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South Shore PR is Hiring!

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South Shore PR is thrilled to announce our first-ever internship call-out! As a local northwest Indiana business, we are thrilled to offer a PR internship opportunity to a current or incoming college student. If you ask any PR professional about this. In that case, they will tell you that the internships they completed in college were some of the most impactful and practical knowledge they learned during their college careers. South Shore PR President Jackie Thomas credits her PR internships during her undergraduate degree as the most beneficial of her education. This will be a comprehensive internship where interns will gain hands-on experience, from strategic planning to execution and more! Here are just a few of the areas where you’ll gain experience:

  • PR Strategy
  • Marketing Strategy
  • Crafting and Distributing Press Releases
  • Social Media Management
  • Blogging
  • Podcasting
  • Digital Newsletters
  • Networking with PR professionals (local and Chicago)
  • And so much more!

So, if you’ve read this far, we are going to assume that you might be interested in this opportunity. Please note that this is a paid internship. This is what we are looking for in our intern:

Public Relations & Integrated Marketing Intern

Company Overview:

South Shore Public Relations is a boutique public relations and integrated marketing firm that plans, develops, and executes communications strategies for a diverse range of clients. We pride ourselves on delivering creative solutions and exceptional results that exceed client expectations while delivering the highest levels of customer service.

Position Overview:

South Shore Public Relations is seeking a motivated and enthusiastic public relations and integrated marketing Intern to join our team. This internship offers a hands-on opportunity to gain valuable experience in the fields of public relations and integrated marketing while working closely with seasoned professionals.

Responsibilities:

– Assist in the development and implementation of marketing and public relations campaigns.

– Conduct market research and analysis to identify trends and opportunities.

– Draft press releases, social media posts, blogging, and other written content.

– Support and maintain relationships with media contacts and influencers.

– Assist in the organization and execution of events and promotional activities.

– Monitor media coverage and support reports for clients.

– Provide general administrative support to the marketing and public relations team.

Educational Experience:

– Gain practical experience in integrated marketing and public relations strategies.

– Learn how to effectively communicate with media outlets.

– Develop skills in writing press releases, social media content, blogging, and other promotional materials.

– Gain insight into the planning and execution of marketing campaigns and events.

Qualities We’re Looking For:

– Honesty: Integrity is essential in our industry, and we value honesty in all our interactions.

– Self-Starter: We seek individuals who are proactive and take the initiative to contribute ideas and solutions.

– Motivated: A strong drive to succeed and a passion for marketing and public relations.

– Willingness to Learn: Openness to learning new skills and adapting to evolving industry trends.

– Comfortable Talking on the Phone: Effective communication is key, and the ability to communicate confidently over the phone is highly valued.

Requirements:

– Currently enrolled in a college or university program, pursuing a degree in marketing, public relations, communications, or a related field.

-Strong written and verbal communication skills, with keen attention to detail.

-Ability to multitask, prioritize workload, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

-Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) –

-Passion for storytelling, media relations, and staying up to date on industry trends.

– Proficiency in social media platforms.

– Ability to work independently and collaborate within a team environment.

– Availability to work 15-20 hours per week.

-Must be willing to work in the South Shore PR office located in Michigan City, Indiana.

Application Process:

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and writing samples demonstrating their communication skills. Applications without writing samples will not be considered. Please email South Shore President Jackie Thomas: Jackie@southshorepr.com

Hours Per Week:

15-20 hours per week, flexible schedule. Occasionally, evenings or weekends may be offered to support client events.

Here is Your First Lesson:

Even if you don’t meet ALL of the requirements, but you meet most of them, apply anyway! Read this article from the Harvard Business Review about applying when you don’t meet all of the requirements here.

Please reach out as soon as possible, as spots are limited!

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How to Start a Business Newsletter: A Comprehensive Guide

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A well-crafted newsletter allows you to share valuable content, provide updates, and promote your products or services directly to your subscribers. For most starting a newsletter, there is little to no cost to begin sending a newsletter to your customers in a regular cadence. In this blog post, we will guide you through the steps of starting a business newsletter that captivates your audience and helps you achieve your marketing goals.

