Heron Agency’s leader: Social media will lead post-COVID-19
Here’s how Noreen Heron is helping her clients and colleagues think about the future of the comms industry after the pandemic is in the past.
How are top agency executives helping their teams and clients through the COVID-19 crisis?
Noreen Heron, president of Heron Agency in Chicago, says her days have been filled with Zoom calls and strategy sessions, but her most important people to talk to are her children.
What’s her best piece of advice during this unprecedented time? Patience.
We caught up with her for our Day in the Life series. Here’s what she had to say about the comms industry amid COVID-19 and more:
1. How much coffee do you drink during a day?
Heron: I don’t drink coffee. Don’t ask me about my Diet Coke intake though!
2. Who is the most important person you talk to every day?
Heron: My children, Connor and Ava.
3. How much of your day is spent on Zoom calls?
Heron: It’s lessening a little, but March – May, it was a good 60%. I would say that phone conferences are becoming more popular now.
4. What’s a tool you couldn’t live without right now?
Heron: My phone for sure. I get anxiety if it isn’t in my sight.
5. What’s been the biggest change you’ve faced since the pandemic started?
Heron: The types of businesses that we are representing has changed. We had a lot of hospitality clients that are now on hiatus from operating. We started to move into other categories and have seen some growth there.
6. Are you still working from home? If so, what’s been your favorite part of WFH?
Heron: Yes, we are still working home, and that is a big change for us. We all really like being together, and we miss each other.
7. What’s your No. 1 message to clients, co-workers or employees for the rest of 2020?
Heron: Be patient! We will rebound. Winston Churchill said the only way to manage things when you are going through hell is to keep going through it. There is no way around this bad period. We are using this time to look at our own infrastructure and that of our clients; assess their websites; create lists; and prepare for better times!
8. What makes you hopeful about the future of PR? Any big predictions for 2021?
Heron: Every business is going to need to make noise on their re-opening and their launches. PR and social media agencies will be busier than ever next year, and the public will want to be out spending money on experiences and retail therapy.
Per usual Huron navigates the ever shifting terrain by her innate sense of the next right thing and adapting to it. I admire her.