Five Strategies for Making the Most of PRoBono:
By Jenn Underhill, Account Director
Pro bono: 1. Lat. adj. Describes mission-driven professional work/services performed at no charge, often for a client lacking financial resources.
PRo Bono: 2. n. PRLab’s awesome 16-hour annual communications hack-a-thon for great nonprofit organizations.
*****
If you’re going to be up all night on a Friday at college, you might as well make it productive for a good cause, right? If you’ve never had the opportunity of volunteering at PRo Bono, be sure to capitalize on this great opportunity to help a nonprofit organization make a difference in their mission, get a real feel for communications agency work, gain relevant experience – and even add something to your portfolio.
While it may not be your first rodeo, if it’s your first PRo Bono, here are some tips to help you get the most out of this great annual event.
1. Pre-Sleep – No question, the excitement (Did someone say “2 a.m. prizes and 3 a.m. swag”?) and the food (Did someone say ‘Cane’s chicken fingers at midnight”?) will keep most of us going throughout the night. However,it’s essential to get a good night’s sleep at least one or two nights before PRoBono because we all know our best work comes out when we’re well-rested and ready to go. So go ahead and skip that late-night Thursday plan and you’ll sail through Friday night with no problem. Oh, but just in case – bring a favorite pillow if you want to crash for a few minutes in our special nap room to give you a needed boost at the right time. After all – the PRo Bono slogan says it all: “Give now. Sleep later.”
2.Don’t Miss Kickoff – There’s no better way to make a good first impression on your new nonprofit client than by being on time. Be sure to plan your transportation so that you’ll arrive before kickoff and ready to hit the ground running. You only get a small amount of time to meet your client, get briefed on the communications challenges, and ask questions – so be ready to make the most of your time.
3. Bring Your Experience from Class – All those classes you’ve taken in public relations and communications? Now’s your chance to let all that knowledge shine. Show off the skills and expertise you’ve gained across the spectrum of communications challenges. You don’t have to be majoring in PR to play a crucial role in PRo Bono. In fact, many of our volunteers from other COM departments help clients with websites, graphic design, advertisements, social media, and more.
4. Be a Team Player – We all know: “Teamwork makes the dream work” – and that’s certainly true for PRo Bono – especially when you’re working on an overnight campaign. Each year, volunteer communications pros like you work alongside their classmates in a realistic PR setting with actual client challenges. That’s how it works in “the real world” – and PRo Bono is a perfect opportunity to practice this valuable skill. Come prepared to be your best team player and combine your talents on behalf of your client. Perhaps you’ll even get a chance to learn a new skill from a teammate (“Oh, so that’s how Adobe InDesign works…”).
5. Have Fun – This is real work for real clients with real needs. And it can translate into great samples for your portfolio and talking points for your job interviews. But above all else, PRo Bono is about fun. Take a couple of breaks during the night to rest up. And don’t forget to join in on some of the activities – like our prize wheel and chair races. Stay hydrated and fed (nothing good happens on an empty stomach, right?). And be ready to make an important difference to a worthy nonprofit organization. It’ll be a memorable night for clients, but make the event a memorable one for you as well.