PR Pros: Kim Hallman On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Public Relations Pro

An Interview With Michelle Tennant Nicholson

Communicate Clearly, Effectively, & Persuasively — PR is rooted in good storytelling. As humans, we’re scientifically wired to appreciate stories. Which means PR practitioners need to be strong writers and communicators. And similarly, they need to be able to craft a compelling case as to why a client’s story is newsworthy, timely, and right for a given publication’s readership.

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 Hallman.

Kim Hallman is a Senior Vice President at global cultural marketing agency 160over90 where she specializes in brand storytelling, strategic communications, and PR. A journalist turned publicist now strategist, she first penned bylines in The Post-Standard in upstate New York, then worked as an editorial assistant for the National Campaign for the Arts in London, before landing on the PR scene almost 20 years ago. She spent the early part of her career representing retail and destination marketing clients and, since joining 160over90 in 2014, has focused energies in the nonprofit/education arena, bolstering visibility and share of voice for leading universities, research institutes, and social impact organizations.

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?

My pleasure! Long before PR was in my sights, I was obsessed with the spotlight. I grew up performing in school and community theatre, and I’m a classically trained singer, so I was part of countless choirs, concert chorales, and (not one but two) a cappella groups. Equally, I’ve had a long love affair with writing. So much so that I majored in English in college, and then went on to get my graduate degree in journalism, before starting a career in public relations. Looking back, it’s now apparent to me that the ‘golden thread’ woven throughout music, theatre, and literature — and by extension journalism, public relations, and strat comms — is good storytelling. Whether written or spoken or sung, it’s about conveying a narrative in a compelling way that emotionally connects with people. And so, as I looked for a smart career path that also fulfilled my passions, I quickly clued into communications. Nearly 20 years later, I’m still loving what I do and learning every day.

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

Ooh, it’s too tough to pick just one in the 10 years I’ve been at 160over90! I’ve shared the stage with one of the brightest minds in business education, presenting to a packed room on the benefits of ‘virtue capitalism.’ I’ve ridden on the back of a rig across the greatest ranch in America. Been front and center for the launch of a $4 billion fundraising campaign. Cheered on the 2018 Super Bowl champs from the comforts of our corporate suite (Go Birds!). Took a private dance class taught by the one and only Julianne Hough, and enjoyed a private concert by Gwen Stefani and Usher. And traveled to all corners of the U.S. — from Washington state to southern California, Florida to the tip-top of Maine, and pretty much everywhere in between — at all hours of the morning and night. At each turn, I’m reminded just how amazing it is to be immersed in, and really experience, the people and places that are driving so much of culture.

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?

This wasn’t necessarily a mistake — and not sure it’s LOL funny, but it makes me chuckle looking back now… When I started at 160over90 back in 2014, I was hired specifically to do agency promotion. The role was to represent “agency as first client,” and actual client promotion wasn’t intended to be part of the responsibility set until a year or so in. But sure enough, in my third week on the job, we had a branding client inquire about a PR extension of the current work stream — and now, 10 years later, I’m running a full portfolio of PR and strategic communications work for our institutional marketing partners. Truth is, I find it really fun to juggle multiple clients and multiple storylines, so the quick reversal of plan was a welcome one. I think the universal lesson here is ‘never say never’ and always hop on a good story.

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

These days I focus most of my time and energy on communications efforts for education and social impact organizations, which I find incredibly interesting and equally inspiring. A few highlights… I’m working with one of the top universities in the world as it seeks to increasingly prepare engaged citizens, celebrate curiosity-driven research, and lead the category with purpose. I’m helping one of the most respected and visionary Deans in higher education activate a new strategic plan that will democratize knowledge and shape the future of business. And I’m teamed up with a leading nonprofit that’s leveraging youth sport to transform the lives of millions of children in underserved pockets across the country. Truly, I have the privilege of working with some of the most brilliant people and organizations on the planet who are improving outcomes for people every day.

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?

In terms of character traits that are and have been critical to my professional success, I’d flag confidence, persistence, and continual self-advocacy. Everyone is in the market for a good story, well-told — and in PR, it all starts with solid content and a confident delivery. I really pride myself on serving as a capable consultant and advisor to clients and a trustworthy liaison to media, inspiring confidence on both sides of the storytelling equation. Just as much, persistence is the name of the game in PR in so many ways. When you believe in story potential, you have to keep pitching and finding creative ways to position it — even amid ‘no’s’ or no responses — to earn well-deserved placements. And finally, self-advocacy applies beyond PR to career advancement generally, especially for women climbing the corporate ranks. In today’s always-on working environment, you’ve got to make the time and space to (respectfully) socialize your own successes about a national placement secured, new client opportunity unearthed, or new initiative underway. It’s not bragging; it’s an important mechanism for owning and communicating achievements. And if you do it in the context of the larger business benefit, all the better.

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?

There are so many forms of media that have exploded onto the scene in the time I’ve been working in the space. And there are many, many activities that fall under the purview of PR and Communications, including: PR strategy, communications planning, messaging development, media training, media relations, executive visibility, awards and recognition, thought leadership, speaker circuits and speaking engagements, and issues management.

At 160over90, our PR capabilities span consumer, corporate, and institutional (education & nonprofit) arenas, the latter of which is my current specialization. Each of these groups works across earned, owned, and shared media landscapes to increase client visibility and share of voice. In earned media, which is my background and bread and butter, we’re securing stories in print, online, radio, podcast, and TV outlets. And we’re considering a mix of coverage types, from standard news features and mentions to profile/human interest features, trend and round-up stories, expert source commentary, and contributed content. While all hold value, we particularly love profiles for emotional connectedness; expert source commentary for informed perspective on news of the day; and contributed content for thought leadership with full messaging control.

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?

