Ripley PR

A PR Partner Can Grow the Online Presence of Your Knoxville Business

As an East Tennessee business, your brand doesn’t have to settle for regional visibility. One thing to keep in mind is, even if your business is located in Knoxville or Maryville, using the expertise of a global PR agency can put your brand on the digital map. Ripley PR, a Knoxville public relations firm, not only knows your area well, it offers your business the expertise to expand your brand beyond the local area through its digital acumen.

Ripley PR has a global mindset and looks outside the box to promote your brand in the digital domain through:

Online reputation management. Knowing the ways to get online attention locally is important, but thinking beyond the scope of your business’ regional reputation can create credibility nationwide and in international markets, setting the stage for an increase in business.
Social media. One of the most important ways to promote your brand, social media campaigns shouldn’t be an afterthought. By partnering with Ripley PR for social media management, your social influence will go farther and reach a wider audience that’s targeted to your brand.
Digital media relations. Ripley PR has media and trade connections that span international borders, making your press releases and pitches more likely to gain national and international attention via online press pickups and digital publications. While having local media and press relationships is important, creating online awareness for your brand outside the local area increases your brand’s authority and influence.

If your business is in Knoxville or Maryville, you can find a global PR agency right in your own backyard. As a Knoxville PR agency, Ripley PR has its roots here, but it also has a global presence, and can help your business gain attention and increase your customer base through targeted PR strategies. To find out how Ripley PR can make a difference in your bottom line, visit online or call (865) 977-1973.

This post was written by Heather Ripley, Founder/CEO on October 21, 2020

Using Case Studies to Promote Your Home Service B2B Company

Seeing may be believing, but getting home service contractors to take a look at your B2B company’s products might take a little work. Plumbing appliance manufacturers like yours need to be able to educate contractors about the solutions you offer.

It’s only natural. These days, decisionmakers are researching products long before they ever contact manufacturers or distributors. That’s why case studies and white papers are an important part of any home service B2B public relations strategy.

Importance of Case Studies

Case studies can showcase how contractors successfully used your products in projects for a wide variety of clients. In addition to provide information, they can also be used to generate better leads for your company. By making the case study available behind a website lead generation form, you can collect contact information for people who have already indicated they are interested in learning about your products.

Expert Help

Instead of devoting the in-house time and energy to develop and promote case study content, B2B companies can partner with Ripley PR, an experienced home service public relations agency. Our content experts can develop the informative and useful content needed to get the attention of home service contractors. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help, just call us at (865) 977-1973 or contact Ripley PR online.

This post was written by Joel Davis, Content Supervisor on October 20, 2020

Boost your home services social media strategy with PR

Most home service contractors know that social media isn’t a luxury anymore. But few of them provide more than just the basics – a steady, regularly updated stream of forgettable content that’s indistinguishable from every other contractor’s feed.

Max potential

So the bad news is that your social media could use a big boost. The good news is that it’s well within reach. With some advance planning and a goal-oriented strategy, you can revive your plumbing, HVAC or electrical service company’s social media presence. Here are some tips for creating and sharing vibrant content that will maximize social media’s potential to help build your business.

Define: Do you want to build brand awareness or recruit new talent? Are you looking to generate leads or sign more maintenance contracts? Different content serves different purposes. When have a goal in mind, you can connect more efficiently with the right audience.
Shoot: A recent smartphone is all the equipment you need to make good videos. If you pay attention to lighting, framing and sound, invest in a tripod, mix up a variety of styles and subjects, you can deliver great ones.
Engage: Respond to questions quickly and honestly. Create content that invites a response. Share interesting or entertaining articles and videos. Have a personality.
Share: Don’t just link to a weekly or monthly post from your own company’s blog. Share content from other sources that informs your followers, whether it’s a news story, a Twitter thread or a how-to video.

Invest in expertise

Social media is an investment, but home service public relations experts can share the workload and streamline the process, providing you with confidence that your social media is working to help your business grow.

The experienced professionals at Ripley PR will work with you to define your social media goals and build a strategy to reach them. We’ll create relevant, informative content that provides real value, along with metrics to mark our progress. You’ll have one less thing to worry about and more time to enjoy your success.

