chris macdonald: social media | media relations | pr portfolio
DESCRIPTION
If your company can benefit from higher visibility, more media exposure and increase customer engagement...read on. This portfolio showcases Chris' successes designing media outreach and social media campaigns for Dairy Queen, BJ's Warehouse and small businesses across South Florida. It also includes his successes consulting businesses on content/social media strategy and media relations. Three PR firms’ presidents have entrusted Chris with their clients' social media plans – you can too. Email Chris about affordable freelance services: [email protected].TRANSCRIPT
The presidents of (3) PR firms in S. Florida have trusted me to manage their clients’ social media and media relations. If your company needs
higher visibility, more media exposure, and increased customer engagement, email me at [email protected].
CHRIS MACDONALD
SOCIAL MEDIA, PR AND
MEDIA RELATIONS PORTFOLIO
PIERSON GRANT PR FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
MAR – JUL 2013
OJ Grad Twitter Campaign: May–June 2013 Tweets to 105 Schools and Their Prominent Graduation Speakers
VERSION 1:
@Oprah: We join you w/ hats off to @Harvard grads! DQOJGrad.com
VERSION 2:
@Oprah: @Harvard grads can celebrate tossing this up! DQOJGrad.com
OJ Grad Twitter Campaign: May–June 2013 Retweet to Nearly 1.5M Followers by Deepak Chopra
RETWEETED TO DEEPAK’S NEARLY 1.5M FOLLOWERS
OJ Grad Twitter Campaign: May–June 2013 Retweet to 840K+ Followers by Katie Couric
RETWEETED TO KATIE’S 840K+ FOLLOWERS
OJ Grad Twitter Campaign: May–June 2013 Retweet to 348K+ Followers by NBC News’ Chuck Todd
RETWEETED TO CHUCK’S 348K+ FOLLOWERS
Graduation cap artwork downloads from DQOJGrad.com – 345
OJ Grad Twitter Campaign: May–June 2013 19 Retweets Exposed 2.8M+ Twitter Users to Orange Julius
DQ $5 Buck Lunch Campaign: April–June 2013
Outreach to Local Print (zoom in to read article)
DQ $5 Buck Lunch Campaign: April–June 2013
Outreach to Food Bloggers (zoom in to read article)
DQ $5 Buck Lunch Campaign: April–June 2013
Outreach to Deal / Budget Bloggers (zoom in to read article)
DQ $5 Buck Lunch Campaign: April–June 2013
Outreach to Hyperlocal Bloggers (zoom in to read article)
DQ $5 Buck Lunch Campaign: April–June 2013 Placements – 56
Gift Cards Used – 3
HYPERLOCAL SITES: 1. Newark - Patch.com 2. Royal Oak - Patch.com 3. Ballwin-Ellisville - Patch.com 4. East Windsor - Patch.com 5. Channahon-Minooka - Patch.com 6. Port Washington - Patch.com 7. Cranford - Patch.com 8. New Port Richey - Patch.com 9. Apple Valley-Rosemount - Patch.com 10. Mehlville-Oakville - Patch.com 11. Concord - Patch.com 12. Emmaus - Patch.com 13. Horsham - Patch.com 14. Roswell - Patch.com 15. Dearborn - Patch.com 16. Scarsdale - Patch.com 17. Owingsmills - Patch.com 18. Chelmsford - Patch.com 19. Dacula - Patch.com 20. Woodbury - Patch.com 21. Iowa City - Patch.com
LOCAL PRINT SITES: 1. St. Louis Post-Dispatch 2. Columbus Dispatch 3. The Buffalo News 4. Greenville News-Record
FOOD / RESTAURANT SITES, BLOGS & TRADES: 1. Restaurants.com 2. ManReviewsFood.com 3. FastFoodGeek.com 4. SWMichiganDining.com 5. Foodmate.com 6. MeatPoultry.com 7. BrandEating.com 8. MyrtleBeachRestaurantNews.com
DEAL / COUPON / MOM SITES & BLOGS: 1. ChicagoOnTheCheap.com 2. MyrtleBeachOnTheCheap.com 3. PikesPeakOnTheCheap.com 4. IndianapolisOnTheCheap.com 5. ColumbusOnTheCheap.com 6. MileHighOnTheCheap.com 7. WichitaOnTheCheap.com 8. KansasCityOnTheCheap.com 9. MyOKCMommy.com 10. LittleRockMommy.com 11. MyMemphisMommy.com 12. MyMilwaukeeMommy.com 13. ColoradoDealDaddy.com 14. Drew Durigan's 'Cheapo Life' Blog 15. PocketYourDollars.com 16. FunReviewsAndGiveaways.com 17. MySweetSavings.com 18. BeFrugal.com 19. RetailMeNot 20. JournalExpress.net Coupons 21. LivingOnTheCheap.com 22. SeekBuySell.com 23. DN Buster’s Place
BLOOM PR BOCA RATON, FL
AUG. 2012 – PRESENT
Bloom PR: Mr. Bistro Restaurant Launch Development of Social Media Campaigns
Note: See separate page for Facebook plan. Campaign will also include posting menu on delivery sites (such as GrubHub and AllMenus.com), OpenTable, Google Places, Yelp, UrbanSpoon, etc.
