Category: Blog

For businesses in Central Florida and beyond, reputation is everything. Whether you’re a tourism brand, attraction, or growing company, how you’re perceived online can directly impact revenue. A trusted Orlando PR agency helps businesses build, monitor, and protect their reputation—especially when it matters most.

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” – Warren Buffett

There may be no more ardent fan of reputation management than the legendary investor Warren Buffet. Over and over again, he has preached to business leaders about the value of one’s reputation and the importance of protecting the reputation one has worked hard to earn.

In a famous 1991 quote, following a scandal at Salomon Brothers, where he had stepped in as interim chairman to stabilize the firm, Buffett reminded the firm’s employees that reputation is all you really have. He had watched talented, intelligent people destroy careers built over decades through a single lapse in judgment—a shortcut taken, a truth obscured, a temptation not resisted. His point is not just about reputation as a business asset but about the asymmetry of trust: it accumulates slowly through hundreds of consistent, unremarkable choices and can evaporate through one.

Why do you need reputation management?

The numbers tell the story.

• 90 percent of people read reviews before visiting a business
• 95 percent of consumers check online before making a purchase
• 68 percent of consumers are willing to pay up to 15 percent more if a product or service has a good reputation

In short, your reputation is vital to the success of your business. That sounds obvious, but it’s an observation that, over time, begins to be forgotten in the struggle to build one’s business.

How does public relations figure into reputation management?

Public relations serves to manage external perceptions of an organization by shaping how potential customers, current customers, employees, and the media that reach these audiences view the organization.

In today’s business world, where online communications are increasingly taking over, reputation management has become a critical component within a public relations plan.

Businesses have to monitor what is (or is not) being said about them in online sources ranging from news sites to social media sites. A negative or false statement on social media sites like Facebook, X, or TikTok can spread like wildfire and if not countered or corrected, can erase decades of reputation-building.

It is the job of public relations practitioners to build and enhance client reputations, monitor how clients are being perceived and, when threatened, protect a client’s reputation.

Why work with an Orlando PR Agency?

Most clients look to their PR firms as a means of distribution information to the media. Generally speaking, that’s what they get.

At Wellons, we believe our services must include reputation management as an integral part of our plans for our clients. The specific tactics differ for each client, but its can range from ongoing monitoring to see when and how a client’s name pops up in media and online sources to assistance and leadership in crisis communications and situations where one’s business reputation can be damaged.

Give us a call and talk with us about how we can go about helping you build, protect, and manage the reputation you have built. Call us at 407-339-0879 and take your first step of giving reputation management its due.

As your organization has grown, you have probably asked yourself “Should we manage public relations in-house, or should we hire a public relations firm?”

It’s a tough question, and it can depend on your situation. But to start toward an answer, let’s start with some questions: What is in-house PR? What is a public relations firm? What’s the difference?

What is in-house public relations?

Some organizations are perfectly happy to have their PR needs handled by someone in-house. It usually falls on the shoulders of someone in the marketing department or a staffer whose sole job is to handle public relations.

Advantages of in-house PR

Cost

At first glance, the biggest advantage is cost. If PR duties are delegated to an existing staffer, the manpower costs you nothing more. The only added expense are the tools your staffer needs to produce or distribute information, e.g. photos, graphics, video, distribution services.

Industry familiarity

If you face a public relations need like a new product roll-out or significant product change that requires publicity support, you already have someone on staff who knows the ins and outs of your industry and can be relied upon tell your story succinctly and clearly.

Control

It is easier to monitor what someone is doing when they are based in your organization. Also, you have no confidentiality issues to worry about. 

What does a public relations firm do?

When you rely on the services of a PR firm, you significantly strengthen your ability to use publicity as a meaningful marketing tool.

Advantages of a PR firm

A team of professionals

You can capitalize on the marketing experience of an entire PR organization, as opposed to one or two people who likely will defer to whatever management thinks they should do.

Outside insights

A PR firm can borrow ideas and successful strategies used in other industries that may be new to your industry.

