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Influencer Marketing: 5 Dos and Don’ts

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

This is a guest post from Rick Guttridge, managing director of Smoking Gun.

For most PR and marketing professionals, influencer marketing is a hot topic of conversation and debate. But now, thanks to new governing regulations and documentaries such as The American Meme and Fyre, the average consumer is fully aware of the power of influencers.

Growing awareness means more brands are recruiting influencers to promote their products and services than ever before. And like most things in life, as popularity grows, we see examples of how it should, and shouldn’t, be done.

How can PRs avoid the pitfalls for their clients and make sure their influencer marketing campaigns have impact? Here are my top dos and don’ts when it comes to influencer marketing.

Don’ts
1. Don’t do it for the sake of doing it
We hear so many of our clients saying they want to embark on an influencer campaign because everyone else is. This is not a reason to do it. An influencer marketing campaign needs clear objectives and an understanding of the impact you’re wanting to make for the brand. Without this, there’ll be no strategy, and therefore little success.

2. Don’t focus on follower numbers
It’s tempting to think bigger is better, but when it comes to influencer marketing this isn’t the case. Although we are seeing more guidelines emerging for this marketing function, it is still unregulated in some areas – such as buying followers. When identifying influencers to work with, it is essential that you look at engagement and audience profiles. Even if the influencer only has 4,000 followers, they could be a highly-engaged group that your client wants to target. Meaning it will be a more impactful, and probably cost effective, approach.

3. Don’t be scared to ask the influencer’s advice
Influencers are businesses in their own right. They know how their audience behave, they know what posts have performed well and the type of content that has impact. When working with an influencer, ask their advice and trust their guidance – they want the partnership to be successful just as much as you do. Having an open and honest dialogue about your objectives will mean the influencer can guide you on how to achieve this.

4. Don’t forget to measure success
Or lack of. Especially, if this is your first time entering into the world of influencer marketing – everything is a lesson. By having clear objectives in place from the start, you will be able to measure against these to see how successful the activity has been, and what needs to change in the future. Low level micro-influencers, who are typically most cost effective, are ideal if you are taking a ‘test and learn’ approach.

5. Don’t always be product-focused
Your client’s brand is based on more than just the product they sell. Think about how you want the audience to think and feel about a brand and use this to guide your influencer marketing content, otherwise you could just end up with smiling selfies with your product in-shot. Influencers share their lives with their followers, so think about how the product can fit into this in a natural way.

Dos
1. Do think long-term
One-off posts can have some impact and can help to raise awareness of your brand. But as we know, awareness doesn’t always equal sales. In this current landscape, where consumers are bombarded with more advertising messages than ever before, simply knowing a brand exists isn’t going to drive them to part with their cash. Long-term partnerships with influencers allow brands to build relationships with an audience and communicate the USPs effectively over a long period of time. If an influencer perfectly fits with your client’s brand, consider working with them long-term to create a true advocate.

2. Do use data
Influencer marketing isn’t a dark art; it’s a data-driven specialism. You can effectively tailor the campaign for maximum impact by using data that is available to you. An in-depth understanding of how the target audience behaves online means you can mirror this; for example, if you are targeting new mums, have you considered requesting your influencer partner posts in the middle of the night, when they’ll no doubt be awake with the baby?

3. Do consider it from the start
One of the biggest errors brands can make is simply tagging influencer marketing activity at the end of a campaign. With the way that consumers now behave online, it’s essential that influencer marketing is considered at the start of campaign planning. For example, Simply Be’s ‘New Icon’ campaign had plus-size fashion influencers post on its channels on the day the print advertising went live – meaning that its audience was reached with the campaign messaging at various touch points – giving it more impact.

4. Do follow your competitors
It’s not just your own social posts and influencer marketing that you can learn from. Keep a close eye on what your client’s competitors are doing, who they’re working with and what is working for them. I’m not suggesting you copy their approach, but you can take vital learnings from their successes, and failures.

5. Do consider your channels
Wanting to target 16-24 year olds? Then step away from Facebook and head to TikTok. Wanting to target busy mums? Then Facebook or Instagram is your channel. Before starting any influencer activity, it is essential you have a clear view of what audience you are targeting, and therefore the social media channels they live on. Influencer marketing is not one size fits all, as the way people behave, and the information they’re seeking, varies from channel-to-channel.

