Tag: tips

Plan a Magical Event: Lessons from Disney

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , ,

Growing up in Orlando, I was raised in the shadow of the Magic Kingdom. Everywhere we went, there were signs of Disney’s influence. The company had a huge, white-gloved hand in all major city events, including the naming of our semi-beloved basketball team. Looking back, it seemed impossible to think there was a time that Disney wasn’t a cultural phenomenon or undisputed king of American theme parks.

But there was. Disney has made mistakes, including one of the most arguably terrible PR catastrophes. The 2019 summer marked the 64th anniversary of the opening of the original Disneyland in California – the day that became known internally as “Black Sunday.” You already know how this story ends, because … Disney. Instead, let’s take a look at some of the missteps Disney made that day and learn how you can avoid these faux pas to ensure success in your events.

Unfinished Ambiance

Believe it or not, this magical kingdom wasn’t fully prepared for its worldly debut. Even as the first guests poured into the park, crews of workers were still painting walls and finishing the gardens. The park was an active construction site as guests walked through the front gates.

Avoid being unprepared for party guests by building in ample time for your team to finalize preparations. Create a detailed run of show that includes pre-event prep time, a checklist with responsible parties and deliverables, a contingency plan for each item and a crisis plan for unexpected challenges. This list will help you circumvent those last-minute stressful situations.

Overcrowding

Opening day was supposed to only be for a select few friends and family – approximately 15,000 total. Disney welcomed almost double that number thanks to counterfeit tickets and lack of security detail along the perimeters.

Thankfully today, sites like Eventbright, Eventzilla and Evite exist to assist with invites and RSVPs to make it easy to organize and track attendees. For more private affairs, make sure to have a list of guests’ names at the door at the time of entry, and plan to have security stationed at any other possible entry points to avoid crashers.

Shortage of Supplies

The influx of guests brought with it another issue – a shortage of food and drinks. Even the public water fountains weren’t fully up-and-running, leaving guests wandering around both parched and hungry.

Keep an updated list of RSVPs and round up the number to anticipate a few extras. No one likes to come up empty when they go to get a drink – or bite. So skillfully stock your stations with food and beverages by calculating amounts needed using these tips. Not only will this keep your guests around, but it will also keep them happy!

As you know, in the end, Disney lived to tell the tale – and continues to do so. In fact, we can all share our Disney story, because despite the unfinished ambiance, overcrowding and shortage of supplies, Disney endured. If you haven’t arrived at your “happiest place on earth” yet, that’s ok. You might just be at your opening day. Take note of the challenges that arise and properly address them for a permanent fix. Then, continue on your mission to create magic for your clients – and others!

Want to read about a successful opening? Check out the celebration the Clairemont team planned and executed for our client, Vita Vite, when it opened its North Hills location.

Will Hornbeck is a rising senior at Wake Forest University. He thinks the best ride at Disney is the Carousel of Progress.

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Patriotic PR: Advice From Founding Fathers

Clairemont InternBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, , , , , ,

In the public relations world, good advice is a valuable commodity. One of the core reasons we operate this blog is to share the insight that we at Clairemont find useful.

In honor of the Fourth of July, I thought it would be fitting to take some public relations advice from our more patriotic origins. Before the idea of a public relations profession was even in the realm of possible occupations (most sources cite the origins of the term “public relations” to the early 20th century), some of America’s most influential people had quotes and advice that are still relevant to a public relations professional today. Straight from the mouths of colonial visionaries, here are our favorite PR quotes from America’s founding fathers.

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

– Benjamin Franklin
Photo from Pixabay.com

A quote from the endlessly quotable Benjamin Franklin that speaks to one of the hardest skills to learn in writing. Make your words count. In our daily lives we consume so much content that each precious second that someone spends reading your piece should be worth his or her time. Franklin reminds all of us to edit, cut down on wordiness and make sure that each sentence you write is something worth reading.

“You will never be alone with a poet in your pocket.”

– John Adams
Photo from the Library of Congress

John Adams penned this quote to his son (and future president) John Quincy Adams. In my mind this quote complements the previous quote by Franklin. While your public relations piece should be succinct, it should still be elegant. What you say is important, but it is also important how you say it. John Adams (my favorite founding father, by the way) imparted this advice to his son as a reminder to celebrate the written word and the artistry of a well-crafted sentence. Sound advice from our second president.   

“The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.” 

– James Madison
Photo from the Library of Congress

Our last piece of advice is from James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. I hope this quote serves as inspiration to all of us writers. This is the reason to write — to tell stories and share knowledge. As public relations professionals, we are positioned to help tell others’ stories — a gift that very few have. By writing, by sharing and by spreading the word about our clients and our communities, we help others learn about the world around them. We are messengers, both an important and in a way noble profession.

Happy Fourth of July! Enjoy the day, celebrate with friends and family, and eat a hot dog for me. If public relations work is still on your mind, you can find all of our professional development blogs here.

Will Hornbeck is a rising senior at Wake Forest University. He’s named after a Taco Bell. Seriously.

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Ways to Cultivate Your Daily Creativity

Clairemont InternBlog, Marketing, Professional Development, , , ,

One of the hardest things to do is be consistently creative. Great ideas can come from anywhere, but it can be a challenge to always be in that head space to create those ideas. At times, the idea of being creative can seem nebulous. Personally, the beginning of my life-long quest to be creative began with a revelation. Creativity is a skill. We need to treat it as such. Like lifting weights or doing math equations, creativity requires training and commitment to cultivate. Here are some meaningful ways to cultivate creativity in a daily setting. 

