A public relations crisis can be one of the most challenging experiences for an organization. The effect of a crisis dep
Unlike some agencies, Murnahan Public Relations does not use a cookie-cutter approach. We believe each client is unique; for the project to succeed, it will require customized support.
Our first step is to meet with you and learn more about your organization. What are you wanting to promote? Who is your primary audience? What does success look like for you? We also start to engage with your staff and leadership, as well as the broader constituents, such as consumers, shareholders, and the media to better learn what you are already doing.
Some of these questions you may not be able to answer. Don’t worry: We use our decades of battle-tested experience to refine the information we gather into a comprehensive strategic communications plan built around a powerful narrative.
The nature of our work is fluid—for a PR practitioner, there is no such thing as “a typical day.” But the goal remains unchanging: To convince people that you have something worth paying attention to.
Businesses, the public, politicians–almost everyone uses public relations as a scapegoat. Even our media colleagues do it occasionally. We understand; there are some people in PR who give our industry a bad name. So here are some common misconceptions about public relations and PR representatives:
Our role is to tell our client’s tell our clients’ story strategically, effectively, and truthfully. That’s why you need to shop carefully to find a quality public relations representative. And when you find one, stick with ’em.
Brian is a cool customer, he is very businesses minded, he knows the demands that his clients have and it’s a pleasure to work with him. Quite honestly, he doesn’t take a lot of time, but shows the results!
Brian is a valuable resource to our marketing efforts here at Medical Center Alliance. He has worked to help grow awareness in our local community by identifying community events and sponsorships, attending several events on our behalf and working with contacts to not only identify opportunities, but maximize the benefit for the hospital. He is creative, dependable, friendly and professional. I would recommend Brian to any organization looking to expand their community or public relations efforts.
I have worked with Brian for 3 years and he excels in public relations, social media, and business strategy. He has helped our Northeast Tarrant Chamber grow to over 1,000 members, grown our social media presence and clout, and helped our Chamber standout with fantastic newsletter articles, video production, and relevant media posts. He is a fantastic collaborator and I highly recommend that you work with him if you get the opportunity!
Brian manages multiple flows of information, while never losing sight of the end product. He is Always available and willing to pull the all nighter to make sure the correct information is available to media outlets.
Brian is the complete package: creative in solving problems, detailed and precise in executing public relations programs, as well as friendly and strategic in working with clients. He is among a very small group of go-to PR pros that I call upon regularly to help handle the most difficult public relations challenges.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with Brian as a photographer for several different entities (The Dallas Morning News, Ebony Magazine and American Airlines) and each experience was awesome. Brian has always been great to work with and made sure that everything was covered to make my job easy.
When you need trusted counsel for your public image, Murnahan Public Relations is the first stop in Fort Worth, Texas
“Public relations is all just spin.”
“I don’t understand the purpose of a PR agency.”
“We don’t need a public relations firm, we already advertise.”
You might have heard someone say something like this before. In fact, you might have said it yourself. We understand the sentiment. But we respectfully disagree.
For almost 10 years, Murnahan Public Relations has been changing how people think about public relations firms. We have effectively represented organizations, public agencies, and individuals, providing honest and effective PR that not only meets the goals of our clients but exceeds them. We help our clients get noticed, build credibility, and gain supporters. Read on to learn more about how we are changing perceptions about PR—and how we can help you.
PR is a big field. For example, you probably know what a press release is. That is indeed one of the tools we use—but only one. A PR professional’s job description can include responsibilities such as media relations, marketing communications, social media, community relations, special events, crisis management, research, employee communications, government relations, and even lobbying.
Murnahan Public Relations is a full-service public relations firm. Our services to clients include:
Clearly, we have an extensive skill set. But as long as that list is, it’s also not complete. That’s because we also know that the best PR campaigns are built on meaningful relationships. So we also do a lot of work behind the scenes for clients, including:
To achieve this, we work with news media, influencers, social media, digital channels, civic organizations, employees, and others, creating awareness about you and weaving your messages into their conversations. That’s because we believe there is more value in having an independent third party endorse your product than there is in buying an ad.
An example of this approach is our longstanding campaign with Epic Helicopters. They are a very well-respected company in their industry; unfortunately, they wanted more name recognition in the Dallas / Fort Worth area.
