PR trends
R Mid-Year PR Regroup Tips
We've passed the half-year point and if your business hasn't gained the awareness and interest you want, it’s time to regroup. Many small businesses initially try to tackle PR themselves and quickly find out it’s not as easy as it seemed initially. But that doesn’t mean you have to shell out the big bucks to a large PR agency to find success. Here are some quick PR regroup tips to get your business going in the right direction as we start the last half of the year.
1. Start by asking questions
Look at the goals you made at the start of the year. Specifically, PR goals, but it’s worth looking at other business goals as well in case there are ways for PR to help you achieve them going forward that you didn’t consider before. Measure how far off-track you may be and why. For example, was it that your PR attempts just didn’t work, or did you get too busy and let them fall off? In the case of the former, consider what might have gone wrong and how you might improve. For the latter, you might consider whether a lack of PR will end up costing you more than what it might take to get some help in this area.
2. Keep your social media on point
Yes, this takes a lot of time, but small businesses should consider social media the low-hanging fruit so to speak. It’s a PR tool that’s more easily in reach to you and it’s a way you can go directly to your audience to build interest and awareness. Consider your audience and make sure you’re active on the platforms which they frequent. The caveat: you have to be interesting and relevant to get their attention. Give them a reason to share, and do it often!
3. Stalk your competition
Not really, well maybe. If PR is not in your wheelhouse, one way to spark ideas is to look at what your competition has done that’s been successful in this area, and where they’ve failed. Note where they pop up, what they promote, who’s talking about them, and what they are saying. Then figure out how those tactics might be of use for your small business. And, don’t just stop at competitors, consider other small businesses that are in your local area, or even better that complement you. Reach out to them, maybe you can partner on some collective PR or at the very least get some ideas on what’s worked for them. Entrepreneurs love to help other entrepreneurs succeed; they know firsthand how hard it can be out there!
Go from PR Regroup to Launch
We started out as a small business too and very much understand the need to build awareness and interest, but have a lack of time and money to put towards it. That’s why we created our Launch program for lifestyle brands such as restaurants, hospitality, retail, health and wellness, and non-profits. This 6-month program includes developing a brand identity, PR plan, and campaign for small businesses that qualify.
To learn more about how R Launch program can help your small business, click HERE to schedule a FREE Discovery Call today!
6 Ways to Prep Your Business for PR Success
You want to take your business to the next level and think that public relations (PR) can help you get there. First, you’re right! But before you hire a PR firm there’s some prep work you need to do to make sure you get the most out of the relationship and both of your time. Here’s what to do for your business's PR success.
1. Get your story straight
Not your story for the press but rather your brand story. It’s hard for a PR firm to promote your business if your message and brand identity aren’t clear. To do so create a mission and vision statement if you haven’t already. And craft your brand message which is the value proposition that you convey to your target audience. This will help firms like R’s to know how to pitch you to the media.
2. Know your audience
Speaking of your target audience, for your PR to be its most effective, you’ll need to clearly identify them, their characteristics, their pain points, and how they engage with brands. Without this knowledge, you’re shooting blind so to speak in how best to reach and connect with them.
3. Prepare your background materials
Yes, your PR firm could help with these things, but you’ll have to give them the information anyway so put your budget where it will count most - in your PR campaigns – and do this yourself. You’ll need to create a company overview, fact sheet, and executive bios to start.
4. Update your website
This is the most comprehensive reflection of your business, but it’s often the most overlooked aspect of brand identity. Firms like R’s can also help you in this area, but if you’re looking to hire someone that’s exclusively focused on PR, then your website may need to be tackled separately. But it should be updated to reflect your look and message before the PR firm starts sending media and new prospects to it. It can be helpful to add a newsroom to the site as well to make it easy to access your company overview and fact sheet, etc.
5. Get active on social media
You don’t necessarily have to be active on every platform available. Really it depends on the nature of your business whether it makes sense to be active on traditional platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn, a combination of these, or a different combination altogether. Ideally, you want to have a least some presence before beginning your PR efforts to make you more credible, but if that’s not the case what’s most important, as your new PR firm will tell you, is that you consistently post and engage on your accounts.
