Marika Mousseau of MMPR: 5 Ways To Leverage Media Coverage To Grow Your Business
PR Strategy Series by Kage Spatz, CEO at Spacetwin
When PR and digital marketing teams work hand in hand, it’s like creating magic. The combination can boost your brand’s presence and engagement across different platforms, paving the way for business growth.
As part of our PR Strategy Series, Kage Spatz talks with PR pros at the top of their game to provide an inside look at proven strategies you might leverage to grow your business. Today we had the pleasure of talking with Marika Mousseau.
Marika is a bilingual PR specialist with over a decade of local and international experience. She excels in guiding companies transitioning between North America's English and French markets. Marika started her career at the world-renowned communications firm, Ogilvy PR in Sydney, Australia before starting her firm in 2016.
Thank you for joining us! Before diving in, our readers would love to “get to know you”. Can you share your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
Certainly! In 2013, I graduated from La Cité Collégiale in Ottawa, Canada. Following my graduation, I pursued my passion for travel, which led me to expand my career in PR, management, and marketing across Canada, Australia, and the UK. During this time, I had the opportunity to work with several renowned agencies and their clients on a consultation basis.
In 2016, I ventured into entrepreneurship and launched my own consulting business in Vancouver, Canada. This endeavor evolved into MMPR in 2020. Over the years, I have represented clients in technology, fashion, beauty, travel, FMCG, and hospitality industries, including notable brands such as Keurig, Evive Nutrition, Mercedes Benz, The Trekking Group, Le Massif de Charlevoix, JW Marriott, HP, Cisco, and many more.
In your opinion, what separates your agency from others in the space?
As a bilingual agency with a presence on both coasts, we are distinguished from our competitors by our deep understanding of the diverse markets across North America.
We assist brands of all sizes and across various industries in navigating their journey while preserving their brand essence across different regions.
We collaborate with agency partners who are specialists in their respective fields to ensure that we provide clients with the highest level of service.
Which three character traits were most instrumental to your success? Can you share a story or example?
People Person
Getting to know and connecting with others, whether they’re journalists, brands, or just people in general, can have a huge impact on your career.
I was hired for my first agency job in the UK by someone I met while working as a server at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Whistler, Canada four years earlier.
I also often receive client referrals from people I met working with in the past, the latest being from someone I had worked with at Fashion Week in 2016. Treating people well, working hard, and being kind always pays off in the long run.
Open To Change
In the last 10 years, we’ve seen major shifts in how marketing firms work and the tactics used for each campaign. Coming from a more traditional media background, I used to see editorial and advertising as totally separate worlds.
Now, we receive sales representative emails when a pitch doesn’t land with editors, and publications across North America are jumping on the affiliate marketing bandwagon with e-commerce editors. Our industry is always changing and we have to stay ahead of the game.
Hard Worker
The PR and marketing industry is competitive and packed with driven, enthusiastic professionals looking to climb the ladder. Having a strong work ethic pays off.
Wonderful. If you had a local business, what 3 media strategies would you use to grow your customer base and why?
Storytelling Through Social Media & Community Management
Storytelling stands as a crucial strategy for small, local businesses. Crafting engaging narratives doesn’t just shape a brand identity but also nurtures genuine bonds with the community.
Effective community management means being actively involved with customers, promptly addressing their concerns, and making them feel like part of the family. This personalized approach not only breeds loyalty but also sparks positive word-of-mouth — driving growth for businesses.
In today’s world, where authenticity and relatability are everything, leveraging storytelling through social media and community management is a savvy move to build trust, boost engagement, and ultimately, reach business goals.
Influencer Marketing
Influencers offer a direct route to tap into the trust and loyalty within their specific communities. By teaming up with local content creators who resonate with the target audience, businesses can significantly broaden their reach and amplify brand visibility.
Moreover, influencer endorsements lend an air of authenticity and credibility to their offerings, instilling confidence in potential customers.
