A flip-flop day in Manchester

It is a very unusual day, the sun is shining in Manchester! It is also a take-your-dog-to-work-day and Hannah Evison, PR account manager at PR Agency One, is happy to oblige

My Day

6.15am: I wake before my alarm as usual and as the sunshine flows through the window, I see no reason to stay in bed. A double espresso later, I feel ready to take on the world, or at least the world of PR anyway.

7.15am: After checking the weather app three times and taking a quick look out of the window, I decide it’s safe enough for flip flops – a rarity in Manchester so you have to take every chance you get – and find an outfit to suit.

7.30am: I’m ready to begin my hour-long commute across from East Manchester to South Manchester. I throw my bags in the car and run back inside to pick up my favourite furry accessory. Friday is ‘dog day’ at PR Agency One HQ and today it’s the turn of my Lhasa Apso puppy, Hugo.

8.25am: Arrive at the office. First things first…more coffee. While Hugo says his ‘hello’s’ to the cooing girls in the office, I check my emails and pull together a list of stories that need to be sold in.

8.30am: I brief the team on this morning’s national news desk sell in – we’re selling in a number of Bank Holiday-related stories this morning for our clients, so our approach needs to be strategic in order to maximise our chances.

9am: We’re two team members down this morning due to annual leave, so I jump on the phones and lend a hand selling in. There’s something about pitching in a news story to the nationals, and it’s always nice to get a lead with the Sunday Telegraph – nothing beats that buzz. 

10am: The news desk sell in is wrapped up and it’s time to get back to managing accounts. First on my list for today is reviewing potential spokespeople for a broadcast campaign we’re doing in a few months’ time – there are some famous faces amongst the options so I am excited about this one.

11am: After an elevenses snack of banana and yoghurt, I spend my pre-lunch period working on a proposal document ahead of the pitch we have on Tuesday in London. I need peace and quiet for this so it’s headphones in – old-school Bobby Valentino is the soundtrack to my morning.

1pm: At last. It’s a socially acceptable time to head to the pub (a dog-friendly one, of course) for lunch. As it’s a Friday and the Bank Holiday weekend is in touching distance, the whole team joins Hugo and me.

2pm: Back to work and spirits are high. I have some pretty important copy to write before the weekend can really begin – award entries. Some may say that PROs love to blow their own trumpets, and it’s not a total myth, but when it comes to award entries I can safely say it’s not my favourite job.

4pm: Gin o’clock. It happens once a week, and it’s amazing. My colleague Rick, a self-taught gin connoisseur, pours me a cold one with a shaving of cucumber. As the day isn’t quite over, it’s the little push I need to get me to the finish line.

4.15pm: I spend the last portion of the day catching up with the team on account statuses, leads for coverage and making a dent in proof-reading the growing mountain of copy on my desk before the clock strikes 5.30pm.

5pm: We leave on time – hurrah – some of the team head for post-work drinks, but I have guests coming to stay for the weekend so I set off on my homeward bound commute. It’s been a satisfying week, and no doubt next week will get off to a good start pitching for new business in London.