6. Define your goals
Quite simply, you need to give your PR firm some direction. We can do wonders, but we aren’t mind-readers so goals need to be defined upfront. The old adage of throwing ideas against the wall to see what sticks is not going to give you the results you want and deserve. Consider whether you’re interested in boosting awareness, increasing credibility, increasing brand engagement, and/or creating a more positive brand reputation. Firms like R’s can then take that direction to create measurable goals.
R team would love to help your business achieve PR success. Learn more about our public relations services and schedule your FREE Discovery Call today!
5 Ways PR Will Increase Your ROI
Increasing marketing ROI is paramount for any organization. Yes, it’s true you have to spend money to make money as the old saying goes, but the reality is you have to quantify the impact of those dollars or risk not just losing your marketing budget, but negatively impacting your organization overall. While in some areas of marketing, like advertising, it’s relatively easy to measure ROI, others, like PR, have always been harder to measure. As such the impact of PR often goes overlooked and underfunded. But make no mistake, PR will increase your ROI. Here’s how.
Measuring ROI
In general, ROI or return on investment in marketing is measured by determining how many sales, attendees, donations, etc. happened because of your campaign(s). Using advertising as an example, you could calculate ROI by determining the revenue you gained from a particular ad minus the cost of the ad divided by the expenses and multiplying by 100. It’s a relatively clear-cut formula.
On the other hand, PR has many roles such as boosting awareness, credibility, and engagement with your brand as well as cultivating a positive brand reputation, all of which are more intangible. What’s more, they are what you would typically consider top-of-the-funnel activities in the sales cycle rather than the bottom where the sale is closed. However, you can leverage them in bottom-of-the-funnel activities as well to prove their value in increasing ROI.
How PR Will Increase Your ROI
It’s still important to measure media placements as well as social, website, and search engine metrics, however here are five ways to leverage PR in more easily measured marketing and sales activities as well:
- Use media placements in campaigns – Don’t leave it up to your prospects to come across your media placements, make sure they know about it by including them in your marketing campaigns and/or using them as another reason to reach out. Typically, it takes five to seven touchpoints to ‘hook’ a prospect so to speak.
- Add to sales and marketing materials – Adding award wins, industry accolades, and other media mentions in these materials, especially where they highlight how your brand can help overcome key customer pain points adds tremendous credibility.
- Share on social media – Encourage employees to share media placements on appropriate social media channels to increase not just brand awareness but also sales. For example, Hubspot states that sales professionals with a strong social selling index on LinkedIn have 45% more sales opportunities than those who don’t and are 51% more likely to reach their quota. Make sure you’ve created and trained them on social media guidelines for your brand first though!
- Add accolades to signature lines – Adding clickable links to thought leadership, awards, and other media placements is a subtle way to increase credibility, awareness, and engagement for your brand. And not just in terms of sales, but it can help with recruiting and investor relations as well.
- Create testimonials – The fact that your sales team is closest to your customers and PR is closest to media is actually a beautiful thing. You can work together to create testimonials that benefit your brand overall as well as your individual goals. The ability to share happy customer experiences is priceless!
R team would love to help your organization increase ROI with PR. Learn more about our public relations services and schedule your FREE Discovery Call today!
3 Business Mistakes for PR Entrepreneurs to Avoid
Whether you’re starting a public relations business or are a PR entrepreneur already, you likely already know this type of work is not for the faint of heart. Both the PR industry and being an entrepreneur! When success feels like it’s riding on your shoulders alone, getting advice from someone who’s been there, done that can be invaluable. Here are three mistakes to avoid, courtesy of R founder and PR expert, Emily Reynolds Bergh.
