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The importance of building an authentic brand in the pandemic

May 11, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, COVID-19, PR, PR Club Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This is a guest post from Laura Bamford, PR Manager at Motive PR.

It’s always important for brands to be perceived as authentic, but even more so now than ever. We’re living in unprecedented times, and all eyes are on organisations to see how they react and respond to the global pandemic.

Consumer spending habits have changed and will continue to evolve until we begin to return to some semblance of normal, whatever that will look like. But one thing that has remained constant is customers’ expectations to deal with brands that have integrity.

Offering quality and good value products and services just isn’t enough, as customers expect legitimacy from companies big and small. So, if you haven’t already, now’s the time to take a long, hard look at your brand’s values and virtues, and make sure that all you do is aligned with them.

Years ago, businesses seemed to be willing to do almost anything it took to make a sale. Since then, many people – and millennials in particular – have developed a deep distrust of traditional advertising and assumed brand loyalty just doesn’t cut the mustard. Now, it’s transparent and genuine messages that resonate more powerfully with people, particularly in times of crisis.

1. Be ‘human’
Building an authentic but effective brand strategy that works in and responds to a global pandemic isn’t as difficult as it sounds. Ultimately, it comes down to demonstrating your company’s ‘human’ side and being consistent. You need to do this through all communication channels, whether it be customer service emails, content and outreach activity, or social media posts. Sending mixed messages will only lead to mistrust as it’s harder to tell which version of your brand is the real one.

2. Back it up
You also need to be able to back up your claims with honest actions. There’s no use in talking the talk if you can’t walk the walk. Deliver on your promises and communicate the process, but sensitively. Amid the current landscape, there’s another layer of considerations to bear in mind as companies shouldn’t be seen to be benefiting or leveraging from the crisis in any way.

3. Be honest
As the old saying goes, honesty is always the best policy. Being honest and truthful in everything you do shows your customers that their respect is of paramount importance to you, but don’t be afraid to admit if/when you miss the mark.

4. Be patient
Building an authentic brand is a marathon, not a sprint, and something you and your employees should be working at every day. But while the world has been thrown into chaos and uncertainty lies at every corner, there’s never been a better time to start or really focus on the process.

Pet Blogger Spotlight: Marc-Andre Runcie-Unger, Katzenworld

May 7, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

Digging through all the new developments in the pet world for all you cool cats and kittens are Marc-Andre and Iain Runcie-Unger of popular pet blog Katzenworld. If your moggy has been moping while you’re locked down together, read on for tips to keep them content and back to making biscuits, and what it is about the pet blogging community that keeps Marc-Andre feeling all things feline.

What keeps you enthusiastic about the pet blogging sphere?
All the changes and new developments that come about in the pet world are simply amazing. And if it wasn’t for us pet bloggers reporting on them and analysing them for the larger public, who else would be able to dig through them all?

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
Trends in new connected technology for pets, due to the improvements they offer for both humans and pet companions alike.

How have you had to change your approach and content now that people are self-isolating with their pets?
There are a lot more tips and advice posts around how to deal with the things you need to do as a pet guardian during lockdown. What if your pet is poorly and you’d normally rush to the vet immediately? When should you go, and how else can you get advice?

What would be your top pieces of advice for keeping pets entertained/not freaked out by how much more time they get to spend with their humans right now?
Make sure they have a safe location in your house. A cosy hiding space or pet bed, for example, that allows them to retreat and spend time on their own!

What is the weirdest thing your pets have done?
One of our cats snuck over to the neighbour to steal food from their lunch.

What’s your take on exotic pets, and how can people be dissuaded from buying animals that aren’t suited to living so closely with people?
While people are often attracted by unusual exotic pets, I would always advise doing your research first! Many exotic pets or even exotic breeds of cats are not suited to living like your regular moggy.

Which animal charities should people be supporting?
International Cat Care, as they provide a wealth of advice to cat owners, vets and fellow charities while also actively supporting global welfare efforts in the cat world.

How do you collaborate with brands, and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
It really depends on each brand but I always try to make it a fun two-way communication. I like working with brands that see you as a long-term partner and not just the blog of this week’s collaboration.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
Via email first as we are all often busy during the day with our daytime jobs. Make sure all content is cat focused! While other pets can of course take part we really do not like mass emails that focus on other animals with hardly any reference to cats.

What other blogs are you checking out regularly during lockdown?
Bionic Basil and Louiscatorze.com (also known as ‘the sun king’).

How to pitch to health journalists

May 6, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, How to pitch to..., journalism, PR, Health Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Statistics on the spread of coronavirus, updates on advances in treatment, instructions on lockdown mental wellbeing and self-isolation safety – health journalists across the media are under increasing pressure to report accurate data and keep their readers informed on staying safe. Now more than ever, PRs can play a part in making this work easier.

The following mix of outlet-specific advice, general dos and don’ts, and lockdown-related changes to ways of working come from health and wellbeing journalists across national press, consumer magazines, online titles and trade – read on for how you can help them get useful information out to the public during the current crisis.

1. Be a help to health journalists who are working through these hard times

‘Contact me by email, setting out clearly whether the story is being offered exclusively or on an “all round” embargoed basis.

‘Please remember that we are in the middle of a pandemic and that any health stories not relating to coronavirus have to be of very high news value to have any chance at all of being covered.

‘Due to childcare duties, I’m working very irregular hours, often late at night, so notification of potentially stories, ideally 24 hours in advance of intended publication, is very helpful.

‘I’m grateful for all suggestions, especially London exclusives, so please keep making them – don’t be disheartened by a refusal (or failure to respond). Your next story idea may be a winner.’

Ross Lydall, health editor and City Hall editor at the London Evening Standard

2. Be mindful of how a journalist’s routine may have changed during lockdown

‘It’s business as usual for me, but if there’s samples, they can go to home addresses.’

Lucy Gornall, editor of Feel Good You, health & fitness editor of TI Media’s Life & Style Portfolio including Women’s Weeklies and Woman & Home

3. Get the right content to the right journalist in the right format

‘Now more than ever, health content needs to come from a credible, evidence-based source (it is not the time to send CBD or turmeric press releases, or sales-led content).

‘For Healthcare Newsdesk, which targets healthcare professionals, we still ask for contact via email. However, for our other news sites, to reduce the exceptionally high volume of email we are receiving, we are asking PRs and individual content creators to submit content via our news submission system. You can find the submission links for all our news sites in one place.

‘If PRs are able to also upload a landscape image to accompany the piece, that really helps us publish more quickly.’

Lisa Baker, editor across Wellbeing News, Healthcare Newsdesk and more

4. No reply on the first try? Trust that the journalist will write about it if it’s relevant

‘Look at my website before sending something – it’s a health website, particularly healthy lifestyle. It’s not medical, so I don’t want loads of stuff about vaccines and medication and I don’t promote products for the sake of it. If it’s something relevant (say a new Vitamin C product) and I’ve tried it, I will most likely write about it.

‘Email is best and if you don’t get a reply twice, forget it.’

Frances Ive, editor at HealthySoul.co.uk

5. Don’t be a gatekeeper when introducing contacts and spokespeople

‘I’d prefer to hear direct from the business owner, even if the PR links to a short video from them. I also prefer a more conversational and less formal approach.

‘If I get sent a generic “Hi, this is info on XXX”, I delete within three seconds of opening. And please don’t send attached images, especially if large files!

‘I get upward of 30 pitches each day from PRs wanting free editorial space in our magazine. The approach is bland, and the same as I’d imagine has been used for decades – it no longer works.

‘I fully understand the PR necessity – but PRs need to think of a new way of working with publishers and the business owners in closer proximity and not try to be the gatekeepers.’

Susan Hay, CEO and founder of Thrive Magazine and Media

6. Monthly consumer titles won’t want fast news – ensure what you’re pitching fits with the outlet’s deadlines

‘When I looked after health, I hated getting news-related emails. I still get a glut of lockdown/virus-related info, but Prima is a monthly mag so we’re looking forward to July/August now.’