Murnahan Public Relations developed and utilized multiple creative and expansive strategic communications plans to introduce Epic Helicopters and their many unique experiences to the broader community. Our plan included developing strategic partnerships with local non-profits, increasing the social media presence, adding new experiences, and taking advantage of existing opportunities, but with a twist. In year one we partnered with the Fort Worth Ronald McDonald House to take up a child who was recovering from leukemia on a Christmas Light Tour. We invited local media to come out and enjoy the trip with our young survivor. We also added new Easter Egg drops during the Spring, a take-off of existing golf ball drops. We added wine tours to local wineries, as well as adding to their philanthropy across the region. In all, we increased the audience on social media, improved their SEO, increased visibility in the news, local calendar listings, and among the key audiences that were likely to enjoy multiple helicopter tours. Thanks to our strategic planning, Epic Helicopters is now viewed by many as an outstanding entertainment option. Learn more about our Epic Helicopters project.
We offer professional communication services with very specific goals in mind. Our objective is to help your organization increase its visibility, enhance its reputation, and strengthen its brand. (Side note: your “brand” is how people think and feel about your company. For example, Apple and LG have very different brands).
An example of how we create measurable results is our work with Medical City Healthcare. When the company was preparing to open a new hospital in the Alliance area in North Fort Worth, they turned to Murnahan Public Relations. We developed a comprehensive strategic communications plan in advance of the opening. The campaign used a variety of tactics to build public awareness about the new hospital; crucially, it also helped the hospital build credibility.
With our support, Medical City Alliance quickly became a household name in the booming North Fort Worth corridor; in its first year alone, the hospital team delivered more than 500 babies. Learn more about our Medical City Alliance campaign.
In case you are wondering, we do not pay for any of the media exposure we receive. That’s because, unlike advertising agencies, public relations professionals don’t “buy” people’s attention; we earn it.
We Help You Tell Your Story—Slowly or Quickly
Skilled PR professionals are natural storytellers. Using traditional and social media platforms, they create narratives to advance the client’s agenda, sharing messages that protect, enhance and build reputations. A great public relations campaign can take months to fully execute. But sometimes, it has to be done in a matter of days.
This was the case in 2017, when Murnahan Public Relations took on the Global Food Safety Conference. Held in Houston, this conference brought together some 1,200 attendees from more than 60 countries.
With less than a month of lead time, we were able to coordinate worldwide communications for the conference, helping build global awareness about the many countries working to improve their food safety.
GFSI was in a crunch with less than 30 days before their conference, the France-based organization reached out for help. They needed support to get their worldwide industry media interested in their conference and their upcoming announcements, in addition, they were looking for local support getting their messages out in Texas and the US. Murnahan PR not only took on that challenge but also put together their annual media review book for the Board of Directors meeting held immediately prior to the conference. Our designer matched the look and feel of the other conference materials, the voluminous book was not fully approved by the client until 12 hours prior to the meeting. Our team made it happen, delivering the books to the client an hour prior to them being needed. Learn more about our work with the GFSI.
Even if you don't “know” your story, we can help you identify and develop it. Only then will we be ready to help you share it—slowly or quickly.
Now that you know a little about what we have done for other clients, you may be wondering: How can you help my organization or cause? Here are seven reasons why we are the top-ranked public relations agency in Fort Worth:
And we do all this with service that is personalized, courteous, and cost-efficient.
Public relations is about playing the long game. Getting effective PR on your own is possible, but it takes time to build the essential relationships. It also takes time to develop a speakers bureau, a story vault, newsletters, contact lists, special event tactics, and so much more that a superior public relations firm can provide. And it takes time to get results.
Murnahan Public Relations can do all of this for you and more. We are an experienced and effective full-service PR agency serving Fort Worth, Dallas, and beyond. If you’re ready to find out how we can help your organization build—or rebuild—your public image, contact us today. Call 817-502-1080 or use the Chatbox.
Murnahan Public Relations is ready to learn about your needs to see if we are a good match. Please email or call us at any time to start the ball rolling. In the meantime, here are five things you need to know before hiring a PR firm.
1. Set some basic goals. Do your research and know what to expect from a firm and set your goals before you go in. Are you launching a business? Trying to grow an existing one? Or maybe you are trying to restore a damaged brand. Have a general idea of what you are hoping to accomplish.
2. Know your budget. Set a budget that you are comfortable with. Some firms will offer a trial period or require a contract. (I can spend your money, telling us your budget only tells us how big to dream)
3. Know how they will communicate with you. From the approvals necessary to get work completed to how they will show their results, make sure you are comfortable with their communication style and frequency. they know how you want to be communicated with.
4. Make sure you are compatible. When it comes down to it, if you don't like speaking with the rep, you probably need to pass. Find a firm where you can work comfortably with their staff.
