Tag: Raleigh Public Relations Agency

Clairemont Wins 11 Awards for Excellence in PR

Margot HorganAwards, Blog, , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment on Clairemont Wins 11 Awards for Excellence in PR

Clairemont Communications Recognized Among Top Raleigh Public Relations Agencies with 11 Awards

–Raleigh Public Relations Society Names Sir Walter Raleigh Award Winners– 

Raleigh, N.C. – Sept. 25, 2013 – Clairemont Communications, a full-service public relations and marketing communications firm, brought home 11 Sir Walter Raleigh awards from the annual Raleigh Public Relations Society awards banquet. These honors included the most gold and best in division wins of the evening.

“Being acknowledged as the best in division winner for a number of our client campaigns reflects our dedication to do work we love for clients we love supporting,” said Dana Hughens, chief executive officer of Clairemont Communications. “As Raleigh continues to grow as a top communications agency market, we are honored that our work is recognized among the best in the region.”

Clairemont team member, Tracy Lathan accepts a Gold and Best in Division Award for Triangle Family Services' 10th Annual Gingerbread Benefit
Tracy Lathan accepts a Gold and Best in Division Award for Triangle Family Services’ 10th Annual Gingerbread Benefit

The Sir Walter Raleigh Awards are hosted annually by the Raleigh Public Relations Society and showcase exemplary work completed by North Carolina public relations and communications professionals. Award entries are judged by an independent public relations organization based on individual campaign’s objectives, method, results, creativity and budget. Members of the Sacramento Public Relations Association judged this year’s entries.

Clairemont was awarded with the following:

Special Event/Campaign

  • Best in Division and Gold: Triangle Family Services’ 10th Annual Gingerbread Benefit

Media Kit

News Releases

  • Best in Division and Silver: Newland in the Wall Street Journal

Organizational Identity/Promotion

  • Gold: Briar Chapel

Social Media

Promotional Campaign for a Product, Program, Topic or Issue

Employee Relations

  • Honorable Mention: Wrangler Dave & the Railinc Cow
Dana Hughens accepts one of Clairemont's three Best in Division Awards
Dana Hughens accepts one of Clairemont’s three Best in Division Awards

“These awards represent the strengths of our Clairemont team including strategic planning, effective media relations, results-driven social media, creative campaigns and successful event planning,” said Tracy Lathan, account strategist, Clairemont Communications.

Clairemont Communications devises communications strategies that utilize traditional communications and social media to help clients achieve business objectives and improve the bottom line by influencing purchases, persuading stakeholders and influencers, and defining brands. Clarity in vision + the promise of monumental results = Clairemont Communications.

–30–

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What to Wear to a Job Interview

Margot HorganBlog, Fashion, Free Advice, , , , , , , , ,

I’m a big believer in the mantra “dress for success.” And, although it’s not yet scientifically proven, I am pretty positive that you will always feel more confident and secure if you are dressed in a crisp, clean and appropriate outfit. This especially rings true for job and internship interviews.

As the internship coordinator at Clairemont, I’ve seen plenty of interview candidates – and often been one myself in the (somewhat) recent past. For an interviewer, few things are more distracting than an inappropriately dressed or sloppy candidate. For a job hunter, dressing the part for an interview can be just as stressful. Is this too dressy? Is this too casual? Is this too boring? As a college student seeking internships and jobs, I often asked myself these questions. From experience (on both sides of the interview table), this is what I have decided.

Sporting a suit should always be your first choice. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should fit well without being too revealing. For women candidates, this can be a skirt or pant suit, or the alternative suiting dress, like this one from J.Crew. Suits are classic and classy and show you are serious about the job. For more inspiration, see our Interview Appropriate board on Pinterest.

J. Crew Suiting Dress
J. Crew Suiting Dress

If a suit feels too stiff for the occasion, opt for a tailored pencil skirt or pair of slacks, a blouse and a cardigan or blazer. For a creative job in an agency setting, take the opportunity to show your individuality with statement accessories or a fashionable blazer like this one from Nordstrom. We also love this simple pencil dress with subtle leather detailing from Asos.

Smythe Blazer from Nordstrom
Smythe Blazer from Nordstrom

In the end though, don’t ever minimalism the fact that this outfit is for a job interview. Being fashionable is great, but making a good first impression and landing your dream job is way better. Steer clear of anything too short, too tight or too low-cut. Always err on the side of conservative caution, and you’re sure to be dressed for success. (Here’s a hint: If you’re stuck for ideas on what to wear, check out this fabulous blog stock full of great office attire and where to buy each of the pieces!)

What are your tips for dressing for an interview?

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Three Cheers/Barks for Pawgust First Friday!

