Category: In the Press

MONTCLAIR, N.J., Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Violet PR, a New Jersey-based public relations agency specializing in economic development, has been selected to represent the North Carolina Community College System’s (NCCCS) Economic Development Division. The agency will execute a national public relations campaign to raise awareness of the NCCCS’ workforce development programs in the areas of customized training, apprenticeship, small business development and more.

Specifically, the Violet PR team will highlight the role NCCCS’ workforce development initiatives play in helping businesses choose to locate and expand in North Carolina.

“The North Carolina Community College System has long been a critical asset to our state’s economic growth and workforce development. This national campaign will help highlight the vital work that we do in collaboration with local businesses and colleges to develop a highly skilled, adaptable workforce that drives our economy forward,” said John Loyack, the vice president of economic development for the North Carolina Community College System.

With a strong understanding of the nation’s economic and workforce development climate, NCCCS sought out the agency to ensure that the most-desired business decision makers would be reached through their public relations campaign.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the North Carolina Community System and raise further awareness about its workforce development programs that have become key to the state’s economic development success,” said April Mason, the president of Violet PR. “NCCCS has quietly been one of the nation’s top workforce development engines for nearly 50 years, and our team looks forward to amplifying awareness of its impact on the country’s transitioning workforce demands.”

One component of the NCCCS workforce development work worthy of national and international attention is the NCEdge customized training program. Nearly 30,000 North Carolinians received training through this program in the past year alone. The program has been emulated by many other states, but often goes unnoticed by decision makers in the state.

According to Betty Silver, the associate vice president of the NCEdge program, “At NCEdge, we understand that workforce development is the backbone of economic growth. Through our customized training programs, in collaboration with our community colleges and businesses across North Carolina, we are preparing individuals to not only meet the current needs of industry but to thrive in the future economy. Partnering with Violet PR gives us a powerful platform to share the success and impact of these initiatives, and we’re excited to showcase how NCEdge continues to fuel North Carolina’s workforce and economic progress.”

In addition to the North Carolina Community College System, Violet PR represents the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the states of Georgia, New Jersey and Oklahoma; the metros of Buffalo, New York; Kansas City, Missouri; Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania; Newark, New Jersey; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Topeka, Kansas.

About Violet PR

Whether it’s rebranding a city, drawing attention to a revitalized neighborhood, or promoting a new sustainable development, Violet PR helps clients make a difference. Through a combination of news stories, social media and compelling content, our New Jersey-based boutique public relations firm helps clients attract more dollars and supporters. For more information visit http://www.violetpr.com.

About the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS)

The North Carolina Community College System is a network of 58 community colleges created to improve the quality of life across North Carolina by opening the door to opportunities that minimize barriers to post-secondary education, maximize student success, and develop a globally and multi-culturally competent workforce. The Economic Development team provides education, training, and support services for new, expanding, and existing business and industry in all 100 North Carolina counties through the network of 58 community colleges. Learn more at  http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/businesses.

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) featured a byline written by Account Executive Claudia Velaquez in their October DEI issue, focusing on the campaign that attracted diverse families to Topeka, Kansas.

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MONTCLAIR, N.J., Aug. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — New Jersey-based public relations firm Violet PR is proud to announce it has been named to Inc. Magazine’s annual Inc. 5000 list. These rankings recognize the fastest-growing privately-held companies across the United States, and are broken up by industry, region and state.

Founded in 2010, Violet PR is a leading boutique public relations firm committed to supporting clients making a difference in their communities, and a positive impact in the world. A certified woman-owned business (WBE) and LGBT Business Enterprise, Violet PR specializes in economic development and also works with clients in the architecture, engineering and real estate spaces.

After collecting data from thousands of submissions, companies on the Inc. 5000 list are ranked according to the percentage of revenue growth. This correlates to the businesses making notable positive impact on the United States economy. Violet PR was ranked at #291 in the Advertising & Marketing Category, and #61 across all of New Jersey.