Professional outreach

An in-house staffer may be good at writing but unacquainted with how to most effectively distribute your information to the widest and most useful journalistic audiences.

Additional PR skills and tools.

A PR firm provides additional skills and services that include:

• Social media
• SEO
• Crisis communications
• Media training and audience analysis

Further, PR firms already have an arsenal of tools at their command, like distribution services and affordable, qualified resources for support services.

Focused attention

A lone PR staffer’s job generally has to take on non-PR marketing-related tasks that diminishes their effectiveness in their PR role.

Objective advice

PR staffers naturally say “yes,” in order to please management. PR firms will occasionally push back with frank, candid answers that are influenced by the firm’s wider experience in the marketing arena.

Can you combine in-house PR and a PR agency?

What if there was a way to gain the advantage of a less-costly PR staffer AND the services of a qualified PR firm?

There are two ways to gain the advantage of a PR firm without adding full-time service costs.

Monthly retainer

One is to maintain PR firm availability on a monthly retainer. It doesn’t have to cost much, but a retainer can provide you with immediate access to the services of a PR firm without having to go through a long startup period. Generally, the retainer will provide a minimal number of dedicated hours with any hours over the retainer fee billed by the hour, plus out-of-pocket expenses.

Special projects

The second way to capitalize on a PR firm’s abilities is to negotiate a special project fee. Grand openings, new product rollouts and special events all represent the kinds of special projects a PR firm routinely handles on project fee basis.

The costs for project management have to be negotiated, but the costs can be manageable and under the direction of your marketing or PR staffer.

Work with an experienced Florida public relations firm

As 2026 rounds to Q2, take a second look at your marketing plan and determine if you can strengthen your overall marketing with a dose of publicity and PR that might be lacking.

Whether you delegate PR to an-house staffer, a PR firm, or use a PR firm for a special project is governed by your needs and your budget.

If you are uncertain which way to go, give us a call at Wellons Communications and we will be happy to talk it over with you and give you our candid recommendation. You can reach us at 407-339-0879…and we are ready to listen.

As you look over your marketing plan for 2026, you are probably asking yourself questions like “Are we spending enough, or are we spending too much?” and “Are we presenting ourselves in the best manner possible?”

If there was an easy answer to those questions, marketing would be easy.

But the reality is that coming up with a plan that makes your marketing dollars work as efficiently as possible is hard work.

A marketing plan is based on a keen understanding of your product or service and the most effective way to reach folks who have need of what you are selling…or to create a need for what you are selling.

The notion of ‘effective levels of communication’

The idea of “effective levels of communication” is one of those vague terms that marketing folks love to toss out in client meetings, particularly advertising folks, who are constantly compelled to justify how much you are paying for costly advertising expenditures.

When one’s level of advertising spending is questioned, the counterargument is often something like “Well, if you cut back, you will fall short of ‘effective levels of communication.’”

That sounds pretty threatening…and generally results in leaving spending alone or even kicking in a few more dollars to ensure those hard-to-see levels of communication are reached.

So, what are effective levels of communication?

At this point, you are may be frustrated by your inability to fully understand just what effective levels of communication are, what you have to do to achieve them, and how much they are going to cost you.

In esoteric terms, effective levels of communication are achieved when your message not only reaches your intended target, but is remembered, understood, and influences whatever behavior you are seeking from your target.

In plain English, it means that you are reaching your target with enough marketing “oomph” to be clearly understood and remembered to the point that your audience is sufficiently motivated to buy whatever you are selling.

Where does public relations fit into effective levels of communication?

Public relations is a part of an overall marketing approach to reaching those nebulous effective communication levels.

PR, by itself, cannot serve as a substitute for advertising, promotion, and sales.

In combination with those marketing tools, however, PR is a powerful tool for:

• Gaining recognition for your business
• Underscoring the trust people can have in you and your organization
• Breaking through the clutter of the thousands of advertising messages people experience daily

What if there was a way to gain the advantage of a less-costly PR staffer AND the services of a qualified PR firm?

