R Public Relations Firm
The Big Benefits of a Boutique Public Relations Firm
If you’re looking to make a big splash for your event, product, or service, you think you need a big Public Relations agency to do it, right? Not even close. Much like how there can be too many cooks in the kitchen, the same can apply here too. When there are too many people in the PR process it can quickly bellyflop your vision and your budget. Here’s how a boutique public relations firm can benefit you.
Boutique Public Relations Firm, by Definition
So, ‘boutique’ isn’t just a fancy word for small, at least in the PR world. A boutique public relations firm is also one that is specialized or focused in a particular area of expertise. For example, R boutique public relations firm represents lifestyle brands including those in the restaurant, retail, hospitality, health and wellness, and startup industries.
Benefits of Boutique
You can expect these benefits in working with a boutique public relations firm:
- No Swapsies – It’s a common practice for large agencies to woo clients with their most senior account team, yet as the campaign moves along you find yourself handed off to junior team members to bring it to fruition. This doesn’t happen with a boutique firm; you work with exactly the team that inspired you to sign on with them in the first place; from beginning to end.
- Focused on You ( R business is Yours) – To put it bluntly, large agencies don’t need you as much, especially if they don’t see a lot of growth potential in the account. And the amount of effort spent on your campaign may reflect that. On the other hand, boutique public relations firms live and die by the relationships they create with their clients, so they are focused on doing their best for you, always.
- Fierce Flexibility – The larger an agency is the more bureaucracy you can expect, which means you’ll have to work within their system and schedule versus the other way around. Boutique firms have more freedom to be creative and can be more responsive. This creates an environment that’s naturally more collaborative and adaptive to your needs, more like an extension of your own team.
- More Splash for Your Buck – Large agencies are corporations with more overhead, so naturally what they charge reflects that. Plus, they’ll likely track and bill for every little thing; it’s more transaction-based. With a boutique public relations firm, you have a partnership in which you’re committed to the same goal – the success of your campaign and hopefully the success of many more in the future! As a result, the back and forth is viewed as part of the process! Not to mention, as a small business there’s much less overhead.
For R help with your next PR campaign, click HERE to schedule a FREE Discovery Call Today!
R Favorite Things 2020 Edition!
2020 has been a doozy, hasn’t it?! In the midst of the global pandemic, we have grown as a team to further appreciate the way words can change the course of a mindset and the way relationships really keep people and places afloat. We have grown our chapters in cause marketing and crisis management further than ever imagined and in the midst of it all, have furthered our appreciation for the shop-small mantra—being that our mission is to serve YOUR business as R own, we really take being locally minded to heart this holiday season, more than ever before. That being said, here from R client picks to R staff picks is R favorite things 2020!
Thank you for reading and being a part of R family,
Emily + The Amazing RPR Team
First and Foremost R Clients; As they R always our favorites
The Bookstore Plus, get an e gift card and stock up on The New York Times bestsellers or perhaps spend some holiday money on art supplies, either way, this local indie bookstore has it all and we heart yees them real big!
Robin Haley Jewelry: Seen on some of our staff picks list but for real these handcrafted fine and fashion pieces of art are like the gift of owning a gallery that is pocket sized and sparkly, not to mention Robin has a story for each and every piece sold!
Hearne Dry Goods, a company with a cause, all locally made and the treat of popping on a pair of ear bobs to make lasagna at home for the 100th time just adds the spice needed to keep on keepin’ on!
(Photo; bonfire studs by Hearne Dry Goods)
Peg Leg Porker: As we say in the office, ‘Santa Baby... back!” Give the gift of ribs and some special sauce—no one has complained from getting a giant package of tried-and-true southern BBQ. And if you aren't into meat (why are we friends?), but really, the recently released 15-year bourbon is worth its weight in gold!
Goldbelly: https://www.goldbelly.com/peg-leg-porker
In Nashville? Order directly here: https://peglegporker.com
(photo: Peg Leg Porker Bourbon)
Liquor Lab: Virtual cocktail classes and incredible cocktail kits for the boozy babe in your life!
Las Palmas is having an incredible gift card sale ALL of December! And we certainly aren’t complaining about the extra reasons to dip the chip in our fave cheese dip in Tennessee. https://www.laspalmasnashville.comThe
Tennessee Whiskey Trail: Virtual tastings and Trail merch never go out of style! But there is really nothing better then the gift of whiskey! https://www.tnwhiskeytrail.com
Boudros Texas Bistro: After over 35 years of being open 7 days a week, they had to shut their doors due to Covid in April and have since re-opened, it has been challenging, give them a like on Facebook or visit them next time you are in San Antonio!
