Public Relations Archives

Word-of-mouth referrals have historically been the most effective and desired marketing tool, as their occurrence within trusted relationships of families and friends lend credibility and esteem to brands. However, social media marketing has created a new level of opportunity within the referral marketing umbrella by leveraging a business’s existing network of customers through social networks.

Social Networking: One of the Most Popular Online Activities

With a record-breaking number of participants across a wide range of networks, the social media phenomenon has irrevocably changed the landscape of communication. People are now connected in real-time via online communities where they can share thoughts, personal information, experiences, and referrals with a wide network of their peers. This provides significant influence to individual voices in the marketplace, and has a major effect on how businesses should market, communicate with prospects and customers, manage their public images, and improve their products and services.

Social Media Marketing: Focus on the Customer

Social media has broken the chains of top-down communication from businesses to consumers and has leveled the playing field. Companies must adopt the peer-to-peer communication style of social media and focus on the needs and interests of their customers to be successful marketers in this medium. By delivering content of customer interest and special benefits–as well as being an active ‘listener’ of fans and followers–businesses will enjoy a growing social media following that will deliver positive commentary, increased web traffic, and both on- and offline referrals.

Strategic Social Media Marketing

Sporadic postings to Facebook and Twitter accounts seem disjointed and disorganized. The most effective social media marketing approach is to carefully outline communications with a social media marketing plan. A well-designed plan includes goals, budget guidelines, competitive research, strategy, and a content calendar. Having a social media marketing plan in place is also essential for measurement. With regular monitoring of the number of followers and quality of interactions, periodic reevaluations of strategies outlined in the plan can be adjusted accordingly.

Social Media Marketing to a Target Audience

Using a comprehensive social media marketing plan as a blueprint, increasing leads, referrals, and web site traffic can be accomplished by strategically participating in a variety of social media networks. There are thousands of them out there, but it is critical to select a handful that best reach your customers and target market(s). Typically, the most popular sites–Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube–are great starting points. However, if you are targeting a younger audience, you may want to emphasize YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat, whereas a female-focused campaign might work well on Pinterest, since its users are 85% female.

Engage Consistently and Creatively with your Followers

Communicate with customers and prospects via each social media account in a conversational fashion that isn’t always about your business. Include calls to action in your postings and web links to increase the probability they will be reposted, and answer customer questions and complaints in a timely fashion. Design mini-campaigns that offer incentives, like rewards or contests for new ideas, customer-produced videos about your brand, and survey participation.

Social media marketing fosters business growth when businesses are dedicated to building a true relationship with customers and prospects. By communicating openly and frequently with brand followers and delivering content and rewards that address their needs and interests, they will reciprocate with brand referrals and increased website traffic, leading to more sales and bigger profit margins. Millennium Agency can help jumpstart or enhance your social media marketing strategy—just give us a call.

About Millennium Agency

Millennium Agency is a national award-winning digital creative, content/PR and video marketing firm. With offices in Boston and New Hampshire, our team unites creative branding and data analytics to accelerate our clients’ growth, while combining our clients’ vision with our marketing expertise to increase sales opportunities and drive brand success. From video advertising and web design to social media and PR, Millennium can guide your marketing efforts every step of the way. Contact the professionals at Millennium Agency to learn more!

Linda Fanaras is the President and Founder of Millennium Agency (www.mill.agency) located in Manchester, NH and Boston. She can be reached at 877-873-7445 or [email protected].

Social media has become an essential component of the successful marketer’s toolkit, and its integration with traditional public relations solutions yields the most tangible results. Building and maintaining positive public relations is the essence of any business – but owners who embrace a multi-tiered public relations plan and use it to position themselves as knowledgeable, helpful, and accessible in their local and regional tech markets are often the most successful.

In addition to providing top-notch service to each prospect and client, business owners should seek out opportunities to write and place press releases, articles, and op-eds in local and industry publications. Each printing increases visibility, maximizes messaging, and enhances image. Business owners can also further their reputations as experts in the manufacturing and technology industry by securing speaking opportunities at relevant public, B2C, and B2B events and by sponsoring local charitable and civic events.