To read more, download Smoking Gun’s full guide to influencer marketing here.

PR Blogger Spotlight: Rachel Miller, All Things IC

March 13, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

‘Readers tell me being featured on All Things IC has helped them get a new job, raise their profile or secure a promotion, which makes me proud to know my website has played a part in their success.’ Today’s spotlight is with All Things IC’s Rachel Miller, who shares all things internal communications with her readers.

Having started her career as a journalist back in 1999, Rachel has seen the evolution of both sides of the media/PR relationship. Read on for her take on some of the biggest changes the industries have gone through, as well as retro tools of the trade that didn’t quite make it into this decade (microfiche, anyone?).

How did you originally get started with writing about PR, marketing and comms?
I started my blog in 2009 while working in-house at Tube Lines (which is now part of TfL) to help me research how social media could be used for internal communication.

There were only two case studies globally I could refer to in my post-graduate diploma in Internal Communication Management dissertation back then. Nowadays, I’d be spoiled for choice!

My blog came about because I wanted to share the resources I’d found, have a space to document my findings and to find likeminded people who were also interested in the same topics.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
My favourite thing to write about is internal communicators. I particularly love featuring practitioners who have overcome a struggle I know others are grappling with.

Readers tell me being featured on All Things IC has helped them get a new job, raise their profile or secure a promotion, which makes me proud to know my website has played a part in their success.

What are some of the recent campaigns you’ve written about that you really liked and why were they special?
I recently welcomed Sara Vogt, deputy director, corporate communications at the Ministry of Justice here in the UK as a guest blogger. Sara (@_saravogt) wrote about their values campaign and how organisations can live their values.

I liked it because the Ministry of Justice had identified the things that will help them become a truly values-led organisation: where their values underpin their strategic decisions, implementation of their business activities and how every employee behaves with their colleagues, stakeholders or users of their services.

Sara wrote: ‘With our values campaign we’re giving staff a platform to share their personal stories of how they are living our values and how they have felt supported at work – our colleagues have shared their many stories, including of being supported when returning to work after gender reassignment; of thriving at MOJ after a childhood growing up in care; and of gaining confidence in public speaking for the first time’.

With mental wellbeing being a big issue in the industry at the moment, what do you think agencies can do to support their employees?
I think every organisation is responsible for enabling conversations around mental health and wellbeing to happen. Regardless of the size of your company, there are practical steps you can take to help your employees.

I believe conversations about mental health need to be part of the way companies communicate; we need to make it okay to admit when you’re not okay and support our workforce and managers to have honest discussions, underpinned by robust support, policies and advice.

I’ve partnered with mental health at work expert Jo Hooper to provide a new Mental Health Leadership Masterclass on 6 April 2020 to help comms practitioners learn more.

I’ve blogged about mental health extensively on my blog, including featuring Jamie Angus, internal communications and engagement manager at PDSA writing about the work they’re doing to give colleagues a voice on mental health.

How can the PR industry work on its diversity problem?
Unfortunately, there are various diversity problems in PR, which is reflective of society as a whole.

Workplace inclusion requires a shift in organisational culture and is a recognition that policies alone are not sufficient to build an inclusive workplace. I blogged about how to understand and improve diversity back in 2018 and could have written it today as little has changed.

You need to know the data behind any problem so you can make informed decisions. At the very least, companies need to prioritise representation across the dimensions both in terms of how they communicate and how they recruit.

How has the relationship between the media and public relations changed during your time in PR?
Speed is one of the biggest shifts we’ve seen. I started my career as a journalist in 1999 and moved into internal communication in 2003. PR and comms has changed a lot in that time. The fundamental principles of good, effective communication haven’t, but the methods and media have.

For example, there was only one computer with internet access in the newsroom when I was a journalist and it was incredibly slow. This was the era when we weren’t using search engines yet and spent a lot of time validating and researching at libraries (often using microfiche!) before publishing.

The speed at which we communicate and publish today means the relationship between the media and public relations is constantly evolving.

Do you think calling to pitch stories to journalists can ever be a good move?
Rarely. Only if you are certain it will be of true interest, fits their niche, they’re the right person to contact, they’re not on deadline – there are many things to think through first, which are potential barriers!