- Not thinking of media as a client - PR without the media is like advertising without a headline. It won’t work. The media is essential to your success as a PR entrepreneur, but often we think of them more as a means to an end when we should be thinking of them as another type of client. With your PR clients, the relationship is everything right? The same is true for the media as it’s those relationships that determine whether your pitches are taken into consideration or tossed. Or worse, if you get off on the wrong foot, your press might not be as positive as it could be.
- Leaving leadership to chance - You may start out as a one-person shop, but as you build your business there will come a point where you have to hire. As a PR entrepreneur, you know you’ve got leadership in you, but in this business, it’s not just about delegating. It’s about finding the right people with the right skills and passion and then teaching them the art of our profession. Yes, you can learn PR skills in school but the art comes from experience, right? To start, be clear about your expectations and your vision, not just to potential candidates but to yourself as well. You can’t lead effectively if you don’t truly know what you want and/or don’t believe what you’re selling so to speak with your whole heart. Then focus on the goal, not the process. Too many entrepreneurs, in general, are so used to being ‘in the weeds” every day because they had to be when they started that they don’t know how to let go when they have support. Hire people you can trust to do their job and then stay out of their way so they can do it. You’ll have more time to be strategic and creative, to mentor them in the art of PR. Ultimately you’ll all be better for those things than whether or not they format their media list the same as you would.
- Not honing your contract skills - Can we all just collectively say “Ugh” here? Contracts are the least fun part of the business but they can cost your business the most if they aren’t given the attention they deserve. Never do business without a contract; it will burn you at some point. They are an essential safeguard for your business. But even having one won’t help if you leave out important details like your legal recourse if they don’t pay, for example. You’ll also want to clearly outline your scope of work. Otherwise, you’ll eventually have a client who will add on until the cows come home and you won’t be paid accordingly. It’s worth it to invest in a contract lawyer to advise you on verbiage and make sure you’re covered.
As what I call an “accidental” entrepreneur I have definitely made my fair share of mistakes. I probably could spill some tea about mistakes that I have witnessed too (we can save that for next time). But at the end of the day, they, aka those pesky mistakes, have helped me learn and given me some humility along the way, in addition to giving me the strength to stand up again and keep going. I would hope that if you are reading this and making some busines-owning mistakes of your own, that you will do the same. Keep the momentum going, learn, laugh a little, and move your ego aside so you can get real about the fact that we all make mistakes and we have to in order to really succeed. A woman I heard once at a conference called it “failing forward.” Think of your failures as moving you forward, and before you know it, they will!
San Antonio’s Top Influencers and How They Can Help Your Lifestyle Brand
Influencers have become an essential part of public relations strategy, not just for large brands, but for EVERY brand. In fact, the influencer industry is worth $5 to $10 billion according to Social Media Today which is even more amazing because the word itself was just added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 2019. But, regardless of how new, its ‘influence’ should be taken seriously in helping your lifestyle brand to get noticed. Here’s how they can help, along with 10 of San Antonio’s top influencers.
How Influencers Can Help Your Brand
Early on, influencers were primarily celebrities. But celebrity endorsements can be hard to come by and can be expensive. But there are plenty of ‘regular people’ who have built a rapport with their followers as experts on specific topics or in specific categories through their blogs or social media posts, for example. As such they are seen more like trusted friends or peers with credible recommendations on products/services that they actually use. Influencers can help your lifestyle brand by:
- Improving content strategy – With more avenues for fresh content that showcases your brand.
- Improving brand awareness – Through word-of-mouth which still has high engagement even when advertising is too often tuned out.
- Strengthens brand credibility – Because you’re associated with influencers your target audience trusts.
- Creates hype – Influencers are walking-talking endorsements that know how to attract attention.
- Boosts your SEO – With additional links to your targeted keywords.
San Antonio’s Top Influencers
Certainly, you want to find influencers with a strong following, but they don’t need millions to make an impact. Often, it’s those on a smaller scale (less than 500K) who have the most engaged followers which are perfect for lifestyle brands targeting specific niches or locations. Here are our top 10 San Antonio influencers (in no particular order).
