Small Town Girl In A PR World: Ashley Craddock

Happy Friday, ASSASSINS! We all can use some advice when it comes to PR and marketing. Whether it’s for your personal brand or business, you need it! I had the pleasure of interviewing PR expert, Ashley Craddock this week! She was kind enough to give us some insight on her story and drop some tips on the PR industry. So sit back, take notes and enjoy!!

Tell us about yourself and why you decided to start AshleyAvenu.com!

Well, I am twenty-six years old and reside in California’s sunny Central Valley, that I am very proud to call home. I attended California State University, Los Angeles for college and got my BA in Organizational Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations. I resided in beautiful Los Angeles for seven years until I relocated back to Fresno for work and a clearer mind.

How AshleyAvenu.com came about was really random. I’ve loved writing for as long as I can remember and English has always been my favorite subject. I started reading college level texts in fourth grade, so I’ve always enjoyed the deep thinking/creative side to it. After I graduated, I was trying to get my foot in the door in the broadcast media industry, and basically kept getting no’s left and right. One night, I was talking to my friend Brittany about how I hated feeling like I had to wait on someone else to see my worth and deem me qualified to get a shot at what I wanted to do. I remember saying to her I’m just going to create my own opportunities. I told her by the new year of 2016, I’ll have a blog for all of my stories and writing on my terms, my way. The avenue into my career journey.

On January 1st, 2016, Ashley Avenu was born. With that simple light bulb moment, Ashley Avenu led me to be brought on board to write for SB Nation and I covered all USC athletics. It also granted me the opportunity to interview WNBA legend, Lisa Leslie. I was even offered my own sports talk show, that I sadly had to decline due to having too much on my plate. My original work, doing spotlight stories on athletes, manifested all of that. It’s truly amazing how far an idea can take you.

I see you work for CBS, NBC! Tell us what you do there and how your experience has been at such large well-known companies!

Yes! I’m an Account Executive for the duopoly CBS and NBC affiliate stations in Fresno, KSEE24 News and CBS47 Eyewitness News. Basically, my role is behind the scenes like a consultant. I help enhance brands/businesses through digital and on-air marketing/advertising. My client’s vision for their brand is most important to me. This allows me to get my creative juices flowing to garner and strengthen presence, SEO, SEM, retention, reach and revenue through broadcast/digital media. My experience has been great and I’m loving every second of it!

The days go by really fast because you are consumed with so much work and client/prospect meetings, with a lot of traveling. I’ve only been on board for about a month, but it’s been fun. The amount of freedom you have is ridiculous and the work environment is like no other. The best way to describe television is imagining a busy airport, like Dallas Forth Worth. However, it’s a big family that wants to see you win. Of course, there’s a lot of information to learn and it’s easy to get overwhelmed, but you always have a seasoned vet right beside you dropping knowledge. There are never any selfish moments in our studio. You will always have an event, cocktail party or gala going on for great causes; so being involved within the community is momentous. It’s just an all-around great industry to be in.

Would you say that you’re currently living your dream work wise?

Yes, I would say that I am living my dream. At one point, a few years ago, I was solely focused on just one thing and that was being a sports journalist/reporter. As time went on my interests grew. Now, my biggest goal and desire is to be a multifaceted black woman within the media industry. I don’t want to just do one thing anymore. . . I want to wear as many hats as I can, I want to learn it all. Speaking my CEO position into existence for the future.

Do you feel having a background in PR has helped you with your blog? If so, tell us how!

I do, you know you learn so many great things in PR. Since graduating I always looked to treat myself as my own business, to prep me for where I envisioned myself going. You have to do your part when you’re serious about taking the lead. Professionalism online is important for me because I use Twitter for a good portion of my reach. If I see myself holding one of the most coveted titles there is, then everything I do is to maintain professional and positive images as a woman in business, media and to the public. So, when you incorporate that with blogging, it’s like second nature when trying to craft together your brands identity.

How do you manage your blog while working at these other companies?