Karen Swayne, features editor at Prima

7. Health bloggers require a different approach to journalists

‘I don’t find it particularly helpful when press releases are written as if they’re company newsletters. For instance, the press release contains first person pronouns. A press release should be written from a third-party point of view.

‘I also prefer a press release to be sent as it is; I don’t need to read long and boring introductions. An excellent press release is one that is direct to the point, with hi-res image, and has been proofread.’

Dennis Relojo-Howell, founder of Psychreg

Help busy health journalists keep their readers informed with relevant studies, spokespeople and information via the Vuelio Media Database.

Leading different types of people while working remotely

May 4, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, COVID-19, PR, PR Club Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This is a guest post from Richard Middleton, leadership consultant at Middleton Consultancy Ltd and senior consultant with Engaging Business.

As a leader you may be feeling pressure right now to balance maintaining performance, creating a flexible and supportive environment, and managing your own energy levels. In addition to the fact that this may be the first time your team has had to work apart for an extended period.

Easy? Probably not. Especially if your world now includes the added challenges of relentlessly checking for the next available Click & Collect slot, answering your children’s questions arising from your home schooling sessions or working out how to use an endless range of video conferencing apps with family and friends.

Through my company and work with Engaging Business, I coach leaders of all levels across the private and non-profit sectors and am privileged to get an insight into their challenges and successful strategies in tackling them. There are three key areas I see consistently delivering results that should help you now and in the future.

1) Build your self-awareness
Higher levels of emotional intelligence are fundamental to being a better leader. Understanding both you and your teams’ personality preferences will help you to tailor how to work with them most effectively. Take a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment – available free through Engaging Works. It’s based on the work of Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Jung and is a great way to get started. Initially consider whether you’re more ‘extroverted’ (energised by talking things through, working in groups, getting stuck into activity) or ‘introverted’ (energised by thinking things through, working more on your own, reflecting for longer prior to taking action). Don’t confuse these words with social confidence as the meaning here is different.

People often lead as they like to be led – especially if they’re experiencing stress. Right now, if you’re an extrovert, that may mean you’d like longer or more frequent video calls, a lot of discussion and speed to pin down actions. What will this be like for an introvert? Likely, not great. Send information in advance, use the chat function alongside video to allow more reflective people to post, take more quick breaks or just stop the conversation for a minute. If you’re more introverted, you might not have considered how extroverts may miss the banter and chat of the workplace. Recreate some of this with an online team lunch, encourage working ‘alongside’ each other on a video call or post-work drinks if that works for your team. Ask your team what they need.

2) Seek input and agree clear outcomes
It can be very easy to slip into micro-managing when you can’t ‘see’ your team getting stuck into their workload. Working near them may have given you a better sense of where they were at which can leave you feeling in the dark now. Uncomfortable as it may feel, it’s the outcome you need to focus on rather than how it’s achieved.

Use open questions to understand your team member’s views and tap into their experience, agree key milestones to check in and give them time to describe the result they’re picturing as well as sharing your view. What will this work actually look like when it’s done? Keep discussing until you can both describe the same outcome in detail. Give them the space to work out how to achieve it, remind them you’re available to help and resist the urge to keep checking in outside agreed updates.

3) Invest in reflective practice
Don’t underestimate the power of taking time to review how things are going. Reflection doesn’t have to usurp hours out of your already stretched diary – even taking ten minutes daily while you’re having a coffee can lead to useful observations.

Ask yourself what’s working well and what could be better? What could this mean for when things change again with some form of return to the workplace? Encourage your team to do the same. Don’t assume the team will or should work in the same way – capture their views on a survey such as the Working from Home Survey from Engaging Business if this is available in your organisation.

Overall, learn from this period of time. While it may be challenging, it’s also a fantastic opportunity to expand your skills as a leader.

Fitness Blogger Spotlight with Gemma Seager, Lipstick, Lettuce & Lycra

April 30, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Paul Burvill

‘Explosive moves don’t necessarily need a lot of space, just a sturdy floor!’ – here to help with keeping fitness levels up (or raising them higher than ‘nothing’ – your mileage may vary), is fitness blogger Gemma Seager of Lipstick, Lettuce & Lycra.

While Gemma’s blog launched in very different times back in 2008, looking after yourself never goes out of fashion and is more important than ever here in 2020. Read on for insight on self-care, making use of your sofa for workouts, and keeping on top of your mental and physical health when the going gets tough.

What keeps you enthusiastic about the fitness blogging sphere?
The fitness blogging sphere is so varied and I find it fascinating how many different angles people can take on one topic. But what really keeps me enthusiastic is feedback. When I get a message from someone saying I’ve helped or inspired them to do something they’d never considered before, or made them realise that you don’t have to be a stereotypical ‘fitness’ person to be more active, that really makes me happy.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
This sounds awful but my favourite thing to post about is me! I like to post from my own experience, so I write about products I love, workouts I’ve tried, and things that have helped me along the way. I can’t write about something I haven’t experienced and I think that the thing blogs offer that magazines and other outlets can’t is that personal connection with the author.

How have you had to change your approach and content now that people are self-isolating?
I haven’t really. Because I always write about my own experience and I’m having the same lived experience as many of my readers I’m just writing about how I’m dealing with the situation. Obviously, some of my planned content has changed. There are races I was signed up to that aren’t going ahead so I won’t be reviewing those now! Largely, I’m focusing on the idea of self-care and that exercise should be there to support your physical and mental health, not as some kind of punishment.

What exercises would you recommend people with a high-level of fitness swap in to their routine if they can’t get out to run/swim/cycle?
At home HIIT workouts are everywhere at the moment, so if someone already has a high level of fitness, they are a great thing to take on if you want to do a high-intensity workout. Explosive moves don’t necessarily need a lot of space, just a sturdy floor! I would caution that even if you have a high level of physical fitness it’s important to take care of your mental health, too. A lot of people who spent a lot of time at the gym are finding that their motivation to workout at home is low or non-existent. It’s important not to beat yourself up about it, and maybe schedule just short workout breaks into your day.

What routines are worth trying for those with a low level of fitness who want to start to improve it from home?
Bodyweight strength workouts are ideal for those that want to get started. If you’re starting from the beginning, then you really don’t need to be adding weights early on. I have a few 15-minute bodyweight sessions on my blog, but there are tons of others out there. Look for progressions and regressions, such as starting push ups on your knees before moving to full push ups and focus on keeping your core solid with any exercise.

What household items are great for incorporating into a workout?
If you want to add weight then using tins of beans and water bottles as light weights really works. Personally, I think a sofa or chair is one of the best household workout accessories! You can do tricep dips, elevated pushups or use them as a support for single leg squats. You can also use a pair of tights as an impromptu resistance band for some exercises!

With Mr Motivator making a comeback recently, who are some of your workout heroes from the past?
When I was little, my Mum had a Lizzie Webb aerobics video. She was the TV-AM workout guru in the 80s. I was also a huge fan of the Callan Pickney Callanetics workout in the early 90s; I think it’s where my obsession with core stability has come from.

How do you collaborate with brands, and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I’m always open to suggestions for different ways to work with brands. I love working with smaller innovative brands, but I also love the opportunity when bigger brands have a budget to really support some creative content.

I prefer to create content that shows how brands can add to your life and support your wellbeing and activity, rather than just straight product reviews. I worked with our local council to promote a borrow a bike scheme, and that was really fun because I could show how I learned to get more confident on the bike and how it changed my everyday life. I’ve also worked on some great campaigns with footwear and vitamin brands to create content about staying active and supporting your health that included the brand’s aims as part of a wider health and activity message.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
I’m always open to emails, I find them easier to keep up with and track than contact on social media. I don’t use Twitter much, so I’m likely to miss anything there, but an Instagram message is fine, too! I’m always open to products to review, and I often post a monthly round-up of things I’ve tried and loved, which has better reach than a single product post. I love it when brands are really clear about their message, budget and what sort of content they are looking for when they approach me so that there’s no confusion!