Bambinos: Something for baby is also something for mama https://bambinosboutique.com
Speaking of R family, give the gift of a wine drop from R founder’s famous wine brother, Grant at Parcelle Wine in NYC. They deliver all over the USA, and this gift has both free shipping and gets you 3 bottles for a flat fee of $95. Add his newly published book too and make it a gift bundle! Wine Drop HERE
Now that we have bragged about R clients and family here are R favorite things 2020 staff picks!
Madison Baber: R Brand Ambassador Angel
Herb Planter Stop overbuying herbs, and get an indoor herb garden and grow your own! If you don't quite have a green thumb, it's cleverly designed to be self-watering so you don't have to worry about over watering or killing your precious plants.
Glossier Makeup Set Even while hunkered down at home, a little makeup can add some pep to your step! This easy-to-apply essentials kit from Glossier comes with a brow pomade, buildable cream blush, and mascara for a fresh-faced look.
Silk Pillowcase Because (sleep!) If you are looking to treat someone to a bit of luxury, this silk pillowcase will be the perfect addition to your sleep schedule. Plus as an added bonus, studies show that silk pillowcases create less friction causing fewer wrinkles and prevent bedhead!
Bala Bangles Sweat with style with these bangle weights that adds a constant but comfortable resistance to your workout. They can be worn on wrists or ankles and come in a bunch of different colors.
Tracy Howard Garton R Content Consultant Queen!
Claws Out Nailpolish It's activism in a bottle! We get to gussy up and do some good with these pretty, Portland, Oregon-made nail polishes that donate a portion of their proceeds to causes that affect women worldwide.
Stainless Cocktail Picks For some reason, cocktails just feel fancier when the garnish comes skewered on one of these polished cocktail picks.
Robin Haley Narrow Montana Sapphire Band Forget Santa—we're treating ourselves to exactly what we want this year, which is this stunning Montana sapphire band from Nashville's Robin Haley Jewelry.
Parachute Cloud Cotton Robe (photo above) If your 2020 has been anything like ours, you're practically living in loungewear. Which is why this cool, cottony robe from Parachute is at the top of our wishlist this year.
Kosas Lipstick in Rosewater Go pretty in pink during those WFH Zoom calls with this color-kissed lipstick from Kosas. It's ultra-hydrating thanks to its blend of jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil, and mango seed butter, with color (that in our experience) manages to stay put for most of the day.
Julia Heffelfinger: R R-ecipe Developer Extraordinare
Sabah Shearling-Lined Slippers There are no rules in 2020. That means wearing your slippers to walk the dog or run to the grocery store is completely acceptable. Especially if you have these super-chic Turkish slippers lined with shearling and finished in emerald green leather.
Italian Nick & Nora Glasses (set of 4)(photo above) I've developed a bit of an Italian amaro habit this past year. It's the perfect low-ABV sip after a long work day. These delicate Nick & Nora glasses would really take cocktail hour to the next level.
Siblings Candles Scent No. 4 I have a bit of a candle addiction. My next quarantine project is to cut down on extra waste and start making my own with these clever DIY kits from Siblings. Scent No. 4 has eucalyptus and evergreen and will be perfect for the holidays.
Sézane Shirt Jacket (photo below) Winter is my favorite wardrobe season because it's all about the layers and outerwear. This cerulean blue shirt jacket is top of my list: I can throw it on for a warm winter day, or layer it under my parka when the snow is coming down.
Chile Crunch Party Jar Forget hot sauce, I am putting this crispy, garlicky chile crunch on everything. Made by a small maker in Colorado, I easily go through a jar every month. I've decided 2021 is the year I upgrade to the PARTY JAR.
Capabunga Market Tote This classic cream canvas tote is exactly what I want for my weekly farmer's market runs. There's even a strap for your fresh flowers!
Sarah Williams R Digital Guru with Food and Bev Clients:
Sarah says this is the year of self-care and all she wants for Christmas is some peace and quiet and bath bombs (and maybe a little wine too)!
Scalp scrub, because we all have a headache after 2020… Lip and cheek balm, because under this face mask is a glowing gals face!
Dry shampoo—because, well because! ‘R-ENEW’ YOUR INNER PEACE: Get Cozy with this Faux Fur Throw
Snuggled with by the fire with THIS book ( from The Bookstore Plus, of course)
And a cup of tea with THIS monthly tea subscription: (photo below)
‘RESTORE’ YOUR BODY WITH SOME KITCHEN LOVE: THIS Kitchen Glow-Up with this Cookbook And Mortar & Pestle will do the trick !
Emily Reynolds Bergh: R Fearless Founder!
