Tag: Marketing

Oh Momma Monday: Sharon Delaney McCloud

Tracy LathanBlog, Oh Momma Monday, Owning a Business, , , ,

After 20 years as a television news anchor, Sharon Delaney McCloud now works behind the camera as a managing partner at Greenroom Communications and has never been happier. In today’s Oh Momma Monday Q&A, Sharon shares with us why she made the switch and what motherhood has taught her about work, life and what’s really important.

What is your occupation?

Managing Partner of Greenroom Communications, a Raleigh-based video production and digital marketing agency.

What inspired you to start your own business?

I wanted to see my family. After 20 years as a television news anchor working crazy hours, a couple of us newsies decided to go out on our own. While we certainly don’t work fewer hours, they are OUR hours.

How has your career/professional life changed since becoming a mom?

I feel like becoming a mom opened up a magical place inside me, and nothing else can even remotely compare. I’m forever grateful for these amazing little people that are my children. They bring me endless joy and frustration every day. Making sure I can enjoy being with my kids as much as possible does require tremendous time management skills, and although I fail at it often, I do my best each day to prioritize work schedules with my family’s needs.

Sharon 3

Any tips for juggling work and motherhood?

The work can wait. Honestly, is a client or a project really worth missing a performance or a ballgame that can’t be duplicated? Of course I don’t attend EVERY one of my sons’ practices and/or games, but if there is a way to shift my work schedule so that I am in the stands cheering them on, I do it.

Most important thing motherhood has taught you…

We are here for a greater purpose. My legacy is my family, not my work. While I’m immensely proud of what Greenroom has become, in the end, it’s my family of which I am most proud.

What do you enjoy doing when you have down time?

Downtime – LOL. Family game night on Friday nights at the McCloud house looks like this: jammies, hot chocolate, pizza and the fireplace roaring, if it’s winter. We generally start with Clue or Yatzee and move to Rummikub or Qwirkle. In the summer, we spend lots of time in our cul-de-sac playing Kan Jam or riding bikes on the Greenway.

What are your favorite Raleigh hotspots?

My favorite Raleigh store is Deco. I always find the perfect gift and rarely walk out of there without a cool, new Raleigh t-shirt. For eats and drinks, my go-to spots are The Rockford, Raleigh Beer Garden, Clouds Brewing and The Station.

Sharon 1What are three of your “faves” right now?

My new iWatch. I drank the Apple Kool-Aid years ago and it just keeps going.
Also, live concerts at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre fill my summer calendar. I have a whole routine where my crew meets at my house, we load up my coolers with adult cocktails, beer and food and we head to “The Creek” to tailgate for a minimum of two hours before showtime. The bigger the “hair” band, the bigger the tailgate.

Want to read about other inspiring moms in Raleigh? Check out previous Oh Momma Monday posts here.

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What does a PR Agency do? Foodie Event

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Case Studies, Real Estate PR, , , ,

Grounds Café, the café onsite at Wendell Falls, features local brews by Raleigh Coffee Company and Big Boss Brewery as well as fresh sandwiches, salads and desserts that change daily. In order to continue building onsite traffic and general visibility for Wendell Falls, Clairemont hosted a “Cheers and Cheese” event at Grounds Café for the region’s leading food bloggers and culinary media.

The Pitch:

On July 21, 2015, Grounds Café and Wendell Falls hosted a build-your-own grilled-cheese and s’mores event for local food bloggers. Clairemont leveraged the hot Triangle food scene trend of DIY activities to draw media onsite. We also emphasized the distinct character of the café as one of the first in the town along with its commitment to another food trend — local sourcing.

Execution:

Food Blogger Outreach: Clairemont sent VIP invitations to key bloggers and local food media to make their own grilled-cheese and s’mores creations while enjoying “brews and brews”– craft beer and local coffee. Bloggers were tempted with the opportunity to name their own grilled-cheese to compete for a spotlight on the menu.

Beer Blogger Outreach: Local beer experts received teasers to try hot local brews on tap to pair with their grilled-cheese specialties.

