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Category: Blog

Quality Over Quantity: Why I Stuck with Clairemont

Quality Over Quantity: Why I Stuck with Clairemont

February 13, 2018January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Raleigh PR Agency, The Clairemont TeamClairemont Communications, creative PR agency, interns, PR Internships, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency

It wasn’t long before I knew I really liked working at Clairemont. Within the first week, I dove head-first into follow-up calls, blog posts and coverage reports – the building blocks of PR that I’d practiced in classes and previous internships.

James Huff, chef at Babalu Tapas & Tacos, teaches WRAL’s Kathy Hanrahan how to make its delicious guacamole in the week before the restaurant’s opening.

What captured me most about Clairemont, however, was the opportunities it provided me to interact directly with clients. On my second day, I met a Clairemont team member at Babalu Tapas & Tacos, a Chapel Hill restaurant for which Clairemont planned a grand opening. I witnessed media interviews, listened to Clairemont strategize with the Babalu marketing team and talked with the owner about his journey to Chapel Hill.

In essence, I quickly learned that Clairemont was a good fit for me.

Throughout the fall semester, I gained on-site experience with various clients and strengthened my writing, pitching and researching skills. I felt challenged and excited by the work; I felt proud of what I produced and eager to learn from the Clairemont team. Clairemont’s welcoming and intimate environment allowed me to feel not only part of the team but also at home.

So, naturally, I didn’t want my time with Clairemont to end when the fall semester did. I decided to extend my internship through the spring semester, a decision that marks the purpose of this post. Aside from simply enjoying the workplace, there are valuable reasons to lengthen an internship, especially one with a PR agency.

Why Stay?

Students pose with Andy Valkanoff, owner of Triangle Dairy Queen, who launched their award-winning Blizzard contraption at the DQ Upside-Down or Free Competition.

Improve the quality of your work: Products you create are stronger and completed more quickly when you know what your clients need and what your supervisors expect. You learn these things with time, so the longer you stay with an internship, the faster you’ll be able to churn out work that satisfies those needs.

Deepen the nature of your work: Fully understanding your clients and their PR needs can take months. With that sound familiarity under your belt, you can deepen your involvement with them by taking on bigger projects and greater responsibilities. You may even play a larger hand at strategizing campaigns for clients, which furthers your experience as a PR pro.

Strengthen connections: It’s no secret that relationships also develop with time. Lengthening your internship experience allows you to cultivate client relationships that are built on communication, understanding and trust. You’ll also strengthen connections with your coworkers and supervisors, who serve as mentors on the job and key resources for career guidance.

The Clairemont team showcases its hard work recognized at the 2017 Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication.

Moreover, deciding to stay with an internship signals that you’re in tune with yourself. As you move through different work experiences, you discover which elements create your dream workplace. Especially in the PR world, no two agencies operate identically; each has its own culture, clients, specialties, employees … you get the picture. Embrace the variety, and recognize when an internship aces your checklist.

I’m thankful for Clairemont’s significant role in my blossoming PR career. It’s great to be back.

Written by Clairemont intern Elizabeth Comtois, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill.

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What Does a PR Agency Do? DQ’s Miracle Treat Day

What Does a PR Agency Do? DQ’s Miracle Treat Day

February 8, 2018January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternAwards, Blog, Case Studiesaward winning PR, case study, PR Agency, raleigh restaurant PR, Restaurant PR, Triangle Dairy Queen

Triangle Dairy Queen has grown to be the largest DQ franchise in Wake County since Andy Valkanoff founded it in 2005. In 2016, Triangle Dairy Queen celebrated its 11th annual Miracle Treat Day as part of a nationwide fundraiser that supports more than 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals across North America. On Miracle Treat Day, proceeds from Blizzard purchases at Triangle Dairy Queen locations are donated to Duke Children’s Hospital for research, care and family support programs.

Strategy

Looking to drive traffic to Triangle DQ locations to raise funds on Miracle Treat Day, Andy turned to Clairemont Communications to create a media relations campaign. Our objectives were to build awareness of Miracle Treat Day and help drive traffic to Dairy Queen locations by securing media placements, community calendars posts and media and blogger coverage on social media. 

