Public Relations
About the project
Handy Optimal is a small marketing agency based in Rexburg, Idaho. Its owner, Lucas Handy, worked at Madison Memorial Hospital for over ten years doing marketing and web development before he decided it was time for a change — so he started his own business.
Lucas is currently a one-man show, so he hasn’t had the time to work on his business’ marketing or branding; he’s focused on his clients. But having a solid brand identity and online presence is more important today than ever, so I wanted to help Lucas build one for Handy Optimal.
I created a PR plan for Handy Optimal, as well as deliverables that Lucas will be able to use across his online presence to be recognized in the industry for years to come and to grow his clientele and business.
All the details
I started by creating a PR plan that laid out the goals and objectives, analysis, target audience and strategies and tactics (to name a few) for the project.
Lucas has so much to offer to his potential clients. There are a lot of marketing agencies in the Idaho Falls area, but Lucas has something that makes him stand out: his extensive experience with data analytics and data-driven strategy. None of the other marketing agencies in the area emphasize or focus on data in their offerings. Lucas uses data to back every decision, strategy, and recommendation he gives to his clients, which almost guarantees results that will help a business grow. Lucas has the know-how, but he needs to grow awareness for his marketing agency so he can continue to find his ideal clients (he currently has four!).
That was the main goal: to “establish Handy Optimal as an authoritative, reputable, data-driven marketing agency in the southeastern Idaho area and beyond, emphasizing what makes it stand out from the competition.” Using this goal as a guide, I created three objectives:
- Create a cohesive brand that Lucas can use across Handy Optimal’s web presence
- Optimize Handy Optimal’s website and gain 20% more traction by September 2022
- Establish Handy Optimal’s presence on social media and drive 20% traffic to its website by September 2022
This goal and these objectives drove the analysis, research, strategies and tactics for the rest of the PR plan. Take a look at the book below to see the full plan and everything that comes with it!
Brand Style Guide
The main deliverable I created was a brand style guide that includes a logo and sub-marks, brand colors, typography and key messages. I wanted to make sure I got every detail right, so I spent a lot of time on the details of these elements. I included a couple of elements that Lucas wanted in the branding, then took it from there. I’m happy with how it turned out. This style guide will be used across Handy Optimal’s online presence, including the website and social media.
Wireframe
Since creating the PR plan and brand style guide took a lot of time, I haven’t finished the design for Handy Optimal’s website yet. However, I plan to continue working on it so Lucas can get started on implementing the design, since coding is what he does best. Below is the wireframe for the website’s homepage; essentially, the bare bones of what the page will eventually look like. I put time into figuring out what order each section should go in, and what to include on the homepage to draw potential clients in and keep them reading more.
Going Forward
Even though the results of this PR plan won’t be realized for a few more months, I’ve set Lucas up for success by giving him the tools he needs to implement my recommendations. He has a style guide, a social media content calendar, a budget, analytics tools, and a website wireframe (soon to be a complete mockup)! These tools will ensure this PR plan achieves its goal – to establish Handy Optimal as a reputable marketing agency in southeastern Idaho and across the country.
Every business and brand needs a strong identity and online presence. I hope that by providing one for Handy Optimal, it will stand the test of time and continue to grow.