Prep Kit: Clairemont provided guests with information to seed their news feeds leading up to the event. Bloggers received social media handles, sample tweets, images and newsy tidbits about the café and Wendell Falls that were easily spread online to build excitement.

Onsite Visuals: Clairemont recognized the importance of food photography and worked with Grounds Café to display a visually appealing and well-lit food spread. The social media handles for Wendell Falls were peppered throughout the space for easy access during the event. Bloggers received Wendell Falls “goodie bags” as departure gifts and physical reminders to talk about their experiences.

The Results:

As a result, WRAL Out and About and NC Beer Guys filmed and posted Periscope live feeds during the event, which featured an interview with Kelly Talbot, marketing manager, about the Wendell Falls new home community. In addition, the event also generated two home buyer leads who connected with Kelly to schedule a tour or get more information.

Collectively, these contacts created approximately 100 posts about Wendell Falls 
and Grounds Café. On Twitter alone, these posts reached a combined followership of approximately 50,000 followers. The event also generated five blog posts and vibrant buzz online, a vital building block in increasing the ongoing visibility and touting the well-rounded lifestyle at Wendell Falls.

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Want to learn more about the work we do at Clairemont? Read more of our case study blog posts here.

 

 

 

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Photo Of The Week: Corks and Ribbon

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Photo of the Week, Raleigh PR Agency, , , , ,

Vita Vite, downtown Raleigh’s premiere wine bar and art gallery and Clairemont client, celebrated its official grand opening this week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. We wanted to put the creative Clairemont touch on the official ribbon, and because wine is an essential part of Vita Vite we decided to create it out of wine corks. Guests were also invited to leave their mark on the newest business in the Warehouse District by putting their thumbprint on canvas to create a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork that will be displayed in Vita Vite to commemorate the occasion.

Want to learn more about the work that we do at Clairemont? Be sure to check out our case study blog posts!

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What does a PR Agency do? DQ Frozen Event

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Case Studies, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , , , , ,

Nothing says Dairy Queen like a frozen-themed party complete with ice cream cakes and the “Frozen” Queen herself, Elsa. Looking to raise awareness for DQ Cakes, Triangle Dairy Queen turned to Clairemont Communications to create an event that could garner social media attention and build brand awareness with influential bloggers.

The Pitch:

Triangle Dairy Queen hosted a cake decorating party with Elsa for local bloggers and their children. Clairemont designed an event that gave participants the opportunity to decorate and take home their own heart-shaped cake.

Execution:

  • Creating a Special Dining Experience for Moms: We invited bloggers to bring their families to try the food, DQ cakes and experience the restaurants features, and family friendly environment.
  • Engaging the Kids: The bloggers’ kids were treated as VIPS as they walked the red carpet into the restaurant, took photos with Elsa and helped their parents decorate their very own custom ice cream cake. By engaging the children, we created several photo opportunities that the moms couldn’t resist sharing on social media.
  • Key Messaging: While the kids decorated, the owner and operator of Triangle Dairy Queen gave a brief history of the franchise. Knowing these bloggers were extremely interested in community, Clairemont encouraged the operating director to highlight Triangle Dairy Queen’s support of schools and local community organizations.

The Results:

As a result, seven bloggers shared 20 posts from the event on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. On Twitter alone, the social media mentions were visible to a combined followership of 17,985. Additionally, several bloggers are now brand ambassadors and have posted about Triangle Dairy Queen in recent months.

Want to learn more about Clairemont’s work in the food and beverage industry? Read our posts about restaurant PR.

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Photo Of The Week: DQ Blizzard Cake

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Marketing, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , , , , , ,

Our client Andrew Valkanoff, owner and operator of Triangle Dairy Queen, recently showed up at the Clairemont House for a planning meeting with a Candy Cane Oreo Blizzard Cake. What a great way to get in the holiday spirit! 

What is your favorite Blizzard flavor? Post it on our Facebook page!

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