From Neighborhoods to Networks: How Local PR Agencies Build Stronger Connections

Public relations isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days when simply sending out a press release was enough to generate buzz. The evolution of digital PR strategies and the rise of AI-driven tools have transformed the landscape into something far more complex—and far more exciting. According to the Muck Rack’s “State of PR” report, 73% of public relations professionals don’t think the term “public relations” as it’s defined today will describe the work they’re doing in five years.

Despite the rapid changes, the fundamental goals of PR remain the same: building relationships, shaping perceptions, and driving engagement. In fact, PR is as crucial as ever. And as technology advances, the benefits of partnering with a Nashville PR agency have only grown stronger.

For small to mid-size businesses, especially in rapidly growing cities like Nashville, a local PR agency can be a game-changer. At Green Apple, we offer a unique combination of expertise, relationships, and personalized attention that can significantly elevate your brand’s visibility and reputation.

5 Benefits of Partnering with a Local Nashville PR Agency

From hyper-local expertise to personalized service, here are five reasons why a local PR agency might be your best bet:

1. Hyper-Local Expertise: We Know the Neighborhood

A local agency doesn’t just understand the city—they live in it. Our hyper-local expertise gives us a unique edge. We know what resonates with the community because we’re part of it. We’ve got our ears to the ground, always listening for the latest trends, events, and stories that could benefit your brand.

Whether it’s a music festival, a new business opening, or a community initiative, we’re in tune with what’s happening in Nashville and the surrounding area. This deep understanding allows us to craft PR strategies that are not only timely but also culturally relevant.

2. Stronger Relationships: We’ve Got the Connections

PR has always been a relational industry, and in a world where trust and credibility are everything, relationships are gold. A local Nashville PR agency brings a strong network of industry connections to the table—relationships with local media outlets, influencers, community leaders, and more. These connections aren’t just names on a list; they’re built on years of collaboration and mutual respect. Whether helping you secure a media placement or collaborate with a local influencer, our Nashville connections enable us to achieve results more quickly and effectively than a distant agency might.

For example, we partnered with United Communications to help plan an event to celebrate their Project UNITE initiative. Leveraging our deep-rooted connections and experience, we successfully drove earned media coverage of the event. The event gathered over 90 attendees, including government officials, partners, and media members, and generated an impressive $300,000 in average paid advertising value for each news segment or article.

3. Personalized Attention: We’re Right Here When You Need Us

One of the standout benefits of working with a Nashville PR agency is the personalized attention you’ll receive. We’re not just a voice on the phone or an email in your inbox—we’re here, in your community, ready to meet with you face-to-face. This proximity allows us to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with our clients. When you work with a local agency, you get strategies tailored specifically to your business, not a one-size-fits-all approach. 

Our commitment to personalized attention is evident in our work with clients like The Factory in Franklin. We recently partnered with them to create and promote the grand opening event for their new Skylight Bar. Our on-the-ground presence allowed us to manage every aspect of the PR strategy, from developing a creative event concept that resonated with locals to leveraging our media connections to promote the event. This hands-on approach ensured that the grand opening was a resounding success, aligning with The Factory’s specific goals and objectives.

4. Agility and Responsiveness: We’re Quick on Our Feet

In the fast-paced world of PR, things can change in an instant. Whether it’s a sudden crisis or an unexpected opportunity, being able to react quickly is crucial. A local Nashville PR agency offers the agility and responsiveness that larger, non-local agencies often can’t match.

Because we’re right here in your market, we can adapt to changes on the fly and implement creative PR tactics that you need. Whether it’s a last-minute media event or a timely response to a local issue, we’re always ready to act. This agility ensures that your brand stays ahead of the curve and can capitalize on opportunities as they arise.

5. Long-Term Partnership: We Grow with You

When you partner with a local PR agency, you’re not just getting a short-term service provider—you’re building a long-term relationship. We see ourselves as an extension of your team, committed to growing alongside your business over time. As your needs evolve, we adapt our strategies to ensure that we’re always aligned with your goals.