If you’re ready to take on a social media partner, call Ripley PR at (865) 977-1973 or contact us online.

This post was written by Matthew Everett on October 16, 2020

A strong PR partnership can connect your franchise brand with the right audience, even in uncertain times

The COVID-19 pandemic turned the American economy on its head, leaving millions unemployed and scared. While there has been marked improvement at times, there are still a lot of folks — of all ages — wondering “what’s next?” as they job search and contemplate if it’s time for a career change.

In a recent column, Forbes contributor Don Daszkowski offered some thoughts on a potential career change for “older” adults:

… (People in their 60s) are healthier and living longer. In a lot of ways, you might say that 60 is the new 40. Except for one problem: No one wants to hire a 60-year-old. … With lots to contribute and years of wisdom

and experience behind them, many older adults are ripping up their resumes and turning to franchising for a career change. Franchising offers an opportunity for a true second act but with more control and security than going up against a bunch of 20-somethings for that next soul-crushing job.

He’s not wrong. We specialize in franchise public relations, and we see the impact our clients have on everyday folks. Franchising is open to everyone, no matter your age or business prowess. The amazing franchises we work with are changing lives and giving folks hope and a new direction. We love sharing those stories.

At Ripley PR, we understand the franchising industry better than any other agency out there. We believe franchise opportunities can improve lives, and we work hard to help our clients expand their brand by getting them in front of the right audience.

From interviews in both mainstream and industry publications to stellar social and content creation, our team knows how to help franchise brands get ahead. There are a lot of unknowns for folks these days, but you can be certain your franchise needs a strong PR strategy in place to tackle what comes next. Contact us today or give us a call at 865-977-1973, and we’ll help you create one.

This post was written by Amanda Greever on October 14, 2020

Can PR help you recruit a more diverse construction team?

It’s no secret, and in fact it’s almost a tired notion, that the persisting skilled trade labor shortage has turned from an ongoing challenge into almost the norm in the industry. From plumbing and HVAC service providers to full scale commercial construction contractors, the blue-collar recruiting pool remains shallow and intensely competitive. As an agency specializing in construction public relations, we know the plight all too well.

A major contributing factor to the shortage is the lack of women and minority members applying for positions in the skilled trades.

An article by Building Industry Association of Central South Carolina on Groundbreak Carolinas reported:

According to labor force statistics from the Current Population Survey and analyzed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the share of women in the construction industry is currently at 9.86 percent, although women make up almost half—47 percent—of the total working population.

This illustrates an immediate and massive opportunity to increase the talent pool. Likewise, the construction industry needs to begin the process of intentionally teaching minority students about the promising opportunities in the skilled trades early on in their educational careers. Pete Strange, chairman emeritus at Messer Construction, stated in ENR:

If we are recruiting talent from vocational education schools and universities that are not graduating the demographics of their communities, we have no hope for change in our companies. Recruiting at traditionally Black colleges is a start, but investing in scholarships for minorities and women and supporting those students with paid internships will be evidence of our changed expectations. More effort will be needed in engaging students and their families as informed consumers of education. Waiting until the junior and senior year career day to inform students of the path to success gives them neither the time nor the incentive to go back and take courses that they missed. The next step is to teach the teachers.

Can PR help?

At Ripley PR, we want to see both the skilled trade labor pool deepen and become more inclusive, more diverse. If your construction company wants to reach more diverse demographics while attracting top talent, here are some ways that partnering with the right public relations team can help.

Press Releases and Media Outreach – A construction public relations agency with an experienced media relations team can issue timely press releases announcing your recruiting efforts and secure key media placement in outlets read by potential job seekers.
Hiring Events and Recruiting Campaigns – Strategy is critical, and you shouldn’t plan your events alone. Partner with a seasoned team to coordinate impactful events and campaigns that will establish your company as a sought-after place of employment.
Dynamic Social Media Ads and Consistent, Educational Content – Choosing an agency with an in-house content team will ensure that even your blog and social channels have consistent messaging. From hyper-targeted social media ads to eye-opening blogs about opportunities in the trades, a content team can keep career opportunities with your company top of mind for job seekers.

