Author: Jasmin Sessoms

The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 17 – #foodie

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , ,

When you think of your dream job, you may imagine laughter and happiness. I’m sure you would imagine having fun and flexibility to your work schedule and amazing colleagues to call your own. I have the pleasure of calling that my work environment. Each day, I have gotten the remarkable opportunity to work on multiple accounts and learn from the best in PR at Clairemont Communications.

Today I took a stab at what’s happening in the heart of downtown Raleigh. There are numerous exciting things to do downtown, but who would have known that there are a ton mouthwatering food festivals as well? Although I am a little bit of a foodie myself, today I got to take a deep dive into some of the excitement happening for a client interested in partaking in the fun.

Thank goodness for the Internet. Search engines are our friends, and my favorite find for this project is the food truck rodeo. More than 50 food trucks rally on Fayetteville Street to give area residents the opportunity to let their taste buds explore. Eleven blocks are filled with smells ranging from pizza to pork chops. Since the event is free and open to the public, there is ample opportunity to splurge on all of your favorites. Dates vary throughout the summer.

More into natural food? The Farm to Fork Picnic celebrates local food and local farms. Sponsors kick in to match farmers and chefs together for this large picnic of hand-crafted fresh spins on dishes. The inspiration for this event was the decline of farmers in North Carolina and the loss of farms in our state. Without farmers to work the crop there was no way to get it to our tables. Farm to Fork is a time to raise money for the training of new farmers. The proceeds go to the development of these training programs and Breeze Farms. Tickets go super fast, so be on the lookout early May!

What are your favorite foodie events in the Triangle?

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

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The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 16 – #pinterest

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Professional Development, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, ,

Today I had the opportunity to join a live streaming session on the importance of Pinterest. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard where users can share and display interests and ideas. People use boards to show wedding ideas, interior decorating tips or even their favorite recipes.

This Cision Webinar allowed me to learn a little more about the world of Pinterest as well as how to “Pin down a winning PR strategy.” Jennifer Cario, president of Sugar Spun Marketing, was the speaker for the session.

With 70 million active users, Pinterest continues to be one of the fastest growing social media channels. The website is more than just pictures; it has been described as an inspiration board where consumers can develop ideas for a project. Pinterest is attractive to its fans because there is an unlimited depth of content for users.

According to Cario, the average pin is one hundred times more viral that a tweet and typically receives 11 repins. I bet you’re wondering, “What does Pinterest mean to PR?” Well, let’s take a closer look.

Potential for website traffic 

Pinterest features pictures from different websites; link them to yours and receive instant traffic for similar photos or ideas.

Opportunity to brand a new trend and create content  content     

Since the popularity of Pinterest is constantly increasing, PR firms can benefit from seeing the latest trends on selected boards.

Discover co-opted content ideas         

You don’t have to create all the content that you pin on Pinterest. Ideas can be taken from boards and used for your next big pitch.

No cost to pin           

Choose from a carefully examined combination of sources to make your board come to life. Since it doesn’t cost to pin or join Pinterest, business owners are able to save money.

Ability to be a part of your target audience’s story                                       

Following accounts that may be targets could be an excellent PR move. You can tailor your boards to catch their eyes.

Pitch on boards boards

Have a new business lead? Create a board for the next event or client of choice, and see how quickly they respond.

Create “secret pin boards” within your agency 

Pinterest allows for secret lists of articles and resources on pages that only you and a selected few can see. Add your co-workers and let the creativity flow.

 

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

 

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What does a PR agency do? Real Estate PR Case Study

Jasmin SessomsAwards, Blog, Case Studies, Real Estate PR, , , , ,

In the spirit of #ThrowBackThursday, here’s a real estate PR case study that features a January 2012 article in the Wall Street Journal. The story was a result of the media strategy that Clairemont devised and executed for the client. Our team is proud to continue work with Nash-Newland and Newland Communities.

Client: Nash-Newland

Planning: Newland Real Estate Group based in San Diego and North American Sekisui House (Nash) based in Osaka, Japan formed a new joint venture in 2012, Nash-Newland, and acquired the largest operating portfolio of residential master-planned communities in the United States. The joint venture purchased the interests of the California Public employee’s Retirement System (calPERS) and the American Newland Communities in 28 master-planned communities, located in 15 markets and 11 states.

With the negotiations being highly confidential until the finalization of the agreement, NASH-NEWLAND turned to Clairemont Communications to devise a media relations strategy, counsel executives on when to release information about the joint venture and how to keep it confidential until the right time. Clairemont extensively researched what the real estate beat reporters of these outlets had written, the types of merger and acquisition stories they had produced and their professional backgrounds to determine who had experience covering similar joint ventures.