However, you can’t beat having a proper conversation rather than flooding someone’s inbox. Pitching to me via phone is never the right thing to do, but to make your pitch stand out in my inbox, it needs to be timely, targeted and relevant for my readers.

What are the pros of working with influencers versus ‘traditional’ media?
I enjoyed speaking with Ste Davies last year on his New Influence podcast. We discussed the topic of influencers as my take is from the inside out. I have numerous conversations with my clients about their internal influencers and ambassadors and how that relationship does or doesn’t work.

Do you work with other PRs on your blog? How would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
I rarely work with other PRs on my blog as feedback from my readers shows they prefer reading articles by their peers, which is mainly in-house communication practitioners from around the globe.

However, if someone has taken the time to read my guidelines, understood the topics I write about and has a targeted, timely and relevant topic, I will consider it.

I get approached daily by PRs. The best ones have done some research, they’ve looked at the content I’ve published, spotted a gap and sent me a relevant message. I say no to pitches 90% of the time because they are from agencies wanting to use my blog for their own gains, rather than thinking about how they could add value to my readers.

What other blogs do you check out regularly?
My fellow bloggers within this Top PR category are familiar to me, I’ve read some of their blogs for years.
I enjoy the weekly round-up from PR Place, edited by Richard Bailey, as it helps me uncover new voices in the PR world. I like to support those who are just starting out by reading and sharing their posts to encourage them.

I also love listening to podcasts and particularly like Holly Tucker’s Conversations of Inspiration series with entrepreneurs.

Consistency in a crisis

March 12, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Natalie Orringe

The disruption caused by COVID-19 is extreme and creating an intense challenge for every business and the PR and Communications teams who must keep stakeholders up to date with a constantly changing news agenda when working arrangements might have to change.

We’re here to support you in maintaining the effectiveness of communications even if you may have to work remotely. The Vuelio platform provides monitoring, messaging and engagement accessible from a single, secure cloud-based platform which means multiple users can work from, and coordinate all they do, wherever they might be working.

We have comprehensive systems in place to provide service continuity at all times, including in this instance to manage the potential effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. As part of this, we regularly review all business operations from supply chain, IT to personnel with robust contingency measures in place that avoid interruption to service. This has included testing our systems to evaluate potential risk and impact to our people.

Our software and the databases they rely on are cloud-based, meaning they can be accessed securely from remote locations. Our team can also access and provide customer and maintenance support remotely, while a system of on-call rotations ensures support is sustained should some of the team fall ill and allows for uninterrupted service while allowing team members time to recover.

If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team.

Women in PR in 2020

March 10, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR Analysis Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This year’s International Women’s Day is just behind us and PR can count itself as a profession particularly welcoming to women. CIPR’s 2019 State of the Profession survey showed that two thirds (67%) of the industry identify as female, putting us in the majority. However, that very same survey showed that women in public relations are still paid less than men for the same work, with a gender pay gap of £5202.

‘There are more women at Board level and running agencies and in house departments, but a sad counter to that is that many find that working freelance is the only way to balance work and life, especially if they have caring responsibilities,’ says Professor Anne Gregory of the other struggles women in PR continue to face. ‘It is still the case that long hours characterize the industry and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that the ‘always on’ nature of the work is immensely destructive of well-being and family life.’

We put the call out to women in PR to share how they’ve noticed the industry getting better when it comes to gender and what still needs to be done.

‘When I first started out in PR 20 years ago, it was frowned upon to be in the office less than 12 hours a day. No-one wanted to be last to their desk in the morning, or first to leave at the end of the day. There was a lack of trust if you weren’t visibly there, so working from home was almost unheard of – if you weren’t in the office you weren’t working. We have created an agile world where we can now fulfil career ambitions, while raising a family and even have time for hobbies too. It’s now customary to have a healthy work-life balance and that’s a real cause for celebration.’

Agatha Chapman-Poole, managing director of Chapman Poole

‘Having been a undergraduate on one of the first PR degrees in the country back in the 1990s when it was still very much dominated by the ‘Max Hastings’ of the PR world, it has been a journey of incredible courage, creativity and resilience.

