CHARLESTON, S.C. [April 2, 2024] – NP Strategy, a strategic communications firm providing crisis, media and public relations assistance, expands its Lowcountry presence with the hiring of Kelsey Barlow who will work out of the Charleston, South Carolina office as a Senior Advisor. With nearly 20 years of experience in local government and media, Barlow brings a wealth of valuable knowledge that will benefit NP Strategy clients from coast to coast in the U.S.

“Kelsey has successfully navigated newsrooms during a crisis and advanced in local government during challenging years. She will add immense value to our clients especially those with crisis communications and community/media relations engagement needs,” said CEO Heather Hoopes Matthews. “We are blessed to have her join our growing NP Strategy team. ”

In March 2024, Kelsey left her role as the Public Information Officer for Charleston County Government where she spearheaded the county’s messaging and community outreach efforts during crises including the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple hurricane emergencies. Kelsey also played a key role in introducing new technology to residents to improve communication channels in Charleston County.

Prior to her time in local government, Barlow spent nearly a decade as a journalist, including time as an executive producer at WCSC TV in Charleston. She led a team of journalists through significant events including the Mother Emanuel Church shooting, which garnered national and international media attention.

“It is an honor to join NP Strategy and work with this incredibly talented group of professionals,” said Kelsey Barlow. “I am excited to utilize my journalism background, media connections, and experience in local government to provide strategic communication advice for our clients and continue to grow NP Strategy’s reach in the Charleston area.”

Barlow is an active community member and graduate of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Charleston Program. She also has served on the Adopt-a-Highway Board since 2018 and volunteers to beautify the Charleston community. Originally from New Orleans, Barlow studied broadcast journalism at the University of Georgia.

Reach Kelsey Barlow at kelsey@npstrategy.com.

At NP Strategy, we recognize the value of effectively managed social media in support of public relations and strategic brand communications. And through our extensive experience in managing social media for clients, we’ve seen firsthand the impact of a well-conducted social media audit and competitor analysis.

What is a Social Media Audit and Competitor Analysis?

A social media audit and competitor analysis is a comprehensive review of your organization’s social media program compared to a short list of other organizations competing for attention in your same market or industry.

Why Conduct a Social Media Audit and Competitor Analysis?

Conducting a social media audit and competitor analysis will tell you how your social media program stacks up against others that you view as key competitors. This will uncover new opportunities and potential threats, and provide actionable recommendations to improve your overall social media strategy going forward.

1. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: A social media audit provides a clear picture of what’s working and what’s not across your social media channels. This insight allows you to capitalize on your strengths and address your weaknesses.

2. Enhance Engagement: By understanding the types of content that resonate with your audience, you can tailor your social media strategy to increase engagement and foster stronger connections among new and existing customers.

3. Stay Ahead of the Competition: A competitor analysis gives you a bird’s-eye view of what your competitors are doing. This knowledge helps you to innovate and stay ahead in your industry.

4. Optimize ROI: Do less of what’s not working and do more of what is. By reallocating resources from underperforming areas to strategies that get better engagement and conversions, you can optimize your overall return on investment of using social media.

Key Steps for Conducting a Social Media Audit

There are countless ways to approach doing a social media audit and competitor analysis. Here are the steps we use for clients at NP Strategy.

1. Inventory Your Accounts: Begin by listing all your social media accounts, including those that are less active. Verify that each account is complete and aligns with your brand’s messaging and aesthetics.

2. Analyze Performance Metrics: For each account, assess key performance indicators (KPIs) such as engagement rates, follower growth, and content performance. Tools like Google Analytics and native social media analytics can be invaluable here.

3. Evaluate Content Quality: Review the content you’ve posted to identify what types of posts generate the most engagement. Look for patterns in format, topic, and posting time.

4. Understand Your Audience: Use analytics to gain insights into your audience’s demographics, preferences, and behavior. Tailor your content strategy to better match their interests.

