Public Relations

From freelancer to independent public relations practitioner

August 5, 2019 By Rae Hostetler

LinkedIn reminded me and my LinkedIn friends last week that Hostetler Public Relations has been in business 19 years. In the daily hub bub of life and work, this milestone hadn’t crossed my mind. The messages and notes from everyone came as a surprise and are very appreciated. They made me reflect over the weekend. I’ve been thinking about where I’ve been, what I’ve seen and how far the workplace has come over these past two decades I’ve been in business in central Indiana.

Past perception

When I decided to become an independent PR practitioner in 2000, we were called freelancers. And I was one of just a few in Indianapolis. Work was outsourced project by project. Slowly mid-sized business owners and larger non-profit leaders began seeing the advantages to partnering with independent professionals. These are the clients we’ve worked with as an extension of their teams for over 10 years. And today there are many independent professionals in the city who specialize in websites, graphic design and more. We work together to help each other succeed. Many I proudly to call partners.

Advancing technology

I started with a desk, telephone PC/monitor, dial up and a printer. The home office was taboo. There were no iPhones, Android phones, laptops, iPads and cool technology. The office phone rang with a message referring callers to a cell. I remember someone gifting me my first-ever BlackBerry handheld calendar. I thought this is great. Then I tried it. It was so hard to use! I also remember my first-ever laptop. It was heavy as a brick, but it got the job done. I had to “dock it” to make it work with my monitor. And software was all loaded to the computer with a disk drive. A cloud?! What was that?

Where to work

When I mentioned I worked at home, many people cocked their head like a curious puppy. Who worked from home? When our family moved to Zionsville, I eventually found an office off of Main Street in the Village. Credibility! Circumstances and life made me return home. Luckily, a few years later an invention called co-working space came around. In Zionsville we have zWORKS a fantastic hub of business owners, start-ups and entrepreneurs. The energy is great and the support from others even better. And now, the home office is a space that makes my corporate friends jealous.

Personal growth

When I reflect on my personal growth, skills and achievements I’m proud and humble. I recall leaving my corporate job 20 years ago announcing I was going out on my own opening a business. There were many, many skeptics. I saw the looks on their faces and knew what they were thinking, “She’ll be back in the corporate office in a year.” I invested in myself with great coaching and training. And I opened myself to new skills. There was no social media, blogging or digital marketing 20 years ago. I listened, learned and grew.

What’s next?

As I continue to meet other professionals and find ways to partner, the future is bright. We’ve evolved to a company that works to simplify services for our clients. And most important, there’s balance in life. Our clients have similar philosophies. The result, we have fun while driving results.

Is social media a fit for your company?

May 15, 2019 By Rae Hostetler

Last night I had the pleasure of speaking at a Boone County Economic Development Corporation event. The topic was social media. I was asked to have a small group conversation about the ins and outs. The approach was to ask the question: is social media right for your company? The audience included a large regional business leader to a small solo shop owner along with a couple of women business owners opening store fronts. Regardless of the business size and scope, the list to the right shares what anyone should consider before jumping into social media. I’ll briefly touch on each.

Brand and message: Do you know what you want to say about yourself and your business? What are the three to five key messages your company is trying to convey? And be sure you’ve got your colors/images in good order. Social media is visual.

Goals: What are they? To drive business to your website? To share information? To be an expert? To get likes? Carefully consider your expectations before starting.

Channels: There are many! What might be right for one person’s business isn’t right for your company. Instagram is visual only. What if you just want to write messages without photos? Audiences are different for each social media channel. Also consider the time it takes to manage multiple channels.

Time/Process: How much do you want to spend? Post to one social media channel and it’s manageable. Start doing more and carefully consider how you’ll be able to keep up and do it well. Managing social media means having a good process. Consider, do I post daily? Could I get by with a few times a week? If I have multiple channels should I invest in a tool such as Hootsuite or Buffer that links channels into one tool for easy management? Does your team know your process?

Budget: Don’t just think dollars also think time. What’s your time worth? Should you hire someone to help you? If you do, review and use this list as you consider a good partner for your business.

Tools: I mentioned Hootsuite and Buffer above. There also are graphic tools. Canva has become a standard. Someone asked last night what Canva is. My best comparison, when we all start a PowerPoint presentation, we review options for layouts/graphics. Canva is very similar with posts for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. The tool lets you put in colors and fonts for brands. It’s DIY design simplified. And it’s affordable.

Management: Once social media starts it’s hard to stop. Manage your likes and comments. If you get messages, respond. Preplan posts to simplify.

Measurement: Go back to your goals? Are you achieving them? Or should you adjust?

And as always, if you need help or have questions give us a call.

