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Everyone wants more website hits, more social media followers with higher analytics, and ultimately - more business. With virtual options still being the best way to reach people, one must be creative in how they "get out there" and connect with potential clients.  Here are some ways you can promote your business – without ever leaving your home office!
 When it comes to media attention, it’s hard to know where to start.
JUST START! And if you need help, K2C & PR is just a click away! - Kelli Komondor
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I am here to talk about connecting - or in our circumstances - RECONNECTING. For all of you who do not know me, my name is Melissa. I’ve known Kelli, president and CEO of K2 Creative & PR, since 2004. That was the year I started as the receptionist at the Pittsburgh Business Times. I was 23 years old. I was a BABY. As the receptionist, I was answering phones, directing calls, etc. I eventually went on to do more things with this amazing company, but at this job, I met Kelli. She was loud and in your face, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. She was inquisitive. Asking me questions about where I was from. Did I know so and so? What did I want to do? I was 23. I had worked a few random jobs and done most of my college work, but I was at the PBT because I needed a job and money. The receptionist job was wonderful, as were the people I worked with. I was able to advance my career there, while meeting SO many people through networking events around Pittsburgh. I was able to wear suits and heels and attend events way out of my league. And let me tell you, I had fun. However, I had no clue what I was doing. There were several women I worked with who could own a room. And, trust me, I can and have done that in different, laid-back settings. But these women, they shined in a business atmosphere. For me, I just never felt the need to do so. Because I didn’t understand. Flash forward 17 years and here we are. I am working full time at David Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center in Mt. Lebanon as the receptionist (after a glowing recommendation from my first boss at the PBT so many years ago) and I handle content creation and social media accounts for K2C and Kelli Komondor - the girl who sat at the desk a shout away, the girl who would bring me coffee in the mornings, the girl who became my best friend, but ALSO, the girl who I would follow around networking events like a little puppy - and watch her SHINE.
Tonight I am sitting outside on my deck catching up on everything amazing she’s been doing and soaking it all in. This past year has been extremely awful for everyone - regardless of your situation - and it is amazing to me to see the people who have come out of it on top. Kelli and I had a call over the past weekend about business and everything she has going on. I, per usual, cried. Because Kelli, per usual, built me up. She is that girl and what she has to say is legit. If you listen to a story about someone who has built something from the bottom up, you’re inspired. For me, Kelli was just that. And not only was I privy to her success. I saw the failures, the struggles and the determination she had (and found) to succeed.  Ok, so back to me. I am sitting outside - on a cool night FINALLY - and I am listening to her latest podcast from her most recent endeavor, Biz Bevs & Bites, a podcast she created with Cindy Ellek, which digs deep into business topics like marketing, public relations, networking and branding.
As a 23 year old being thrown into the networking world of Pittsburgh, it was nice to have Kelli by my side. Now, you get to as well. The words and wisdom these women have to share…well it’s just amazing. I invite you to follow along their journey and learn everything you need to know, not only about networking, but also the food and drinks Pittsburgh has to offer. So, grab a drink and your favorite snack. Let's settle in and follow these ladies around the beautiful city of Pittsburgh. - Melissa Pravlik, Social & Web Strategist Anyone who has watched the television show "Friends" is probably chuckling right now. If you're not familiar, please watch this clip from the iconic episode with Ross, Rachel, and Chandler moving a couch in a stairwell. I mean, he had a sketch - why didn't it fit?  Sometimes the best laid plans just don't work. Being flexible and willing to pivot is important, in moving furniture and in life. The past 12+ months have been nothing but pivoting for me (and most of you, I'm sure!) - personally and professionally. Who leaves the corporate world and starts their own business, then pulls together an anthology of 21 female entrepreneurs - during a global pandemic? 🖐🏻🖐🏻🖐🏻 *raises hand* Now I'm sort of pivoting again with a slight rebrand to K2 Creative, LLC. I caught the public relations (PR) bug and it made me realize how much I love promoting others, and apparently I'm pretty good at it too!  From this point forward K2 Creative, LLC is K2 Creative & PR. It just makes sense to include the public relations portion of what I do in the company name. Right now, I'm representing five entrepreneurs (including myself) as their publicist. My success rate is pretty darn good too. I'm forming relationships with podcast hosts, print and digital media outlets, and others who are in search of great stories and great guests and interviews. My clients make my job so easy - they're all educational, entertaining, and inspiring. I'm thankful!
