by DL PR | Jun 8, 2020 | Digital Tips, Public Relations
Since opening our doors, Debra Lopez Public Relations (DLPR) has been ahead of the curve. We’ve stayed on top of the countless changes in technology, taking many of our clients (and sister company) into the digital world. We continued to follow the latest in search engine optimization and social media platforms, implementing the newest requirements for algorithms and content. Another thing we’ve done before the world caught on? Working from home.
Recently, work from home jobs, or working remotely, has gained momentum out of necessity. For our company structure, having a physical office was essential early on. Working collaboratively as a team meant coming into work daily, brainstorming in meetings, consulting with clients, and developing our staff. However, as the digital era emerged and continued to grow, we knew the times were changing. And, while some of these things are still required, we noticed that we didn’t need to physically be together every day.
So, in typical DLPR tradition, we slowly went remote, although we maintained our home base. What we found was far more astonishing than we could have ever imagined. The benefits of working from home just kept surfacing. Now that the rest of the world has been forced to do the same, we’re here to tell you not to worry. Here’s why:
How Your Company Benefits
Employees are more productive. Yes, you read that right. In fact, according to a study by Stanford University showed that employees who work remotely are 13 percent more productive than those working in-office daily. That translates into almost an entire extra workday per week! Time-saving extends to other areas. If you work in an office, I’m sure you’ve said or heard, “that meeting could have been an email”. We’d never completely give up the personal touch of in-office meetings, but technology allows our smaller meetings to take place virtually.
Staff morale is higher. Maybe it’s because working from home improves the desired work-life balance we all seek, or because their colleagues from office-based jobs are jealous of the opportunity, but employees that work from home even one day a week are just happier. This all leads to extreme loyalty to your company and less turnover.
Time is money. It’s the truth! Working from home, even partially, saves on costs in a multitude of ways. Your company savings include the expected things such as decreased utility costs from using less electricity, but there are things we didn’t even think of. Higher productivity for the same salary means lower payroll overall. Employees take less sick time and vacation time. These savings extend to your staff as well. They spend less money commuting and ordering lunch.
Is Working from Home Right for Your Company?
Working from home may be the new norm, but it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Each business owner can determine what works best for them. Some may decide to go remote completely, while others choose a day or two per week. But, allowing some flexibility is easier than ever thanks to the internet. And, best of all, you’ll get fantastic PR. Work from home incentives has led to feel-good stories all over the news. As a PR company, we couldn’t be happier about that!
by DL PR | May 11, 2020 | Digital Tips
As trends change and technology advances, the written word is quickly becoming obsolete. People use emojis and gifs to communicate emotions, and videos are replacing sales brochures and flyers. Multimedia dominates every internet platform. What does that mean for your company? It means that the types of video content your company needs are evolving and growing.
Don’t let the thought of changing your entire digital strategy frighten you. Reinventing your brand through video can be done in steps, beginning with a few simple updates. Before recording any clips, we suggest defining your objective. What is the goal of your video or video series? Keep in mind that there are three fundamental types of video: those that teach, those that create awareness, and those that generate engagement.
Teach: Videos designed to teach your audience include informational videos about your business, product, or service and how-to or DIY videos. These videos target current and potential customers.
Awareness: Videos that create awareness should have a universal appeal and be highly entertaining. The goal of this type of video is to deliver your message to as many people as possible.
Engagement: Videos that generate reactions (comments, shares, and likes) consist of messages that spark emotions, ask direct questions, or provoke thought.
Now that we’ve gone through the overview, let’s discuss the specific types of video content your company needs.
Web Videos:
Videos created to be displayed on your website get your customers interested in your company through the use of compelling script combined with state-of-the-art graphics. Web videos include
Customer Testimonials:
According to a recent survey, 82% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase. Hearing the review directly from a satisfied customer exponentially expands your conversion rate.
How-To Guides:
These informational videos walk your audience through a project, step-by-step, or answer commonly asked questions. They build rapport with your viewers and position your company as an industry expert.
New Product Demonstrations:
Existing clients love new product demonstrations that are short and sweet. They already love your brand and are excited to see new products. Potential customers view these videos to get to know your products before making a purchase.
