Ripley PR

Why PR is Critical as Health IT Responsibilities Continue to Increase

According to the PwC Healthcare Research Institute, two of the top 12 industry impacting trends for 2018 are the increasing investments in and development of artificial intelligence and the security surrounding the many connected devices in healthcare facilities, also known as their “internet of things” or IoT.

Given that a breach into a facility’s artificial intelligence or IoT could mean access to HIPAA protected patient information and organization finances or even grant control to connected devices and machines vital for the wellbeing of patients, healthcare IT and cybersecurity services have never been more vital.

It stands to reason then that if healthcare IT companies are needed more than ever to reduce the risk of potentially devastating network breaches, they need to proactively partner with an agency experienced in health IT public relations.

An experienced health IT public relations agency will understand the nuances of the industry, be able to speak to the right audiences, and ultimately perform two critically important actions for the IT business.

Work Toward Positive Brand Awareness

Positive PR and top-of-mind brand awareness takes time to cultivate, and a good public relations agency knows how to gain momentum while operating within niche healthcare media markets. Through press releases and pitching stories to the media, the agency can position your IT business as an expert in the field, work toward or reinforce a positive brand image and help generate new business leads as a result.

Provide Prompt Crisis Control

No one likes the word “crisis,” but when a network fails or is breached under the watch of your health IT business, a crisis of leaked information may realistically come to fruition. To err is human, and since even the best security and IT services are still put in place by humans, mishaps are eventually inevitable. However, a PR agency can work with your IT business to put a plan in place for those mishaps, and the plan will establish an easy to follow set of guidelines for remaining calm and getting through the situation with professionalism and grace.

Considering the evolving needs of the healthcare industry and the increasing responsibilities of health IT companies, we highly recommend finding an agency that will help you increase brand awareness, build and “bank” positive PR, and quickly react when you need crisis-assistance the most.

To learn more about what health IT public relations can do for your business, contact Ripley PR at 865-977-1973 or visit www.ripleypr.com.

This post was written by Grayson Shockley on September 20, 2018

How PR Can Help Your Construction Tech Company

If your business sells a technology solution to construction companies, you have a lot of competition. According to many construction publications, new technology geared towards construction firms is getting more and more popular, and as a result, harder for many construction firms to make a decision on which technology to choose when they’re making an investment. Whether it is construction software, hardware, construction and job site connectivity, augmented reality, virtual reality, computer-assisted design, project sharing programs or other B2B construction technology, you’ll want to create excitement about your product.

The question is, how is that possible? With so many businesses offering tech to a limited number of construction firms, what is the best way to reach the decision-makers buying technology? For many partnering with a construction technology public relations specialist agency can be the answer.

A focused construction technology PR campaign will help position your firm as the leader in the industry by:

Getting your product or service in front of the right media

Knowing who to contact to get your story heard is key. That’s why a PR professional in your industry is the best bet to get you the media attention you need.

Booking your CEO or spokesperson for convention, industry seminars or educational sessions

Your business can gain the respect of your peers and potential customers through speaking engagements where you are featured as an expert. We know the venues and the events that will benefit your business the most.

Managing your digital footprint and improving your social media presence

Studies show that 83 percent of B2B buyers and 82 percent of C-suite executives use social media to help them make purchasing decisions. Your social media platforms need to reflect your professionalism to stand out.

Placing bylined articles from your CEO or other designated executive in specialized publications

A professional PR firm with experience and success in promoting B2B construction technology knows the insider contacts to get your byline in the right publications.

Ripley PR has the senior-level PR professionals who can take your business or service to the next level. Call us today to learn more at 865-977-1973.

This post was written by Heather Ripley, Founder/CEO on September 18, 2018

Ripley PR’s Construction Public Relations Can Give You an Edge in a Competitive Labor Market

One of the biggest business news stories of 2018 has been the shortage of skilled labor, particularly in blue-collar industries like construction and home services. The construction industry is booming – many sectors reported double-digit growth in the first half of the year. But there aren’t enough trained, experienced workers to fill all those available jobs.