Here's what I've learned: 📣The definition of public relations is the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization, or a famous person. 📣 A publicist is responsible for shaping the image of the person and/or company they're representing. Publicists help build the brand and spread the organization's message. In other words, they "Make Their Message Matter" with positive press. 📣 BUT... PR isn't just about the shaping and branding by the publicist - it's about getting clients in front of the right media outlets so they can shape and brand themselves. It's about giving clients an opportunity to shine with podcasts, with in-person and livestream speaking engagements, and by providing their expertise to print and digital publications. 📣 Public relations is really about human one-to-one connection. Sending out a mass email isn't the way to go, but a well-crafted email specific to the outlet is. The easier, faster route doesn't work. 📣 It's truly investing in my clients by being a confidant, a cheerleader, and a dedicated part of their team. So, while it's not a huge change, it's enough to share with my connections. If you need a press pitch or a press release - yes, they are different! - or a media sheet, let's chat! If you're asking what any of those three items are, PLEASE let's chat! I'm offering a PR Special for a limited time. Check it out! PS: Thanks to Colleen for the super quick turn around on the logo refresh. She never disappoints! Maybe you should work with her for your company branding - or rebranding... by: Kelli Komondor Ever since I was young, I have been obsessed with quotes. I'm not going to lie and say the quotes were anywhere near worldly, important or life changing. First, they were sort of the mushy, my first love, "Hallmark" quotes, which got me through my teenage years. After that, I was probably into what I would call "wisdom-y" quotes because, hey, I was in my 20's and knew everything about the world. These days, I wouldn't call myself a quote connoisseur, but when I see a good one, I can appreciate it. I mean who doesn't respect something worded so articulately that it hits a nerve or a feeling directly on the head? We could go into deep detail about my first loves or my "wisdom-y" years, but we will save that for another day. Today, I want to share with you (drumroll please!), a few amazing social media quotes, which at this point in my life, hit the ball out of the park (sports, right?). “Social Media can provide a conversational extension to a B2B company’s nurturing programs. Social Media gives us the opportunity to humanize our communications and make our companies more approachable.” - Ardath Albee, CEO of marketinginteractions.com So simple, right? It is literally a virtual conversation. Before the Internet, consumers knew nothing about the companies they were dealing with. It's hard to even imagine a world without reviews, comments, likes, etc. From a lawn care business to a clothing store to a bank and even a medical office - the reviews are out there - and not only that - but you can also interact with actual human beings at these companies. Crazy, right? “If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.” Jeff Bezos, CEO at Amazon.com  Image via Pexels I am old enough to remember The Telephone Game. If you're not familiar, it involves a group of people whispering a phrase to the person next to them. Most of the time, this phrase gets so messed up along the way, which leads to a hilarious outcome when the last person says the phrase to entire group. Oh, such simpler times. Anyway... think of this game when you think of your customers. Happy Henry might say his experience was ok, but he had one small issue. When he tells Miserable Mary about his experience, well, she focuses on the negative. Miserable Mary then tells Talky Theresa and next thing you know, the whole town knows! Online reviews and comments can make or break a deal for any company.
“Social Media puts the “public” into PR and the “market” into marketing." Chris Brogan, President of New Marketing Labs. Social media is how a business communicates to your people. K2Creative knows how to take all the right steps to get you there. K2 offers PR services and social media services, and we are ready to help. The best part, we will work with your business to design a specific plan (and price!) that works for you. With that being said, I am going to leave you with one quote I can relate to more than anything... "Don't use social media to impress people; use it to impact people." — Dave Willis. Now, tell me how you (or your business) are using social media to impact others. - Melissa Pravlik, Social and Web Strategist, K2 Creative Creativity is defined as “the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work”. That’s pretty powerful if you stop and think about it. Your brain can create something new, something original, something no one else has done before. There is a rush involved with creating something new. It’s something I can’t quite pinpoint, but it’s something I crave. Creativity for me comes in the form of painting, social media, websites, and even this blog. I started painting wineglasses years ago, which led to painting home décor, then canvas painting and even watercolors. Social media is a simple creative outlet for me, which involves simple phrases, crafted graphics and nerdy analytics. Websites provide the same type of outlet, while keeping my brain sharp. And writing, well, it’s something I’ve loved my entire life.  pexels.com The problem with creativity is it’s not always there. I can have an entire day to myself and experience what I call a dull brain. Or I can be standing in a grocery store with a million other things on my to-do list and have the urge to draw, write, or paint. It’s not fair, actually. We are all so busy. Sometimes it’s hard to spark that imagination. When I experience a lack of creativity, there are certain things that help me snap out of it.