This long-term partnership approach means that we’re invested in your success. We take the time to understand your business inside and out, and we’re always looking for ways to help you thrive. Whether you’re launching a new product, entering a new market, or simply looking to build your brand, we’re here for the long haul.

Let’s Build Stronger Connections Together

At Green Apple, we’ve built a strong reputation as one of the best PR agencies in Nashville. With decades of experience, we’re passionate about helping our clients leverage our expertise and relationships to elevate their brand.

If you’re seeking a local PR agency that understands the nuances of your market and can provide personalized, results-driven strategies, we invite you to learn more about our approach. We’d love to connect and discuss how we can help you build stronger connections and achieve your business goals.

It’s A Numbers Game: How Quantitative Data Drives Successful PR Efforts

Numbers don’t lie. For better or for worse, this rings true across brands and entire industries. At Green Apple Strategy, we rely on hard and fast data to tell us what’s working for our clients and show us opportunities for improvement. 

When it comes to small business public relations, finding relevant, quantitative data can take some work. After all, how do you measure feelings about your brand?

This post explores five ways numbers can help you build a favorable brand reputation while working toward increasing your small business’s chances of being featured in news and media outlets. 

What’s the difference between Public Relations and Marketing?

Public relations and marketing can often be confused by the general public. But as professionals, you and I know better. If you need a crash course in understanding the differences—and how public relations (PR) is great for business—stay tuned, and I’ll fill you in! 

Marketing typically involves some type of paid effort. Think advertisements, special events to get the word out about a particular product or service, promotional merch, and more. Whereas PR is exactly what it sounds like; building relationships with the public. In most cases, that will be your customers, community members, and decision-makers. 

Five Ways to Use Data to Get Noticed

The first step to getting noticed by media outlets is to actively make a name for your small business. PR tactics like posting on social media, authoring a blog or white paper, and speaking publicly about your business or industry create a connection with your audience and position your brand as a go-to industry leader. Here are five steps to grow your audience and improve your chances of being seriously considered when reaching out to news and media outlets.  

1. Grow Your Email List

Email can be a numbers game. The more high-quality email subscribers you have, the higher your open rates. What do I mean by “high quality?” Simply put, people who have opted in and have good email addresses. Strike a balance between staying top of mind and sending emails too frequently, which can lead to members of your audience unsubscribing.

Quantitative data can be helpful here, providing hard and fast numbers regarding open rates, bounces, and how many subscribers enjoyed your email messaging enough to click through.

2. Think Social

When planning your PR strategy for social media content, pay attention to your reach and engagement. Note how many followers are seeing your content as compared to how many followers you have. Next, note the percentage of likes, comments, and shares your content receives. Higher impressions and engagement rates will help your brand become better known within your community.

3. React Publicly

Is there a newsworthy or trending topic that relates to your industry? Establish yourself as a subject matter expert by sharing your thoughts and relevant experiences with your email list and on your social media accounts. The key is to remain professional, no matter how passionate you are about the topic.

Share your thoughts at times when your audience is already on social media to increase your reach and potential engagement.

4. Get Published

We’ve established that you have ideas, thoughts, and opinions to share on newsworthy content related to your field. So, why not craft that narrative into a story? But, instead of sharing it with as many print and digital newspapers and magazines as possible, cast a very intentional, strategic net. Yes, this is a situation where higher numbers will not do you any favors.

Think about who you know in the media business and start there. Or research publications relevant to your field and send them a well-thought-out email sharing your story idea. In this case, a narrow focus on the right outlets will drive more results than a mass approach. 

Another viable option is to self-publish by starting a blog. There are SEO benefits here too. Plus, you can get a solid count of clicks on a blog post to see how your content resonates with readers. 

