Year: 2018

Meet Kelli, our newest member

Kelli FletcherBlog, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, The Clairemont Team, , , , Leave a Comment on Meet Kelli, our newest member

A decade ago my fiancé and I packed our bags and headed up the coast (15 hours to be exact) to Cambridge, MA. We did all the things one does while living in New England: picked apples, played in leaves, visited the Cape, cheered for Tom Brady…

While my other half dived into his law school studies, I continued down my PR-focused career path. It was 2008, and I was coming out of my first job with global PR firm, FleishmanHillard. I had spent a year and a half working under a strong leader that taught me all the great basics of PR. My accounts included Thomasville Furniture, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Cheerwine and Newland Communities, and my work on these clients solidified my interest in consumer public relations. Finding a job in 2008 was extremely hard. The recession had taken hold, and I was coming from a small town to a big city. Through a networking contact, I was put in touch with a very small firm that had some very big projects. I worked on contract for six months and was able to call some of Boston’s most popular companies my clients, including The Massachusetts Film Office, the Life is good Company and, my personal favorite, The Boston Athletic Association/Boston Marathon. 

From there, I transitioned to working with my sister. Having recently moved herself and her company to New York, she was serving small business clients in lifestyle and beauty. I learned to conduct desk-side meetings with editors at top magazines in NYC, advise on seasonal designs for jewelry and travel accessories and dabble in this new thing called…social media. That’s right. We kicked off blogs, twitter and Facebook for each of our clients.

Once my husband finished law school, we decided to stay in the Boston area. I secured a job at a locally-focused mid-sized firm working on accounts including Mohegan Sun, The Preservation Society of Newport County, Simon Malls, The Boston Wine Expo, FELD Entertainment and a handful of local restaurants and bars. I did everything from media list building to new business pitches. I staffed events and directed celebrities where to stand and smile. I met professional players from every Boston team, and I was able to taste the food and test the scene at some of the city’s newest restaurants.

I finished my New England “stint” at a fantastic national mid-sized firm. Their client roster was more tech-focused, but I felt the need for a change in my experience. The company offered an integrated approach for its clients, so I learned how to incorporate all aspects of communications including social, digital and marketing into my traditional public relations knowledge. This was extremely valuable as it’s now becoming the standard for many agencies.

I’ve stood in Fenway while it was empty. I shook Edleman and Gronk’s hands (Again, Pats fans? Anyone?). I watched the leaderboard for the Boston Marathon be changed manually in the pressroom of The Copley Hotel. I received exclusive tours through off-limit rooms in the Newport mansions. I.met.Martha.Stewart. But even more, I watched a city I loved grow while working among the smartest people in the biz.

Our three-year plan turned into 10, and along with these career milestones, we mixed in amazing friends and two babies. But, coming out of our 11th winter (40 feet of snow if you average 3.5 feet each season!), we turned to each other and said: “OK. What’s next?!” It wasn’t really a hard question to answer, as we were both born and raised in the Tarheel State. So we packed up our things and, as the song goes, headed down south to the land of the pines.

When returning to NC, there was little doubt as to where I’d try to bring my experience. I was going to offer it to Dana, the woman who taught me most all of the skills that allowed me to gain it in the first place. The mentor, who gave me my first job, guided me through how to do it and then set me free when it was time. So, here I am, home again, home again. And I couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of this team. I have no doubt they will teach me the ins and outs of this city that has grown two-fold since I drove away from it 10 years ago. I’m excited to make my new memories and reach my next round of milestones here at Clairemont Communications.

You can follow Kelli on Instagram @kbealefletcher

 

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Clairemont Goes Platinum

Cherith AndesAwards, Blog, Raleigh PR Agency, , , , Leave a Comment on Clairemont Goes Platinum

Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Garth Brooks, Barbara Streisand — these 20th-century musical moguls marked history with more than 30 platinum and more than 10 multi-platinum records — each.

While we may never build a Graceland or jumpstart a British invasion, Clairemont celebrated its own platinum milestone at the 2018 Sir Walter Awards.

Hosted by the Raleigh Public Relations Society, the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards of Excellence in Communication showcase exemplary campaigns and tactics by public relations and communication professionals. This competition is held annually and recognizes and honors practitioners who have achieved excellence in a variety of categories, as judged by an independent panel of judges. Winning entries receive a rank of silver, gold or  platinum, which is the highest recognition.