Margot HorganBlog, Professional Development, The Clairemont Team, , , , , , , , , ,

Last week marked August First Friday in downtown Raleigh, and Clairemont celebrated the occasion by hosting our own special event at The Clairemont House – Pawgust First Friday. Part networking, part professional development, part tear-jerking and part tail-wagging, the event was a huge success, especially because we were able to raise money for a local pet charity very near and dear to the Clairemont family’s heart: the SPCA of Wake County.

At the event, local PR professionals and friends gathered to network and listen to two dog-inspired presentations given by Clairemont CEO, Dana Hughens, and HMA Public Relations general manager/vice president, Abbie Fink. Reading a blog post written by Clairemont’s top-dog, Billy, Dana shared 10 social media tips for success, like creating leash-free environments on Facebook, being the master of your territory and riding with your head out the window (make sure to check out the blog to see what all of these mean for your social media strategy!).

PRSA Counselors Academy friends at Pawgust First Friday
PRSA Counselors Academy friends at Pawgust First Friday

Visiting all the way from Phoenix, Ariz., Abbie did an encore performance of the highly rated ignite-style speech she presented at the 2013 PRSA Counselors Academy Conference. A love letter to her late dog, Viva, Abbie didn’t leave a dry eye in the house as she talked about the love of a dog and its owner and the hard decisions you sometimes have to make.

At the end of the evening, guests voted for a local pet charity to donate the Pawgust First Friday event proceeds to, and we are happy to say that the SPCA of Wake County was selected! You see, the oh so loveable chief motivational officer at Clairemont Communication and Hughens family dog, Billy, was adopted from the Wake SPCA so we were thrilled that our guests decided to help give back to such a great local organization.

All in all, the event was a blast, and we would like to thank everyone who came out and made it a success!

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Clairemont Interns: Introducing Kate Fedder

Margot HorganBlog, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, The Clairemont Team, , , , , , , , , 1 Comment on Clairemont Interns: Introducing Kate Fedder

We’d like to formally introduce you to our fabulous summer intern, Kate Fedder. A rising senior at UNC-Chapel Hill (go Heels!), Kate is winding up to complete her final year in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication where she is majoring in Public Relations.

Prior to joining Clairemont, Kate studied abroad completing an honors semester in London while also interning at a London strategic public relations and communications agency working on client accounts like Fitness First, YooMoo, Rangemaster and Toyota.

With a love for fashion and an awesome go-getter attitude, Kate has been a natural fit at Clairemont and has been proving day-in and day-out that she has some serious PR chops. We have discovered that she has a special talent for creating meticulously organized and thorough media lists and has absolutely no fear when it comes to trying out some media pitching.

What more, you may ask? What other talents does Ms. Fedder possess? Well, she’s a natural at writing creative copy and can zero in on spelling and grammar errors that even the most seasoned editors could miss. But, probably most importantly, Billy – Clairemont’s top dog and CMO (chief motivational officer) – LOVES Kate, and that is something you just can’t learn in school.

Want to learn more about Kate? Check out this video she put together about work at Clairemont. Have some special advice for our summer intern? Please share below in the comments section!

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How to Capture Your Audience: Avoiding the TCP

Margot HorganBlog, Entry-Level PR Job, Professional Development, Public Relations, , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment on How to Capture Your Audience: Avoiding the TCP

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We have all experienced it – the boring, routine presentation that leads you to incessantly double-check your watch and meticulously count down the minutes until you are free to leave and go about your day. This kind of presentation can be categorized as a TCP: the Typical Corporate Presentation. While most can agree that public speaking is typically not at the top of the “favorite things to-do” list, it does not mean that you are incapable if giving a stellar presentation.

Alan-Hoffler-MillsWyck-Communications-2010-300x300

I recently had the opportunity to attend a NCPRSA Professional Development luncheon, where Alan Hoffler, the executive director and principal trainer at MillsWyck Communications, spoke on the essentials for giving a successful presentation. The valuable tips shared can be applied to any type of professional or scholarly environment, and can even fine-tune your every day communication skills. But, you may ask, “What exactly defines a successful presentation?”

Essentially, a presentation can be deemed successful if the audience is able to repeat something discussed. At the end of the day, if people cannot repeat your message, it was not successful.

To improve your presentation and communication skills, check out the three main steps that will prevent you from giving that dreaded TCP:

Capture the audience’s attention – “You can’t lose what you don’t have!”
If you want to keep the audience’s attention, you must first have it. You must give them a reason to listen. Interacting with members in the audience, asking questions or sharing a relatable story can achieve this.

Give your audience a mental list – “You can’t repeat what you don’t remember.”

After you have the audience’s attention, tell them what you intend to tell them. This tool provides the audience with an easy to follow structure and lets the crowd know exactly what they will be getting out of your presentation. Your message should first be addressed and then expand on the topic from there.

Finish strong and briefly – “You can’t finish what never ends.”

Always, always, always finish strongly. Make sure you keep your ending brief and to the point, while giving the audience a call to action that they can take away from the presentation.

Have any other tips that have helped you give a successful presentation?

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