Industry Watch: Public Relations Agency
March 2005

Q&A with Ellen Blattel, founder and president of Blattel Communications

Q: How did you get into Public Relations?
I fell into PR - not really knowing what it was or that I was doing it. After graduating from college, I went to work for a non-profit organization in an administrative job. This job segued into a PR job, when I started doing media for the non-profit, and I realized that this was the kind of work I really wanted to do. I ended up moving to a PR agency.

I got started working in professional services in an agency about 15 years ago. I had worked on the consumer side, but when I tried the professional service side I found I really loved it.

Q: You work with professional services executives. What are professional services and how is working with this group of clients different from working with lifestyle or high tech clients?
This work is really specialized. We work with professionals, such as lawyers, who have a knowledge base and an expertise, who get hired by other services, so it's business to business. And rather than promoting products, we promote services. We do a lot of work with the business sections of newspapers and trade papers to promote our clients' expertise, such as intellectual property law expertise to a business that has need of that knowledge base. A good example is the real estate developer who needs the expertise of a real estate lawyer.

Q: What does a typical workweek look like for you?
My primary job is to bring new business to the agency, so I do new business development pitches, and I run the firm's financials. I work on the strategic level with clients and go to client meetings - although I don't go to all client meetings because I have fabulous vice presidents who are very good at what they do.

Q: What are some of the unique challenges you face when working for high profile clients?
The kinds of clients we represent bill by the hour and do not have a lot of time to do public relations, so we shoulder as much responsibility for them as possible. We do a lot of research up front so we can come back to them with a complete package. We need to be proactive in bringing new clients to them because they are so busy. Also, our clients face a lot of conflict issues, and we need to be sensitive to that in the media relations end.

Q: Is there a company (or person) you think is in particular need of PR help right now?
The insurance and Brokerage Industry as a whole - I won't name a particular company.

Q: What would you describe as the high point of your career? How about the low point? And how have you changed since the beginning of your career?
Starting my business was a high point. I have people working with me who have been with me for 10 years, and I think of Blattel Communications as our agency, not my agency. The low point was when I gave notice at my last agency. It was hard to leave and to disappoint people because I was so appreciative of what they did for me. In terms of how I've changed - I'm much more sophisticated now. I've learned to have a sense a humor and I've gotten more relaxed.

Q: In general, what are some of the best practices you see being used today by PR practitioners on the professional services side? What skills or characteristics do you seek in new PR hires at your company?
On the professional services side, Thought Leadership positioning - positioning professionals as experts in their fields - has been very good. When I hire a new person for the company, I look for someone who has good communication and someone who has an idea of what's news and what's not. To succeed, you have to have a sense of this. Intuition is also very important.

Q: If a Public Relations professional wanted to get into your end of PR, what education and experience would you counsel them to attain?
A college education is very important, perhaps in journalism or English. Taking public speaking, debating, writing - these are all good skills to have. Assertiveness is important in this work, because basically you're in sales, so taking classes or training that foments this is good. You want to do things to enhance self-confidence. Developing critical thinking is very important as is the ability to learn on the job and to know how to make wise assessments.

Q: : What changes do you predict for the PR industry over the next few years? What aspect of the PR industry do you think will be fastest growing in 2005/2006?
In professional services there's a trend for smaller and mid-sized firms to want to have public relations. Mid-sized firms especially are a perfect target for PR professionals to approach. Larger firms are taking the public relations function back in house, and that trend will continue. I have noticed that the economy is California is picking up.That will have a positive effect for PR in general in 2005-2006.

Q: Anything else you might want to say?
I encourage people to consider being in this industry and to be on the agency side. It's good work and an industry to take seriously.