R Public Relations Firm
10 Ways To Help Small Businesses Right Now!
We are the behind-the-curtain folks, the weavers of words, the people that help share passion and spread good news! I am writing this as, like many of you and like most of the world, I want to save all the restaurants and bars, and help small businesses from the hardships being immediately faced. I feel like every morning I wake up and see someone else I care about posting about making a hard decision with their business, and it seems that although we are practicing things like “social distancing”—a phrase I never have used in my life as both an extrovert and a lover of people—we are also in the midst of times where supporting and giving services is needed more than ever.
As communications pros, we can be a beacon of hope during these strange and difficult times—we are the messengers to the media, we are the media, we move the needle from fear to fearless by being courageous and creative innovators in a time of great need! So I ask, HOW can we help—now? I’ve listed some of R teams ideas below on ways to help small businesses, and support clients, media friends, and most of all each other. Let us know what you’d add, too, we are here to bounce ideas, support, and help small businesses! Let’s do this!
1. Pick up the phone
Get off email and CALL your people—they need you. They’re reading the news and social media and seeing their friends close down and make difficult decisions—offer creative solutions that can help them weather this storm (an abbreviated but awesome take-out menu, clever delivery options, etc). Read this again, CALL and connect, it makes a world of difference—trust me.
2. Source ideas with other professionals.
If you are like me, you have been writing crisis communication plans, scraping all the content you planned for this month and next and next and gearing up for a daily swipe of your ideas—you need some creative support! Call, text, and email fellow communications pros! This is the time to give extra hours, time, and talents to each other to support the world of small businesses. THIS is our time to really support each other and get over any fear that someone will take your client or idea. In this case, we all need to save this sinking ship for EVERYONE and we are the answers.
3. Be a marketing genius
During the Great Depression, furniture stores offered free incentives called “Depression glass” (like a plate or a teacup) and people went wild shopping for furniture just to get the free glasses, even when they didn’t have much. Today a tiny Depression tea glass is worth $25-$75 (some more), and these were given out for free to our grandmothers. Who came up with that idea? A MARKETING GENIUS, that’s who. Us marketing pros are the people behind the curtain and we get to show off our most genius ideas—often in the most desperate times.
Just this week alone I have seen café owners delivering goods, celebrities reading storybooks online, museums offering free tours, and even Disney taking viewers on virtual rides. The internet is blowing up and our ideas are just waiting to take off and find value with our clients. So do what you need to be risky and wise and get someone to sign up for something they never thought they would—it WILL work!
4. Be calm + confident
Be confident, be collected, and know this too shall pass. If we hold our visions our clients will too, and we are the ones who help document and execute those visions. So it is up to us to be calm in the storm when they need to freak out because their business is taking turns they never imagined. Be confident. Know you were hired because you are smart, talented and clients can count on you to share their message—that’s you!
5. Be mindful
Be mindful of your words instead of “hard times” change that up for “things are constantly changing” instead of “closing” change that up for “we will open as soon as we can.” Words have power and now more than ever WE are responsible for encouraging clients and media to lessen the drastic language and fear and see things as a work in progress. As the truth is this is actually a golden opportunity to be creative with businesses. Those that know how to pivot and stay calm will be the ones on top after the storm blows over.
6. Be generous with your time
We need to write more blog posts, edit more press releases and help more than we probably ever have before—now is the time to get our boots dirty. It’s hard work, but so worth it!
7. Shop, shop, shop
Buy all the things—get merch, get gift cards, and practice what you are preachin’ sister!
8. Make your pitches short and sweet
And with all information in digestible deets—who, what, where, and website links—and nothing else! We don't want to make more work for our media friends who are getting more emails than ever right now.
9. Share other people’s creative work
Not just your clients! Ask and offer fellow comm friends ways you can lend a helping hand! Giving truly makes the world of difference in stressful situations.
10. BE KIND
Be kind to yourself included, take a bath, do an online yoga class, pour a glass of wine at the end of the day, whatever gets you to zen. You can’t save the world if you aren’t taking care of you and from there sprinkle out the good witch vibes and let people know they have had the power to change and shift and grow within them the whole time. (‘nuff said).