To learn more about how we can help your construction company with recruitment efforts, contact us at Ripley PR today by calling (865) 977-1973.

This post was written by Grayson Shockley on October 8, 2020

Is your B2B firm prepared for a post-COVID-19 recovery? PR can help

We are still in the midst of the pandemic, and while some areas of the country are doing pretty well, others are doing far worse. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Vaccines are in the works, some schools are open again, and businesses are slowly starting to open back up, albeit carefully.

No one knows what a recovery or the “new normal” will look like, however for many B2B organizations, business still must go on. That means there is still competition, there is still a need for business leads, and there is still a reason to depend on a B2B public relations agency like Ripley PR to make sure you survive and thrive during and after COVID-19.

PR for B2B is still needed, and might even be more important than before. Think about your future and how a PR plan can keep your business going even amid a crisis by:

Keeping your B2B reputation strong. Business must still go on, and rather than retreat and disappear from view, this is a good time to work on your business’ reputation. Other businesses want to do business with a solid and reputable company and PR makes sure your business stays in the game.
Presenting you and your business as industry leaders. Businesses want to partner with businesses who are on the leading edge, and who are considered experts in their field. PR professionals in the B2B space will make sure to provide you with opportunities to show your expertise and thought leadership skills through media and industry outlets.
Creating relevant press releases during and after COVID-19. While writing press releases just to write them is not recommended, sending press releases that have relevance and new information are always welcome by media. But B2B organizations should rely on a professional to determine what’s news and what’s not. PR experts know industry media and what kind of news they are looking for.

COVID-19 will prevent the country from returning to how it was before, but on the bright side, maybe changing things up will result in helping B2B firms become more resilient. Being adaptable and flexible will be necessary in the future, and B2B public relations firms like Ripley PR can make sure you stay relevant. Contact us at (865) 977-1973 or visit the website to learn more.

This post was written by Joel Davis, Content Supervisor on October 6, 2020

How PR Can Help Get Your ConTech Firm on The Radar of Investors

Construction companies had more than enough reason to turn to technology to improve productivity even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. But now facing more demand for virtual services that can limit in-person contact between clients and team members, contractors are searching for solutions to help them thrive in the new normal.

Construction tech companies like yours are helping contractors compete in this new environment, and the investment community has taken notice of the growth potential of the new technology. This means it’s important for your ConTech company to increase its visibility and find the right messages to gain investor interest.

That’s why partnering with an agency that specializes in construction tech public relations like Ripley PR can pay off in the long-run. Why fight for attention in a crowded marketplace, when you can generate visibility and interest through a comprehensive, well-thought-out PR strategy that incorporates consistent media outreach, thought leadership, and content marketing?

Our experts have years of experience in construction public relations. We know the industry and can help your company gain interest from both potential customers and potential investors. If your ConTech company is ready to make the leap to wider recognition, contact the experts at Ripley PR to make it happen. Call us at (865)-977-1973 or contact Ripley PR online.

This post was written by Joel Davis, Content Supervisor on October 2, 2020

Is your Knoxville business using professionals to write your content?

The popular saying, “Content is king,” is still true. Today, however, content means more than text. It includes photos, videos, art and anything else that a customer sees or reads. As a Knoxville business owner, your company probably has lots of content available to the public. Your content could be your website, your social media accounts, your advertisements (both print and digital), your email marketing and any announcements you send to the media.

As the owner of a Knoxville public relations agency, I work with a variety of new business clients. I always spend some time looking at and reading as much of their available content as possible. It is surprising to me when I see content with errors that can be easily fixed, but no one has caught them. Mistakes could be as simple as a typo, to more serious errors like misspelled words and errors in facts. Small things like that, however, can leave a bad impression with potential customers. Knoxville B2B Public Relations Ripley PR

Here are the most important reasons businesses in both Knoxville and Maryville need to work with professional writers.

