Heather Ripley, a Maryville native, recently launched Ripley PR, a business-to-business (B2B) public relations agency. The agency – offering a full range of strategic communication services, including crisis management, media relations, and social media strategies – will specialize in construction, healthcare IT, franchising and manufacturing.
Ripley has more than 14 years of experience in marketing, sales, journalism, and public relations. Over the course of her diverse career which has included executive positions with several agencies and corporations, she has created and executed successful PR and marketing campaigns for small start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations.
“I’ve found that many businesses operating in a B2B environment don’t effectively use public relations,” she said. “Most businesses know they need to maintain a good reputation, but they don’t realize that third-party credibility can also help with lead generation and even shorten the sales cycle.”
Creating public relations and marketing strategies for B2B products or services can be more technical and complex than marketing to consumers, she said.
“Buyers of B2B products are looking for a solution to a problem. Unlike business-to-consumer, you’re usually marketing to more than one individual, and the sales cycle is much longer,” she said. “Sometimes the person needing the solution isn’t the actual decision maker, but they can sway the purchasing decision. It’s important to turn technical, sophisticated jargon into clear messaging that resonates with multiple audiences.”
Ripley says her goal is to support companies trying to reach a national audience and to exceed their expectations.
“Clients want a return on their investment whether it’s an increase in website traffic, demo downloads, webinar attendance, or lead generation,” she said. “I take that very seriously.”
In 2011, Ripley won the Florida Public Relations Association’s Thomas E. Nunan “Rising Star of the Year” award. She serves on the board of directors for Appalachian Bear Rescue and Keep Blount Beautiful. For more information about Ripley PR, visit www.ripleypr.com.
About Ripley PR
Founded in 2013, Ripley PR is a Maryville-based B2B public relations agency using a blend of strategic business accounting and creative public relations branding to deliver measurable results. Specializing in construction, healthcare, franchising and manufacturing, the agency offers a full range of strategic communication services, including crisis management, media relations, and social media strategies. For more information, visit www.ripleypr.com or call 865.712.7175.