“We are thrilled to be named to 2024’s Inc. 5000 list. Over the past year, the Violet PR team has doubled down on growing our business and supporting even more clients committed to making a difference,” says April Mason, founder and president of Violet PR. “Our team has expanded to 14 full-time employees, and we’ve onboarded a number of new clients in the past year. This recognition proves our continued commitment to doing meaningful work.”

In the past year, Violet PR’s growth was supported by onboarding several new clients including the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), Switzerland Global Enterprise and The Connell Company.

About Violet PR

Whether it’s rebranding a city, drawing attention to a revitalized neighborhood, or promoting a new sustainable development, Violet PR helps clients make a difference. Through a combination of news stories, social media and compelling content, our New Jersey-based boutique public relations firm helps clients attract more dollars and supporters. Follow Violet PR @Violet__PR. For more information visit: http://www.violetpr.com.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2024 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2020. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2023. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2020 is $100,000; the minimum for 2023 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places.

About Inc.

Inc. Business Media is the leading multimedia brand for entrepreneurs. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of our community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating our future. Inc.’s award-winning work achieves a monthly brand footprint of more than 40 million across a variety of channels, including events, print, digital, video, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. Its proprietary Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since its launch as the Inc. 100 in 1982, analyzes company data to rank the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The recognition that comes with inclusion on this and other prestigious Inc. lists, such as Female Founders and Power Partners, gives the founders of top businesses the opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

Media Contact
Holly Burns, Violet PR, 6465863007, holly@violetpr.com, https://www.violetpr.com/

Ragan Communications featured Violet PR President April Mason in their “How I Got Here” series, offering her career story and insight on the future of public relations in the modern media landscape.

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MONTCLAIR, N.J., July 1, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — New Jersey-based public relations firm Violet PR earned six gold awards in the esteemed 2024 Bulldog PR Awards – the only national PR awards program judged exclusively by journalists. Violet PR won ‘Best Industry-Focused Agency,’ ‘Best Business to Business Campaign,’ ‘Best Community Engagement Campaign,’ ‘Best Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives Campaign,’ ‘Best Global Campaign,’ and ‘Most Innovative Media Relations Campaign.’

“It’s an incredible honor that our agency – comprised of just 13 full-time employees – won so many top accolades in this year’s competition,” said April Mason, founder and president of Violet PR. “We uncovered and told national stories about clean energy, immigration and aerospace from places that often go overlooked, including Oklahoma, North Carolina, Kansas and Missouri.”

Violet PR was named the nation’s ‘Best Industry-Focused Agency’ due to its growth from a small practice into a nationally recognized agency specializing in economic development. In 2023, Violet PR onboarded prominent clients including the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Arlington Economic Development, Invest Newark, Newark Alliance, and the Sugar Land Office of Economic Development. The same year, Violet PR’s largest clients received more than 1,000 news stories and earned over 10 billion impressions.

The firm’s impactful work with Topeka, Kansas, earned gold awards in the ‘Best Community Engagement Campaign’ and ‘Best Diversity & Inclusion Campaign’ categories. With more than 4,000 open jobs and many resources for Spanish speakers, the Greater Topeka Partnership engaged Violet PR to promote the city to legal Hispanic immigrants. Violet PR secured 26 feature stories in English news outlets and 43 in Spanish news outlets about the city’s assets, including The Wall Street Journal, Telemundo, NBC News, The Washington Post and Governing.

“Violet PR has helped put Topeka on the map as a welcoming place for all,” said Bob Ross, senior vice president of marketing, communications, events & analytics at the Greater Topeka Partnership. “Our community leaders are thrilled with the media coverage. We look forward to sharing more stories through Violet PR for years to come.”

Other awards included:

• Best Business to Business Campaign (gold) – “North Carolina’s Clean Energy Boom” on behalf of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC)
• Best Global Campaign (gold) – “Oklahoma: North America’s Ideal Location for Global Business” on behalf of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce
• Most Innovative Media Relations Campaign (gold) – “Flyover Country No More: Putting Kansas City on the Map” on behalf of the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC)

The 2024 Bulldog PR Awards, which rank the most outstanding PR and communications campaigns, celebrate public relations and communication excellence. It is the only national public relations contest judged exclusively by working journalists. The judges evaluate the entries based on creativity, originality, strategy, execution and results.

