Picked in 2018 by Massachusetts startup CEOs as one of "Boston’s Most Recommended Marketing and PR Freelancers"
Detail of new website from Age Friendly Ventures (agefriendly.com) -- an online destination to address the needs and wants of boomers and seniors. I've been involved with the company and active in the movement to make employers and others more "age friendly" since 2006.
As "VP of Communications" for Age Friendly Ventures --- I developed strategy, branding, messaging, supporting materials for the launch of this major new site for the more than 108 million Americans over 50. This post contains a link to the press release announcing the launch of agefriendly.com -- a first-of-its kind online platform with user-influenced age friendly scores for every neighborhood in America. It features user-contributed reviews, research, and helpful content for people making important decisions on how and where to age. Recognizing the challenges faced by mature adults to seek, find, and settle in communities that meet their needs, agefriendly.com highlights age friendly places worldwide: communities and workplaces that are forward-thinking, and which have shown they welcome and support baby boomers and seniors.
Bylined article I was commissioned to write and publish on the Good News Network on how kids are setting a good example for adults through volunteering and raising awareness and funds for worthy causes.
Collection of posted Press Releases that I have planned, written, and distributed as VP Communications of RetirementJobs.com - the #1 career website for workers over 50.
A 22-slide summary of media coverage, public relations, blogging, and thought leadership activity and results achieved by Patrick Rafter in 2014, 2015, and 2016 while serving as principal PR consultant to Booster.com (t-shirt fundraising site created by CustomInk.com)
25 page summary of content marketing pieces that I planned, wrote and delivered for a single client (TimeTrade -- the #1 provider worldwide of solutions for online appointment scheduling). This document Includes hyperlinks to: *** eBooks *** Industry Briefs *** Case Studies *** Customer Success Stories ***Thought Leadership *** Executive and Customer Interviews *** White Papers *** Blog Posts *** Press Releases *** Copy for outbound sales emails *** Media Coverage, and more... Customers that I profiled include Barney’s NY, David’s Bridal, Nordstrom, Staples, UMB Bank and Regions Bank, Sprint, Harvard University, Quest Diagnostics and dozens more.
Served as external PR consultant to ZipperAgent - who've introduced the real estate industry's first "All-in-One Lead Generation, Marketing, Customer and Transaction Management Solution." Researched, wrote, pitched this press release which included customer quotes, YouTube video, system solution diagrams, case studies, etc. Represented ZipperAgent at a top real estate conference and set up media briefings
Worked as external VP Marketing & Communications for CrowdEngineering- the global company (Italy/USA/UK) that pioneered the use of expert crowdsourcing for tech support and customer service. In that role I wrote, distributed, pitched and secured coverage of press releases, bylines, etc.
News segment on NBC's TODAY SHOW that I pitched and managed which featured the story of how Hollywood star rallied to support a 12-year old boy with brain cancer.
Example of one of the hundreds of TV news segments I facilitated for Booster.com. In this case an NBC News video profile of a Delaware mom who has been very successful in raising awareness (and funds) to fight Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (a rare genetic disease).
This 12-page “Improving Employee Satisfaction in Healthcare” White Paper was targeted at HR departments in US hospitals to educate prospects on how highly satisfied medical employees can improve patient satisfaction. I planned, researched, and wrote the white paper incorporating survey data, customer quotes, and product marketing verbiage. Serving as principal external content marketing provider to HealthcareSource for 2+ years, this was one of a score of lead generation deliverables I created for– helping it to become #1 provider of talent management solutions for health care facilities.
One of hundreds of broadcast TV news segments that aired for the 3 year while I ran PR for CustomInk's Booster.com.
New York Magazine article of the "It's on Us" awareness and fundraising campaign to fight sexual assault on college campuses.
Showcase of people and nonprofits who "Changed the world one t-shirt at a time." Served for three years as lead communications consultant to Booster.com (t-shirt fundraising division of $300M custom apparel vendor CustomInk). Booster let individuals, families and nonprofits raise awareness and funds, while boosting support through crowdfunding campaigns/sale of cause-branded t-shirts, other clothing.
