I just talked with a senior PR major who said he saw me at the PRSSA awards dinner in Washington last week. I asked him why he didn’t introduce himself at that time, and his response surprised me: “I thought you were busy talking with more important people.”
Frankly, the reason I attended the PRSSA meeting was to meet future leaders of the profession. Otherwise, I would have ventured a mile down Connecticut Avenue where the PRSA section parties were under way. Since my agency workload prevents me from doing many informational interviews, I look forward to the PRSSA conference and periodic campus visits. The same is the case with other PR professionals.
So, when you have a chance to meet senior PR pros, don’t be shy. Don’t interrupt another conversation, but we’ll notice you in the wings and will make a point of saying hello. It might take a few minutes, but the follow-up impact is far greater if you’re able to say “I met you at PRSSA” rather than “I saw you there. . .but didn’t take the time to introduce myself.”
Social media has made it easier for students to introduce themselves to those in the wider world – but it’s also made it harder for them to break through the barrier between real and virtual connections.
It’s a question of choice. Which communication channel is appropriate at what time. It’s quite easy really – but surprisingly hard to teach (like ‘commonsense’).