Year: 2022

April is National Volunteer Month

Clairemont InternBlog, In Our Community, , ,

Do you volunteer? Or have you ever thought about volunteering? Well, this is the month to start. President George H.W. Bush started the 1000 Points of Light campaign in 1991 which established April as National Volunteer Month.

National Volunteer Month is all about recognizing the importance of volunteering and thanking those who have donated time and energy to worthy causes. Many organizations would fail to exist if it weren’t for volunteers, especially non-profits. Therefore, we need to do our part!

How to celebrate National Volunteer Month:

  • Thank a volunteer. If a volunteer has made a difference in your life, tell them.
  • Sign up to volunteer. If you’ve been putting this off for a while, try now! Keep reading to get ideas on where and what to do!

Some ways that Clairemont has given back are by supporting a few worthwhile organizations, including the Green Chair Project, Triangle Family Services and Saving Grace.

The Green Chair Project

The Green Chair Project is a nonprofit that “reuses donated furnishings for people facing the challenges of homelessness, crisis or disaster.” In Wake County, there are more than 87,000 residents living in poverty. However, there has been a total of 103,134 hours of volunteer service towards helping families live in well-equipped homes. Green Chair Project volunteers have a variety of responsibilities. For example, working in hospitality, processing donations, curating décor, assembling home bundles, beautifying buildings and warehouse assistance. If you would be interested in helping with any of these, email kirsten@thegreenchair.org or visit this link! 

Triangle Family Services

The mission of Triangle Family Services is to build a stronger community by strengthening families. They do this by offering programs focused on family safety, financial stability and mental health. As a result, our local community and growing youth will lead better lives. For more information about volunteering, email info@tfsnc.org.

National Volunteer Month

Saving Grace

Saving Grace is the place where animal lovers come together to help find adoptable dogs and cats in need of a second chance. Saving Grace follows a 6-step procedure:

  1. Find dogs and cats (and some farm animals!) that need a second chance and rescue them
  2. Transport the animals to Saving Grace
  3. Treat the animals for medical issues and provide some bathing and grooming services
  4. Find homes for the animals
  5. Follow up with the adoption transition

This organization would not exist without volunteers! There are opportunities available working at the farm, with transportation of animals, medical support, social media, adoptions, administrative support and photography. There is also a need for foster families. Go here for more information on how to register to be a volunteer.

Interested in more ways to help but don’t know how? 

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community, and it helps expand your network and learn and grow new skills, all while improving other people’s lives. If you were ever looking to make a difference, the time is now. We encourage you to utilize these past few days of National Volunteer month to set your intention to volunteer and research opportunities that appeal to you!

By Clairemont intern Ali de la Vega

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User-Generated Content: Your 2022 Marketing Key

Dana PhelpsBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , ,

User-generated content is the strongest marketing tool you’re not using.

Amidst a tumultuous social political and economic landscape, people are craving something they can trust. Research shows that transparency and authenticity are the leading social currencies for consumers. In fact, according to Stackla, 90 percent of consumers evaluate authenticity when deciding to purchase from a brand, and Label Insight points out that 94 percent of consumers are more likely to support a brand that offers transparency. Quippy taglines or eye-catching visuals alone will no longer forge a meaningful and lasting connection with your audience.

User-Generated Content: Transparent Talk

User-generated content (UGC) provides that unvarnished, unedited peek into the experiences and words of “people just like me”. UGC consists of pictures, videos and quotes directly from current customers. A well-curated library of UGC automatically showcases a variety of demographics offering brand advocacy that consumers know isn’t paid or polished. UGC can build your brand champion base as well as educate your audience about the daily uses of your product. And as a considerable benefit, User-generated content is easy to maintain and relatively inexpensive (or free) in comparison to paid advertising or influencer partnerships.

The proof is in the pudding on this one. Stackla shares that consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view UGC as authentic compared to content created by brands, and 79 percent of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. Now is the time to focus on your UGC strategy, strengthen customer loyalty and broaden your market share.

