Has COVID-19 Changed Franchise Discovery Days?

Discovery Days are a fixture of the franchise industry. It’s a chance for prospects and their spouses to come to headquarters, experience the company culture and lifestyle, meet the corporate team, and maybe even enjoy some time in a getaway destination.

But COVID-19, along with the travel restrictions, destination closures and anxiety about exposure that it represents, has put traditional Discovery Days on hold for many franchise brands. But if the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that business can still be conducted when it’s not in person. Video conferencing can let you host virtual Discovery Days, keeping prospects interested and engaged.

A franchise public relations agency can help you create a dynamic virtual Discovery Day, complete with informative collateral that will make a great impression. Here are some factors to consider.

Put Company Culture in the Spotlight

With a virtual Discovery Day, you’ll need to work extra hard to convey that all-important attribute: company culture. When prospects visit your headquarters, tour the campus and meet the team face to face, company culture speaks for itself. But inevitably, some of the energy will be lost on a video conference.

Help them know the true personality and lifestyle represented by your brand with high-energy virtual tours, unscripted Q&As with key staff, and activities designed to build excitement.

Go Multimedia

We’ve all been there. A video call where one person drones on an on isn’t fun. In fact, it’s a snooze fest. But multimedia presentations can build the prospects’ excitement for your brand. Build in an immersive virtual tour of your headquarters, video testimonials from key franchisees, and of course informative materials that can answer all their questions.

Watch the Time

Because there’s a limit to your prospects’ attention spans, it’s best to keep your virtual Discovery Day lean on time but strong on content. Make good use of time in this format and fill it with as much useful information as you can. Don’t forget to build in time for questions and answers, breaks and more.

A public relations agency specialized in franchising can help you plan the agenda, create the collateral and get the message just right. Ripley PR has deep experience serving franchises across multiple industries. For more information, just call (865) 977-1973 or contact Ripley PR today.

Shannon Bryant

This post was written by on May 29, 2020

4 Ways PR Can Grow Your Knoxville Business

Is there anything better than a hometown success story? A mom-and-pop shop on the grow, or an amazing brand launching to the national stage, all of these are the stuff of the American dream.Knoxville businesses

So, if you’re a Knoxville or Maryville entrepreneur, know that your hometown is cheering for you, including us! As a Knoxville public relations agency, we love seeing the businesses we serve scaling up, and we have the right tools and contacts to get them the growth they need.

Here are some of the ways public relations can help your Knoxville business grow.

1) Social Media

Most business owners are aware that social media is a must-have for growing you brand, but who’s got the time to research trends, create calendars, schedule posts and engage with followers? You might not, but we do! Our social media experts can keep your brand talking even if you don’t have the time.

2) Blogging

Blogs don’t just boost your SEO, although that’s a valuable benefit. Blogs that are engaging, informative and share-worthy boost your brand’s reputation and grow customer trust, too. You might not be a writer by trade, but we are. Our PR pros can craft amazing, sharable blogs for your website.

3) Sharing Your News

Your business generates news. New hires, special announcements, product launches and more are all news-worthy. Ripley PR has the know-how and media contacts to get your news in the news, growing brand recognition and trust in your market space.

4) Become the Trusted Expert

Whatever your specialty, you have valuable information to share with people in Knoxville, across the nation, and around the world. Ripley PR will offer you as an expert source or interviewee for local, national and global media, growing brand recognition and positioning you as a thought leader in your industry.

In partnership with Ripley PR, you can achieve the growth goals you’ve always wanted. For more information about our public relations expertise, just call us at (865) 977-1973 or contact Ripley PR online today.

Shannon Bryant

This post was written by on May 28, 2020

Shoring Up the Supply Chain (and Your Reputation)

Outside of purchasing departments, supply chain logistics have never been very top of mind for most people, but that’s changing. The COVID-19 pandemic has frayed supply chains throughout every industry, including manufacturing, and now shareholders, decisionmakers and the general public are definitely paying attention.Manufacturing

Going forward, once the economy has reopened, it will be vital for manufacturers to be able to reassure shareholders and other stakeholders that their supply chains are resilient. In “Reducing Risk in Your Global Supply Chain,” Collin Ziemerink and Neil Willings write that businesses have to address weaknesses in their supply chains quickly.