5. Start Local

Here is where numbers and location can be on your side. You’ve done the work of building a social media following and a high-quality email list. You’ve shared valuable content with your digital community. Now, pitch your ideas to local media outlets. Be sure to share the numbers of followers you have and where you have already been published. Again, this helps to establish your brand as the subject matter expert, making it clear that you are THE best choice to speak on specific topics related to your field. 

Starting with local channels is a great way to gain experience with media appearances. Plus, there’s usually less competition when compared to larger, national outlets – a bonus when you’re getting started. 

Partner with a Professional Agency

Thankfully, it’s a myth that only large corporations can afford to bring on a professional agency. Our team is well-versed in understanding the needs and budgets of small businesses. We’d love to help you create a data-backed public relations plan that enables you to grow and connect with your audience. Contact us today to start the conversation!

Brand Reputation Management: How to Reach Out for Testimonials

person sitting at table with laptop

Testimonials and case studies are two of the most effective marketing tools to manage your brand’s reputation. As potential clients read through a testimonial, they can picture themselves in that person’s shoes and see how they can solve their problems with the solutions that you provide. They help you communicate one of the most important marketing messages, described by marketing guru Seth Godin as, “People like me do things like this.” 

While businesses recognize the importance of testimonials, many struggle to find effective ways to capture them and integrate them into their marketing efforts. Over the years, our team has worked with clients in various industries capitalizing on the power of testimonials for brand reputation management. Here are a few things we’ve learned about how to manage your reputation.

The Power of Testimonials to Manage Your Reputation

Brand reputation is essential for building relationships with customers – both existing and potential. Testimonials play an important role by enlisting your most enthusiastic brand advocates to deliver some reputational equity on your behalf.

Here are just a few statistics that speak to the importance of testimonials and customer reviews:

  • 72% of consumers say positive reviews and testimonials make them trust a business more. (Source)
  • 95% of people say that reviews – whether positive or negative – influence their purchasing decisions. (Source)

Acquiring more customer reviews also has a significant impact on the ROIs of your marketing efforts. According to Bazaarvoice’s Conversation Index Volume 8, when users engage with reviews on your site, three things are sure to occur.

  • Consumers are 58% likely to convert.
  • Your chances to generate more revenue per visitor increases by 62%.
  • Users are likely to increase purchasing by 3%.

How to Get More Testimonials & Customer Reviews

Now you know why testimonials are important, here are our tips on how to get them:

1. Use Customer Survey Platforms and Tools 

In today’s digital world, there are a variety of tools you can use to easily capture customer testimonials and feedback. While we’ve used several survey platforms to capture customer responses for our clients, Green Apple recently began using the Delighted survey platform to capture feedback on behalf of our clients. 

2. Monitor Your Google Reviews

Google is also an important source for customer testimonials, especially as people use the platform to search for your brand. Maximizing the potential of Google reviews starts by setting up a Google Business Profile page and then finding creative ways to generate more Google reviews from happy customers. 

3. Check Out Your Facebook and LinkedIn Reviews 

Your Facebook and LinkedIn pages are also great places to generate reviews. If you don’t have any testimonials, consider asking your followers to leave reviews and incentivize them for sharing their feedback.

How to Use Testimonials to Generate New Business

Once you’ve curated a library of testimonials and customer reviews, how do you maximize their potential? Here are a few ways to turn customer testimonials into solid content marketing that improves how you manage your brand reputation and generates new business: 

1. Strategically integrate testimonials throughout your website.

Testimonials are a great way to support the claims you’re making on your website. That’s why it’s important to include them throughout your website — on your home page, specific products/services, or even your contact page.

2. Create social media graphics with testimonials.

Social media is an excellent platform to promote reviews because it also gives you the ability to tag the reviewer and generate even more reach. Because social media is a more visual platform, it’s a good idea to spend some time making your customer testimonial look sharp and catch the eye of your audience. 

3. Produce video testimonials.

Creating a video testimonial is another way to provide visually-engaging content for potential customers! A video testimonial can be used on several different platforms, including your website, social media, email campaigns, and in sales meetings.