Curating the Content

The online realm is ripe with avenues to effectively gather UGC from customers, brand champions and even employees themselves. When crafting a UGC campaign, gather content for a social media platform that highlights not only your product but also the product’s adjacent lifestyle. For example, a women’s fashion shoe brand won’t just show photography or videos of its latest stilettos; it might also showcase the pumps in a snazzy wine bar at a girl’s night out, on date night or in a posh salon—hinting at the social cache that comes with wearing these shoes. To start using user-generated content:

  • Launch a branded hashtag on social media: ask followers to share experiences marked by a hashtag. Instagram is the front-runner platform for a hashtag campaign, followed by Twitter and TikTok. Create a consistent ethos for your campaign with a corner overlay or border for UGC reposts.
  • Roll out an email campaign: directly ask fans for their pictures, videos and quotes.
  • Leverage a landing page or personalized app: craft a contest, challenging fans to submit their best take on your product for a chance to win swag, experiences and discounts.
  • Tap product reviews: encourage photos in reviews for a one-stop shop. (Fun tip: More than 70 percent of consumers say they look at product reviews prior to purchase.)
  • Host a daily photo challenge: make each 24-hour period an opportunity to submit fresh takes (like this one from GoPro).
  • Create a TikTok challenge: for richer content complete with ready-made music, sound effects and built-in video editing.
  • Gamify the goods: require users to complete a series of tasks (including submitting content!) to earn rewards.

Utilizing Your User-Generated Content

The beauty of UGC is its versatility and applicability throughout the customer relationship, and options abound for how to leverage your UGC library. Once collected, certain content formats perform better on various platforms. Facebook, for example, works best for longer-form video, which can also be featured in paid ads for greater and more targeted reach. For shorter-form content, use the Regram app to repost to Instagram. Share Reels and challenge followers to “react to this person’s video” or ask them to repost as a duet.

But don’t be afraid to branch beyond social media. UGC can be featured on employee uniforms, fan swag or product packaging. Connect with brick-and-mortar foot traffic by spotlighting images in your store (checkout lines, store backdrops and even floor decals).

While UGC yields impact at every stage of the buying cycle, stats show that it is distinctly effective at the final stage of the journey—the tipping point where consumers are weighing options. For example, include UGC photos on the landing page for a specific product that garners ad traffic. Feature quotes on an abandoned cart landing page or email. Build review testimonials into a nurture campaign for warm audiences.

Important note before posting any user content:

Be sure to ask your consumers’ permission before sharing their content. If launching a formal campaign, build in a consent form in the entry process, or reach out to individuals via direct messages. Ensure that you also confirm how they would like to be credited, especially if sharing content across multiple mediums.

Ready to beef up your UGC strategy? Email us for a consult!

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TBJ features Wendell Falls and Spectrum Companies

Olivia NolesBlog, Clairemont Client News, , , ,

Clairemont client Wendell Falls, a master-planned community in Wendell, NC, is expanding with a multifamily site with Spectrum Companies.  

In early March, Spectrum Companies and FCA Partners purchased 27.5 acres on the eastern edge of Wendell Falls. Spectrum Companies plans to bring 315 apartments and 50 townhomes to the growing community. The multifamily site will also include amenities, such as a fitness center, saltwater pool, pet park and more.

Clairemont secured coverage for Wendell Falls and Spectrum Companies in the Triangle Business Journal. In the article, Steve McClure, SEO of Spectrum Companies, shares details about the multifamily site plan and Spectrum Companies’ excitement about becoming a part of Wendell Falls.

Read the full article in the Triangle Business Journal and check out other recent Wendell Falls features.

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PR + Marketing in a Post-COVID World

Dana PhelpsBlog, Hiring a PR Firm, Marketing, , , ,

Things have changed. Has your marketing strategy followed suit?

The COVID-19 pandemic has left indelible imprints on every sector of life. Social values, beliefs and behavior patterns have evolved as people reevaluated what they truly want and who they trust to partner with them.

