Business Archives - The Atlanta 100

Sentry Scores Elite Honors

The Sentry Roof Services team was recognized for its continued high-quality workmanship and valuable product. (Photo courtesy of Sentry Roof Services)

Nothing’s better than being recognized with the most distinguished honors in your field, and Sentry Roof Services won’t deny it.

The Atlanta-based commercial roofing company recently won the Stanley Cup of the commercial roofing industry for completed work, including its project at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Firestone 2017 Master Contractor Award. The annual Firestone Master Contractor award recognizes the top five percent of Firestone Building Products contractors who have mastered quality commercial roofing solutions.

Sentry Roof Services also earned inclusion in the Inner Circle of Quality, one of the most elite contractor groups in the nation.

Working With Influencers

Paying a trusted and respected social media influencer to post about your brand can boost your brand's credibility.

I’m a huge proponent of working with social media influencers. I believe that is where brands can get the most bang for their buck, especially with millennials.

Things to consider when working with influencers: how many followers do they have? Are their followers in your target audience? How often do they share sponsored posts? Do they have a high engagement rate?

Reaching out to someone with 100K+ Instagram followers can seem intimidating, but everyone I’ve reached out to has been kind, receptive and helpful. If it fits with your brand, consider partnering with an influencer on your next paid campaign.

– Haley Barton, SPR Atlanta

Just Google TechSquare Labs

Co-founders Allen Nance and Paul Judge are creating jobs and helping cultivate Atlanta's tech scene. (Photo courtesy of Google Economic Impact)

Founded in 2014 as a way to help cultivate Atlanta’s burgeoning tech sector, TechSquare Labs is well known in Georgia. The 25,000-square-foot space near Georgia Tech’s campus is one of the most active venture capital funds in the state.

It was recently featured in Google’s annual economic impact report. TechSquare Labs partners with Google for Entrepreneurs for access to shared workspaces in over 20 cities, which helps give them a global footprint with physical facilities and resources.

The 15 businesses they’ve invested in have created over 500 jobs in Georgia. This year, they’re supporting 10 more ventures.

– Sarah Weston, SPR Atlanta

Tips to Secure Speaking Engagements

Speaking engagements can include conferences, civic clubs, business organizations and panels.

Like articles in trade publications, securing speaking engagements for your clients is a way to increase exposure and help position them as thought leaders. To keep up with the opportunities for your clients and to secure the best placements for them, I suggest the three tips below:

1. Create a database on Excel or Google Sheets to keep the vast number of speaking opportunities easily accessible.

2. Subscribe to email updates from professional service organizations and conferences to stay in the loop.

3. Work directly with your client to complete at least the first few conference proposals you are submitting.

To read more, please visit here.

– Emily Tracy, SPR Atlanta

Testing a New, Sleeker Design

We are testing out new designs for The Atlanta 100 in the coming weeks. We’d like your input. Links to the designs are below.

After nearly four years of producing The Atlanta 100 every week, we’re testing new designs. We’d like your input.

Over the next few weeks, some of our readers will receive new versions of our eNewsletter as we work to stay ahead of email industry distribution trends favoring simpler coding and design. If you have feedback to share with us, just reply to the eNewsletter and let us know what you think. Take a look at the design ideas below:

New Design 1

New Design 2

Eye Exams Made Cool at Karoo

Karoo offers total eye exams for $69 and complete prescription glasses for $149.

Warby Parker recently released its Prescription Check app allowing customers to complete a vision check without the need for an “inconvenient” doctor’s visit.

Call me old school, but I’d rather devote an hour to visit an optometrist than use an app, so I go to Karoo. Directly off the Atlanta BeltLine, the all-in-one boutique at Ponce City Market offers comprehensive eye exams and quality fashion-forward eyewear without the need to visit a stuffy doctor’s office.

Later this month, Karoo will be releasing a limited number of new funky and bold styles available for in-store purchase only.

Friendship Baptist Nearly Ready

Construction is nearly complete on the new sanctuary for the 155-year-old congregation formed by former slaves.

