Ripley PR

Making Your CEO a Go-To Media Source

Your leadership team is your ultimate voice of authority. Transforming your CEO from an unknown executive into a sought-after media source requires a strategic approach to executive visibility and a commitment to absolute reliability. B2B tech public relations strategies can play a major role in establishing the leadership team as industry thought leaders. professional young woman is gesturing with her left hand as she is being interviewed by a journalist with a microphone

How a PR Partner Helps to Shape Perception

A specialized B2B tech PR partner helps shape your executive’s platform by turning raw expertise into compelling narratives. Some of the ways to position a CEO as an expert resource include:

Thought Leadership: Longer content pieces written for targeted trade publications come with the opportunity to demonstrate industry expertise and weave a CEO’s natural personality throughout.
Earned Media Coverage: An experienced PR agency leverages established media relationships to secure targeted interviews with trusted publications, not only reaching direct readers but also enriching AI engine authority. A recent Muck Rack study revealed that earned media accounts for 84% of all cited links within major AI platforms.
Executive Visibility: A PR partner can help build a CEO’s personal authority through keynote speaking roles at top industry events and through gaining impressive business awards and national distinctions like the Inc. 5000 listing, for example.

Becoming a Reliable Source for Journalists

You only have one chance to make a first impression, and this is especially true when a journalist is on a deadline. Whether the inquiry comes through a PR team or directly to the C suite, your CEO must be ready to respond swiftly with his or her unique perspective, ideally supported by your company’s proprietary market insights. Journalists work on rapid news cycles and give preference to responsive, trusted voices.

The Bottom Line

A strategic PR partnership helps translate your CEO’s expertise into a credible public presence. Thought leadership and earned media give that perspective a wider audience, while speaking opportunities and meaningful recognition reinforce industry authority. Combined with timely responses to journalists, these efforts help shape how your company is perceived and establish your CEO as a trusted industry resource. Ripley PR provides B2B tech public relations strategies that support executive visibility, earned media, industry thought leadership and more. Contact us here or call (865) 977-1973 to learn more.

This post was written by Jennifer Holder on October 9, 2026

Using a Franchise Public Relations Strategy to Build Awareness Before Entering New Markets

Launching a new franchise territory creates an opportunity to introduce the brand to an entirely new audience. But waiting until the doors open to start building awareness can make it harder to generate momentum.

A well-planned franchise public relations strategy can help franchisors establish familiarity in a new market before the local business officially launches.

Start Building Recognition Early

Consumers are more likely to pay attention to a new business when they have already heard its name or understand what makes it relevant to their community.

Franchisors can begin introducing the brand through stories tied to the local market. This might include the franchisee’s connection to the area or the reason the company identified the territory as an attractive place for expansion.

A franchise public relations campaign built around these stories can create recognition without relying solely on a grand opening announcement.

Introduce the Franchisee to the Community

Local media often care more about the person behind a new business than the brand’s expansion numbers.

A new franchise owner may have an interesting professional background or a personal reason for investing in the community. Highlighting that story can make the launch more relevant to local reporters.

A franchise public relations approach should position the franchisee as a new local business leader instead of simply another operator joining a national system.

Connect the Launch to Local Needs

Franchisors should also consider why the new territory matters to residents.

If the business addresses a growing local demand, that connection can become part of the story. The goal is to show reporters why the expansion matters beyond the company itself.

This gives a franchise public relations strategy a stronger foundation for earned media outreach because the pitch focuses on local relevance.

Create Momentum Before Opening Day

Media coverage before a launch can support awareness that continues into opening week. It can also give franchisees credible content to share through their own local marketing efforts.

For franchisors planning expansion, a strategic franchise public relations partner can help identify those stories and introduce new territories with greater visibility from the start. If you are ready for a tailored PR strategy, give our experts at Ripley PR a call at (865) 977-1973 or fill out our contact form.

This post was written by Anthony Cloud on October 9, 2026

Would You Click on Your Own Franchise Story?

Your franchise just opened its 50th location, and while that’s certainly something worth celebrating, take a minute to think about whether you’d actually click on a news story about it if it weren’t your company.

It’s a simple question, but it’s an important one to ask before sending your next pitch or press release. What feels like big news inside your organization isn’t always going to catch the attention of a reporter or their audience.

Reporters aren’t looking for ways to promote your franchise. They’re looking for stories their readers, viewers and listeners will find interesting. Understanding the difference between what’s important to your company and what’s interesting to everyone else is a big part of successful franchise public relations strategies.

Fortunately, franchise brands often have more newsworthy stories than they realize.

