PR Pros: Bailey Floyd of Bais Creative & Public Relations On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro

An Interview With Dina Aletras

Communicate clearly: The world of public relations is all about communication. From writing a direct but enticing media pitch to leading client calls, communicating effectively is the number one skill I believe all PR pros should have and continue to fine-tune. I learned early on that “frustrations are unmet expectations.” The better you are able to share with others — from a client’s messaging to team processes — the more confident you will feel in your career.

Have you seen the show Flack? Ever think of pursuing a real-life career in PR? What does it take to succeed in PR? What are the different forms of Public Relations? Do you have to have a college degree in PR? How can you create a highly lucrative career in PR? In this interview series, called “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro” we are talking to successful publicists and Public Relations pros, who can share stories and insights from their experiences.

As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Bailey Floyd.

Bailey is a well-respected publicist, digital marketing specialist and social media guru with nearly a decade of experience in the communications industry. She has worked in the communications department for top sports organizations such as the San Antonio Spurs and Outback Bowl before spending five years in-house at public relations and marketing agencies as lead strategist and manager for top brands throughout Florida and the East Coast. In 2021, she launched Bais Creative & Public Relations. A boutique public relations and social media agency dedicated to elevating the online presence of travel, hospitality and lifestyle brands across the US.

She is a people person at heart, loves bringing fresh perspectives to new or existing strategies and thrives in the fast-paced and ever-changing environment that is public relations and social media.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Growing up as an athlete, I was very determined to pursue a career in sports. During my junior and senior year of college, I worked in the communications department with the San Antonio Spurs, where I helped run game night stats and capture pre- and post-game locker room interviews. After I graduated, I was grateful to land a job with the Outback Bowl back in Tampa, where I learned everything from drafting press releases to credentialing media for a large-scale event to game-day publication edits. Once the college football season ended in 2017, I found myself at a crossroads. I wanted to stay in sports, but I didn’t want to leave Tampa.

I had a family friend who introduced me to agency life. They explained how, coming from a background in sports, I would thrive in a fast-paced environment, and I did. Being able to work on several different brands kept me on my toes and my ideas fresh. I worked for a local Tampa agency for nearly four years where I really fine-tuned my skills in social media and public relations strategy. At night, I would listen to a million and one podcasts, read books and write in my journal about everything I was learning. I loved how brands had the opportunity, through social media and strategic communications, to talk directly to their audience.

In January 2021, after getting married to my high school sweetheart, I came to realize that I loved the company I worked for but wasn’t feeling as challenged as I once was and didn’t have the flexibility I desired. There were a lot of long nights talking with my husband about what the future looked like, and in April 2021, I resigned from my agency.

At first, I started to freelance, offering my specialty niche skills in public relations and social media. The word quickly spread through friends and family, and by the end of 2021, I had hired my first employee and contractor. I again, was awestruck, and realized the impact I could have on brands across the U.S. as I continued to grow my team on my own terms. Launching Bais Creative & Public Relations was one of the best things that ever happened to me.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

I don’t have a particular story but the most interesting part about being a founder is the relationships you build in your community. The more vulnerable I become. The more I work to share my story. The more people I tell the hardships to and celebrate the successes with. The more people that come to me for advice or conversation. I think it breaks down the barriers and makes you more relatable, so someone can say, “Hey, I’ve felt that way too. Want to grab a coffee next week?”

I went through a period of almost a year where every single week I got a coffee with a different person who wasn’t in my immediate circle. It’s one of the most invaluable things I’ve ever done.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I’ve made so many mistakes along the way the past three years, but I always work to learn and grow from each of them. I work with a handful of restaurants and a funny lesson I learned is to never leave food unattended during photoshoots. One time, we were on set with a client in Key West and we had walked inside to grab some cool air for a minute. When we walked back out, there was a key West rooster sitting at the table helping himself to all the food. We couldn’t help but laugh and go tell the chef that we needed to make a few more dishes.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I personally get excited working with our small business partners. They are always so passionate, have invested so much energy into their brand and you can truly feel that with every interaction — through the good and the bad. I have a very calm personality, so I’m able to support and provide a sense of comfort during the rollercoaster that is entrepreneurship.

One of our clients currently owns an indoor play place here in Tampa that is super special and they are about to start franchising the concept. They brought us on to help elevate their social media presence and it’s a really exciting time to ebb and flow with the creative as their company takes this huge leap.

I was also recently reconnected with a classmate from college who is launching a sports performance coaching business for organizations to implement into their athletic programs. With a background in sports and someone who struggled post-college athletics with my identity being tied up in sports, I think this online platform is going to be groundbreaking, helping to support athletes across the U.S. at all age levels.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Grit. I’m not afraid to put in the hard work or the long hours. I didn’t build my business overnight and it’s so easy to get caught up in ALL the ideas you want to execute on. When I first launched Bais, I was probably working 70–80 hour workweeks. Some weeks, I still am.

Perseverance. You don’t always succeed on the first attempt and that’s okay. Just because you put in the hours doesn’t mean you’ll be successful. You have to constantly reassess, tweak and apply. As a founder, I think you truly have to enjoy that process if you want to be successful.

A kind heart. In every situation I am always trying to think about the person on the other end of the interaction. If it’s a client, asking “what would I want the social media process to look like?” If it’s an employee, asking “what would I want my work schedule and flexibility to mimic?” Always offering a welcoming smile because you never know what another person is going through.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. For the benefit of our readers, can you help articulate what the different forms of PR are?

At Bais, we focus on a few different types of public relations, working with our clients to learn what success looks like to them and curate strategic communication plans.