1. @s.a.foodie | 274K Followers
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San Antonio native Amanda Spencer has won Best Instagram Influencer in the Current’s “Best of San Antonio” reader poll. She posts about food, travel, and more.
2. @quemeanswhat | 9,023 Followers
A 7th Generation Texan, Melanie Mendez-Gonzales explores Latino identity in and around San Antonio focusing on education, entertainment, and family life.
3. @stine.eats | 6,989 Followers
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Through her gorgeous photos, you can explore local eats and drinks with San Antonio foodie, Christine Wong, who also can’t resist the occasional fur baby shot.
4. @getfitwithashley | 134K Followers
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This fitness guru, Army veteran, and mom of three is here with fitness and food tips to help others get fit and be their best selves.
5. @SATX-Rated | 17.6K Followers
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Self-described “San Antonio’s Food & Fun Ambassadors,” follow them to learn about all the fun things to do in SA along with where to eat and drink.
6. @sanantoniostephanie | 14.1K Followers
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A finalist in MYSA’s "2022 Your SA Readers' Choice Awards" for Local Social Media Influencer, she posts about food, drinks, and fun in San Antonio.
7. @alamofoodie | 36K Followers
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Her bio promises “Experiences, bites, booze,” and that’s exactly what you’ll find on this influencer’s Insta.
8. @flicksandfood | 5,457 Followers
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Johnnie is always up-to-date on the latest goings on in San Antonio and beyond.
9. @liveitupsa | 30K Followers
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This influencer explores all the cool stuff to do in San Antonio, as well as sharing delectable eats and boozy treats with some fashion and art mixed in to boot.
10. @goodtastetv | 14.3K Followers
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Emmy-award-winning journalist and one of our fave clients, Tanji Patton, shares food, wine, and restaurant tips not just in San Antonio but all over Texas.
11. @siempre_sanantonio | 13.9K Followers
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One of the top TikToker’s in Texas (2,200,000 likes!!), you can always tell when she on your FYP sharing the next spot to check out when you hear “Hey, friends”!
12.@sanantoniomunchies |45K Followers
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Come to his page for the tasty food finds and stay for the memes and hot takes.
13. @salovelist |15.2K Followers
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From coffee to cocktails, Gabby’s tried it all and shared it on their page. Sometime their chi-oui-nie, Quebec, makes a guest appearance who has their own Insta too, at @badweenie.
14. @socializesanantonio |25.3K Followers
Jesse’s Instagram is puro San Antonio! Celebrating the city’s events and culture through food and fun, he shares all the exciting things happening around town.
15. @jesselizarraras |10.1K Followers
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The former Food + Nightlife Editor for the Current and now the Executive Producer at MySA, Jessica has her finger on the pulse of all things San Antonio.
16. @christina_coker | 23K Followers
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This mom of four and life and style influencer shares the latest style trends along with tips for staying beautiful and fashionable on a budget.
17. @saraharoundsa | 2,672 Followers
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Some of the best spots and best food photography can be found on Sarah’s feed. The San Antonio native knows where to find the hidden gems and local faves.
18. @jazzexploring | 6,787 Followers
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Looking for some travel or fashion inspiration? Jaslyn shares her journey’s via IG, also while dressing really cute!
19. @letsbinge | 4,365 Followers
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Feel like one of the Castillo sisters with all the shenanigans that goes down on their feed and in Instagram story’s.
20. @twentysomethingsa | 27.2 Followers
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Supporting local is what Twenty Something SA is all about! Through socially impactful content they highlighting businesses, creatives and the city’s unique beauty.
For R help with using influencers as part of your public relations strategy, Click HERE to schedule a FREE Discovery Call Today!
What Is a PR retainer and How Is It Used?
If you’re considering hiring a public relations (PR) firm, it’s important to understand the billing process. No one wants any surprises there, R we right? There’s hourly billing, of course, but you may also have the option of a PR retainer for the services you need. Which is the best fit for you? Let’s find out.
