PR Pros: Kim Bode Of 8THIRTYFOUR Integrated Communications On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro

An Interview With Kristen Shea

Don’t skip the research. I touch on this in the previous point, but it bears repeating. Google is an amazing tool at your fingertips, there is no excuse for not using it. Success comes to those that put in the time. If you are pitching a certain story, read what else the reporter has written and then make sure it’s even a fit for the publication.

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 Kim Bode.

Bode loves small businesses, almost as much as she does dogs, so she spends her time happy houring, advocating and writing about them. She shares her thoughts on leadership, culture and communications on her blog, Small Biz Musings and the 8THIRTYFOUR podcast, Happy Hour Hustle. She has also written sensational articles on the reboot of The Gilmore Girls and a host of other subjects for Huffington Post, Thrive and Entrepreneur Magazine.

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?

It was absolutely a complete (and happy) accident. My degree was in general communications, which means I knew a little about a lot and graduated not really qualified to do anything. I was hired to work as a marketing associate for a life science nonprofit to do all the things — design, writing, digital, email, advertising, strategy, and public relations. All I can say is thank God for Google and knowing enough to surround myself with smarter people.

I stumbled into the world of PR simply because there was no one else around to do it, we didn’t have the budget to hire anyone, and we had big things to announce. We were working with inventors, innovators and mad scientists creating the next big thing in our incubator space. I googled “how to write a press release” and I was off to the races or fax machine — kidding, thank God we were past the days of faxing releases.

Fun fact, I started out pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice, my goal was to be a police officer and then move into investigative work. Sometimes life says “oh that’s hilarious and hands you a different path.”

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

This certainly is not the most interesting, but it definitely shaped our future tagline, “It’s About You.” 8THIRTYFOUR goes above and beyond for our clients and it shows.

I had just started my company and I was starving for business, starving. It’s when you’ll take on any client simply because you have a high probability of getting paid. One of the clients I started working with was a local antique business that put on markets throughout the state. A component of the show was a pin-up contest, think 1940/50s with bright lipstick, curled and pinned hair and a come hither pose. Guess who volunteered to plan it. Little ‘ol me. I wasn’t even sure what a pin-up was or what decade they belonged to.

I secured great media coverage of the event, but only 2 people signed up for the Pin-up Contest. Enter, my amazing interns. They “volunteered” to head to the East side of the state with me and be poked, prodded and zipped into ridiculous outfits we found at thrift stores, which were in no way representative of the era, to then work it in front of a crowd of very few.

They strutted their stuff on stage, thank God there wasn’t a talent portion, and stood up there for the crowd of 5 to judge. At one point, one of my interns went to lean back to be met by the curtain (not a wall) at the back of stage and was pulled to safety by the other intern before falling off and severely hurting herself.

You do what you gotta do, it’s all in a day’s work of a PR pro.

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 had no idea how important networking was and I certainly had no idea how to do it. No one tells you to spend time cultivating and growing professional connections by attending events, sitting on committees, and joining boards. It is the single best thing you will do for your career. Make it a priority.

That being said, young Bode had no idea what she was doing. I remember going to a very fancy dinner with my boss and looking at the overabundance of silverware in front of me and being terrified. I couldn’t Google my way out of this one, we all had Blackberrys then and they were not known for their internet surfing. I side-eyed my boss and drew attention to the silverware as if to say “did they give you too many forks too?”

He looked at me confused and then I watched it dawn on him, and then I watched him start laughing uncontrollably. I was slightly horrified, everyone at the table was looking at him, then looking at me and I was looking anywhere but at the table of people.

I’m still confused by all the damn silverware. Self-deprecation or drawing attention to things has been my strategy since — chances are most of the people at the table also have no idea what fork to pick up first.

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

We’ve been instrumental in drawing attention to a historic 100-year old clothing brand through our public relations efforts. Seeing your efforts drive sales and brand awareness for such a great company is incredibly rewarding. I made a rule a long time ago, we only work with people and companies we like.

What I’m most proud of is our approach to public relations. We don’t send mass emails, we seldom use a wire service; we specialize in sincere, well-researched individualized pitches. We research the reporters and the publications to ensure we are effective and knowledgeable.

There is no room for lazy in PR.

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?

Gah, I hate this question. Does any leader really deem themselves successful? This is especially hard for female leaders to admit, we don’t often stand up and say, “damn right I am good at what I do.”

We should constantly be evolving as leaders and traits need to change based on the situations you find yourself or your company in.

If I had to narrow it down to 3, right at this moment, I’d say — honesty, humility, and positivity.

• Always be honest with yourself and others around you, not matter how uncomfortable it makes you.
• Set your ego aside for the good of the company and your team.
• Slap that smile on your face and spread some d*mn cheer. Fake it if you have to, you and those around you will be better for it.

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?

I want everyone reading this to know, I legit just Googled it. I felt like I was back in school sitting in my college classroom taking a quiz and I panicked.

