At Rubin Communications Group, our clients come in all shapes and sizes. We work with corporations and non-profits across a wide array of industries and topic areas. That means, when we bring on a new client, we need to be a quick study in the work they do and the world in which they operate.
Tag: public relations
This spring, three fellow members of the Hampton Roads American Marketing Association (HRAMA) and I had the chance to volunteer at Triangle AMA’s High Five Conference in Raleigh, NC. We heard rumblings about how great the conference was but it’s safe to say our expectations were far exceeded.
The conference is the place where “marketing and creative meet.” It brings together key industry professionals, provides amazing networking opportunities and most importantly, reignites your creative fire (which, if you’re like me, may have started to look more like a glowing ember).
Jenn and Kyleigh “high five-ing” at High 5!
It’s impossible to reiterate everything we learned but here’s five key takeaways:
- People trust other people.
It’s undeniable. According to Scott Monty, principal of Scott Monty Strategies, 83% of people trust recommendations from people they know and 66% trust consumer opinions posted online. Brands need to connect with consumers by being authentic, responsive and compelling. Scott reminded us to refer back to Cicero, “If you wish to persuade me, you must think my thoughts, feel my feelings and speak my words.”
- Your haters are your most valuable assets.
By 2020, customer experience will be more important than price. Jay Baer, president of Convince & Convert, stressed the value of “hugging your haters” – every complaint, every channel, every time. 95% of unhappy customers don’t publicly complain. The 5% who do are our biggest asset. They tell us exactly what we’re doing wrong. In the age where customer service is the new marketing, “out-hug” your competition. Show them that you love your customers more than they do.
- Ask yourself: if the label falls off, would people still recognize me?
Ann Handley, chief content officer at MarketingProfs, believes your tone of voice is your “gutsiest, bravest asset.” Your biggest missed opportunity is doing what you’ve always done. Your story is what sets you apart and by providing that deeper value to your customers, you’ll ensure they won’t forget you.
- What makes you weird also makes you wonderful.
According to Dave Rendall of The Freak Factory, the things we think are wrong with us are what we should brag about. Mediocrity happens when you try to be all things to all people. Own who you are. Stand out. Be different. You can’t be excellent and be normal.
- Get to the point.
This piece of advice from Jonathan Opp hit home for me. When I arrived at Rubin Communications, I was shocked to see my first piece of writing returned with red lines running across the page. With years of writing experience, Joel Rubin advised me to get to the point. Jonathan echoed Joel. People have short attention spans. Say big things with small words. Aim for less than 12 words per sentence.
Mark your calendars! Next year’s conference is already booked for March 1-2, 2017. We’ll high-five when we get there.
At Rubin Communications Group, we often write content for client websites. Home page, “About Us”, “Services”…you name it, we write it.
To that end, I have pasted below a column from my personal blog, News To Live By. In the post, I demonstrate how to write an effective case study — an important part of any company website.
Does your website need a content refresh? New blog posts? Revised case studies?
Contact me (danny at rubincommunications dot com), and let’s start the conversation!
Account Manager Jenn Hill poses with the issue of Sports Illustrated that features our client, Macy Causey.
Achieving publicity in a major national publication is wonderful and usually takes time to achieve.
So we were more than pleasantly surprised when Sports Illustrated came through for us and our youngest client, 15-year-old Yorktown race car driver Macy Causey.
Here’s the skinny.
Joel and Sara Jo Rubin have been married for 35 years and during most of it they have worked together running what is today Rubin Communications Group. All these years later, we’re still going strong!
My, where has the time gone?
by RCG Chief Executive Officer Joel Rubin
When we read the January 4th issue of Inside Business, we saw the previous year pass before our eyes.
Of the magazine’s 15 top stories of 2015, we were involved in one way or another with seven.
(Inside Business lists each story one at a time on its website.)
#1 — Virginia Beach’s adoption of a series of agreements to allow construction of an 18,000-seat capacity arena near the Oceanfront. On behalf of developer ESG, we were involved practically from day one providing a host of services including: (more…)
Extra! Extra!
After 16 months of writing and editing, RCG Vice President Danny Rubin has published Wait, How Do I Write This Email?, a collection of 100+ email and document templates for networking and the job search.
By Joel Rubin
The year Jim Spore arrived in Virginia Beach from Garland, Texas was when I left WAVY TV to start what is now Rubin Communications Group.
Jim was 47, I was 38 in 1991, but it wasn’t long before our paths crossed. One of his first major assignments was the 76-mile Lake Gaston pipeline, a project that had begun nine years earlier and would cost, when finally completed, $150 million.
Fall has arrived, which means it’s time to trade your summer apparel for jeans and sweaters. Whether you are into the Halloween spirit, look to enjoy the fall weather with live music and food or want to dive into some arts and crafts, there’s always something going on.
Here at Rubin Communications Group, we also slow down to enjoy the beauty of the fall season. We asked our staff to share their favorite fall events.
…well, not all PR agencies but Rubin Communications can! We’re a full-service firm and can assist with all of your public relations and marketing needs – including websites.