My list this year is all about local love! And if I have learned anything about this year it is truly that there is “NO PLACE LIKE HOME!’ My mom named me after Auntie Em and I am totally in love with my hometown this year, like never before!
My favorite store to shop in upstate NY is The Birch Store. It’ a locally owned boutique and the owners actually styled Jon Bon Jovi (I am pretty sure that is the rumor) so each piece from a keychain to a notecard is thoughtfully picked out. I am digging THIS Hobo bag (photo below):
Also, because I have a daughter named Opal I am now obsessed with all things Opal. This little shop in Oregon is a wholesale client for Robin Haley and I love, love, love their Instagram and found these super cute and affordable Opal earrings (photo below).
I want to chop away at the New York Times bestseller list, so I am asking for an e-gift card from my favorite local bookstore, The Bookstore Plus. I literally cried happy tears and danced a happy dance when we confirmed them as a client this year. I truly love them so much! https://www.thebookstoreplus.com
Found this cool shop on Etsy that is also founded in The Adirondacks—I am really crushing on this ADK pendant and really want it in my stocking (photo above)!
Julie Cohen R In-House English Teacher
This year is all about being comfy and cozy in my home because that’s just about all we can do!
Dr Teals® Pink Himalayan Epsom Salt Scrub smells SO good. This is a perfect stocking stuffer, and I recommend this scent in any of Dr Teals products.
Okay, bear with me here. I have never been into the idea of matching my children or my husband or … anyone for that matter. But last year I jumped on the family jammie train, and I’m never gonna look back. There’s something about matching in our cute jammies that makes being stuck at home on quarantine a little more bearable. Also, when everyone is driving me insane, I’m reminded that hey, we are on the same team. We can do this. This year, I’ve had my eye on these LC Lauren Conrad ones for Kohls.
This year is all about searching for serenity in absolute chaos, amiright?? I love Boss Babes, a feminist coloring book, created by my buddy Michelle Volanksy. Pour yourself a glass of wine and relax coloring in Beyoncé, Meryl Streep, Malala, Ruth Badar Ginsburg, Adele, and all your other favorite queens.
Since I’ve spent so many hours staring at my walls, I’ve finally gotten around to framing some stuff, but now that I’ve started, I want more and more! Lately, I am loving the art by Vidhya Nagarajan. This season, I have my eye on her Foodie Alphabet. (photo above)
I’m in love with these Paper for The People paper art creations by Alexis Viele. Just listen to her mission: “This project was created in celebration of the good that exists within the tremendously difficult, and the incredible humans who inspire others to daily seek joy and find power within.” The portraits she creates are amazing!
Thank You and we all wish you the happiest of holidays!
The R Public Relations Team
Give (& Get) with R Cause Marketing Campaigns
Cause marketing isn’t a new thing. It’s actually been around since Marriott Corporation partnered with the March of Dimes in the 1970s. But it may be more important today than ever. Not because causes are more important now, rather it’s more important for brands to support them. Why? Brands need a way to cut through the noise and connect with consumers on a more purposeful level. Doing good for others certainly fits that bill. Here are tips to get you started.
What is a Cause Marketing Campaign?
Cause marketing in and of itself is a cooperative effort between a for-profit brand and a non-profit for the mutual benefit of both. The benefits include increased connection with consumers and increased awareness of the cause as well as profit. A cause marketing campaign is the implementation of that effort with the goal to increase sales for the brand while also increasing money contributed to the non-profit.
Keep in mind that cause marketing campaigns don’t have to focus on just national or global causes. They can and should focus on local causes as well.
The Impact of Cause Marketing
So how much impact can cause marketing really have for brands? Quite a bit actually. In fact, a Mintel study shows that 73% of Americans say a company’s charitable giving affects their purchase decisions. Not only that, 50% of Americans say that they would switch to a company that supports a cause they believe in and that stat rises to 61% for Millennials (aged 24-41).
But it’s not just that consumers think it’s nice for brands to support causes. It’s increasingly becoming an expectation. That same Mintel study found that nearly two-thirds of Americans believe it is a company’s responsibility to give back (65%), while around half expect brands to improve the local community (53%).
Cause marketing has even become so important there’s an actual day devoted to it–Giving Tuesday. It’s a day that not only encourages all people to do good by donating to causes that are important to them, many brands partner with those nonprofits to match a certain percentage of donations they receive that day. It’s hugely impactful for consumers, nonprofits, and brands alike!
How to Do Cause Marketing
So, how do you create a successful cause marketing campaign? Start right here:
- Authenticity: We encourage all R clients to give back with a cause that speaks to their mission because, above all, your campaign must be authentic to resonate with consumers. Ask yourself, is there a non-profit that aligns with your goals as an organization?
