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Author: Cherith Andes

In the News: Lightin’ a Fire for Firefighters

In the News: Lightin’ a Fire for Firefighters

July 24, 2020January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Case Studies, Clairemont Client Newscampaign marketing, firefighter public relations, media relations, NC Firefighter, raleigh public relations

The data is sobering.

Seventy percent of firefighters in North Carolina are volunteers, and that number is plummeting by 12 percent each year. This begs the question — What will happen when you call 9-1-1, and no one is left to respond?

The North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs (NCAFC) took action. With a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the NCAFC launched a critical two-year campaign designed to boost the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters in North Carolina.

Clairemont Communications, along with partner The Felice Agency, is thrilled to work with the NCAFC on this exciting and worthy campaign. In addition to fire chief trainings, marketing toolkits and messaging, we’ve been “on the horn” sharing this story far and wide. Within just a few weeks of the campaign launch, we secured 14 strong media stories to spotlight the need and move the needle for our client.

Check out this feature from Spectrum News!

A fun fact? Fire departments have positions for volunteers of all ages, stages and skill sets! If you’re interested in learning more, visit Volunteer Fire NC.

This campaign targets select fire departments across 12 at-risk counties, including:

  • Bladen County: Elizabethtown Fire Department
  • Buncombe County: French Broad Volunteer Fire & Rescue and West Buncombe Volunteer Fire Department
  • Cherokee County: Hiwassee Dam Volunteer Fire Department
  • Duplin County: Chinquapin Volunteer Fire & Rescue
  • Forsyth County: Lewisville Fire Department and Rural Hall Fire Department
  • Franklin County: Youngsville Volunteer Fire Department
  • Harnett County: Harnett County Chiefs Association
  • Northampton County: Gaston Volunteer Fire Department
  • Pitt County: Town of Winterville Fire Department
  • Wake County: Wake County Fire Services
  • Wilson County: Silver Lake Volunteer Fire Department
  • Yadkin County: East Bend Volunteer Fire Department and Fall Creek Volunteer Fire Department

Needing help lighting a fire for your campaign?

Drop us a line!

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Briar Chapel Wins Best Neighborhood

Briar Chapel Wins Best Neighborhood

July 20, 2020January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Real Estate PRBriar Chapel, Raleigh PR, real estate marketing, real estate PR

Nothing makes us happier than seeing our clients succeed.

We’re thrilled to pop the bubbly for client Briar Chapel, one of the largest green master-planned communities in the Triangle. For its fifth consecutive year, Briar Chapel won Best Neighborhood in Chapel Hill, a voters’ choice award from the readers of Chapel Hill Magazine.

That’s not all that Briar Chapel has on its shining record. Throughout the years, this community has nabbed accolades such as Developer of the Year from Green Builder Magazine, Best Neighborhood by Where to Retire Magazine and Best Neighborhood/Subdivision in the WRAL Out and About Voters’ Choice Awards.

Complete with resort-style amenities, green-built homes and a vibrant network of neighbors, this community is topping many homebuyers’ dream lists. Clairemont Communications has been honored to serve as Briar Chapel’s agency of record for years. From media relations and social media strategy to creative events and awards submissions, we’ve loved being a part of its growth for almost a decade.

Real estate is one of our areas of expertise. Do you have news you want to get covered? Events you’re planning for your business?

Drop us a line!

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In the News: Client Launches Commercial Section

In the News: Client Launches Commercial Section

July 14, 2020January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Real Estate PRcommercial real estate PR, real estate marketing, Real estate news, real estate PR, wendell falls

Wendell Falls — one of the largest master-planned communities in the Triangle — is growing again! This Clairemont client has always been on the cutting edge of real estate development, and we were excited to debut the news of its upcoming commercial segment, Treelight Square.

Treelight Square will entail 35,000 square feet of dining, retail and shopping. Not only will this provide a bevy of fresh options for visitors, all of this goodness will be just a short stroll for the residents of Wendell Falls.

Check out the feature in the Triangle Business Journal for the scoop!

… and that’s just the beginning. See our other work in real estate!

Image/rendering credit to Finley Design Group.

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Coping with COVID: Generous Interpretations

Coping with COVID: Generous Interpretations

June 5, 2020January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Inspirational, The Clairemont TeamCoping with COVID, inspiration, Interpersonal relationships, professional development, Raleigh PR Agency

A personal essay

“The new normal.”

By this point, the phrase isn’t so new anymore. In fact, many large brands quickly adopted this mantra (along with a pervasive “we’re all in this together” motif) within days of the COVID pandemic hitting America.