Make sure PR is part of your fight to reach effective communication levels

If your marketing budget is squeezed, take a second look at your marketing plan and look for a way to include PR, which may provide you a new, previously overlooked or unused weapon in the battle for people’s attention.

PR is considerably less costly that the other marketing disciplines. And when it works well, the payback in terms of reaching those mythical levels of communication can be substantial.

If you want to learn more about how much a start-up PR program would cost, pick up the phone or shoot and email to Wellons Communications. We will be eager to share more about how an injection of PR can boost your marketing plan and give you a candid assessment of where it might fit into your marketing mix.

Contact us at 407-339-0879 or will@wellonscommunications.com … we are ready to hear from you.

Digital marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, some of the most effective digital marketing tactics are also the simplest to start. Whether you work with a PR firm, a marketing agency, or manage your own campaigns, these tactics can help you grow your online presence.

1. Use email marketing to stay connected

Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to reach your audience. Despite all the new platforms and tools available, email continues to be a direct, personal channel where your message doesn’t have to compete with an endless scroll of content. With the right approach, you can use it to keep your customers engaged, informed and coming back for more.

Build and segment your list

Start by collecting email addresses from your customers, website visitors and even in-person interactions. Then, organize your list into meaningful segments, such as new customers, repeat buyers or newsletter subscribers. Segmentation helps you send messages that feel personal and relevant, which naturally leads to stronger engagement.

Provide value in every send

Think beyond one-off promotions. Share helpful content like how-to guides, industry news, customer stories or tips that solve a problem for your audience. The more useful your emails, the more your subscribers will look forward to them and the more they’ll trust your brand.

Keep it consistent

A single email blast here and there won’t make a lasting impression. Instead, create a content calendar so you can reach your audience on a regular basis without overwhelming their inboxes. Consistency is key to building long-term relationships.

2. Harness the power of organic social media

Organic social media, the content you share without paid promotion, is one of the most effective ways to authentically connect with your audience. By posting regularly, you can showcase your brand’s personality, highlight your expertise, and create meaningful conversations with your followers. Over time, this consistent, unpaid presence helps strengthen trust, build recognition and establish a brand voice that truly resonates.

Choose the right platforms

Not every platform is worth your time. Instead of posting everywhere, focus on the channels where your target audience spends the most time. B2B companies often see strong results on LinkedIn, while lifestyle and retail brands may thrive on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.

Post consistently and engage

A steady posting schedule ensures your brand stays top of mind. But posting alone isn’t enough. You need to engage. Reply to comments, answer questions and jump into conversations. This two-way interaction is what transforms followers into loyal fans.

3. Boost reach with paid social advertising

While organic social media is valuable, paid social advertising allows you to expand your reach faster and target exactly who you want. Even with a modest budget, paid ads can drive clicks, conversions and measurable results.

Target your ideal audience

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn allow you to tailor ads by location, demographics, interests and online behaviors. The more relevant your targeting, the higher your return on investment.

Test and optimize

Don’t settle for one version of an ad. Create A/B tests with different images, headlines or calls to action. Monitor performance, learn what resonates and refine your ads to continually improve results.

4. Create content that works for you

Content marketing is a powerful way to position your business as an authority while driving consistent traffic to your website. By creating valuable resources, whether it’s blogs, guides, videos or case studies, you give your audience reasons to trust your expertise and return for more. The real key is developing content that’s not only informative and relevant but also engaging and easy to share, helping your message reach new audiences organically.

Start with a blog or resource section

Publishing fresh content regularly not only helps your audience, but it also improves your search engine rankings. A blog can cover topics like industry trends, frequently asked questions or customer success stories, all while supporting your SEO efforts.

Repurpose what you create

Don’t stop once you hit publish. A single blog post can become a short video, an infographic or a series of social media posts. Repurposing content saves time and ensures your audience sees your message in the format they prefer.

5. Strengthen your SEO foundation

Search engine optimization (SEO) may sound complex, but at its core, it’s about making sure your audience can find you when they need you most. A few small steps can make a big difference in how you show up on Google.