Want to Capture and Leverage More Customer Testimonials?

Green Apple Strategy uses a variety of tactics to help our clients gather, analyze, and leverage essential customer feedback. From content development to PR and social media management, Green Apple Strategy can craft a marketing approach to help you attract and retain qualified leads. Reach out to us today for a consultation.

How Does PR Fit Into Your Comprehensive Marketing Plan?

A colorful planning wall with several post-it notes of marketing plans and details.


Marketing and public relations used to work separately, with drastically different approaches and goals. But in today’s digital world, where PR overlaps with other channels of communication, it’s more important than ever for the two disciplines to work together. For nearly every company we serve, we are exploring ways to incorporate PR into their comprehensive marketing plan. 

Unfortunately, not all brands recognize how important PR can be. According to recent research, only 19 percent of corporate communication departments actually contribute to the overall marketing strategy. As a result, many companies are missing a huge opportunity to accelerate brand awareness and improve consumer perception with proven and research-backed PR strategies.

How Marketing and PR Work in Tandem

Traditionally, public relations has focused on maintaining a company’s overall public image, while marketing has focused on promoting and selling products or services. But in today’s digital age, where consumers and brands are more connected than ever before, those two lines have merged into one comprehensive thread. 

Marketers need to recognize that telling a compelling story is essential for reaching today’s consumers. This is what PR professionals specialize in doing. For PR professionals, it’s important to recognize that consumers have as much impact on a brand’s perception as the brand itself. 

The end goals of marketing and PR — selling products and making people love a company — are now intertwined. To succeed in today’s business world, brands need to combine the best tactics in traditional PR with updated online techniques.

Effective PR Tactics for Your Comprehensive Marketing Plan

Here are a few PR tactics that will take your comprehensive marketing plan to the next level and ensure you’re maintaining a positive brand image while selling more products:

1. Incorporate a digital PR strategy that creates two-way communication with consumers.

You can either run from the fact that today’s consumers control brand perception or lean into it. One of the ways we encourage clients to lean in is to create a dedicated digital PR strategy that includes tactics such as customer survey tools, proactive press releases, and comprehensive social strategies.

2. Engage non-traditional outlets and influencers to reach your audience.

In the past, PR primarily focused on building relationships with media outlets or industry publications. Today, consumers are getting their information from dozens of different sources — including social media influencers and website reviews. 

Studies show that 92% of people are more likely to trust recommendations from other people over advertisements and messaging from the actual brands. This is why influencer marketing is one of the most effective PR tactics. By partnering with influencers in addition to other PR strategies, you can ensure you’re maximizing your potential to increase awareness, engagement, and conversions for your brand.

3. Create customized pitches for various outlets and campaigns. 

Historically, PR agencies would draft a press release and then blast it out to every outlet they knew. That shotgun approach isn’t nearly as effective in today’s world. We’re simply bombarded with too much content and information. If you want your pitch to stand out, you need to make it as personal and relevant as possible for your audience. This might require a little extra effort, but it will pay off in the long run if your pitch gets picked up. 

Need Help Integrating PR into Your Marketing Plan?

The PR and marketing landscape is changing. Industry influencers and effective tactics are constantly evolving. As one of the top marketing and PR firms in Nashville, our team is constantly looking for new ways to shape and deliver clients’ stories to their target audiences, driving quantifiable results in ways that stay true to our clients’ brands. If you need additional PR assistance or a new strategy that’s built from the ground up, we can help. Reach out to us to schedule a PR audit for your brand.

5 Creative PR Tactics Your Business Should Explore this Year

Brainstorm meeting in a office

In today’s increasingly digital world, it can be difficult for brands to reach customers through the traditional PR tactics that our industry relied on for decades. Today’s buyers are not easy to reach. Nevertheless, public relations is crucial for enterprise technology companies and B2B brands, regardless of size, vertical, or industry. We’re constantly encouraging our clients to consider creative ways to integrate public relations into their comprehensive marketing plans. While the tactics may have evolved, the end goal of public relations remains the same: increase brand awareness, credibility, and trust with the people you’re trying to reach.

