Hospitality PR and Scaling a Remote PR Agency with Whitney Lee of True Story Public Relations

Pitchin' and Sippin' with Lexie Smith

In this episode of Lexie Smith sits down with Whitney Lee, APR, CPRC, a marketing and PR expert and the founder of True Story Public Relations – an award-winning creative agency helping companies in the hospitality, travel, and tourism industries get in front of the right people with the right message. Today, True Story has grown into a fully remote agency of ten, serving clients all over the US and internationally. She was named Scarlett Magazine’s “Woman of the Year” in PR, one of the “Five Most Dynamic Women Leaders Ruling the PR Industry” in the CIO Times, and one of United Way’s 40 under 40.

Whitney provides insight into scaling her agency, staying within her niche, and the unique challenges of managing a remote workforce. She also dives into the importance of travel and how being mobile helps inspire creativity and strategy for her hospitality clients.

The episode also touches on the intricacies of hospitality PR, from building relationships in an industry where connections are key to managing complex client expectations. Whitney explains how her agency focuses on a triad approach of PR, social media, and email marketing to build a holistic marketing strategy for clients. For listeners looking to grow their own PR firms, Whitney offers valuable advice on networking within the hospitality sector and leveraging client relationships to expand business opportunities.

Here’s What You’ll Learn:

• How Whitney Lee grew her PR agency from a small beach town in Florida to an international, award-winning firm.
• The unique challenges and rewards of running a fully remote, all-female team of 10 in the hospitality industry.
• The importance of maintaining flexibility while balancing the demands of a remote team in different time zones.
• Why relationships are vital in the hospitality industry and how networking helps agencies grow.
• The misconceptions around PR and what true media relations and earned media look like in the hospitality space.
• Whitney’s method of finding inspiration by visiting hotels and restaurants during her travels to gather insights for her clients.
• How Whitney has leveraged her hospitality background to secure diverse clients from luxury resorts to aquariums and sailing lines.
• The key differences between PR, social media, and email marketing, and why having all three in sync is crucial for business growth.
• Tips for breaking into the hospitality PR industry, especially for those without prior hospitality experience.
• Insight into the value of offering core services like media relations, award submissions, and thought leadership in PR.

Social Links:

• Website: https://truestorypr.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhitneylee/

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