You Should Know: • Leveraging Visual Appeal:
o An executive chef crafts visually stunning meals daily. Show off! o We will need photos of every item on your menu – meals, drinks,
desserts and sides. o We will store the photos on a Mr. Bistro Flickr account. This will
allow us to link back to individual photos or slideshows. o Ideally, a link to a Flickr slideshow of lunch items would be placed
on MrBistro.com beside the lunch menu, dinner next to dinner, etc.
• Maximizing Social Media Efforts: o A small poster showing your social media accounts should be
prominently placed, perhaps on the front of the hostess stand. o The poster should encourage guests to interact with you (discount
for check in on FourSquare, tweet about their experience, and rate you on Yelp/UrbanSpoon).
o Cards with this information could be included on each table.
Twitter: • Note: Particularly early on, the quality of your followers is much more
important than the quantity. There’s no sense having followers who won’t eat at your restaurant or can’t because they’re not local.
• Let’s revisit your profile description. • Post 2-4 times a day, 7 days a week. For convenience, we can schedule
your tweets. • Post when people are hungry and mulling their options: 11 a.m. (lunch),
3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (dinner)
• Each tweet should include: o A value proposition (lunch special, discount, etc.) o A photo. On a crowded screen of text-only tweets, tweets with
photos catch the eye. o End all tweets with #MrBistro and #SoFla at end of all tweets. Use
#lunch or #discount as appropriate. • Like with Facebook, we should use strategies like:
o Building excitement leading up to patio opening o Promoting specials and events o Showing human side with Employee of the Week, behind-the-
scenes photos o Revealing the process
Foursquare:
• Reward folks who “check in” to Mr. Bistro, perhaps with a coupon good for 10% off their next visit.
• Advertise that reward by promoting it on other social media. • Have the hostess keep an eye out for guests who walk in playing with
their phones. Have the hostess mention the check-in reward when she seats them.
• At the end of the meal, have server encourage guest to use Foursquare’s “leave a tip” feature to describe their experience.
Instagram:
• Note: Because this is a phone-only social medium, I am unsure how we would handle this. Perhaps a manager could post photos.
• Post a few times a day, 7 days a week • Have a manager post photos when people are hungry and mulling their
options: 11 a.m. (lunch), 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (dinner). • Set up alerts on your phone/email so you can reply to fans’ comments
right away. Replying immediately almost guarantees they see your reply, and they’ll view your snappy response as being interested and as great customer service.
Pinterest: • Same strategies as with Facebook. Use photos, promote eye-catching
lunches, colorful atmosphere.
Bloom PR: Mr. Bistro Restaurant Launch Development of Facebook Campaign
Posts – When To Post and How Often: • 2-4 times a day, 7 days a week • Post when people are hungry and mulling their options: 11 a.m.
(lunch), 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (ahead of dinner) • Stick to these times -- we’re creatures of habit. Some fans could
develop a routine of checking (for example) at 4:30 p.m. for the day’s dinner special
• Set up alerts on your phone/email so you can reply to fans’ comments right away. Replying immediately almost guarantees they’ll see your reply, and they’ll view your snappy response as great customer service
Posts – How To Post: • Each post should include a question and a photo. Whenever
possible, it should include a link to your site. Here are sample posts for a weekday:
o 11 a.m. – Lunch Special Promo ♦ Question = “Is your mouth ready for our roast beef
sandwich? It marinated in our meat smoker all night!” ♦ Photo = Close-up of sandwich or meat smoker ♦ Link = Optional. Could link to your OpenTable page. ♦ Note: Each Thu and Fri at 11 a.m., a Facebook/Twitter
post should promote that you offer delivery via phone and DeliveryAndToGo.com and encourage folks to use this site. Thu and Fri are common days for the office to order lunch.