This year, Clairemont was humbled to receive a total of eight awards, including six platinum accolades, the most number of platinums awarded this year.

  • Platinum Award in Integrated Communications: “Babalu’s Grand Opening Rocks the Guac“
  • Platinum Award in Campaigns: Green/Sustainability – One Time or Special Event: “Briar Chapel’s Pepper Festival Turns 10”
  • Platinum Award in Campaigns: Special Events – One to Five Days: “Il Palio Fires Up at the James Beard House“ (This award received a perfect score.)
  • Platinum Award in Campaigns: Special Event – Media Event: “Western Governors University Comes to North Carolina”
  • Platinum Award in Tactics: Media Relations: “Talbots and Oprah Magazine Dress for Success“
  • Platinum Award in Tactics: Media Kit: “Il Palio’s Freshly Baked Media Kit”
  • Gold Award in Tactics: Videos – Broadcast/Web Commercial: “Wendell Falls Builder Spotlight Videos”
  • Silver Award in Tactics: Social Media: “The Vita Vite Lifestyle“

Thank you to our clients! It’s such a privilege to be able to do work we love for people and businesses we love.

Want to explore how we might cook up something great for your business? Drop us a line!

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5 Steps to Successful Influencer Campaigns

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , Leave a Comment on 5 Steps to Successful Influencer Campaigns

You’re done with your old mattress. Back pains, a weird lump, either too hard or too soft. Total Goldilocks moment. When you’re ready to seek your new, “just right” mattress, what do you do?

As it turns out, almost all of us would phone a friend. A research report by TapInfluence and Influitive indicates that 92 percent of consumers look to people they know as their leading source for recommendations.

That’s a hefty statistic that prompts any marketing strategist to consider tactics like influencer partnerships and influencer campaigns.

Quick marketing lingo crash course: In an influencer campaign, the company or brand partners with individuals who are considered leaders in their respective niches. Typically, these individuals have garnered a large following on social media and wield serious clout to sway behavior or opinion with their content. When done strategically, influencer marketing can move the needle in product visibility, positioning, desirability and sales.

But before you blow up the DM boxes of Instagram accounts, consider these five cornerstone elements to craft a successful influencer campaign.

The Right Platform

First and foremost, define your audience for your campaign or product. Don’t settle for generic buckets, like “women, ages 44-54 who have children.” Pinpoint several audiences or sub-audiences defined by behaviors, hobbies, seasonal wishes, websites they frequent and (here’s an interesting one) upcoming life stages. Future plans affect current decisions, my friends.

Determine which social media platform your audience frequents. For example, if I’m selling a Waterpik targeted to ladies in their 40s, I wouldn’t partner with a Snapchat influencer. In addition to demographics, product type will influence your social media platform. Instagram’s visual nature works perfectly for something like a fashion handbag line, while Facebook or YouTube better suits food products with opportunities for popular step-by-step recipe videos.

The Right Goal

Wade through the plethora of marketing metrics to determine your ideal end game. What does campaign success look like for your product? Is it a sales goal or does it trend toward engagement, awareness and visibility?

Then define your influencer campaign benchmarks. Are you optimizing these influencer campaigns for metrics including likes and shares? Click-through rates? Product purchases? Video views? Are you creating a sales funnel that begins with the influencer and then allows you to retarget web traffic? Define this process with a fine-toothed comb to pinpoint a clear path to purchase.

The Right Influencer(s)

There’s no shortage of stars and wannabe-stars on social media. Determine your ideal influencer’s criteria, such as followership, industry (and micro-industry), activity, connections and — of course — compatibility with your product. Reference your initial campaign to ensure a strong fit.

You can use database tools to help the search for influencers, such as Inpowered and Little Bird. But keep in mind that you’ll need to vet their findings manually.

You can also manually search Google and social platforms using creative combos of keywords, brand terms and location. At Clairemont, we maintain a strong network of relationships with influencers across several industries and regions, and often word-of-mouth recommendations from this group lead us to our next influencer connection.

The Right Offer

What are you asking the influencers to do? If working toward a sales goal, consider asking your influencers to pair their content with a promotional offer or coupon. Forbes.com cited a case study in which influencer marketing increased in-store coupon redemptions by 44.8 percent as opposed to the typical 15 percent redemption rate.