5. Set Goals: Based on your findings, set realistic and measurable goals for improvement. These goals should be specific, time-bound, and aligned with your overall business objectives. Determine which goals will have the greatest impact vs. the overall effort to implement each (see graphic below).

Conducting a Competitor Analysis

1. Identify Your Competitors: Make a list of your direct and indirect competitors on social media. Don’t overlook smaller players who might be doing innovative work.

2. Analyze Their Strategy: Look at the content they post, their engagement rates, and how they interact with their audience. Note what works well for them and what doesn’t.

3. Spot Opportunities: Identify gaps in your competitors’ strategies where you can excel. This could be a particular content type they’re neglecting or a demographic they’re not engaging with effectively.

4. Benchmark Against Competitors: Use your findings to benchmark your social media performance against your competitors. This will help you understand where you stand in the industry landscape.

5. Incorporate Insights into Your Strategy: Leverage the insights gained from the audit and competitor analysis to refine your social media strategy. This might involve experimenting with new content formats, adjusting your posting schedule, or targeting new audience segments.

By understanding your current standing and the competitive landscape, you can make informed, data-driven decisions that propel your brand forward. Whether you’re looking to enhance engagement, increase your reach, or simply stay ahead of the curve, an audit and competitor analysis can be a vital tool in your social media toolkit.

Learn more about our firm’s digital and social media services and contact us to discuss doing a social media audit and competitor analysis for your organization: www.npstrategy.com/services/digital-and-social-media.

COLUMBIA, S.C. [March 14, 2024] –  NP Strategy, a strategic communications firm providing crisis, media and public relations assistance, continues to expand its social media team with the hiring of Maryanne Grinnell who will work out of the Columbia, South Carolina office as a Specialist. Grinnell’s expertise will help support the ever-growing social media team and better meet the needs of its clients.

“We’re thrilled to add another talented member to our rapidly growing team with an exceptional background in social media,” said CEO Heather Hoopes Matthews. “Maryanne’s skillset aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing top-notch digital solutions to our clients and we believe she will be an invaluable addition to our team.”

Grinnell joins NP Strategy with extensive experience crafting compelling online communications strategies to enhance client engagement. Prior to joining NP Strategy, Grinnell supported the Retail Services and the Industrial Brokerage Teams at Collier | South Carolina through property marketing and business development initiatives. At Colliers, she executed highly successful social media strategies across four offices bolstering brand awareness. She also spearheaded rebranding efforts for a local consulting firm and established its first-ever presence on social media.

“The integration of social media into PR efforts is essential for building trust and fostering meaningful engagement between organizations and their audiences,” said Maryanne Grinnell. “I am thrilled and honored to work alongside the talented professionals at NP Strategy and contribute together to the continued success and growth of our clients.” 

A South Carolina native, Grinnell studied Marketing at the University of South Carolina. She completed the Seasons Leadership Program in 2021, a 12-month workshop led by former female executives at Boeing. Grinnell also founded a podcast empowering women in the workforce called the “Seasons Leadership Podcast.”

Reach Maryanne Grinnell at maryanne@npstrategy.com. 

ABOUT NP STRATEGY

NP Strategy is a strategic communications firm composed of former journalists, communications professionals, political insiders, and public relations executives. NP Strategy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Maynard Nexsen, a 550-attorney national law firm with 24 offices from coast to coast, providing NPS access to deep relationships across the United States. For more information visit www.npstrategy.com.

When met with disinformation about your business, brand, or even yourself, it is natural to want to snap to the defense. And in today’s digital-driven world, it is easy to jump to posting an emotionally-fueled response on social media.

In these moments, it is crucial to pause, digest, and thoughtfully respond. Having a toolkit in place for handling disinformation about your brand will help to ensure a swift and effective response without exacerbating the situation.

Counter disinformation with readily available facts 

The simplest and most effective strategy to fight disinformation is to promptly provide accurate counterpoints while correcting any falsehoods. A timely and transparent response demonstrates accountability and a commitment to truth, which will help in rebuilding trust. Sometimes, a clear and well-timed response is all that is needed to counter rumors. If you’ve attempted to educate those spreading falsehoods about your brand online and they continue to do so, consider flagging these conversations to have the social media platform review them. 