5. Ask how specifically they can help you. Every firm has its own specialties. Be sure to explain your general goals, and ask if they have the experience necessary to help you achieve those goals.
By doing public relations, you build credibility and trust, the foundation of any relationship, for your brand without spending a ridiculous amount of money. PR isn't free, but you are not buying people's sight time or views, which typically belongs to digital marketing and advertising. When people outside your own business talk about you, it influences prospects more so because they have more faith in their first-person interaction over something that can be purchased.
PR will get you media attention if that is one of your goals. Imagine having a happy customer talking about you while on television or in the newspaper and if you are targeting a younger audience, on a streaming channel like Twitch.
Third-party attention helps to generate leads.
There’s an old saying: "Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for."
Public relations complement your marketing, advertising, and digital activities. Content marketing is a tool that PR often uses in tandem with many others to enhance the SEO performance of a website and support digital marketing tactics. Those pieces of content are often able to be cannibalized into additional stories for media and customers alike.
Many businesses are competing for attention. Public relations earns your attention, while advertising is often irritating and dismissed as noise. How? By providing and delivering value.
A good campaign shares useful, educational, inspiring, or compelling content. Murnahan PR knows how to convey a brand’s higher purpose.
Credibility for a business or brand is critical because it influences people’s behavior. As an organization shares its opinion, products, and services with its key public, the businesses are counting on the information to be taken as true, accurate, and at face value. Businesses are trying to avoid being second-guessed or pitted against a competitor. The higher the level of trust created by the brand, the more likely people are to buy the service, recommend the business to their friends, or go back in the future.
When it comes to credibility, integrity is key. If you are authentic and upfront about who you are right from the start, people will grow more confident in your product or company's quality because they see what they're getting matches up with their expectations.
The idea of establishing a sense of trustworthiness early on can be quite an advantage for those looking to establish credibility both online and offline as well as build brand loyalty over time among new customers.
Building personal credibility transfers to your business and the reverse is equally true. For that reason, it is imperative that you have great people working for you. Learn more about personal credibility by reading this Entrepreneur article. Here is one of the recommendations:
"Do not smile at people as a defense mechanism to cover up your discomfort or to seem pleasing. This lacks credibility and wreaks of insecurity. When you have earned your place in the world, you smile because it is the genuine state of your well-being. People who smile are more successful. To establish your credibility you cannot make time for unnecessary negativity."
If there was ever a reason to develop a public relations strategy, it would be for the competitive advantage provided over the competition. You've heard it already, increased brand trust, better control of the message, crisis and issues management, more exposure through more channels utilizing more tools and tactics, search engine optimization (SEO), as well as offering a big bang for a small budget compared to advertising.
In short, public relations enhances your business to everyone that comes into contact with it.
Bill Gates famously said, “If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on public relations.” Gates understood the value of a good PR strategy, which is that it offers a cost-effective means to increasing your long-term profit.
In a world where consumers have more choices and opinions than ever before, it’s essential that companies act in an ethical manner. Otherwise, they'll suffer the consequences of negative publicity which can lead to lost customers or even bankruptcy. For example, when Volkswagen was found committing fraud by installing software on vehicles with intent to cheat emissions tests; people were upset enough that VW to sell their cars, stop buying the new VWs, and even filed lawsuits.
Sometimes, something as simple as the acknowledgment of past mistakes is enough to jump-start the relationship again. A positive campaign featuring what's good about your company is another great way to get public relations off on the right foot! Sometimes it is the steady consistent improved corporate behavior is that is required in order to change past negative opinions. The building or rebuilding of a brand is the work of public relations.
For a company to have an effective PR strategy, it is important to state its values and stay on message across all channels. When there are negative past events, staying on message and staying positive about the future will set the new tone and over time establish a new positive feeling about the business.
Sometimes a new branding strategy needs to take place, including a new logo, tag line, corporate values, and so on to ensure that the core products and services can endure after a crisis.
The Princeton Review provides this definition: “At its core, public relations is about cultivating, influencing, engaging and maintaining a relationship with key stakeholders to contribute to the way an organization is perceived.”
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)—of which I am a proud member— has a shorter definition. They say PR is “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”
Along the way, unforeseen challenges can arise. You may have a major organizational change, news development, or crisis situation which takes precedence over the plan. Regardless of the circumstances, we can help you, monitoring for news, maintaining contacts with journalists, setting up speaking engagements, producing talking points, responding to inquiries, and speaking directly to the press on your behalf.