Look Beyond the Announcement

A new location, executive hire or company milestone can be worth announcing, but the announcement itself isn’t always the most interesting part. Franchise systems are filled with people whose stories can give reporters a much better reason to care.

It could be a veteran thriving in a second career as a franchise owner, a family that turned one location into a multigenerational business or parents preparing to pass the company to children who hope to eventually do the same. Other opportunities may connect an owner’s experience to a career trend, local economic shift or growing market.

Finding those connections can turn a routine announcement into a human-interest or business story people actually want to read. They can also support franchise development by helping prospective owners see themselves in the experiences of people already succeeding within your system.

That kind of third-party validation can say something about your franchise opportunity that a recruitment ad simply can’t.

Become Part of the Stories Already Happening

Being newsworthy doesn’t always require something new happening at your company.

Your executives and franchise owners have expertise that can contribute to conversations already taking place. Economic uncertainty, changing consumer habits, labor challenges, new technology and trends within your industry can all create opportunities for your brand to provide useful insight.

The key is understanding what journalists are covering and offering the right expert at the right time.

That’s why effective franchise public relations isn’t about finding a reason to mention your company in the news. It’s about finding where your experience, people and perspective add something worthwhile to the story.

Before deciding your next announcement deserves media coverage, ask yourself one simple question: Would you click on it?

If the answer is no, there may still be a great story there. You just have to know where to look.

Ripley PR is an award-winning franchise PR agency that helps brands tell powerful stories, build credibility and drive growth. Recognized by Entrepreneur and Franchise Business Review as a leading franchise PR partner, we know what it takes to get your brand noticed. Call 987-977-1973 or contact us here today.

This post was written by Casey Beaman on October 3, 2026

Make every opening bigger with franchise PR

Opening a new franchise location is local news. But handled the right way, it can also become part of a much bigger brand story.

Too often, brands treat openings as isolated announcements: a press release goes out, a ribbon gets cut and everyone moves on to the next market. That approach leaves a lot of opportunity sitting on the table.

A strong franchise public relations strategy looks at every opening as evidence of something larger. Your brand is growing. Franchisees are investing. New communities are welcoming the concept. Those are stories that can build visibility well beyond one ZIP code.

Find the story behind the new address

A new location by itself isn’t always enough to get a reporter’s attention. The people and circumstances behind it often are.

Maybe the new franchisee left a longtime corporate career to build a business in their hometown. Maybe this location marks the brand’s entrance into a fast-growing market. Perhaps the opening puts the company one step closer to an expansion goal.

That’s where PR starts doing more work.

Local media want local relevance. Business and franchise publications want evidence of growth and a reason readers should care. The smartest approach connects those interests instead of sending the same opening announcement everywhere.

Franchising.com has also noted that expanding brands need to think beyond simple location awareness and use openings to build broader brand awareness.

Make each opening build on the last

One opening can earn local coverage. Five openings can start demonstrating momentum.

That’s why brands shouldn’t let good coverage disappear after publication. An earned media placement can support franchise development conversations, strengthen the brand’s online presence and give future reporters context when the next location opens.

Over time, those individual stories create a public record of expansion.

This takes coordination. Franchisees need to understand why their stories matter and franchisors need a consistent process for identifying the strongest angles. A franchise public relations campaign can help connect what is happening market by market to the larger story the brand wants to tell.

The ribbon cutting may happen in one community, but the visibility doesn’t have to stop there.

If your franchise is growing, make sure every opening is helping tell that story. Call Ripley PR at (865) 977-1973 or contact our team to talk about building a PR strategy that turns local expansion into broader brand awareness.

This post was written by Amanda Greever on September 29, 2026

Great Restoration SaaS Needs Great PR

Restoration contractors are not exactly suffering from a shortage of software.

There are more platforms for estimating, scheduling, documentation, payments, customer communication and job management than there are fans pointed at the floor of a flooded basement.

That means having great software is only the starting point. Vertical SaaS companies serving restoration contractors have to prove they understand the industry, solve real problems and know what happens when a contractor’s carefully planned Tuesday gets obliterated by a water heater.

But with a good vertical SaaS public relations strategy, you can stand out from the crowd.

Stop Pitching Software and Start Showing Expertise

Restoration contractors can spot software marketing fluff from a mile away. Start tossing around “robust,” “scalable” and “next-generation,” and eyes glaze over fast.

But the right PR team can give your SaaS company a way to show off your expertise about the issues restoration contractors actually face. They can put your executives in front of journalists by providing useful insight on labor shortages, insurance changes, AI, customer expectations and the technology changing restoration.