Next month, a storied family construction firm will complete the new home of Friendship Baptist Church, the 155-year-old congregation organized by former slaves that early on met in a discarded railroad boxcar and later sacrificed its sanctuary for the new Mercedes-Benz stadium.

Ed Van Winkle of Van Winkle Construction noted Friendship’s new campus at 80 Walnut Street, just blocks from the new stadium, will be the 100th church the firm founded by his grandfather will have built.

“We are honored that Friendship marks this milestone for us,” said Van Winkle, who partnered with C.D. Moody Construction.

Always a Crisis to Manage

Transparency, empathy and frequency are tenets we teach in SPR Atlanta's crisis management training sessions.

When I was a legal reporter, my neighbor’s high-profile law firm was about to be exposed in a devastating story in American Lawyer magazine. He’d call nightly for media advice.

Had I been wiser, I would’ve exited newspapers then to hang out my own crisis management shingle. Fifteen years later, I started this PR firm. Much of what we provide clients now is crisis training.

I joke with clients that it takes a little money to get their name in the media, but a lot to keep it out. Best advice: call us for training long before crisis hits.

SEO and PR: One in the Same

Combining PR and SEO is essential in today's connected and digital world.

PR and SEO go hand-in-hand – or they should. Optimized, quality content? Links? Keywords? Branding? All are essential to both PR and SEO.

Instead of only focusing on website numbers or only focusing on storytelling, make everything easier and better by always thinking of PR with SEO in mind and vice versa. When you’re creating content, be sure to create it with shareability in mind. Include links and keywords to further boost your SEO.

Integrating SEO into all things public relations will drive website traffic and Google rankings all while helping to accomplish your public relations goals as well.

To read more about SEO and PR visit our SPR blog.

– Haley Barton, SPR Atlanta

Beer Babe

Lee + White Bringing Breweries to West End

In addition to alcohol purveyors, the West End development will also feature local food brands such as Honeysuckle Gelato and Doux South Pickles.

An upcoming BeltLine-adjacent West End development is already becoming the imbibing capital of the city.

ASW Distillery just announced a second outpost in the already stacked Lee + White Development after a successful year at its Armour Drive location. In coming weeks, the distillery is releasing Fiddler Unfiddled, Atlanta’s first straight bourbon bottled since Prohibition.

The Lee + White development already has commitments from Westside’s Monday Night Brewing, Decatur’s Wild Heaven Beer and Banyan Roots Brewing, a new brewery focused on sours and high-gravity brews. Construction is expected to begin soon on the 426,000-square-foot, $30 million development.

– Emily Tracy, SPR Atlanta

Reframing to Persuade

Frame your argument thoughtfully if you want people to pay attention.

Convincing someone to see things your way is more complex than you might think. In fact, neuroscientists and social psychologists have long asserted that people alter facts to align with their preconceived beliefs.

According to George Lakoff, retired UC Berkeley professor of cognitive science and linguistics, if you want to create messages to persuade, you have to understand other worldviews, and facts and rational debate have less value than you’d think. We can use this when seeking to persuade.

Arguing from our worldview can cause others to dig in and defend their position. Seek understanding, then frame your argument accordingly.

– Lisa Cutter, The Colorado 100

100 Flags Are Flying

Our members' flags drew a lot of attention to our booth at a recent PRSA conference. We started expansion in 2016 and now have 13 members.

The Atlanta 100 team was in Seattle last week, as The 100 Companies served as premier sponsor for PRSA’s Counselors Academy. Thirteen members are publishing 100s in their markets – now stretching from Denver to Dubai, with The Houston 100 launching in late April.

Our conference booth provided a visual reminder of our spectacular growth in the past year – all a byproduct of our presentation two years ago when other PR firms said they’d like to join us.

One benefit: we can now feature SPR Atlanta’s clients around the world with a dozen more markets expected to launch within the year.

– C hris Schroder, SPR Atlanta

The Value of Trade Publications

We've placed client Southeast Mortgage in National Mortgage Professional Magazine on multiple occasions – a targeted publication connecting lenders with comprehensive resources.

We all know it: most trade publications just aren’t as sexy as more general publications. However, most of your clients should be in specialized journals to solidify their position as a thought leader in their industry.

