Franchise - Consumer Wellness

PR Case Study

OUR WORK | TRUE REST FLOAT SPA - VETERANS DAY

True REST Float Spa is the world's largest float spa brand. True REST Franchising LLC was ranked No. 7 in Entrepreneur's Top New Franchises in 2019 and No. 205 in Entrepreneur's Top 500 in 2020. With over 79 awarded locations, including 34 open locations and another 15 opening soon across the country, it is on its way to servicing 1 million floats. True REST Float Spa provides holistic mental and physical healing through float therapy in a luxurious spa experience where individuals float in 10 inches of water and 1,200 pounds of Epsom salts. Sixty minutes in a float tank is scientifically proven to provide pain relief, anxiety reduction, relaxation and better sleep. True REST Float Spa offers monthly memberships, programs and packages.

To spotlight the therapeutic benefits of floatation therapy, True REST Float Spa focused on Veterans Day to increase awareness and consideration for alternative therapies for PTSD, addiction and chronic pain. On Nov. 11, 2019, True Rest Float Spa offered a free, 60-minute float to any active-duty military member or veteran. Additionally, True REST Float Spa ran a Veterans Day "One for One" promotion for civilians. For every float therapy session purchased at True REST Float Spa between Oct. 21- Nov. 11, 2019, active-duty military personnel or veteran would be gifted a free floatation therapy session. It is worth noting that since 2015, True REST Float Spa has given away almost 3,000 complimentary floats to U.S. active-duty military and veterans. To show support and appreciation for the sacrifices made by men and women who serve in the U.S. military, True REST Float Spa has designated every 11th day of the month, every month, as U.S. Military Appreciation Day. On U.S. Military Appreciation Day True REST Float Spa offers a free, 60-minute float to any active-duty personnel or veteran.

Incredible results for Veterans Day promotion using earned and owned media

Execution

• Developed a PR plan for Veterans Day with strategies and tactics and created an editorial calendar designed for long lead pitching and disseminating communications

• Created key messages worksheet with proof points.

• Provided copy for True REST Float Spas' Veterans Day landing page

• Researched, wrote, edited, formatted and pitched press releases to targeted media contacts

• Distributed releases via one-to-one outreach as well as a wire distribution and created exclusive pitches to target publications

• Built, maintained and nurtured a comprehensive military media list

• Coordinated all onsite interviews, including talking points, media training, follow-up, follow-through and media training

• Identified outlets that syndicated their content to high-domain authority sites and prioritized exclusives

• After earned media was generated, we created sample posts to promote via social, email, newsletter and stakeholder communications

• Using the key messages worksheet, we created owned content with storytelling attributes and clear call to actions w/UTMs

• Conducted extensive follow-up with journalists post-interview

• interviewed influencers, created a downloadable case study featuring a Green Beret and info on a published PTSD/floatation study

• Transcribed video content and created owned content

• Created and placed bylines - 21-Year Special Forces Officer: "Flotation Therapy Really Works"

• Developed a Franchisee Veterans Day Promotion Guide that addressed local PR strategies and tactics to be executed by the True REST Float Spa franchisees

• Submitted Veterans Day promotion to 100 online calendars

• Responded to HARO and ProfNet Veterans Day queries

• Coordinated with local VAs to help with word of mouth marketing

• Curated and executed cross-promotional opportunities that included giveaways and contests for the brand

Results

The 2019 Veterans Day promotion for True REST Float Spa was the organization's most successful promotion in its history, surpassing every goal set. Not only were all True REST Float Spas across the nation fully booked on Veterans Day, but most locations also had their veteran floats on the 11th of each month booked through April of 2020.

Using earned media TrizCom was able to increase the awareness, consideration, perception and brand exposure of True REST Float Spa and reach a diverse new audience across multiple channels.

• Increased audience reach by 1.18 billion aggregate viewership.

• Media placements increased 112% from 475 in 2018 to 1,009 in 2019 for the same time period.

• True REST Float Spa's share of voice increased 11%.

• Social media shares increased 206% from 746 in 2018 to 2,283 in 2019. Articles with the most shares included VAntage Point Veterans Day Discounts 2019, Free Meals, Resources Exclusive to Veterans (24,089), News/Talk 970 WMAY 2019 Local Veterans Day Deals for Veterans (1,776), and Lifehacker The Best Freebies for Vets and Military Personnel on Veterans Day 2019 (200).  

Create inbound public relations with engaging, keyword focused content to increase the image and influence of floating and to reach new audiences.

• The TrueREST.com website experienced its highest user traffic in the history of the company on Nov. 11, pulling a 98% increase year-over-year, far exceeding the goal of 10%. Additionally, 94% of website traffic consisted of new visitors.

• Increased the MOZ SEO Impact Score by 7 points.

• Earned media placements UTM backlink placements increased referral traffic. Top referral traffic sources included VA.Gov (5,542), Charlotte on the Cheap (203) and DAV (108).

• Created video content with Travis Wilson, United States Army as Green Beret, Special Forces, Communications Specialist, about the impact flotation therapy had on his mental and physical health to share across social media platforms for True REST Float Spa and their franchisees in support of Veterans.

• Secured coverage in national outlets and raised awareness of the True REST Float Spa brand by engaging media outlets with new audiences and high UVPMs. Highlights included Focus Atlanta CW (1.66M), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (1.15M), Medium (41.78M), Yahoo! (19.2M), Lifehacker (4.58M), Style Magazine (1.48M), BGR (1.28M), iHeartRadio (24.7M), Offers.com (2.49M), Military Benefits (1M), U.S. News & World Report (13.52M) and Radio.com (2.52M).

Earned Media Highlights

TrizCom Public Relations - Our mission is to create and develop innovative and groundbreaking digital communications campaigns that produce measurable results based on data driven objectives.

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