Today we’d like to introduce you to Randy Gibson.
Hi Randy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For me, getting into the field of public relations was an accident. I was in high school and needed a class to take in the second semester of my junior year, and one of the few that were available was journalism, so I took it. My teacher was also the public relations director for the school system. It was an instant fit for me, and I became a strong writer and photographer. My senior year I shadowed him in the afternoons and learned public relations. It became my major in college. I did very well and went on to get a master’s degree and my thesis was use of public relations in public school systems.
My first professional career job was with a national nonprofit association where I basically started their PR department. From there I learned about many aspects of PR and nonprofit work, Later in my career I worked for the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, my tribal nation, as the Communications Manager. Eventually I became the media director for the tribe’s Health Services Group, which consisted of nine clinics, a hospital, and all ancillary and prevention programs like WIC, Behavioral Health, Public Health, etc.
With a move to Utah, I started my own agency which has led me to where I am today as CEO of RDG Communications. We have served clients throughout the U.S. and in London.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The public relations field is never a smooth road. Oftentimes our jobs and projects look “fun” and not like real work to many. Oftentimes when I explain what I do, clients will say things like “our receptionist does that” or “we can do that ourselves.” The truth is real PR is more than posting something to a social media page. It is a lot of planning, research, message testing, and more. We have gotten clients placed in national and international publications, on major news outlets including NY1 in New York City, and have connected clients with celebrities and other professionals known worldwide.
The struggle always involves getting potential clients to invest in public relations and then let us do what we do without getting in our way. Our methods have been proven to be successful time and again. We just to be given the trust to let us do what we do to help you be noticed as well.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have had an interesting career. My first career job out of college was for a national nonprofit environmental organization where I built their first PR department. I fell in love with nonprofit work and have worked for and with several over the years. Besides the nonprofit realm, I worked with my tribal nation, the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, for 14 years where I served as Communications Manager for the tribal government and as the director of health media for the tribes health program. The health group consisted of nine clinics, a hospital, and all public health and prevention programs such as WIC, diabetes prevention, behavioral health, cancer prevention, tobacco prevention, and more. I developed partnerships with NIKE and other national programs, and worked closely with the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention on publications and national media campaigns. My educational campaigns were able to help lower obesity, cancer, and diabetes rates throughout the tribal reservation and throughout northeastern Oklahoma.
The things that set me apart are my years of experience in helping indigenous areas and nonprofit groups specifically where budgets are tight and economic development is difficult. I understand the need of doing a lot of work and reaching a lot of people on a small budget. Unlike the big firms, I can help get the stories of the good work of others out on a much smaller budget than the larger firms across the country.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Moving to Provo, and to the Intermountain West in general, was a bit of a culture shock at first. In my world the Provo and Orem areas are large, and it is so clean and beautiful. The people in the community are more like those in smaller more rural areas in their demeanor, but you have the luxury of the experiences of those from larger cities not just here in the US but from around the world. I think this has a lot to do with the LDS Church and the missionary program here. There is a lot of good being done in the world by the people who live here and it is often done quietly without fanfare. The city is also a healthy one with lots of outdoor activities, hiking and biking trails, and just overall beauty by the people and the landscape.
The thing that is a little difficult is strangely, I have found it a little difficult to “fit-in” as an outsider. It may be in part due to my Native upbringing and personality, but there are so many well-educated people here it is difficult to have some listen to you or take you seriously even though a person may have a college degree or even an advanced degree like me.
Pricing:
- Public Relations Consulting $100/hr
- Professional Websites $1800+
- Video Production $2500+
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rdgpr.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randygibson-rdg/
- Other: https://www.randydgibson.com