When markets get this competitive, every advantage counts. One way to stay a step ahead is a comprehensive construction public relations plan.

PR means more than just ribbon-cuttings and business briefs. Those things still matter, but strategic visibility in both B2B markets and local or regional/national media can help establish your company’s reputation on a wider scale. Whether it’s a profile of your company’s latest project in your town’s daily newspaper or expert commentary in a TV spot, the more people see you and your company in a positive context, the more they’ll trust you. And that can lead to identifiable results: more leads, more contracts, and more efficient recruiting.

A good PR plan can also help you manage your company’s online reputation with original content and management of social media accounts – essential to modern business, but hard to keep up with in a fast-paced industry.

And, if a worst-case scenario presents itself, you’ll be prepared. A crisis management plan can help you get the right message out during a difficult situation, preserving the good name you’ve spent time building and giving you control of the narrative.

Good PR can’t solve the labor shortage, but it can give you an edge against your competitors. Your story and your reputation matter to potential employees as much as they do to clients and customers. The best workers want to find the best employers.

If you want to get your company’s message out to them, contact Ripley PR – we’ll help you connect you with the audience you’re looking for.

This post was written by Matthew Everett on September 14, 2018

Recruiting Manufacturing Employees During a Labor Shortage

The manufacturing world is changing and that brings challenges like a tight labor market, higher material costs, and increased global competition. Manufacturers can’t just continue to do business as they always have – they need to evolve to thrive.

The National Association of Manufacturers reports that about 426,000 manufacturing jobs in the U.S. are unfilled because there are not enough qualified applicants to fill them. That number is expected to rise to 2 million unfilled jobs within 10 years. Skilled employees are in short supply and there is a lot of competition. Successful manufacturers must deploy a targeted strategy to compete for the best employees. This is more than just posting open positions and sharing them on social media. Seek out manufacturing public relations experts to help craft and implement a plan to stand out among the competition.

Here are 4 ways an experienced PR team can help with recruitment:

Brand awareness – If no one is aware of your brand, how will they think of you when it’s time to apply for a job? A quality PR firm can help garner local news coverage and manage community engagement. These can be things like having employees volunteer for a worthy local cause, sponsoring a concert series, or holding recruitment fairs.
Positioning your company as a desirable place to work – Every workplace has a reputation and no matter how big your city, word can travel fast. How is your company perceived in the community? A PR firm can help to shape positive perceptions of your business. They can help position you as experts in your field and get positive news coverage of your company. Employee testimonials are also an important tool.
Targeted recruitment efforts – You don’t want to receive hundreds of applications from unskilled workers — It’s much better to receive a few applications from qualified employees for each position. An experienced PR team can help tailor your message to the right people and then make sure it reaches them. This can be done through trade and traditional media coverage, social media ads, and community engagement.
Providing clear instructions – Make it easy for people to apply. Have a clean and clear career page that highlights the benefits of employment. Make sure the process is frictionless. A lot of employers require applicants to create profiles and upload documents, which is fine as long as the process isn’t overwhelming or cumbersome.

For help reaching the right candidates, find a team with a successful track record in manufacturing public relations. Contact Ripley PR today.

This post was written by Ripley PR on September 12, 2018

If fate orders up a franchise crisis, Ripley will be there for you

Congratulations on your latest franchise expansion. By the way, how are you going to handle that salmonella outbreak that sickened 100 patrons at one of your franchisee’s locations?

There are a lot of moving parts to a franchise network: multiple managers, lots of employees, and lots of locations. If you are a multi-state franchisor, there are also lots of varying statutes that might affect your franchise system. These are reasons you need a franchise public relations agency like Ripley PR to help groom your message and coach your franchisees in the event a crisis arises. Here are three real-world scenarios you definitely don’t want to handle by yourself. Whatever your business, these examples are representative of challenges all franchise brands can face.

