From Journalism to PR: The print industry through a new lens

Having spent the past six years as a B2B trade journalist, and most recently editor of Print Monthly and SignLink magazines, our new Account Manager, Carys shares her experiences from her first month in B2B PR and Communications

Upon graduating from University in 2017 with an MA in Broadcast Journalism, I landed by accident (like so many others), in a career in the print industry in the form of News Reporter at trade magazines Print Monthly and SignLink.

I was soon immersed into all things print and signage and over the years that followed my writing, interviewing, editing, and networking skills evolved along with my professional confidence and my knowledge of the industry. 

As I progressed into the role of Online Editor and later Editor, my passion and interest in print only continued to grow, much to the bemusement of my friends and family who (despite my constantly pointing print and signage out left right and centre to anyone who will listen) still view the print industry to mean just business cards and newspapers - we will change this perception one of these days, I am certain of it. 

Print’s grip is strong

When the time came for a change, one thing I knew for sure was that I wasn’t ready to leave print behind. 

With both PR and journalism drawing on content creation, interviewing, relationship-building, and time management skills, a move into the world of PR and communications felt like an exciting opportunity and a chance to develop further in my career.  

However, whilst there are a whole host of transferable skills, a key takeaway from my first month in PR is the amount of aspects that are deceptively different.

Giving ‘fast paced’ a new meaning

Throughout my first month at KC Media, I have enjoyed throwing myself into a range of tasks and immersing myself in the fast-paced and varied day-to-day environment of agency life. And when I say fast-paced, I mean really fast-paced! 

I thought navigating the demands of producing two bi-monthly magazines was challenging (in the best way), but juggling a number of different clients all with different communication objectives, tones of voice, products, services, and time frames gives time management a new meaning. 

Luckily, I thrive in a fast-paced and varied environment and the challenge of starting out again in a new role and environment has re-sparked my motivation and creativity. I love the range of content I get to produce each day, from social media posts to feature and article pitches and longer-form blogs.

Retraining my brain to be persuasive

Having written for various outlets throughout my career, both within magazine journalism and through freelance copywriting roles, I am well versed in adapting my writing style to different audiences. However, when asked as a former editor what approach I preferred when receiving pitches, I found my mind going blank. 

As a journalist, I have spent the past six years removing any ‘fluff’ and taking facts and statistics and turning these into unbiased reports. From this stance, it’s all too easy to take for granted the art that goes into well-crafted and targeted pitches.

Retraining my brain to write persuasively and creatively has been a big learning curve but something I am enjoying as I learn from the expertise of my team and develop my own writing further.

Plenty of time on the road

One of my favourite things about being a B2B trade journalist was the opportunities to get out on the road, exploring behind the scenes of print businesses and experiencing the many industry events throughout the year.

The chance this gives to network and build relationships is invaluable and I have had many a lightbulb moment standing in front of a print machine where all the technical details finally click into place seeing it in action.

This is still very much the case within KC Media and throughout my first month I had the opportunity to attend an incredibly thought provoking talk exploring the Neuroscience of Comms organised by the PRCA; as well as head out to film a case study and attend an industry awards evening. 

It’s been rewarding to connect with existing industry colleagues but also to continue to build new relationships in my new role. 

Goodbye comfort zone!

On a personal note and as a creature of habit, taking the leap from a career where I felt competent and established into a brand new career was certainly daunting.

However, changing my work environment and being challenged to think differently and utilise my skills in similar, but different, ways, has reignited a creativity and motivation in me that I didn’t realise I was missing.

As I continue to navigate the world of B2B PR, communications, and marketing, I am excited to hone and evolve my skills whilst learning from the extremely talented and experienced team of powerhouse women within KC Media. 

For anyone thinking of taking a similar leap, I would say jump in with both feet and embrace the challenge!