PR Retainers Defined
A PR retainer is a lump sum that you pay to a PR firm each month for the work they provide. The amount you pay depends on how much work you need to meet your PR goals and your budget, so it’s important to be specific about both early on in your communications with the PR firm. Your monthly statement should itemize any work performed as well as expenses that were not included in the retainer if any. You should also be able to request the right to approve any expenses over a certain amount before they are incurred.
Benefits of PR Retainers
There are a number of benefits to PR retainers including:
- Having access to a broad range of services from the PR firm
- Building a relationship with a dedicated team who knows your brand and goals
- Ability to achieve long-term as well as short-term goals with messaging and brand consistency
- Flexibility should you need more of certain services and less of others depending on a project or goal
- Better budget control because you know what your PR costs will be each month
When is a PR Retainer Best?
A PR retainer is an ongoing agreement between you and your PR firm, usually renewable on a yearly basis. Although different PR firms may have different terms. So, if your brand needs ongoing support to increase brand awareness and credibility, keep your target audience engaged, help generate leads, and/or maintain your positive reputation, a PR retainer could just be the way to go.
With a PR retainer, your firm will continually work on your behalf to consistently monitor the media in your target market(s), identify opportunities in which to pitch your products/services and share your announcements and news. R firm also considers it an opportunity to really get to know you, your brand, and your goals so we can work as an extension of your team for better efficiency and success.
This can also be helpful when things come along that you’re not anticipating like perhaps a product recall, customer injury or complaint, employee misconduct, security breach, or any type of negative press. It’s in these circumstances that time is of the essence and having an expert PR team at the ready can be invaluable.
On the other hand, if you have more one-off needs for PR services such as you already have in-house PR staff but have an overflow project that needs outsourcing. Or, perhaps you have a small company with too limited of a budget for ongoing PR. That’s ok too! Luckily, R expert team not only works by PR retainer but also offers a la carte services!
We’d love to see how we could help your brand! Learn more about our public relations services. Or, schedule a FREE Discovery Call Today!
So You Think You Need PR?
So You Think You Need PR? What Does That Really Mean and What Are You Signing Up For?
You’re an entrepreneur, a start-up, a small business, or a non-profit and you’ve been told you need PR to take your brand to the next level. But what exactly is PR? And if you enlist these kinds of services, what can you expect? Most importantly, how exactly can PR help your brand?
Here's R take on all these questions.
PR Defined
Most people assume that public relations (PR) is the same thing as marketing, but the two are actually very different. The goal of PR is to influence, engage and build a positive relationship and/or image with your target audience through:
- Corporate communications
- Crisis communications
- Investor relations
- Media relations
- Influencer relations
- Reputation management
- Event promotions
You’ll use tools such as press collateral, editorial placements, social media placements, media and influencer outreach, and list development as well as sponsorship and partnership coordination to do so.
The goal of marketing, on the other hand, is is to build awareness of and to promote/sell your product(s) and/or service(s) through:
- Brand marketing
- Advertising
- Content
- Search engine marketing
- Social media marketing
- Targeted marketing campaigns
- Conference and trade shows
Marketing uses tools such as sales collateral, blogs, websites, email, and direct mail to achieve that goal.
Clear as mud? The main difference is twofold. One, PR is typically not paid and thus requires cultivating and maintaining relationships with media and influencers. And two, as such you lack some control over the narrative with Public Relations, however it is often seen as more credible.
What You Can Expect from a Public Relations Firm
When you enlist a PR firm, they will help you to engage with your audience and maintain a positive public image using their expertise and relationships with media as well as influencer contacts to ensure your message(s) is covered in the right places at the right time. We R a boutique PR firm that has a number of benefits over large agencies including:
- Area of expertise – Boutique PR firms are focused in a particular area of expertise. For example, R firm lifestyle brands including those in the restaurant, retail, hospitality, health and wellness and startup industries.