What other blogs are you checking out regularly during lockdown?
I’m spending a lot of time on Instagram during lockdown as I find it’s a lot more positive than Facebook and I’m trying to stay upbeat! I read a lot of the blogs on the Fitness Blogger Top 10, especially The Tales of Annie Bean and Fat Girls’ Guide to Running. I also like to read Cakes Vs Scales and Girls Gone Strong.

Loans, furloughing, pay cuts and redundancies – the latest data from the PRCA

April 29, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR Analysis Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

‘We need to be honest with ourselves – the industry will end 2020 smaller than it began it,’ is how PRCA director general Francis Ingham sums up results from the industry body’s Pulse survey examining how PR is adapting financially to the current crisis. While the data makes for sobering reading, there are strong signs of readiness for the period of recovery that will follow these times of furlough, pay cuts and redundancies.

The survey of 62 industry professionals found that:

– 15% of respondents have applied for business interruption loans, with a further 10% planning to do so
– 60% have furloughed staff
– 50% have implemented pay cuts for staff, and a further 10% expect to do so
– Almost two-thirds of staff pay cuts have been in the 10-25% bracket
– 60% have been financially impacted
– 50% expect to have to make redundancies

‘Given these numbers, the low take-up of business interruption loans shows that there is something wrong with the current system. If the loan model cannot be made to work, then the Government should give serious and urgent consideration to a grants model instead,’ says Ingham of the findings.

‘At a time when business leaders are making painful decisions for their colleagues, it is good to see that they are sharing the financial burden personally.

‘The inherent strength and flexibility of PR means that we should nevertheless be confident about the future, and confident about the strength of the recovery that lies ahead.’

Full data from the PRCA survey with The Pulse Business can be found here. Find resources for working during the COVID-19 crisis by downloading Navigating uncertainty – the Vuelio toolkit for communicators.

Pet Blogger Spotlight: Stephanie Walton, Steph and the Spaniels

April 28, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

Meet Steph, Sev and Lily – the posting partnership blogging about pets, style and adventure at Steph and the Spaniels, one of our top 10 UK pet blogs.

Steph has had to change her focus while staying indoors with the spaniels – read on for how they’re coping with the lack of dog-friendly travel and adventures, and how you can keep your own pets calm and comfy at home.

What keeps you enthusiastic about the pet blogging sphere?
Sev and Lily are no doubt the reason why I love sharing our life and adventures, showcasing our little life together. I’ve blogged for such a long long time now, I couldn’t really imagine not doing it – it’s my online diary and I love looking back at our adventures.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
I love travel and adventure posts, because that’s such a passion, being able to travel with your pets (though, obviously, not during the current lockdown). Never leaving the dogs behind is something we want to share with our readers.

How have you had to change your approach and content now that people are self-isolating with their pets?
Lots of Instagram accounts can have a persona that doesn’t seem like real life, with stunning imagery and locations and although I love creating those things, at this time it’s important to show homely inside shots and reach out knowing we’re all in this together. As well as that, we’ve started TikTok – I’m very, very new to it but loving the pet content on there so far!

What would be your top pieces of advice for keeping pets entertained/not freaked out by how much more time they get to spend with their humans right now?
This is really important and something to think about. Both of my dogs suffer from slight separation anxiety, so although it’s nice we can be together, after this it may be harder to leave them.

If you’re working from home, it’s a great idea to have them in separate rooms when possible and let them get used to this.

I also love interactive toys and lots of chews and games. Devil Door Direct is our number one go-to store for lots of fun activities and treats to help with boredom.

Which animal charities should people be supporting?
I don’t think there’s a right and wrong to this answer – just support any that mean something to you and you’re close to. For us, we love Dogs Trust as my family dog was rescued from one of their centres, and we’ve worked with them on the blog. I think making sure you have enough information about the charity and wanting to help is great!

How do you collaborate with brands, and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I do all sorts of collaborations with brands, from photo shoots and reviews to product placements, but I love being creative and working on a full campaign that I can really get into. Showcasing my work, my photography and my blogging in the best way, without too many limits.

I work a lot with travel brands, but also a variety of dog businesses and human brands so we can bring me and the dogs together in a collaboration that works for them too. I’m really open to what we can do and work on. If it’s fun and creative, I love it!

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
My email is always the best way – there are links to this on Instagram and my blog, and I’m always checking and replying. As above, I love being able to be creative – giving me an idea and concept to roll with gets me more excited than just placing a product in a photo (for example!)

What other blogs are you checking out regularly during lockdown?
I love Honey, I Dressed the Pug, so much. I’ve noticed blogs are getting more and more popular and I see links popping up through the dog-friendly Instagram community more. I always like to swipe up or follow their links to have a little look at the posts through the day.

How do you balance parenting with WFH? Part 2

April 27, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, COVID-19, PR, PR Club Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

We’ve been speaking to PR parents who are balancing home life with work from home life. In this second part, you can pick up advice and reassurance from peers managing focus, sharing and ‘remote babysitting’. This is part two – read part one here.

7) Changing up your workspace

‘I’m juggling responsibilities to my clients with looking after Joe, my 17-month-old son. My partner Robbie is on furlough and is doing a great job keeping our son entertained but it hasn’t stopped him being disruptive. Joe’s run naked into my ‘home office’ (a squeezed corner of the sitting room) during Zoom calls with clients, has climbed onto my desk shutting down my MacBook, and is generally causing havoc every single day. When Joe naps late morning it’s great and I can be productive for up to two hours. But I have resorted to sitting in the car to do quiet work when things have gotten too much…’

Grainne Byrne, account director at Represent Comms

8) Giving more consideration to the split of parental responsibilities

‘I thought working from home would make it easy for me and my partner to balance parenting roles and responsibilities and give me more opportunity to be there for the special moments I always missed when I was at work. But in fact, it has illuminated a startling disparity between workloads and pressures.

‘While I try and do as much as possible, and share in our baby’s formative months and experiences, balancing my job and home ‘work’ is proving difficult. It’s swings and roundabouts though; at least I’m not commuting for three hours a day and that’s time I can now spend with my daughter – and I’m always home for her bedtime routine!’

Dan Plume, head of content at Branch Road

‘My wife and I decided to equally split caring for our son and working. In the mornings, I get up with my son, prepare breakfast and get ready for the day. Often, we go for walks or do grocery shopping. Once he naps after lunch, I start my working day. It’s working well for us.

‘As I work as part of an international team, the time difference partly makes up for the first hours of the day where I’m unable to work. I have communicated my working hours to both our clients and my colleagues and everyone fully understands the situation.’

Jan Christoph Bohnerth, strategic director at Life Size

9) Being upfront with your team (and yourself) about what you can accomplish

‘I’ll be honest, I went into full on panic mode as soon as I heard we were in lockdown. Luckily, after a few phone calls to my always-supportive MD and CEO, I had a bit of a breakthrough. They managed to reassure me that they understood if my work output wasn’t up to scratch during the lockdown period, and that I’d be able to rely on members of the wider PR team should I need any additional help in picking up some of my everyday tasks. Despite the stresses that have accompanied the past month, we’ve been really lucky.’

Lauren Wilden (@growingoutandup), head of PR at 10 Yetis Digital

10) Remote babysitting

‘With a separate office in the house and pre-school age children, I’m lucky I’m not perching a laptop on the kitchen table or trying to educate kids too – it’s much, much harder for those who are.

‘While it’s unusual having my husband and both kids permanently here too, the ability to work shifts and share care means we’re managing well. Screen time rules have gone out of the window, but we’re thankful for the baby’s decent naps and my parents and in-laws ‘babysitting’ via Zoom for an hour a day with the eldest.’

Claire Foss, owner of Waterfall PR

11) Staying focused on what really matters

‘After a couple of days of feeling overwhelmed and bad at this parenting lark, we’ve decided to pick and choose what we focus on, both for the kids’ sakes and for ours, so that they can keep learning but also enjoy the fresh air and sunshine we so fortuitously have right now.

