katie “Maria is easy to work with. She asks really good questions in advance; makes sure the project scope is understood by all; sets hard due dates; and stays in contact until the project is completed. Her special insight helped us be more concise while being more informative – and that’s not easy.” -President/Owner, U.S.-Based Electronic Hardware Designer & Supplier American Time "A natural talent for translating highly technical information into concepts that resonate with her audience...Maria is a true professional and delightfully easy to work with!" - American Time BTM Global "Brilliant, passionate, knowledgeable and dependable" - BTM Global Lynn "A Consummate professional, and she makes it easy for her clients to gain trust in her communication skills" - Lynn Shelton, Enterprise Minnesota

Maria Surma Manka is a B2B content strategist and writer with extensive experience in the energy and software industries.

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Business-to-Business Public Relations Strategy

Is your company doing great work, but not telling anyone about it? I work with industry-leading, business-to-business companies to create public relations plans that communicate product and service benefits in a deliberate and customized manner to prospective customers, partners and other key audiences. Through media relations, key messages, business writing, social media and more, I help companies better position themselves as industry leaders.

Content Strategy & Writing

If your business is complex or ever-changing, I want to write about it! From warehouse logistics to manufacturing to wind power, I translate B2B companies’ technical work into meaningful communications materials. This includes case studies, white papers, data sheets, lead-generation email campaigns, as well as articles in industry trade publications. I truly enjoy the challenge of learning and sharing my clients’ stories.

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Communications Strategy

Whether you need a 12-month communications plan or simply a plan for a specific company announcement, I work with organizations to create and implement communicate strategies for new products and offerings, company re-branding, entering new markets and more.

A Sampling of my Clients

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About Maria

Two Rivers is a strategic communications firm that specializes in public relations strategy and business writing, particularly for B2B energy and technology organizations. For 15 years, I have worked with companies and non-profits to translate their technical and complex work into meaningful communication materials and stories. This includes facilitating key messaging sessions with company leadership; domestic and international media relations; government affairs strategy and communications; writing nearly every type of business communication, including white papers, articles, sales presentations, executives’ speeches, video scripts and fundraising materials; social media management and more. From energy policy to supply chain management software to smart grid innovations, I truly enjoy the challenge of learning and sharing the stories of my clients! Prior to launching Two Rivers Communications, I worked for Tunheim in Minneapolis. There, I worked with global B2B clients on public relations and media relations, as well as a number of nonprofits on branding efforts and events marketing. Other past experiences include media relations for Fresh Energy, a nonprofit energy policy organization. I was also a cleantech blogger for many years and wrote for prominent online green news sites, including GreenOptions.com and EarthandIndustry.com. I was invited to cover industry events by organizations such as the American Wind Energy Association, American Petroleum Institute and the Clinton Global Initiative. I serve on the St. John’s Outdoor University advisory council and have been a volunteer mentor for the CleanTech Open Upper Midwest-North Division. I graduated summa cum laude from Hamline University and now live on the Mississippi River in rural Minnesota. I love anything related to food: growing it, hunting it, foraging for it, cooking it and eating it. You can see me as a riveted audience member in the film “An Inconvenient Truth.”

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