Put your public relations message to work

April 26, 2019 By Rae Hostetler

Earlier this month, I conducted a workshop on public relations messaging for professionals at our local co-working space. When considering how to make the session engaging, I spent time researching, reading and thinking about how others approach the topic. Here are my key takeaways from the preparation and the session worth considering if your company is struggling with the message behind your brand.

When people say brand, you say…
Many professionals think of brand in terms of what a logo looks like. Really what the logo says is the message the company is working to brand. For example, in 2004 Dove wanted to rebrand itself. Instead of simply refreshing the logo, the firm working with Dove professionals conducted research querying about 3,000 women in 10 countries. Only 2% of respondents said they would call themselves beautiful. Dove’s communications and advertising now depict real women of all shapes, sizes, and ages because Dove wants to convey its product is for all women. The company did research, made a discovery and developed its message that’s a thread in its marketing communications.

A,E,I,O,U make the message…
In the English language, we simply have no words without vowels, right? In public relations there’s no communication without the message. Here’s what goes into the messaging mix as you consider how to convey your company’s brand.

Public Relations message

Use research…
Whether formal or informal, the people around you have different views of your product or service than you do. Often they have great insight and ideas. Have you ever asked them for feedback? Our team has worked with clients of all shapes and sizes to interview staff, clients, vendors and others close to the company to hear what they think. That information creates the message and the communications strategy.

Keep it simple…
Company jargon only turns potential customers away. Everyone has a solution to solve a problem. Many companies use their industry words and phrases to attract prospects forgetting people may or may not know the lingo. Be sure to keep words simple yet on balance with industry vocabulary.

Share it…
I recently spoke with an industry colleague charged with working on a website project. He admitted as he wrote copy, leadership at his company gave feedback with different words, approaches and phrases. Starting with one messaging document and ensuring everyone in leadership understands the why behind it streamlines a project. Would you build a house without a blueprint? So why create public relations and communications without a messaging master plan?

Wondering how to get started? Call us and let’s talk more. We’d love to hear from you.

The myths and realities of an Indianapolis public relations gig professional

March 19, 2019 By Rae Hostetler

It’s been a long time since I worked in an official office. Nearly 20 years ago, when I ventured out on my own, I discovered real productivity. Today I read an article in Inc. that confirmed my work from home bias. It talks about offices and the lack of worker productivity. Yes, I truly believe those of us who work from a home office get more done. Others must agree. A 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics study reveals 25 percent of all workers did some or all of their work from home.

For years I’ve heard my office-worker friends tell me why they couldn’t do what I do and work from home. Decades later many now understand I’m not a pajama-wearing pro with my feet up all day. Here’s what they say and I know to be true.

If I stayed home to work, I’d just do laundry. Heck no! Years ago my youngest son, who was very into super heroes at the time, asked me, “Who’s your arch enemy?” My answer: laundry. It just never stops. So why in the world would I want to spend my day managing laundry? I don’t even like laundry on weekends. Not to mention, client work comes with deadlines. There’s simply not time to fluff and fold.

If I stayed home to work, I’d be lonely. Ok. Good point, but regular emails, texts, phone calls and conference call meetings create social interactions. And with the advent of co-working spaces that removes the barrier. In Indianapolis, our cities and towns have great places for the “gig worker” to go and network, work and do meetings. In Zionsville, we’re lucky to have zWORKs. The team running it is wonderful and the members are innovative. It has turned into an economic stimulator for our town. There are member events on a regular basis. Plus over the years I’ve discovered a fantastic team of other gig workers who I’m proud to call my team. We email, text and talk about projects, families and vacations. And the icing on the cake, I’ve got a great group of friends who keep me busy.

If I stayed at home to work, people wouldn’t take me seriously. Well that’s seriously too bad for those people (if that sounds harsh, sorry). When I started my business, I was one of few. The phrase ‘gig worker’ would be coined many years later. Those of us who run our own businesses take it seriously. We keep up on trends and techniques by reading, innovating and doing. We meet people in our communities through constant networking. We get involved in civic and community events. We know what’s happening. I feel much more in the know now than I ever did working at a company, which was an insular experience. I’m serious about my work and appreciate working with people who understand it doesn’t matter where you work but instead the work you produce to support their goals.

If I stayed at home, I wouldn’t focus. Quite the opposite. I’m so focused during the day, I often have to force myself to push away from the desk to take a break. Over the years I’ve developed a system for each client’s custom public relations plan, which are documented telling us what we need to do to succeed. And the PR plans are regularly reviewed with updates. Periodic dashboards keep us accountable to the client’s goals. Bottom line, we have deadlines and no work means no pay. That makes a person focus.