♦ Catering should be promoted – try Mon. and Wed. as they are common days for meetings. Post at 8 a.m.
o 3 p.m. – Happy Hour Promo ♦ Question = “What’s your favorite beer right now? We
can’t decide from our 36 microbrews!” ♦ Photo = Close-up of glass of beer ♦ Link = Mr. Bistro’s beer list ♦ Alternatives: Wine list, dinner promotion
o 4 p.m. – Promote Visual Dinner Item ♦ Question = “What’s your favorite side item to pair with
ribs?” ♦ Photo = Sliced prime rib on plate or on cutting board in
a pool of meat juice ♦ Link = Mr. Bistro’s side items or dinner menu ♦ Alternatives: Family night promotion, behind the scenes,
patio almost done, check in on Foursquare for 10% off Posts – Strategy For Building Excitement, Revealing the Process and
Showing Human Side • Build excitement leading up to patio opening:
o Before restaurant opens Friday morning, take photos of patio construction. Digital camera is best (image stabilization, richest colors), but iPhone 4 or 5 camera works too. The goal is clean, crisp photos = look professional.
o That day, post photos as a weekly progress update o Photo link should be from Instagram o Page visitors will become invested in the progress of this
exciting new addition • Show restaurant’s human side with Employee of the Week:
o Employees could earn this through a good deed, standout customer service or other means
o Reward employee with choice of $20 gift card to Publix, Spa, Best Buy or local mall (to cover male/female).
o On Monday morning (when people need cheering up), post a video on Facebook showing employee receiving award, co-workers clapping, etc. Post should tell brief story of why employee won.
o This helps employee morale, and the reward/public praise motivates them to work hard
• Reveal the process by showing what goes into a day’s work. Ideas: o Cooks slapping meat into the smoker o That cute, smiling waitress o Satisfied customer giving thumbs up as manager checks in o Kids smiling with balloons on Family Night
• Promote your services
TILSON PR BOCA RATON, FL
SEP–OCT 2012
Tilson PR: BJ’s Warehouse
Development of Social Media Campaign
Social Media Integration to Boost Holiday Sales 1. Share Your Fabulous Find on Facebook or Pinterest. Did you find a hot
item or great buy at BJ’s that you just had to tell your friends/family about? Share your fabulous find on Facebook or Pinterest. In return, BJ’s will email you a coupon good for 10% off your next purchase.
2. Daily Deals Promoted Via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Daily Deals will consist of whatever hot products BJ’s wants to showcase on a given day during the holiday campaign. Perhaps the items could include a push to the next sale. > Every Post On Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest Will:
• Feature the product’s image, • Include a link to the product’s page, and • Be posted daily at peak times (9 a.m., 12 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.) • On BJ’s Pinterest page, posts will consist solely of woman-centric daily
deals in Jewelry, Women’s Clothing, Home and Health & Beauty
3. BJ’s Hot List on Flickr, Promoted Via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. - Part One…On BJ’s site will be a prominently-placed “BJ’s Hot List” graphic. This graphic will link to a slideshow on BJ’s Flickr page. The slideshow will contain products in BJ’s Hot List. BJ’s Hot List will be a collection of what BJ’s decides are this season’s hottest products in Electronics, Computers, Home, Sports, Toys, Health & Beauty and Jewelry. - Part Two…On BJ’s site will be a prominently-placed Twitter feed for BJ’s Hot List. This feed will display tweets that end with #BJsHotList. > Every Post On Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest Will:
• Include a link to the BJ’s Hot List slideshow, • Feature the BJ’s Hot List graphic (thus promoting it as a brand), and
• Be posted daily at peak times (9 a.m., 12 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.) • Each tweet will end with #BJsHotList • On BJ’s Pinterest page, posts will consist of woman-centric BJ’s Hot List
offerings in Jewelry, Women’s Clothing, Home and Health & Beauty
4. Working With Bloggers.
> “Bloggers Hot List”: • Each day, we will ask a blogger to write a post containing his or her
personal hot list (containing products from that blogger’s area of expertise…such as clothing, electronics, jewelry, etc.)