The Right Execution

That devil … he’s in the details, as we all know. Timing can prove a pitfall in hasty influencer campaign. Many influencers book partnerships for seasons such as the holidays far in advance. Careful planning for a campaign should address timing and fee structures as well as clearly define the types and frequency of content posted by the influencer.

Looking for some advice on your own influencer campaign? Drop us a line!
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Fear Versus Excitement

Clairemont InternBlog, Professional Development, The Clairemont Team, , , Leave a Comment on Fear Versus Excitement

“The only difference between fear and excitement is your attitude about it.” 

I have heard this saying, unknown in its origins, a few times. I found myself thinking about fear versus excitement as I sat in a small plane this past weekend. At 13,500 feet I was going to jump out of the plane and free fall for 60 seconds before gliding the rest of the way back to solid ground under a parachute. I love challenging myself and taking risks, and I have always wanted to skydive. However, in that moment I was struggling to gauge my feelings as the seconds ticked away and the plane climbed closer and closer to my jumping point.

Was I scared or excited?

Normally, I would not have so much time to think over my feelings. Most challenges in life pop up unexpectedly, unlike this thrill of a challenge that I had marked on my calendar for two weeks. Still, I do not think I fully considered the absurdity of jumping out of a plane. Then, with the actual fall looming in front of me, as the plane rose above the clouds and the plane door slid open, I had no choice but to fully confront the question of fear versus excitement. In that moment I realized the choice was entirely mine to make. “The only difference between fear and excitement is your attitude about it.”

I was tandem skydiving, meaning that a certified professional was strapped to my back, and they would pull the parachute and steer us to the landing strip. Just as we were about to jump, with my legs hanging out the side of the plane, my partner leaned down and said to me, “Remember to smile.”

For me, the only way I was returning to the ground would be under a parachute. Why let fear cloud an experience that could be entirely positive? So I decided to be excited and smile … and I helped myself by not looking down while sitting on the edge of the plane. When leaping into daily challenges and adventures, I think it is best to keep your head up anyways.

I loved every second of the free fall and could not believe the distance between my feet and the ground once the parachute opened. This was a thrill I could never forget, but it was also a lesson to take with me. Attitude is a choice, and when given a choice, I think it is better to choose the positive. Choose excitement over fear, determination over defeat and satisfaction over regret. Most people do not go skydiving every day, but every day has challenges and the opportunity to approach them with a positive and excited attitude.

Written by Clairemont intern Kaitlyn Karcher, a senior at UNC.

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A Spicy Peek into the 11th Pepper Fest

Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Real Estate PR, , , , Leave a Comment on A Spicy Peek into the 11th Pepper Fest

Spice and sweet heat. Bands and brews. Art and activities. Families and fun at every turn!

On September 23, 2018, Clairemont client Briar Chapel opened its Great Meadow park to host the 11th Annual Pepper Festival in partnership with Abundance NC. As one of the largest chef competitions in the Triangle, the Pepper Fest challenges top chefs and brewers to craft their most creative recipes using the locally bred and grown North Carolina pepper. This year’s Go Wild theme invited artisans to also showcase foraged ingredients to raise the awareness of North Carolina’s bounty.

Festivalgoers sampled a mouthwatering smorgasbord of bites and brews, from spicy mojitos to sweet pepper nut butter. The foodie roster featured culinary cornerstones ranging from Harvest 18, Saint Jacques French Cuisine and City Kitchen to Tribeca Tavern and creative food trucks. Award-winning brewers and distillers, such as Fullsteam, Mystery Brewing, TOPO, Carolina Brewing and Bull City Ciderworks, proffered a menu of zesty beverages, beers and liquor cocktails.

And this year, we crowned a new court of foodie winners!

2018 Pepper Festival Awards

Kids played the day away at Pepperpalooza, featuring bubble art, face painting and wacky storytelling. Guests jammed out to all-day bluegrass tunes from Elis Dyson and the Shambles, voted “Best Local Band,” along with ZamBamBooGee. This year’s festival welcomed a record 3,000 festivalgoers!

Best of all, the proceeds of the Pepper Fest benefit Abundance NC, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting sustainable food and fuels. We always love a good foodie festival, especially one that helps 200 local farmers who would not otherwise be in business!

Want to see some of our other fun work with Briar Chapel? Give it a gander!

Blog post originally appeared on BriarChapelNC.com. Cover image from Greg Stewart Photography.

 

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