‘Do we feel guilty that they are not learning? Do we feel failures that they are more interested in teen-orientated American “comedy” shows and their tablet computers? Do we get exasperated at the latest meltdown for all our neighbours to hear when they’re in the garden? Yes, to all the above. But as my wife said, we’re keeping them safe, and right now, that’s all that really matters.’

David Alexander, managing director at Calacus

‘The hardest part has been shifting my mindset; understanding that some days I’ll need to be Mum more than PR lead, and others the opposite. And that’s okay. So many of us are in the same boat. And if you’re communicating openly with your teams and your clients, setting expectations, and continuing to do a great job, that’s what matters.’

Rebecca Mulgrave, head of PR at Branch Road

‘Balancing being a parent and WFH does come with its challenges, but I think looking at the experience as a positive is the key to it not becoming overwhelming.

‘I break probably once an hour, even for just five minutes, to play with my son – it can be the ultimate tool for reducing any stress or frustrations because when you do go back to sitting at your laptop, you’re doing it with a smile on your face! It’s really hard at times, but this is time at home watching our kids grow up – enjoy it.’

Mark McMeekin, digital PR consultant at AGY47

12) Go easy on yourself

‘I think that one thing is not to think that you have to be a home-schooling guru as that will only add pressure to what is already a testing time. Our school is now using Google Classroom and we have a full day of on and offline work for the children to do – what I would say is to remember that you can be seen and heard by those on a school call so get dressed!

‘It’s important that you do not go on social media and get caught up in the whole home-schooling competition. Yes, someone might be creating amazing art and teaching their kids Japanese as an extra, but don’t believe the hype! The main thing is that you are all happy and healthy and as long as they are doing their best, reading each day, not living on their screens and getting some fresh air and exercise, then that is great!’

Natalie Trice, PR consultant, coach, and trainer

Want more resources for working during the COVID-19 outbreak? Download Navigating uncertainty – the Vuelio toolkit for communicators.

How do you balance parenting with WFH? Part 1

April 27, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, COVID-19, PR, PR Club Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Are you struggling to keep up with work while keeping children fed, watered and entertained during lockdown? You’re not alone. A recent Marketing Week and Econsultancy survey of 1,990 of our cousins in marketing across the globe has found that almost half of those with children (46.6%) feel they are working less efficiently than normal.

While 86.7% of those without children can work in a quiet space for at least five hours a day, just 59.1% of those with children under 16 are able to, with 60.4% saying their home situation has interrupted work-related calls.

Concerns about job security are also higher in those with children at home, as well as feelings of ‘deep stress’, but it’s not all bad – parents working from home also had higher levels of focus and being productive.

If the balance of parenting while working from home is something you’re struggling with, take some advice (or simple reassurance) from peers also struggling, and succeeding, through sometimes stressful home working situations…

This is part one, read part two here.

1) Breaks, baths and Joe Wicks

‘We’re attempting to stick to as strict a routine as possible, starting the day, like everyone else, with Joe Wicks (although what happens if he gets coronavirus? We’re all counting on you, Joe) followed by reading, writing, some jumping on the trampoline and eating a lot of oat cakes and M&Ms. All while attempting to Slack and email, which is surprisingly easy to do, actually. This morning I “listened” to an entire book being read by my son while arranging an interview with a client. MULTI-TASKING.’

Lee Simpson, content and client account manager at Fourth Day

‘This is an alien situation for everyone – don’t expect miracles. Compartmentalise your day. Dedicate an hour to clearing through emails and mapping out a to-do list – ideally done before the kids are up, if possible. Secondly, prioritise communication – establish a daily plan and inform your team; my husband and I split the day in two and take it in turns with childcare, so my team know when I am able to respond to emails or be on client Zoom calls.

And take some time out. Once the kids are in bed, don’t jump back onto your laptop. Take an hour to have a bath, eat a decent dinner, go for a jog or read a book – whatever helps you switch off. Burning the candle at both ends won’t benefit us, our kids or our jobs.’

Chloe MacDonagh, senior account manager at Sellers PR

‘The key for us with two kids (nine and six) has been a set routine. When everyone in the house knows what they have to be doing and when, competing priorities are easier to manage. The kids value having time off from parents and we value having time to focus fully on work. A simple shared Outlook calendar seems to be doing the trick!’

Leor Franks, chief marketing officer at Augusta Ventures

‘I’m a single mum to my 15-year-old daughter, who was recently been diagnosed with learning differences. I feel completely inadequate to teach, however together we are learning via BBC Bitesize and other online tools and I’m certainly developing my skill in patience.

I have set working hours each day – 8am until 2.30pm (during this time, my darling teenager catches up on her beauty sleep). After a well-deserved cup of tea, I sit down with her and we crack on with schoolwork for a couple of hours. By 5pm, I’m ready for bed!

We’re a team of two who have managed to compromise and find a routine that works for us both. Prior to lockdown I hardly saw my daughter, so I am thoroughly enjoying spending more time with her.’

Jo Lowe, PR director at Spring PR

2) Breaks for everyone, in fact

‘Breaking the day up into chunks helps, you’re never going to sit down and do three straight hours of work, but you can do an hour, then have a break to do something with you child or get them a snack (which they seem to need all day long!) – that helps.

Sit them at the table with you when you’re working and give them colouring, painting or Play-Doh – set them a little challenge, too.’

Sarah Twyman, client services director at Smoking Gun

‘As a single mum of a lively two-year-old, running a PR agency in lockdown has been an eye opener. It took time to find our feet, but now we are further into lockdown, we have a little routine in place with things that seem to work for us both. I aim to limit screen time (although this doesn’t always work!) and replace it with indoor exercise or arts and crafts. We also were introduced the Caribu app for video calls with family and friends while the children can read interactive books or draw pictures on the phone with each other.

I make sure I allow time for a good lunch and down time is key. When Zuri takes her nap, I jump on my Peloton bike – it’s a must for my wellbeing and mental health. And if all else fails, an ice lolly and Paw Patrol is a great way to get through a Zoom meeting with clients!’

Lucy Dartford, managing director of We are Lucy

3) Using what’s online

‘We’re really lucky that a lot of the baby classes my daughter has been used to attending are now available online – TinyTalk baby signing is her particular favourite – so we are able to keep some sort of normality for her too.’

Annie Brafield, account director at Cartwright Communications

‘I won’t lie, it’s hard work. I have a 10-year-old son, who only has a desire to play on his PlayStation and watch Netflix, so we had to set rules early on (we were self-isolating before the schools closed, too). We try and start everyday around 9am with #PEwithJoe, like a lot of the country, and we found a great app early on called IXL to help on the English and Maths he should be learning in year five. Who knew how much English had changed?? I’m head of PR, and write content daily, but sometimes I just don’t have a clue with some of these terms – concrete and abstract nouns, anyone?’

Claire Beaumont, head of PR at Igniyte

‘The Moshi: Sleep and Mindfulness app has been particularly useful over the last few weeks. Goldie’s Five-Minute Brain Break has become my go-to when I need the children to simply calm down. The ‘brain break’ works as a five-minute wind-down technique – a great way to install moments of calm throughout the day for little ones, as well as allowing parents like myself to take a step back and refocus before the chaos inevitably starts again!’

Natalie Linder, PR & digital content manager at Luminous PR

4) Using ‘local’ resources

‘I had a little meltdown at the prospect of working from home as a single parent with a very demanding nine-year-old, 15-year-old and autistic 19-year-old. However, my 19-year-old sat down and constructed lesson plans for my nine-year-old and took over the childcare! He’s teaching her about Egyptians as we speak, and I’m at my desk!’

Martina Mercer, freelance PR and editor of Sunday Woman

5) Investing in the right tech

‘I run my agency remotely, so working from home isn’t new to me, but having our littles ones out of nursery and with no in-laws available right now, it is a very different household. The main problems I’m running into are the noise and time it takes to get back to work once I pop out of the third bedroom for a break. To help with these, I’m using my headphones a lot more, which helps stop me getting sucked into tantrums or the boredom elsewhere in the house…’

Darren Kingman, founder of Root Digital

Find more advice (and confessions) from other PRs balancing family with working from home in Part two here.