Optimize your website basics

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, loads quickly and has clear navigation. Search engines prioritize sites that provide a smooth user experience.

Use keywords naturally

Think about the terms your customers might search for when looking for your services or products. Sprinkle these phrases naturally into your website copy, blog posts and metadata.

Keep building over time

SEO is not a one-time fix; it’s a long-term strategy. Continue adding fresh, optimized content, and monitor how your site ranks over time.

Final thoughts

At our Orlando PR firm, we integrate PR, social media, content marketing, and digital marketing tactics into one cohesive strategy. Working with a trusted public relations agency or digital marketing agency ensures your message reaches the right audience, strengthens your brand and drives results.

As you build your 2026 marketing strategy, consider how PR can amplify every tactic. Reach out at 407-339-0879 or will@wellonscommunications.com.

Every year around budget planning time, business owners and managers start to pick through everything in the budget and ask, “Is this working and is it worth it?” Marketing, in particular, receives considerable scrutiny because it is difficult to measure. And public relations, because of its vague measurement criteria, invariably begs the question “Is an Orlando PR firm worth it? Do we really need to spend money on PR?”

Your marketing has three primary options: advertise, publicize … or both

The totality of your marketing outreach to build sales of your product or service will depend on how much you can afford to put your name in front of your target audience.

If you totally rely on advertising, be prepared to spend. Advertising is costly, and with the onset of online marketing, has become increasingly fragmented and difficult to measure.

What are the benefits of advertising?

The benefit of advertising is you can totally control where and when your messages appear and who will be exposed to them.

What are the disadvantages of advertising?

The negative of advertising is your ad message must compete with every other ad message.  To put this in perspective, Americans are exposed to between 4,000 and 10,000 advertising messages every day.

Some advertising is certainly necessary, but how much you can afford to spend on advertising is totally up to your overall marketing strategy and budget.

Public relations is considerably less costly than advertising.

What are the benefits of PR?

The upside of PR is that media coverage can create awareness levels for relatively little cost, along with the benefit of outside recognition of your business.

What are the disadvantages of PR?

The downside to PR is that publicity requires time and redundancy to connect with media…and media are the decision makers about when and if they will focus on your business.

A sound marketing plan will include public relations in the mix

If your enterprise has the financial ability, a combined marketing approach provides you with double coverage—the ability to control where your message appears via your advertising along with the power of media coverage for your business from media relations.

So, what to do?

This article provides a thoughtful approach that addresses the question of developing a well-balanced marketing plan.

Truth be known, there is no one single answer to the challenge of how much to invest in marketing, just as there are no two businesses that are identical.

At our Orlando PR firm, we can help you with your marketing plan

The folks at our Orlando PR firm look at themselves as marketers first and public relations specialists second.

The only reason we exist is to help you sell your product or service. After all, that is the only reason marketing exists.

What differentiates us is that we think and act like marketers, but we use publicity and reputation building as our primary means of getting the word out. Our tool kit includes things like stories, photos, videos, special events and relationship building with key industry media leaders and audience connectors.

As 2026 starts to appear on the calendar, think about using a combined approach in your marketing plan. Include public relations in the mix.

And when you add public relations, call us at 407-339-0879 or email us at will@wellonscommunications.com and let us help you include an affordable way to include PR.

As Q2 winds down, we’re just about halfway through 2025 (believe it or not!). As we head into the second half of the year, we’re looking back on all the goals we set when the year was young. As an Orlando social media agency, Wellons Communications believes in preventive care—like your mid-year checkup at the doctor, but for your social media. Now that the year is half over, we think it’s time to grab your digital stethoscope and check the pulse of your content and engagement.

Check out our list below for some ideas, and feel free to read more on our approach to social media best practices in our “best practices” blog or discover how to find a social media agency, all part of our full social media services at Wellons.

1. Refresh your bio and about sections

Make sure all profiles feature current bios, brand‑aligned visuals and accurate links. You might spruce them up, just for fun! Optimize you links in bio or Linktree for Instagram, and ensure your “about” sections showcase the right keywords and calls to action (CTAs).

