By Neila Matheny
As a woman in my twenties, I tend to be in the norm among PR professionals. That statistic about women may not be as true in the world of telecom PR, it is really beside the point. On the client side, most of our contacts are men in their thirties and forties. So after a recent press and analyst tour with one such client, I have put together my top three tips for being the best possible PR host while on tour.
Number 1 – Never check a bag. For us women, I know a tour presents a bit of a packing challenge. You must have multiple suits, hair drying/straightening/curling contraptions, multiple shoe options and clothes for the down time. And on top of that, you need to carry on your lap-top bag, so how do you get all of these needs into one carry-on bag? A tip I learned, after I mistakenly checked my bag on the cross-country flight to Boston, is to pack an empty purse and put your wallet and other purse essentials in the lap-top bag. This way you still have a purse for the after-meeting dinners. Plus, your client will rest assured that you will make your 5 p.m. meeting in Manhattan when your flight is landing in La Guardia at 3 p.m., since you will not be waiting at baggage claim.
Number 2 – Be prepared to offer fashion advice. I know this may come as a surprise, but you are now the female voice of reason. There is no wife to help your male client select the correct tie to match the gray suit when the tie of choice now has a little stain on it. I give the client a lot of credit for having tie options, but we were minutes away from a run across the street to Nordstrom. Just as you advise your girlfriends, you must give honest and valued fashion advice to your client. You don’t want the editor of Tier 1 Magazine starring at the stain or the ill-colored tie while your client is in the middle of the presentation.
Number 3 – Be ready to walk. Now, rule Number Three goes hand in hand with the multiple shoe options that were mentioned in rule Number One. There will be a lot of walking, whether that walking is through various airports or around downtown Chicago on a beautiful night. So grab some professional but comfortable shoes (if those exist) and get ready. Try your best to keep up, too, even if your client is a natural-born athlete and has nearly a foot on you. Don’t give up either. Do not slow your pace when you see the finish line. Keep sprinting ahead.
The bottom line is that you have to be up for anything when you are on tour. You never know what the day is going to hold or what fire drill will arise next. If you keep smiling, everything will work out in the end.
PS - I have to thank a client who loves geography, random facts, and Chicago-style pizza for making the tour seem more like the guided sight-seeing variety than the hectic, work variety.