- Audience: Next, consider the target audience for your brand. Are there causes that are more likely to speak to them and/or that they may already support? Ideally, the cause that you choose will align with your mission and the interests of your target audience.
- Collaboration: Most non-profits are thrilled for any support, but collaboration can maximize the effectiveness of your campaign as it can give you insight on what’s worked and what hasn’t in the past. Not to mention to help you get the message right!
- Timing: Not only when to launch but also the duration of the campaign. Typically up to 2 weeks gives you enough time to generate excitement and to hold your consumer’s attention. Then consider if there a certain time of year in which your cause is more urgent?
- Branding: Go beyond simply putting a non-profit’s logo on your marketing materials. Think about a cohesive strategy across all your platforms. Create a hashtag and content to share as well as perhaps even a logo and/or specific design for the campaign. The idea is for the campaign to stand out while complementing your brand and keeping consumers engaged.
- Call to Action: Consumers need to be able to quickly understand the ‘why’ for the campaign and what you want them to do. So, make sure there is a clear call to action at each touchpoint. This will also help you quantify the success of the campaign later.
- Share the Results: Another connection builder with consumers is to share the results of the campaign as well as its impact on the cause. And thank them for their contributions! This creates trust that you did what you said you would, and who doesn’t like appreciation?
Cause Marketing Campaigns in Action
Here are some favorite cause marketing campaigns from R clients:
- Peg Leg Porker: Teaming up with Operation BBQ Relief to serve meals to first responders
- Hearne Dry Goods: A portion of all proceeds support Lwala Community Alliance
- Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital fundraiser
- Bambinos Boutique: Donates a portion of proceeds from events to Hand to Hold
This year’s Giving Tuesday is coming up on December 1 which means now is the perfect time to create your cause marketing campaign. We’d love to help—click HERE to schedule a FREE Discovery Call today!
20 Top Nashville Influencers (and what makes them so important to brands)
Image by Style Blueprint
Merriam-Webster defines an influencer as someone who inspires or guides the actions of others, or more specifically, as someone who is able to generate interest in something by posting about it on social media. Brands have taken notice and influencer marketing is now a key component of social media strategy. How do they help and who are the top Nashville influencers? Find out here.
The Influence of Influencers
According to We Are Social, 3.484 billion people actively use social media (that’s 45 percent of the world’s population if you’re counting!). What we can pretty much all attest to is that we’re sick of being marketed at from every direction, no matter how targeted it may be. Enter influencers.
Early on, influencers were primarily celebrities. Anyone ever bought anything a Kardashian plugged? You don’t have to admit it, The Guardian shares the proof. But celebrity endorsements can be hard to come by, and can cost you big.
Luckily, there are plenty of “regular people” who have built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on specific topics or specific categories through regular social media posts. They’re seen more as trusted friends and peers and are able to generate an engaged following that pays close attention to their recommendations. While they may not have the millions of followers, these influencers can potentially drive an average of 16x higher engagement rates than celebrities , according to The Realtime Report.
Top Nashville Influencers
If you’re a lifestyle brand in Nashville looking to connect with consumers and establish trust, influencer marketing may be just the way to go. Here are our top 20 Nashville influencers (in no particular order):
- @hunterpremo | Hunter Premo | 246k followers
Nashville native Hunter Premo is the daughter of one of the city’s most sought-after makeup artists. But she’s more into fashion, sharing her boho style – and her life – with tens of thousands of followers.
- @malloryervin | Mallory Ervin | 543k followers
After competing in Miss America as well as The Amazing Race (and gaining a following from that), Ervin is an influencer on topics that range from marriage and kids to fashion and female empowerment.
- @nashvillefoodfan | Kate Davis | 97.1k followers
Born out of a desire to share her love of Nashville’s culinary scene, Davis’ Instagram has now become the place to inspire foodies or anyone exploring local restaurants to try.
- @livingwithlandyn | Living With Landyn | 270k followers
This influencer and blogger shares her tips on food, fashion, and family plus offers tons of “swipe up” retail codes and life hacks.
- @happilygrey | Mary Lawless Lee | 54.8k followers
The Happily Grey founder posts beautifully curated pictures from her life as a fashionista, businesswoman, wife, new mom, and dog lover.
- @passportsandgrub | Tomiko | 10.8k followers
Tomiko provides all kinds of travel tips and she also works to help brands shift the culture on diversity in tourism.
- @iamreneewatkins | Renee Watkins | 68.2k followers
This yoga instructor and doula posts fitness and beauty tips as well as body-positive messages and book recommendations.
