S8 E7: PR for Local Businesses with Megan Yocum and Johnny Reynolds of Buchanan Public Relations

Megan Yocum & Johnny Reynolds talk about PR for small businesses and how public relations can be a valuable asset regardless of the size of the company. They explain how PR can effectively tell a company's story and discuss issues such as strategic planning, realistic goal setting, and budget considerations. They emphasize the importance of building brand visibility, establishing consumer trust, being clear on PR objectives and collaborating with a PR partner to maximize impact.

Key Takeaways

• The Value of PR for Small Businesses: Small businesses should not feel they're too small for PR. Every organization has a valuable story to tell, and PR agencies can help strategize on effectively communicating those stories.
• Timing for PR Consultation: Megan advises that earlier is better when engaging PR agencies, allowing for strategic planning and effective execution.
• Setting Clear Goals: Understanding and outlining clear PR goals are crucial. Businesses need to articulate their objectives and expected outcomes from engaging a PR firm.
• Role of Creativity in PR Strategies: Johnny highlights the importance of creative storytelling in driving consumer engagement and articulating the unique aspects of a business.
• Maximizing Limited Budgets: For companies with limited resources, PR strategies can focus on key areas that deliver impactful results without requiring large financial investments.

About the Guests

Megan Yocum is Co-Owner & Principal at Buchanan Public Relations. She has 15 years of experience in strategic communications and public relations, with deep knowledge in the financial services, higher education, consumer goods, healthcare, nonprofit and professional services industries. Megan has worked in both agency and corporate settings, and specializes in strategic messaging, thought leadership and content marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a focus in Public Relations from Albright College and is certified in Leadership Communication from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Johnny Reynolds is Co-Owner & Principal at Buchanan Public Relations. He serves as the agency’s Director of Media Relations, where he leads the implementation of media relations programs for the firm’s clients. He regularly works with top-tier media, including Bloomberg, Business Insider and The Wall Street Journal. Under Johnny’s leadership, the firm has won numerous awards for media relations campaigns. Johnny also helps manage the agency’s digital practice, holding several digital marketing certifications, including LinkedIn Certified Marketing Insider, HubSpot Academy Email Marketing Certification, the Semrush SEO Crash Course Certification. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Villanova University and serves as the Villanova University PRSSA Chapter Professional Advisor.

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms. He's lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser, media spokesperson, and storytelling consultant. He earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow. Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, boost their visibility, and win new clients by replacing impersonal, intrusive and ineffective marketing tactics with authentic human conversations.

PRGN Presents is brought to you by Public Relations Global Network, the world’s local public relations agency. Our executive producer is Adrian McIntyre. The show is produced by the team at Speed of Story, a B2B communications firm in Phoenix, AZ.

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