  1. Define Your Newsletter Goals: Before diving into the technical aspects of creating a newsletter, it’s crucial to define your goals. Are you aiming to increase sales, drive website traffic, build brand recognition, nurture customer relationships, or establish thought leadership? Clearly identifying your objectives will shape the content, frequency, and overall strategy of your newsletter.
  2. Choose an Email Marketing Platform: Selecting a reliable email marketing platform is essential for managing and sending your newsletters. Popular options include Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and Hubspot. While we do not directly endorse any one company, MailChimp seems to be the most user friendly. No matter which platform you chose, consider factors such as ease of use, automation capabilities, customizable templates, and pricing when choosing the platform that best fits your business needs.
  3. Build Your Subscriber List: Growing a subscriber list is key to the success of your newsletter. Start by capturing email addresses on your website through prominent sign-up forms or pop-ups. Offer incentives such as exclusive content, discounts, or free resources to encourage visitors to subscribe. Leverage social media platforms and other marketing channels to promote your newsletter and drive sign-ups. This list will be one of the most significant asset your business will ever own.
  4. Craft Compelling Content: The content you share in your newsletter should provide value to your subscribers and align with their interests. Create a mix of educational articles, industry news, product updates, customer success stories, and promotional offers. Use a conversational tone, keep paragraphs concise, and include visuals to make your content engaging and easily consumable. Tell a story, people do not want to feel that they’re reading a giant advertisement.
  5. Design an Eye-Catching Template: Designing an attractive and consistent template for your newsletter is essential. Most email marketing platforms offer customizable templates or drag-and-drop editors that make it easy to create visually appealing newsletters. Incorporate your brand elements, such as your logo, colors, and fonts, to ensure a cohesive look that aligns with your overall brand identity. If you aren’t sure how to do this, please consider reaching out to South Shore PR for assistance.
  6. Optimize for Mobile Devices: With the majority of people accessing emails on mobile devices, it’s crucial to optimize your newsletter for mobile viewing. Ensure that your design is responsive, text is legible, and buttons are easily clickable on smaller screens. Test your newsletter on various devices and email clients to ensure a seamless user experience.
  7. Plan a Consistent Schedule: Consistency is key when it comes to newsletters. Determine the frequency of your newsletters based on your content availability and audience preferences. Whether it’s weekly, biweekly, or monthly, stick to a regular schedule to establish expectations with your subscribers. Avoid overloading their inboxes or being inconsistent with your sending frequency.
  8. Analyze and Improve: Regularly analyze the performance of your newsletter to gauge its effectiveness. Pay attention to metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. Experiment with different subject lines, content formats, and calls-to-action to optimize your newsletter for better results.

Starting a business newsletter is the most effective way to connect directly with your audience, foster customer relationships, and drive business growth. By following these steps – defining goals, choosing an email marketing platform, building a subscriber list, crafting compelling content, designing an attractive template, optimizing for mobile, planning a consistent schedule, and analyzing performance – you can create a successful newsletter that engages and delights your subscribers. Remember, a well-executed newsletter is a valuable asset for your business, allowing you to stay top-of-mind with your audience and nurture them into loyal customers.

Want to receive blog posts like this one directly to your inbox? Sign up for the South Shore PR monthly email, where we share tips, and solutions for today’s modern business communications best practices. Enter your email below and you’re all signed up.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

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Leverage Social Media

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Speaking Directly to Your Customers Has Never Been Easier

Key Social Media stats from Hootsuite’s 2020 Social Media Statistics that Matter Report shows that social media is here to stay.

  • 97% of digital consumers have used social media in the past month
  • 90% of Americans between 18-29 use social media
  • *99% of users in 2019 accessed social media on mobile

Read the full report on Hootsuite’s website.

Relatively inexpensive, easy enough to do, social media can seem like the simplest way to reach your customers. In many ways this is true, that social media can be easy, and inexpensive. Yet, anyone who has built and managed a social media following will tell you, that things may seem simple at first, but in time social media can be time-consuming and expensive.

All of that being said, social media when done correctly chan propel your brand and reach your current customers on a daily basis. Social media also has the ability to reach your ideal customer too. There are so many choices when it comes to social media platforms, that it can be difficult to know where to focus your efforts. It is important to know who you want to market to in order to choose the right platform for your business. Not all platforms are built the same, and the target demographic for each changes with the platform.

From Hootsuite’s 2020 Social Media Campaign Trends Report

The data shows us that people are using social media to connect, communicate and be entertained. We also know from the report that the number of mobile users accessing social media has surpassed desktop use. These key takeaways may seem insignificant but when we think back to what we are trying to accomplish with social media marketing, and who we are trying to reach, these key points are significant.

Trends in social media have also shown that customers and fans are hungry for authentic content from you and your business. In most cases, customers have choice where and how they spend their money. When you marketing on social media, you are trying to entice them to spend their money with your business. Give your social media accounts a personality that reflects your business. This may seem simple but it often takes a nuanced hand to do this successfully. I know this first-hand as I have seen large businesses fall short of their won expectations for this, and small businesses thrive at this.

Know where your customers are, what sets your business apart, and what you want to say to begin your business’ social media journey. If you’d like tips, advice, or a full social media content plan, contact The Marketing Department today, and let us help you reach your goal.

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Marketing Channels that Work

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So Many Channels, So Many Choices.

Any marketer will tell you that the most common question asked, is where should a company market. Today’s marketing landscape comes with a massive amount of marketing channels, sometimes making it difficult to determine which method is right for your business. Deciding where to market is something even the largest companies struggle with.

Having worked in marketing in a variety of settings I have learned many insights about marketing, but the most significant one is that there is not a one size fits all approach to marketing. Planning the right strategic marketing plan to reach your current and ideal customers, will save you a lot of time and money. More often than not, I have found that it is not one single channel that can drive a successful marketing campaign, it is a combination of several channels that help drive business.

I recently had an experience with a large corporation. They had a power-house marketing department and were massively successful in their efforts. Yet, they could not seem to reach their ideal customer. I was asked what they could do to get that ideal customer. I had the person I was working with, describe this ideal customer, and it turned out that the age, and demographic wasn’t reading trade magazines in the way that older customers were. Social media, in addition to other communication channels, were what was needed to round out their efforts.

I share this experience to highlight that sometimes, all of us need a guided hand to bounce ideas off of. From traditional print marketing to email marketing, and the use of social media, there are so many options at so many price points. Mistakes can be costly and provide little return if you are not reaching your customers. As I always say, “let the why guide you.” Think about why you are marketing. Is it to build your brand? Increase sales? Build a social media following? Think about why you are marketing and follow that up with who you are marketing to, to build a successful marketing strategy.

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