Though we take total media value with a grain of salt, one estimate puts the cost of a trade publication piece anywhere from $6,000 – $20,000. However, the real cost of your placement is much more. You’re reaching a targeted audience, an editorial piece has more credibility than advertising, the article increases client’s SEO, you reshare it on multiple channels and much more.

To read more on trade publications, visit the SPR Atlanta blog.

– Emily Tracy, The 100 Companies

Design

Encourage Community Engagement in Design Process

Through a series of three public meetings, HGOR learned from Macon citizens about what they'd like to see from a redesign of Rosa Parks Square.

From Macon to Vine City, we have big plans for neighborhood parks. However, when planners and designers come into neighborhoods with their renderings and ideas, they often receive pushback from the community – often rightfully so, as many neighborhoods have been promised upgrades that have never been delivered. Instead of ignoring the community’s interest, planners should leverage feedback to create two-way communication flow.

Through questionnaires, surveys, public meetings, charrettes and social media, we’ve learned more about residents’ needs and wants. In the end, the dialogue creates a richer and more meaningful park design that has the support of the community.

– Jennifer Teasley, HGOR

Beer Babe

Breweries, Distilleries Can Sell Directly Starting in September

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed SB85 into law May 8, which will go into effect September 1

After months of rewording, deliberating and voting, Senate Bill 85 has finally passed, allowing Georgia to become a more competitive state in the nation’s craft beer industry. Instead of only being able to consume alcohol on-site as part of a tour, customers have more options, including to-go or single pints.

SB85 allows breweries to sell 3,000 barrels of beer and local distilleries can sell 500 barrels of spirits annually directly to customers to be consumed on-site. For off-site consumption, customers can buy up to a case of beer and three 750 ml bottles of liquor.

– Emily Tracy, SPR Atlanta

Downtown’s a Different Place

HGOR's design for Liberty Plaza is only one of many spaces turning downtown Atlanta into a walkable community.

Twenty years ago, we moved our staff into downtown’s historic Flatiron Building. Rents were cheap, parking was easy and sidewalks were empty at night. Like many businesses, we later moved offices to Midtown and then the Westside.

Thanks to Central Atlanta Progress, Georgia State University, new museums, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Georgia Aquarium, hotel and retail investors such as Legacy Ventures, and residential developers such as Columbia Residential, downtown is finally evolving into a vibrant mixed-use community.

Thought leaders such as master planners and landscape architects HGOR are designing connected walkable communities that will greatly enhance our city’s central core.

Building Relationships With Journalists

Building relationships with journalists will not only create a bond between you, but it will also build value for your clients and your company.

I believe all PR professionals should practice “slow PR” – strategically thinking through each pitch: which journalist, what the story is, when to pitch … the list goes on and on.

Part of slow PR is building relationships with the reporters, not only to network and make it more likely for them to open your pitches, but also to understand more clearly exactly what they want, when their deadlines are and more. Here are some tips:

1. Don’t send them terrible pitches

2. Follow their columns and social media accounts

3. Interact with them face-to-face whenever possible

4. Respond ASAP

– Haley Barton, SPR Atlanta

Events

Customize YOUR Next Event!

You can customize every piece of your event to associate with your branding. Think outside the box and your event will surely stand out from the rest!

When it comes to planning events, creative customization can be as simple as integrating a company’s brand or product into the equation. We were recently tasked by Gillette to highlight their new razors at an event in their offices. Utilizing the product look and feel, the space became all about Venus.

Corinthian’s top customization tips:

1. Focus on the unique elements about your company and think about how to create it dimensionally.

2. Bring the color and shape of your branding into all aspects of your event.

3. Brainstorm with your team! All ideas are welcome and you’re sure to develop something amazing.

– Mary Douglas, Corinthian Events

Technology

Atlanta: Next Top Tech Town

Atlanta is one of the few cities to have Google Fiber's Wi-Fi service, which is about 50 times faster than standard Wi-Fi. (Photo courtesy of Google Fiber)

Realtor.com recently ranked Atlanta No. 2 on “The Next Big Tech Hubs That Are (Still) Affordable.” The site makes a compelling argument for our city, coming in behind Austin and ahead of Chicago and Pittsburgh.