Creative PR Tactics Your Business Should Explore This Year

Here are a few creative PR tactics we’ve used to help our clients gain traction and create tangible results through their PR efforts:

1. Develop a Digital PR Strategy

We encourage every business to create a digital PR toolkit that can be used to enhance their relationship with current and potential customers. One essential element is a survey tool that helps capture feedback from clients. In today’s digital world, the customer has more power than the business when it comes to brand perception. Bad reviews can tank a company’s reputation. If customers aren’t happy with your product or service, customer reviews allow you to proactively address them. If your product or service generates raving fans, you’re able to leverage those reviews to promote your business to other potential customers. 

2. Maximize the Power of Podcasts

If social media has replaced traditional news as the way we keep track of important events, podcasts have replaced industry publications as the way to learn and grow in our professions.  Almost 40% of Americans listen to podcasts every month, and that number has grown steadily every year. Additionally, the on-demand nature of podcasting means that listeners are typically actively listening to the entire podcast. This provides you with the focused attention of your audience through a single medium.

If you don’t have the bandwidth to start your own podcast, consider advertising or pitching an idea or topic to be a guest on a podcast that already reaches your industry. If you’re looking to leverage this tactic, your first step is to take what you know about your audience and start searching for podcasts that hit this niche.

3. Create Specific & Targeted Press Releases for Local Markets 

Today’s media outlets are bombarded with dozens of press releases and requests. The more targeted and personalized you can make your press release, the more likely you are to gain coverage and reach your audience. Think of specific ways you can tailor your PR pitches to local markets. Targeting local media means you’ll have a higher chance of getting your story out there and ensuring your target audience sees it.

4. Give Back by Embracing Corporate Social Responsibility 

Businesses of all sizes have benefitted from proactively giving back to their community in recent years. One tactic that’s growing in popularity is to adopt a corporate social responsibility platform that is tied to your community or a specific cause. Doing so is a great way to earn attention. It also generates goodwill with today’s consumers, who increasingly care about giving back. 

5. Leverage Influencer Marketing to Reach Your Target Audience

As social media has evolved, influencer relationships have become a successful strategy for many brands. However, you don’t need to pitch celebrities or influencers with huge followings in order to generate success. Micro-influencers can be just as powerful, especially if your audience is in a niche industry or market. Finding an influencer in your industry is a powerful way to help build brand awareness because it is authentic and relatable to your audience. 

You don’t have to implement every one of these ideas in 2022 to experience public relations success. But if you’ve struggled to gain momentum through traditional PR tactics, we’d encourage you to collaborate with your marketing agency to try a few. Implementing even one of these approaches could provide the valuable insights you need to transform your PR efforts in the future. Green Apple can help you select and deploy the right strategies to increase your influence and your brand identity. We’re available any time to help you craft a successful PR approach.

How to Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry

Climbers approaching mountaintop

Becoming a “thought leader” is an elusive goal that many business leaders and executives strive for. While some people may think of it as just another marketing buzzword, the reality of having a positive reputation for helping others with your knowledge and insight is important for every business leader.

We’ve been sharing content on thought leadership for years. The channels might have changed, but the opportunity to become a thought leader in your industry is just as possible today. 

Can Anyone Become a Thought Leader?

Before we dive into how to become a thought leader, let’s address a common misconception we hear from people: “I don’t have the time or connections to become a thought leader in the industry.”

While becoming a thought leader takes time and intentionality, the reality is that anyone can become a thought leader in their specific industry or niche. All you need is a willingness to do the work of codifying what you know and have the patience to build momentum over time.