Uncertainty is here to stay, with risk factors likely to intensify in the coming year. A well-documented, end-to-end supply-chain risk strategy is critical to growth, profitability, peace of mind and corporate survival. If you don’t have a documented supply-chain continuity and disaster-recovery plan, you need to develop one fast. If you have one, you need to test it now.

But all the work to create a resilient supply chain won’t mean anything if your manufacturing company can’t communicate it to shareholders, distributors and other interested parties. It’s a matter of basic manufacturing public relations.

The experts at Ripley PR team can help your manufacturing business develop the right strategy to bring visibility to its efforts to disaster-proof its supply chain. This would take the form of a public relations strategy tailored to reach the most important segments of your audience with the right messages, quickly.

If you’re ready to plan for the new tomorrow, Ripley PR is ready to help. We’ll put our decades of PR experience to work to develop the best communications plan for your manufacturing company. Want to learn more? Call Ripley PR at (865) 977-1973 or contact us online.

Joel Davis, Content Supervisor

This post was written by on May 26, 2020

Your Home Service B2B Business Helped During COVID-19. Tell the Story with PR.

The COVID-19 pandemic placed unprecedented strain on the home service industry. Designated essential services, these professionals continued to serve homes during the crisis. At the same time, homeowners were canceling maintenance and new equipment installations out of fear of infection.

The heroic business owners and technician in the fields of plumbing, HVAC, electrical and more have kept working despite these issues, going the extra mile to keep families safe. But, as a B2B business serving the home service industry, whether through training, supplies or equipment manufacturing, you know this story. You walked through it with them.

Home service B2B businesses like yours have felt the strain and kept supporting their partners during this time. They’ve provided safety training, enhanced sanitation techniques, shifted to webinars, and kept producing equipment needed to keep American homes running. That’s an amazing story to tell, and a home service public relations agency can help you tell it.

Stand Out from the Crowd

The media is full of stories about COVID-19 right now, and it’s hungry for more. But the flipside is that newsrooms are being flooded with pitches the pandemic, too. A great public relations agency will know the journalists and media outlets who will be most interested in your story, and we will craft a pitch that stands out from all the rest.

Share Your Own News

You don’t have to rely on the media to tell your COVID-19 story, though. You can also tell it in the form of blogs, social media and even testimonial videos from your home service partners. We can help you craft the message there, as well. Your online audience will want to know, not just that you weathered the crisis, but how you helped others through. Tell that story to build your brand.

What Comes Next

Once this crisis has passed, home service companies will be looking for partners who will support them through thick and thin. They will look for B2B partners who went the extra mile. If that’s you, make sure they know about it.

Our public relations pros at Ripley PR have the know-how to share this news with the audience you need to reach. To find out more about our services, just call (865) 977-1973 or contact Ripley PR online today.

Joel Davis, Content Supervisor

This post was written by on May 22, 2020

Your Home Service B2B Business Helped During COVID-19. Tell the Story with PR.

The COVID-19 pandemic placed unprecedented strain on the home service industry. Designated essential services, these professionals continued to serve homes during the crisis. At the same time, homeowners were canceling maintenance and new equipment installations out of fear of infection.

The heroic business owners and technician in the fields of plumbing, HVAC, electrical and more have kept working despite these issues, going the extra mile to keep families safe. But, as a B2B business serving the home service industry, whether through training, supplies or equipment manufacturing, you know this story. You walked through it with them.

Home service B2B businesses like yours have felt the strain and kept supporting their partners during this time. They’ve provided safety training, enhanced sanitation techniques, shifted to webinars, and kept producing equipment needed to keep American homes running. That’s an amazing story to tell, and a home service public relations agency can help you tell it.

Stand Out from the Crowd

The media is full of stories about COVID-19 right now, and it’s hungry for more. But the flipside is that newsrooms are being flooded with pitches the pandemic, too. A great public relations agency will know the journalists and media outlets who will be most interested in your story, and we will craft a pitch that stands out from all the rest.

Share Your Own News

You don’t have to rely on the media to tell your COVID-19 story, though. You can also tell it in the form of blogs, social media and even testimonial videos from your home service partners. We can help you craft the message there, as well. Your online audience will want to know, not just that you weathered the crisis, but how you helped others through. Tell that story to build your brand.