That expertise becomes especially valuable when disaster strikes. A hurricane, flood, wildfire or deep freeze can turn “busy” into “we need six more crews by yesterday.”

A PR team with disaster response expertise can quickly connect your executives with journalists covering the event, positioning your company as a resource on contractor mobilization, workflow challenges and technology.

Now you’re part of the industry conversation, not standing on the sidelines waving a product brochure.

Make “Innovation” Mean Something Again

Every SaaS company is innovative. At least that’s what all of its marketing collateral says.

But a true PR partner can actually give you an opportunity to prove it.

If a new workflow eliminates duplicate data entry, show how much time it saves. If your platform gives owners better visibility into job profitability, explain why that matters even as they are managing 50 jobs simultaneously and someone just discovered another pipe leaking behind a wall.

Customer case studies are particularly powerful because contractors trust other contractors.

PR can write the success stories and then turn those results into media pitches, award submissions, contributed articles and speaking opportunities. Suddenly, you are not claiming your technology works. Your customers are showing it.

Give Your Executives Something Better to Say

We all know you’re thrilled to offer your new groundbreaking solution or you wouldn’t be presenting it. But with PR, you can give your executive leadership something more useful to talk about.

A strong PR strategy can position your executives as authorities on AI, workflow automation, disaster response, customer experience, business growth and the future of restoration technology. Through interviews, podcasts, contributed articles and speaking opportunities, they can demonstrate that they understand contractors’ businesses.

And that credibility matters. Because, let’s face it, having the best restoration software nobody has heard of is not a differentiation strategy.

Call Ripley PR at (865) 977-1973 or contact us online to learn how we can help make your SaaS visible and relevant.

This post was written by Lara Bergman on September 28, 2026

CAMP Digital taps Ripley PR as its public relations agency of record

New partnership will build national awareness for the digital marketing company’s technology-driven approach to the next era of home service marketing

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Sept. 28, 2026 — Ripley PR, a global public relations agency specializing in home services and building trades, franchising and manufacturing, announced today that it has been chosen to serve as the public relations agency of record for CAMP Digital, a digital marketing agency built specifically for the home service industry.

The new partnership will elevate CAMP Digital’s national profile and showcase how its technology, digital marketing expertise and capacity-based approach help contractors make smarter marketing decisions and drive measurable growth.

“Home service contractors are smarter and more dialed in than ever because they know their numbers, understand what drives growth and expect their marketing partners to deliver,” said CAMP Digital co-founder and CEO Katie Donovan. “Ripley PR gets this industry. They understand contractors, the pressure they’re under and how AI and agentic technology are changing the way home service companies market and grow. Together, we’re going to show the industry what happens when you combine powerful storytelling with smarter, technology-driven marketing.”

CAMP Digital provides digital marketing for more than 350 home service companies across the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing and pool and spa industries. Its proprietary capacity-aligned marketing technology connects marketing activity with real-time availability, helping contractors strategically direct advertising dollars to the markets, services and times they need more calls.

The company is also advancing its AI capabilities toward agentic marketing, where intelligent systems can help analyze business conditions, make decisions and take action based on a contractor’s real-time needs. CAMP Digital won Search Engine Land’s 2025 award for Best Use of AI in Search Marketing and was named a Microsoft Partner Advertising Awards finalist for AI Innovation in both 2025 and 2026.

“CAMP Digital has built its business around many of the same qualities we value at Ripley PR, including deep industry expertise, innovation and a clear understanding that contractors need partners who can help drive real business growth,” said Heather Ripley, founder and CEO of Ripley PR. “Katie and her team have a compelling story to tell about where home service marketing is headed. Our job is to make sure the industry hears it.”

Ripley PR brings extensive experience representing companies that serve the skilled trades and home service industries. The agency has been named one of Entrepreneur’s Top Franchise Suppliers for nine consecutive years and is a member of The Worldcom Public Relations Group. Ripley PR uses its industry-specific knowledge, strategic media relations and thought leadership expertise to position clients as trusted authorities and help them reach the audiences that drive their businesses.

To learn more about CAMP Digital, visit campdigital.com.

To learn more about Ripley PR, visit ripleypr.com.

About CAMP Digital

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, CAMP Digital provides performance-driven digital marketing solutions for home services operators, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and related trades. The company’s proprietary software platform aligns marketing spend with real-time service capacity, enabling customers to improve return on ad spend while maximizing technician utilization. For more information, visit campdigital.com.

