In B2B Marketing: Tomorrow’s Best Practices Today, we feature expert interviews about the state of B2B Marketing and what the future holds. In this post, I interview Nicole Rodrigues, Founder and CEO, NRPR Group.
Tell us about yourself?
I am Founder and CEO of NRPR Group, an award winning full-service PR and strategic marketing agency, and the Young Dreamers Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to inspiring today’s youth to become the leaders of tomorrow.
I’m host of the YouTube show, Beverly Hills Boss, and author of Beverly Hills Boss, the book. I am also a mom to a teenage daughter, and mentor and coach to my team.
Note: Follow Nicole on Twitter (@NicoleRPR).
Watch a recent episode of “Beverly Hills Boss”:
Tell us about your background in B2B marketing?
I started in marketing at an enterprise software company.
I briefly left tech marketing to pursue an internship with the Oakland Raiders, where I learned consumer, sports and entertainment PR strategy. I returned to B2B as PR manager at MOBITV, and Senior PR Manager at Voce Communications until recruited by Demand Media as a Director of Consumer Marketing.
I served as the VP of digital entertainment at Bender/Helper. In 2014, I left Bender/Helper to start the NRPR Group. The skills needed for B2B and B2C are very similar and involve telling stories that address the pain points the product or service is solving for its audiences, whether the audience is the ultimate consumer, or an organization that will sell to an end user.
Sadly, we’re in the midst of a global pandemic. How are you and your team doing?
In times of crisis, you need to ask yourself, “Am I going to be a warrior or a scared sheep?” At NRPR Group, we have made the commitment to be warriors. Those who work in an office have always worked at home on Fridays and we have some employees who always telecommute, so we were prepared to work at home with laptops, Google G Suite, texting, and messaging apps during this difficult time.
A quarantine is a good time for reflection and to figure out who you truly want to be, where you want to go, and how you are going to get there.
We have always started each day with a “Fire Up” email through which we share our priorities for the day and end the day with a “Fire Down” email in which we share what we have accomplished.
This is now supplemented by a “Daily Fire Up” video chat to say good morning, chat informally and discuss priorities. The team uses a messaging app to share quick messages.
We are also focused on new business and helping existing clients to weather the storm. A quarantine is a good time for reflection and to figure out who you truly want to be, where you want to go, and how you are going to get there.
This applies to individuals and businesses. We have adapted quite well and look forward to being back together in person.
What aspect of public relations are most PR firms NOT practicing, but should be?
NRPR proactively seeks opportunities for clients and builds relationships with media based on respect, two things which many agencies do not do, but should.
Many agencies take the shortcut or lazy way to try to achieve goals for clients. Public relations is not issuing a press release and seeing which media outlets run it. I have learned to respect editors and know that without media, PR people wouldn’t have jobs.
Respect entails taking the time to research their outlets, audience and coverage before pitching, with the goal of starting a genuine relationship with them and pitching them with enough embargo time for them to compile a story. Working closely with clients, the NRPR team finds creative ways to tell clients’ stories.
Tell us about your new book?
In the “Beverly Hills Boss,” I explain how you can become the boss of your life, journey, and destiny by sharing my story of how as a young girl I had a dream and despite the odds against me made my dreams happen, and how you can, too.
Rather than dwelling on the past, the “what ifs,” and “what could have been,” I focused on the right now and to-dos.
Whether you are a student, a young professional, an entrepreneur who runs or wants to start a business, a PR boss or boss of your own destiny, Beverly Hills Boss provides tips and other resources to develop necessary leadership and life skills.
Readers will be motivated and inspired to overcome any challenges that are currently standing in the way of their dreams! Beverly Hills Boss is available in paperback on Amazon and as a digital ebook on the book’s website.
Tell us about your time working for the Oakland Raiders?
All through college, I had the dream of doing Public Relations for the Oakland Raiders (now the Las Vegas Raiders).
When I decided I wanted to leave my job in tech PR and go after this dream, I strategized, researched, and prepared for the role.
I was hired as an intern and worked days, nights and weekends to show my commitment and willingness to learn.
I moved from intern to Player Development Coordinator and trained the players on how to speak with the media. I also wrote content for the website and did all I could to enhance the Raiders’ image.
My goal at the Raiders and in any job I have held was to learn as much as I could from my mentors and experts in the field. At the same time, as I was working in the office, I auditioned and earned a spot as a Raiderette cheerleader.
Favorite restaurants in L.A.?
Avra in Beverly Hills. Can’t say enough about the vibe and the food. It’s all great!
Mastro’s and Wally’s in Beverly Hills are two other favorites. For a quick bite, Urth Cafe on Every is my go-to.
Want to have a conversation about social media? Let’s talk.