4 Best Practices to Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry

So how do you become a thought leader? Here are a few simple best practices we encourage our clients to consider: 

  1. Stick with Your Message

The most effective thought leaders are known because they stick to a specific message. This makes it easier for people to discern what they do and why they’re doing it. Think about the key message you want to share, one that you would want to maintain as a consistent plumbline over the years. If you’re having trouble determining your unique message, you might want to consider the next point. 

  1. Discern Your Niche 

While you’re thinking about your brand, finish this sentence: The kind of presence I want to have when helping others is ____________________. The thought leaders who make the greatest impact are those who are committed to helping others achieve their goals. Think about what makes you unique and how you can leverage that as you develop your platform.

What’s your unique personality? Are you a generous encourager who wants to champion people in their work? Or are you a disrupter of the status quo who loves to challenge assumptions?

Are you better at providing long, drawn-out explanations? Or are you good at creating quick one-liners that get people thinking? Would you be open to speaking in public, or do you shrink at the idea?

Understanding your unique gifts and strengths will help you determine the way you build your thought leadership platform.

  1. Choose the Right Platform  

If you want to get the most out of your thought leadership content, it’s important to consider how your audience consumes what you share.  To create the greatest impact, you need to meet your audience on the channels they use (social, email, etc.) with the type of content they prefer (written, audio, video). Don’t be afraid to use a mix of platforms and content types as you’re discerning this. The level of engagement you see can help you discern where your audience is and how they prefer to interact with your brand. 

  1. Share Genuine, Authentic Reflections

The thought leaders we celebrate most aren’t the ones who know it all, but the ones who show us they’re human and that they care. As you consider what to share, don’t be afraid to show your humanity by highlighting mistakes you’ve made and lessons you’ve learned. 

  1. Embrace (Effective) Storytelling 

Storytelling should be at the heart of every piece of thought leadership content you create. Telling a story engages your audience by giving them a specific example with measurable stakes. Stories also help your audience understand how your company’s products and services could help them solve a problem. It’s important to tell stories your customers actually want to hear. If your audience can’t see themselves in your brand’s story, it won’t resonate with them.  

Position Your Brand as An Industry Leader 

When it comes to becoming a thought leader, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. However, these tips will help you develop a strategy you can use to reach more people. Any effort will be worth it as it gives you a chance to help others, build your audience and grow your business. For more help positioning your brand as an industry leader, reach out to us to schedule a strategy session. 

Your Guide to a Healthcare Public Relations Strategy

emergency-room-sign-at-hospital


Are you in the healthcare field? Do you want to find your target audience and show them how you can help improve their well-being? Well, a public relations strategy just might be the key. Your audience can find you online, but we should never assume that they will. Even with excellent SEO, you might miss out on reaching that one person who is in dire need of your services without a solid PR strategy. If your marketing strategy is missing PR, we’re here to help. To get you started, here are a few considerations as you build a robust healthcare PR strategy.

1. Identify Newsworthy Content

Information is changing rapidly in the healthcare industry. Topics of conversation can sometimes change before you even have time to put out a story. That’s why you must stay on top of what is relevant and timely—because that’s what your audience needs to hear. Preferably, you would be the first to give them this information, allowing them to view you as a leader. 

Your PR team should always look for the most relevant information to share that will add value to your audience’s lives. Try to identify newsworthy and engaging content that people outside your organization either want or need to know. 

Make sure that all content fits the following criteria:

  • Timely
  • Relevant
  • Well-researched
  • Easy to understand

2. Build Relationships with the Local Media

Networking is a powerful tool in any type of business, and the media is no exception. Your relationship with local reporters, journalists, and media outlets can skyrocket the effectiveness of your overall PR strategy. When local media professionals know you on a first-name basis and understand the value you bring to the table, they are more likely to reach out to you with questions or to work with you on stories for their outlet. 