2. Check content performance

Analyze top-performing posts—are videos on the grid or polls in your story driving engagement? Evaluate low-performing content: what could have improved reach or resonance?

3. Review audience engagement and demographics

Look at your audience makeup—age, location, interests. Are you cultivating your intended audience? Does anything surprise you? Social media is a great place to check the mirror of your business. If you feel anything is not what you expected, consider adjusting your content to meet the new audience or adjusting ad targeting to reach your intended audience.

4. Compare performance against last year and your goals

Check performance vs. last year and your year‑end targets—follower growth, engagement or conversions. Are you on track for your goals? Are you outperforming last year? A course correction now can set you up for success.

5. Monitor competitors and trends

Assess competitors’ strategies—hashtags, platforms and formats, to name a few. Scan emerging trends: new apps, challenges or formats. Is there anything you can adopt or work into your strategy? Are there any opportunities you might be missing?

6. Tweak your content calendar

Use performance insights to update your calendar—add high‑performing formats and shuffle content to align with upcoming events. Encourage customers to share their stories or experiences with your products so you have fresh user-generated content. UGC is trusted—84% of Millennials say it influences buying decisions.

7. Freshen seasonal content

As you enter the hottest months of the year, do you have video and photos to match? As you look down the stretch of 2025, are there any content buckets you’re missing? Plan now for photos shoots or sessions to fill out the rest of your content calendar.

8. Audit ad performance and targeting

Compare ad results with organic performance. If a theme resonates organically, amplify it via ads—shifting budget to the highest return on investment (ROI). Does your ad strategy fit or enhance any of the audience or engagement trends you’ve seen in your checkup? Do you need to change any targeting or content?

9. Build a reporting and agility routine

Set monthly or quarterly reviews tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) like followers, engagement and clicks. Stay nimble and iterate based on data. You might already be doing this, but a good checkup practice is to ensure you’re reporting on all key categories that fuel your year-end goals.

10. Apply the 80/20 Rule

Ensure 80 percent of posts provide value—education, stories, entertainment—and only 20 percent are promos. Research shows this balance strengthens audience loyalty.

Why a mid-year checkup matters

Social media evolves fast—what performed in January may underperform in July. A systematic mid‑year audit—from refreshing profiles to rebalancing content—ensures your channels remain relevant, competitive and aligned with audience expectations. As a full-service public relations agency, Wellons Communications ensures that alignment across messaging, branding and community building.

According to marketing experts, a routine audit helps reallocate resources, uncover new opportunities and optimize emerging channels.

Strengthen your social strategy with an Orlando social media agency

Your social media health matters. If data revealed gaps, it’s time for a tune‑up. Wellons Communications—your trusted PR firm and Orlando social media agency—is ready to help. Read our social media check‑up guide and let’s have a conversation. Give us a call at 407‑339‑0879, and let’s start the communication.

Putting together the year’s marketing plan is always a challenge.

Planning ahead requires knowledge, insight, foresight, and the ability to know how to capitalize on the strength of your product or service, the weaknesses of your competitors, what’s going on in your product or service category, your ability to deliver what you say you can deliver and, of course, your budget.

The calendar itself offers you a wealth of marketing opportunities

When searching for ideas that you can “own,” start with the calendar. It is loaded with ideas waiting to be discovered.

What are the dates for the key trade shows for your business? What consumer-oriented special “days” or “months” can you capitalize on? What milestone events are your organization or industry observing in the coming months or years?

How can you take advantage of traditional holidays like the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and nationally observed holidays like Presidents’ Day?

Almost every single day of the year offers a marketing “schtick”

Beyond the traditional federal holidays, the U.S. has a vibrant collection of “non-traditional” or unofficial holidays. These range from food-focused observances to quirky awareness days, like National Pizza Day (Feb. 9), Talk Like a Pirate Day (Sept. 19), National Clean Your Desk Day (second Monday of January), and National Pet Day (April 11).

