Posts by kellee

Integrating Traditional and New Media PR Campaigns

Posted by on Nov 21, 2016 in Client Talk, Lessons, PR Methodology | 0 comments

Where do you get breaking news – when reading a paper (what?!), talking to a friend, or scrolling through your social media feed? Today, we receive news all day long in messages through multiple channels on various devices. In the past, PR professionals have relied on traditional media outlets to share their client’s brand stories, however, with the emergence of new technology PR professionals have had to modify their strategies to the growing digital space. Organizations have adapted to this environment by integrating traditional and new-media tactics in PR campaigns to consistently...

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The Words from Steve Jobs that Drive Kellee Johnson as an Entrepreneur

Posted by on Nov 16, 2016 in Entrepreneur Thoughts, General, Lessons | 0 comments

I got the idea to start an integrated communications firm in 2005, the same year the late Steve Jobs gave a commencement speech at Stanford. It was called: “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” I still follow these words today. ‘Hunger’ to me is staying curious enough every day to define the WHY. ‘Staying foolish’ to me is not being afraid to take risks that may result in mistakes. I had to work hard once I decided to go out on my own and build a team of experts. These words were my daily inspiration. Hear more on Entrepreneur.com about how the Ballast Group team applies the ‘why’ people will care to...

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Strategies vs. Tactics: Why and How to Run a Successful PR Campaign

Posted by on Nov 4, 2016 in Lessons, PR Methodology | 0 comments

A successful PR campaign goes beyond pitching your story and getting media coverage. There are various elements that take place before and after your campaign. All of these separate components help maximize the chance for success and the amplification process once a story is published. Mastercard’s CMO, Raja Rajamannar, claims that the success to keeping a campaign fresh is through storytelling. He explains, “Gone are the days where you talk to consumers. We have to be effective storytellers. But today, storytelling is not adequate. You have to have story-making, which means the...

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The Ballast Group celebrates 10 years of storytelling

Posted by on Oct 20, 2016 in General | 0 comments

The Ballast Group is an integrated communications and branding firm that helps develop and tell your stories to your most important audiences in the channels that matter. Watch the founder’s message: Today, storytelling goes beyond earned media (aka stories told by journalists and producers). Our approach to thought leadership content helps shape the best stories, identify third parties to articulate them with you and gets the lead-generation results that you seek. We believe in integrated initiatives for generating demand, increasing awareness and focusing your brand in the right direction....

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Keep the conversation going

Posted by on Jun 17, 2015 in General, Lessons, Management, PR Methodology | 0 comments

In celebration of Treacy Marketing Group’s 25th anniversary, I wrote this blog post on great story telling strategies that stand the test of time. It’s a new way of life for public relations practitioners, and it is fast-paced. One-way communication was then; two-way, 24/7 dialogue is now. Today, conversation is happening between stakeholders, not at them. What haven’t changed are the most crucial components of any public relations initiative: planning, building a narrative, and telling a compelling story. Five traditional values of great public relations stand the test of time: Know...

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