- @cameronpremo | Cameron Premo | 15.9k followers
Husband to Hunter Premo, this photographer/videographer is an influencer in his own right on topics that include adventure, style, and chivalry for the modern gentleman.
- @erinoprea | Erin Oprea | 182.7k followers
She’s a trainer to local celebrities with a feed that shares workout tips, healthy recipes, and videos from her weekly Saturday night dance party with husband Sean.
- @emilyblincoe | Emily Blincoe | 362.5k followers
This photographer came to Nashville by way of Austin and posts snaps of everything from walks in the park with her pups to front yard hangs and the beauty of everyday life here.
- @wickedtasty | Dan Burkard | 9.4k followers
This power duo of Michelle and Dan came to Nashville by way of New England and we are all the more hungry for their food photos for it! Their posts and snaps of recipes, top lists of fab food finds, happy hours and more are not to be missed!
- @nashgirleats | Holly | 21.4k followers
Holly is a nurse practitioner who loves exploring some of the hottest restaurants and dishes in Nashville. She also shares some of her own dishes on her feed.
- @the_ moody_foody | Josh | 10.2 followers
Josh’s blog reviews the best restaurants in Nashville and offers fun insights into the dining scene while all the mouth-watering finds are shared on Insta.
- @nashvillewifestyles | Ashley Houston | 132k followers
Ashley is a girl mom (and a dog mom) with a lifestyle blog that dishes on food, the latest fashion trends, parenting tips and life in Nashville where she’s lived for 10 years.
- @thehungryleopard | Blair Beaty | 5.5k followers
Blair overcame hunger herself and now shares her foodie experiences across Nashville and beyond.
- @blonde_voyage_nashville | Courtney Hood | 13.4k followers
This native Nashvillian blogs about food and lifestyle as she brings us along on her epic travel adventures near and far.
- @nashvillevibin | Neysha Clevenger | 6.7k followers
She’s your go-to girl for all things Nashville sharing delicious food as well as local clothing and cool snaps of our awesome city!
- @pocketsandbows | Brittany | 48.5k followers
Brittany is a creator, influencer and stylist who delivers daily inspiration for luxe plus fashion on Instagram and YouTube.
- @fabglance | Melissa | 11.5k followers
Melissa is a digital strategy expert who brings authentic storytelling back to social media. In her spare time she shares the best plus size fashion trends and tips.
- @lauraleabalanced | Laura Lee | 86.4k followers
Chef Laura Lee has a background in health-related cooking and shares healthy, delicious recipes, meal plans and insights into her.
For R help with influencer marketing, click HERE to schedule a FREE Discovery Call today!
Image by Nashville Lifestyles
R Checklist for Creating Top Virtual Events in Nashville
It’s pretty much inevitable at this point that if you’re planning to host an event anytime soon, you gotta go virtual. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. Unless you have R checklist for creating top virtual events in Nashville, of course!
A Virtual History Lesson
We get it; nothing truly replaces the experience of meeting face-to-face with prospects, clients, and colleagues, but since COVID-19 began virtual events have been as much of a necessity as our daily coffee fix. In fact, virtual events have been around for longer than you may think for that very reason. The first webcam was actually created in 1993, by University of Cambridge computer scientists who were too ‘busy’ to physically check to see when the coffee, located in another lab, was ready. So, they created a webcam to livestream its progress. Priorities, right!?!
Virtual Events Today
In all seriousness, today’s virtual events can range from small groups to thousands of attendees, and the most common types of events include:
- Question and answer sessions
- Tutorials and/or classes
- Training
- Tours
- Interviews
- Performances
- Conferences
- Networking events
R Top Virtual Events Checklist
Anyone who’s ever planned an event knows how much goes into it. Success doesn’t come easily with virtual events either, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t look seamless! Here’s how:
Get a Game Plan – And start early! Think about:
- What you want to achieve
- Who your audience will be
- The experience you want to offer
- What content would be relevant to them, whether you want a live or on-demand event or both
- If you’ll require registration
- If you want to partner with advertisers and/or sponsors, as well as how you define success and how you will track those metrics.
And don’t forget to create an event budget.
Work Out the Right Time – From working out time zones to ensuring you’re not competing with other similar events to doing some research on when your audience is typically online; choosing the right time and date is much more important (and much more involved) than you may initially think.
Pick the Right Platform – This really depends are what type of event your hosting. For live-tweeting events, you might use Reddit or Slack (don’t forget the hashtag!). Webinar platforms include Zoom, as well as Livestorm and YouTube Livestream. Social livestreams include Instagram Live, Facebook Live and LinkedIn Live. For conferences there’s 6connex, HeySummit and Run the World.