Announcement:
Are you having an open house, attending a trade show, or launching a new project? A video announcement demonstrates your excitement and builds the audience’s interest.
Employee Interviews:
Videos showcasing your staff allows customers a look at your company culture and gives them an idea of your values.
Completed Projects:
Videos that detail the before and after of projects, or offer clients an inside look at your company strengthen your brand image and their loyalty to you.
Company Videos
The videographers at Debra Lopez Public Relations help you create sleek company videos that will grab the attention of your target audience. We are experienced in developing corporate videos including informative, employee training, and promotional footage as well as television commercials, and full-length shows. We use state of the art equipment and technology to make your videos stand out above the competition.
Contact Debra Lopez Public Relations for a free, thirty-minute consultation.
by DL PR | Mar 12, 2020 | Public Relations
You cannot turn on the television, listen to the radio, or scroll through Facebook without hearing about the coronavirus. With the number of cases growing daily, experts predict the Covid-19 virus will far outpace the SARS epidemic of 20 years ago. As of today, 129,771 cases have been reported worldwide, according to Worldometer – a statistical analysis company comprised of international developers and researchers. While the general public seems to be torn – and confused about just how to handle this pandemic, business owners are presented with additional questions. So, just how should your business handle coronavirus?
We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide discussing how to balance caution with the growing panic, how to address human resource issues, what to say to clients, and how to create a healthy work environment.
Get the Word Out
When it comes to issues like infection, communication and education are key. Small business owners, corporate executives, and human resource professionals should put together a guide to educate employees about coronavirus. Only gather information from credible sources like government agencies or world health professionals. Implement a protocol for handling infected, or unconfirmed, sick staff members.
Work from Home
Working remotely is a common practice for many companies. While some positions require face-to-face contact, consider allowing non-essential staff to work from home. This limits the possibility of spreading the coronavirus infection. Flexible working arrangements not only prevents the transmission of this virus at work and during the commute, but it also boosts company and employee morale.
Online meeting platforms and shared databases allow employees to interact and work together without missing work and pay, showing your staff you value their health and safety. For employees required to physically come to work, provide masks, hand sanitizer, and any other preventative measure, especially to employees working directly with the general public. Result-driven companies know that it doesn’t matter where an employee works, as long as the work is completed.
Adjust Time Off Policies
As a business owner, you understand the show must go on. However, having sick employees report to work because they can’t afford to recover at home only spreads the coronavirus infection. Employee’s under quarantine or who have confirmed cases of the virus may be eligible for protection under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act commonly referred to as FMLA. Human Resource executives are encouraged to be lenient with the rules under FMLA as it pertains to containing the coronavirus.
For short term illness, whether Covid-19 related or otherwise, do not require a doctor’s note. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), medical offices tend to be extremely busy during pandemics and your employee may not be able to quickly attain the proper documentation. The World Health Organization recommends requiring exposed workers to wait the minimum incubation time of 14 days before returning to work. Individual employers should consider this when modifying their sick pay, paid time off, or unpaid leave policies.
Keep in mind preventing the spread of illness is the priority, and if employees don’t have remaining sick time, they may not be able to afford missing work. This means they’re likely to report to work – even with symptoms. At Debra Lopez Public Relations, we encourage you to wash your hands often and stay home if you’re experiencing any symptoms. If you need help letting clients know how you are handling the coronavirus, contact us.
by DL PR | Feb 10, 2020 | Digital Tips, Public Relations
You started a business and watched it grow. Through your hard work and industry knowledge, you’ve created a successful brand. And, then came social media. Now a necessity for any company, social media takes up a substantial amount of time. More and more organizations now outsource this project, allowing them to focus on their business. Let us explain why we think you should hire a social media manager.
What is a Social Media Manager?
A Social Media Manager control your social networking sites on your behalf. Through accessing your social networks, Social Media Managers act as the voice of your brand. They create content, share relevant posts, and design ad campaigns. Social Media Managers build engagement, increase followers, and builds awareness of your brand by interacting with your audience. Social Media Managers provide expert guidance to businesses on how to grow their online presence.