There are a lot of pathways to PR. Mine was a little circuitous — like I talked about earlier, I was an undergrad English major and then did my grad work in journalism before landing on the PR scene nearly 20 years ago. I think the very best preparation is honing strong writing and communications skills, as well as having a ‘nose for news’ and staying serially curious.

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

I haven’t always been a huge networker, and I’m not sure I would say I’ve mastered the game now. People assume that being in PR means you’re automatically a ‘people person.’ But in a lot of ways (performance persona aside), I’m an introvert who’s made a career out of strategically working behind the scenes, connecting client story makers to press storytellers. Especially over the past few years, as I’ve moved into more senior roles and am increasingly working with high-stakes clients like CMOs, CEOs, and Presidents, I’ve gained a new appreciation for networking and connecting the dots. My number one tip is to be yourself and to show genuine interest in getting to know the other person, what makes them tick, and what their top motivators are. If you can move past the small talk and connect on a human level, it’s a much more rewarding (and less transactional) exchange. Another key piece of advice is to be upfront about what you’re looking for, and similarly to ask others what they need and how you might be able to help.

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?

It’s a constant push-pull. My company is fortunate to have a strong reputation in our core industries, so we see a lot of inbound leads. Some are perfectly aligned to our business model and offerings; others, less so. But we always take the call, hear out the full opportunity, and — if it’s not the right fit — explain our position and work to keep lines of communication open in the future. That’s the ‘pull’ side of things.

On the ‘push’ front, thought leadership is my number one lead-gen strategy, far and above cold prospecting. I suppose it’s the PR person in me! I try to be an active consumer and contributor to the LinkedIn community, to publish content in industry verticals at least a few times a year, and to regularly attend and speak at industry events. Being visible and vocal, and showing dedication to core categories, is the best referral strategy out there.

I’d also add, staying connected to client contacts — even when they move on from their positions or their companies — is always smart business. You never know where they’ll land and when they’ll need a (PR) partner again. And it’s sometimes a very small world out there.

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.

After careful consideration, here are my top five ‘must-do’ PR practices:

1. Communicate Clearly, Effectively, & Persuasively — PR is rooted in good storytelling. As humans, we’re scientifically wired to appreciate stories. Which means PR practitioners need to be strong writers and communicators. And similarly, they need to be able to craft a compelling case as to why a client’s story is newsworthy, timely, and right for a given publication’s readership.
2. Act as a Student of the Space, Always — I talked earlier about the importance of curiosity, especially because PR and journalism are dynamic fields. Even more than that, in my experience the best PR people are “infomaniacs,” meaning they’re super plugged-in to current events and news of the day, and their wheels are always turning on how clients can be connected to trending conversations. Monitoring press headlines and staying apprised of coverage themes is not a job just for young account execs; those behaviors should always stay with you. Beyond being ready to move on opportunistic coverage, you’ll also want to proactively pitch, so be mindful of seasonal happenings and cultural milestones coming up on the calendar and plan for longer-lead outreach. And then on the flip side, I also like to tell PR staffers to ‘stalk’ coverage hits; always catch and socialize stories before clients see themselves in the news.
3. Prioritize What’s True, Relevant, & Differentiating — To start, credible PR is not about manufacturing stories or splashy moments; the best coverage is always an authentic portrayal of an institution or individual. Secondly, you need to share timely information, so think about what a logical news hook is — whether it’s a product or program your client just launched, or commentary on a current trend. But also, make it relevant. (Timeliness and relevance are not necessarily one and the same.) Relevance comes when you can help people see how news connects to them, impacts their every day, or changes the way they think or act. So aim for both. And finally, there’s strong earned media equity in both joining existing conversations and starting new ones. The key is offering up something different. It can be a ‘first-and-only,’ if your client can substantiate those claims — but equally, it can manifest as a fresh and well-articulated point of view.
4. Make It Personal — We know that people respond to compelling content. But even more so, people relate to other people. So offer up representatives to share story proof points and real perspective. Be thoughtful about selected spokespersons, in terms of who can best give voice to a story and bring the brand character through. And remember to interject personality and humanity into story pitches and reporter conversations, just as you’d counsel a client to do in actual interview. This is key to pushing story coverage from transactional to delivering on higher-order emotional benefits.
5. Deliver Over & Over Again — PR is not a one-and-done game — at least not the way we play it at 160over90. Repeat coverage and stackable mentions is key to driving awareness, shifting perception, bolstering engagement, and boosting intent and conversion. And all the better if you’re showing up in different spaces for a memorable subset of on-brand topics. So take a minute to celebrate that placement… And then get right back to pitching multiple story lines, concurrently, to create a steady drumbeat of positive coverage.

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. :-)

Ooh, I love this question. Because I work so deeply in the nonprofit, education, and social impact space, I’m constantly surrounded by stories of good work and good will. And it’s been super rewarding to help clients become leading voices on critical social issues — gender parity; diversity, equity, and inclusion; anti-racism and combatting systemic racism; physical and mental health and wellness; early childhood education; anti-violence/gun safety; and much, much more.

If I could inspire a movement of my own, it would be around giving voice and giving agency to young people — particularly those in underserved populations — through the power of musical training and performance. Music was so important in my childhood and proved to be some of the very best training for my career path in terms of teaching me poise, presence, polish, passion, and performance quality. At a time when the arts programming is too often underfunded or unfunded in schools, I’d love to help create a nationwide community music scholars program.

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

About the Interviewer: Inspired by the father of PR, Edward Bernays (who was also Sigmund Freud’s nephew), Michelle Tennant Nicholson researches marketing, mental injury, and what it takes for optimal human development. An award-winning writer and publicist, she’s seen PR transition from typewriters to Twitter. Michelle co-founded WasabiPublicity.com