Category: Public Relations

Meet Binh, Clairemont Intern

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, The Clairemont Team, , , , , , ,

Who’s Binh?

When you search the name “Binh,” you’ll find, when translated from Vietnamese, that it means peaceful. Growing up, I always strived to emulate the meaning of my name. I’ve learned to live simply, so that others around me can simply live — creating a peaceful environment to work and play.

Once upon a time…

I was born in the Land of Enchantment of Albuquerque, New Mexico. I grew up with one entertaining older brother and one snazzy older sister, leaving me to be the baby of the bunch. Because my family is from Vietnam, I know three languages – English, Vietnamese and French.

In a farm far, far away…

Growing up, I participated in any and every activity that I could. I found my passion in acting, singing, gymnastics, dancing, piano and so much more! At age 10, I moved to the Beautiful State of Alabama, where my dad introduced me to the lifestyle of his dreams on a farm. Going into high school, I made many friendships that are still close to my heart.

By senior year of high school, after the process of applying to colleges, I made my final decision to attend Auburn University where I am studying Public Relations.

When they say college is the best four years of your life, they weren’t lying. Auburn has taught me so much, including the importance of hard work, determination and a kind and caring heart. College has challenged me to live outside of my comfort zone and to embrace the unknown.

Now, I have a heart that yearns for traveling. I once took a spontaneous trip to Chicago for a week with no prior plans or itinerary.

In college, I found some new passions in social media, blogging, fashion and traveling. I became a lover of big cities, all things pink, pineapples and kale. I also discovered that I am an ENFP to a T.

My work ethic throughout college has grown. I have become a mature and diligent young woman, who is determined to do her best in everything she sets out to do. However, coming to the end of college, I am expected to know exactly what I am supposed to do with my life. Somewhere along the process of figuring that out, I ended up at Clairemont Communications in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Now, why Raleigh, North Carolina? How in the world did I go from New Mexico to Alabama to North Carolina? And how was I able to land an internship with Clairemont Communications miles away from my home state? Well, the answer is simple and can be summed up with these four words: determination, persistence, connection and relationship.

It may seem like a bold move for me to come to Raleigh, a city I’ve never visited, just for a couple months; however, 18-year-old Binh was not afraid to make that first bold move.

I had the courage to introduce myself to Dana Phelps Hughens, CEO of Clairemont Communications, when I was home in Huntsville, Alabama, at a local Starbucks. Little did I know that she was the CEO, but I was adamant on keeping in contact with her throughout my college career in hopes for a future opportunity with her agency.

I was determined and persistent when it came to reaching out to her because I wanted to maintain that connection and relationship. If there is anything I learned about PR, it is to make as many connections with people as possible and then build those connections into long-lasting relationships.

With that in mind, I did my best to keep Dana updated with my schooling and experiences. Close to the end of my junior year of college, I reached back out to her regarding an internship opportunity. The rest is history.

Now, here I am in the capital of North Carolina, the City of Oaks. I’ve learned that it is good to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. Coming to Raleigh without knowing anything or what will happen will definitely be an adventure that I’ll hold close to my heart. As I continue my journey here at Clairemont Communications, I will strive to make the world a better and more peaceful place.

Written by Binh Nguyen, rising senior at Auburn University.

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PR People: Lindsay Priester

Sarah HattmanBlog, PR People, Public Relations, , , , , , ,

Lindsay Priester

Job title and function: I am the Senior Manager of Client Relations for Rountree Communications, a boutique PR agency in Raleigh. My job, like most in PR, hits on a little bit of everything! On an overarching level, I develop and lead PR strategy for our clients, which ranges from technology startups to retail brands. Each day is so different for me (which I love!), but on any given day I could be drafting press releases or other media documents, writing client blog content, creating and managing social media campaigns, meeting with clients or working at a client event. Basically whatever my clients need to get done in the PR realm (and sometimes not in the PR realm – I’ve been known to be an excellent supplier of coffee during an event), I do!

Most rewarding thing about working in PR today: There is no better feeling than landing your client coverage that is truly valuable for them. What that looks like varies. For some it may be a piece in the local newspaper; for others a white paper in a trade publication or a mention on a national news show. When we secure coverage that reaches a client’s target audience and helps move them closer to their goals, it feels great! Accomplishing that in today’s digital world where people are constantly bombarded with messaging from every direction is even more rewarding.