• We will feature that post on our Facebook page and tweet at peak times • That will drive traffic to their site (bloggers make money from ads/PPC) • Bloggers will post our BJ’s Hot List items from the respective category • Example: A PC blogger gives us his hot list for this season’s top
ultrabooks. In this list, we ask him to include an ultrabook from BJ’s Hot List. He’ll include it because: 1) it’s an ultrabook and it’s hot this holiday season (good for his blog) and 2) he knows BJ’s promoting his blog will drive traffic to his site, making him money
5. YouTube/Vimeo Product Demo Videos, Promoted Via Facebook and
Twitter. Demonstration videos that showcase cool new offerings at BJ’s (perhaps from BJ’s Hot List). Examples include: > Smart TVs (show how you can control with gestures, post to social media) > Toymakers’ hot toys (demonstrating how it flies, folds, talks to you) > Holiday décor (demonstrating various rooms of the house, outdoors) > These videos will be promoted daily at peak times and link to the video
6. Instagram Contest, Promoted Via Facebook and Twitter. Show us an Instagram photo of you with your favorite girly BJ’s buy! If selected, you could win one of (10) gift cards (one per week of the holiday campaign). > This could be you with your new BJ’s purse/jewelry while looking fabulous during a girls’ night out or you rocking your new jeans from BJ’s at a concert > Post an Instagram photo to BJ’s Facebook page > This contest will be promoted daily at peak times and link to the contest
MISSISSIPPI FILM INSTITUTE JACKSON, MS
FALL 2011
DANNY GLOVER KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Eve r y TV sta t i on i n Jac kson, M S de vo t e d ne wsc ast t i me to the fe s t i va l and a ss i gne d a
r e por te r to be l i ve on-a i r fr om t he ve nue . As spoke spe r son, I gave t he i nt e r vi e ws .
Mississippi International Film Festival: Media Coverage
O utr e ac h- Dr i ve n M e di a P l ac e me nt s:
TV – 11 Radi o – 6 P r i nt – 20
Mississippi International Film Festival: Media Coverage
Mississippi International Film Festival: Recommendation
February 27, 2012
To Whom It May Concern: My name is Christy Oldham. I am a Los Angeles-based award-winning filmmaker and producer with Mercury Rising Films. I recently worked with Chris MacDonald during the 2011 Mississippi International Film Festival. His attention to detail regarding publicity made screening my film there a turn-key, pleasurable experience. He was knowledgeable and helpful as he guided filmmakers through the weekend whirl-wind of red carpet interviews and press, getting us to our screening venue on time and with a soft southern charm that made everyone immediately feel comfortable. Attitude is everything and he has a stellar grasp of impeccable presentation.
Chris is perfect for a PR/marketing position and whoever gets the opportunity to work with him should do so. Regards,
Christy Oldham www.mercuryrisingfilms.com [email protected]
WRITING AND
PRESS RELEASE SAMPLES
Pierson Grant PR: Press Release for Zona Fresca
Media Contact: Pierson Grant Public Relations
(954) 776-1999 Lauren Simo, ext. 238
[email protected] Chris MacDonald, ext. 230
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with South Florida’s Hottest Drink Specials Zona Fresca to offer $2 Coronas and margaritas so you can celebrate for less
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (April 24, 2013) – Gather your friends for a tasty Cinco de Mayo celebration without whacking your wallet. Zona Fresca will make its Coronas and margaritas available for $2 in honor of the holiday. The Mexican beverages pair perfectly with the authentic Mexican restaurant’s signature items, all of which are freshly prepared and offered at prices that can’t be beat, such as the Baja Fish Taco, which nestles beer-battered fish in a warm corn tortilla for only $2.75.
Celebrating at home? Zona Fresca offers platters and a catering menu that can be tailored for special requests. Featuring items such as taquitos, chicken quesadillas, steak tacos and shrimp burritos, Zona Fresca can handle all of your catering needs. Salsas are made from only top quality produce, guacamole is made from scratch daily with only the ripest avocados, and chips are made in 100 percent cholesterol-free canola oil, making Zona the perfect choice for fresh, flavorful food.
For more information on Zona Fresca’s wide selection of fresh Mexican dishes, visit www.ZonaFresca.com. Visit Zona Fresca at 1635 North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale; 1095 South University Drive in Plantation; and 800 North Federal Highway in Pompano Beach. All locations are open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Become a Facebook fan by visiting www.facebook.com/zonafresca.
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CBS 4 Story Pitching
Outreach to High-Profile Online News Outlets
Available For Freelance / Other Opportunities
As this portfolio demonstrated, the presidents of (3) PR firms in S. Florida have trusted me to manage their clients’ social media and media relations. If your company needs higher visibility, more exposure in the media, and increased customer engagement, contact me:
@cmacdonaldwx
/in/chrismacdonaldwx