Public Relations Inform Your Social Media Strategy

The results, experiences, and insights gained through public relations efforts will amplify your social media marketing strategy. First, it is imperative to research available social media applications, including Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube, among others, to determine those that will most effectively deliver your message to your target audience. For instance, a business serving a high number of professionals may find the most leads via LinkedIn, while producers may enjoy increased inquiries as a result of product demonstration videos posted on YouTube. For your technology or manufacturing company, LinkedIn or Facebook will provide the best current leads for the industry.

Making Social Media Work For You

Business owners should share public relations outcomes, including press releases, blog posts, presentations, and links to published articles via social media. There are free web-based tools that allow users to post to all their networks at once (e.g., Ping.fm). Additionally, posting links to helpful or interesting industry articles that provide social media followers the latest news and information within the tech world is always popular. Business owners can further their success in building a fan base, and promote their brand, message, and image, by creating tips and insights to share via their networks.

Social media marketing can easily be incorporated into your daily routine if you create a social media marketing calendar that includes product or service-related tips, upcoming events, articles, and links to industry news articles. Start with a two-month schedule and plan to post 3 to 5 times per week.

By tapping into your existing public relations efforts, industry knowledge, and personal news, you will quickly enhance your professional reputation and engage with your target market in a new and accessible way. To find out more about creating and following an integrated public relations and social media marketing strategy, or if you would like assistance in getting started, contact an integrated marketing firm.

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Linda A. Fanaras is the President and Founder of Millennium Agency (www.mill.agency) located in Boston and Manchester, NH. She can be reached at 877-873-7445 or [email protected].

About Millennium Agency

Millennium Agency is a nationally recognized, top woman led B2B branding, positioning, and digital marketing firm who knows how to create value that emotionally influences your customer’s buying decision, giving you the competitive advantage. As your trusted partner in B2B software technology and manufacturing, we provide the branding and positioning framework that make an impact – so you can focus on what you do best – run your business successfully. With offices in Boston and New Hampshire, and a worldwide presence, the professionals at Millennium Agency would like to learn more about your business.  Visit www.mill.agency or book time here.  

Transparency: it has been a buzzword in most industries for several years now, especially when it comes to public relations strategies. It describes the openness of a brand and their ability to share certain company information as well as take on opinions related to things such as environmental and social issues. In practicing transparency, businesses are seen as being more honest and trustworthy.

Some businesses are so determined to be transparent that they share where they get all of their raw materials, the production costs of their offerings, and even employee salaries. This trend is especially important to millennials and studies show that generation Z is growing up to be no different.

Here are a few points that outline the importance of brand transparency:

Why be Transparent

Releasing information to the public shows that your business is honest and trustworthy which is an important part of managing public relations. It is also an effective way to build likeability and even more importantly, loyalty with your brand. In fact, consumers are 94% more likely to be loyal to a brand that incorporates transparency into its business model.

Much of the transparency movement is fueled by millennials. With millennials ranging from ages 21-37 roughly, they are at prime spending age. This is why any business that markets to millennials, either exclusively or in part, may want to consider incorporating elements of transparency into their public relations strategies.

How to be Transparent

There are a variety of ways that brands can be transparent without going to extremes. Simply by advertising some elements of your production or services, you can show consumers that you are committed to providing them with quality offerings that have their best interests in mind. For example, if your operation includes elements of food production, an overview of ingredients is an effective way to be transparent. If your business is in manufacturing, perhaps create an informative video that displays some elements of the production process that show why your product is one of quality.

Admitting to mistakes is also a large part of being transparent. Many businesses have become infamous for trying to sweep things under the rug, blame someone else, or just plain deny any knowledge of misdoings. Taking responsibility for your operation shows integrity and also shows your brand’s commitment to providing consumers with the best possible products or services.

In a particularly drastic example, the company Chipotle experienced a food contamination issue in 2015 that devastated sales and fueled public mistrust. As a result, Chipotle CEO Steve Ells wrote a letter in which he apologized, took full responsibility, and highlighted the actionable changes that were made to fix the issue and ensure it would never happen again. It worked like a charm. Consumers trusted the brand even more and the business was able to make a full recovery form what could’ve been a crippling blow.

Consumers nowadays expect much more from brands than they did in the past. With the access to vast amounts of information offered by the internet, consumers are much savvier than they used to be. If your business is ready for the advantages of transparency and other public relations strategies, contact Jessica Chabot, Vice President, Client Services of Millennium Agency at www.mill.agency.

