by Melissa Henning

As I mentioned in my first blog post as Roundpeg’s summer social media intern, I am in charge of the public relations for the downtown Indianapolis Relay for Life. This year’s event is coming up, on July 29 at Monument Circle. This is not only a cause that is close to my heart, but Roundpeg and Relay for Life have more in common that you might think.

There are so many Relay for Life events in Indiana. In fact, I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many are held in Central Indiana.  There’s even a Relay for Life event that is held through IUPUI, so technically there is more than one event downtown.   It’s important to make the downtown Relay event stand out, to draw as many participants as possible and bring in tons of donations for the American Cancer Society.

This is similar to what Roundpeg does, by helping market small businesses. There are countless businesses out there struggling to survive, so an organization must do everything they can to stand out.  The Roundpeg crew is great at helping small businesses get their name and brand out into the Indianapolis area, through various and creative avenues, including website design and social media.

The Downtown Relay for Life has both a Twitter and a Facebook page.  They also maintain their own website, through the American Cancer Society.  This also allows them to solicit donations online for their particular event. By building their name recognition online, Relay for Life can help generate interest and buzz, and ultimately, donations.  Once again, this is akin to Roundpeg’s clients, who try to increase their exposure and client base through social media, with the goal to eventually boost their sales.

I think I’m learning more about public relations through both my internship at Roundpeg and my involvement with Relay for Life.  Have you ever done volunteer work for a non-profit? If not, I suggest getting involved in any capacity – it is very rewarding!