Instead of listing all the things PR is or can be, this is how we define it at 8THIRTYFOUR: Since the dawn of the internet, public relations has come to encompass a lot more than a story in a publication. It now integrates social media, community relations, crisis communication, internal communications, employee engagement…essentially all things related to relationships. Whether that is relationships with your customers, stakeholders, employees, community, or the media.

The textbooks define public relations as a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationship between organizations and their publics.

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?

Honestly, the best learning happens outside the classroom. Sure, you’ll get the fundamentals in college, but it is up to you to build your skills. Read books, write every day, join a professional association, and learn from your peers. Take online courses, there are a ridiculous amount you can find on the internet — start with LinkedIn Learning.

The best way to learn is through doing and observing those who have gone before you — very Star Trek of me.

I make it a habit to read the news first thing in the morning, even if it’s just a cursory glance. Part of PR is being up to date on national and international happenings, they will affect your ability to garner coverage for a client. I also read all the time, one of my favorites is Everybody Writes by Ann Handley. Writing is a non-negotiable and I’m not just talking press releases. You’ll be writing op-eds, annual reports, internal communications, statements…the list goes on. PR is so much more than a release and you need creative writing chops.

Follow blogs like Spin Sucks and Michael Smart PR and then put into practice what you learn.

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

Is anyone really a master networker? Most of us are just fumbling our way through breakfasts, luncheon, receptions, and dinners. What has always given me an advantage is my ability to put others at ease and I do it by being a bit self-deprecating. I have no problem making fun of myself or telling a funny story, starring me, to put others at ease.

Start with a compliment when you walk up to a group you don’t know. “I love those shoes.” People love to be complimented and you just broke the ice and can then introduce yourself — “I’m Kim, the admirer of your shoes.”

Do your research before you attend an event, often you can view who else is attending, so spend time connecting with them through LinkedIn and send a quick message — “looking forward to seeing you at XYZ on Thursday.”

Stand out, wear the bright colors, loud pattern and obnoxious shoes. Don’t be afraid to embrace what makes you unique, it’s all part of your personal brand. You want to be remembered and that won’t happen by blending into a sea of blue, black and gray.

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?

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.

1. Network, network, network. I own an agency because of the connections I built in the community over 18 years ago. I was involved in everything. I sat on committees and boards, volunteered at events, wrote for the local paper and developed my own segment for a local radio station. I used to cover events and fashion for a lifestyle magazine, which meant I interviewed people, attended galas and soirees and everything in between. I was gone 5 nights a week, sometimes more and during the day I was at breakfasts and luncheons. I made the sacrifices early on, so I could be where I am today. There is no replacement for some good ‘ol hustle and relationship building. I see a lot of young professionals skipping this as they don’t want to work past 5 p.m. Here is the deal — it isn’t about the job you currently hold, it’s about the career you want.
2. Never stop learning. I said this previously, but you need to study the news, read books, listen to podcasts, NPR, subscribe to blogs…all the things. I’ve been inspired and learned the most from all of these things. In fact, I took what Ann Handley taught me in her book and wrote a series of articles on my epic journey with 8 Dogs and a Motorhome. It was amazing to dive into creative writing for a change.
3. Take risks. Never be afraid to do things differently. We are an agency that will not use a wire service, because it doesn’t provide our clients with authentic, beneficial coverage. We also rarely write press releases; we focus on individual pitches to well-researched reporters and publications. The amount of research we do prior to sending an email to a reporter would be considered overkill to some, but our track record speaks for itself. I once pitched Michigan Radio (local NPR station) through Twitter and I landed a great interview for my client. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, just because it’s always been done one way, doesn’t mean it’s right or effective. We used to fax press releases; Gen Z is like “what’s a fax machine?”
4. Don’t skip the research. I touch on this in the previous point, but it bears repeating. Google is an amazing tool at your fingertips, there is no excuse for not using it. Success comes to those that put in the time. If you are pitching a certain story, read what else the reporter has written and then make sure it’s even a fit for the publication.
5. Don’t forget the people. PR is about relationships, with your clients, sources, reporters, influencers, etc. Do NOT take that for granted. Say thank you, connect on social media, send notes (handwritten with a stamp), get to know the people you are interacting with. What makes them tick? Do they love dogs or cats? Are they married? Kids? Favorite food and coffee order…your job is to connect on a deeper level; you can’t do that if you’re self-absorbed and make the time. I have had people stop me at work functions to say thank you for sending them a note — it is incredibly powerful.

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. :-)

Being a female business owner, I am incredibly passionate about supporting other women and would love to see very woman step up and help another woman — someone they don’t know. I’m also realistic enough to know my circle of influence is within my city, maybe my state. I invest my time into advocating for equal rights for EVERYONE. No one should be denied basic human rights because of the color of their skin, circumstances, gender, or sex.

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