Normal. It’s not new. It’s not even normal. Stay-at-home orders and the ever-shifting pandemic has reshaped our society in ways we don’t even know yet. During this time, what lessons are you taking with you?

I’m not necessarily talking about new ways of doing business (although those are key), new work methods or new apps. (But can I get an “amen” from those of us that caved to TikTok?) I’m referring to personal learnings that can range from big light-bulb realizations to quiet, evolving resolutions.

How will you come out of this season changed as a professional, spouse, parent, child, student, leader or friend?

Generous Interpretations

Researcher, speaker and writer Brene Brown weaves a theme through much of her work known as “generous interpretations.” In her book Rising Strong, she defines this as the ability to “extend the most generous interpretation possible to the intentions, words and actions of others.” In essence, when we are hurt, angered, confused or simply rubbed the wrong way, we choose to assume that the other person is doing the best they can and extend the most gracious assumption about his or her behavior until we have more information. Surely difficult in practice, this ongoing art can alleviate much conflict and unnecessary judgment in both professional and personal dynamics.

While Brene interweaves this concept with several other larger ideas, generous interpretations can stand alone. And I’ve learned that during COVID.

A Not-So-Generous Example

Let’s go super simple on this example, shall we? Not too long ago, I was on a WebEx conference call. (Shocker, I know.) The speaker was trying diligently to run through her talking points while one of the 28 people on the call was typing away noisily — rather rudely, I might say. Seriously. If you’re going to multi-task, at least have the courtesy to put yourself on mute. How basic is this principle, people?!

I was starting to form a miffed grudge against one lady in the group — the clear culprit — … only to realize 60 seconds later that the culprit was ME. (For the record, I was taking notes. But regardless!) A generous interpretation would have been to assume the other person simply forgot the mute button and was taking good notes. (The added kicker, of course, being that I was said culprit.)

Generously Putting It into Practice

Brene does clarify that “generosity is not a free pass for people to take advantage of us, treat us unfairly or be purposefully disrespectful and mean.” But whether it’s the coworker that “dropped the ball,” the in-law that seems to overcorrect your parenting or the neighbor that never mows his lawn, extend your most generous interpretation to their situations. Perhaps the neighbor got sick and can’t get out. Perhaps the coworker is working feverishly and is in the midst of researching additional information for the project.

Start from a place of grace, because as Brene also says, “Grace will take you places hustling can’t.”

What learnings are you taking with you this season? 

Looking for more? We’re sharing our tips to cope with COVID.

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Secrets of a Non-Multitasker

Secrets of a Non-Multitasker

May 5, 2020January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Inspirational, Professional Developmentmultitasking, PR Career Advice, Professional Developement, work ethic

It used to be a badge of honor — a sign of dexterity and skill. And as someone who prizes efficiency and accomplishment, I became enamored with this skill — this multitasking thing.

However, I stumbled on data that shocked my multitasking brain: what I thought might be saving me time was actually hamstringing my productivity. And because sharing is caring, here are a few fast facts that caused me to stop at least four of the nine things I was doing … and reconsider.

When you multitask, you’re actually wasting time.

Health.com research shows that you can’t actually do two things at once. Your brain simply switches back and forth between tasks quickly, creating the illusion of simultaneous activity. The act of switching between activities actually wastes time as you expend your energy on the switch, not the task. Also, as Health.com points out, “You never get ‘in the zone’ for either activity.” Bottom line: multitasking drains your resources and requires more time to get things done, not less.

Multitasking kills your work quality — and increases stress.

That’s a serious one-two-punch. The “skill” you imagine is boosting productivity actually damages your accuracy, making you more prone to mistakes. In addition, multitasking boosts the production of the stress hormone cortisol, causing us to feel exhausted an hour or two into the work day (or earlier!)

Multitasking lowers your IQ.

Yikes. A study from the University of London showed that those who were multitasking while undergoing a cognitive test experienced decreases in IQ commensurate with those who smoke marijuana or pull an all-nighter. In fact, Forbes points out at those who are multitasking function at a lower IQ level — often that of an eight-year-old child.

Multitasking squashes creativity.

Creative thinking and problem solving stems from uninterrupted concentration when you’re “entrenched” in a topic. Multitasking negates the ability to fully invest in one activity and hence hijacks the creative process. And in my line of work (or anyone’s, really!), great work comes from great ideas.

Multitasking beats up your memory.

A 2016 study showed that multitasking damages your memory in more ways than one. The exhausting act of task-switching hampers your brain’s working memory needed for in-the-moment productivity as well as your long-term memory.

These are hefty arguments to reconsider our multitasking ways. But really, I found a more compelling reason to change my approach to work, to relationships and to life.

We miss life.