As communication professionals, you can no longer rely on the stalwart strategies, formulas and personas that guided your pre-pandemic marketing strategy. Growth won’t spring from a dry well. Instead, it’s time to rediscover your customer base and the most effective means to meet their needs. Things have changed… and so has marketing in a post-COVID world.

Your Audience Demographic Has Changed

Start with the basics and rebuild your audiences’ demographics and psychographics. Granted, many of your trends might remain the same, but according to McKinsey, a surprisingly 36 percent of consumers are experimenting with new products or brands — including yours. One plastic surgery center, for example, noticed a dramatic increase in its male clientele from 10 to 25 percent during the pandemic, spurred by the rise of self-reflection on Zoom. Likewise, has your consumer base shifted to include a new audience segment since 2020? Ensure that you’re precision-targeting active, warm audiences that find value in your product or service.

Your Audience Location Has Changed

While buildings are still standing, brick-and-mortar shopping took a significant hit during COVID, a trend that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. According to Deloitte, online grocery shopping grew 40 percent year-over-year during the pandemic; Chipotle saw a 134-percent growth on digital orders, and Walmart saw a 79-percent online increase in the latter half of 2020 alone.

The familiar faces in your store have now transformed into IP addresses on your webpage, and with such a migration, companies need to perfect their audience’s online experience. In addition to investing in e-commerce, online chat support and strong SEO, work to increase high-quality touchpoints across multiple channels. Kasaa revealed that 70 percent of consumers use three or more channels when researching a purchase, and nearly 14 percent of consumers shop on social media, according to Deloitte. So if you’ve been waiting to dive into Instagram Reels or TikTok as a nurturing tactic or sales channel, now’s your time. 

Also, use this opportunity to snag a bigger piece of the content pie. Create, target and remarket DIY and how-to blogs, videos and podcasts to snag more of your audience’s virtual attention; since they’ll be online anyways, they might as well be reading your content, valuing your expertise and falling in love with your brand!

Your Audience’s Motivation Has Changed

At first, virtual shopping increased out of necessity and safety, and 75 percent of U.S. consumers changed their purchasing behaviors. Now, nearly two years later, people have grown accustomed to the ease and speed of online shopping, making accessibility the leading motivation for buying, according to McKinsey. The bronze and silver medals for purchase drivers were safety and value; people put a premium on health and hygiene along stretching each dollar further amidst an unpredictable economic climate.

Audit your connection points. Are you readily offering the products or experience you promise? If products are backlogged, slow or unavailable, audiences will look elsewhere. Under-gird your messages with transparency, showing your company’s commitment to safety, health and social responsibility. Ensure you are offering strong value and highlighting the quality that the consumer gains from your brand. 

Now what?

Dig into your data. Pore over the items you already have in place (Google Analytics or purchasing records, for example) and launch data collection methods to garner new insights:

  • Interview customers in-person or over the phone with open-ended questions.
  • Provide concise surveys via email to recent buyers or conduct web exit surveys when a consumer leaves. (Use quick, single pop-up questions on this one.)
  • Carve out a strategy for meticulous social listening; through basic grounded theory research, you can mine a wealth of information from your social media comments and online reviews.
  • Interview your front-line personnel regarding their customer interactions.
  • Track the customer’s digital journey using Google Analytics.

And…

Partner with an expert.

We’re here, and we’re adept at helping you craft a PR, marketing communications and social media strategy to reach these ready-and-waiting audiences. Ready to tackle the next steps in your growth?

Drop us a line!

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Clairemont wins gold at the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards

Olivia NolesAwards, Blog, , , ,

Photograph by Derrick Bryant at One Vision Photography

Hosted by the Raleigh Public Relations Society (RPRS), the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication recognize and 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. Clairemont received a total of eight awards at this year’s Sir Walter Raleigh Awards.

Clairemont earned five gold awards for the following campaigns:

Clairemont earned three silver awards for the following campaigns:

We are beyond grateful to work with so many amazing partners, clients and industry friends. Contact us to learn how we can work on award-winning communications campaigns with you.

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