About Ripley PR
Ripley PR is an elite, global B2B public relations agency specializing in home service and building trades, manufacturing and franchising. The agency has been recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Top PR Agencies (2024), by the Corporate Livewire Prestige Awards as PR Agency of the Year (2025-2026) and by the Merit Awards as Best Communications/PR Agency (2025). Offering a full range of strategic communication services, including award recognition, crisis management and media relations, Ripley PR uses a blend of strategic business acumen and creative public relations branding to tell compelling stories and deliver measurable results.

Ripley PR is also a member of The Worldcom Public Relations Group, the world’s leading partnership of independently owned PR agencies with more than 110 offices and approximately 2,000 communications professionals across 45 countries on six continents. For more information, visit ripleypr.com or call 865-977-1973.

This post was written by Lara Bergman on September 28, 2026

Fresh From the Kitchen, Hot in the Headlines

Restaurant franchises know how to create buzz in the kitchen. A new hot honey chicken sandwich, a limited-time milkshake or a unique breakfast item can pull customers in.

But getting reporters to talk about it? That takes more than adding “NEW!” to your menu board.

Nation’s Restaurant News reports that limited-time restaurant offers have increased 157% since 2019, with nearly 43,000 launches projected for 2026. With that much new food fighting for consumers’ attention, simply putting something new on the menu isn’t enough.

Menu innovation can fuel a strong food public relations strategy, but only when brands have a story worth telling. Reporters want more than another burger. They want trends that are compelling to their audiences.

Don’t Sell the Sandwich, Sell the Story

Your culinary team may have spent six months refining the perfect palate pleaser, but the media needs a bigger reason to care.

Maybe franchisees noticed patrons customizing an existing menu item and the company turned that behavior into a permanent offering. Perhaps a new dish reflects a growing regional flavor trend. Maybe the product uses an unexpected ingredient or solves a problem, such as giving busy families a faster dinner option.

Those details transform a product announcement into a story.

Effective food PR connects what’s happening on your menu to what’s happening outside your restaurants. Instead of saying, “We launched a new taco,” you’re saying, “Here’s what changing customer tastes tell us about where fast-casual dining is headed.”

Give Reporters More Than a Press Release

A tastier story needs the right ingredients, and a good PR team can turn “we launched a new sandwich” into something that interests consumers and the media.

For major menu innovations, PR can package the story, find the best angle and prep the right spokespeople. Your chef can explain the inspiration, your CEO can connect it to the bigger strategy and franchisees can share what customers are saying, all without anyone calling the new entrée a “game changer.”

PR teams can also get reporters closer to the action by promoting tastings, previews and behind-the-scenes demos. A great story helps. But a great story with free food helps even more.

Keep the Publicity Cooking After Launch Day

One of the biggest mistakes restaurant franchises make is treating menu publicity as a one-day event. A new menu item can create multiple franchise publicity opportunities for your restaurant.

Limited-time offers create urgency, while seasonal menus give brands natural opportunities to reenter the conversation throughout the year.

The key is bringing in your PR team during menu development. You don’t want to be calling your communications team three days before launch and asking, “Can we get this on national television?”

When menu innovation, franchise marketing and PR work together, a new dish becomes more than something customers order. It becomes a story that builds awareness, strengthens the brand and keeps your franchise in the conversation.

Ripley PR specializes in helping your franchise turn your next menu launch into something the media can sink its teeth into. Call us at (865) 977-1973 or contact us online today.

This post was written by Lara Bergman on September 24, 2026

Home Service Public Relations Strategy Positions Technicians as Local Experts

When homeowners have questions about their plumbing, HVAC system or electrical panel, they want answers from someone they can trust. Your technicians already provide that expertise every day. The right home service public relations strategy can help bring that knowledge beyond service calls and into local news coverage.

By positioning technicians as reliable media sources, home service companies can build credibility with homeowners before they need to schedule an appointment.

A Home Service Public Relations Strategy Finds the Right Experts

Not every media opportunity needs to feature the company owner or CEO. In many cases, the technician working directly inside customers’ homes can provide the most useful perspective.

A strong home service public relations strategy identifies technicians who are knowledgeable, comfortable communicating and able to explain complicated issues in simple terms. PR professionals can then connect those experts with reporters covering topics relevant to their trade.

When temperatures drop, an HVAC technician might explain how homeowners can protect their heating systems. After major storms, electricians could offer insight into generator safety or electrical damage.

These opportunities allow technicians to demonstrate expertise while providing useful information to the community.

Home Service Public Relations Efforts Prepare Technicians for Interviews

Knowing the trade does not automatically make someone comfortable speaking with a reporter. Preparation matters.