Bad product: One of the worst franchise food poisoning incidents occurred in 1993 when undercooked burgers sickened 700 people who ate at Jack in the Box locations in four Western states. Four children died and nearly 200 others suffered permanent physical harm. Franchise locations operate under separate individual management, but potential customers will equate one restaurant with the entire franchise. When lots of people get sick, the media comes calling. Do you have a plan for that? Do your franchisees know what it is?
Bad actors: Franchisees enjoy some level of independence, but the actions of a single manager or employee can put an entire franchise system in a bad light. There was the Arby’s manager who cut off part of his thumb while slicing lettuce and failed to throw out the produce. Naturally, a customer found the slice of skin in a sandwich and sued the company. And, naturally, media leapt on the story.
Criminals: If one of your franchisee’s employees commits a crime, especially a homicide or assault on a child, it can taint your entire brand. Social media can increase the fallout and amplify bad optics. Do you have a PR team in place to handle media inquiries or the deluge of negative complaints on social media or review sites?
Positive press: Ripley PR won’t just ride to the rescue and help roll out your crisis plan when something negative occurs. We can also help disseminate good news about franchise expansion, community volunteering and your franchise milestones. Our proprietary list of media contacts allows us to tailor your franchise news to a local level. This will build your brand and loyalty.

Whether you operate a home service franchise or food franchise, the PR principle is the same: Your franchise needs a plan in place to handle the media, help you communicate internally, and get ahead of the headlines when necessary.

Contact Ripley PR today for more information on how our proven crisis response and franchise PR expertise can work for you.

This post was written by Thomas Fraser, Senior Content Specialist on September 10, 2018

Your B2B Success Requires Visibility

If your B2B company wants to sell anything, businesses and decision-makers have to know about you. These days, that means placing high in search results, whether in a browser or through voice search on a smartphone.

The Building Blocks of SEO

Whatever B2B public relations strategy your company pursues, search engine optimization (SEO) has to be a consideration. It starts with the quality of your website, which needs to provide good, useful content for potential customers. It needs to be easily navigable and designed to be mobile-compatible.

An important addition to your company’s website is a blog, which is an effective way to increase brand visibility, position your company as an expert in its industry, and increase internet traffic. All these things build up to increased sales.

Content and Keywords

A blog by itself is only as good as its content. An experienced B2B public relations team can tailor blog content to your business and incorporate the best keywords to attract your target audience. Keywords give online search engines a hook to find your company. Ripley PR’s veteran team knows how to fine-tune these keywords to capitalize on the increasing use of voice search on smartphones.

Earned Media Coverage

Content is just one piece of the puzzle for great B2B public relations. What you write matters, but what journalists and online websites write about your company is equally important. So, how do you get that media attention.

For one thing, it involves consistently pitching your story to news publications and journalists in a clean and engaging manner. Your company doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel to do that. The Ripley PR team has years of experience cultivating the long-term relationships necessary to gain your company coverage in broadcast media, newspapers, or trade publications

Social Strategy

Don’t forget social media. That’s where the eyes are these days. A comprehensive social media strategy lets your company boost its messaging signal on all the right platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. If you need help figuring out how to increase your SEO and maximize your visibility, contact Ripley PR at 865-977-1973. We’re ready to help.

This post was written by Ripley PR on September 6, 2018

Image Drives Success for Automotive Industry

When people pick out a vehicle, there is a lot that goes into that decision. Consumers may evaluate price, features, and environmental impact, but two key factors are brand trust and vehicle image – what type of person do they think they are? Who do they want to be?