What Comes Next

Once this crisis has passed, home service companies will be looking for partners who will support them through thick and thin. They will look for B2B partners who went the extra mile. If that’s you, make sure they know about it.

Our public relations pros at Ripley PR have the know-how to share this news with the audience you need to reach. To find out more about our services, just call (865) 977-1973 or contact Ripley PR online today.

Heather Ripley, Founder/CEO

This post was written by on May 20, 2020

We Need a (Home Service) Hero

It feels like the world is going to be a very different place once the COVID-19 pandemic is finally in the rearview mirror. But, after all is said and done, what’s the story of your home service going to be?Hand holding wrench.

People need to know that businesses likes yours have been fighting the good fight out in the community and appreciate the hard work that you’ve been doing even in the middle of a pandemic. The businesses that have stepped up for their communities are the ones that customers will remember long after social distancing is a memory.

Making sure your company remains visible during these times is not a matter of vanity. It’s good business decision. That’s why you need a comprehensive home service public relations strategy to ensure your company’s name stays in the news for the best reasons.

It’s not just about wowing potential customers, either. You’ll still need to be able to recruit skilled technicians, and the more visible your business is in the community, the easier that will be. Establishing your expertise and credibility in the public eye will make your company top-of-mind for potential candidates when it comes to recruiting.

The most cost-effective way to put this kind of strategy into effect is by partnership with Ripley PR, an experienced home service public relations agency. We know that tactics that will help you keep generating calls and attract the technicians in your region. Want to learn more? Contact Ripley PR today at (865) 977-1973. Our experienced team is ready to help.

Joel Davis, Content Supervisor

This post was written by on May 20, 2020

Franchise PR can help you land speaking engagements to boost your brand – and make the most out of the trade show experience

Trade shows are a fundamental part of the franchise business. They give companies the opportunity to show off what they do, get insight into their competitors, network with partners and potential franchisees, and catch up on new and emerging trends.

Make your submission stand out

Landing a speaking engagement at a key industry trade show multiplies the benefits. You can make a stronger connection with more industry professionals and prospective franchisees in a single session than you can in a whole weekend sitting behind a booth. At the same time, you’re establishing your credentials as an expert and burnishing your brand’s reputation.

Speaking engagements aren’t reserved for superstars. But they take time – something most business leaders don’t have a surplus of. Research, writing and revising a submission can be daunting, and it can be hard to know which events are worth the effort. If you want to promote your franchise business by speaking at industry events but don’t know how to make your submission stand out, franchise public relations may be the solution.

Experience matters

A top franchise public relations agency like Ripley PR knows the key events that will benefit your company the most. They have developed relationships with organizers and know what they’re looking for. They can craft a story for you and your company that offers a new perspective on the issues facing your industry and gives the audience useful, actionable information. Once your submission is accepted, the right PR agency will aggressively, efficiently promote your appearance to reporters and editors in the trade media.

If you’re ready to make the most of the speaking opportunities available for your franchise, Ripley PR can help. Contact us online or call (865) 977-1973.

 

 

Matthew Everett

This post was written by on May 18, 2020

The time for tech is now, so let PR get you connected

It’s been a wild few months, hasn’t it? As the coronavirus epidemic swept through the country, it changed the way we do everything, from social interactions to the way we work. While we’ve had to adjust to a new way of life, businesses have had to adopt a brand-new way of operating.

Work smarterWorker using mobile phone on a construction site

We’re at a point where it’s more important than ever to work quickly and efficiently, especially for construction companies and others like them. Implementing new processes and utilizing technology could be the difference between a business thriving or shutting its doors permanently. If you haven’t partnered with a construction public relations agency yet, what are you waiting for?

At Ripley PR, we work with companies that create amazing technology that’s revolutionizing multiple sectors, including construction, but we’ve also seen the impact that same technology has had on businesses struggling to stay afloat during these turbulent times. We’re ready to help you showcase your tech, too.

Get the word out

It’s time to put a spotlight on your business, and one of the best ways to do that is through stellar media coverage. From media interviews to positioning you as a thought leader, we can help you get the word out to decision-makers within the industry.

Companies are struggling, and your technology can help them. Let us get your message out and connect you with those who need you most. Call 865-977-1973 or contact Ripley PR online, and let us get started.