From friends in the comm worlds:
“Entertain and engage! This is the time to show your audience your brand value through digital marketing by giving them what they need the most right now. Something to do. You literally have a captive audience, so don’t waste that opportunity with your average content. Find creative ways to entertain and engage your audience. A great way to do that is through mixed media: video, graphics, motion graphics, email campaigns, etc. Create giveaways, quizzes, and games! The more your audience feels supported by your brand during this time, the more brand loyalty they will reciprocate when things go back to normal.” Sarah Wlliams (digital marketing guru)
Have something to add and help small businesses? Please share!
A Public Relations Checklist + Trends For 2020
So the year of 2019 is about to go by and here we are R-eflecting on all the fun openings, book launches, new businesses we supported, and clients and media we related to. PR at it’s finest but what have we learned from this year that we will bring into next? Here is our ultimate PR checklist—we are always happy to set-up a free consultation if you have more needs, wants or R-equests!
R words of advice
R words of advice for 2020 as far as public relations goes is:
- Stop sending press releases for things that are not immediate release or going to earn attention as “news.” There is a time and a place for all communication but press releases—unless it is breaking news—are a thing of the past. Customized-meets-personalized pitching is where things are headed, which means short, sweet, and to the point.
- Start investing in video—things are moving towards fewer written words, not more. I started blogging in 2010 and began doing vlogs shortly thereafter, as well as short videos that convey a message. YouTube is still going strong as an avenue to share and post videos + iPhones have made it super easy too!
- Speaking of short and sweet, keep your communications to media appropriate and short and sweet—not mass distributed. No one likes a mass email, especially someone who gets 100s of emails a day. This is one of the perks to hiring a publicist—we have ways to get the message to contacts without being pesky.
- Start posting in your social media stories NOW. General posts are moving towards a thing of the past, so have your social team post those stories and make them personal!
- Know what is a trend and what is an end! Avocado toast was so five years ago—things move particularly fast in the food and fashion worlds, so ask your PR team to help advise before making a product launch or new menu.
6. Invest in EVENT-focused outreach. Start sharing your brand with a party or collaboration. Being a solo-standing brand is becoming a thing of the past.
7. Do use professional photos in all situations. No more dark photos of parking lots—have your marketing/pr team help you put your best photo-foot forward.
8. Do sign up and/or post on Linkedin NOW. Trends revive and Linkedin is one of them, especially for B-to-B businesses.
9. Do sign up and/or start posting on Tik Tok NOW. This video streaming platform will be taking over Instagram in 2020, just you watch and see!
10. As far as social media goes, know your platform when sharing on digital media. As we say to clients, each social media channel is its own neighborhood, and not all work the same way—think art district (Instagram), up and coming (Tik Tok), hipster (Snapchat), old historic (Linkedin/Twitter), mom ‘n’ pop (Facebook). A good PR team will help you navigate this so you can maximize your efforts in all places or just focus on one neighborhood doing really well!
Onwards towards a new year and a R-fresh of your brand!
Emily + RPR
***Schedule a free discovery meeting with us today at http://www.rprfirm.com/schedule/
R Favorite Things 2019
Working as publicists and writers around the holidays is a busy time for us, there are holiday must-have lists, recipes, and private events to be shared. Offering R creativity daily is a fun full-time gig. However, sometimes we have to stop and smell the roses, take a minute or two for ourselves, so we can recharge for our clients and team. This season, in the midst of holiday buzz-building for others, I asked the RPR team to share their own favorite things. It was a true joy to see what everyone shared. Take a peek here, hopefully we inspire you, too from R team to yours!
Julie, International Consultant and Senior Editor
This cookbook, because potlucks are the best way to entertain!
This t shirt- because it’s so comfy and looks cute with any coat, cardigan and scarf.
And this fake awake eye brightening pencil (because kids).
Sarah, Digital Media Guru
Lush: Avo Bath Bomb (because we all need a good bath to relax at the end of the day)
Stila: Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick ( because oops lunch meeting new clients)
William Sonoma: Himalayan Salt Block for Grilling - salmon, chicken, you name it, it will taste better
Jamie Oliver: Mortar and Pestle (because needed)
Benriner: Mandolin Slicer ( watch those fingers but here comes some majorly good gratin)
Rifle Paper Co: Phone Cases ( because they are gorgeous)
Tracy, Senior Editor & Content Specialist
Yeti Wine Tumblers—Hellooooo, glamping!