Citing our Google Fiber service and fast path to homeownership, as well as talent pools from schools like Georgia Tech, the site notes Atlanta has generated nearly 2,000 tech companies.

Another nod to our rising (and affordable) tech industry is SuperNova South, the Southeast’s largest and longest-running tech conference, which is held in Atlanta and, despite its popularity, remains only $250/ticket.

– Sarah Weston, SPR Atlanta

The Scout Motto Is True: Be Prepared

Social media has changed everything. Be ready with a plan before crisis strikes.

In the wake of the public relations debacles with Pepsi and United Airlines, businesses – whatever size – should examine their own crisis communications plans, or work with a PR professional to develop one.

While the exact crisis may not be known, the fundamental framework can be put in place. Issues can take many forms: financial and cyber fraud, crime, injury, lawsuits, maritime and industry catastrophes, product recalls, sexual misconduct, weather disasters and more.

All require an understanding of the corporate culture, a crisis team, a strategic process including social media, a media-trained spokesperson and a public relations/media relations expert.

– Betsie Gambel, The New Orleans 100

Reputation, Reputation, Reputation

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently." -Warren Buffett

United Airlines is under fire for refusing to let young girls board wearing leggings, and forcibly removing a passenger unwilling to be bumped because the flight was overbooked. A company creates its image and solidifies its reputation with every statement it makes — verbal or otherwise. That is why communications strategists should be an integral part of the leadership team.

People are increasingly making decisions based on values, and millennials are more likely to support companies demonstrating social consciousness. It’s critical to think through every angle of policies, procedures and statements with a professional communications strategist. Your reputation is at stake.

– Lisa Cutter, The Colorado 100

Design

Georgia Walks Summit

HGOR worked with the city of Columbus to revitalize the city’s historic Uptown business district. Its design strengthens the existing urban core by providing sidewalk, street and park improvements to act as catalysts for redevelopment and to unify the character of the district.

Georgia Walks Summit, an initiative of GDOT and PEDS, is a statewide gathering to build momentum for walkable communities. Transportation and public health professionals, community advocates, planners, designers and elected officials come together to discuss making our streets and communities great places to walk, May 4-5 in Augusta.

The lunch plenary, “A Tale of Two Georgian Cities: Macon and Columbus,” will be hosted by HGOR. Presenters will discuss how the firm is revitalizing these cities’ historic cores by creating walkable destinations and increased connectivity.

The registration fee is $50 and includes sessions, meals and walking tours of downtown Augusta.

– Lauren Standish, HGOR

Toast to Bacon and Eggs

Edward Bernays, who was a nephew of Sigmund Freud, helped spur bacon sales across the U.S.

Did you have bacon and eggs for breakfast today? If so, thank the “Father of PR,” Edward Bernays.

Until 1925, Americans enjoyed an “English Breakfast” of coffee, tea and toast. The Beech Nut Packing Company, purveyors of pork, wanted to change that. They hired Bernays, who surveyed 5,000 doctors, asking if they recommended a light or hearty breakfast. Overwhelmingly, they endorsed hearty. Citing “expert” survey results, Bernays placed stories in American newspapers, noting bacon and eggs met that criteria. Breakfast was transformed.

Need to develop a message ensuring your product or service won’t be toast? SPR Atlanta is ready.

Business News

Significant Cleaning Service

Photo from Instagram page of Significant Cleaning Service, which offers 100% customer satisfaction or the cleaning is free.

While Dequavious White kept The Lovett School clean, he made quick friends with students and families. Soon, families who began asking him to babysit their children were thrilled to return home to find kids asleep and their houses spotless. At their urging, he started his own business – Significant Cleaning Service.

Then customers who returned to find Dequavious doing his final round of inspection on their spotless home inevitably said they were impressed how deep his crew cleaned. “What crew?” he replied. “I cleaned this myself.”

The shocked customers booked him regularly and referred him to friends. You can too, here.

Want to see results? Check out their Instagram here!