Pet Blogger Spotlight: Rachel Spencer, The Paw Post Pet Blog

April 24, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

Meet Rachel Spencer – the human (and self-confessed ‘Crazy Dog Lady’) behind The Paw Post Pet Blog. As well as trying out new gadgets with her canine co-blogger Patch, Rachel is busy blogging about the good work of charities improving the lives of animals like Street Paws, StreetVet and Canine Hope.

Helping domestic animals to live their best lives is what Rachel really enjoys about blogging – if you’re currently cohabiting with a pet who’s confused about how much more time you’re spending indoors, read on for how to keep their tails wagging.

What keeps you enthusiastic about the pet blogging sphere?
I think it would be seeing the massive joy that our animals bring to our lives. I don’t do a lot on Instagram but I love going on there as my feed is wall-to-wall dogs and the occasional cat or tortoise!

It’s such a nice way to switch off. What I love about blogging is you can go a lot deeper on a subject, whether you’re talking about dog yoga or someone doing something AMAZING to help animals like Janey Lowes, who is a vet working out in Sri Lanka. I’ve been blogging for three years and have been a journalist for 20 and I still get so excited when I have an amazing animal story.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
I love sharing real life stories and people doing incredible things – like Janey, Jade and Sam at StreetVet and the rescues I’ve worked with like Dogs4Rescue in Manchester and Beds for Bullies in Norfolk. I love to create content that inspires and brings out emotion, and I won’t lie, I do get emotional quite a lot when I speak to people. I was in tears during a visit to Dogs4Rescue to talk to its founder, Emma.

Travel pieces are something I really enjoy, too. Our dogs are a huge part of our lives and I love going to new places with Patch to explore. I always look for dog friendly travel pieces myself – it’s great to see the posts rank well on search engines and to get messages from people saying they enjoyed them.

How have you had to change your approach and content now that people are self-isolating with their pets?
I have tried to make it as relevant as possible, which is what I try to do as a general rule anyway. When I had Daisy, I did a lot of posts about senior dogs and the issues owners face. When she passed away, I covered bereavement. When we adopted Patch, aged two, I covered how to train a young dog.

With lockdown, owners are at a loss as to how to support their pets. The first week, I did a massive round-up of resources that are out there, covering everything from diet and nutrition to puppy training and grooming. My blog is for the readers – as I do each post, I try to think about what they need. This week for example, I’m writing about how to keep your dog cool in lockdown as the weather is set to warm up.

I’ve been sharing lots of content from dog behaviourists, groomers and other experts on social media, as well as what Patch is up to.

What would be your top pieces of advice for keeping pets entertained/not freaked out by how much more time they get to spend with their humans right now?
Don’t overwhelm them. I spoke to a trainer the other day who was talking about how our dogs will be feeling at the moment and she explained it would be unsettling. So, while it’s lovely to be at home (I’m at home with Patch anyway, as I work from home) they need space. Yes, enjoy activities with your dog and work on their training and tricks, but make sure they get down time and the sleep they need.

The trainer I spoke to explained separation anxiety and how those who usually go out and work all day should consider going and sitting in their car for some time each day so the dog gets used to being on their own – in fact, I need to do a post on this!

What are some of the weirdest things you’ve dealt with as a pet owner?
Oh, it has to be the dog Reiki where Daisy did a poo on the woman’s floor. We also did a Pawsonal shopping experience at Pet London where Daisy was basically like a doggy version of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman (the bit when she goes shopping).

How can people be dissuaded from buying animals/exotic pets that aren’t suited to living so closely with people?
I think whatever pet you have, please, please, please do your research first and make sure you have the time and right lifestyle to support them. Charities are over-run with animals who were taken in on a whim and being a pet parent is a huge decision and not to be taken lightly.

Which animal charities should people be supporting?
Now that’s a tricky question – there are so many fantastic charities out there and they all need our help at the moment. What I would say is to choose one that is close to you, that you have an affinity with – for example, you may have adopted your pet from there. Perhaps think of the smaller ones that are struggling, also.

How do you collaborate with brands, and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I work with brands who are in line with the feel of my blog and my values. For example, I did a sponsored post with Petplan at Christmas, and that’s because I use Petplan to insure my dog.

I don’t do lots of collaborations with brands, to be honest. I tend to write about products that I like and it’s often people I have just spotted online and on social media. With Reg&Bob, for example, Sarah the founder approached me, and it was just after I lost Daisy. I loved her products, so I had an influencer friend – Layla The White Boxer Dog – review them for me. I’ve since gone on to buy products and she has kindly gifted us products, too.

Another is The Cosy Canine Company, I love Lottie’s walking bags and have bought two myself and a fair few as gifts, and she has given discount codes to readers, which is lovely.

If a brand would like to work with me, I am open to this. Particularly dog-friendly travel destinations, although we can’t go very far at the moment.

I also write for other websites too, like Dog Friendly Retreats, and I offer consultancy services to pet businesses who need support with content and media coverage. If anyone is interested in working together, just drop me a message.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
The best way is via email, and the main thing I’d like to get across is that I create all the content on my blog.

I don’t have guest posts or content written by anyone other than myself, and I will write it from a journalist perspective. It’s about what I can give to the reader rather than it being a promotional post for the brand.

This feels more authentic to me, but I understand not everyone wants to work this way. In pitches, I’d like them to think about what they can offer to my readers. When PRs do this I’m much more likely to say yes!

What other blogs are you checking out regularly during lockdown?
I love The Dogvine. Patch is in LOVE with Belinha. We met up last year and he was just mesmerised. I have never seen anything like it! So I love checking out her posts and wishing I didn’t live so far away.

Another is Dotty4Paws. Kate is a friend of mine and she has a new Jack Russell puppy called Gertie she got just before lockdown. She’s been doing puppy diaries, which are so cute and really helpful for puppy owners. Gertie is like Patch, but with brown patches instead of black and I feel like her stalker!

Mark at Adventures of Monty Dogge really makes me laugh every time I see his Facebook posts. On Instagram, I love LeCorgi and the work he does with his human Aurelie and Doug the Pug Therapy Dog.

Webinar – After the storm: Planning for preparedness post COVID-19

April 22, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Webinars & Videos, Communications Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

While the COVID-19 crisis presents challenges for agencies, business and organisations across all levels, their communications teams are under increasing pressure to prepare and plan for strong recoveries when the wider economy starts to improve.

Our next live webinar After the storm: Planning for preparedness post COVID-19 at 3pm on 5 May will cover how to define objectives before building your strategies, planning conversations during times of crisis, insight-led frameworks and setting up for success in time for the eventual upswing.

Sign up to join the live webinar on 5 May 2020

Guest speakers joining the conversation and answering your questions on engaging with stakeholders for best practice planning include Hotwire chief strategy officer Chris Paxton, Question & Retain founder and CEO Annabel Dunstan and Fielding Communications director Kate Fielding.

Join us live for the webinar and Q&A on 5 May or sign up to receive a recording after it airs.

The PR guide to the NLA

April 20, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR Club Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

You may know the NLA as the company you have to pay a licensing fee to for access to print and online monitoring clips and coverage. It was founded in 1996 by publishers including Associated Newspapers, the Financial Times, Guardian Media Group and ESI Media to licence their copyrighted content for use by businesses, government bodies and public relations agencies. If you work in PR, it is a necessary investment for sharing the coverage you get in newspapers, magazines and news websites with your clients, co-workers or shareholders.

Here’s what else you need to know about the service, and which licence might be best for you.

What is the NLA?
NLA media access, in its own words, is ‘a publisher-owned rights licensing and publisher services business’. It manages collective rights on behalf of its members, enabling access to paper and digital copies of newspaper, magazine and news website content. It is used by media monitoring firms, press cutting agencies, PR agencies, in-house PR teams and freelancers – over 150,000 businesses are currently licenced by the NLA.

