Public Relations has long been crucially important for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to gain exposure for their product or service, while staying top of mind with their clients, customers, and referral sources.
How does a small business owner compete with their larger counterparts in creating P.R. and attracting media attention? What are some affordable methods and means of maintaining good PR without a large corporation’s marketing budget?
On Tuesday, November 30, I am pleased to have Ms. Jennefer Witter, distinguished Author, P.R. / Marketing Strategist, and Founder / CEO of The Boreland Group (www.theborelandgroup.com), as a guest on Employment Law Today. Jennefer and I will discuss this very crucial topic for small business owners.
About Jennefer Witter:
LinkedIn
By Segment
0:42 – 13:53 – Starting off tonight’s show, Eric welcomes his guest, Jennefer Witter, the founder and CEO of The Boreland Group, a public relations agency. Eric talks a bit about the topic of public relations and its importance for businesses. Today’s topic focuses more on how small businesses can create and maintain good P.R. Jennefer, who joins us today, has more than 28 years of experience in this industry. Eric asks her about her journey into her career. Jennefer majored in communications and focused on journalism; she went to Fordham University in New York City. During her senior year, Jennefer interned at the NY Botanical Garden in the P.R department where she found out that she was very talented in this field. In 2002 after a hiatus, Jennefer got back into the industry and founded The Boreland Group, a firm that focuses on areas such as helping minority-owned businesses.
16:12 – 32:22 – Eric asks Jennefer about ways small businesses can use P.R to grow their footprint. Jennefer says that businesses have to find a way to differentiate themselves from everyone else. She says that you have to have a “clear cut branding”. She also mentions the fear that some small businesses have to work with P.R agencies that their voices may not be heard or given credit in what goes out to the public. Another way is “speaking engagements”; events where one can share their expertise. She says that in her experience, she has been able to connect with people who eventually became clients as well. Jennefer says that success in P.R may not happen overnight because you have to create a foundation. One mistake that clients make is that they don’t have the patience and invest enough time in the relationship with the firm or agency that they hire as they may underestimate the help they need. Another piece of advice is that clients should listen to the P.R expert. Jennefer says that she has had experiences where some clients believe that they have enough knowledge in publicity.
35:22 – 46:37 – In this segment, Jennefer explains the budgeting in maintaining good P.R while working with an agency. Jennefer gave the example of $500 a month for her clients. She has also done a different method where she allowed businesses to work with her at a lower cost, at an hourly rate where she would share her knowledge and advice and allow businesses to execute their plans under her supervision. Eric also asks Jennefer about how businesses can maximize their use of social media for P.R. She believes that social media is a very underrated tool. There are instances where you don’t necessarily have to spend money on Linkedin or premium services. It all depends on one’s field. Jennefer uses Linkedin for example, to promote her speaking engagements. Because of this, she was able to get a presentation at the Pentagon and earn more opportunities.
48:38 – 58:16 – Coming back from the final break, Eric asks a final question about how media relations have changed in the last two years due to the pandemic. Jennefer misses the days where she was able to leave her office or go in and connect with others in person. But she says that media relations have continued to grow. One example is podcasts. Everyone is remote, working from home, and more. So this has helped grow the connections one can make with reporters and clients even more than ever. Though it is not easy. Jennefer says that one has to continue to send pitches and also be creative. Jennefer also shares a tip that she does on many Fridays. She uses the hashtag “FF” and tags other women and creates an engagement with others in her field and beyond. Eric Garver thanks Jennefer for joining him tonight despite his technical difficulties. You can follow Jennefer Witter on Linkedin where she shares and posts a lot of articles not only on P.R but business in general. You can also get her book, The Little Book of Big PR: 100+ Quick Tips to Get Your Small Business Noticed, on the Kindle Store, Barnes & Nobles, Amazon, and more
About Employment Law Today
Helping Business With Employment Law Issues.
For many business owners, it can be overwhelming to keep up and comply with the federal and state labor and employment laws that govern how they run their business. With the COVID-19 pandemic, there are new laws and regulations regarding hiring, firing, and workplace practices and protocols — all of which can increase business owners’ anxieties about regaining traction or thriving again. On my weekly show, we will be discussing the most common employment law related questions and challenges that business owners have been facing in these uncertain times.
The show will have three main goals: (1) to inform businesses about employment law updates, (2) to inspire businesses by giving them the tools to move forward, and (3) to demonstrate how some business owners have overcome their employment law problems, walked through the challenges imposed by this pandemic, and have taken steps to regain traction during the reopening phases of this pandemic.
Our guests will include professionals who advise businesses from an H.R., legal, and financial perspective, along with thriving business owners who will share their experiences and insights into running a successful company while complying with labor and employment law mandates during COVID-19.