Megan Osterhout is Co-founder & Director of Public Relations at Papergirl PR & Marketing. Papergirl PR supports clients of all sizes and backgrounds with comprehensive marketing campaigns designed to create a positive, effective and continuous public presence. The company helps clients grow in all areas of marketing, from public relations, partnerships and advertising to social media management, content creation and email marketing.
Directly after Osterhout graduated from Michigan State University, she dove into public relations in the Chicagoland area, working in the field for more than 10 years while strengthening her portfolio and relationships, especially in the hospitality and lifestyle industries. In 2013, Osterhout teamed up with a marketing colleague to launch Papergirl PR. As the Director of Public Relations at Papergirl PR, Osterhout cultivates relationships with media and influencers on behalf of her clients that lead to media placements and a heightened digital presence.
Osterhout shares five marketing tips to support small business owners in their marketing campaign success.
1. Turn your employees into brand ambassadors
When trying to increase your exposure, turn to the people who know your brand inside out. Utilize word of mouth marketing to organically spread positive news and perspectives about your business. Encourage employees to share their experiences at work or media mentions about the business on their personal social media networks. This is a great way to praise employees on a job well done and can even help to improve company attitude, confidence and morale.
2. Network to open new doors
Networking within and outside of your industry and local community is key to increasing your overall visibility. Networking can lead to partnership opportunities, new customers, more brand ambassadors, new ideas and insights into business and more.
3. Tap into current trends
When developing promotions, think about how you can tap into hot topics. Capitalize on what people are already talking about and figure out how to tie your business into that conversation in a positive way.
4. Remember that positive marketing starts under your own roof
Leaving a lasting impact on customers starts with a great first impression. Exceptional customer service is essential to your overall marketing campaign. Being easily accessible, attentive, patient and considerate when dealing with customers can help build their loyalty to your business and increase your probability of being recommended to their social network.
5. Always be visible
The list of ways you can reach current and potential customers is growing. For maximum impact, make sure you’re continually reaching the public through all available channels that you have control over. Constantly utilize and update your website and social media networks [Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yelp etc.]. Tap into email marketing and grassroots marketing like flyers, coupons, street teams and participation in community events. Use trade to work with social influencers or choose a charity partner.
This article was written by Michelle M. Guilbeau for Small Business Pulse