Fans visit Triangle Dairy Queen on Miracle Treat Day!

Execution

To drive traffic to Dairy Queen locations on Miracle Treat Day and raise money for Duke Children’s Hospital, Clairemont chose to craft a news release to share with

local media contacts. We recognized that a release would provide the most concise and efficient vehicle to communicate the full story of the event and maximize coverage opportunities to media and influencers – especially when partnered with targeted and personalized pitches. A release would also allow us to easily share the event on community calendars and news release sites to increase visibility and attract potential customers to the restaurants. 

Results

Clairemont surpassed its original objectives, securing leading media placements, including in our state’s most read paper, The News & Observer, and an exclusive feature story with our ABC TV affiliate. We also secured prominent posts on community calendars and across social media. Miracle Treat Day was a strong success for Triangle Dairy Queen and continues to be part of its ongoing legacy.

The work Clairemont Communications conducted in partnership with Triangle Dairy Queen won an Award of Excellence from the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America. It also won a Silver Award in PR Writing from the Raleigh Public Relations Society. We are proud that this campaign represents two of the 175 awards we’ve received since starting Clairemont in 2010.

To read more about the work we do with clients, please visit the case study section of our blog.

*Cover image courtesy of Dairy Queen.

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Meet Jessica, Clairemont Intern

Meet Jessica, Clairemont Intern

February 6, 2018January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, The Clairemont TeamClairemont Team interns, Introduction, Public Relations

I am an extrovert. That word tends to get misused quite a bit, but the bottom line is this: I love to help people thrive.

Meet Jessica

My name is Jessica Winesette, and I’m excited to be one of Clairemont’s newest interns! I’m a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) majoring in public relations at the School of Media and Journalism. I am also minoring in philosophy, politics and economics.

So what does a typical day look like for me in the “Southern Part of Heaven” (aka Chapel Hill)?

Quick answer: there’s no such thing as a typical day!

What I love about my time at UNC is that every day holds different opportunities to seize and different people to meet. I am a student leader with Cru Campus Ministry and have been lucky enough to lead a Bible study with some sophomores that have become like family. I live with seven of my best friends, and, needless to say, there is never a dull moment. I have also danced with Blank Canvas Dance Company since my second semester at UNC. Finally, I’ve participated in multiple special campaigns at UNC, such as Carolina Justice Week, International Friends and Electionland. In summary, I stay pretty busy!

Making Magic

As incredible as my time in Chapel Hill has been, there is one time in my college career that stands out above the rest. Last spring, I took a semester off of school to participate in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida! It was such a great character-building experience, and as you can imagine, also a blast. I did work in Disney World, after all!

My job as a Vacation Planner allowed me to have constant guest interaction and definitely helped with my conflict resolution skills. They might call it the Happiest Place on Earth, but I assure you, not everyone there is happy. Nevertheless, this gave me a perfect opportunity to address guest complaints and handle a variety of difficult situations with tact.

Why PR?

Public relations is something that I don’t think I fully understood until I was an upperclassman. I actually declared PR as my major during my freshman year but only started to truly appreciate and become excited about it during my junior year. As I learned more about the diverse functions of PR from my incredible professors, I became enthralled with the dynamic and ever-changing field.

I am excited to spend my career building mutually beneficial relationships with clients and their publics. Ultimately, my passion for working with people and building them up naturally pointed to a life in public relations.

Why Clairemont?

The incredible creative energy that flows throughout the Clairemont House is undeniable. I am inspired by all of the women that I work with and their dedication to taking care of their clients. I also appreciate the smaller size of Clairemont, as it makes me feel like an integral part of the team and allows me to have my hands in a little bit of everything. Just like my time at UNC, no two days at Clairemont are the same, and I’m eager to see what each new day is going to bring!

Written by Clairemont intern Jessica Winesette, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill.