Attempt to find common ground 

Try to connect with opponents to understand their needs and points of view. For example, ask a member of the opposition to meet with you and listen to their concerns. You might find that there is common ground you can build on. Showing who you are and what you value can go a long way in building trust. 

Monitor online conversations and report misleading posts or comments

Being proactive with social media listening is an easy way to get in front of disinformation and possibly prevent it from gaining traction. Utilize a team like NP Strategy who can conduct social listening and track mentions of your company’s name or employees online. Timely detection allows you to respond quickly before conversations get out of control.

Regardless of the situation, always maintain your composure when faced with challenges or even personal attacks online. Responding impulsively could tarnish your reputation even more, so be cautious with what you say to your audience online and in person. Remember, you cannot control what others say about you online, but you can show who you are to help earn the trust of community members and stakeholders.

COLUMBIA, S.C. [January 4, 2024] –  NP Strategy, a strategic communications firm providing crisis, media and public relations assistance, will launch a robust expansion of its social media team with the hiring of Ryal Curtis who will work out of the Columbia, South Carolina office as a Senior Director. With more than a decade of experience crafting and executing successful social media campaigns, Curtis will amplify the firm’s reach and ability to meet the strategic digital needs of clients across the United States. 

“Ryal not only brings unmatched expertise to this role, but a great reputation as a valued leader and strategic thinker,” said NP Strategy CEO Heather Hoopes Matthews. “We are thrilled to welcome such a high-caliber professional to our growing team and look forward to the new opportunities and value he will bring to our team and to our clients.” 

Curtis joins NP Strategy after spending 10 years with BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, where he served as Social Media Manager and the company’s first social media strategist. During his tenure, Curtis led the company’s corporate social media strategy and social media team, which has one of the largest social media followings in the state and is now recognized as one of the top healthcare social media programs in the country. Curtis also served two years on the communications team at the University of South Carolina and spent nearly seven years working for a full-service marketing and social media agency in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

“Social media now plays a central role in how brands of all shapes and sizes connect with customers, key stakeholders and the general public at large,” said Ryal Curtis. “I’m thrilled to  join NP Strategy and work alongside award-winning communications professionals at a time when the firm is expanding its footprint and strategic service offerings for clients across the U.S.”

A Michigan native, Curtis graduated from Michigan State University. He is a graduate of Leadership Columbia and Leadership South Carolina and previously served on the board for the Columbia Opportunity Resource (COR), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia, and the American Marketing Association (AMA) – Columbia Chapter. In 2015, he was recognized on the “20 Under 40” list awarded by The State newspaper. 

Reach Ryal Curtis at ryal@npstrategy.com. 

When the holiday season approaches, so does the buzz of seasonal treats at popular stores like Trader Joe’s, which has an almost cult-like following. But how does this retail giant create so much excitement around their seasonal items? Let’s delve into some key brand and marketing strategies that you can implement to foster excitement around your brand any time of year.

Build Anticipation

Trader Joe’s has mastered the art of building anticipation by teasing the arrival of their seasonal items, creating a sense of eager anticipation among their customers. To apply this strategy to your brand, try using social media teasers and sneak peeks to generate excitement about upcoming or most-liked products or services. Offering customers a glimpse of what’s to come can create a buzz that has them counting down the days until they get your product!

Foster a Sense of Community

Trader Joe’s seasonal items not only satisfy taste buds but also foster a sense of community. Customers share their latest finds and favorite products on social media, creating community and camaraderie. Foster a community around your brand by encouraging your customers to share their experiences with your products or services and leverage your social media presence to amplify their voices. 

Prioritize Consistency

For your brand, it is essential that you meet and exceed your customer’s expectations every time. Consistency builds trust, and trust is the foundation of lasting customer relationships. Ensure your customers can rely on your brand to deliver, whether it’s a seasonal release or everyday product, a press release, or anything else. Consistency in quality and service will keep customers coming back and help enhance your brand’s reputation. 