If you want to share coverage you or your clients get in the media with customers, or internally at your agency, the NLA is the place where you can get a licence to do that.

Why do PRs need an NLA licence?
Not having a licence and sharing copyrighted content would be like burning a DVD of a film and passing it on at the pub, but on a much bigger scale and with fewer 2001 vibes. The technology for sharing and using copyrighted content has (thankfully) moved on – a NLA licence will enable you to access and use the copy they manage, both internally and externally of your organisation or agency. A subscription to a media database or media monitoring service isn’t likely to include an NLA licence as part of the contract because it needs to be held directly by the end-user.

Which NLA licence should you get?
Which licence you’ll need depends on the size of your business, whether you’re working in-house, and where you’ll be sharing NLA-licenced content.

A PR Client Service Licence, exclusively for PR agencies, will grant you the right to supply articles from publications represented by the NLA in any format for your clients – but you’ll need to pay a flat fee for each client you have. If your agency has a team of five or fewer, this licence will also allow for internal copying.

Standard PR Agency Licences also grant agencies the ability to supply those articles, but those shared with clients will need to be itemised – by format (hard copy, web), by client, content type and delivery. Find out more about the price list for this licence on the NLA website here.

There is also the Business Licence, for agencies who monitor the media for their own purposes and circulate content internally-only, and the Web End User Licence, which is the same but for online content.

And if you post clips on your social media pages or corporate website, a Corporate Website Republishing Licence is what you’ll need.

Want something more simple? That’ll be The Simplified Licence, which permits copying from all the newspapers, mags and websites represented by the NLA just like the Business Licence, the Web End User Licence, and the Standard PR Licence. It doesn’t do the same job as the PR Client Services Licence or Corporate Web Republishing Licence, however, so check out more information on the differences over on the NLA Media Access website (along with some interactive forms for applying for the right one once you’ve found it).

How much does a licence cost?
It depends on the number of users, the size of your business, how many titles you monitor and how much you wish to share – work out how much it would cost for you on the NLA Business Licence page.

Which publications does the NLA cover?
Many – but not all of them. The NLA mostly licenses UK newspapers and news websites, but also some international titles and magazines. Look through the current list of publications an NLA licence can cover on the website.

Does the NLA affect titles with paywalls online?
Whether a title is paywalled or not, if the outlet is a member of the NLA, a licence from them is what you need.

Is an NLA licence all a PR needs to start sharing media content?
Well, not quite. Publishers decide which organisation will collect copyright on their behalf – some work with the NLA, some even manage this directly themselves, like the Financial Times. Thousands of other magazines and websites are licensed by the CLA (the Copyright Licensing Agency) – a CLA Media Consultancy Licence allows PR and comms agencies to copy and reuse published materials from these publications internally and with their clients. Search for what you can share with a CLA licence here, and find further information on the CLA website.

Beauty Blogger Spotlight with Hayley Hall

April 17, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

‘The beauty industry is so intrinsically linked with how we feel about ourselves and has such a great power to boost our mood – which has never been more important.’ There’s much more to beauty than many people realise according to top 10 UK beauty blogger Hayley Hall. Read on for her looking-after-yourself-during-lockdown tips and make some plans for staying in this weekend.

What keeps you passionate about blogging on beauty?
The fact that there’s always something to talk about, always something new to experience. But mainly because the beauty industry is so intrinsically linked with how we feel about ourselves and has such a great power to boost our mood – which has never been more important than now. Beauty has long been pinned as vacuous and superficial, but it’s an industry powerfully intertwined with wellbeing and confidence.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
More thought pieces about trends, or explanations on ingredients; my background is in beauty brand development and marketing, so I like to be able to use my knowledge and understanding to build content that’s more than just ‘this is pretty, buy it!’

How have you had to change your approach and content now that people are self-isolating?
I’m still sharing reviews, recommendations and information – as the majority of my content is evergreen and relevant no matter the time. But I’m also adding in suggestions of things to do during lockdown, products that help (i.e. the best hand creams for cracked skin) and my own thoughts and observations. My content is always led by what’s going on in the wider world, and this is no different.

What beauty advice would you give people who are unable to get out and access the new beauty releases?
Shop your own stash! We all have so many products lying around that we forget about, so have a rummage in your cupboards and categorise them into products you can use daily and those you can reach for a treat; there are also so many things you can make from home – and Pinterest is a great source for that.

What makeup tips do you have for looking good on cam during video chats for work and keeping up with friends?
To be honest, looking good on Zoom is the least of our worries at the moment! But a decent radiant CC Cream fixes all issues, while a pop of lipstick makes you look more awake than anything else could!

Do you think the big beauty brands are open enough about their cruelty-free status?
They’re getting better, but more transparency is needed on their supply chain and the ingredients they use; a lot of them undermine their own good work by only telling us half the story.

What have been some of the worst ‘gimmick’ products or trends over the last few years in beauty or makeup?
Vibrating mascaras – utterly pointless. Those awful lip plumping vacuum things that caused people to look like they’d been in a fight. And super long pointy nails are not my thing; how do you get anything done?!

How do you collaborate with brands, and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
Most of my collaborations start either with a pre-existing relationship or a query from a brand that loves what I do; a conversation usually ensues around what they want to achieve, what their budget or constraints are and what ‘must haves’ are in place. The best partnerships are two way and involve me in as much of the campaign as possible, right from the beginning of the brief writing process, and are long term – trust and engagement takes a long time to build, so a singular Instagram post won’t build the level of sales most brands want alone. It’s part of a much bigger puzzle.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
Always on email (please don’t Insta DM me – it’s unprofessional, intrusive and hard to keep track of) and always with an angle or story, never a long list of expectations. If you ask me to guarantee coverage in return for a sample, I won’t engage with you to be honest; but leave me to my own devices and I’m likely to share it in a way that’s authentic and beneficial.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether beauty-related or not)?
Too many to mention! I have hundreds in my feed.

CIPR launches free Progress mentor scheme for members

April 16, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations has launched Progress, a free mentoring scheme for its members providing a space for discussion, opportunities and planning out future career paths.

Progress launches with 48 mentors who will offer their perspectives on current challenges. Mentees can connect with CIPR Fellows with specialisms in career progression and comms as well as those with experience in specific industry sectors including corporate and finance, health and medical, and local public services.

‘I’ve always given the advice that everyone needs a mentor, no matter what level you’re at, and I am so pleased that we’ve been able to offer one for free,’ said chair of the CIPR Fellows’ Forum and project lead Laura Sutherland. ‘I’d encourage all CIPR members to consider their needs and if they feel a mentor would be of benefit, visit the website and find your match.’

Visit the Progress website here for mentor profiles and more information on connecting with them.

PRCA makes series of measures to reduce costs

April 14, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

The PRCA is reconfiguring its model to deliver services by reducing central costs. Changes announced include director general Francis Ingham reducing his pay to zero, pay reductions for all staff, and a furloughing of a third of employees for at least the next two months.

These cost reductions will enable PRCA’s new focus on virtual engagement that will include conferences, such as 20-21 May’s PRCA International Summit; group events like 16 April’s B Corp Group event; interactive online classrooms; and support programmes such as its Global COVID-19 Communications Taskforce.

The association will continue to support the industry with its legal helpline for all practitioners, lobbying of central Government for further business support and the six-month free individual membership initiative for those who have lost jobs or income as a result of COVID-19.

Director general Francis Ingham said of the measures: ‘We know that more than ever, members need support and the industry needs a voice, and we are determined to fulfil both of those roles with energy and determination. These staffing changes will help us do just that by cutting back on back-office functions and focusing on what matters right now.’

‘These are unprecedented times for every sector and it is vital that the PRCA continues to support the industry and its members,’ said PRCA chairman Jim Donaldson. ‘The measures being taken represent significant sacrifices for PRCA staff members and I know all of us hope they will be temporary until the height of this pandemic is over.’

Read more about the resources and support the PRCA are offering during the coronavirus crisis here.