Amanda Greever

This post was written by on May 14, 2020

Are You Ready for a Crisis? PR can Help You Navigate

Even the most experienced contractor or construction business owner might find themselves feeling overwhelmed when their company stumbles into a crisis of some kind. And eventually, even the most successful companies face crises – or at least potential crises.When your construction company faces a crisis, you need construction PR.

The question you should be asking yourself is: Is your construction company prepared to handle the next one?

Whether it’s an employee that displayed poor behavior on the job or a breach in client data security, crises arise sooner or later. But if you allow a construction public relations agency to help you navigate the murky waters of every crisis that unfolds, they will seem a lot more manageable.

Specialized construction PR can help you protect your brand’s reputation

You’ve worked hard to make a good name for your company within the construction industry – and handling a crisis the wrong way can completely undermine all that hard work.

A good construction PR agency will understand that in order to protect your reputation, the way is crisis is dealt with is often more important than the crisis itself.

By letting your professional PR agency focus on messaging and crisis control, you’ll be freed up to focus on fixing the internal issues or processes that led to the crisis in the first place.

A construction PR agency will know which type of message to craft for each situation

Not all crises are created equal – and certainly each individual situation warrants a different type of message.

When you’re in the middle of a real crisis though, it can be difficult to detangle yourself from the situation enough to develop a clear and appropriate response. That’s where your specialized PR agency can step in and help.

A construction PR agency comes with an entire team of communications professionals who are specifically trained in reputation protection. They’ll be able to craft the right message for the right situation.

Construction PR will diffuse negative attention and help draw positive attention

When it comes to crisis communications, a specialized construction PR agency will know all the jargon and lingo of the industry and will be able to speak to your audience in a language they will understand.

So no matter what the crisis is, your specialized PR team will know what to say to diffuse the issue at hand while also drawing attention back to all the wonderful aspects of your company that remain strong and steadfast.

Sooner or later, every construction company will face both minor, and sometimes major, crises. When this occurs, the right construction PR agency will be able to handle the situation with grace and put out the fires before they consume your industry reputation.

At Ripley PR, we specialize in the construction field and are happy to help! Call 865-977-1973 or visit our website to find out more.

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This post was written by on May 12, 2020

Stay ahead of the next crisis with B2B PR

While some may argue that the COVID-19 crisis has not totally been a textbook “black swan” event, the magnitude of its impact on our lives and the economy has been largely unexpected by most. Many businesses, while putting up noble fights and implementing reasonable and otherwise timely action plans, are still just hanging on by a thread. A scant few have continued to thrive, many didn’t make it through at all, and too many to count have now faced at least one crisis.B2B executive upset over unexpected crisis

If your B2B company suffered a crisis recently, did you see it coming? If so, did you get out ahead of it immediately or did you wait to react once reporters came knocking?

It’s commonly known that one major service offering of PR firms is crisis management, but to many, it’s viewed as an emergency service and perhaps approached like a bandage. At Ripley PR, we believe that to best manage a crisis, you have to think more about when – not if – one is going to happen.

Partnering with a truly experienced B2B public relations agency should not only help you weather the storm when it happens, but it should help you learn to spot the clouds taking shape.

Controlling the chaos

Let’s be clear – we’re not claiming to have predicted the sheer effects of this pandemic. However, the situation has served to confirm the value of being prepared for anything. As long-prepared crisis plans resurfaced, tried and true methods were put into place early, and discussions were had about how to spot potential crises brewing, damage control suddenly became a little easier.

While we understand that each B2B company, from manufacturing and Contech to innovative SaaS providers and coaching firms, have uniquely different needs, here are just a few must-haves that a B2B public relations agency like Ripley PR can help implement:

  • A thorough crisis communications plan for company and agency use, developed well in advance when the skies are clear
  • A carefully chosen crisis response team made up of company and agency members that can be on-deck and ready to go
  • Training on how to recognize the various, and often unique, crises that could potentially arise for your specific business and how to get ahead to retain control of the narrative

If your company is combatting crisis now or is interested in learning how to better prepare for the next one, contact us at Ripley PR today by calling (865) 977-1973.

Grayson Shockley

This post was written by on May 8, 2020

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