In my first role at a rural PR agency I was told it was a rite of passage to sleep with the boss. Needless to say, I didn’t. I took myself off to work for a female boss in the city who was not only inspirational, she was whipping the men’s derrieres with her steely approach and getting the right message out in the media. Diversity in the workplace breeds creativity beyond stereotypes and I’m proud that many agencies today are truly reflecting the needs of the societies that they serve.’

Sara Wheater, public relations account director at Calvin

‘I’m lucky to be surrounded by women who genuinely inspire me every day at work – strong, intelligent women who don’t apologise for their place at the table and have encouraged and supported me to do the same. Our business is also based in Manchester – the birthplace of many women who have paved the way for freedom and radical thinking – so we’re following in their footsteps every day.

The days of long mahogany boardroom tables flanked by men in suits are (slowly!) dying out and I think generally these days you can be respected for your opinion and ideas regardless of what you wear or how you look.’

Rose Allerston, senior account director at Smoking Gun PR

‘Sadly, my personal experience has been that the old systems of power and patriarchy are still holding fast in a lot of places. Over the last ten years or so I’ve watched many women get pushed out of companies and positions of power, seen them branded as over-emotional or somehow not fit for the job, I’ve overheard men at the top complaining about maternity leave and flexible working, and I’ve sat around tables with men with less experience and expertise than their female colleagues, and grimaced as they still shout them down. It can be depressing, and I think it’s a big part of the reason why so many women seem to be moving towards the freelance/independent route.

I’m hugely supportive of other women who strike out on their own, and am also lucky enough to be hugely supported by the women I have worked for and with over the years. They keep me sane!’

Jane Cook, ‘indy PR bod’ (@JaneChicoMendes)

‘IWD 2020 is a chance to reflect on how much has been achieved but also how much more has to be done to realise gender parity. Issues such as #MeToo to Weinstein remind us how important it is to celebrate and recognise women.

Things have definitely improved in PR and marketing since I started over 17 years ago. We are much more aware now of appropriate behaviour and being open to flexible ways of working. These are both essential to women being able to achieve their potential.’

Natalie Orringe, chief marketing officer at Access Intelligence

‘When I started my career in 2008 I did a little cheeky test. Even 12 years ago women were considered to be somewhat inferior to men, not as successful, not as driven. I spent one day signing all my emails with the name Martin instead of Martina. I got a lot more results and responses as Martin, while respondents were altogether more friendly (even the women). I was a copywriter and marketer at the time, freelance, and I even kept the moniker Martin for the short duration of a couple of projects as the client seemed to feel much more secure dealing with a man rather than a woman. It could have been a coincidence…’

Martina Mercer, freelance PR and marketing consultant

‘I’m fairly new into the world of work after only graduating in 2018, but I’ve noticed that in PR there’s a lot of bringing people up and supporting one another, even when we’re competitors.

There are so many women I look up to in the industry and who I know are always there to support me if I need help in any way, to name a few: Carrie Rose, Ella Minty, Amanda Coleman, Evie Shaw, Janet Hare… Though I haven’t seen anything change, per se, I’ve definitely seen a lot of backing of each other from the women in PR.’

Jessica Pardoe, PR and digital executive at Source PR

‘It’s important to remember the struggles that women have endured to be considered equal in our society and best in class in our companies, in our government, in our public institutions and in our homes. It’s a day when we can learn from their strength and recognise their achievements. Yet it’s even more important to recognise and put pressure on those countries and societies where women are still struggling against institutional bias. Remind yourself that you too can make a positive change.’

Rebecca Oatley, managing director of Cherish PR

‘We must remember the terrible sacrifices women have made to secure the rights we take for granted now, plus think of those fighting all over the world today to save others and achieve a fairer, more just future.

We reflect on what has been achieved, as well as what is still left to be done – the current state of women’s rights, how to build more inclusive societies and guarantee equal standards of living for everybody. To quote Malala Yousafzai: “We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”’

PR executive Lucia Schweigert and PR & content executive Manon Thomas at Life Size

‘I owe my career to a whole host of women that showed me the ropes as a junior, who taught, mentored and coached me, who encouraged and pushed me forward – and in many respects, still do today. To be able to offer the same support and guidance to other women has been a hugely rewarding part of my career.

