Skyrocket your brand’s image and outwit your competitors with NRPR’s award-winning PR and marketing strategies

The value of a company is mostly judged by the public image it carries. When the company’s image gets tarnished, then it significantly affects the corporate existence and its affiliates. A public relations and marketing specialist will draft a specialized communication plan across several media channels to maintain and create a positive brand image with the target audience. PR is a significant part of marketing because it plays a crucial role in brand strategy throughout a company’s lifecycle. One’s brand embodies a company’s vision, culture, and presents a first impression to the outside world. What people think about a company is linked to the brand, and this can impact revenues.

To maintain a beneficial relationship with the public, companies must invest in profound PR and marketing strategists like the NRPR Group. NRPR Group serves consumer, digital, and enterprise technology companies, working with them on public relations, marketing communications, social media marketing, events, influencer relations, executive thought leadership building, and digital marketing services. The agency works closely with CEOs, CMOs, and other C-level and VP-level executives across client teams, as well as internal marketing and PR teams to uncover the passion, vision, and differentiators within any given company, and share those stories with appropriate key audiences. NRPR Group specializes in helping businesses of all sizes reach their business goals with tailored plans that map back to results! The NRPR team shares client stories with appropriate key audiences, educating them on how public relations works and what it can and cannot do with clear planning and cohesive messaging.

In conversation with Nicole Rodrigues, Founder and CEO of NRPR Group

Q. Do you think it is mandatory for organizations to partner with an external efficient PR and communications agency to improve brand image?

It depends on the company and its available resources, but in 90% of the cases I’ve seen across my career, the answer is yes. Many executives do not understand what PR pros do and think that they can handle PR themselves, which is often detrimental to their overall goals. Many people think PR is just picking up the phone or emailing a reporter to arrange an interview. Because of this misconception, many people think they can take on the function of a PR professional. Successful PR executives who have built relationships with the media know what constitutes news and understand news cycles. The public relations agency is an extension of a client’s team, filling in gaps in expertise and is a partner in the overall strategy. The agency provides expertise in media relations, thought leadership, strategic messaging, and other key elements of the marketing plan. While the CEO may know the product inside and out, they are sometimes too close to the product to be able to describe it to outsiders. The PR team can offer a fresh perspective on storytelling elements and offer media training to help executives nail responses to the types of questions a reporter is likely to ask. Ahead of an interview, a strategic PR partner can help develop bullets with key points and proof points, tying the news to industry trends so that the interview will be successful. Clients and those not working with an agency need to realize that public relations are an important marketing function. Sure, anyone can smile and dial a media person, but NOT everyone can do PR effectively, and certainly, NOT everyone is equipped with the knowledge to reap the best outcome from a press meeting. The PR team is a partner with the organization in building the best possible brand image.

Q. Marketing communications is more than just a method of promoting a brand. Do you help your clients develop a strategic vision for leveraging various marketing opportunities?

Yes. NRPR works with clients to help them to reach their highest goals, and that usually involves weaving all the aspects of marketing together in the best way to garner results. Therefore it’s important to begin with a session on the client’s vision, mission, and goals and to periodically revisit these goals. We will not engage with a client unless they sit with the team for a messaging call during which we discuss their products, strategy, key differentiators, and target audiences. Many start-ups have focused all their attention on building the product and need help with branding and building messaging that will resonate with influencers, including media.

Q. Media relations are taken for granted. Trust being one of the major challenges. How do you help your clients to maintain strong relationships with the media?

NRPR will never take media professionals for granted. I have learned to respect all media members, and I know that PR people would not have jobs without media. Respect entails taking the time to research media outlets, audience, and coverage before pitching a journalist. My goal for myself and my team is that we build and maintain genuine relationships with the media. We know that the editors are busy and are resource-constrained. We will also pitch them with enough embargo time for them to compile a story. Many agencies take the shortcut or lazy way to try to achieve goals for clients - this involves blindly blasting thoughtless pitches to the media in hopes of “seeing what sticks.” That isn’t very good. Public Relations is not issuing a press release and hoping a media outlet will run it or blasting a blind pitch and hoping someone answers. That is why we work just as closely with clients as we do with the media, to develop 1:1 plans for what the other needs.

The NRPR team finds creative ways to tell clients’ stories while respecting the time and energy of media professionals. We work with our clients to deliver the information the reporter/editor needs in order to write a story that will be a win for both the editor and the client.

Q. Considering the quality of today’s PR and communications services, they come with an expensive price tag. How can SMEs benefit from your services?