About Millennium Agency

Once upon a time, maintaining a company’s brand identity followed the same golden rule of the family dinner table: no politics or religion. In that simpler time, wading into the waters of hot button issues was an invitation for a public relations crisis that risked alienating your market. Given those guidelines, it’s easy to see why the brands of old opted to stay out of the fray.

Weren’t those the days?

For Brand Identity: That was then, this is now.

In contrast to the strategic neutrality of that bygone era, in 2018, being unequivocal about values of your organization plays a crucial role in building the brand identity that gives you an edge over the competition. Between the intensity of the debate on crucial issues and the willingness of people to make their opinions known, political and social views have become inseparable from our identities.

With this high voltage social climate permeating every facet of our lives, it should come as no surprise that consumers are showing increased interest in doing business with likeminded organizations.

Taking a Stand for the Brand

How much weight do consumers put on the willingness of companies to build a brand identity on the issues of the day? It turns out, quite a bit.

According to a recent study from Sprout Social, just about two-thirds of consumers consider it important for organizations to be transparent about political and social issues. Here are a few key findings:

We want our brands to take a stand. Over half (66%) of consumers say it’s important for organizations to take public stands on social and political issues.
Relevance matters. Nearly half (47%) of consumers say brands are most credible when an issue directly impacts their customer base.
When values align, brand identity flourishes. When a consumer feels that a company’s views mirror their own, nearly 1/3 of them (31%) will commend the company via social media, helping to drive a far-reaching brand identity narrative.

While the study found that a consumer’s politics will color their reception of a company’s stance, the overall impact on consumers was positive, “with intrigued, impressed, and engaged emerging as the top three consumer reactions.”

Silence: The most deafening statement of all

While burying your proverbial head in the sand may have been safe back in the day, there’s evidence to suggest that a wishy-washy stand on topical issues is now the biggest brand identity risk of all. According to research by Daniel Korschun, Associate Director of Marketing at Drexel University, many consumers are apt to assume that a company is trying to deceive them when they fail to make their views known.

“Consumers behave this way because they find it hypocritical for a company that claims to be ‘guided by core values’ to then withhold its position on a political issue. The implication appears to be that the company is hiding something.”

Building a sustainable brand identity hinges on establishing trust with your customer base. If your business is the best at what you do and you would like to let consumers know through awareness-oriented marketing, contact Linda Fanaras, President/Strategist of Millennium Agency at www.mill.agency.

About Millennium Agency

So your business is the best at what they do, but you’re still not seeing the sales that you would like. You also feel that there is an untapped market out there, what do you do now?

The answer? Focus on public relations.

Public relations is the cornerstone of a successful marketing strategy. Many people think PR is purely one thing, but this is not necessarily the case. Public relations is multi-faceted and a successful strategy involves many different tactics for reaching consumers.

Here are a few “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for building a successful public relations strategy:

Do

Reach the right audiences by releasing news through the right mediums.

It’s all about knowing which news sources you should use to release information about your business. Creating media lists that contain top influencers for best outreach is key to reaching the right market for your product or service. There is no right or wrong number, depending on your business, your list could be under 50 news sources or it could exceed 500. Geography, demographics, and budget are all factors to consider when choosing the best sources for your press releases.

Build brand loyalty through positioning.

Positioning your business involves telling your audience who you are as a business and positively portraying your brand. A strong public relations strategy allows you to be the authority on your brand image. Releasing PR pieces from trusted news sources helps readers see you the way you wish to be seen. Positioning through trusted news mediums builds credibility as well. After seeing your business in an editorial section rather than the paid advertising section of a news source, a consumer is much more likely to do business with you.

Develop featured articles to be released through media outlets.

Writing and releasing articles on industry subjects shows that you are a thought leader in your profession and keeps your name relevant to consumers. Featured articles with enticing information also keep a steady flow of traffic coming to your website, which increases lead opportunities. Regularly releasing content will keep readers coming back, building familiarity with your business, and while they may not initially need your services, when the time comes, they will know who to call.

Don’t

Forget to form press releases around all new major company events, products, and changes.

