MEET THE TEAM: LIZZIE BRISTOW, SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, PR

How long have you been working at Fieldworks and where did you come from?

I’ve been at Fieldworks for about 5 months now and previously worked at another South East PR agency.

What attracted you to a career in PR?

Ironically, I was actually looking for a role in recruitment when I stumbled across what was to be the start of my PR career. I went for a job at a specialist PR Recruitment agency in London and fell at the final hurdle – the interviewer believed I’d be a better match for the PR roles he was promoting.

After doing my research, I could see he was completely right and I began applying for PR executive roles the following week, which in turn led to where I am now.

What are the main responsibilities of your role and what is your favourite part?

My role is quite varied, which is something I love about this job.

My responsibilities include liaising with clients, selling in content to media and securing coverage in key target publications. I also deal with a lot of the day to day running of the PR team and cover off a lot of the administration that is needed to ensure campaigns run efficiently and successfully.

What does your typical day in the office consist of?

A typical day is spent answering and sending emails to clients and liaising with media contacts to secure the best placements. My day is often punctuated with incoming calls and scheduled client meetings to discuss strategy and messaging. I spend a significant amount of time on drafting and editing copy, which is something I particularly enjoy.

Are there any challenges in your role? If so, what are they?

I’ve been nicknamed ‘the whip-cracker’ by my team as once my organisational instincts kick-in there’s little that will stop them! A challenge can be rounding up the team for a joint brainstorm or discussion as everyone is so busy, but I’ve now learnt the power of a five minute warning!

What do you love most about working at Fieldworks?

It sounds a bit cliché but I love the people. Fieldworks is such a great, close-knit team who immediately made me feel welcome and a vital part of the business. They have some fantastic ideas for campaigns and I continue to learn every day, and they are fab on a night out!

What mistakes do businesses make when it comes to PR?

Believing that they are fine without it.

Companies often overlook PR due to the fact that it can be difficult to measure in terms of calculable ROI, but this shouldn’t be the case. We quantify our offering with clear and transparent metrics that go far beyond outdated advertising value equivalents (AVEs).

In a world where businesses and consumers alike are bombarded with advertising everywhere they look, PR is a great way to raise brand awareness and reputation without thrusting it in prospects’ faces with an off-putting, sales-orientated message.

What’s the key to a successful PR campaign?

A successful campaign will always stem from the strength of the content.

The content needs to excite media and convince them that their readership would be interested in the messaging or insight it provides. With the right team in place, a campaign can produce strong lead generation, raise brand awareness and positively influence company reputation – just look at our award shortlisted campaign for Clear Returns as a great example.