At Branch Road, we’re empowered to achieve what we want (both personally and professionally); to mentor; to learn; to lead teams and take charge! And at the end of the day it’s not just our people that benefit – our clients and our company benefits too.

Rebecca Mulgrave, head of PR at Branch Road

‘There are a lot of fantastic females working in PR and media and over my 15 year career I have seen a rise in this, particularly women setting up on their own and running businesses, which is great to see.

A lot of former colleagues I have worked with and women that I have employed are now running big comms divisions or have set up their own businesses that are flourishing, and it is brilliant to see their visions continuously going from strength to strength.’

Lauren Lunn Farrow, managing director of The Expert Agency

‘I talk to media about inequality every day. Everything from ignorance of the impact of menopause at work, to the fact that young girls STILL think technical jobs are ‘for boys’. But my ideals about progress shattered on becoming a mother. My NCT peers struggled to get rehired. Some went back to different roles than they had left; and I have been constantly asked if I’ll be able to cope with my business and a baby. The fact that IWD is still so needed makes me very, very mad. I look forward to a time when we can celebrate achievement everyday regardless of gender.’

Carie Barkhuizen, managing director of Seymour PR

‘We have a number of clients who operate in traditionally male dominated sectors, but we will be working with them to challenge stereotypes in order to help attract more women into typically perceived male roles.

We’ll also continue to applaud my female industry counterparts for standing up, leading the charge and being seen.’

Fiona Kirwan and Lisa French, managing partners at Truth PR

‘I believe, if women are to ever achieve complete equality, we must continue to empower one another. It’s incredible to be surrounded by so many exciting, creative women (and the men are alright too!) who inspire me every day to become a better PR manager, colleague and friend.

It sounds cliché, but when we come together, awesome things happen.’

Rebecca Sweeney, account manager at No Brainer

‘As a PR youngster, working in mostly female-biased agencies, I used to be rather shocked at what appeared to be the industry’s senior men crawling out of the woodwork at award ceremonies. I’m pleased to see that women are making advances in this area with more taking senior leadership roles and C-suite positions.

I still think more needs to be done as if it can’t be achieved in a field where women comprise the majority of the workforce, then where can it?’

Ali Cort, client services director at Browser Media

PR Blogger Spotlight with Sarah Waddington, Astute.Work

March 9, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Press and Bloggers, Media Database, PR Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

‘I try really hard to practice what I preach’ – FuturePRoof founder, podcaster and former CIPR president Sarah Waddington shares her knowledge of the PR industry with future clients as well as her peers at Astute.Work.

Read on for her thoughts on how the industry needs to do more when it comes to wellbeing, hiring practices and which other public relations-related blogs are worth checking out (you may recognise a few…)

How did you originally get started with writing about PR, marketing and comms?
It’s about the say/do gap. You can’t advise clients or up and coming talent that they need to be blogging about business and industry without doing the same. I try really hard to practice what I preach. I’m an infrequent blogger but am passionate about what I write.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
At Astute.Work we’ve developed a management consultancy which sits alongside our PR and marketing offer. Having just completed a course at Oxford Saïd on this subject, I guess I’m most enjoying writing about leadership.

What are some of the recent campaigns you’ve written about that you really liked and why were they special?
Astute.Work helps management teams to drive ethical and sustainable growth over the long-term and manage market volatility. As such the campaigns I’m drawn to are those where there is a visible attempt by the company to build social capital over the longer-term.

That said I’m going to mention a #FuturePRoof initiative on influencer relations. Two of your other Top 10 bloggers, Scott Guthrie and Stephen Waddington, wrote a brilliant guide to influencer marketing governance with Vuelio’s support. It’s very of the moment and everyone should keep a copy bookmarked.

With mental wellbeing being a big issue in the industry at the moment, what do you think agencies can do to support their employees?
*Soapbox klaxon* Here’s one I wrote earlier with the now President of the CIPR, Jenni Field. Sort your governance out please, PR bosses! This is about good business, nothing else.

How can the PR industry work on its diversity problem?
Simply, by stopping recruiting in its own image and being more open minded than asking for a 2:1 or above from a Russell Group University. We love to make it harder than it is. Hugely talented people are out there if you can be bothered to look outside your own networks.