Brand Partnerships
Collaborating with like-minded local enterprises offers a multitude of advantages. Firstly, it allows businesses to tap into each other’s customer base, broadening their reach and visibility within the community.
Additionally, joining forces with other local brands can lead to cost-effective marketing initiatives, enabling businesses to pool resources and share expenses for promotional activities.
Beyond tangible benefits, these partnerships cultivate a sense of community and trust among consumers, showcasing mutual support among local businesses. This not only bolsters brand credibility but also contributes to the overall strength of the local economy.
How about a national brand? What 3 media strategies are typically most effective in generating more business for a national brand?
Proactive Targeted Pitching
By identifying pertinent media channels, journalists, and influencers aligned with the brand’s ethos and objectives, proactive pitching ensures effective circulation of the brand’s message to its intended audience. This method empowers national brands to control their narrative, amplify their messaging, and build meaningful relationships with key media, fostering consistent coverage and brand visibility.
Proactive pitching allows brands to anticipate trends and seize timely opportunities. Ultimately, by proactively engaging with the media, national brands can establish themselves as authoritative voices, build credibility, and cement their status as industry thought leaders.
Trend Jacking
Trend jacking is like catching a wave — it’s all about riding the momentum to stay in the spotlight. By hopping onto trending topics, events, or cultural moments, brands can be in the conversations already capturing public attention.
This not only allows brands to showcase their agility and cultural awareness but also provides opportunities to seamlessly integrate their messaging with current discussions.
When executed thoughtfully, trend jacking can help national brands spark meaningful connections with their audience, drive increased engagement, and elevate brand visibility.
Affiliate Marketing
Think of it as forming partnerships with trusted allies who promote products or services to their audience. This approach extends the brand’s visibility and fosters credibility through endorsements from respected affiliates.
By tapping into existing networks and leveraging the influence of affiliates, national brands can access new demographics and generate leads more effectively. It’s like having an extended sales team that operates on trust and mutual benefit.
Would your PR strategy change much if a client sells a physical product or a service-based solution? B2C versus B2B? If so, please share an example or two that might demonstrate any differences.
Absolutely. Crafting an effective strategy is anything but one-size-fits-all. It varies not only between B2B and B2C dynamics but also among individual brands.
For instance, a B2B service-oriented company might find value in leveraging trade media relations, LinkedIn strategies, and establishing thought leadership through speaking engagements and whitepapers.
On the other hand, a B2C lifestyle brand could capitalize on traditional media relations, affiliate marketing, and influencer collaborations, while also considering trade media relations and thought leadership initiatives to build industry credibility and attract potential distributors.
Each brand and company should approach PR strategy comprehensively, ensuring optimal resource allocation and maximum returns on investment.
If a business already invests in PR, what other marketing strategies would you recommend they invest in that best complement that work to bring in the most amount of business?
If a business is already investing monthly in PR, I recommend aligning its strategy with a robust digital marketing budget and strategy.
When PR and digital marketing teams work hand in hand, it’s like creating magic. The combination can boost your brand’s presence and engagement across different platforms, paving the way for business growth.
Thank you for that! Let’s jump over to the main question of this series: If someone has already been covered in the media, what are the best next steps after that? What are your “5 Ways To Leverage that Media Coverage To Dramatically Grow Your Business”?
1. Forge and nurture relationships with key media in your industry. These connections will be valuable when media coverage can make a real impact on your company.
2. Consider setting up an affiliate program that welcomes publications to join. This will help amplify media relations efforts across various platforms.
3. Proudly showcase media coverage on the company website and social media channels. Third-party endorsements add credibility to brands.
4. Supplement your media relations strategies with digital marketing tactics like SEO and paid advertising. This ensures that the brand messaging reaches audiences effectively across all channels.
5. Use media mentions to strengthen thought leadership and speaking opportunities. It’s a great way to establish a brand’s authority in the industry.
One more before we go: If you could start a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be?
“Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” — Confucius
Thank you for sharing your insights with our audience today.
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