Driver Perception is Clutch

For years, brands like Toyota and Honda have been leaders in brand trust and loyalty, long considered to be reliable cars. However, over the last ten years, Subaru has enjoyed an incredible boost in both popularity and brand loyalty. The Edmunds loyalty report shows Subaru at 61 percent, just below Toyota’s 63 percent. Subaru has certainly kept up with the most popular features and fuel efficiency, but most of this meteoric rise can be attributed to image. Subaru launched the “Love Campaign,” with messaging about how Subaru owners have emotional connections to their vehicles. They showed Subaru owners out exploring the world, having adventures, and being socially responsible. They know their market. People who see themselves as responsible adventurers will aspire to own a Subaru, and 61 percent of owners will buy a second one.

This isn’t only a lesson for car makers. This is a lesson for anyone associated with the automotive industry. Image is important, almost as important as performance. At a time when consumer tastes are evolving, it is crucial to position your brand appropriately, highlight its distinctive attributes, and reach the right people. Whether you’re manufacturing parts, assembling automobiles, or selling them, consumer demand will drive your success.

Jump Start Your Image

So how do you impact perception? Find the best automotive public relations firm to accelerate your image. Experts like Ripley PR can help tell your story to the media, your potential B2B clients, and the general public. We can help with press releases, blogs, social media management, crisis communication, and garnering media opportunities. Give us a call at 865-977-1973.

This post was written by Ripley PR on August 30, 2018

Too many job openings? Ripley PR can use your social media to help fill them

The job market is booming. In fact, it’s doing so well, there aren’t enough people to fill the positions. As NPR reported, the U.S. Labor Department added 213,000 jobs in June 2018. The country has been consistently adding jobs for years, but there are still 6.6 million unemployed people in the country. In industries like home services or construction, the struggle to find qualified workers is real.

Luckily, a construction public relations firm like Ripley can help. A PR firm can not only help your business with the things you’d expect —marketing, brand recognition and more — but we can also help you find skilled workers to fill the vacant jobs in your company.

One of the best ways is through social media. A recent Pew Research Center survey reports that about 74 percent of Facebook users visit the site daily, and 51 percent of those visit multiple times per day. If you’re one of those folks, you might understand how popular social media can be. We can help you understand how important it is, too.

Social media isn’t just for cat videos, pictures of your kids and recipes. It offers options like online job postings, networking and more. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn offer untapped potential in finding not only sales leads but also skilled workers to fill your job vacancies.

We’re experts when it comes to creating valuable social media content for our clients. We can position you as an expert in your field, helping you gain the interest not only of your peers but of potential customers and employees. Social media posts can include news stories, informational blogs, employee spotlights, job postings and more.

Job seekers are checking social media sites regularly. The experienced construction PR experts at Ripley can give your social media a makeover and fill empty positions. Call us today at 865-977-1973 or shoot us an email at hripley(at)ripleypr.com, and let us get started.

This post was written by Amanda Greever on August 28, 2018

Assemble your role as an expert with manufacturing public relations

One of the main goals of manufacturing public relations is to position company leaders and field experts as the top authorities in their field. This is one way to improve your cache with your customers, potential clients and job seekers.

You can position yourself, your company and your employees as top experts in manufacturing through a regular by-lined article in a trade magazine or being a trusted source for reporters on relevant topics. Getting media coverage can help create what we in the PR business call “top-of-mind awareness,” or being the first name that comes to mind.

Also, if you’re doing something revolutionary, such as making paper-replacement products or have an innovative manufacturing process, you may even be able to get mainstream coverage. The thing is that as unexciting as manufacturing may sound to some, people are always curious about new innovations or ways companies are creating new trends or responding to emerging consumer demands.

It may not happen overnight, but over time, you can build your reputation as the expert in manufacturing through these methods. This can help you grow your business, earn more lucrative contracts and attract talented employees by demonstrating that you’re on top of current trends and also an authority on everything from logistics to processes to plant and facility management.

If you want to increase leads, hire great employees, or grow your company’s profile, we can help. Contact Ripley PR today at 865.977.1973.

This post was written by Chris Martin on August 24, 2018