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Every organization has a story to tell. Whether it is a nonprofit, a retail store, a service provider or something else, your story determines who your audience is and impacts how your business will grow. This week, Anasa Troutman, executive director at Historic Clayborn Temple, joins us to discuss the "why" behind this powerful organization. She talks through Clayborn's story of community engagement and positive social change, describes the unique nature of cause marketing, and even offers a few tips on how to get involved with a cause outside of your business. Interested in learning how marketing and PR can help boost your business? Let's talk.

Small businesses face a number of challenges and opportunities that promote growth and innovation. Often, small business owners are able to cultivate personal relationships with their audience and devote more effort into the company's unique personality. They also have to compete with larger companies, and must find creative ways to stand out from the crowd. In this episode, Beth and Brandon talk with Robbie Johnson Weinberg, owner and founder of Eclectic Eye. As a small business owner, Robbie offers insight into the role that branding and public relations play in building the independent eyewear boutique that she and her husband started more than 17 years ago. Since then, Eclectic Eye has become more than a eyeglass store; it has grown into a creative hub, a landmark in Midtown Memphis and an active part of the local community. Interested in learning how branding and PR can help boost your business? Let's talk.

The PR industry is fast-paced and ever-evolving. Public relations professionals must conduct ongoing research in order to represent their clients as relevant leaders in their industries. These skills are rooted in education, whether from a university or self-study. This week, we are exploring the importance of building a mindset of learning in PR-related work. Meeman 901 Strategies is a student-run media relations firm at the University of Memphis. The organization offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience in their field while pursuing their degree. Tune in as Beth and Brandon talk with members of the agency to discuss how their education helps prepare them for a career in PR.   

First, it was photos, and now, it's video. Social media and online search platforms look for specific elements on a company's website and social channels that are deemed "worthy content" to show their users. Today, if your brand isn't marketed through video content, it may be missing out on substantial online business. Staying up-to-date on the current trends for communicating with your audience is crucial to keep your business on the digital map. inferno PR account executives, Caitlin Berry and Naø Lewandowski join us this week to walk through the growing importance of incorporating video into your PR strategy, and how to produce a high-quality video within your budget.

In a digitally powered business world, companies must have an online presence to reach their audience. Consumers have migrated to a social media landscape, and traditional PR is now supplemented with online media marketing. In this episode, our hosts are joined by inferno PR account coordinators, Garner Keppen and Lauren Berry. They discuss different social media tools and tactics that can be leveraged for direct results.

PR professionals learn a lot from our clients as we help them tell their company's story, starting with building a strong internal culture, to establishing the right voice on social media. Understanding a business, its stakeholders and its goals is fundamental to creating a brand that thrives internally and externally. This week, Beth and Brandon sit down with Fara Foster, Director of Communications & Community Engagement at Lehman-Roberts Co. and Memphis Stone & Gravel Co. Fara offers insight into a company's journey and the importance of developing a brand from the inside out. 

Gini Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, a Chicago-based integrated marketing communications firm. She is also the lead blogger at the PR and marketing blog, Spin Sucks, co-author of Marketing In the Round, and co-host of Inside PR, a weekly podcast about communications and social media. This week, Beth and Brandon talk with Gini about the dynamic nature of public relations, the major strides the industry has taken in the last year and where PR is headed in the future. With technology and media evolving every day, PR professionals have to keep their communication strategy top-of-mind to remain relevant and valuable to clients and their audiences. 

Nonprofit organizations rely on PR professionals to effectively tell their story and connect with their audience. In this episode, Beth and Brandon are joined by Jennifer Balink, Executive Director at Kindred Place, to discuss the challenges and solutions that are presented with nonprofit PR. Jennifer provides a client's perspective on the importance of strong storytelling when building a brand for a nonprofit organization. Kindred Place, formerly the Exchange Club Family Center, is dedicated to ending family violence in the Greater Memphis Area. To learn more, follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

In our latest episode, Beth and Brandon sit down with Greg Akers, Editor-in-Chief of the Memphis Business Journal, and Associate Editor, Meagan Nichols, to discuss what journalists are seeking from PR professionals. They provide an in-depth look at the importance of building strong, genuine relationships with the media.

In our first episode, we discuss the importance of public relations and best practices for owned and earned media. We also provide 5 key considerations that every business and PR professional should take to heart in their PR strategy.