Tag: public relations virginia beach

By Jenny Freebus

Senior, Ocean Lakes High School

With summer coming to an end, it’s time to wrap up the internship I was fortunate to land through Virginia Beach City Public Schools.

My time with Rubin Communications Group has been filled with memorable experiences and opportunities. Within the next week, I’ll be back at Ocean Lakes High School to start my senior year, and I know the skills I learned this summer will play a significant role in my work habits. Here’s a list of the top five skills I learned at RCG:

  1. Quick thinking is a must. Whether it’s brainstorming ideas at a staff meeting or searching for a quick fix in the field, thinking fast will serve you well. In the public relations world, everything tends to have a short turnaround time so there’s little time to waste.
  2. Maintaining a professional attitude is crucial when representing a business and talking to clients. It’s important to remain calm, cool and collected so as not to damage the reputation of the business you represent. A bad encounter now could jeopardize work in the future.
  3. Keep a positive mindset. When talking to current or potential clients, it’s essential to remain positive and practical because pleasing the client without setting their expectations to an unreasonable height is the biggest priority.
  4. The importance of research. Whether the task is to find background information on a potential client or local nonprofits in the area, doing research shows investment in your clients. It also helps you gain a better understanding of the work expected of you.
  5. Soft skills. The Hampton Roads community is large, but it’s also friendly. People are interested in how your day is going so having the skills to converse with clients and other professionals goes a long way. In the business community, it’s important to be personable because it opens the door for networking and forging new relationships with other business and community leaders.

Through the internship, I experienced the “real business world” for the first time and learned the difference between advertising and public relations. The PR world moves pretty fast, and the skills I gained will help me no matter what career I pursue.

I am grateful to everyone at Rubin Communications for their constant support and guidance.

This week we spotlight Ashley Martin, RCG senior account manager and indispensable member of our team.

1. How did you get started at RCG?

I was working at a marketing firm in Orlando but looking for a change and excited about the possibility of moving back to Hampton Roads. What drew me to RCG was the fact that we’re locally focused. I previously dealt with national and international clients, but I prefer to be involved and build relationships in my community. The fact that community involvement is strongly encouraged here is also a huge plus.

My first two clients were the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad Foundation and Cintas Corporation, which I continue to represent today. It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly eight years.

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By Joel Rubin

Lyon Shipyard in Norfolk is always on the lookout for new talent to work in its shops, in its dry-docks and on the Navy and commercial vessels that are its bread and butter.

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To put its best foot forward and show the diversity among its more than 200 employees, we suggested a 3-minute video for the web and played at corporate events.

Watch the video here.

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Lights, camera, action!

We’re excited to assist the Virginia Dental Association with a public relations campaign called “Open Wise.” The centerpiece of the effort is a series of online videos to educate and entertain people across the Commonwealth.

Right now, we’re busy creating the 30-second commercials, which will serve as “pre-roll” advertising on blogs and newspaper websites here in Virginia.

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The life of a public relations professional is fast paced and deadline driven.

At RCG, we often operate on a reporter’s timeline to take advantage of an opportunity. Over the years, our flexibility has made the difference between a front page story or missing out on coverage altogether.

Although to be fair, It’s not all hard work. In fact, a nice bonus of coordinating grand openings, press conferences and client promotions is the people you meet. We get to attend amazing events, travel to new places and even meet famous folks — often right here in Virginia Beach.

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