If I worked at home, I’d have no work-life separation. This one takes true discipline. When I started 20 years ago, there were no smart phones, laptops and tablets. People couldn’t reach each other at all hours of the day. That might be why from day one I decided to keep regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). My office door shuts. In the evening, I do my best to put down the phone, not look at email and stop texting clients. I even asked one client who tends to call late in the evening if he expected me to answer. I wanted to be sure. His reply, “Oh don’t answer. When I’m leaving an event I often have some ideas. I just want to share those before I forget.”

If I worked for myself, I’d never take a vacation. I really hope that’s not true. Vacations mean time to make memories with family and friends. They are an invaluable time to pause, unwind and allow our brains to renew. I always come back energized with new ideas. I often say I declutter my brain during vacation. Not to mention with the advent of smart phones and tablets, it’s easy to be in touch if an emergency happens while you’re away. Just take a look at the photo posted here from a recent trip to the Virgin Islands. Who wouldn’t destress looking at this view!

Know the P in your PR plan

March 5, 2019 By Rae Hostetler

Public relations is about telling the people (your publics) who you’re trying to educate, influence, sell to and engage about who you are and what you do. That’s why it’s important to understand the people (the P) in your PR plan. How people research, decide and spend their money and time is different depending on their age.

In January, Pew released a study on Millennials. That prompted me to do some research about myself (Gen X) and others. Here’s what the researchers have to say.

Generation Z: Born 1997 to 2002

This group is late middle school, high school to college aged.
My children are Generation Z.
They think visually. They grew up using electronics, watching videos, transitioned to streaming.
This is a tech dependent group with an attention span of about eight (yes 8) seconds.
They like to try/see, collaborate, and have learning-centric opportunities with devices.
By 2020 (next year), they’ll account for 40 percent of all consumers.

Millennial (AKA Gen Y): Born 1981 to 1996
According to a Pew study…

Millennials are projected to number 73 million total this year overtaking Baby Boomers as the largest living adult generation.
This group is smart (34 percent earned a bachelor’s degree).
They’re getting married later (28-30 compared to 22 to 27 for the Silent Generation).
And they’re more diverse with more women (72 percent) employed.

This is the consumer group I’m asked about the most.

While they have debt (mostly due to paying for college), they have cash.
Ages 25 to 37 in 2018 had a median adjusted household income of about $105,300 for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, roughly $56,000 greater than that of households headed by high school graduates.
Theyspend $600 billion a yearor around $85 per day.
That’s 28 percent of the total daily per person consumer spending.

They aren’t influenced by brand. They’re influenced by social content.

83 percent of Millennials find online content useful in making purchasing decisions. [Source: Sharethrough]
And they like coupons. Some 95 percent use coupons and have a preference for digitally using them.
Millennials also cite an importance in giving back to the community and expect the brands they follow will do the same.
Millennials spend more time on apps and the internet than they do watching television. [Source: Marketing Charts]

Generation X: Born 1965 to 1980

Bring on the buying power! This group is small but mighty.
According to American Express, Gen X has more spending power than any other generation.

And they’re influential. They take care of aging parents while raising Gen Z (the youth with all of those electronics!).
They say keep the content short, sweet and get to the point.
Give me less text, more visual.
People in this age group will research various channels to make a buying decision.
And they expect customer service.

(In an effort to pay homage to them (and myself), we’re keeping this section short!)

But before we leave this generation, keep in mind us Gen Xers are, in fact, digitally savvy, despite what many marketers may think. A Millward Brown Digital, surveyed more than 1,000 consumers in three generations (Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers):

60 percent of Gen Xers use a smartphone on a daily basis.
67 percent use a laptop/PC daily compared to 58 percent of Millennials.
We frequently go online for shopping, banking, research, digging for deals, and reading the news.

Baby Boomer: Born 1946 to 1964

By next year there will be some 11 million more consumers over 60 years old.
90 percent are married-according to Pew.
Baby Boomers are working longer. And they control 70 percent of the disposable income in America.
And they too expect high levels of customer service.
Some think people in this age group are resistant to online shopping-not true!
For Boomers it’s a relaxing hobby-books, wine, household goods.
According to a KPMG study:
- 66 percent of Boomers make regular purchases through online devices,
- and the large majority prefer to shop onlineusing a laptop or PC (67%) compared to a smartphone (4%) or tablet (10%).
But keep in mind, according to KPMG, Boomers say they still like shopping in stores, 62 percent.

Silent Generation: Born 1928 to 1945

This generation grew up during the Great Depression and WWII.
Their behaviors are based on those experiences with a waste not want not attitude.
They strive for comfort, quality and simplicity.