Starting with media relations, we are always following the work of local and national journalists to stay informed about their niches. This allows our team to proactively work to position our clients as an expert source that aligns with their brand mission and objectives. By having week-by-week timelines in place, we are able to implement streamlined PR tactics that keep brands ahead of the curve and their competition. The goal is to earn media coverage and ignite conversations within the community that inspire brand curiosity, create impact and boost brand reputation.

Community relations is another type of PR that helps clients build rapport within the community, as long as it is driven from a heartfelt place and truly aligns with the values of the company. Deeply listening to the community to implement any insightful feedback they may have and partnering with charity organizations to make an impact.

As the lines of traditional and modern public relations tactics continue to blur, social media communications are also a huge part of our work here at Bais. This includes platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Different from the earned media that is PR, social media is owned media, allowing brands to control the messaging and conversation around their product or service.

Where should a young person considering a career in PR start their education? Should they get a degree in communications? A degree in journalism? Can you explain what you mean?

Anyone looking to pursue a career in public relations should start by finding an internship with a public relations agency or shadowing a publicist for a day. The real-world experience you gain is truly invaluable and will show you the “ins” and “outs” of the industry that you can’t learn in a classroom.

You are known as a master networker. Can you share some tips on great networking?

Network to listen. That would be my biggest tip. I find that sometimes people can attend networking events wanting to tell anyone and everyone that will listen about who they are and what they do. I’ve found that when I approach networking events with the mindset of attending to learn, it has brought a lot more opportunities my way. Asking questions and listening to the other person gives you insight into their brand and brand needs that you otherwise may not have known.

Lead generation is one of the most important aspects of any business. Can you share some of the strategies you use to generate good, qualified leads?

Word of mouth has been our best referral source. By pouring into our clients, offering the utmost level of service, they naturally refer our agency when they hear others asking for social media or public relations support. I also think it’s important not to assume; instead, tell clients, “hey, we are looking to grow, if you ever hear of anyone who might be a good fit, feel free to refer us.” I’ve had quite a few clients over the years mention that they didn’t refer us simply because they didn’t realize we were taking on more clients.

With current clients, I’ve also offered a referral program. If you refer a client to us and they sign on for a minimum of three months, we will offer X amount off your next month’s retainer. This isn’t persuading them to refer us, but showing them that we appreciate them when they do.

I haven’t done a ton of cold sales outreach to be honest, but when I do, I take a very simple approach. I write an email to the founder that isn’t over salesy. It mentions…

1. How I came across their brand, such as talking to a friend, an article in the local paper or dining at their restaurant.

2. What I genuinely love about their brand, because I only partner with brands we believe in or are passionate about.

3. A brief sentence on who we are at Bais and how we could support them

4. A call-to-action. If you ever are looking for support or someone to talk through some strategy with, I would love to grab coffee and connect.

With this approach, I feel like I’ve left the door open for the founder to reach out if and when they are ready, without coming across pushy or too salesy.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Communicate clearly: The world of public relations is all about communication. From writing a direct but enticing media pitch to leading client calls, communicating effectively is the number one skill I believe all PR pros should have and continue to fine-tune. I learned early on that “frustrations are unmet expectations.” The better you are able to share with others — from a client’s messaging to team processes — the more confident you will feel in your career.
2. Writing skills: Fine tuned writing skills and style is unavoidable as it’s such a huge aspect of the job. Emails, press releases, talking points, morning show guest sheets — the list could go on. There are tools such as Grammarly that you can install on your laptop to avoid silly grammar or spelling mistakes.
3. The ability to adapt: The media industry is constantly changing with the times and your communication strategies should as well to maintain relevancy and secure earned coverage for your brand or clients. As big of a believer I am in face-to-face connections, one change I love post-pandemic is zoom interviews. I’ve found it so much easier to schedule interviews, prep the journalist and the client and allow me to attend more interviews to support my clients.
4. Loves research: Being a publicist can be very glamourized for those not in the industry. People can think it’s a ton of big events, grand openings and red carpets. While that is a portion of the job, it’s also a small percentage. I always find that interns or entry-level employees tend to be shocked by the amount of research and critical thinking that can go into crafting a media angle for a client, including staying up to date with the media cycle, keeping tabs on industry journalists and predicting upcoming trends.
5. A positive mindset: This sounds simple, but I truly believe a positive mindset is key in almost every job. Others want to work with and be inspired by people who are optimistic, accepting and mindful.

Because of the role you play, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

It would be impactful for our industry to truly embrace a flexible work lifestyle. By allowing and trusting your employees to get their work done on their own time — within reason and deadlines –is a game changer. Of course, there are client events that need to be attended, team meetings that aren’t optional and client emails that are timely, but I don’t believe in telling an employee that they should be most creative between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you are your most creative self at 5 a.m. or at 9 p.m., I don’t feel like it’s my job to dictate that. I believe this gives employees a sense of freedom to know that their employer trusts them and allows for a more balanced life. If your daughter has swim class during the summer at 1pm every Wednesday or your fiancé is turning 30 and you are having a celebratory lunch for the significant milestone, those are the small moments in life that I don’t want my team to miss out on.

This was really meaningful! Thank you so much for your time.

About the Interviewer: Dina Aletras boasts over 20 years of expertise in the corporate media industry. She possesses an in-depth understanding of growth, strategy, and leadership, having held significant roles at some of the UK’s largest media organizations. At Reach PLC, the UK’s largest tabloid publisher, she served in various director capacities. Additionally, she held leadership roles at The Independent Magazine Group and DMGT. Her extensive knowledge spans editorial, digital, revenue, sales, and advertising.

Upon relocating to Switzerland, Dina took on the responsibility of managing and promoting the international section of Corriere del Ticino — CdT.ch pioneering the English page “onthespot.” She also was the Co-Editor of Southern Switzerland’s first official Italian and English bilingual magazine.