Promote, Promote, Promote – There’s so much competing for your audience’s time, including other virtual events. So, make sure potential attendees know the details and WHY they should attend. Then promote far and wide using email, social media, and on sites like Eventbrite. What’s more, ramp up your efforts starting 2-3 weeks out as many won’t commit until then. And don’t forget to enlist speakers as ambassadors for the event in addition to creating an event hashtag and a dedicated landing page.
Test Things Out – Rehearsals are super important because it’s far too easy for attendees to bail if your virtual event is a pain. Test internet connections, prepare backups of presentations, and make sure your speakers are comfortable with the platform. Depending on the size of the event, you might even have some tech support available for attendees should they run into trouble.
Create Opportunities to Engage – Of course we’ve never done this ourselves, but we’ve all ‘heard’ of multitasking or social media surfing during a virtual event. Gasp! The easiest way to avoid people tuning out is to keep them engaged by incorporating a poll or chat tool (make sure to have a moderator) and/or encourage live-tweeting. Don’t forget to ask for feedback at the end of the event so you can improve for next time too!
Virtual Events That Got It Right
With so many virtual events out there right now, there are plenty of hits and misses. But, here are some of R favorite successful events:
- Skift’s Online Summit - Travel's Path Forward – The first in their series of travel summits, the event had multiple speakers and guests had the opportunity to ask questions. Recordings of the series can be found here.
- Lululemon has been hosting a monthly online book club with live discussions on Instagram that feature the authors. Each book club pick focuses on a health and wellness topic and the discussions are moderated by one of their global ambassadors.
- Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood hosted a series of free livestream concerts on Facebook Live with the hashtag #GarthRequestLive where they played requests that fans put in the comments. We simply had to include a Nashville success story right?
- Silverado Vineyards came up with the concept of a virtual wine taste test to unveil a new product. They sent wines to their best customers and invited them to a virtual tasting while their experts discussed the wines.
- Washington Performing Arts Gala – Their gala was scheduled for March and instead of canceling it they turned it into a virtual livestream experience in only 3 days! And even created a webinar to document how it went!
Top Virtual Events in Nashville Coming Up
- Music City Bandwidth – 30 livestreamed concerts between September 14 – October 31
- R clients at Liquor Lab have gone full-on virtual with their cocktail events—that’s right, the happy hour you always dreamed of, without leaving the house or your PJs!
- Nashville Area Chamber and Partnership 2020 Annual Celebration – Tuesday, October 13
- Nashville Zoo Virtual Programs – Multiple Dates, October - December
- 2020 Revenge of the Bird Virtual 5k Turkey Trot – November 1 – December 12
- Nashville Public Library Literary Award Gala – Saturday, November 14, 2020
- Virtual Nashville Vacation Package - Not necessarily an event, but a virtual experience all the same. What a cool way to explore Nashville!
For R help in planning your virtual events in Nashville or beyond, click HERE to schedule a FREE Discovery Call today!
R Take on Crisis Communication During COVID-19 and Beyond
This year, the collective elephant in the room for every marketing and PR team is COVID-19. Whether it’s affecting your organization through closures, restrictions, lack of demand, supply chain delays, or any other avenues, it’s something we all need to address. But, most of us aren’t exactly sure how. We can help with crisis communication tips that can be applied now or to any unanticipated situation that can affect your brand reputation.
What is Crisis Communication?
It may sound ominous, but in general, crisis communication is simply your strategic approach in responding to any unanticipated event that could disrupt your organization’s operations and/or cause potential harm to your brand reputation such as:
- Product recalls
- Customer injuries
- Employee misconduct
- Security breaches
- Natural disasters
And unfortunately, we can now add pandemic to the list.
Crisis Communication in Action
With the speed in which news travels today—as well as its reach—how you communicate during a crisis can dramatically impact your reputation—good or bad.
Here are some examples of misses in crisis communication:
- Samsung’s response to its fire-prone Galaxy Note 7
- Facebook’s response to its 2018 data breach
On the other hand, these organizations got it right:
- P&G’s response to the Tide Pod Challenge
- KFC’s response when it actually ran out of chicken
R Crisis Communication Playbook
When you have a crisis on your hands, you’re likely asking what should you be saying, how should you say it, who should you say it to, and via which channel(s)? It can get overwhelming pretty quickly so the first thing to do is take a deep breath and then:
Assess the Situation – There are a couple of layers on this one. From a broader perspective assess the type of crisis you’re dealing with, as a product recall will certainly dictate a different response than a pandemic. Then, take a look at all your currently scheduled campaigns as well as social media to see if they are still right for the current situation in voice, tone, and messaging. Don’t forget imagery too! Considering COVID-19 specifically, you don’t want to show people too close together for example. And with emotions so high right now, perhaps shift your message from an overt product focus to more of a human focus that’s empathetic and helpful.