These strategies are adaptable to businesses of any size and industry, so consider implementing one or more to make your brand stand out any time of year.

Say the word ‘Thanksgiving’ out loud and the image of a beautifully glazed turkey might immediately come to mind. It’s hard to mark the occasion without it – even though some in the buffet line will whisper, as if admitting to a crime, that it’s not their favorite part of the meal. No, those folks have their sights set on something else.

For them, it’s all about the fixins.

Whether it’s Grandma’s stuffing (or dressing, if you’re of that persuasion), dad’s mashed potatoes, or mom’s broccoli casserole, these are the dishes that make the entire meal worth preparing. Much like preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, digging into video production can be a time-consuming and sometimes costly endeavor. So how can you make the most of it?

Let’s ride this metaphor – we’ll call Thanksgiving the day of your video shoot. The focus (the turkey) will be a 2-minute overview video you’d like to have produced to feature on your website or maybe to showcase at your non-profit’s big yearly fundraiser. You’ve got employees signed up for interviews, the workplace is immaculate and ready for the spotlight, and you’ve cleared a whole day to ensure everything goes smoothly. While the primary focus will be putting together that longer prestige piece, keep the fixins in mind.

By fixins, I’m talking about the side pieces – the quick interview soundbites that you can break down into smaller, bite-sized pieces to sprinkle throughout social media. For Facebook, consider a 30-second clip of an employee talking about why they love the company. On TikTok, go for something fun and quick – a “how it’s made” snippet or a quirky piece of information about your company/employees. For Instagram, share some picturesque sunrise/sunset videos of your headquarters. By doing some of those things, you’ll maximize your investment.

As someone who’s painstakingly cooked turkeys for the past few actual Thanksgivings, I take great pride in making sure it’s prepared just right – the same kind of care NPS+ puts into all of our client video work. But the fact of the matter is that not everyone will stop scrolling to take in 120 seconds of content – just as not everyone will be looking forward to your turkey (even if it’s as juicy as mine).

But the fixins could have a better chance of stopping people in their tracks and bringing them back for more. So, invest the same care in your fixins – those bite-sized video delights – to maximize your investment and transform your online presence into a feast for the eyes.

In order to prepare the next generation of communications professionals, it is important to create inspiring opportunities for budding journalists or PR students to consider careers in our field. By highlighting exciting opportunities, the power of storytelling, use of creativity, and more, we work to motivate high school and college students to pursue meaningful careers in communication fields. Here are several ways an NP Strategy internship prepares and inspires students to pursue a career in strategic communications.

Guiding Growth Through Internships

Mentorship and internships play a pivotal role in shaping aspiring professionals in any field. Communications internship programs like NP Strategy’s provide invaluable guidance and hands-on experience, bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world application. By helping solve everyday business challenges, students and young professionals are empowered to apply their skills in meaningful ways with the support of a network of experts.

Harness Tech-Savvy Skills

The digital age has created a new era of communication, offering innovative storytelling methods such as podcasts, interactive multimedia, virtual reality, and social media campaigns. Having grown up during the advent of social media, emerging pros today hold an innate knowledge of technology and can harness their unique skills to help reach broader audiences and drive meaningful change. Often, NP Strategy interns have the opportunity to plan or support client social media campaigns, gaining experience in the full range of research, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Cultivating Innovation through a Culture of Curiosity

Fostering a culture that values curiosity, critical analysis and truth-seeking is a core pillar of our values at NP Strategy, and is essential for inspiring future pros to become change makers. Encouraging emerging practitioners to question, analyze and seek the “why” behind the “what” equips them with skills to challenge the status quo. Cultivating an environment that nurtures intellectual curiosity ensures a continuous flow of innovation and new perspectives.

NP Strategy believes strongly in the role our team can play in showcasing the impact and reach of our profession. By exposing students to our field, we aim to create an inclusive environment that nurtures the talents of the next generation.