The vast majority of these commercially oriented unofficial “holidays” likely will not fit into your marketing plan. But there is every likelihood that one, two, or even three of them might provide an opportunity for you to connect—or strengthen your connection—with your current and potential customers. 

So, how could I capitalize on special marketing calendar opportunities?

1. Start with your own organization.
   Are you celebrating an anniversary (e.g. 25 years in business) or about to reach a benchmark milestone (e.g. 100,000 visitors or $1 million in sales)? If so, tell the world about it and share the news of your success.

2. Take advantage of someone else’s calendar event.
   Here are some off-the-wall ideas that serve as examples of how you might take advantage of some of the “holidays” that are promoted.

   Surprise your office and your clients on National Balloons Around the World Day (October 1, 2025) by delivery of balloons with an “uplifting message” aimed at bringing a smile to your employees and your clients.

   If your product or service is aimed at seniors, capitalize on Curmudgeons Day (Jan. 29, 2026, if you’re paying attention), which acknowledges the cranky and fussy people in our lives. Picture Oscar the Grouch, Mr. Mooney from the Lucy Show, the old lady at the cashier, or your grandfather sitting on his porch—and blow them a kiss on this fun and unusual “holiday.”

So where do I find all these “days”?

All these calendar-based marketing opportunities are only a click away.

Here are some links that will help you look some of these “days” over and get you thinking about how you can capitalize on them.

https://nationaltoday.com

https://www.calendarr.com/united-states/observances-2025/

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com

https://eventsinamerica.com/events/trade-shows/2025

So how does Wellons Communications fit into this calendar picture?

We’re an Orlando marketing agency…that utilizes publicity and public relations to augment our client’s marketing initiatives.

Unlike paid advertising, we seek out and capitalize on affordable marketing opportunities that clients use to strengthen and expand awareness of their product or service.

We recognize that not every business can afford a substantial advertising budget, so we put our minds to work to find ways that can deliver the same kind of results without overloading your marketing budget.

It’s a strategic approach we define as OPM…taking advantage of Other People’s Money.

Put Wellons to work on seeking OPM opportunities for you.

Capitalizing on holidays and commercially recognized calendar events is only one example of the creativity we bring to the table to expand our client’s marketing programs.

As you look over your marketing calendar, schedule a date to give us a call and let us see how we can add publicity and public relations to your marketing mix…all aimed at selling your product, services and ideas.

Call us at 407-339-0879 or email us at will@wellonscommunications.com and let’s look at what’s on your calendar.

We say it a lot at Wellons Communications: No one likes to think about their worst day at work. Even so, at some point in your business career, you’re going need crisis communications. It might be something as small as a negative review on social media or as big as a natural disaster, customer or employee injury or a police incident.

So when it happens, do you know who you’re going to call? The most important way to approach crisis communications is to have a plan in place. That plan will include having a crisis team and a process for speedy communications. While your plan might be different for your business and might scale based on the incident, here are three good calls to make in any crisis.

Internal stakeholders

Assuming you have already called 911 if the situation warrants, the first calls you should make in a crisis situation are to your own team. You need to make sure everyone is on the same page and the plan is being activated. You might need to call managers on the ground to find out more about who is involved and what happened, and you should tell them to ensure all media calls are being directed to your spokesperson. No manager or employee should be speaking with media or posting to social media without approval—everything can be a company statement. If media are inquiring, have staff members take a message with contact information so the PR team can return calls. You should also be alerting leadership about the situation as part of the crisis PR plan.

The PR team

Immediately after you contact key team players, you should alert your PR team to the situation. At Wellons, we’ve answered the phone in the middle of the night more than once. This is why you have a crisis PR firm. They have an outside view of the situation and are trained to respond in a way that puts your company in the strongest position for a tough situation. Your PR team should be activating holding responses that are planned in advance and working through the chain of communications to prepare a statement or media availability. They should be fielding calls and emails asking for comments and distributing the approved statement or setting up spokesperson interviews. Their team should also be monitoring for any coverage or repercussions and sharing updates with stakeholders.