Founding member of the management team of the website Forbes dubbed “The go-to online job board for workers age 50-plus." As VP, Communications ex officio since 2006, I have secured massive coverage by top national media (e.g. MONEY, USA Today, CNN, US News & World Report and the WSJ), growing the customer base to 1.3M members. Helped company become AARP’s “exclusive online jobs” partner to provide jobs for its 38 million members. Showcased company’s “Age-Friendly Employer” customers (e.g. H&R Block, Starbucks, Staples, Wells Fargo) as workplaces for boomers. In 2020, there will be almost 120 million Americans above the age of 50. RetirementJobs.com and its sister companies (Mature Caregivers and Age Friendly Advisor) provide help and encouragement to this huge experienced population: from career coaching to jobs, and (according to The Boston Globe): “crowdsourced ideas and reviews on everything from housing to recreational activities.”
I was sole external member of the creative team that planned, promoted and executed the year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Yale Whiffenpoofs (America's most famous a cappella singing group). Secured widespread broadcast, print and online media coverage
Member of the founding team of Kinset -- pioneering eCommerce developer whose platform let retailers build and run 3D stories that look like real world stores. See video POV animation of a Kinset-powered virtual mall at https://youtu.be/6qTaNYuHR3s
As external marketing and PR consultant to PlatformQ (pioneering producer of online only events) planned, promoted and conducted the Virtual Energy Forum - world's first online-only conference and expo on energy efficiency, policy, management and sustainability. My activity: media outreach, event organization, sponsor solicitation, speaker liaison (with John Kerry, Newt Gingrich, other celebs), creation of supporting videos. Secured feature coverage by CNN, CNET, and other top media outlets.
Co-wrote and posted this byline article which was published by Health Management Technology on "The Science of Talent Selection" which described how new "scientific selection" technologies and best practices help healthcare facilities to identify, hire and retain first-rate employees.
Functioned as external VP Marketing & Communications for CrowdEngineering -- the global company (Italy/USA/UK) that pioneered crowdsourcing for tech support/customer service. My activity included: Company and Market Messaging, product positioning and marketing, website copy, design and infographics & corporate collateral.
Serving as VP of Marketing ex officio for SnoopWall (security vendor), contributed to creation and distribution of this humorous yet informative explainer animation to educate corporate and consumer prospects on the need to protect their mobile devices from cyber bad guys. Worked with animator and in-house team on concept, imaging, script, call-to-action.
Researched, wrote, published and distributed this case study on the deployment and use of secure wireless networks at the Harvard Medical School campus. This case study was one of ca. a score I wrote to promote customers using Bluesocket's "Secure Mobility" wireless networks ( Honeywell, KPMG, National Security Agency, Toyota, other security conscious global brands). See https://bit.ly/2DtBDHa
Served as external thought leadership consultant to Scout Exchange (enterprise HR vendor whose technology harnesses artificial intelligence and machine learning to drive a recruitment marketplace making it easy for employers to find top performing recruiters for hard-to-fill positions). I researched and wrote this article, later published under the byline of ScoutExchange CEO).
Downloadable as a PDF from the Sensicast.com website, this "Wireless Sensor Network Buyer's Guide" was the principal lead gen deliverable for two years. I co-wrote the copy, directed external tech writer and graphic designer.
Byline article I wrote for Compressed Air Best Practices Magazine on use of wireless sensors for energy monitoring and managing in industrial and manufacturing facilities
While running comms for Media 100 (#2 vendor in the digital media industry, after Avid Technology), I pitched the editor of Videography Magazine (leading industry media outlet for professional video makers) to create a fun, high concept image for the cover off a special issue titled "The Age of Video." I sought/found/hired/directed an artist who created this image which conveyed the hypothetical scenario that if Vincent Van Gough were alive today, he'd be a successful digital media artist/animator vs. a starving painter.
Ghostwrote and placed an article published in The Huffington Post (under the byline of a top cybersecurity expert) on the concept of 'Counterveillance' as a new category and imperative for security (to prevent n'er-do-wells from infiltrating consumer and businesses' devices, stealing identities, funds, and worse. Views/downloads of this article led to very strong site traffic, inquiries, etc.
One of a dozen infographics I collaborated on (with artist, inbound marketing, website team) for SnoopWall -- provider of software to protect mobile devices and laptops for businesses, government and home owners.
Researched, planned, wrote and published a comprehensive and popular lead gen deliverable used by client TimeTrade to provide a soup-to-nuts Business Case for an enterprise to deploy the company's SaaS software solution including ROI, timeline, features, etc.
25 page summary of content marketing pieces that I planned, wrote and delivered for a single client (TimeTrade -- the #1 provider worldwide of solutions for online appointment scheduling). This document Includes hyperlinks to: eBooks Industry Briefs Case Studies Customer Success Stories Thought Leadership Interviews White Papers Blog Posts Press Releases Copy for outbound sales emails Media Coverage, and more...