Effective home service public relations efforts help technicians understand how media interviews work. This includes identifying the most important message and practicing how to communicate it clearly.

Media training can also help technicians avoid technical jargon that may confuse homeowners. The goal is not to turn them into professional broadcasters. It is to help them communicate naturally while representing the company well.

A Home Service Public Relations Campaign Builds Familiarity

A consistent home service public relations plan can help your company become a familiar source for local reporters. Over time, that visibility reinforces your brand as a trusted authority in the community.

At Ripley PR, we understand the home service industry and know how to turn everyday expertise into compelling media opportunities. If you want your technicians and your company to become trusted voices in your local market, contact Ripley PR to start building a public relations strategy that gets your experts noticed. Reach our experts at (865) 977-1973 or contact us here.

This post was written by Anthony Cloud on September 23, 2026

Ripley PR named to Entrepreneur’s Top 10 franchise PR agencies list for ninth straight year

Tennessee-based global public relations firm places seventh in national ranking

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Sept. 22, 2026 – Ripley PR, an award-winning global public relations agency specializing in franchising, skilled trades, manufacturing and B2B technology, has earned a spot on Entrepreneur magazine’s prestigious Top Franchise Suppliers list for the ninth consecutive year. Ranked seventh among PR firms nationally, the recognition reflects the firm’s long-standing work helping franchise brands strengthen visibility and support continued growth.

“Franchise brands are competing for attention from prospective owners, customers and the media, so visibility has to be intentional,” said Ripley PR CEO and founder Heather Ripley. “Our job is to help clients stand out for the right reasons and give them a stronger presence in the markets where they want to grow. Being included on this list again tells us that approach continues to resonate with the franchise companies we serve.”

Founded in 2013, Ripley PR is a woman-owned, full-service communications agency that helps franchise brands raise their profile through media relations, crisis communications and award opportunities, in addition to helping individual franchise owners build awareness, goodwill and preference in their local markets.

The annual Top Franchise Suppliers ranking evaluates service providers based on a survey of more than 1,000 franchisors, ranging from emerging concepts to established industry brand leaders. Respondents rated their satisfaction with suppliers regarding quality, cost and value to determine placements across 13 distinct categories.

The latest Entrepreneur recognition builds on a series of recent honors for Ripley PR, including a silver 2026 TITAN American Business Award for Outstanding PR Campaign, a bronze award in Franchise Business Review’s 2025 Employee Satisfaction Awards, recognition as the 2025-2026 PR Agency of the Year for the Southeast U.S. by the Corporate LiveWire Prestige Awards and Best Communications/PR Agency in the 2025 Merit Awards.

“This recognition belongs to the team that shows up every day ready to do great work for our clients,” Ripley said. “They understand the franchise industry, they care about getting results and they bring a level of commitment that continues to move our clients and our agency forward.”

For more information, visit www.ripleypr.com.

This post was written by Jennifer Holder on September 22, 2026

Manufacturing Public Relations: How to Build Strong Media Relationships

Strong manufacturing public relations helps facilitate the media with great resources about your company and your industry. Some of the best PR results come from relationships built with journalists long before there’s a major announcement to make.

In niche industrial sectors, reporters need knowledgeable sources who can explain industry topics and offer credible insight. You can become that trusted resource to earn valuable media opportunities while strengthening your reputation within the industry.

Know Who Covers Your Industry

Start by identifying the journalists, editors and trade publications that consistently cover your sector. A reporter focused on HVAC manufacturing will have different interests than someone covering automotive suppliers, construction equipment or advanced manufacturing.

By providing them with information on areas of interest, immediate trust can be created.

Be a Resource, Not Just a Pitch

Good media relationships doesn’t include begging for coverage every month. Your executives and subject matter experts can provide commentary on industry trends, regulatory changes, supply chain challenges, workforce issues and emerging technologies.

When a journalist needs an expert on a deadline, being responsive matters. Providing answers in a timely fashion without being salesy will keep them coming back to you when their in a pinch for a story.

Keep the Relationship Going

Media relations is a long-term effort. The right media relations team will help you stay aware of the happenings of your industry. This will provide opportunities to reconnect. Share useful research, offer access and journalists will help you help them.

Over time, these interactions build familiarity and credibility. When your company does have a major expansion, product innovation or other newsworthy development, you’re no longer introducing yourself to the reporter for the first time.

If you’re ready to get started building your manufacturing public relations strategy, contact Ripley PR online. You can also reach out at 865-977-1973.

This post was written by Seth Norris on September 19, 2026