Knows The Drill

For PR teams with conversations to coordinate

Virtual assistants for public relations firms

Give your account team the context behind the next media request. An assistant can organize inquiries, coordinate interviews and maintain approved materials. Knows The Drill recruits and prepares your assistant for your PR firm's workflow before handoff.

Find your assistant

Keep the journalist's question attached to the right answer owner.

A journalist needs a spokesperson before a stated deadline. The account lead has the relationship, the client needs to approve the response and the latest background document is in another thread. Good coordination makes that chain visible.

An assistant can bring the request, source material and next action together. Your PR team leads the story, relationship and response; the assistant keeps the surrounding preparation moving.

The work to hand off

Give account teams a current record of requests and commitments.

01

Prepare incoming media requests

Record the journalist, outlet, question, requested format and stated deadline. Gather the relevant account context and route the request to its designated owner.

What you get back: A media request brief with the exact question and response owner

02

Coordinate spokesperson interviews

Collect availability, arrange the briefing and organize confirmed interview details. Track the materials and questions your account lead wants the spokesperson to receive.

What you get back: An interview brief with logistics and preparation attached

03

Maintain approved press materials

Organize current biographies, fact sheets, images and approved statements. Track versions and share the material your team authorizes for the relevant request.

What you get back: A press asset record with clear version and sharing status

04

Organize coverage and account follow-up

Collect publication links identified through your agreed process, record the outlet and date, and prepare the account's administrative summary. Track the actions your team confirms after a pitch, interview or client meeting.

What you get back: A source-linked coverage record and open-action list

Illustrative workflow

Prepare a media request for the account lead

Use this sequence to define what must be known before a response is prepared or an interview is confirmed.

Capture

Assistant preparesRecord the requester's details, exact question and stated deadline.

Your PR team decidesWho should own the request and whether to respond.

Gather context

Assistant preparesLocate current approved background material and the client's relevant contacts.

Your PR team decidesThe story position and information suitable for discussion.

Coordinate

Assistant preparesCollect availability and prepare the briefing information.

Your PR team decidesThe spokesperson, response and interview commitment.

Follow up

Assistant preparesRecord the authorized reply and track any promised material.

Your PR team decidesFurther comments, corrections or changes to the response.

Illustrative example — not a client record

A spokesperson interview request brief

This example keeps the journalist's request, client decision and preparation material in one record.

Request
Example entryTrade publication requests an interview about the client's new product.
What to provide or checkRecord the request as received.
Stated timing
Example entryJournalist asks for a conversation on Thursday morning.
What to provide or checkPreserve the requested timing without confirming availability.
Spokesperson status
Example entryAccount lead is checking the product lead's availability.
What to provide or checkIdentify who owns the interview decision.
Background material
Example entryCurrent approved product fact sheet is ready for the briefing.
What to provide or checkName the approved version that supports preparation.
Next action
Example entryAssistant gathers availability; account lead confirms the interview and sharing instructions.
What to provide or checkConnect coordination to the authorized response.

Ready to hand over when: The original request, requested timing, decision owner and approved preparation material are recorded without presenting the interview as confirmed.

Download the blank template (CSV)

No email required. The file includes field names and guidance, with blank spaces for your own inputs. Use it to describe the work during matching; keep private client information out of an initial inquiry.

Shape the role around the workload

Would coordination help your account team respond?

A useful fit when

  • Account leads repeatedly gather interview details and locate approved materials.
  • Media requests and promised follow-up need a consistent administrative record.

Discuss the setup first

  • You need a strategist to develop stories or independently pitch journalists.
  • Your work requires crisis response or coverage beyond the role's agreed hours.

Managed support provides a dedicated, full-time assistant. Direct-hire responsibilities, hours and employment terms are agreed during matching.

Your team owns the message and the media relationship.

The assistant supports the preparation and record around a request. Give them clear sharing rules and a route to the account lead.

  • Media strategy, pitches, statements, crisis responses and client commitments require the responsible PR or client owner.
  • Embargoes, exclusivity and permission to share assets follow the instructions your team establishes for each request.
  • Coverage logs record identifiable sources; the role does not promise placements, favorable coverage or publication outcomes.

Show us how a media request reaches your team.

  • 01A sample inquiry and the information your account lead needs to assess it.
  • 02Your approved asset library and rules for current versions and sharing.
  • 03The owners for each client, spokesperson and urgent media question.
  • 04Your coverage-record format, communication tools and expected working hours.

Recruit. Prepare. Hand over.

Recruited for you. Trained for your industry.

First, we discuss your niche and the work you want your assistant to own. Then we recruit and prepare them in depth for the industry and responsibilities agreed with you before handoff. The matching conversation defines the skills, tools and preparation time your role needs.

We assess English fluency, practical problem-solving and independent judgment, so your assistant can work through the next step and recognize when to bring you in.

Choose the support behind your hire.

Managed assistant

A dedicated, full-time assistant through our service, with ongoing support from our team. One monthly fee.

Explore managed support

Direct hire

We recruit and train an assistant for you to hire directly into your team. You manage the day-to-day. One placement fee.

Explore direct hiring

The examples on these pages are a starting point. Bring the broader range of work you want covered to the matching call. We agree responsibilities, preparation time, working hours, fees and terms before you start.

Before you bring someone on

Can an assistant handle media inquiries?
They can collect the request, prepare context and route it to the account lead. Routine coordination and authorized replies can be included. Your PR team decides the response, spokesperson and message.
Can they maintain our media contact database?
Record maintenance can fit the role using the sources and fields your firm approves. Agree how contact updates are checked and who authorizes outreach. Database administration does not by itself include independent media pitching.
Can they help with coverage reports?
They can organize publication links, dates and other agreed factual fields. Your team defines the sources and reviews any interpretation of coverage quality or impact. We do not promise media placements or audience outcomes.
Can they share press materials under an embargo?
Only within your explicit instructions for the recipient, material and timing. Provide the current approved files and a named account owner for uncertainty. Embargo or exclusivity decisions stay with your team.
How is this different from a marketing agency assistant?
The core record here is a media request or interview: journalist, question, spokesperson, approved material and response timing. Marketing agency support may center on campaign delivery and client approvals. We scope the role around your recurring work.

Put the request and the next decision in the same place.

Bring us the media coordination, asset requests and account follow-up that keep interrupting your team. We will help define an assistant role around making that work ready.

Find your assistant

A different kind of business?

Explore other ways to organize the work around your team.