- Personal touch – Large agencies often woo clients with senior staff and then pass you off to a junior team. With a boutique PR firm, you work with exactly the team you signed on with from beginning to end. What’s more, small businesses usually equal small fish for the large agencies and the amount of time spent on your Public Relations may reflect that. Yet you’re always number one with us!
- Less bureaucracy – The larger an agency is the more bureaucracy you’ll likely find. Boutique PR firms have more freedom to be collaborative, responsive, and adaptable to your needs, more like an extension of your own team. And here’s a secret, many boutique Public Relation firms, like Rs, are run by PR professionals who’ve left large agencies so they could get back to the work they love on their own terms!
- More budget-friendly - Large agencies may charge upwards of $500 an hour, however, boutique Public Relations firms may charge as little as $150 an hour. In addition to hourly billing, you may also have the option of a Public Relations retainer which is a lump sum that you pay for services each month. The amount paid depends on how much work you need to meet your PR goals and your budget – again also tack on overhead costs for larger agencies. R firm is mindful of budget for our clients and, in fact, offers a 6-month program known as Launch which includes developing a brand identify, PR plan and campaign for smaller brands who qualify.
Benefits of PR
There are so many benefits of PR, but at the same time, they depend on your goal(s). That’s why we always start with a Discovery Call because once we get to know you and learn your goals, we can create a proposal with a customized service outline that details the specific benefits of PR for your brand. But, in general, the benefits of Public Relations include:
- Increasing brand credibility
- Enhancing online presence
- Increasing brand awareness and positive brand image
- Increasing profits, sales, and leads
For R help with your PR, learn more about our public relations services. Or, schedule your FREE Discovery Call Today!
Gift Guide for Your Foodie Friends
Can you believe the holiday season is just around the corner? I know it’s still considered fall, but before you know it we’ll be in December and as some say, if you’re not early, you’re already late! If you have a food-obsessed family member or friend you’re shopping for, we’ve rounded up some awesome options like barbecue delivered to you, cookbooks to up your recipe game and plant-based probiotics to easily boost your diet.
We would love to be considered for any upcoming editorial coverage that may fit your needs for the holiday season! Would you please reach out should you need anything or have any questions? Thanks!
Davila's BBQ
Davila's BBQ,Seguin, Texas's barbecue from award-winning, third-generation pitmaster Adrian Davila, is offering to ship their 'cue to you! Through Goldbelly, you can order their amazing mesquite-smoked beef brisket, pork ribs, lamb ribs, and more right to your door from anywhere in the country. Davila balances sweet and smoky heat with a distinct Latino influence, characterized by Native American cooking techniques from the South Texas region. Perfectly pre-seasoned and smoked, all you have to do is throw them in the oven!
Davila not only keeps the tradition of the past alive in his restaurant but also in the pages of his cookbook, Cowboy Barbecue: Fire & Smoke from the Original Texas Vaqueros. In the book, he passes down the traditions of the vaqueros, the Latin American cattle herders who once roamed the plains of Texas and Mexico, and shares the stories of the Tejano community through food.
Visit them today!
418 W Kingsbury St; Seguin, Texas
830.379.5566
Tuesday through Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Closed Monday
Peg Leg Porker
Peg Leg Porker, Nashville’s must-stop barbecue spot for locals and tourists alike, will ship their 'cue to you! Through Goldbelly, you can order their amazing barbecue and more right to your door from anywhere in the country. Owner Carey Bringle’s BBQ is known for its addictive sauces and juicy, smoked-to-perfection pork ribs that are drenched with a spicy dry rub after they are cooked. Perfectly seasoned and smoked, all you have to do is throw them in the oven!
Not only that, Bringle is the only award-winning pitmaster and Bourbon ager in the world. To get his bourbon’s signature flavor, he starts with a Tennessee bourbon. Then, he filters it through hickory charcoal that he burns down in his pits at Peg Leg Porker. Working with smoke every day, Bringle understands it just like any other ingredient and uses its smoothness to add depth in barbecue and bourbon. His signature series features a 4-6 Year White Label, 8-Year Grey Label, 12-Year Black Label, and a 15-Year Pitmasters Reserve Tennessee Straight Bourbon. Learn more here.