Your image with the public counts, so it’s imperative that both the public and other businesses (including your competitors) see you and your business as professional.
Writers with experience in your industry will know the correct terms to use and make it easy for your audience to understand. Nothing is worse than having content that users don’t understand.
A business writer frees up your time. Good writers can create content much faster than you can, and the content will be correct, current and on trend.
If your marketing emails are not getting the results you had hoped, a professional content writer can make the difference between getting email leads and not getting any.
The same holds true for your website landing pages. Your website is one of your best lead-generation tools, and if landing pages aren’t crafted with enticing calls to action, you could be missing out on potential customers.

Hiring professional content writers can really help showcase your business in the best light possible. Hire a professional writer or partner with an expert public relations firm like Ripley PR, a Knoxville PR agency, to make a positive impression. Call the team at 865-977-1973 to set up a meeting today.

This post was written by Heather Ripley, Founder/CEO on September 30, 2020

Why does your Construction Firm Need Public Relations?

Partnering with a public relations agency is one way construction companies can up their game, win more leads, get media attention and improve their online reputations. Other benefits of working with a strategic construction public relations firm include being seen as a thought leader by your peers and customers and being the construction company of choice, attracting potential construction personnel.

How does increasing your visibility help your construction company?

Construction and building firms need to have visibility in order to increase awareness about their projects. Whether residential or commercial, your work needs to be promoted in the right outlets so the right audiences take notice. PR can accomplish this for you.
PR can present your company as an industry expert. By working with print and digital media in the construction industry, PR professionals can get your story coverage, and secure interview and speaking engagements at important construction industry events, furthering your visibility.
Building your online reputation is also key in order to attract the best staff. Recruiting the top talent can be difficult in the construction and building trades, but PR can promote your business as a preferred builder to work for.
Through social media tactics and website content SEO strategies, PR can help your construction firm build a social media and online following. Public relations firms are experts in social media best practices and know how to create content that gets likes and attention, furthering your visibility with your audiences.

Finding the right PR firm to partner with your construction business and boost its visibility is one of the most important decisions you can make to ensure your business’ future. While traditional PR firms can help with basic promotional strategies, choosing a firm that already knows the construction industry, its terms and language, its top industry trade magazines and papers and the leading industry journalists and news media makes a difference.

Ripley PR, an experienced construction public relations agency, is uniquely positioned to get your construction business more leads, more publicity and the attention of more qualified employees. Call the Ripley PR experts at (867) 977-1973 to learn how PR can work for you.

This post was written by Heather Ripley, Founder/CEO on September 28, 2020

Gain More B2B Leads by Publishing Informative White Papers

White papers are often seen as an old-fashioned tactic that businesses rarely consider these days. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. White papers, when written to be informative rather than like a sales pitch, can be one of the best lead-generation tools for your B2B firm.

There is no typical white paper, and they can range in length from one page to 100 pages, but generally no more than 10 pages. Used as a lead generation tool, white papers inform readers about a topic that people are interested in. Some white papers launch a new product, discuss industry trends or delve into a problem that the company was able to solve.

White papers can be very technical or more conversational in nature, but to generate quality leads over quantity, it pays to work with a B2B public relations agency that is experienced in writing and promoting white papers. White papers help with lead generation in several ways:

White papers can answer customer questions in a downloadable format. Find out from your phone staff, customer relations and sales teams what areas customers want to know about and write your white paper to address those issues.
White papers can be used to promote a new product or service without selling using the interview technique. Have a staff person interview a company expert about a product or service, with a call to action at various places within the white paper. Interviews are a less promotional way to showcase a product or service.
White papers are a great vehicle to prove your B2B company’s claims. If you have a unique product or service, use a white paper to give credence to your company’s promotional materials or statements. White papers can include testimonials and examples to prove your point.

The most effective white papers include relevant search terms, simple calls to action and an easy and short form to download the paper. To be sure your white papers are professional and effective, partner with a B2B public relations agency like Ripley PR. Our knowledgeable staff are white paper experts and can help your business create white papers that increase your downloads and leads. Call us at (865) 977-1973 to speak with a B2B specialist today.

This post was written by Heather Ripley, Founder/CEO on September 24, 2020