Releases regarding new company features, events, products, etc. keep consumers up to date on your latest offerings and help your business maintain relevancy. Relevancy is crucial to sustaining a steady flow of business. The old saying “out of sight, out of mind” holds true for consumer opinions, which is why many successful businesses are constantly posting news regarding the on-goings of their company.

Focus on purely one channel for public relations efforts.

Public relations through a variety of mediums is key to reaching as many people as possible. News outlets, social media, and your website are just a few examples of the mediums you should be releasing information through. By casting a wide net, you are much more likely to reach your target market.

Neglect social media as a medium for public relations.

Social media is an effective form of outreach, which is why its important that news releases and articles be pushed through your social pages in addition to news sources. Many trusted professionals share industry articles through social sites such as LinkedIn, spreading brand awareness for the business.

Social listening is also an important reason to incorporate social media into your public relations strategy. By monitoring conversations regarding your brand, you can respond to posts and discussions involving your brand just as fast as they are developing. This is important for showing consumers that you are in tune with their opinions and to head off any negative brand conversations/experiences before they have the chance to spread.

Public relations is a fundamental way to reach target audiences and tailor messages to them, enhancing your close rates on sales opportunities. If you would like to know how your business could build a stronger brand image, contact Jessica Chabot, Vice President, Client Services of Millennium Agency at www.mill.agency.

About Millennium Agency

Have you ever heard a friend rave about how much they love a certain store, product, app, etc. and then decided to check it out for yourself? This is what happens when a business has converted a customer into an influencer for their brand. When a customer becomes an influencer for your brand you reach a larger audience and when you reach a larger audience the possibility for more sales is increased. So how do you get customers talking about you? Good PR.

A good PR campaign can effectively build strong, genuine relationships between your business and your customers. Here is how it’s done:

Messaging and Positioning

Good PR is about sending the right message to consumers. While you want to provide the best possible products and services, it is important for your business to have a personality as well. Providing messages that make your business both relatable and understanding of customer’s needs will help you achieve recognition with your customer base and get them talking about you.

Positioning is also key to getting through to consumers. You need to make sure that your business not only has a personality, but also that it has the right personality. Market research is very important when it comes to positioning, knowing the values of your customer-base will help you position your business in a way that properly expresses those values.

Both messaging and positioning for your business can be established by developing unique selling propositions, talking points, and news release footers for use by the media. Consistently and frequently creating messages for release to the public will help increase brand awareness. Establishing a unique position will also help your brand differentiate itself from others in a competitive market.

Press Releases

Press releases help convert customers into brand influencers. Releasing a steady flow of positive and relevant news will allow you to target your specific audience and reach them with the right information at the right time. Releases for new products, special events, and new features are just a few examples of news that will help spread brand awareness and give consumers talking points for your business.

Press releases also let you share who you are, what you do, and why it is important, all from a position of authority. We live in a very news-oriented society, which is why it is important to integrate your own updates and contributions into the flow of information. It is important to follow certain steps to ensure that your statement is “news compatible” while also getting your main points across to consumers.

Media Lists

Creating media lists is a key factor when it comes to targeting the right audience. Each market has its own specific media channels and it is important that you reach out to the right contacts. Be sure top industry influencers are included in your media list.

Forming a media list allows you to tailor your news and content based on the needs of your business. An added benefit to having specific media sources is that you can monitor your outreach efforts to ensure that your investment is helping you achieve your public relations goals. Getting consumers to talk about your business is all about reaching them in the right way through the right medium, and media lists are truly beneficial to this process.

Feature Articles

Lastly, feature articles are part of the foundation of good PR. Creating content with enticing information related to your industry gains the attention of consumers. Feature articles show that you are a thought leader in your industry and provide an educational component for your customers. For example, if your business produces mechanical or electrical elements used in the automotive industry, producing an article titled New Automotive Design Trends for This Year will appeal to your audience. In this way, related content can help get consumers talking about your brand.

When consumers discuss your brand with others, a unique marketing effect takes place. People become more aware of your brand and trust is established through positive word-of-mouth advertising. People who have heard good things about your business are much more likely to utilize your products or services as opposed a business they have never had any contact with. Influencer conversations stem from impactful messaging/positioning, press releases, media lists, and feature articles, which are all key elements of a good PR strategy.

