In the height of the pandemic, MACIAS PR, published a consumer survey that looked at the waning influence of commercials and online ads. It’s valuable insight that is still relevant today, especially as consumer spending slows during this economic downturn.
The online survey was conducted July 15-16th, 2020 and involved more than 2,000 Americans who answered questions detailing the best approach to get them to buy new products.
The survey found a staggering 70 percent of participants said TV commercials no longer influence them to buy products. In contrast, roughly 45 percent said positive online consumer reviews and positive stories on the news influence them the most when it comes to buying a new product or service.
Here’s an article that applies to everyone. That’s right – it doesn’t matter if you’re an entrepreneur, leader, follower or even a kid. At some point, you will need to apologize.
But what happens when the apology is amplified by the media?
I recently wrote an article for Forbes answering that question. I break down three tips to help anyone make sure their apology goes the right way. You can read my Forbes article here. If you’re short on time, here’s a shorter version of the key points.
In the future, brands will not look anything like they do today. Yes, we will have names like Coke, Netflix and Starbucks but their upstart competitors will have a huge advantage when it comes to the world of digital competition.
In the 1990s and earlier, it took years to build a brand. But today, you can build a brand in days with strategic help from search engines.
Think about it: when you’re looking for a restaurant near you, you probably go right to your phone. We don’t need to remember brands anymore. Instead, we search for “best restaurants near me” — and Google provides the list.
The consumer market changes quickly, and Gen. Z is leading the charge. It seems like yesterday we were discussing how Millennials were disrupting the workforce. Now, there’s a bigger change in business right around the corner.
In less than 5 years, Generation Z is projected to overtake Millennials when it comes to buying power. If you’re trying to sell any product or service, you better learn quickly how to target this sophisticated group of consumers.
Unlike previous generations, social media won’t close the deal. And forget about TV ads. So how do you reach and motivate Generation Z?
MACIAS PR recently worked with the online news portal, Brooklyn Chatter, to gain more insight into this generation. Read on to see what our online survey found.
One of the most exciting parts of my work is learning from experienced entrepreneurs and CEOs from all walks of life. The proximity to these entrepreneurs has given me a unique opportunity to observe thought-leadership up close.
I recently wrote an article in Forbes – What the Great Houdini can Teach Us about Selling. The entire story was inspired by a CEO who was a magician before his career in finance took off. He always shared stories with me on how magic is related to business. We need to captivate the buyer and never reveal our industry secrets, he would say.
I turned that thought leadership into thought leadership for Forbes. Here’s an abridged version of that article.
Fear is an attitude that can never be associated with public relations. A creative media strategy requires confidence in an idea and strength with the execution.
The best publicists know they can’t be afraid of creative ideas when pitching reporters. The only thing more dangerous than fear? Complacency.
If your PR firm hasn’t succeeded recently with media outreach, it’s time to assess their level of fear. How far will they go to push your ideas and angles? Are they pushing stories that are already in the news, or are they conceptualizing new ideas that leading publications will want to follow?
Here’s a look at what separates the best PR firms from the agencies that never succeed.
MACIAS PR was founded in 2009 by a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. Journalists and marketing peers consistently rank MACIAS PR as one of the best PR Agencies based on our results.
Over the years, MACIAS PR has launched publicity, media and branding campaigns for companies from all industries. We’ve worked with boot-strapped startups as well as established international brands, securing publicity with the most influential news publications. We have client case studies in several industries, detailing these campaigns.
Our clients always work with an experienced media strategist. We don’t pawn you off to a junior account executive. And as a boutique PR firm, our communications process is streamlined, while our execution is hyper-focused.
PR Awards – Earned by MACIAS PR
Marketing peers named MACIAS PR the Strategic PR Firm of the Year from 2017-2021. As part of the selection process, marketing and PR professionals reviewed media campaigns promoted by our agency.
Finance Monthly also named MACIAS PR the 2015-2017 Financial PR Firm of the Year. And in 2022, City & State Magazine named our founder, Mark Macias, a Top 50 Political PR Power player in New York.
Message Mark at the bottom of this screen (green button on the right) if you would like to schedule a call. You can also get a free PR estimate by clicking here.
According to a study by Harris Interactive, digital marketing is now the most effective way to grow a business. Their researchers looked at 156 businesses across eight industries and found that digital marketing contributed to a 66 percent increase in revenue and 68 percent increase in customer lifetime value.
And for good reason – digital marketing is effective, efficient, and affordable. The online footprint for every consumer and business has been steadily increasing over the last decade. You don’t need to be tech savvy to realize that consumers are watching more TV online and turning to the web for all their answers.
Every once in a while, I’ll get a request from a potential client asking if my PR agency would work off a performance-based structure.
It happened again recently and inspired this thought leadership article I wrote for Forbes.
In theory, a performance-based model sounds like a great idea. The client doesn’t pay for anything unless the PR agency succeeds. Of course, as most entrepreneurs learn, if any deal is too one-sided, you lose money.
I don’t think many entrepreneurs really understand the depth, strategy and resources required to run a successful media campaign that leads to earned media — and I’m not talking about a press release. I’m talking about a bonafide news story or feature in a publication that you read.
You can read my analysis in Forbes here. If you’re short on time, here’s an abridged version of my thoughts on performance based PR.
Before I introduce my clients to a reporter, I always try to research the journalist’s background to get a better idea of their experience. It reveals more insight for my communication style with them.
I recently wrote an editorial for Forbes: How To Approach Reporters Based On Their Experience. It outlines how to approach these different reporters based on their experience. Here’s a condensed version of that thought leadership that was published by Forbes.
