EAG recently acquired Ink inc. Public Relations, giving us even more power in our public relations offering. We’re skating to where the puck is going to be in AI-powered search engine optimization (yes, those two things are related) — and making sure small business brands get the media attention they deserve. Listen in on a conversation with EAG’s first Chief Public Relations Officer, Ryan Gerding!
Transcript:
Jeff: Welcome to the Small Business Miracles podcast. I’m Jeff Randolph. This small business podcast is brought to you by EAG Advertising and Marketing. We’re going to talk about marketing, and we’re also here to celebrate entrepreneurs by diving into their stories. Today, this is another instance where the call is coming from inside the house because today I’m joined by Chief Public Relations Officer Ryan Girding. He’s Chief Public Relations Officer at EAG. Hey, that’s new. You see, EAG recently acquired Inc. Inc. Public Relations, giving us even more power in the public relations offering, but also it helps us skate to where the puck is going to be in AI-powered search engine optimization. So if you’re ready, let’s bring Ryan Girding into the conversation and find out what’s going on in the world of PR, talk about strategies and all the capabilities, building all your hopes, dreams, and all the possibilities. It ain’t rocket surgery.
Jeff: Welcome back to the Small Business Miracles podcast. My name is Jeff Randolph. We are here to celebrate entrepreneurs and talk about marketing on this show. And I can’t think of a better marketing person to have than one of the newest people to join EAG. I am here talking with Ryan Girding, Chief Public Relations Officer at EAG Advertising and Marketing. That’s a statement I have not ever been able to make before this moment. Ryan, welcome to the show.
Ryan: It is wonderful to be here with you, and it is wonderful to be at EAG. It’s fun after 22 years at the same job being the new guy.
Jeff: Yeah, that’s right. I think we grandfathered you in on a few seniority things, like a parking spot even, which is, you know, I’m just going to sit over here with my almost a decade of work here, and I’ll still just not have that parking spot. Thanks for that. Appreciate that. Well, welcome to EAG. Welcome to the podcast.
Jeff: It’s all of those things. And I’ll set this conversation up by saying that we are going to come back and talk more. This is the first of what I expect to be several different conversations as more people are interested in why we would do such a thing, why we would join forces, why we would want to have an even more robust public relations kind of capacity here. And that has a lot to do with AI and search engine optimization. But before we get there, let’s have a different conversation.
Jeff: Let’s start the whole festivities with understanding that we have had that PR capacity in our time, but now this is greatly expanding it. And I wanted to get a sense of the kind of work that you were doing when you were at Inc., and what you’ve brought to the table, what we now have the capability to do, and really greatly expand that service offering. So let me just start and say, give us just a little bit of background about who you are and what you do.
Jeff: Maybe that’s it. Because if we start with the personal side, you’ve had a long career in media as well. Like you’re no stranger to an anchor desk even. Like you’ve been there.
Ryan: That is correct. That is correct. So I graduated from the University of Missouri Journalism School, oldest and best journalism school in the country. Go Tigers.
Jeff: Thank you for that. You’ve alienated half of the audience right now. There are great journalists who graduated from other great programs as well.
Ryan: That’s true. That’s true. So I graduated in 1995 and then spent eight years as a local reporter and videographer and anchor in markets like Columbia, Missouri, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Sacramento, California, and then Lafayette, Indiana, where I was a morning anchor for a couple of years. I was the guy who had to get up at 2 o’clock in the morning and put the makeup on and be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for folks when I wasn’t.
Jeff: I’ve noticed that the morning anchors are typically more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and smile more than afternoon and evening anchors do. Is that fair?
Ryan: Yeah, I think so. And, you know, you’ve got to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed because most of your audience isn’t.
Jeff: So after your career as a journalist, what got you into public relations?
Ryan: Well, after working in media, I realized I wanted to tell stories rather than just report them. PR allowed me to work with businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations to help shape their narratives, manage communications, and get their messages out effectively.
Jeff: That makes sense. And now bringing that expertise here to EAG, you’re expanding our capabilities significantly. Can you talk about that a little?
Ryan: Absolutely. We’re now able to offer a more comprehensive approach to PR, integrating traditional media relations with modern tools like AI-powered search optimization, content strategy, and digital storytelling. That means our clients can have stronger visibility online and in the press simultaneously.
Jeff: That’s powerful. So essentially, we’re not just creating press releases, we’re also ensuring that the right people find them and engage with them digitally.
Ryan: Exactly. It’s about combining the credibility of earned media with the accessibility of digital marketing to maximize impact.
Jeff: I love it. And I think it’s also exciting because it positions EAG to help our clients in a more proactive way. Instead of reacting to the market, we can help shape perceptions, build reputations, and drive awareness.
Ryan: Yes, it’s proactive rather than reactive. And with AI tools, we can do a lot more analysis and targeting to ensure that our efforts are as effective as possible.
Jeff: Before we wrap up, what advice would you give to small business owners about PR in today’s digital world?
Ryan: My advice is simple: Know your story, be consistent, and leverage the channels where your audience is. PR is not just about the news, it’s about connecting and communicating in meaningful ways.
Jeff: Excellent. Ryan, thank you so much for joining me today. It’s been a pleasure having you on the podcast and introducing you to our audience.
Ryan: Thank you, Jeff. It’s been great being here, and I’m looking forward to sharing more as we continue to grow our PR capabilities at EAG.
Jeff: And that wraps up another episode of the Small Business Miracles podcast, celebrating entrepreneurs and sharing marketing insights. Thanks for listening.