And last, whether you’re a senior stoker of the flames or find your skills to be lacking, Bringle’s guide, BBQ for Dummies, teaches you the ins and outs of everything you need to be a professional pitmaster. It features over 50 recipes for marinades, rubs, injections, sauces, and more, plus the book provides tried-and-true advice on barbecuing and smoking. If you’re looking for a guide that shows you how the pitmasters really do it, look no further to unlock the secrets of great barbecue.
Visit them today!
903 Gleaves St; Nashville, TN 37203
615.829.6023
Monday & Tuesday: 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday through Saturday: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Small Town Cultures
When it comes to versatile, yet delicious plant-based ferments, Small Town Cultures is the way to go. Lake Placid, New York native and Founder, Cori Deans, began the business creating turmeric kimchi, fermented jalapeños, pickled red onions, preserved Meyer lemons, and more, initially for her inner circle and then in local farmers’ markets. Now the woman-owned, family-run business has expanded to shops all across the country. Top your tacos with their fermented sliced jalapeños, pop some chopped, fermented Meyer lemon on your fruit parfait, or give some bite to your next burger with their raw, fermented red onions. You can treat your tastebuds while catering to a sensitive stomach at the same time, improving both your health and mood through clean, healthy foods. For a location near you, try their “Find Us” locator.
Learn more about them!
https://www.smalltowncultures.com/
Instagram: @smalltowncultures
7 Ways Public Relations Can Improve Customer Experience
While there are many aspects of the customer experience, there’s one thread that links them all: communication. It’s the key to your customer relationships. And there’s no better way to build and nurture those relationships than through the strategic communications power of public relations (PR). It just so happens that PR is our specialty and we can show you just some of the ways it can help improve customer experience.
- Creating Your Narrative – Your customers need to be aware of your brand’s positioning as well as the benefit and value of your product/service in a way that resonates with them. PR can help you relay those messages effectively and consistently across multiple channels.
- Understanding Your Customers and Your Market – A big part of PR is knowing who your customers are, where they are and what drives them. Armed with that information, you can develop PR strategies that make sure your brand is in the right place at the right time with the right message.
- Using Customer Feedback to Your Advantage – A customer satisfaction survey is no longer the only way in which you’ll gain feedback from customers. It’s still important, for sure, but now you’ll receive customer questions, praises and complaints (hopefully not) through a number of channels including social media. PR is crucial here, in not only controlling the narrative – promoting the positive, anticipating needs and addressing concerns – but also in presenting an open, transparent and timely image of your brand.
- Showing Your Customers The Way – Through the customer experience that is. Your buyer’s journey likely has multiple steps and PR can help you direct your customers through those steps with communications tailored to provide the information they need when they need it.
- Keeping Customers Engaged – Once your customer buys, that shouldn’t be the end of the story. PR can also help you keep them engaged by making sure they are in the loop on new offerings, updates to your products/services and your brand as well as by providing content that’s relevant to them.
- Navigating a Crisis – Whether it’s a problem with your product/service, an issue in the industry, or an unforeseen event like COVID-19, crises can and will happen. In these circumstances, PR can literally be your lifeline with customers. The right PR communications strategy can help you effectively share information, address the impact to your customers, and let them know how you’re remedying the issue(s).
- Building Relationships Beyond the Customer – Direct communications with your customers is important, no doubt. But there’s a credibility that comes with your brand being presented in a positive light through outside sources as well. That’s why relationships with the media as well as influencers are so important. Cultivating as well as maintaining those relationships is a key component of PR.
R team has expertise in the restaurant, hospitality, retail, health and wellness, business, non-profit industries and works with lifestyle brands in Nashville, Austin, San Antonio, New York, or anywhere in between. We’d love to help improve your customer experience with PR. Learn more about our public relations services. Or, click HERE to schedule your FREE discovery call today!