Craziest/most challenging thing you’ve done in PR: Oh goodness, I know every PR pro has a million crazy stories to tell, especially in those crunch-time hours right before going out with an announcement or putting on a media event! One that immediately comes to mind – I was working at a press event for a race track where we offered the media ride-alongs in race cars with professional drivers. In order to be able to ride, you had to wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and this particular member of the media had on shorts and sandals. Not wanting her to miss the chance for a ride-along (or the chance for my client to get some great coverage), I quickly asked her if she’d be willing to trade clothes for the ride. Luckily, we were about the same size and pulled off a quick change in the bathroom! I may have looked a little silly in my professional top with jean shorts and Tevas, but she had a fantastic time and even referenced our costume change in the article!

Advice for new PR pros: PR, on every level, is about people. Get to know the PR pros in your area and learn from them as much as you can. When I first started out in PR, I joined the Raleigh Public Relations Society and now serve on the Board of Directors as Vice President. I can’t begin to express all of the things I’ve learned from the people in that group.

Be sure to remember that your clients are people. Obviously you’ll get to know their business or product and goals very well, but take the time to get to know them on a personal level. Some of my favorite people in the world are clients I’ve gotten to know closely over the years. Not only are they great friends, but knowing them on a deeper level is really beneficial in helping their business or product succeed.

Are you interested in being featured in “PR People?” Send us a message on Facebook to share your story!

Sarah Hattman, APR is president-elect for the North Carolina chapter of Public Relations Society of America and has been working in PR since she left television news. She grew up in North Carolina and was excited to move back to her home state in 2012 and join Clairemont Communications, a Raleigh PR agency. 
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“Don’t Make Me Think” Marketing

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Public Relations, , ,

Variety. Something for everyone. Endless options. Find your fit here!

It’s a myth that more choices make happier customers. In fact, the opposite ensues when a customer is faced with more options that his or her brain can process on the spot. We feel overwhelmed and procrastinate for fear of choosing poorly. Fast Company describes this reaction as “hoarding our energy,” also known as “choice overload” or “analysis paralysis.”

In response, savvy marketers have honed strategies like target marketing or highly refined search results. But social media is spinning out this idea in other ways. Instead of encouraging purchases, social platforms are capitalizing on this psychology to direct the user’s experience. They provide one — just one — easily accessible suggestion that may lead users to try a new app or engage in online activity outside of their normal purview.

Latest Conversations on Facebook

Facebook thrives off of user engagement – whether comments, reactions or (cha-ching!) clicking an ad to purchase. But its online audience has developed a vocal culture that prefers to be led rather than forced into action. Hence, Facebook played it pretty smart with its recent feature.

“Latest Conversations” appears below the News section when you search for something, and it enables the user to peruse information by topic rather just by page or location. The feature suggests topics related to the user’s search, allowing you to see how many people at any given point across Facebook are discussing, oh, Mother’s Day, White House politics or gourmet cat food. You can even interact with Facebook users worldwide that are not your friends on the topic. Facebook didn’t advertise or force users to connect with new audiences. It simply provided the suggestion — one easy choice that piqued curiosity and invited exploration. And poof! Up goes Facebook engagement. New conversations with new friends and more reasons to stay on Facebook. Nice, Facebook.

Snap Codes

We’re so over QR codes, and we are never, ever getting back together. Please don’t make me take the time download a separate app to then scan a code that will then transport me to yet another website. Too much work … I just can’t even. That is until Snapchat leveraged QR codes as a way to add friends.

Then Snapchat upped the ante; it tweaked its platform to read QR codes that will open websites from inside of Snapchat. Snapchat now becomes a tool to access all sorts of activities — shopping, location guides, event data. You can see the biz goal here, right? Why navigate out of Snapchat when it provides all the functionalities you need? It simplified. It smoothed the path, removed user blocks and hence leveraged our “don’t make me think” mentality to boost its own popularity.

Extend the Invitation

Our “don’t make me think” mentality is an opportunity to continually evaluate our messaging strategies and user experiences. Are there blockers? At what point does the guest or customer become overwhelmed by options or challenges that trigger choice overload? Instead, simplify. Target based on smart research. Encourage customers to explore new options not by over advertising but by interest and invitation. It’s a “we think you like this. Want to explore?” approach.

Looking for your next steps? Check out our tips to target market with social media.