Legal or HR

Once some of the dust has settled in a situation, you might need to call your legal or HR team, depending on the situation. They’ll be able to shed light on what, if any, next steps or long-term tactics you need to adopt. These might affect future communications as you move forward in the post-crisis business landscape, so be sure to update your PR team.

What’s next?

Once you’re on the other side of a crisis, you should meet with your stakeholders and PR team to develop a plan for communications going forward. Will there be updates to this story or situation? Do you need to rehab your company reputation in any way to regain trust? If business has returned to normal, you might also want to review your crisis communications plan. Or, if this was a wake-up call, you might want to dig in and craft a better plan for next time—because there will be a next time.

Want some expert advice? At Wellons Communications, we’ve been through just about everything and helped clients come out the other side with great crisis communications. Make us your first call after finishing this blog. We answer 24/7, 365. Dial 407-462-2718.

In today’s digital world, a strong social media presence is essential for many businesses looking to grow their brand and connect with customers. However, managing social media effectively takes time, expertise and consistency. That’s where a social media agency comes in.

Social media agency services can range from professional content creation and targeted ad strategies to community curation and data-driven insights, all to help businesses maximize their online impact. But to get the most out of your partnership, it’s important to follow key best practices. In this blog, we’ll explore the best ways to work with a social media agency to ensure successful collaboration and achieve your marketing goals.

Define goals and roles

The first best practice starts before the contract is in place. Hopefully you defined your goals when you were selecting an agency and picked accordingly. Regardless, set a strong foundation by making sure you and your agency are both clear on who is expected to do what. It’s great to have a kickoff call to discuss these roles and what that looks like. You should also be very clear about your goals. This might come in the form of official KPIs or a more general outline of what success looks like to you.

Share your vision and brand standards

You probably already have a good sense of what your company is and what your brand standards are. It’s essential to share that with your agency to ensure consistency across content and interactions. After all, your agency will be speaking for you. Share your logos and usage notes, brand colors, and any other brand standards. It’s also important to share notes on the company’s voice, especially if the agency will be responding to reviews and comments. And remember, while starting out on a good foot is important, brand voice and standards are a constantly evolving conversation, both internally and with your agency.

Communicate constantly

That brings us to the next point. When you are working with a social media agency, communication is key. Regular meetings allow you to review engagement progress and reach, learn about potential new marketing strategies, and review performance to see what is helpful and where you might need to pivot. It also allows you to share updates with your agency and keep them on top of your goals. Scheduling regular check-ins can allow you to stay informed, make data-driven decisions, and ensure your social media strategy remains flexible, effective, and aligned with your business goals. Even so, don’t forget to drop a quick email, call or text if things change.

Provide input and feedback

When you take on a social media agency, they become part of your team. Your feedback ensures that the agency’s efforts align with your brand’s vision, values, and goals. This helps them create content and strategies that truly reflect what you want to achieve. Your agency is going to do things you might not do, especially as they get to know you. Your constructive input helps the agency refine their strategies and content. By communicating what works and what doesn’t, you help them improve and optimize their approach over time.

Stay open and flexible

While it’s definitely important to share goals and feedback, it’s also vital to listen to your agency and remain open to their ideas and takes. What’s the point of hiring an agency otherwise? The social media landscape changes and evolves often. In this constantly shifting environment, staying open and flexible is crucial. What worked in the past may not be as effective now or for a specific project. Social media agencies are skilled at evaluating the current social market, trends, and marketing strategies to create a plan that effectively communicates and markets your business’s content. This may involve adjusting to new strategies or adapting plans. Your agency has your business’s best interests at heart, and trusting their expertise while remaining open to new suggestions helps both parties perform at their best.

At Wellons Communications, we make these practices a priority

Choosing the right social media agency can make a significant difference in the growth and success of your business. By partnering with an experienced social media marketing agency, you gain access to expert strategies that enhance your online presence and engage your target audience. Whether you need effective social media management, tailored social media marketing services, or digital PR from a PR agency, Wellons would love to help. Give us a call at 407-339-0879 and let’s start the communication.