R Frequently Asked Questions on PR Buzzwords
PR is all about generating ‘buzz,’ and perhaps that’s why there are so many buzzwords in the public relations space. But with that comes just as many questions and we always want R clients (and potential clients) to be in the know. So, we’re clearing up any confusion on what PR is, how it works and how it can benefit your brand with these FAQs.
What is public relations (PR)?
In general, public relations (PR) is the process of maintaining a favorable image and building beneficial relationships between an organization and the public communities, groups and people it serves. As such, PR is often referred to as ‘free advertising’ because it primarily includes earned media such as:
- Mentions in the news as well as reviews
- Positive comments from customers on social media
- High organic rankings on search engines
How is PR different from marketing?
The short answer. The primary difference between the two is that marketing is focused on promoting a specific product, service or idea; and increasing sales, while public relations is focused on maintaining a positive reputation for the company overall. Check out our recent blog to learn more.
What do PR people do?
People who work in PR have many different titles, but the goal is one and the same; to create and maintain a positive public image for their employer or client. They use techniques and strategies related to managing how information about an individual or company is disseminated to the public, and especially the media. For example, R PR services include:
- Campaign development and management
- Media relationships
- Influencer relationships and marketing
- Media training for staff
- Content creation
- Pitching
- Traditional and digital media placements
- Editorial advance placements
- Community partnerships
What are the benefits of PR?
There are a multitude of benefits for brands that implement effective PR strategies. We could go on for days, and that’s why we always start with a discovery call. Because once we get to know you and learn your goals, we’ll create a proposal with a customized service outline that details the specific benefits of PR for your brand. But, in general, the benefits of PR include:
- Increasing brand credibility
- Increasing brand awareness and positive brand image
- Increasing profits, sales and leads
- Enhancing online presence
What is lifestyle PR?
Practitioners who work in lifestyle PR, like R firm, specialize in brands within industries that include restaurant, hospitality and retail as well as health and wellness. All of the same PR goals, strategies and techniques still apply, but this segment of PR tends to focus on the things people aspire to have, to achieve or to maintain a certain lifestyle and the brands that can help them achieve that. Success in lifestyle PR requires a more inherently relatable and personal approach, which is why we love it so much!
What is the price of PR?
Large PR agencies may charge upwards of $500 an hour for their time, however, smaller agencies or consultants may charge as little as $75 an hour. The average hourly rate at a larger PR agency is currently between $150-$250 per hour. R founder, Emily Reynolds Bergh, explains the value boutique PR firms can offer, “As a small business, we are mindful that not everyone can spend big when it comes to PR. So, we also have lower budget options in which clients can apply. One is based on promoting a specific project. The other is designed to support a solo entrepreneur for 6 months by developing their reach and brand identity, as well as a PR plan and campaign to launch them into the market in which they seek to connect. The end game is long-term relationships, not just a mass press release. And that provides ongoing value for your brand (and us).” Learn more about PR pricing in our recent blog.
What is a PR retainer?
In addition to hourly billing, you may also have the option of a PR retainer for the services you need. A PR retainer is a lump sum that you pay to the public relations agency or professional each month for their work. The amount paid depends on how much work you need to meet your PR goals and your budget, so it’s important to be specific about both in your preliminary communications. Your monthly statement should itemize any work performed as well as any expenses that were not included in the retainer. You should also be able to request the right to approve any expenses over a certain amount before they are incurred.
What is Newsjacking?
When hiring a publicist, one technique in which you want to make sure they are skilled and experienced is newsjacking. Newsjacking is the practice of aligning a brand with a current event in an attempt to generate media attention and boost the brand's exposure. Brands create related blog content and social posts to instantly reach a wider audience. Essentially, if you see an article written about a competitor or someone with a similar brand, you can have your publicist reach out to that media contact and ideally get your brand included in a similar story or an update to the one you may have seen! How cool is that?
For R help with your PR, learn more about our public relations services. Or, click HERE to schedule your FREE discovery call today!