Before I joined CBS and NBC, I was able to post twice a week. Now, my schedule is a little hectic and I’m still working out a schedule. Sometimes I’ll come home and stay up a little later to get started on post ideas, but most of my work occurs on the weekends now. However, throughout the week I am always checking analytics and taking notes. There’s always something to takeaway and apply. Teaching myself how to organically grow and apply PR knowledge to my baby (blog), has been the most satisfying project I’ve done. I’m always doing research, daily. It’s different when you actually take your time to learn the ins and outs based off trial and error.

What are some key marketing gems that you can give to other creators?

-You appeal to a wider audience when you don’t confine yourself to one niche.
-Minimalism is the cleanest approach.
-Make your site easy to navigate. You don’t want too many different areas, pages and pathways to get to what you’re looking for. A reader should be able to get to what they want in one to two clicks.
-Create your blog presence around capturing the eyes of the reader. Truly think about what will make them discover and keep coming back. Retention is important!
-Stay away from posts that everyone is doing. Keep your blog/YouTube aligned and purposeful. Differentiate yourself as a brand. Doing what’s popular is fine but it won’t make you stand out. Think of all the qualities you have that make you different. Own that and make it a part of what draws people to you.

In your opinion, which matters more… content or marketing?

Honestly, content. Quality means everything to me. I’m not going to post anything just to have something posted. My blog is meant to uplift, encourage and inspire. If I put up crap and I know that its crap, I feel like I’m not doing my readers any justice with what Ashley Avenu is meant for. When you have quality, the marketing is easy. Quality does the work for you. Once someone reads it, they pass it on, then the next person shares and so on. Quality comes first. Marketing is just extra help.

What advice would you give someone who wants to enter the world of PR?

It’s not your typical 9-5 job. No day is ever the same and change is always happening. I would advise that anyone looking to get into the industry, to start working on stepping outside of your comfort zones. You have to be a people person and outgoing. Be organized and meticulous. The industry involves a lot of communication, so it’s good to know how to be chatty and startup cold conversations, as well as being comfortable with writing A LOT. There are tons of emails daily, sometimes you will be sending emails from home. Know how to throw yourself in and get comfortable quick.

Networking is an essential part to the job (this is where starting up conversations and approaching strangers also comes into play). If meeting a lot of new people at one time gives you anxiety, then you might want to reconsider being in this industry. Confidence is key. Even when you aren’t sure of accuracy, your confidence will sell you. Listen to what your client needs and be creative. You have to be able to multi-task. Television is so fast that you can’t have a set routine because of deadlines or something your client needs in a certain time. You’re never set and stuck on one thing. Be true to yourself and honest with your clients. Don’t risk your reputation and referrals because of a lack of integrity.

In the future, what new endeavors can we expect to see from you?

I’m definitely working on bringing my career skills over to Ashley Avenu. I want to be able to offer my services to creatives in the digital space, to expand their brands and help them reach their ideal vision. I want to set up my own events for women making strides in various industries and those seeking to aim high. I plan to create a non-profit to set a solid ground for our little black and brown girls. As time goes on, my blog will transition into a multifaceted website that covers all things in my avenue from career, marriage, motherhood, and potentially a few book releases. I’m excited to see how Ashley Avenu expands with time and who knows, maybe I can create my very own television network someday!

Anything else that you would like for us to know?

The most important ingredient to life is trusting in where you are going, even when the roads aren’t clear. Whatever you see for yourself is possible to obtain. Don’t downgrade your dream/vision, stay true to yourself. Know that nothing happens overnight. Keep praying even after God gives you what you asked for.

To stay connected with Ashley, please make sure to subscribe to her blog AshleyAvenu.com! Also, don’t forget to follow her on Instagram @AshleynCraddock and Twitter @AshleynCraddock I hope you all enjoyed this week’s Feature Friday post and we’ll speak on Tuesday!

Until next time ASSASSINS. . . Stay Motivated!

PREVIOUS FEATURE FRIDAY: 30 Years Of Bliss With Mellie King