Respond Quickly - To control the narrative for your brand as best you can, quick action is a must. Also, consider your channels. For example, if safety concerns about your product are reported on social media first then respond there first. Expand to other channels quickly thereafter and communicate often with updates. Next, once you’ve assessed your campaigns, quickly stop any that may be perceived as insensitive to the situation. Even with campaigns you continue, consider how often you email and/or post. Too much push marketing can be seen as intrusive (and self-serving) in times of crisis.
Be Transparent - As you saw in the examples of misses above, any attempt to withhold information— whether real or perceived—will be disastrous for your brand. If the crisis is a situation in which your organization is at fault; acknowledge what happened, accept responsibility, apologize, and clearly communicate how you will move forward. Importantly, if the crisis resulted in injury, put the victim’s pain and frustration first. And avoid placing blame right off the bat. It can also be helpful to put yourself in the shoes of your audience and/or victims of the crisis to think about what you would want to know and how you would want it communicated.
Be Consistent - Not only in message but also across channels. Keep in mind that in most cases you’ll have different audiences in which you need to communicate. You’ll need to carefully craft messages that are still consistent, yet specifically speak to their concerns. Using COVID-19 as an example, if you’re a restaurant whose business hours have been restricted this will impact employees and customers. While it’s inconvenient for customers it’s potentially devastating to the livelihood of your employees, so the tone needs to be appropriate although the general message of restricted hours is the same. And consider the best way to get that message across. Social media and on-premise signage may work for customers, but would be highly inappropriate for employees.
Monitor Sentiment - Make sure to keep a close eye not only on national and local news outlets during a crisis but also on what your customers are saying on social media. And don’t forget to respond, on-message of course! Track your campaigns carefully as well. If your crisis communication approach is working, great! But still remain vigilant. If it’s not, go back to the beginning and reassess to see how you might tweak to improve communications going forward. Another option here might be to enlist the help of supporters such as brand ambassadors to create some positive influence.
Schedule a FREE 15 min Discovery Call to share your biggest communication challenge during COVID-19 or any crisis situation for your organization, and we’ll offer tips to keep your brand's reputation intact.
R Commonly Asked PR Questions
With years of experience in public relations, we know that great things come when you get people talking. But that’s just one reason why we love answering your PR questions. The other: to show just how effective PR can be in helping your business flourish! To start the conversation, we’ve answered some of R most commonly asked questions.
What's the difference between PR marketing and advertising?
Wondering about the difference between PR marketing and advertising? Public Relations are creative content tools to relate to the public and a wider audience messaging for your business, such as press management, content on your social media, and creative promotions to entice a larger audience to know—and care—about your business or brand. Marketing is a tool used to mix the brand aspects of your business with internal messages such as menus, website updates, social media strategy and a direct a to b channel from brand to a message. PR is more indirect, as you rely on media (both traditional and digital) to convey your message—here, a publicist is in the driver seat to ensure your messages are properly conveyed, serving as your messengers to the general public as opposed to just message givers (like a more traditional marketer). Advertising is a direct message to a platform such as a billboard, digital ad on a website, TV ad on a station or show—this is where your message, such as “stop by we’ll leave the light on for you,” would be directly placed on a platform. An advertising agent will likely lead you to those sources, discuss an ad budget, and advise on proper channels and messages to entice a direct audience with a direct message.
Are press kits still a thing?
Yes, a press kit is used for many reasons, it aligns all press you have garnered ( or are garnering) and offers the writer a way to fact check directly with a proper press kit a lot of back and forth and research can be avoided and a writer is more likely to write about someone or a business that has an organized brand. All of which can be conveyed on a professionally done press kit.
How can an influencer help a brand?
Influencers can sometimes be a tool to entice more buzz, however, often influencers charge for posts, so you want to be sure that the influencer(s) you choose to work with offer media kits with successfully brand sharing stories and also their audience matches your brand efforts. Know your goals going into the relationship, like if you want to increase your followers, be sure they have a track record of helping others do this, or if you are pushing a product or sale be sure you have your message clear to them so your goals are also met, especially if you are paying them.
Let’s keep talking. Schedule a FREE discovery call today!
How a Nashville PR Opportunity Inspired R Business to Branch Out
As we’re all becoming increasingly aware, you have to be open to change. Whether it comes about intentionally, as happenstance, or in response to a crisis, sometimes you just have to roll with it. In doing so, you may just be surprised by the opportunities that grow. The story of how RPR Firm came into the Nashville PR scene is a prime example.