Objectives: The Clairemont team was tasked with getting news coverage under highly confidential circumstances. Specifically we identified the following as key strategies:

  1. Break the news in a national business media outlet. NASH-NEWLAND wanted the story to break in the outlet that would have the most significant business impact and reach the most readers without ignoring the other two considerations. Due to the complexity of the joint venture and assets involved, in addition to selecting the right media outlet, we needed to target a reporter who had enough understanding of the real estate industry as well as experience writing about the financial aspects of merges and acquisitions.
  2. Secure a trade story and garner coverage in five regional news outlets.

Execution: Clairemont was able to get the attention of Robbie Whelman at the Wall Street Journal with our first pitch call to him. Before telling him the companies involved, we could only share the types of organizations and give him an indication of the scope of the deal. He agreed to go under embargo, and from there we outlined the timing of our other outreach around the Wall Street Journal being issued. This included issuing a news release on Business Wire, pitching the story to additional media contacts and NASH-NEWLAND’s priority trade magazine contact.

Clairemont was also responsible for preparing media materials, answering questions from regional and other types of media. We worked with the NASH-NEWLAND executives on messaging, interview preparation, interview coordination and media follow-up needs.

Results: To the satisfaction of our clients, Clairemont secured a spot in the Wall Street Journal – the first choice to break the story- on the front page of the property report section. Additionally, we secured coverage in all of our priority outlets of Associated Press, Marketwatch and Bloomberg, as well as Reuters. Seven total stories appeared in these outlets, exceeding our goal of one national business article.

We exceed our goal of five regional stories with the placement of 11 articles. Additionally, there were 14 various online stories that were based on business and regional coverage.

This campaign earned Clairemont a Best in Division award from Raleigh Public Relations Society and an Award of Excellence from the North Carolina chapter of Public Relations Society of America.

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The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 15 – Dear Jasmin

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Wonderfully Random, , , ,

A Letter to my 18-Year-Old Self

Dear Younger Self,

Right now, I know you are focused on who likes you and maybe even how you will fit in at school. The summer is ending and college awaits you. I know that college seems intimidating and you fear rejection. Don’t fret, my dear, you will do just fine.

You fear disappointing your parents. I want to tell you that it will be okay. Your parents couldn’t be more proud of you. Everything you’ve ever wanted is over there on the other side.

There’s independence. Acceptance. There’s college and a career — one with dignity and a livable wage. There are friends ones that you will cherish; the best you’ll ever have. There is love, so much love from the ones that matter most. There are tests and trials. There is some failure. Oh, my darling, there are some rainy days. Some days you will feel so blue, know that trouble doesn’t last always and you will pull through.

Here’s what you need to know or what you already know but may not fully believe just yet:

What if I told you that next year you would step out of your circle of friends and run for Miss Sophomore, representing the entire class of 2015? What if I told you that you would win? What if I told you that this accomplishment would open so many doors for you in the university?

How about if I told you that in three and a half years you would graduate early with honors? Jasmin, you are the first in your family to finish in less than four years.

What if I told you that on your graduation day, your future boss would send you an email requesting to meet you? What if I told you that in two short weeks you would enter the working world with a full-time job? That one email would be the start of a brand new career.

So walk on campus with your head high and shoulders back. It will all come together soon.

With all of my love,

Your older self

 

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

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The Beauty of Raleigh PR: Day 14 – #jobsearch

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Professional Development, , , ,

As I neared graduation, I had mixed feelings about finding a “real job.” I did a plethora of job searches on Indeed.com, and although there were hundreds listed, I couldn’t find anything that didn’t require two to five years of experience.

Left feeling blue, I applied all of my critical thinking skills acquired in school. How could I find a job that would be the best fit for me? Whether you are a student seeking a job or a business professional ready to jump ship from your current position, I think you can relate to the difficulty of the job hunt.

I knew that if I could capture a prospective employer’s attention, I could at least get my foot in the door. I took to the web to find methods to enhance my resume and my interview skills. Here are a few tips for any college student approaching graduation in May or job seeker simply needing a refresher:

1. Use your network.

I find that a lot of times people are petrified to ask for help. I was very active on campus and always reached out to my mentors as well as former professors. It’s important when looking for a job to tap into your networking skills.

2. Create a resume that stands out from the crowd.

Invest in a resume that clearly conveys your skills. I think that you can remove unnecessary information and only reference skills that will help you land the job.

 3. Know your strengths and your weaknesses.

I created a simple pitch highlighting my accomplishments, why I am different and what skills separate me from the bunch.

 4. Don’t be afraid to contact the CEO of the company.

Although it may be difficult to find the president’s information, I have found success in connecting directly with the company owner or boss. With a little luck, they might actually enjoy your conversation, expedite the application process and invite you to interview.

 5. Follow up.

After making your initial contact, don’t hesitate to email or call to follow up. The new acquaintances that you make could possibly lead to your next opportunity.

 

Editor’s Note: Clairemont enthusiastically welcomes Jasmin Sessoms to our team! Follow this former beauty queen’s journey as she documents her first 30 days in a Raleigh PR agency.

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