Do or Do Not, But You Must Try

This tip is the hardest, and it is by far the least convenient truth. The only way to be creative every day is to try every day. You must write, draw, paint, sing — whatever form your creativity takes — every single day. Behind every great idea are dozens of ideas that never came to fruition. Your imagination and your creativity deserve to be trained and exercised like any other part of your body. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are most great ideas. When I was in high school, I had a theatre teacher who before every rehearsal or performance would tell us to “Go and do.” The best way to work on creativity is to go and do.

When to Change (and When Not to Change)

This tip will mean different things to different people. Each of us works differently. For some, the best way to spark great ideas comes from constant change and variety. For others (me included) creativity comes most naturally in a familiar and consistent environment. The most important thing is to find what works best for you. If you do best in new locations, go find some! (If you need some advice on where to go in Raleigh, check out our blog on places to work remotely in Raleigh.) By learning which environment suits your personal brand of creativity best, you can ensure that your days are as creative as possible.

Food for Thought

One of the easiest ways to get a little more brainpower into your day is by adding some brain-healthy foods to your daily diet. If we are going to train our brain like we would train our bodies, it makes sense to include a regiment of healthy eating on to our plate. Some foods that are easy to add into your day include green tea (full of creativity boosting antioxidants) or pumpkin seeds (contain zinc that has been linked to increasing memory and critical thinking). Foods like these, or those that are high in other nutrients like vitamin K or amino acids, can help set you up for successful “a-ha” moments.

While these ideas are great for cultivating creativity in the long term, sometimes you need an immediate creative boost to get you past your biggest mental blocks. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered with our blog all about mental blocks. Check it out.

Will Hornbeck is a rising senior at Wake Forest University. Any naming similarity between him and the editor of the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”(1946) is just a cool fun fact.

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Dazzle Before Distraction

Clairemont InternBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , ,

In an oft-quoted 2015 study, Microsoft revealed that the human attention span is now shorter than that of a goldfish. The small creature can remain focused for approximately nine seconds, while the average person stays focused for only eight. Public relations professionals must adapt to the changing media environment, constantly crafting creative ways to communicate their messages. Everything from word choice to timing can make or break the efficacy of your communication.

Tips for Emails

John Edwards, marketing consultant and CEO at Hosting Facts, unveils important tips for effective email communication. He points to a USC Viterbi School of Engineering study that observed 2 million users who sent more than 16 billion emails over the course of several months. Two findings include:

  1. Send Emails in the Morning

While most professionals check email throughout the day, the highest response rate comes first thing in the morning. Send a note early to catch the reporter when she first gets to her desk.

  1. Follow Up After 48 Hours

There is a 90 percent likelihood you will get a response to your email within 48 hours. If you don’t receive one after this time frame, you may not receive a reply at all. Follow up after two days to improve your chance at an answer.

Tips for Mobile

A 2015 study released by Deloitte concluded Americans collectively check their phones 8 billion times a day, and the average person reaches for his phone 46 times daily. It is vital to adapt your PR strategies for mobile considerations.

  1. Keep Email Subject Lines to Five Words

Pierpont notes that if recipients can’t read your entire subject line on their phone, they’ll delete your message. Google’s algorithm will truncate your headlines if it is more than 65 characters and eliminate additional subheads. Keep openers, subject lines and headers brief!

  1. Add Video

Fifty-nine percent of senior executives prefer to watch video instead of reading text if presented with the option. Consider relaying information through a short, eye-catching video.

Tips for Blogs

  1. Hubspot notes that B2B firms with blogs generate 67 percent more leads per month than non-blogging firms.

Encourage clients to produce their own content. Whether it’s a feature on management, opinions about the industry or tips about work-life balance, allowing potential customers to get a behind-the-scenes peek at the company’s personality can boost the website’s reach.

  1. Keep Age in Mind

Millenials are 247 percent more likely to be influenced by blogs or social networking sites. Think closely about your client’s audience when considering which platforms to focus efforts. If the client base skews younger, for example, explore Snapchat and Instagram.

Check out other tips to master your social media in 2017!

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

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To Tweet or Not to Tweet?: A Guide to Twitter Business Etiquette

Josephine ButlerBlog, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , , , ,

As consumers of all things public relations, the Clairemont team can’t seem to get enough of Twitter. From managing our own personal accounts to strategizing for clients, we’re constantly on the social networking site, tweeting away. And when we’re not having conversations on Twitter, we’re researching the latest industry tips and trends, via sites like HubSpot, where we recently stumbled across this gem. Too good not to share, we hope you’ll find these Twitter etiquette for business tips as helpful as we do!

Tip #1: In lieu of time, don’t make it a habit of replying to every single Tweet. You should be replying to two types of tweets on an ongoing basis: questions and negative comments. And it pays off. Did you know that 64 percent of users are more likely to purchase from businesses that answer their questions on Twitter?

Tip #2: Follow back your followers! This way, if your followers end up with a question, they have the opportunity to DM (direct message) you, and you better believe it: this is especially ideal when it’s a complaint!

Tip #3: To allow for more time to monitor content, schedule tweets in advance. And now that you have all this extra time on your hands, have a colleague take a second look — you never know what might come off the wrong way.

With these three tips, you’re well on your way to becoming a Twitter pro! Still need a little help writing, scheduling or creating a strategy surrounding your tweets? Clairemont can help! Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. Have more tips to share? Ditto!

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