About Violet PR

Whether it’s rebranding a city, drawing attention to a revitalized neighborhood, or promoting a new sustainable development, Violet PR helps clients make a difference. Through a combination of news stories, social media and compelling content, our New Jersey-based boutique public relations firm helps clients attract more dollars and supporters. Follow Violet PR @Violet__PR. For more information visit: http://www.violetpr.com.

About Bulldog Reporter

Bulldog Reporter has been providing news, best practices, and insights to PR and communications professionals since 1980. Filled with insights on topics critical to PR pros and communicators, including media relations, crisis communications, influencer marketing, and many other topics you won’t find anywhere else, the Bulldog Reporter email newsletter brings you compelling and relevant articles, plus timely updates about journalist moves and agency news so you can stay on top of your PR game. The Bulldog PR Awards, the only PR awards program judged exclusively by working journalists, are run by Bulldog Reporter and celebrate the best and brightest in corporate communications and public relations. Bulldog Reporter and the Bulldog PR Awards are a subsidiary of Agility PR Solutions, a provider of media outreach, monitoring, and measurement solutions for PR and communication professionals. For more information visit http://www.bulldogawards.com.

New Jersey-based boutique public relations firm Violet PR won the 2024 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Silver Anvil Award for “Best Boutique Agency” at this year’s Anvil ceremony in New York City. The firm, which specializes in economic development, also won the Bronze Anvil Award for its Greater Topeka Partnership campaign and an Award of Commendation for its work for the Kansas City Area Development Council. Each year, the Anvil Awards honor the best communications programs planned and executed by agencies across the nation.

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MONTCLAIR, N.J., Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Violet PR, a New Jersey-based public relations firm specializing in economic development, has been selected to represent the Sugar Land Office of Economic Development (SLOED). The agency will develop and execute an integrated marketing program leveraging media relations, digital media and site selection expertise to position Sugar Land, Texas, as an ideal location for business investment.

The Violet PR team will highlight the city’s new developments and key sectors, including life sciences and manufacturing. Sugar Land is home to 20 biotechnology companies, 19 corporate headquarters and eight advanced manufacturing companies. Just 20 minutes southwest of downtown Houston, Sugar Land boasts 8.9 million square feet of industrial property, 8 million square feet of retail and 7.9 million square feet of office real estate.

“This partnership underscores our commitment to helping communities achieve their economic development objectives,” said April Mason, president and founder of Violet PR. “From the transformation of the Imperial Sugar building, the city’s namesake, to the innovative life sciences programs at the University of Houston’s Sugar Land campus, this community has many exciting stories to tell.”

Sugar Land’s redevelopments include Imperial Sugar, a 181-year-old sugar manufacturing facility now being transformed into a $1 billion mixed-use center. Last fall, the University of Houston’s local campus broke ground on a $65 million academic building which will include 75,000 square feet of wet/dry/computer labs, classrooms, and conference spaces for biomedical and chemical engineering degrees.

“As we work towards advancing our economic development goals and strengthening our national brand, we believe that Violet PR’s expertise will play a crucial role in showcasing Sugar Land’s strengths, attracting investment, and fostering growth within our community,” said Alba Pennate-Johnson, assistant director of economic development and tourism for the Sugar Land Economic Development Office.

In addition to Sugar Land, Violet PR represents the states of Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina and Oklahoma, and the metros of Arlington, Va.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Kansas City, Mo.; the Lehigh Valley, Pa.; Newark, N.J.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Topeka, Kan.

About Violet PR

Whether rebranding a city, drawing attention to a revitalized neighborhood, or promoting a new sustainable development, Violet PR helps clients make a difference. Through a combination of news stories, social media and compelling content, the New Jersey-based boutique public relations firm helps clients attract more dollars and supporters.

Violet PR has won more than 50 accolades in the last three years, including “Best in Show” at the 2022 and 2023 Public Relations Society of America New Jersey Pyramid awards. The firm was named “Best Boutique Agency” by PR News and Bulldog Reporter in 2022, and in 2023, April Mason was named to NJBIZ’s “Best 50 Women in Business” list. Follow Violet PR on Instagram and LinkedIn. For more information, visit http://www.violetpr.com.