If it’s time for your business to implement new strategies to reach your customer base and convert them into influencers for your brand, contact Jessica Chabot, Vice President, Client Services of Millennium Agency at www.mill.agency.

About Millennium Agency

If you are a businessperson and you have not yet heard about multilingual content marketing, prepare to start hearing a lot more about it in the coming months. The reason for this is the same reason why good content marketing has always been important – it helps businesses reach more prospects and more customers.

You might think creating content in multiple languages is unnecessary because web pages can just be translated in your browser. But while machine-translation software can be a useful tool, it is often inaccurate, inconsistent, and unable to detect many of the context clues, nuances and idioms that enhance languages and enrich their cultural differences, which should certainly be expressed in good content. So be prepared – the next big wave of marketing attention is likely to include a healthy dose of multilingual content marketing. Here’s how you can get a head start.

Keep your content simple

When writing content that is going to be translated, you need to keep it simple and easy to understand, so that the cultural elements of each of the selected languages are not lost in translation, so to speak. Machine translation errors are so common, in fact, the internet has been having a laugh about some of the most egregious mistakes they have made for quite some time, like these ones. The lesson here: use translators for basic words or common phrases, but not much else.

multi-lingual content marketing

Get to know your translation tools

There are many translation tools on the market today, and you will probably find a good use for them eventually, so it is best to get a head start on learning them. It might be worth your while to contact professionals in your industry you know who may already be using software and new technology for content translation that you are curious about, so that you can learn the pros and cons of some of these tools in advance.

Find a native-speaking editor

Even if this is difficult to do, taking on a copy editor who is fluent in the language or languages you want to translate your content into is a very necessary step in the multilingual content process. No matter how good your translation software is, and no matter how modern your technology is overall, there is simply no replacement for a native-speaking copy editor. This person will understand the nuance of language, the euphemisms commonly used, and even the slang expressions common to the language being written. In turn, this will help you avoid making your non-English speaking readers feel isolated and instead connect your content with a larger audience more effectively.

Re-assess your audience profile

Your existing target audience profile may become at least partially obsolete when you begin writing multilingual content. Facts and characteristics that are true of English-speaking customers may have little or no relevance in your market for Spanish-speaking customers or Japanese customers. Most likely, you will be obliged to formulate individual customer profiles for each different cultural group you are targeting.

Consider additional appropriate channels

During your profile assessments, you should have discovered which channels are most appropriate for reaching each individual cultural group of your overall target audience. Tailor your content marketing for each group to the channel where they are most accessible, understanding that you may need to become active in additional channels to accomplish that goal.

About Millennium Agency

Millennium Agency is a nationally recognized, leading woman led B2B brand, message positioning and digital marketing agency who knows how to create value that emotionally influences your customers’ buying decisions, without being the lowest-price solution – giving you the competitive advantage. As your trusted partner in B2B software technology and manufacturing, we provide the brand and positioning framework that make an impact – so you can focus on what you do best – run your business successfully. Our process is proven, and we have the stats to share. To learn more about Millennium Agency, call 877.873.7445 or visit www.mill.agency.

Social media has, no doubt, solidified its place in the marketing communications mix, but knowing and applying that fact are two entirely different things. Within the larger omni-channel marketing mix, social media can seem trivial and even cursory. However, as short-lived as a post, Tweet, or Snapchat may appear, an effective social media branding strategy can leave lasting impressions on brand perceptions, engagement and loyalty. After all, a single bad review today can be a crisis tomorrow. While a happy customer may tell nine people about a positive brand experience, an angry customer is likely to tell 16.

So, how do you effectively utilize and pick the right social media platforms that will enhance your brand image and generate positive customer experiences to grow your business?

Here are three things you should know, do, and consider when building a social media branding strategy for your business:

Set a Foundation

The cornerstone to any good social media branding strategy is your customer. Understanding your customer sets the foundation for your social media branding strategy and helps you establish your objectives for using social media.

So, before you start creating an account for every social media platform out there, ask yourself what your purpose is for being online – do you want to increase sales? Gain exposure? Generate more leads? Whatever your aim, it affects what social media channels are right for you and your business, and will help you ultimately reach that desired result. The demographics of your target market will also impact the makeup of your social media network. Take note of their age, gender, and other defining characteristics, to identify the social sites that have a user-base that matches your buyer personas.

