Today’s a pretty big day here at THP. We actually just celebrated with cheap champagne and Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches (OMG, they are so good). Today we launched our first eBook, the EOP (earned, owned and paid) Playbook. It’s a culmination of two years of trial and error as we changed the main focus of our agency from “traditional PR” to one based on the evolution of media relations, social media and content marketing. If any or all of those practices interests you then you should download…
Read MoreMy dad always thought I worked in advertising. Until the day he died seven years ago he thought I created ads. Oh, I tried on many occasions to explain what I did as a PR pro but in the end it was easier for him to process it as placing ads. Of course what I really did — especially in the world of media relations — was convince a reporter or editor to write/create their interpretation of the story I pitched them. And then hope the final…
Read MoreIn the world of marketing we’re always focused on “what’s next?” What’s the next big technology platform? How can we measure better? What comes after B2C and B2B? One of the reasons I haven’t blogged for a while is I’ve been spending my time talking to clients and other in the industry to get a sense of “what’s next?” In a couple of weeks THP will be making its first e-book available. Its focus is on the EOP (earned, owned and paid) approach of PR…
Read MoreSo Facebook is now like that little girl in second grade. You know the one who told you she was mad at you and never told you why? Still bugs me to this day. Today, Facebook launched new Reactions to go with its Like button. In addition to “Like,” you can now “Love,” “Haha,” “Wow,” “Sad” or “Angry” an individual post. This applies both to posts from people and brands. And while the changes have resulted from months of Facebook research to deepen user engagement, we at…
Read MoreI’ve been thinking a lot about “marketing challenges” lately since I’ve started talking to folks who have taken us up on our latest offer. Specifically, what are the most common marketing challenges or issues we hear from prospects and clients? There are others, but I’ve boiled down the top five here with some suggestions on how to tackle them.
Read MoreThey looked at me and thought I was crazy… It was one of those moments in a staff meeting where everyone stops in their tracks. Our group was debating the topic of the latest offer we would feature on our blog and website. Over the course of the last year we offered reports, tips, and small e-books on various PR and marketing topics designed both to educate and to generate leads for our business. They generated a bunch of downloads and conversations but I wanted…
Read MoreOkay, I know the word “PRublishing” is little hokey, but after some recent client efforts, conversations and new business meetings, one thing is becoming very clear: marketers are ALL OVER the idea of creating content that can be targeted to specific audiences to drive their business. The marriage of PR and online publishing (PRublishing?) will continue to dominate our industry as it matures over the next year or so. THP has just launched its first digital magazine on behalf of a client. Right now if…
Read MoreThe shrinking media landscape. The pitches that generate zero response. The new technologies that allow for a more direct conversation and instant gratification. As PR folks, the growing question on our minds is should we stop trying to engage with the media at all? I’m not blaming anyone here, so if you are a member of the media and reading this, please don’t think that I think it is your fault. As we’ve discussed before media relations throughout history has been difficult to measure and…
Read MoreHere it comes. We’re seeing the first of what will likely be a wave of backlash against content marketing. Specifically the concerns, some understandable, that we will begin experiencing a content “overload” of sorts. And it is no wonder given the number of companies, organizations and agencies dipping their toes – or jumping in head first – into the content pool. Here are some thoughts on how you can avoid creating “content shock” for your audiences: Do your research: If you are just sending out…
Read MoreIn my last blog post, I focused on the “earned” piece of the EOP (earned, owned, paid) public relations model, talking about the three reasons why earned media, or “media relations,” is still important. And the truth is most people still “get” media relations. It is one of the foundations that PR is built on and what most people expect PR to be. Public relations people make people famous, they get stories placed in the paper, on TV, etc. But when you start trying to…
Read MoreSo there I was in a new business meeting and I found myself trying to talk the potential client out of doing a media relations campaign as a possible tactic. Then days later I was in a client meeting downplaying the effectiveness of media relations in achieving the client’s ultimate goal. That’s a 180-degree turn from a guy who has made his reputation the “media relations guy.” As has been well documented on this blog, the art and practice of media relations is more difficult…
Read MoreThis is the blog post I promised myself I’d never write. I promised myself I’d stay out of the Monday morning peloton-breakaway debates over whether Richmond 2015 was worth the effort, the cost and the inconvenience. The main reason? The Hodges Partnership counts Richmond 2015 as a client, having worked closely with the group in the years leading up to the race. We were paid a monthly fee during that time time but we also donated a fair number of hours to the cause. A…
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