So, now I want to know, what inspires you? What do you like to creative? And, most importantly, how do you trigger that incredible imagination? - Melissa Pravlik, Social and Web Strategist Ahhh, summer. Warmer weather, longer days, pool parties, outside dining, and less interactions for your social media posts. What?! Unfortunately, it's true. A lot of people like to step away from social media in the summer. They want to focus on their families, their friends. You know, live in the moment? But there are still products to sell, services to provide and stories to be told! A good social media plan is ever evolving. It needs to change with current events. It needs to focus on growth, goals and gaining new followers. It also should change with the seasons.  pexels.com If you think about it, what you're posting in December shouldn't be the same thing you're posting in July. And this doesn't just apply to clothing brands. Seasons impact how all businesses run. If you're worried about falling behind this summer, there are ways around that.
1. Use current events to ignite your content News never sleeps, and social media has made it easier to share new articles, feedback, and opinions. Associate your brand with what's happening in the world. Take a stand on a controversial topic. Just a few years ago “no comment” was the standard response to controversial issues, but now it seems like brands can’t join the conversation fast enough. 2. Focus on the fun! Summer is full of fun and your social media should be too! Focus on fun things going on in the area. Share what you did over the weekend. A lot of times companies shy away from this. Trust me, people love seeing the different characters who make a company what it is. 3. Holidays! Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and our personal favorite, Social Media Day, all take place in the summer. When brainstorming content, don’t forget to focus your efforts on the big days throughout the year. Another fun trick? The National Day Calendar gives us something to celebrate every day and it is great for generating interaction on social media. 4. Contests/Giveaways People love a good contest. And who doesn't like free stuff?! Running a contest is always a great way to generate buzz, but it can be especially effective in the summer months. Ask people to submit photos, videos, or content. Hype up the contest all summer. It will give you great content to share and lots of engagement. Whatever you do, remember to have fun with it! And head on over to our social accounts to see what we're up to this summer! Here's where to find us: ~ Melissa Pravlik, Social & Web Strategist I've been giving time a lot of thought lately. Time is a funny thing - you either have too much or not enough. As things open back up and I'm getting out and about (still safely), I'm thinking about how slowly - and how quickly - the last 15 months or so have gone by. I don't know about you, but I'm still using a paper calendar. It took me three tries (and about $100) to find the right one, but I found it, darn it! And, I still use my Google calendar, mostly for the reminders and so I don't have to carry the mammoth planner I ended up purchasing; I can find everything on my phone.  I have been thinking of how I spend my time. Now that I'm a business owner, I sometimes have a hard time shutting down and not working. I'm really good at making sure all client work is completed first. But when it comes to promoting and marketing K2C and the Twenty Won book, well that's often times another story. Before I know it, it's been HOURS and I haven't moved or taken a sip of water.
Do you find yourself in a "time suck" - sort of spending too much time on something that you shouldn't? Do you skip over the things you need to do and find yourself doing things you want to do? I'm curious, when it comes to both your professional and personal lives, in the last year... ... how was your time best spent? ... what did you waste the most time on? ... if you could re-do a period of time, what would it be - and what would you do differently? Share with me! Leave a comment or send me an email: Kelli@K2CreativeLLC.com... if you have time! ;) xo ~ Kel Anyone who downloaded or picked up a copy of Twenty Won and read my chapter, From Imposter to Inspiration, knows that Imposter Syndrome has plagued me for years.  pexels.com From my chapter: "On daily walks, I found myself thinking more and more about what my next move needed to be... But that imposter syndrome kept nagging at me. Could I do it? Was I good enough? I always dreamt of being a writer. I grew up creating notebooks full of never-completed novels and teen angst poetry, long gone in some landfill." I believe you have to believe... in yourself. That's not easy though, is it? We are our biggest critic. But, once I believed these key points, I started to snap out of Imposter Syndrome. I believe I ... ... can achieve results. ... care deeply enough about other's success to perform at my best. ... care deeply enough about MY success and reputation to perform at my best. ... am passionate about what I do and in what I provide for my clients. ... am a constantly evolving individual and I want to continue to learn something new each day!  pexels.com I knew that people enjoyed reading what I wrote, and they came to me to help them "pretty up" their thoughts and get their ideas and feelings out of their heads and on to paper. For as silly as it sounds, I'd say my writing career (unpaid) kicked off with helping friends and family write everything from Facebook posts, to letters of dissatisfaction when a purchase didn't pan out, to wedding and business speeches, and more! I had been writing for YEARS, just not as an official "writer", "author", or "content creator". Writing and making lists is like therapy for me. If I love doing it, shouldn't I be paid for it? Can't I make it a "job"? "Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life." So I did it. Between May 2020 and May 2021 I managed to: 💢 start a business from scratch (K2 Creative officially launched in June 2020) - and I've worked with over a dozen clients to date! 💢 add two amazing friends to my team. 💢curate and contribute the introduction, conclusion, and a chapter to Twenty Won, an anthology of 21 female entrepreneurs. 21 chapters. 21 bios. 21 headshots. In FOUR months. 💢create a partnership with my incredible writing coach and editor, Cori Wamsley, and her hybrid publishing company, Aurora Corialis Publishing. 💢 walk about 25 miles a week, well beyond what I need to reach my 800 mile goal for 2021.  unsplash.com Sitting idle isn't something I enjoy... and helping others is something I love.