Get to Know the Building Blocks

Now that you’ve set a clear and concrete goal and have a solid understanding of your ideal consumer, it’s finally time to consider your options. Let’s take a look at a few of your choices, and how those platforms can be better suited to certain companies and business objectives. Below, are the top five most popular social media platforms in the United States, and insights into each to consider when designing a your omni-channel social media network.

1) Facebook

Remains the most popular and most active social media site with more than twice as many active users than its runner up
Predominantly female; 83% female vs. 75% male of online users
Over 50 million businesses use Facebook Business Pages
77% of B2C companies have captured a lead through Facebook
Most widely used across all age demographics with 64% of Americans 12+ using the social site
Best for: B2C/B2B. Building and improving brand awareness by reaching a wide audience of potential brand advocates.

2) Twitter

88% of businesses with more than 100 employees use twitter for marketing purposes
Customer service interactions over Twitter have increased 250% in last two years
86% of people say the reason they use Twitter is to get news
Best for: B2B/B2C. Customer interactions and nurturing customer relationships through relevant, real-time posts

3) LinkedIn

40% of B2B professionals say LinkedIn is a critical part of their research when considering new technologies and services to purchase
65% of B2B companies say they’ve acquired a customer leveraging LinkedIn
94% B2B organizations utilize LinkedIn in their content marketing strategy
Best for: B2B; Establishing thought-leadership and long-form content to increase lead generation and build professional relationships

4) Pinterest

93% of Pinterest users have utilized the platform to plan or make purchases
Pinterest drives 5% of all retail website referral traffic
Pinterest is five times better at driving in-store sales than any other platform
87% of Pinterest users say that they have made a purchase decision because of Pinterest
Best for: B2C. Increasing sales and driving inbound traffic through social discovery and shared content

5) Instagram

90% of Instagram users are younger than 35
53% of Instagram users follow brands
Leads all social media channels in per-follower interactions and engagement rates
Best for: B2C. Building a brand and establishing a brand image through highly visual and engaging content

Start Small & Build Up

Lastly, be realistic and recognize that finding the right social media mix will a be a process of trial and error. Start small, monitor what’s working and what’s not, and respond accordingly to build a successful online presence that works for your business.

About Millennium Agency

Millennium Agency is a national, award-winning, digital, creative, content/PR, and video marketing firm. With offices in Boston and New Hampshire, our team unites creative branding and data analytics to accelerate our clients’ growth, while combining our clients’ vision with our marketing expertise to increase sales opportunities and drive brand success. From video advertising and web design to social media and PR, Millennium can guide your marketing efforts every step of the way. Contact the professionals at Millennium Agency to learn more!

Linda Fanaras is the President and Founder of Millennium Agency (www.mill.agency) located in Manchester, NH, and Boston. She can be reached at 877-873-7445 or [email protected].

While many of us would probably rather go to the dentist than face a room full of people and give a presentation, the ability to an engage an audience and motivate action is an essential part of any professional’s tool belt. In fact, 70% of working professionals cite presentation skills as critical to career success. Mastering the art of the presentation or pitch, takes time and practice.

Here are five general commandments to live by when trying to win over an audience and deliver a killer presentation.

1. Command Attention (from the very beginning)

First impressions are often everything, it’s up to you to make them count. The second you walk into the room, you set the tone for the entire presentation. Non-verbal cues, from tone of voice to body language, influence the impact of your words. By projecting confidence with the tenor of your voice and your gestures, you encourage confidence – trust – in your message.

2. Establish a Connection

“The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?’”

– Jim Rohn

Truly powerful presentations evoke emotions and engage the audience by demonstrating that even apparently different people share common experiences. Interacting with your audience and telling your own story – these are the kinds of things that lend authenticity to your message and provide a reason for the audience to listen.

3. Know Your Stuff

The ultimate downfall of many presentations, more often than not, is a lack of clarity. A confused message always translates to a confused audience. Effective presenters are prepared, trust their knowledge on the topic, and can focus on being responsive to the audience rather than just the communication or delivery information. It’s also important to actual believe what you’re saying. If you’ve dismissed the message, so too will your audience.