3. Become a Subject Matter Expert

You have experience and knowledge in your healthcare specialty that others will find helpful, but you have to find a way to share it outside of your office. One way to do this is to become a subject matter expert (SME) for different channels, such as local media, social platforms, and podcasts. Once you focus on becoming a thought leader in your industry and sharing what you know with those around you, your audience will begin to look to you as their go-to resource for information on that subject. Reach out to those in the media, letting them know what you specialize in and that you are flexible and available when they have questions.

4. Submit to HARO Requests

If you want to hit the ground running and offer advice now, you can subscribe to receive HARO emails. Each email will be a list of requests from media outlets asking for firsthand experience or thoughtful insight into particular subjects. Review the emails to see if there is an opportunity that you could contribute to and take the time to write to the journalists—submissions are usually fairly quick. When a journalist chooses your insight to feature, they will also cite you as the source and link your business, providing you with valuable backlinks that increase your SEO success. 

5. Consider the Channels You Will Use

Your healthcare content is only successful if you reach the intended audience. You want them to take action or learn something from your information, right? So, it’s important to consider where your target audience will be most likely to find your content. 

A few options are:

  • Online and print healthcare publications
  • Your website
  • Social media
  • Local or national news
  • Billboards or other public displays

PR doesn’t have to be intimidating with the right strategy. With these five tips, we hope that your team will feel confident to move forward with a PR plan that boosts the image of your healthcare organization. 

Design a Results-Driven PR Strategy with Green Apple

Could your healthcare office become a leader in your field? We think so. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Our team is happy to discuss your goals and how we can help you achieve each and every one of them with PR and comprehensive marketing.

What is Digital PR (And Why Do You Need It)?

digital-news-media-on-phone


It’s no secret that our world is more digital by the day. Advertising and media relations have completely shifted as the internet has grown and changed. And, of course, the exponential (and constant) growth of social media has completely transformed the way we communicate with our audiences. That’s why a PR strategy alone won’t quite cut it anymore. So, where do you go from here?

To stay ahead of your competition and remain present for your audience, it’s vital that you and your marketing team have a comprehensive digital PR strategy. In this article, we’ll cover what is involved in a digital PR plan and how you can begin putting yours together today.

What Does a Digital PR Strategy Include? 

In your digital PR toolkit, you’ll need: 

  • A customer survey tool to collect positive reviews
  • Backlinks in trustworthy publications
  • Proactive press releases and connections with the media
  • A comprehensive social media strategy

How Do You Put these In Place? 

1. A Customer Survey Tool to Collect Positive Reviews

One of the most important ways to build trust with your customers is through positive reviews. In fact, according to BrightLocal, 91% of customers from the ages of 18 to 34 trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations. Knowing the power of reviews, it’s imperative that you have a strategy in place to collect them. We recommend that our clients use LoyaltyLoop; however, there are many other tools out there to explore to see what would serve your business best. 

Here are a few of the top ways to collect reviews: 

  • A survey tool, such as LoyaltyLoop
  • Instructing your team to encourage customers to leave reviews
  • Linking to your Google, Yelp, or Facebook pages in your email signature
  • Offer your customers an incentive 
2. Backlinks in Trustworthy Publications

Your digital PR strategy should also include ways to obtain backlinks on trustworthy sites. A backlink is when another site links to yours because you have relevant information to offer. One of the most successful backlink methods we’ve tested is using HARO (Help a Reporter Out) to submit helpful information to reporters. Though it can be time-consuming, responding to one or two requests per week could significantly increase the number of backlinks you have, and therefore boost your SEO. 

Another effective method is creating a guide packed with a lot of helpful, actionable information. A large guide is a time investment on the front end; however, it provides you with long-term results. Provide your audience with information that they want to share with others, encouraging them to link out to your guide, which may have tips, steps, statistics, or other information that would be especially helpful. 

3. Proactive Press Releases and Connections with The Media

To send out newsworthy content, your team must stay ahead of any upcoming stories so that they can be ready to have a timely press release out to the media. Think ahead to what you may be able to highlight in the upcoming weeks or months—events you may be involved in, charity work you plan to do, or big changes to your company. Does nothing come to mind? It might be time to make some waves! 

