When the pandemic first struck all businesses struggled to succeed and maintain their level and quality of work, and Maroon PR was no different.  Working effectively from home would be key, but how would we effectively collaborate for our clients and maintain our creativity and energy?  It would take a team effort.

To achieve this, we turned to Zoom and other platforms to help us stay connected. There have been daily scheduled Zoom meetings for the face to face interaction and team collaboration to bounce ideas off each other. Constant communication is essential and in addition to Zoom we stressed calls, texting, conference calls and maximizing resources with research and management software such as Cision and Basecamp. The office environment at Maroon PR is highly social and collaborative, so to bring this to life – virtually – Maroon PR has engaged in virtual happy hours and Bingo to keep the fun energy flowing.

Adapting to the “work from home” environment can be challenging. Our team found it very important to find a balance throughout the day. It was essential for everyone to create their own space and separate from the rest of their home environment as best as possible. Team members also found it important to take lunch breaks, go on a walk, and keep within a routine to stay motivated and focused.

With young children at home, Senior Account Executive Katy Ford and Jen Renehan, VP of New Media and Creative Services, have found that defining a healthy balance of home and work is crucial in successfully managing career and family during a pandemic. 

Sarah Hill, Maroon PR’s Graphic Designer, also shared “in effort to stay in touch with the graphic design world to keep inspired and be aware of how the industry is reacting and adapting to the current crisis, mainly using MPR’s AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) membership to participate in webinars and study the work being put out by prominent designers.”

The Maroon PR team has maintained focus on being proactive and available to fit the needs of our clients.

 Nicole Gould, Account Executive shares, “We made sure our clients knew that we were 100% committed to continuing our work and keeping the world flow just as seamless as we did while in the office.

Matt Lund, Senior Account Executive, Social Media shares, “My co-workers and I are always wanting to reassure our clients that we are here to guide them, to pivot any changes that need to be made in real-time, that we are a resource and that we are their ally in helping to push their messaging and branding as we all go through this pandemic together.” 

Most importantly, we have kept in constant communication with our clients throughout this time. Since the start of the pandemic, the team maneuvered scheduled calls or in-person meetings to Zoom meetings to increase face-to-face conversations and maximize productivity. As MPR Account Executive Sarah Orzach explains, “Things can change quickly in this industry, a constant stream of communication is key to our success.” 

Brittney Everett, MPR Multimedia Coordinator, explains how using video has changed the client experience during the pandemic, “clients have searched for new, creative ways to tell their stories and video has been a huge part in doing so. It has been an amazing experience to capture all the good several of our clients have been doing for people in need during the pandemic.”