VIDEO: Once Upon a Business Podcast | PR Perspective | Marketing Methods | Keynote and Crisis Comms

Serving the marketing and public relations/crisis communication needs of local government, businesses, nonprofits and

professional associations since 2004.

Hello!

Summer has certainly kept us on our toes! Between community events, conferences, holiday celebrations, golf outings, and some unforgettable weather (we all might like to forget:), it's been a season full of activity. Through it all, we've had the privilege of welcoming two incredible interns - Cassidy Roe and Colin Smith (shown below) - who have done an outstanding job as they've gained hands-on experience in marketing communications and public relations. Their enthusiasm and hard work has made them a wonderful addition to our team!

In this Enewsletter edition, we're excited to share the latest episode of the Once Upon a Business podcast, along with our PR Perspective and Marketing Methods articles - filled with practical tips to strengthen your communications strategy. We're also proud to shine the spotlight on clients, Randi and Graham Schooley, whose passion for building community through three (yes, three!) themed event management companies continues to inspire. I hope you enjoy this issue!

Melanie Santostefano

St. Steven Public Relations & Vicarious Multimedia

Want to connect? Email me!

Cassidy and Colin on the first day of their internships at St. Steven Public Relations and Vicarious Multimedia's Schaumburg, Illinois office.

Colin, Cassidy and Melanie at the Lake County (Illinois) Municipal League Golf Outing - where St. Steven Public Relations was the longest putt game hole sponsor.

From the Vicarious Studio - Once Upon a Business Podcast:

Nicole Martin, Chief Empowerment Officer | HR Boost

Meet Nicole Martin, Chief Empowerment Officer at HR Boost

In Chapter 5 of the Once Upon a Business podcast, you'll meet Nicole Martin, Chief Empowerment Officer of HR Boost. Learn how Nicole founded her business based on a passion for human resources and supporting businesses and organizations - and how she has scaled it to amazing heights. You'll also love her energy! View the latest episode here or click the video above. View previous chapters here.

Keynote Presentation and Crisis Training at WCMA

Melanie presented the lunch keynote "Thoughts Become Things: Unlock the Power of Leadership" at the Wisconsin City/County Management Association (WCMA) Summer Conference in LaCrosse, Wisconsin June 25. Inquire about keynote presentations here.

At the WCMA Summer Conference, Melanie also presented an educational session on crisis communications, entitled "Control the Narrative: Strategies for Local Government." Learn more about St. Steven PR crisis preparedness training and consulting, and media training.

'PR Perspective'

Are You Crisis Ready?

5 Questions to Ask

When a crisis hits, how you respond can have serious implications on trust and your overall relationship with the public. Are you ready?

Preparation, planning, and defined processes can help individuals and organizations respond confidently when the unexpected happens.

Here are five questions every organization should ask:

1. Do you have a crisis communications plan? (and has it been reviewed/practiced?)

Plans outline procedures, protocols, and essential tasks before they’re needed.

2. Is there a designated spokesperson? Identifying one in advance ensures messages are clear, consistent, credible and unified.

3. Do you have a rapid response plan for the first hour during a crisis? Pre-prepared messages ensure they can be shared immediately and across all channels to claim control of the narrative.

4. Have you built strong relationships? Connections with stakeholder, public partners, and the media only helps during a crisis.

5. Are you ready to be transparent? The truth (even if you must admit wrong and explain how you'll do better) builds trust and credibility.

The question isn’t whether a crisis will happen–it’s when–and will you be ready? Learn about our Crisis Communication Training.

'Marketing Methods'

Consistency Builds Credibility:

Repetition Over Reinvention

Businesses often feel pressured to constantly create something new. New campaigns, ideas or messages can seem like the key to staying relevant. While innovation undoubtedly has its place, effective marketing is often less about reinvention, and more about consistency - which builds trust in the marketplace.

Most consumers don’t trust a brand because they saw one jaw-dropping advertisement. Trust in a brand is built over time when target audiences repeatedly encounter consistent message and values through many points of contact - and in a variety of mediums and channels.

Consistency creates familiarity, and familiarity creates credibility. People tend to develop a preference for things they feel they know and can count on. It reduces uncertainty, and potential clients or customers, are more likely to trust businesses that are perceived as predictable and reliable

Does this mean every piece of content should look or sound identical? No! Creativity still plays a vital role. However, the strongest marketing efforts maintain a recognizable voice, visual identity, and memorable messages.

In a marketplace filled with distractions and a fair amount of noise, consistency helps businesses stay top of mind. While trends come and go, a reliable presence remains one of the most valuable assets a brand can build - and that is a real connection with your target audience. Learn more about our marketing communication services.

St. Steven PR Client Spotlight:

Randi and Graham Schooley of Houston Running Company,

Lonestar Running Company and Santa Hustle Race Series

Randi and Graham Schooley continue to build an empire centered around fitness and community through producing themed half marathons,10Ks, 5Ks and 1Ks (depending on the location) across the U.S.!

St. Steven Public Relations (SSPR) is proud to partner with the Schooley’s and their event management companies, including Houston Running Company (HRC), its expanding sister company – Lonestar Running Company (LRC) and Santa Hustle Race Series (SHRS). While HRC and LRC events are produced in Texas – SHRS brings holiday cheer to 10 (or more) cities each year in December around the country - leading up to Christmas. What makes them even more special is that each event benefits charitable organizations. With more than 50 events yearly managed by these three companies, you can see why this husband-and-wife duo are true leaders in the fitness, themed-race industry! Visit the website links above to learn more and get involved!

The SSPR team supports these events through PR consulting, development of a strategy that includes press releases and pitching stories to news media, producing promotional videos, and ensuring these events are on all community event calendars to continually grow participation! To learn more about PR Campaign Management services, visit StStevenPR.com.

St. Steven Public Relations

Vicarious Multimedia