinars, workshops and certificate programs allow Treble to position its team as PR industry leaders.
Professional organizations are more than simply networking opportunities. They serve as innovation incubators for entire industries and guide professionals along a path of continued education throughout their careers.
The value of professional organizations is immense. They promote intelligent, industry-aware professionals hungry for a greater depth of knowledge. Every company should emphasize the growth of its employees, and professional organizations are a great way to start.