4. Provide Proof

Support what you say with statistics and provide evidence of your credibility. Data when used in the proper context, strengthens your message by validating your claims and establishing your expertise in the subject matter.

5.Create ‘Flow’

A good presenter drives the conversation, leading the audience towards an intuitive, logical conclusion – the presentation’s purpose. Design all presentations with an end in mind. By defining a concrete outcome, you can organize information to build a roadmap to the desired result.

The Takeaway

“Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it: To Whom It May Concern.”

– Ken Haemer

In the end, everything essentially boils down to the value you can offer your audience, and that starts with knowing them, what they want, and yes, sometimes what they need. When you take the time to understand your audience, impactful presentations and all that they entail will naturally follow.

View the published article in Prime Women here.

About Millennium Agency

Linda Fanaras is the President and Founder of Millennium Agency (www.mill.agency) located in Manchester, NH, and Boston. She can be reached at 877-873-7445 or [email protected].

Today’s PR professionals can no longer avoid the impact social media has on the industry. Here’s why:

58% of millennials purchasing decisions being influenced by ads on social media in the United States as of June 2021
76% of journalists say they think about their story’s social media sharing ability

Now more than ever, an effective social media PR strategy is so important, especially when running marketing for a small business.

Take advantage of these five ways to use social media to advance your public relations campaign.

1. Develop Relationships with the Media and Influencers

Public relations professionals and social media marketers understand the role of relationships in the media industry. By interacting with journalists, media outlets, and influencers on social media, you extend the professional relationship beyond the press release pitch. This increases the chances of gaining media coverage with the right outlets.

When developing these pertinent relationships, use social media to share relevant information, provide value, and extend the conversation. Do not bombard media contacts with pitches, requests, or press releases via social media as this is seen as spammy and a waste of their time. Ensure the nature of your public relationship is professional and good for both parties at all times.

2. Facilitate the Brand Message through Content Distribution

Distributing original and branded content to a targeted audience is a tried-and-true social media tactic. In addition, it allows public relations teams to strategically facilitate the brand message online. By having control of the type of content shared, and the copywriting within the post, PR pros ensure the proper brand message is sent each time.

If you are curating content to distribute on your brand’s social media accounts, make sure the content is aligned with brand values and the public relations campaign objectives. Otherwise, you will share irrelevant content with your audience.

If you are hesitant to take on managing your own content distribution channel, seeking a marketing agency for social media could be a good option. A marketing agency or social media agency will use the best analytics for social media and trusted industry data available to manage your social media posts, implement a posting schedule for your social media as often as you prefer, and improve your overall social media marketing and advertising strategy using the best social media management tools on the market.

3. Incorporate Social Sharing into Press Releases

A simple, yet effective way to integrate social media into a public relations campaign is by adding social sharing capabilities to press releases. This allows readers and media outlets to distribute your intended message online in seconds.

Embedding relevant social media links and posts into your press releases also promotes social sharing and engagement among readers.

4. Create and Leverage Campaign Hashtags

Hashtags, while initially used to follow conversations online, can be a strategic tool for public relations objectives. By creating and leveraging specific campaign hashtags on social media platforms, PR teams can accomplish the following:

Monitor customer conversations centered around the particular campaign
Understand how the campaign is performing among intended audiences
Engage in user/customer conversations online
Ensure campaign and brand content is easily searchable

When using hashtags, make sure they are appropriate, easily recognized, and contribute to the brand message.

5. Real-Time Crisis Management

Public relations professionals are responsible for extinguishing all online crises that may lead to a negative brand reputation. Social media platforms allow brands, and PR teams alike, to respond in real-time to situations and/or customer conversations. With the growing ability for customers to interact directly with brands online, PR teams must take advantage of the “instant” nature of social media to tackle crises and maintain a positive online reputation for the brand.

Pair Social Media and Public Relations for Ongoing Success

Social media is more crucial than ever in the public relations industry—elevate your brand equity with an effective social media strategy.

What would you do with more time to strategize and grow your business?

We are passionate about providing business owners and marketing departments with more time to grow while generating creatively brilliant results using digital, PR, web design, branding, and marketing strategies. Send us a message telling us your pain points on social media or any other aspect of your business marketing. We will schedule a free 30-minute consultation to get to know you and discuss your growth goals.

I’m Ready for More Time!