New Pro Highlight: Fenton Crowther
Think of your career like a garden. You’ll want to plant it in a fertile area with plenty of room to grow and access to the things it needs to thrive: sunshine and water; opportunities and professional development. You’ll need to spend some time on it, deciding what to cultivate, weeding out the unnecessary and giving it the care and attention it needs. You’ll need to fill your tool shed. Finally, consulting the experts is never a bad idea.
PRSA Richmond is highlighting some of our chapter’s Next Wave members and their contributions to the profession. Our “budding flowers” answer questions on the tools and tips needed to grow your career well beyond “bloom!”
Where you work and give us a brief description of your role.
I am the marketing manager at McKinnon and Harris. I act as our main press contact, lead our social media and digital content efforts and assist our marketing director with any additional tasks relating to PR, marketing and sales media.
What is your favorite plant/flower?
Gardenias – their scent is absolutely intoxicating.
What are some important things PR professionals should do to help their careers grow?
Read! And not just to stay up to date on current industry trends. Read anything you can! Writing well is such a crucial skill for PR professionals to have and the more you read, the better you’ll write.
What advice would you give to other new professionals interested in the PR field?
Never underestimate the power of networking. Get out there, meet people, talk to everyone and anyone. The more connections you make and the larger your network, the more likely it is you’ll get a foot in the door after you send in a job application. Your connections may even present you with an incredible opportunity that you didn’t know was out there! Joining your local PRSA chapter is a great way to build your network.
What do you love about being a public relations professional?
I love the creative process behind creating and planning PR efforts. I enjoy the challenge of finding a void in communication and filling it in a way that really gets your message across to your audience.
What are some personal things you do to help your “PR garden” grow?
I read everything I can. Since I spend so much time thinking about social media and digital content, I pay particular attention to brands that are doing a great job creating digital content and that have a really great social media presence. I look at what’s working for them and try to identify common best practices that I can bring back to our social and digital strategy. I also try to keep a solid network of PR professionals that I can turn to for professional advice when I need it. As a new pro, building a network of seasoned professionals who don’t mind when I have questions has been invaluable.
