At AKCG, we diligently invest in professional development opportunities for our counselors, which is an essential aspect of running a successful public relations firm.
AKCG Senior Account Executive Darrah Pilieri represented our firm at the 2018 IPREX Global Leadership Conference (GLC) in Chicago. Short for “International Public Relations Exchange,” IPREX is a global network of communication agencies working across the spectrum of industry sectors and practice disciplines. Each year, the organization hosts a GLC, inviting PR firms from around the world to share and discuss client and firm business strategies and best practices. AKCG is a proud IPREX partner, servicing the Philadelphia region and beyond.
Hosted by IPREX partner Grisko, the conference was organized to fit the theme: “Close to the Edge: Modern Knowledge and Skills for Emerging Agency Leaders.” The sessions sparked engaging conversations on a variety of industry topics, such as managing social media strategies and building strong value propositions for your firm.
During the “Social Media with Impact” session, Carol Fowler, senior vice president of digital news products at the Chicago Sun—Times, shared insight on how to leverage content generated on digital platforms. In addition, she highlighted the value of patience in emerging leaders as they manage multiple types of personalities and work styles.
Key takeaways:
- People follow individual profiles on social media, rather than a firm’s. Your firm should focus on generating thought leadership content to build trust among its audiences.
- You cannot be with every member of your team at every moment, so identifying and deploying your “commander’s intent” can help you support the team without micromanaging.
Carolyn Grisko, president and CEO of Grisko, led the “Building a Strong Value Proposition” session. This portion of the conference focused on considering how firms can differentiate themselves from the competition. Carolyn projected each delegate firm’s value propositions to showcase the differentiating factors.
Key takeaways:
- Prospective clients do not come to your firm’s website to spend time there; they view your website to see if your firm matches their current needs.
- A firm’s website should highlight the overall personality of the firm. The team’s personality is often a major deciding factor for prospective clients.
Thank you to the #iprexglc2018 host agency, @Grisko, for an amazing @IPREX_Global Leadership Conference! I'm walking away with new leadership tools and colleagues. It is amazing to be among smart people from all corners of the world. I love this profession. #loveyourjob #PR pic.twitter.com/wrVEQjk1qx
— Darrah Pilieri, APR (@DarrahLFoster) February 24, 2018
The IPREX GLC exposes communications professionals to a diverse collection of national and international peers. IPREX comprises many talented and energetic agencies and individuals, and we look forward to sending AKCG counselors to future events and to further developing relationships with our IPREX partners.
