Thank you Sharon for taking the time to SLAY with Slay Magazine. Let’s jump into our questions!

SLAY: You are the CEO and founder of TEN3 Public Relations. We know that being a PR specialist in today’s industry can be quite challenging. The capabilities of social media can SLAY a brand in both a positive and a negative way. In addition to social media challenges, the common mentality is that social media is not a reliable source for marketing. How much does social media contribute to your approach and marketing strategy for your clients?

TEN3 PUBLIC RELATIONS: Social media plays a large part in our strategic approach to marketing communications for our clients. One of the things we do with a new client is audit their social media presence. We do this to see how they are currently showing up in the world. It helps to see  how they look in comparison to their business objectives, how they look in comparison to their competitors, and if they are consistent in their storytelling across all channels. Then more often than not, we create a playbook that includes guidelines on what messages to deliver in their posts and how to deliver those messages consistently where ever they show up.

SLAY: Right now so many businesses are facing their own different turmoil due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. As a marketing and strategy company, what advice would you give to businesses that are enduring hardships due to the current pandemic?

TEN3 PUBLIC RELATIONS: The best piece of advice I could give to a business leader who is struggling is to try to turn their hardship into an opportunity to re-focus. That can mean dusting off their original business plan and seeing where they can pivot and re-prioritize, or upskilling to improve or add to their skill-set and knowledge base. What’s been working for us is taking time to focus on our marketing plan and working with our staff to refine critical skills such as media relations and new business development.

SLAY: One of the common misconceptions is understanding the difference between a public relations agency and a marketing agency. How does your agency ensure that your clients understand the difference?

TEN3 PUBLIC RELATIONS: As soon as we sign a new client, we conduct an on boarding session. In that session the first thing we cover is the difference between PR and other disciplines within the marketing mix. We explain that they’re paying for our expertise to get them earned, not paid media. That means that we get them in front of their target audience in ways they can’t using only a paid approach which may include initiatives such as paid advertising, boosted social media posts, or other direct marketing components. So, PR is an integral part of a 360-degree marketing strategy. Our goal is to build relationships on our client’s behalf with media and social influencers who are trusted resources for their target audience.

SLAY: Your background in public relations is remarkable. With over 20 years in the industry, you have SLAYed with brands such as Head & Shoulders, One-A-Day, Flintstones, WNBA, and Cover Girl. Is there a company that you sit back and watch the marketing strategies while thinking how you can SLAY their marketing to a new level?

TEN3 PUBLIC RELATIONS: Yes! There are a number of brands that I look at and think, “wow, you could do so much better by hiring us!” Rather than call them out, I’ll just say that there are hair care and hair color brands, I would love to get my hands on as well as a couple of tech companies.

SLAY: We love to end our interviews with a word of advice. What advice would you give to business owners that are aspiring to SLAY as an entrepreneur but are procrastinating with taking the leap into entrepreneurship?

TEN3 PUBLIC RELATIONS: My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is don’t wait until you’re ready. The timing will never be perfect, and embracing the idea that done is better than perfect will get you very far. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help, just be discerning about the person you ask to help you. They should be where you want to be and honestly, it should be a little scary because they’re that much of an inspiration to you.

SLAY: Again, THANK YOU Sharon Robustelli for SLAYing with Slay Magazine. Please let our SLAYers know how they can get in touch with you for a consultation.

TEN3 PUBLIC RELATIONS: We offer a free 1-hour consultation to explore how we can help tell your story to the audiences that will be most receptive to it. You can reach us directly by email at info@ten3pr.com, visit our website www.ten3pr.com, and on social @ten3pr.

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