Reasons You Should Hire a Social Media Manager
- They create and build brand authority. They incorporate meaningful, relevant posts to tell the story of who you are and what you do. Their goal is to establish you as the authority in your industry. By posting consistent, relatable content, followers start to identify your brand. You build trust with loyal supporters.
- Social Media Managers implement a strategic plan for your online image. As business picks up, it is easy to push social media posting to the side. Social Media Managers don’t let that happen. They track marketing efforts through analytics and know-how to decipher the results. By closely watching analytics, social media managers can see instant results. Therefore, if a campaign is doing poorly, it can quickly be changed.
- Social media generates new customers. Social Media Managers understand the balance between paid advertising and organic content. After completing market research in your industry, they design a campaign targeting your demographic. Your company’s online personality drives traffic to your website, increasing your leads.
Online Presence Increases Your Bottom Line
Google, Bing, and other search engines place a higher value on a business that runs an active social media campaign. Consequently, in the world of the internet, the more relevant your social media is, the more relevant your business is. The higher your business ranks in search engine results, the more leads you generate.
Debra Lopez Public Relations offers Social Media Management packages based on the needs and size of your business. We create and deploy social media pages across channels, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linkedin, and Instagram. Our digital marketing gurus write and edit content, design a plan for improvement, and actively engage with your audience. Additionally, we monitor worldwide social accounts and targetted advertising campaigns to perform a complete analysis. This, combined with tracking your social media performance, gives us the tools we need to present you with our recommendations and strategies.
Located in Milwaukee, our public relations firm works with companies and individuals throughout the country, whether they’re just starting out or are already established. Contact us today for a free social media management consultation!
by DL PR | Jan 9, 2020 | Public Relations
At a recent networking event, I was asked what I do for a living. I responded the way I usually do. I work in PR. And then it happened – the blank look and slight nod. After years in the business, I’ve come to know what this gesture means. The person I’m talking with has no idea what I do. This blog clears up any questions and explains the answers everyone wants to know.
Public Relations Defined
By definition, public relations is “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” In essence, it is message management between a company and society.
Creating a positive company image makes a difference in the success of your business. Having a favorable relationship with the public allows you to maintain that image. Marketing and public relations executives understand the negative consequences of bad publicity. PR professionals regulate your company’s reputation through a multitude of media. As technology advances, the outlets that impact your brand expand. In addition to traditional media outlets like print, radio, and television, companies now have to monitor the entire internet.
Functions of Public Relations
Successful PR campaigns consist of planned marketing initiatives combined with strategically implementing a positive image. The ultimate goal of public relations is to affect long-term customer interest and loyalty to your brand. Public relations services use targeted projects that relate to specific, time-sensitive goals or events; or general campaigns that involve ongoing tactics, such as paid advertising.
Ultimately, effective PR campaigns consist of three critical elements, which include:
Identifying the objective: PR representatives analyze your brand and what your audience thinks of your brand. They use this information to anticipate what the public will say about your brand and develop strategies to enhance your image.
Discovering the key message that will achieve the objective: This includes developing a complete campaign from increasing brand recognition, designing literature, and analyzing the company structure.
Communicating the message: Through creative and memorable ways, PR professionals target the appropriate audience. They spread the message through press releases distributed to news outlets, website content writing, events, and social media. Compelling story-telling and community outreach effectively prevent and manage crisis’.
Milwaukee Public Relations Firm
At Debra Lopez Public Relations, we excel in creating highly successful and effective campaigns. Our PR campaigns in Wisconsin provide structured and targeted communication that is well managed using positive messages to attract customers and shift customer perception. Our success has established our credibility as one of the fastest-growing PR and advertising firms in Milwaukee.
We have the tools and expertise to launch and run an effective PR campaign for you and your business. Our public relations consultants will identify a clear objective with your target audience in mind, and ensure the message comes across clearly to your audience.
Contact our office today for a free consultation! Evaluations include, but are not limited to, SEO and digital marketing suggestions and public relations campaign strategies.