In the realm of brand development, public relations (PR) and marketing are two essential elements that serve distinct purposes. At times, some mistakenly conflate marketing as an all-encompassing role, leading to the misconception that marketing alone can effectively fulfill the responsibilities of PR, or vice versa, assuming that PR can handle all the aspects typically assigned to marketing. These two fields often intertwine, causing some confusion. Let’s untangle the differences. 

Public Relations

Public relations serves as the protector of a brand’s image. PR focuses on creating and upholding a positive reputation for your brand through targeted messaging. When you need to ensure your brand is portrayed in the best possible light and effectively manage unexpected crises, PR is the solution. It’s like a reliable shield safeguarding your brand’s image.

PR helps an organization foster authentic relationships with the media, industry influencers, and other stakeholders, making it an invaluable asset for connecting with opinion leaders and shaping public perception. Through carefully crafted thought leadership, outreach events, and crisis management, PR ensures that your brand maintains its integrity and trustworthiness even during challenging times.

Marketing

Marketing is all about strategically promoting and positioning your brand. Marketing harnesses methods such as advertising, social media campaigns, and sales strategies to enhance brand visibility and appeal. Marketing is the skilled storyteller who can persuade consumers that your brand is an essential part of their lives and compel them to buy your products or services.

Marketing dives deep into market research and consumer behavior analysis, helping your brand understand its audience and tailor messages that resonate with their desires and needs. Whether it’s creating memorable ad campaigns or identifying the right distribution channels, marketing plays a vital role in building brand recognition and profitability while guiding your brand’s journey in a competitive market.

Understanding the Distinction

Sometimes, the roles of PR and marketing can overlap, leading some to believe that a marketing team can handle all communications aspects. However, it’s vital to recognize that while they often complement each other to support an organization, PR and marketing functions require unique strategies and expertise, and have different focuses and functions in leading company growth.

The Verdict

If you’re facing reputation management challenges or aiming to maintain a positive image, harness PR tactics to respond and rebuild trust. If your objectives revolve around boosting brand recognition, driving sales, and creating a buzz, marketing takes the lead. You can even opt for an integrated blend of both.

Ultimately, your brand’s journey is determined by the choices you make. Whether you lean towards PR, marketing, or a combination of both, you hold the power to shape your brand’s narrative. The key is to understand the distinctive strengths of each discipline and utilize them to your brand’s advantage.

Artificial intelligence is all anyone can talk about in the technology world today, but how can it be used in the public relations industry? AI applications are not meant to replace PR practitioners but rather to enhance the content and productivity of communications. Here are four ways AI can be harnessed in PR:

1) Monitor Media

With the assistance of AI, tracking mentions of a certain brand or topic becomes easy. Brands can be monitored across various social media platforms and news sources in real time to give you measurable and up-to-date data. Using an AI device to monitor media ensures that multiple topics and brands are meticulously tracked.

2) Perform Sentiment Analysis

Once the media monitoring data is collected, AI can be used to understand the emotions and opinions expressed in each individual mention. This data can be organized to decipher which content provoked what emotions, whether positive, negative, or neutral.

3) Predict Potential Crises

Utilizing monitored media and sentiment analysis data, AI can help determine the overall reputation of a company. Understanding how the public perceives a company at any given moment is crucial in predicting crises. Managing a problem before it becomes a crisis is a key part in maintaining the image of a brand.

4) Spark Content Inspiration

Initial ideas for press releases and content can be stimulated by the use of AI. It complements the brainstorming portion of a campaign by providing research or concepts that can be expanded on to produce a final product. AI can also provide new perspectives that could target different audiences. However, AI is used to strengthen the messages, not make them. The majority of content should still be unique and personalized by a PR professional.

 AI can be a useful tool in bolstering existing PR efforts, whether you’re looking for ideas on how to approach that new campaign, tracking the effectiveness of it through earned and social media, or trying to show its value through sentiment analysis.