About Sugar Land Office of Economic Development (SLOED)

The Sugar Land Office of Economic Development (SLOED) serves as Sugar Land, Texas’ economic development organization. SLOED focuses on cultivating a thriving business community, driving economic growth and enhancing the quality of life within the region through industries including life sciences, advanced manufacturing, business and professional services and information technology. For more information, visit http://www.sugarlandecodev.com/.

Each week on “PR Champions,” Daily Ad Brief’s host talks to PR experts across the country. This week, the host spoke with Violet PR President April Mason. Read more below!

What is one PR strategy you recommend our audience to use in their business?

Violet PR has found success by working with clients that we can stand behind. We search for clients that make a positive impact on the communities around them and work to help them tell their stories. Having this personal interest in the work our clients are doing helps us to feel more motivated, and makes us proud when we see those results rolling in.

How does your PR strategy change from working with a local advertising client to a national advertising client?

Violet PR does public relations— we reach out to journalists on behalf of our clients. Where advertising falls under paid media, our work falls under earned media, meaning we do not pay for any placements our clients get. We work with a wide range of journalists in local markets as well as national markets. Our PR strategy changes greatly when working with local or national media. With local media, we leverage our existing relationships within the state or region to show the impact that our client has in that market. For national media, we work to showcase why the work our client is doing is important and outline the interest their readers would have in the story.

What is the biggest mistake you see people make when pitching the media?

The biggest mistake we see people make while pitching the media is targeting the wrong publications. A big part of public relations is understanding how to reach the audience you are looking for. The best way to do this is to have a specialized media list built from extensive research. You can have the best pitch in the world, but if you send it to the wrong people, the story will never get picked up. Having a specialized media list will always be more powerful than a larger broad list.

Violet PR Account Director Christina Forrest spoke with PR News, offering insight into best practices for media relations. Check out her insight in the article below!

PR trades, including PRNEWS, expound on authenticity’s virtues. Yet authenticity is a two-way street and includes journalists. So, here’s a confession: sometimes a media relations tactic routinely hated and long derided in surveys actually works.

It’s called spray and pray pitching and sometimes spammy pitching. A sub-category of it has a media relations person sending a large, automated list of journalists a pitch touting an expert source. Sometimes the pitch is repeated. For weeks and months. Same ‘expert;’ usually the same pitcher.

Perfect World

“The best situation, of course, is when a pitcher who’s worked previously with a journalist crafts a personal pitch,” says Christina Forrest, a director at Violet PR. “Our highest chance of getting coverage,” she says, “is building and maintaining great relationships with journalists.” Accordingly, she believes “bulk outreach” or blind pitching, which ignores recent time spent with a journalist, “runs the risk of damaging that relationship.”

Read the full article here.

Violet PR President, April Mason, was quoted in this PR News article, sharing her views on the pay gap between public relations professionals and journalists and how it affects her media relations strategies.

We know the ranks of media members is declining, of course. Perhaps less known is that the number of PR pros also fell, at least last year.

In 2020, there were 244,550 PR pros in the U.S. That number was down slightly, to 242,710 last year. Similarly, media’s rolls fell, from 41,580 (2020) to 39,080 (2021).

As you can see from the above figures, the oft-mentioned uneven ratio of PR pros to content producers remains. It now stands at 6.2 PR pros to every one journalist. That’s a slight change from 2020, when it was 5.8 to 1.

These data seem to imply not only are more PR pros chasing fewer content people, but each media member is following a greater number of stories than previously. Several surveys reinforce this trend.

“For Violet PR president April Mason the uneven ratio of PR pros to journalists means communicators “need to be smarter than ever in how we approach” press. “We don’t want to bombard them, but instead be a resource.”

And since content producers are pressed for time, they no longer have the luxury of doing interviews on spec. As such, Mason advises delivering well-developed stories that meet audience needs and don’t require media members to spend hours on research.

Read the full article here.