Expanding my business and helping others become successful are big goals for me. So if you're living in "Stucksville" (Credit to my friend Merilee Smith - life coach and drama disruptor at Coach with Merilee - for coining that phrase! She also contributed a chapter to Twenty Won, Ditch Drama and Take Charge of Your Story.), reach out to me! I'd love to have a chat with you and help you get out of your head and into something that brings you joy, lights a fire within you, and simply makes you happy! You just never know what can come out of a 30 minute conversation! Kelli@K2CreativeLLC.com XO Kel  Today is the KICK OFF of Twenty Won in 21 - a video series, hosted by Mj Callaway. Mj is interviewing all 21 authors in the Twenty Won book, and you’re invited to join us! The anthology, Twenty Won, will be available by digital download on Amazon on Wednesday, April 21… for FREE! I will send an email on 4/20 as a reminder and with the link! Please download it, read it, and leave a review. It would mean the world to 21 female entrepreneurs who have given their all to tell their stories of business (and personal) success during the 2020 global pandemic. A very special thank you goes out to the incredible and influential women who took time out of their busy lives to read and share their thoughts on the book. Praise for Twenty Won is posted on the official website, check it out!  Let’s talk podcasts! K2C has been compiling a list of podcasts for opportunities for the Twenty Won authors and for K2C clients. We’ve found a niche with female entrepreneurs and small business owners from multiple industries who have the background and knowledge to be a guest on podcasts. Do you have a favorite podcast? Do you host a podcast? Do you need guests for your podcast? I can connect you with female entrepreneurs, authors, coaches, speakers, and more: Kelli@K2CreativeLLC.com And, Mj Callaway and I will appear on the Learning From Smart People Podcast hosted by Rob Oliver on April 20. Follow his show here. K2C - “Seen and Heard” Learning from Smart People Podcast Hosted by Rob Oliver (April 20, 2021) CarolRoth.com - Tough Love for Business GoJaneGoTravels.com - Business Travel During a Pandemic Do you enjoy the NicKEL newsletter?
Sign up to keep receiving it here! Your support is greatly appreciated! Until next time, XO Kel We did it! Rob and I received our first dose of the Moderna vaccine today. I had mixed emotions. I still do. Our daughter has both doses (She's a PhD student working in a biology lab) and my mom has had her first dose. We know a lot of people who have had one or both doses. We know a lot of people who are logging in daily trying to find a place to get theirs. We know people who are considering exaggerating or lying about medical conditions to get one. And we know a lot of people who say they aren't getting it... ever.  Image via Pexels.com How do we know that this is safe? We don't.
How do we know about long-term effects? We don't know that either. Which is better... Moderna? Pfizer? J & J? No idea. Then WHY did I get it? I trust science. I trust that this is better than the alternative - better than getting COVID. After having H1N1 nearly a decade ago, I don't want to risk another infection of this sort... Something that damages my lungs and could possibly put me in the hospital. Not being able to breathe isn't fun, trust me. Other questions I ponder: What if there wasn't such political divide when COVID entered our country? What if we didn't have social media? How different would this pandemic be without those two factors? Besides having a sore arm, I feel fine - thank God. So, now we wait. Four weeks and we go back for dose #2. Stay tuned. I'll update accordingly. Stay safe. Wear a mask. xo Kel |
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