The ‘It’ City for Business Too
Nashville’s moniker as the “It” city has been firmly entrenched for its music, food, and Southern hospitality. But, it’s also become one of the top places in the country to start a business in 2020 according to Inc.com. The reasons for the number 11 out of 50 ranking include the city’s net business creation, population growth, and job creation. R founder, Emily Reynolds Bergh, luckily recognized this entrepreneurial spirit much sooner.
The Call That Changed It All
Never one to limit herself to one city for long, Bergh had spent years working in public relations in San Diego, CA, as well as San Antonio and Austin, TX. After having launched RPR Firm in Austin, as she tells it, “I received a referral from a long-time client. His friend was opening up a new concept in Nashville. I had never even been to Nashville and yet was called to see if I would be up for doing some work for an opening. I visited and fell in love with the city (as many do). The music, the food, the life felt like the change that I needed both personally and professionally.”
Why Nashville PR for RPR Firm
What she also realized was that the most thriving industries in Nashville happened to be those in which RPR Firm specializes including restaurant, retail, hospitality, health and wellness, and of course, startups. It was the perfect fit. But, says Bergh, “I didn’t want to leave my Texas life fully behind so RPR Firm now has branches in Texas and Nashville and we work with clients nationally. It was the best decision I ever made.”
We now not only have Austin and Nashville PR clients, but we also help brands across the country from Portland to New York City bring their vision to life. And expanding to Nashville helped us find just the right blend of talent across our brand, digital, and content teams for R clients.
How can we support your brand?
Schedule a FREE Discovery Call with our Nashville PR Team Today!
R is for R(e)-opening! 6 Tips to Help You Reopen Seamlessly
Raise your hand if you are a business owner who recently had your entire world turned upside-down? For us, we’ve been in the trenches with R clients as they’ve shuttered their doors, launched take-out menus, and now as many look to Re-open businesses, which in some cases, have been around for more than 20 years. Wow, things can change with the blink of an eye, can’t they? First, we want to say, whether you’re a client, a friend, or new to the RPR blog, we are here with you. Seriously, this is a time to band together and to be flexible, forgiving, and open to the new world we live in—a touchless, mask-wearing world. We see you and your pretty eyes in those masks, and we R here to help! Below, we’ve pulled together six tips to help you reopen and thrive in this ever-changing world.
Make a plan. For many of you, the new rules, regulations, and stages of reopening are hard to keep up with—they change daily, and just as you seem to catch your groove something new pops up. Deciding when to open, re-open, who to bring on board, and what to do with your furloughed staff can be mind-boggling, let alone thinking about your marketing messages during times like these. First things first, take a deep breath and sit down. Let’s write a plan—a new plan—here’s what we need to include:
- Dates and guidelines for your city, what you are going to do, and when you want to do it. Start with a projected date of opening at (25% 50% 100%) capacity and re-hiring (XXX) employees to get things up and going. Call your staff even if they are furloughed, most probably want to come back ASAP. They most likely miss you—and their jobs—too.
- Once you have a general outline, set up a Zoom call with your crew, review the plan you have and let them know, yes, things are changing so please be patient and flexible, and that you are, too!
- Share your plan with your staff. This may involve retraining them on new systems for cleaning, for customer service, for everything (it will be like you just opened!). We know it's frustrating, but take the retraining seriously as the last thing you want is a customer to video your staff NOT meeting new guidelines (if you need help in the HR department, let us know—we have resources to guide you).
Make a Plan B. If we can learn anything from the past few months, it’s that we all need a Plan B. There are a lot of what-ifs in the world of business right now, so be PROACTIVE vs. reactive, meaning prepare for things to continue to operate under a “new normal” and/or potentially even revert to stay-at-home orders, but this time you will be ready to make your business marketable!
Prepare for things to be touchless. Many places plan on keeping curbside shopping, free shipping, new website features for online ordering, and more from the past few months. We can say most of our lives are now MORE THAN EVER online, so get those online shops and websites up to snuff. (Psst: we can help here, too.)
Think outside of the box. Now is the time to offer up something new—to your menus, to your websites, to your business. We are seeing some make masks, some make new kinds of menu items (cue in family-style take-out meals), and some make new kinds of lemonade from these lemons. Perhaps this is the time your business thrives in a way it never has before, because, really, why not?
Take this time as a lesson on diversifying your offerings, adding merch, launching new product packaging, making your site shoppable … whatever it takes! Let us know if you need more suggestions or want help executing—we’re here to help!
And, as always, be patient and be kind. Your audience, clients, and customers are all in a state of unknown, and are adjusting, too! Have your social messaging be bright, informative, and positive. Remember your words have POWER, so use them accordingly!