Make sure that you’re submitting your press releases to journalists who will be interested in what you have to say. You might consider looking for publications within your industry or focusing on reporters who specialize in your topic. Try making personal connections with these reporters when you can. Knowing someone on a first-name basis can go a long way in getting your story out there. 

4. A Comprehensive Social Media Strategy

Can you believe we waited this long to get to social media? Well, that’s in part because, although it’s important, social media isn’t everything. Your digital PR strategy should be well-rounded, including all parts of the picture. With that said, social media is an important piece of your plan. Work with your team to decide which platforms work best for your industry and your audience and what types of content you should be creating for each. Create a strategy that works for your business specifically. Tips on content and when and how to post can be helpful, but at the end of the day, you want to spend your time where you’re seeing the best results and getting the most value. 

Looking for a PR Agency to Get the Word Out About Your Business?

The landscape of marketing is changing so rapidly that if you aren’t staying on top of it constantly, you’ll fall behind quickly. We won’t let you fall behind. Contact Green Apple Strategy today to schedule a consultation. Our team is happy to sit down with you to discuss your goals and how we can help you achieve each and every one of them.

Green Apple Strategy Honored as Nashville’s Best in Business

Green Apple team accepting best in business award at the Westin hotel
Among Nashville businesses that are “hitting the high notes” of success, Green Apple Strategy received the Nashville Business Journal’s 2020 Best in Business award! The annual Best in Business luncheon was held on March 5th at The Westin Nashville, where Music City’s business community came together to celebrate growth and passion. 

Who Qualifies for Best in Business?

Nominations for the 2020 Best in Business Awards were submitted in mid-2019, after which nominees were interviewed and required to submit an in-depth questionnaire. Nominated businesses were scored by an independent panel of judges based on attributes such as company culture, business plan, and profitability. Companies scoring the highest were named as the Best in Business for their respective categories, which were based on the number of employees.  Nominees and finalists were those that excel in service, growth, innovation, and strategy. Green Apple Strategy is honored to have been chosen by the Nashville business community as one of the city’s best in business and looks forward to a fantastic year ahead. “We are so grateful for the love and support of our community. Thank you to everyone who made this possible, and thank you, Nashville Business Journal, for giving us this opportunity,” says Samantha Owens Pyle, Owner and Chief Strategist at Green Apple Strategy. 

How Green Apple Stood Out

As a recipient of this year’s award, Green Apple Strategy stood out from many deserving businesses because of its consistent growth, exceptional company culture, and strong team. Pyle attributes her company’s success to great people—team members and clients alike. “If you surround yourself with wonderful people, success will follow,” she adds.  The Nashville Business Journal provided nominees with a platform to showcase their companies’ personalities, asking them to choose a “theme song” for their companies and highlighting parts of their interviews for the crowd to enjoy. A Dave Matthews fan, Owens Pyle chose the band’s “What Would You Say” to express our passion for telling our clients’ stories. Her highlight from the nomination interview was also a glance into the company’s fun, vibrant personality. Upon being asked what she looks for in potential employees, she responded by saying that she looked for “dog people” to find the best people for her team. 

An Attitude of Gratitude

Green Apple Strategy provides marketing services to clients of various industries, such as IT, finance, child care, and several others. The team works diligently to illustrate clients’ vibrant and complex stories that help them connect with their target audiences. We love the work we do, and we’re proud to do that work right here in Nashville. To our team, clients, and community: we cannot thank you enough for the overwhelming support you’ve shown us over the past eight years.  As we continue to serve our clients, Green Apple Strategy is looking ahead to a bright future for Nashville. We are proud to be part of such an incredible community and look forward to what the rest of 2020 brings. “Thank you, Nashville, from the bottom of our hearts. We couldn’t do this without you.” 

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To learn more about Green Apple Strategy, please visit our website or contact us for more information.