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PR People: Elizabeth Poindexter

Sarah HattmanBlog, PR People, Public Relations, , , , , , ,

Elizabeth Poindexter

Job title and function: I am the director of communications for the UNC School of Medicine’s Department of Allied Health Sciences, a position I’ve held since October 2015. Our department is fairly complex. It houses seven different programs (including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology), in addition to several other programs and centers. I plan our department’s internal and external communication efforts. Internal efforts include our departmental e-newsletter, internal communications alongside the UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health Care, clinic updates and donor relations. Externally, we promote our students, faculty and staff in a variety of different settings, including through earned media and owned media outlets.

Most rewarding thing about working in PR today: For me, promoting meaningful work is the most rewarding part of working in PR. Even though our department’s work is complex, I love distilling that work into meaningful stories that are easy to relate to for an outside audience. Not everyone knows about Allied Health, but almost everyone knows someone who has worked with a therapist or clinician regardless of the discipline. Forming a connection in someone’s mind between our work and how it relates to them is very rewarding, whether we are communicating with potential students, donors, faculty members or others. Similarly, with my background in broadcast journalism, it is rewarding to continue to do that type of work through different avenues, and I love having a more tailored, fine-tuned message to constantly promote.

Craziest/most challenging thing you’ve done in PR: One adjustment I made in my current role included re-evaluating how my degree in journalism could still be a strong suit in the world of PR. There are several aspects I’ve carried over: the ability to write well, working on deadlines and interview skills. Other skills, such as maintaining objectivity, are an example of something I’ve had to occasionally reconsider. At the end of the day, I work to put our department’s best interests at the forefront of our communication and don’t necessarily approach that work as I would have in the newsroom.

Advice for new PR pros: If you haven’t worked in journalism or learned about it, you should! That is the one piece of advice I constantly repeat. My time in the newsroom definitely helped me understand what it is really like to work alongside PR professionals, and it also motivated me to do a good job once I transitioned into PR. I also recommend continuing to learn about new skills or ideas as the landscape of PR and communication changes; good PR doesn’t always mean a well-crafted press release.

Are you interested in being featured in “PR People?” Send us a message on Facebook to share your story!

Sarah Hattman, APR is president-elect for the North Carolina chapter of Public Relations Society of America and has been working in PR since she left television news. She grew up in North Carolina and was excited to move back to her home state in 2012 and then join Clairemont Communications, a Raleigh PR agency. 
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3 PR Tips from a Rising Star

Clairemont InternBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, , ,

Written by Casey Moore, senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Throughout my time at UNC-Chapel Hill, I have been lucky to enough to learn from established professionals within public relations. I have taken courses in Crisis Communication, PR Writing, Marketing, Case Studies and PR Campaigns. Despite this robust selection, I still believe I’ve learned many valuable communication lessons outside of the classroom. I spent time as a Media and Journalism School Ambassador, the marketing manager of an improvisational comedy group and a multi-media leader for Relay for Life, among other things. With these groups, I have walked away with a few  “aha” moments.

1. You can’t please everyone.

Sometimes it is best to trust your instincts rather than ask for a vote on campaign items. Crowd-sourced design or writing can be hard to manage, and there will also be things various voices wish you had done differently. That being said, it is better to turn in the creative deliverable on time than worry about getting it “perfect” according to every party.

2. Wacky Can Work.

Crazier marketing material can garner significant online traction! Due to the fact I was often promoting comedy shows, I had freedom to get sillier. My team used guerilla tactics on campus to nab attention. For one show, we staged a milk and La Croix chug in the center of the university. Approximately 50 students gathered around to gape at the showdown, and hundreds watched the video via Facebook Live. Another comedic venture was “Fall for Chips.” Several teammates decided to stage fake tripping incidents on campus, causing a ruckus in the library and in lunch halls. They filmed passerbys’ reactions, creating a hilarious video was viewed more than 6,000 times on Facebook.

3. Timing Matters.

While every millennial seems to be on her phone throughout the whole day, there are certain times where more college-aged people will see your post. In Relay for Life, we carefully strategized when to announce updates or post on Instagram. Most people scroll through their entire newsfeeds first thing in the morning and right before they go to sleep. While you may be eager to post an exciting design or picture, post in these windows of opportunity.

Check out Casey’s other tips on how to keep your audience’s attention!

 

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