Smith Teamaker's Meadow Tea—My favorite herbal tea, and a great stocking stuffer. Even the kids love it with honey.
Miir Camp Cup—My husband got me one last Xmas and we both love it so much I'm getting him one this year. It legit keeps my coffee hot for hours, and so far has proved indestructible. Plus, the company uses proceeds to help bring water to those without.
Sonora Candles from Paddywax—They look as good as they smell!
Tamyra Beanie from Prana—How stinking cute is this hat?!
Martha Stewart Spoonula—Nothing fancy, but it's seriously one of my most beloved kitchen utensils.
Condensation Ring—How pretty are these stackable bands from Portland-designer Seaworthy?!
Sukari Baby Facial from Drunk Elephant—The perfect at-home acid exfoliation.
Weighted Throw Blanket—Just me?? I'm totally asking for one this year.
Patagonia Fleece Mittens—Love that they open to fingerless gloves.
Venti Beach Tote—Look at how much it will hold!
Julia, R-ecipe Development, Senior Editor
Norden - Joshua Tree Ceramic Candle I love these! And I use the jars for flowers or a coffee mug when the candle is done :)
Sabre - Teak Butter Spreaders Classic, chic and great for entertaining, making your morning toast or as a prop in food photos!
Kerzon - Feuilles d'Eucalyptus I love things scented with eucalyptus! When I'm cooking all the time and washing my hands, I always need a good hand lotion. This one is thick and creamy and the shea butter is great during the winter.
Vintage Barware Jigger I'm always looking for cool vintage items for my bar cart. I think these mismatched vintage bar jiggers are my next purchase!
Everlane - Shrunken Cashmere Sweatshirt A little more expensive than the others, but I love Everlane cashmere. It's a good price and it holds up well. The cropped cashmere "sweatshirt" is my favorite and looks so cute with high waisted jeans. The red really pops in the winter!
Madison, Brand Ambassador
12-month planner from Bando - These are my favorite planners, I get one every year! Plus, they have cute stickers..who says you can't play with stickers as an adult.
Cotton smock apron from World Market - If you watch Bon Appetit on Youtube, you will notice a lot the editors wearing these. I have one, and I love it! It's a loose fit so you can comfortably wear it over chunky sweaters or sweats.
Beeswax wrap from Bees Wrap - I'm trying to reduce the amounts of single-use plastics I use, I've seen that these are a great replacement for plastic wrap
Minute Mimosa Sugar Cube Trio from Uncommon Goods - This looks so fun.
Copper Planter from West Elm - I love the metallic color of this planter! I have two dogs that are nosy and like to get into all my plants so having a planter that's elevated is a must in my apartment
In-shower body conditioner/exfoliator from Lush - This is one of the best in-shower moisturizers for the cold weather months. It exfoliates your skin while also moisturizing it. It's marketed as one of Lush's "naked" items which means it is packaging-free, again reducing the amount of single-use plastics!
While most of my Christmas faves revolve around my Bambinos Registry plus diaper genies and baby bathtubs, for my little love who is due Christmas Day. Yet, for moi I would choose these beauties:
Pick A Pom hat from Anthropologie: I honestly tell my husband and family - pretty much you could get me a sock on sale at Anthro and I would like them, but I really do love this “change the pom pom” idea for this hat. It’s less than $40 (which for Anthro is pretty much a steal). Speaking of stealing I am sure my tween daughters will steal these from me, but it still would be fun!
The grandma in me is craving flannel sheets, these houndstooth babies are so pretty and pink and on sale!
For the kitchen- I need/want a new cutting board or two, and these are so pretty.
These are essential for me, and I truly love, love love this company. If you don’t have these wooden spoons, then I suggest you put these on your list, they are the best for cooking , stirring and pretty much everything, I have my whole family hooked on them. I also love this mission and family run operation- people who quit day jobs to build spoons are my inspo!
Because I love our R clients, I love these earrings from Hearne as my final pick. Bonus, by buying these, I will likely help a baby in Africa get some diapers and immunizations with the purchase too: Another bonus: I may still be pregnant on NYE but these pretties with an extra large maternity sweater will make me feel like I am a supermodel!
Tammy, R Accounting Guru:
“Save your money and make something and write a nice card (RPR accounting)”
