Kathleen loves talking to people, certainly an asset in her role as a communicator. Her daily conversations with clients, journalists, and colleagues inform her work and spark ideas that result in impactful placements, awards, and higher visibility for her clients.
She takes the time to dig into the essence of her clients’ professions, expertise and personalities to identify opportunities, uncover trends and pitch original ideas that strike a chord with journalists.
At Epoch 5 Public Relations, Kathleen has represented a diversity of clients including professional services, real estate, health and fitness, senior care, and large not-for-profit agencies. She has received three national communications industry awards and was named among the Top 50 Women in Business on Long Island.
Kathleen has secured prominent placements for her clients in major media in the New York Metro area and other U.S. cities including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday and other top daily newspapers as well as television interviews, webinars, blogs, and bylined articles. She has written many award winning nominations for clients.
One of her most memorable projects, for which she earned the Public Relations Professionals of Long Island “PR Campaign of the Year” award for Epoch 5, was bringing journalists from around the globe to the world premiere of the international photo exhibit “Journeys to School,” at the United Nations Visitor Centre in New York City. “Journeys to School” follows children from all over the world as they travel to school on foot, by boat, pedi-bus, donkey, bicycle and other modes of transportation.
How do you see your business evolving due to the changing times?
The digital age has had a profound effect on public relations and marketing, revolutionizing the way humans communicate. PR at its most basic is about storytelling, and the industry has embraced non-traditional media to tell its stories.
Content is king. In addition to pitching journalists, editors, and photographers in print and electronic media, Epoch 5 engages with editors and producers of blogs, podcasts, and webinars; create and maintain social media accounts for clients, shoot video and photos, and write original content. More of the stories we place include video.
As a result of staff cuts at newsrooms, journalists rely more than ever on high-quality content and strong PR support. Industry trade publications operate with only a handful of people and look for contributed content. Well-written, informative bylined articles and guest columns are welcomed.
Social media is not just changing the way PR professionals operate, it’s changing the way journalists create and distribute content, with particular consideration of a story’s life after print.
Instagram and Facebook are a potent way to engage clients and customers in inventive, fun and memorable ways. Photos, videos and other original or reposted content entices followers to share, widening exposure to potential customers.
Reputation management is critical in our digital age. Word travels quickly and minor missteps can be amplified in seconds on social media.
A crisis management plan is essential, even if it just identifies who will take action and what their roles will be. Strategic public relations helps clients solidify their reputations ahead of a crisis, can help avert a crisis, and can help manage the repercussions of a crisis.
Advice for Business Owners
Today’s business climate demands that we embrace change, innovation, and flexibility.
As markets shift along with customer demands and competition, it is more important than ever to tell your story in a way that is strategic, goal-oriented, and connects you with your customer and client base to build and burnish your brand.