I discovered that I was missing out. I was missing the moments that make life worth living. Not only are we ignoring vital cues like “Hey, maybe don’t walk in front of that bus while you’re texting.” But you’re missing the side-splitting sarcastic quip your significant other just made about the dog or your child’s biggest dancer twirl yet. You should be camera-ready in those moments, not nose-down on TikTok.

The COVID Stay-at-Home Order has filtered out much of the extraneous noise — extra dinner dates, must-do appearances and social obligations. And the moments that remain are brimming with relational richness and meaning. The precious FaceTime with a struggling friend. The impromptu laughs with a roommate. These snippets were here all along; they were just drowned by the pings of emails and calendar alerts.

Our responsibilities will still remain, but we now have a choice.

Simplify. Invest. Enjoy each moment to its fullest.

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clairemontcommunications

Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media platform? It’s called Threads, and it’s being referred to as “the new Twitter.” Read everything you need to know about Threads in our latest blog post - link in bio!
SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc (client) today, and rumor has it that @blah2voila has already been hamming it up with Dell! We know you want a selfie with Dell to post on Pigstagram, too!
We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of P We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of Public Relations Consultants Group, allowing us to offer clients expertise and support across the country! Clairemont founder, Dana Phelps aka @blah2voila, recently attended the PRCG conference in Oklahoma City.
2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Comm 2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Communications! Visit our blog for the full 2022 year in review!
As communications professionals, we wear a variety As communications professionals, we wear a variety of hats to meet our clients’ needs.
 
We’re writers, social media managers, photographers, marketers, editors, content creators- the list goes on and on.
 
Check out our recent blog post to learn what @olivia.noles , account coordinator here at Clairemont, does on a weekly and monthly basis.
#communicationsagency #communicationsmajor #pragencylife #pragency #raleighpr
This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voi This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voila , will be speaking at the 2022 @nc_prsa Strategic Communication & MarCom Conference! Phelps is a repeat presenter at this annual conference, and this year she is leading a session called Growing from Communication Technician to Strategic Counselor during which she will share three of her coined concepts: knowcasting, morecasting and collabolighthing. Visit our blog for the link to register for the conference!
@clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative g @clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative go together like the bacon and eggs! And speaking of bacon and eggs, have you been to @therainbowluncheonette yet? YUM!
Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc, a master-planned community just 15 miles from downtown Raleigh, will welcome @parksideraleigh, a Raleigh-favorite restaurant known for its fresh, made-from-scratch dishes, to the community!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Parkside.
“What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we “What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we get this question often, we have a series on our blog where we dive into our recent projects to give you a look at what a PR Agency really does.
 
For example, a statewide resource for small businesses recently hired Clairemont to devise an executive visibility campaign to help position the organization and its director as the leading small business resource in North Carolina.
 
Head to our blog to read what exactly an executive visibility campaign entails and to learn more about our services!
So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let us tell you about our new favorite @drink321coffee ! If you are in Raleigh, go see Paul, the other Paul, Emma  or whichever smiling faces are working today. We LOVE this place and the coffee! ❤️❤️❤️
Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest mas Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest master-planned communities in the Triangle, closed on its first age-eligible rental community plan, Arden at Wendell Falls, that will offer 140 open-concept units and exclusive onsite amenities!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Arden at Wendell Falls.
Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by client @vitaviteraleigh for good snacks and great wine!🍷 Both locations are open normal hours Friday-Sunday and closed on Monday.
You never know who might be hanging out at The Cla You never know who might be hanging out at The Clairemont House. Thanks to @yellowdogcreative for helping save this buddy. Notice that we speak lizard. Or skink. Or gecko or whatever he is. Or maybe it’s the extra caffeine before our client presentation.
Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh
Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting?
Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street South @raleighwineshop ! @blah2voila was there today representing Clairemont at the grand opening festivities and enjoying the @grandchamphospitality sandwich pop up. Yum! 🍷🥪
It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers ar It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers are needed more than ever! Many organizations with scarce resources rely on volunteers and would not exist without them. Visit our recent blog post to read about the organizations Clairemont has supported and how you can make a difference in your community!
Authenticity is trending, and research shows that Authenticity is trending, and research shows that consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view user-generated content as authentic. Read our recent blog post to learn about UGC, how it can benefit your brand and how to use it in your marketing strategy.
From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 has left an impact on every sector of life, including marketing. Read our blog on marketing in a post-COVID world to learn how things have changed and how that should impact your business strategy.
We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned eight awards, five gold🥇and three silver🥈, at this year's Sir Walter Raleigh Awards hosted by the Raleigh Public Relations Society!🎉 We are beyond grateful to work with so many amazing partners, clients and industry friends!
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