Making the right name for yourself during challenging times

April 14, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR Club Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This is a guest post from Carie Barkhuizen, founder of Seymour PR, on building a positive brand identity during unusual times.

Your brand identity is how customers perceive you. During these unprecedented times, it can be more important than ever.

Right now, consumers are sensitive, exposed and changing their purchasing behaviours. Being confined to the home means we’re inevitably scrolling, browsing and consuming much more information than we usually would. In fact, a generation that hasn’t typically engaged with digital media is learning to do so in order to stay connected with the outside world.

For businesses of all sizes, it’s now more important than ever for your digital presence to be strong, clear and active – whether you do business online or not.

It comes down to the fact that in today’s world, you are who Google says you are. Fact. A simple way to look at it is to view your online brand as a person; someone unique, with their own beliefs, values, look and feel. Your brand identity is what sets you apart from others.

However, the difficulty here, both now and outside of a global crisis, is that building an online profile can take time. And it can be costly. We are regularly approached by start-ups and small businesses who want to build their presence online but have limited budgets, which could potentially be even more limited when we come out the other side of COVID-19.

To help with this problem, my team at Seymour PR has partnered with digital marketing agency Brandlective to launch Profile Kickstarter; a service that offers businesses without huge PR and marketing budgets a means to quickly build brand identity online.

During the course of developing this service we’ve learned some lessons about what to consider when building an online profile:

1) Start with your story
We’re all consumers, so we know that the best brands are those that sell us an authentic story. Often, start-ups and small brands leave PR until the end of their marketing plan, which can have a major impact on the quality of storytelling that they can produce when the time is right. But the story is how we connect with a brand and ultimately what leads to purchasing decisions.

When telling your brand’s story, assess whether it includes some, or all, of the core news values; impact, timeliness, prominence, proximity, bizarreness and conflict. Effective use of these values will guarantee your name in headlines.

Right now, timeliness is the most important. The world is feeling sensitive and rightly so. Don’t talk about how your brand helps with the commute, being promoted at work or family days out when the world is on lock down.

2) Be clear
To build a strong brand identity, it’s important to establish a clear mission statement and set of brand values from the get-go. Your brand must send a concise message across your website, social media, and all marketing and editorial materials.

3) Don’t be afraid of the little guys
We all want to see our name written on the pink pages of the FT, or the front cover of TIME. But when it comes to media, you’re most likely going to have to work your way to the top, so don’t dismiss smaller online media outlets.

4) The customer comes first
Your job is to be the solution to your customer’s problem. Sometimes, that means stepping outside your comfort zone. Stacey Kehoe, communications director at Brandlective said: ‘Around 79% of brands lack engagement online. You must remember it’s not about you, it’s about considering where your audience spends its time online. A common mistake that brands make is that they tell the right story on the wrong platform. Make sure you’re building your brand identity on a platform that your customers are actually using, rather than your favourite platform.’

More information on Profile Kickstarter can be found here.

Support service for comms leaders is launched by PRCA COVID-19 Taskforce

April 9, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

A free consultation service for communications leaders in need of support or advice through the COVID-19 crisis has been launched by the PRCA’s Global COVID-19 Taskforce.

Led by Lansons chief executive and co-founder Tony Langham and supported by deputy chairs Rachel Friend and Rod Cartwright, the service connects those in need of help with advisers from around the world for 30-minute consultations. A form for requesting this support, as well as the list of advisers available, can be found here.

‘We all make better decisions when we talk things through with someone from outside our day to day world,’ said COVID-19 communications taskforce chair Tony Langham of the work of the Taskforce. ‘The PRCA is hugely grateful to our volunteers and to the other international communications associations who have agreed to join us in rolling out on this important initiative’.

The full list of more than 50 volunteers who have joined the effort so far can be found on the PRCA website. Other in-house and consultant communications leaders who wish to give their time to help as part of the Taskforce can email Neha Khatwani ([email protected]).

5 pitch tips from journalists

April 8, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

We regularly speak to our community to find out how they work and what best practice looks like. We’ve recently been talking to journalists who use the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service to source information and receive PR pitches through the media database.

Here are five top tips from these journalists, to help every PR pitch successfully.

1. Read the request

A common piece of feedback we receive from journalists using ResponseSource is about the quality of responses they get to their enquiries. While most are great, they often get replies trying their luck at getting coverage for something completely unrelated to what they asked for. The best way to build good relationships is to respond to exactly what the journalist is after when they reach out to you.

2. Have spokespeople available

If you’re offering up an expert to provide comment, make sure they’re available for the journalist to speak to before putting them forward. This is especially important in this time of lockdown when schedules and technological capabilities are often flexible. When working to tight deadlines it’s vital you can provide spokespeople asap.

3. Embargoed press releases

If you’ve got embargo-worthy news, make sure it’s exclusive to a journalist or media outlet to break the news. This can be agreed beforehand so both parties know what to expect from the relationship.

4. The follow-up!

Every journalist has their own preference for if, how or when to follow-up on a pitch or a reply to a journalist request. You’ll score points by doing your research here, a good media database like ours, provides pitch tips on each person’s profile. You should also tap into the experience of your colleagues across the industry, many of whom have best practice stories to help you reach the right person.

5. Building your network

Every journalist we spoke to told us they build their contacts through working with PRs and experts who are reliable and can get the information they need, when they need it. Sign up to receive journalist enquiries to build out your network, and see how a detailed media database can improve your relationships across the industry.

Adapting to change with Red Lorry Yellow Lorry’s Hannah Patel

April 7, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

The PR industry has had to shift its focus over the last few months, as what counts as important changes day by day. Having announced upcoming work with charity I Can Be in time for International Women’s Day in early March, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry’s plans for getting girls interested in PR as a career with workshops in London schools, have now had to evolve.

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry Director Hannah Patel tells us more about the original aims of the Lorries’ collaboration with I Can Be, the ways the company is supporting their team during the current crisis, and how equality remains important during a challenging time for the PR sector.

What originally inspired the collaboration with I Can Be?
Many of our London team really connected with I Can Be’s mission – as at a young age, a lot of us didn’t know what we wanted to do and hadn’t understood the range of industries that were out there. We loved the idea of building out a variety of role models for 7-8 year-old-girls and helping them broaden their awareness of what they might want to do when they grow up.

How will you be working with I Can Be now?
We’re working with I Can Be for 2020 (and hopefully beyond!) and had planned a number of workshops for groups of girls from inner-city London schools, introducing the world of PR, and inspiring the group through creative activities including designing their own magazines and newspaper covers.

With the latest announcement about UK school closures we have of course put our workshops on hold and are instead focusing on doing everything we can to support I Can Be in communicating with schools and partners. We’ll also be providing I Can Be with any marketing and PR support that they need (for free, of course!).

The Lorries had to change focus during the COVID-19 outbreak – how would you advise the industry do the same?
With the current global pandemic we’re facing, we should be all be putting our daily concerns aside and pulling together to work out what we can practically do to tackle this outbreak and support the businesses and people who are most vulnerable. We’re doing whatever we can for our current clients, providing advice and support over and above our day-to-day work. But we’re also looking for opportunities to volunteer, and give time to organisations connected with, or impacted by the pandemic. We’re currently promoting a research group called Sprint COVID-19 who have come together to analyse data around early-stage testing. And many of our team have also volunteered via GoodSAM as NHS responders.

What issues do women continue to face in the PR industry?
The issues women face in the PR industry are the least of our problems at the moment. I’m not making light of the challenges we often face at work – bias (subconscious and conscious) being the worst of it. But in general (global pandemic aside) instead of just focusing on how tough our working lives are at times, we should be looking outside of our industry at the issues many women, and particularly young women, are facing daily.

In my opinion, organisations such as I Can Be, or Hey Girls (tackling period poverty for girls in the UK) and WISH (working with marginalised women of all ages and backgrounds), among others, are the ones that deserve the most airtime and support. The issues they tackle should be the ones really keeping us awake at night.