There is a difference between expensive and value. NRPR Group offers high-value services to our clients. We are willing to work with clients to determine a budget that will work for them while delivering the services they need. NRPR services the best-of-the-best clients with a very high-touch, results-oriented approach to public relations, marcomms, digital marketing, social media, and video production that positively impacts our clients’ bottom lines. We work closely with SMEs and clients of all sizes to build and maintain a positive public image for their brand. A client may have a valuable product and be doing great things behind the scenes, but if their various publics do not know about these works, it is like the actions never happened. PR pros who know what they are doing will focus on building solid relationships with influencers so that they will share information that conveys the right image for your company. NRPR Group works with clients on branding, messaging, media relations, article writing, social media, awards, and speaking opportunities, and content marketing depending on client needs and budgets.

Q. Mention some of the prominent achievements of your company.

In 2019, NRPR Group celebrated its fifth anniversary, which is an achievement because only about 50 percent of businesses reach that milestone. In 2020 we hit six years, and it’s already shaping up to be the most successful year yet, even amid a global pandemic. Since 2014, our successes have included growing our client roster from zero to 80+ projects and long-term contracts, offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Las Vegas, and New York. In 2019, we launched the Beverly Hills Boss brand, which currently houses a YouTube channel, website, social engagement events, a social community, and more. In 2020, we launched NRPR Productions, located at NRPR’s headquarters in Beverly Hills, specializing in branded content, commercials, corporate videos, and YouTube series. I am pleased to be the recipient of 28 individual and agency awards, including several Bulldog Reporter awards, Ragan ACE awards, and Hermes Creative Awards.

Q. How do you market your services?

NRPR is extremely fortunate that we have satisfied clients who recommend us to other prospective clients. Word of mouth is our largest and most successful marketing channel. I also build visibility for the agency by participating in industry events, being a guest on podcasts, and speaker panels. I am a Forbes contributor and author of Beverly Hills Boss. In 2020, I also started a YouTube channel and a Facebook page so that I can interact directly with potential and existing clients through these social media platforms.

Q. Do you have any new services ready to be launched?

NRPR Group examines new services on an ongoing basis. We are focused on building NRPR Productions and adding to our client roster. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, NRPR is giving back to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, and San Francisco Bay Area-based businesses, currently facing hardship. We are offering advance discounts on “return marketing, video and PR services” to help them communicate to their customers when they are once again up-and-running. In this way, they will be able to increase their revenues as soon as they are able to reopen their businesses.

Q. What are your trajectories for the next 5 years?

I am pleased that NRPR continues to set the example for what PR agencies of the future should and can be. We will continue to offer clients an integrated communications program in which PR, social media marketing, digital marketing, and video marketing all need to work together for brands to maximize their marketing potential. As the market evolves, we will continue to increase the services we provide. With the addition of NRPR Productions, we will be able to offer our clients a full-service production company, which will be an added benefit for them. In 2020, we will continue to work with clients to extend their visibility and bring their stories to life and develop new tools that will keep the agency ahead of the curve in what we can offer.

Get in touch: www.nrprgroup.com

Meet the leader behind the success of NRPR Group

Nicole Rodrigues is the Founder of two companies, NRPR Group and the Young Dreamers Foundation, as well as the host of the YouTube show, Beverly Hills Boss, and author of Beverly Hills Boss, the book. She is a well-rounded public relations and digital marketing pro who’s won multiple awards. Multiple organizations have recognized her as an award-winner and leader in her field. Nicole has more than 20 years of experience in PR, social media, and digital marketing. Clients that have benefited from her counsel and skill include Sony Pictures Entertainment, Dialpad, Dolby, Yahoo!, MOBITV, Paige, Heal, Sony PlayStation, Plantronics, Hulu, YouTube, M-GO, Demand Media (now Leaf Group), and other dominant companies. Nicole is proud of her tenure leading multi-practice digital teams at PR firms such as Bender/Helper Impact, Miller PR, and Voce Communications prior to starting her firm. Nicole’s career also includes managing an international PR team at MOBITV - one of the pioneer solutions for digital and mobile entertainment delivery in the US.

She also had a 3+ year stint with the Oakland Raiders, managing player development campaigns and publicity projects for the team and cheering for the team as a Raiderette.

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations from San Jose State University and is working towards her MBA at UCLA Anderson School of Management.

“NRPR knows at the core of great storytelling is messaging that best represents an organization and resonates with media, influencers, partners and end users.”