Why Developers From OKC to California Hire an Atlanta PR Firm

We’re known for being the go-to PR, social media and content firm for commercial real estate, particularly for mixed-use developments and all of the work that goes into getting one of these communities off the ground and setting it up for future success. Avalon in Metro Atlanta. Fenton in NC’s Triangle. OAK in Oklahoma City. Other projects in Colorado, South Carolina, New Jersey and California, all while we’re based in Georgia. A client recently said, “People always ask why we use a firm out of Atlanta for our social media, but no one gets this process like you do.”

I understand why people ask that question. Each of these markets has talented, local marketing firms that I’m sure would be happy to handle the PR, social media and content programs for these projects. But there are a few reasons why clients all over the country have been coming to us.

1. We have a proven track record of generating buzz for a mixed-use community from the very beginning. The development process and all its phases – zoning, approvals, financing, groundbreaking, retail leasing, multifamily leasing, building community goodwill, event promotion – typically stretches over years and each specific step requires its own communications tactics. It’s a true B2B/B2C approach and firms without specific CRE experience might struggle to keep up with all the moving parts, or fail to reach the right audiences. 
2. To be frank, a lot of mixed-use marketing falls short. We see it all the time in our competitive analyses, and we’ve been hired before when a local marketing agency was struggling to generate meaningful engagement. Typically, a few things are happening here. Content creation is often lacking, with boring stock photos and generic reposts from tenants. A project in Colorado posting photos from Free People’s social media that are staged on the beach, for example. To stand out, mixed-use centers need to invest in customized, engaging content with a true social media strategy. Just because your marketing team is local doesn’t mean they’re willing to come onsite and spend the time needed to create that authentic content. Even if we have to fly out to do it, we prioritize this. The same goes for PR – placing meaningful curated media stories in the right outlets vs. just blasting out generic media alerts makes a difference. Recently, OAK in Oklahoma City wanted to attract more visitors from drive markets like Dallas and Tulsa, so we invited reporters from Tulsa People Magazine, D Magazine and The Journal Record to spend a few days at Lively Hotel on OAK and write a story about it.
3. We are efficient, even out of market. We do extensive market research. We appoint partners onsite to help us gather content during events. We consult on photography shotlists. We plan dedicated content visits to bank dozens of videos we can use long-term. We hire local UGC creators. Our content strategies allow us to ensure ongoing engagement through a variety of tactics and leverage multiple authentic POVs, making for a great story.

The truth is, not all marketing strategies are created equal. It can be worth investing in the people who “get it,” even if they aren’t in your local market.