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What Does a PR Agency Do? Our Coffee Cares Video

What Does a PR Agency Do? Our Coffee Cares Video

February 2, 2018January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternAwards, Blog, Case Studiesaward winning PR, Clairemont PR agency, PR Agency, PR video, Raleigh PR, wendell falls

Newland Communities, the country’s most prominent privately held residential developer, unveiled its newest master-planned community – Wendell Falls – in the spring of 2015. Wendell Falls is situated in a relatively undeveloped section of Wake County, and when it experienced a lull in traffic, Newland turned to Clairemont Communications to re-engage prospective homebuyers and increase interest during slower winter months.

Strategy and Execution

As part of a larger strategic approach, Clairemont crafted a campaign that leveraged a foodie trend by highlighting Grounds Café, the on-site cafe, and its sustainable approach to sourcing. Clairemont created a video targeting food influencers as well as homebuyers in the Triangle with the objective of ultimately helping increase interest and traffic at Wendell Falls in the month of December by 50 percent, as compared to 2015.

This story would create an additional cultural appeal beyond just housing products. But instead of relying on editorial articles or paid advertising, Clairemont chose to also tell the story via a video featuring personal interviews. Visual mediums like this are easily sharable and have proven to generate higher interest from viewers as well as produce higher engagement on social media.

Results

The Grounds Café video secured the highest number of views for any Facebook video at that time posted by Wendell Falls. In addition, Wendell Falls experienced a distinct uptick in traffic, experiencing an 81.6 percent increase in December 2016, as compared to December 2015. Since then, we’ve converted followers into fans; Raleigh influencers and foodies regularly visit Grounds, posting pictures and touting Wendell Falls to their 50,000+ followers on social media.

The work Clairemont Communications conducted in partnership with Wendell Falls earned an Award of Excellence and a Best in Category from the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America for our video “Our Coffee Cares.” It also received a Gold Award in Video/Podcast/Videocast from the Raleigh Public Relations Society. We are proud that this campaign represents one of the 175 awards we’ve received since starting Clairemont in 2010.

To read more about the work we do with clients, please visit the case study section of our blog.

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Meet Kennedy, Clairemont Intern

Meet Kennedy, Clairemont Intern

January 30, 2018January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Fashion, The Clairemont TeamClairemont Team interns, communications jobs, fashion blogging, PRSSA, Social Media

Sprite and Hewlett Packard have a couple of things in common. One, they are global companies, and two, they asked me to partner with them on campaigns this past summer.

Meet Kennedy          

My name is Kennedy Norton, and I’m a junior at NC State University studying communications with a concentration in public relations, as well as minoring in design studies.

You will probably find that I am not your typical college student. In addition to being a full-time student, I am the marketing/PR coordinator for a planner company based in Charlotte, Kahootie Co. I’m also a blogger! I have a fashion and beauty based blog named Enticingly Haute. I have crafted campaigns with Sephora and Neutrogena, taken over T.J. Maxx’s Instagram story for the day and will complete a campaign with Ulta Beauty at the end of this month. Last but not least, I’m Clairemont Communication’s newest PR intern.

 

Social Media Savvy

My favorite class assignment to date was giving a speech on why I believe that Instagram is the best social media platform. I adore social media and the communication it affords me. I started a blog to share outfit ideas and beauty tips with my friends and family. Enticingly Haute took off in ways I could have only imagined. Kahootie Co. loved my Instagram presence of 20,000+ followers at the time and reached out wanting me to work on its social media and communicate with its buyers. I love people and building relationships with them. It’s what made me choose my major and easily share so much of myself through my blog; it’s also why I think I’ve had success in creating meaningful and impactful social media content.

Why Clairemont

As the PR director for the NC State PRSSA chapter, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Clairemont’s own Tracy Lathan. Tracy is passionate about what she does, and after hearing her speak multiple times at PRSSA events in Raleigh, I needed to find out more about Clairemont.

This agency could not be more perfect. The women here are driven and excited about what they do. The less than 10-person team is a homey and hands-on experience. I truly feel a part of the team here at Clairemont; you can’t walk around this house without feeling inspired to think up a new idea or to create something. This agency makes me that much more excited about my major and will give me an outlet to continually grow my love for social media and people while offering opportunities to develop knowledge for a lifetime.