How does Red Lorry Yellow Lorry support its employees, particularly at the moment?
In general we try to support all our employees by prioritising time for open, honest conversation throughout the year on topics that are important to them. Non-work related conversation is so important, getting to know your team as people not as ‘staff’ is vital if you’re going to understand what makes them tick in a work context.

Especially during times of uncertainty, like those that we’re all currently facing, it’s vital that we tackle potential problems head-on. We have to show, not tell – be open as a management team, tell them what we’re worried about, and treat people like grown ups. Talking to the team about what could happen in the future, and encouraging them to ask questions, and talk about their concerns is the only way to really support everyone. Creating a safe environment for conversations to be had and opinions to be shared has got to be priority number one.

How can PR companies continue to learn from the aims of I Can Be and similar organisations and retain female employees?
Talk about equality in its fullest sense and call out bad practice and bad behaviour when you see it, however small. It’s everyone’s duty across the entire business to educate themselves on how to truly spot bias of all kinds and commit to addressing it when you do see it.

Support your team – all of them. Don’t work with clients or partners who don’t care about the topic. This is easier said than done. But taking decisive action over things that might seem a non-issue: ‘old-fashioned’ jokes, comments on appearance, etc. can be really powerful. It changes the rules of engagement, for the better. And if you’re able to do this before someone on your team raises this an issue then all the better.

Decide on what you can practically do to help – and then actually commit time to make changes. It might be partnering with an organisation like I Can Be or supporting an initiative like Hey Girls. Or it might be that you ask your male team members the same questions women are asked when they’re interviewed (e.g. how can we encourage more women into the PR industry?) and really push them to answer.

But to affect tangible change you have to get out from behind your desks and talk to people, make commitments to doing things differently and partner with organisations that are making a difference.

Is enough being done to encourage BAME women into PR?
No. There is a lot of talk but no action. Change is slow, and will come. But it doesn’t mean we should just sit back and wait.

Honestly, it’s a tough subject, because most business leaders – myself included – feel out of their depth on a topic where they don’t have practical suggestions at their fingertips. I don’t have the solution, but I’m spending a lot of time asking questions and talking to peers in the industry in the hope there are some more practical things we can do to encourage change.

It’s easier to write a blog on the topic, or a LinkedIn post on the topic and leave it at that. It’s tougher to look at yourselves and work out what you could practically do differently. If we spent as much time on encouraging practical changes for the future – via organisations like I Can Be – as we did talking about the need for change, we would be a lot further forward than we are now.

Also, too often, it’s seen as the responsibility of BAME women in PR to encourage others to join the industry. In the same way that I think it’s seen as the responsibility of women, in general, to encourage other women to join the industry.

I would like to see men asked the same questions we are – and held to account for contributing, or not contributing, to the changes needed for a more equal future.

Beauty Blogger Spotlight, Jane Cunningham, British Beauty Blogger

April 6, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight, Influencers Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

‘I think people want to escape for a few moments and that’s something I can do as a momentary distraction’ – British Beauty Blogger Jane Cunningham has had to change her approach to blogging as she and her readers adjust to a different kind of self-care.

Looking after yourself and others by staying inside, ‘shopping your stash’ and making the most of your time at home is the new focus for most of us – read on for some tips from Jane on doing just that as well as ways the beauty industry can continue to change for the better.

What keeps you passionate about blogging on beauty?
I guess it’s the diversity of products and the ever-moving beauty landscape. I regularly write about the business aspect of the industry – finance, mergers and acquisitions, and current class actions – to keep content fresh and take a look behind the lipsticks and mascaras. It keeps it real – it doesn’t matter how pretty the product, there is a whole machine behind it that’s hoping to recruit new customers and tempt existing ones, and I think it’s important to be an informed consumer.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
Well, my least favourite thing to post about is skin care – there are just so many brands and a lot of pseudo-science to wade through. So, by default, everything else is my favourite!

How have you had to change your approach and content now that people are self-isolating?
I think everyone has to do what they feel is right for their audience and themself, so currently I’m posting about products that I’ve collected over the years rather than place extra pressure on postal or delivery services. It was a hard call because of course I want to support beauty brands, especially small ones, but as a temporary measure, I’m not reporting on anything current or including links or affiliate links. I think people want to escape for a few moments and that’s something I can do as a momentary distraction.

What beauty advice would you give people who are unable to get out and access the new beauty releases?
Really, not to worry about it. We’ve been through a hugely acquisitive period in beauty – I feel fairly sure that ‘shopping your stash’ is coming into its own right now!

What makeup tips do you have for looking good on cam during video chats for work and keeping up with friends?
Again, this is another ‘don’t worry about it’ thing – my friends have all seen me bare faced and at the mercy of Face Time (it’s the most unflattering thing ever – literally my worst face!) and nobody cares. If anything, there’s a lot of freedom in just being yourself. I put on a bit of makeup for IGTV though – and it’s important to have a nice light so that your colour doesn’t drain. I do mine in front of a window (me facing towards the window) and sometimes get the perfect light, other times not so much!

Do you think the big beauty brands are open enough about their cruelty-free status?
I thought they were, but I have a suspicion that perhaps not as much as I had assumed. Every brand is desperate to get into the Chinese market because it’s so healthy for beauty (or was) and a get-around is to stress how much they are ‘working towards persuading the Chinese government to lift their testing rules’ but I don’t know how much evidence there is to support that. Saying a thing and proving a thing are different – big companies aren’t really answerable to anyone.

Which have been some of the worst ‘gimmick’ products or trends over the last few years in beauty or makeup?
I’m still fairly suspicious of CBD in skin care – I just can’t see how much difference it can possibly make so I’ve veered away for the most part from those kind of products. I don’t think Vitamin C in nail polish (or kale) translates to anything other than marketing but I take it with a pinch of salt if the product is good otherwise.

I’m not comfortable with any of the ‘anti-ageing’ messaging – it’s an easy way to tell a woman that skin wrinkles are the worst thing that can happen to them, to reduce the ageing process to being about the surface and to give a fear factor that makes them purchase your products. Lines on your face, at any age, aren’t ugly, aren’t to be considered as scars, and don’t need to be hidden. It’s great to keep your skin looking fresh, bright and vibrant but you’re not ‘worse’ for creases and I’d like older women to feel more freedom in how they age rather than it being external pressure.

I’m not against procedures or products that keep skin looking bouncy and bright – or even youthful – but I am unhappy with the messaging around it. I could say the same for the sudden rise in menopause products – so far, it’s just another marketing machine that’s not really about the whole person, but more about highlighting or even creating problems to create sales. Basically, I’d prefer to listen to an expert with nothing to sell than a brand that has suddenly become an expert in menopause!

How do you collaborate with brands, and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I like to collaborate in many different ways – I don’t like to be too set in a particular pattern. Some brands want ideas, and some come to me with pre-existing ideas, but the bottom line is that content has to fit with my ethos. This year, I’ve turned away a couple of brands who wanted an anti-ageing message whereas I’d rather talk to my readers/viewers on an even level where age isn’t the most relevant thing.

I don’t very often work directly with affiliate agencies either because they’re so sales oriented I feel it changes the entire context of a post. Brands like The Body Shop are fantastic to work with because they know they have a very varied audience and they like to hear ideas – they don’t seem as obsessed about recruiting a younger customer base which most other brands currently do. Being older for the ‘influencer’ category can be difficult because I often don’t get considered for content creation because brands assume my audience isn’t relevant. On the other hand, I do get contacted often for reliable, fast content that doesn’t need editing, checking or burying!

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
I’m happy for brands to email me – it’s the easiest way to work. I don’t keep a rate-card because I’d prefer to give each approach my individual attention rather than a format and it encourages a conversation, which can then lead to ideas generation and a better targeted outcome.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether beauty-related or not)?
Ruth at A Model Recommends is one I’ve always got time for – but I tend to skip about the blogosphere and land wherever. I usually follow links from Twitter that generate my blog reading so I could end up anywhere if something looks interesting!

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