Project Four PR
We had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Founder/Owner Amira de Vera of Project Four PR. Amira shares her inspiration for starting a PR company and the joys and challenges to navigating an ever-changing industry and talent pool. If you’re interested in starting a career in public relations, we invite you to check out this interview.
Hi, Amira! Thank you for granting the interview. We’re excited to speak with you. What inspired you to make public relations (PR) your career?
It’s funny because this career actually found me! I had originally studied Journalism and Political Science in school with the intention of combining the two together. When I quickly realized it wasn’t the career path I wanted to take, I moved to Toronto with absolutely no plan in place. Having no plan turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to try different things with no fear. I volunteered at Toronto Fashion Week where I ended up meeting someone who owned a PR company. Long story short, I took up the opportunity to intern with her and fell in love with the industry. I knew right there and then that this was the job I wanted to do a very long time. A decade later I am so grateful to now own my own public relations firm and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future!
You’re well-known for forward-thinking techniques and innovative methods. How important is it for a PR to have their finger on the pulse of global trends?
Thank you! I think it is incredibly important for a PR professional to always have their pulse on what’s new and trending. A huge part of our job is to deliver information to the public, so it is our responsibility to know what the latest global trends are in terms of what new mediums are out there. Whether it’s knowing what the hottest social media trends are or which news outlets are the most read, most watched or most listened to – it is our job to have a good understanding and knowledge of what’s hot and happening.
What is most important to your clients today?
Every client is different as everyone has different goals. What is universally important to all my clients these days though is their social media presence. With the growth of channels like Instagram, having a good online brand has become a priority – especially since Instagram is now a business tool for a lot of public personalities.
Explain the difference between a marketing plan and a PR plan. Also, how to use both to create a successful promotional campaign.
A marketing plan will generally cover things like advertising and direct consumer reach where the ultimate goal is to get sales; whereas PR is more focused on creating a brand and a public reputation that people can trust. I am a big believer in implementing both when it comes to promoting yourself and your business. I think both marketing and PR go hand in hand and enhance one another in order to get the best results.
In today’s social climate, it’s important to be strategic and integrative. A PR must be able to successfully use several social media platforms. Without giving away company secrets, how do you effectively market within a social media mix?
I know it sounds super cliché, but the number one thing I always tell my clients is to be authentic. People can see right through a forced or overly staged post. It may be a good short-term strategy but in terms of building a trusted brand with longevity, it never works. Always stay true to who you are online and offline.
We know that thoroughly understanding social media platforms can give a PR an edge. However, the platforms are constantly changing their algorithms. How do you manage to stay on top?
Research, research, and more research! PR is a constantly changing and evolving industry, especially with social media now in the mix. Always be on the know of the latest and greatest that’s out there. I am a big fan of signing up for industry newsletters. There’s usually quite a handful who send daily e-mails talking about all the latest news when it comes to social media, and the marketing and PR landscape. It’s an easy and convenient way of staying on top!
The new buzzwords in PR are “audience architecture.” What can you tell us about it and how it can benefit talent?
Audience Architecture is all about understanding who your audience is. This is knowing beyond the typical demographic measurements such as gender, age and location. It is really about recognizing who these people are and what they like and don’t like. This is why social media is such a wonderful (and free!) measurement of audience architecture. Pay attention and listen to what your followers online are responding to. Which of you posts are getting the most likes? Which of your posts are not getting any likes? What causes the most engagement? All of these are wonderful ways to learn about your fan base and in return can really dictate your personal brand and also grow your audience.
When looking back on your career, what resonated with you the most and why?
I have been very fortunate in my career because I have been surrounded by incredible people and experiences – each having something different to contribute to the PR Professional that I am today. I think for me what resonates the most are the hard moments. At the time, there was nothing more stressing in the world than being put into those difficult situations but looking back, they are what made me grow and become better at my job. Every challenge I faced in this career were amazing lessons that have taught me how to better handle myself and in turn become better and better at what I do.
In your opinion, how could PRs make an impact on the world?
I love this question because I really do believe PR Professionals have an incredible skill that can help make a huge impact in the world. As publicists, we have in our hands access to some of the world’s largest media outlets. This, in my opinion, is such a powerful tool. You are able to bring crucial information to so many eyes and ears and this can truly make a difference in so many situations. One of the biggest ways I think as PR Professionals we can make a strong impact is by volunteering our time and skills to organizations that give back. I am personally passionate about donating my time and skills to animal rights organizations and have acted as their publicist for different campaigns in order to garner media and public attention for them. We have such an invaluable skill and if we can offer that to organizations that need it the most, then why not be able to make a difference!
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose the same career? Would you do anything differently?
100%! I love that this career found me, and I couldn’t be more blessed to have found something that I truly am passionate about! I would not change anything about my journey because every highs and lows have brought me to where I am now. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!
Do you have anything else you would like to share about upcoming projects and your career?
Stay tuned to my social media channels to see some big things happening in the New Year! You can follow my company @ProjectFourPR and my personal social accounts at @advera.
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