Written by Clairemont intern, Kennedy Norton, a junior at North Carolina State University.

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clairemontcommunications

Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media platform? It’s called Threads, and it’s being referred to as “the new Twitter.” Read everything you need to know about Threads in our latest blog post - link in bio!
SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc (client) today, and rumor has it that @blah2voila has already been hamming it up with Dell! We know you want a selfie with Dell to post on Pigstagram, too!
We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of P We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of Public Relations Consultants Group, allowing us to offer clients expertise and support across the country! Clairemont founder, Dana Phelps aka @blah2voila, recently attended the PRCG conference in Oklahoma City.
2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Comm 2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Communications! Visit our blog for the full 2022 year in review!
As communications professionals, we wear a variety As communications professionals, we wear a variety of hats to meet our clients’ needs.
 
We’re writers, social media managers, photographers, marketers, editors, content creators- the list goes on and on.
 
Check out our recent blog post to learn what @olivia.noles , account coordinator here at Clairemont, does on a weekly and monthly basis.
#communicationsagency #communicationsmajor #pragencylife #pragency #raleighpr
This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voi This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voila , will be speaking at the 2022 @nc_prsa Strategic Communication & MarCom Conference! Phelps is a repeat presenter at this annual conference, and this year she is leading a session called Growing from Communication Technician to Strategic Counselor during which she will share three of her coined concepts: knowcasting, morecasting and collabolighthing. Visit our blog for the link to register for the conference!
@clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative g @clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative go together like the bacon and eggs! And speaking of bacon and eggs, have you been to @therainbowluncheonette yet? YUM!
Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc, a master-planned community just 15 miles from downtown Raleigh, will welcome @parksideraleigh, a Raleigh-favorite restaurant known for its fresh, made-from-scratch dishes, to the community!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Parkside.
“What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we “What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we get this question often, we have a series on our blog where we dive into our recent projects to give you a look at what a PR Agency really does.
 
For example, a statewide resource for small businesses recently hired Clairemont to devise an executive visibility campaign to help position the organization and its director as the leading small business resource in North Carolina.
 
Head to our blog to read what exactly an executive visibility campaign entails and to learn more about our services!
So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let us tell you about our new favorite @drink321coffee ! If you are in Raleigh, go see Paul, the other Paul, Emma  or whichever smiling faces are working today. We LOVE this place and the coffee! ❤️❤️❤️
Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest mas Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest master-planned communities in the Triangle, closed on its first age-eligible rental community plan, Arden at Wendell Falls, that will offer 140 open-concept units and exclusive onsite amenities!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Arden at Wendell Falls.
Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by client @vitaviteraleigh for good snacks and great wine!🍷 Both locations are open normal hours Friday-Sunday and closed on Monday.
You never know who might be hanging out at The Cla You never know who might be hanging out at The Clairemont House. Thanks to @yellowdogcreative for helping save this buddy. Notice that we speak lizard. Or skink. Or gecko or whatever he is. Or maybe it’s the extra caffeine before our client presentation.
Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh
Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting?
Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street South @raleighwineshop ! @blah2voila was there today representing Clairemont at the grand opening festivities and enjoying the @grandchamphospitality sandwich pop up. Yum! 🍷🥪
It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers ar It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers are needed more than ever! Many organizations with scarce resources rely on volunteers and would not exist without them. Visit our recent blog post to read about the organizations Clairemont has supported and how you can make a difference in your community!
Authenticity is trending, and research shows that Authenticity is trending, and research shows that consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view user-generated content as authentic. Read our recent blog post to learn about UGC, how it can benefit your brand and how to use it in your marketing strategy.
From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 has left an impact on every sector of life, including marketing. Read our blog on marketing in a post-COVID world to learn how things have changed and how that should impact your business strategy.
We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned eight awards, five gold🥇and three silver🥈, at this year's Sir Walter Raleigh Awards hosted by the Raleigh Public Relations Society!🎉 We are beyond grateful to work with so many amazing partners, clients and industry friends!
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