How has the relationship between the media and public relations changed during your time in PR?
Not sure it has, there remains the age old tension between what they want and we need.

The difference is public relations now employs the PESO model and we invest most heavily in owned media, making earned less relevant (although still important). There has most definitely been a shift in power. I wrote about it here.

Do you think calling to pitch stories to journalists can ever be a good move?
Journalists and PR professionals have a symbiotic relationship. We need each other. So yes, but only when you’ve done your research and you feel confident you’re pitching something that fits the target title and is fresh.

What are the pros of working with influencers versus ‘traditional’ media?
Co-creation of content, by a long way. Plus, greater creativity of thought and new ways of working.

Do you work with other PRs on your blog? How would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
I’m always happy to consider Q&As or first person articles from other business leaders pitched by a fellow PR. The best interviews are housed on Astute.Work’s My Friends In The North podcast.

What other blogs do you check out regularly?
I’d better mention my husband’s, but I regularly read Influence from the CIPR, as it curates lots of interesting blogger content – as does Vuelio, for that matter!

PR is the missing piece of the smarketing puzzle

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

This is a guest post from Rob Skinner, managing director at Skout.

Marketing and sales have a complicated relationship. In theory, the two should go hand in hand but it’s not quite as simple as that. Skout recently conducted research among 100 marketing professionals which demonstrates the problematic sales and marketing gap many companies are facing. In fact, a whopping 73% are yet to successfully integrate these two closely related teams – making it clear that there is an overwhelming need for businesses to adjust their strategies in order to achieve a more harmonious union.

Despite the obvious advantages of what has now been coined as ‘smarketing’, the benefits are still unrecognised by 60% of respondents, who claim they do not see the value in breaking down these barriers. There is already a wealth of information, sharing tips on how to marry up sales and marketing but there seems to be a missing piece to this advice – and that is the relationship between PR and sales. These two disciplines can often feel like polar opposites, but they shouldn’t.

Having worked in PR for 25 years, I know how aligning these teams can be a real struggle and the impact it can have, not only on sales and marketing but also on PR when it comes to doing an effective job. In many ways PR and sales fall at opposite ends of the marketing spectrum. PR is very much about generating brand awareness, with outcomes that are often difficult to measure from an ROI perspective. In contrast, sales are all about closing the deal and meeting the targets. You can appreciate how and why these two roles may feel disconnected, but equally if this is the case, major opportunities can be missed.

In today’s digital world where B2B buyers and decision makers have access to unlimited information at their fingertips, sales is actually more reliant than ever on PR activities to gain interest, build brand awareness and offer support at each stage of the sales cycle.

It has been proven in research conducted by Forrester, that showed between 70% and 90% of a buyer’s journey is complete before engaging with a salesperson either through online reviews or PR activity including thought leadership articles, blog posts and informative resources such as whitepapers and e-guides. All of these factors play a huge part in the buyer journey. In fact, it is estimated that buyers now view 11.4 items of content during this journey and it’s often the PR team’s job to make this happen.

Implementation advice
It is vital that PR pushes sales to get the conversation going in order to help them better understand the sector and its challenges, as well as the successes that the company has achieved, so this can be communicated to the target market. I know how difficult this can be but there are methods that can help businesses to implement it smoothly and successfully:

More face to face time
It’s all about building relationships and what better way to do this than getting off emails and apps and instead meeting face to face? Using the method of story foraging can yield brilliant results. PRs should meet with a rage of important figures within the business, including sales, to ask them about the role they play within the company. This information can then be used to build a better picture of the day-to-day business activities and find newsworthy angles that can be transformed into informative and captivating content.

More flows of information
Communication should not just be left to initial story foraging meetings – keeping flows of information going on a regular basis helps to keep everyone involved on track to meet their collective targets. Adding sales to project tracking and collaboration tools used by the marketing and PR teams helps to keep them in the loop with what content is being sent out so that they can utilise this content and media coverage to nurture prospects into customers.

More formal involvement
Once the information from initial meetings and story foraging days has been processed and broken down into possible storylines, PR teams should work to keep sales involved by using their industry expertise to add value to the content. Ways of doing this can involve; working with salespeople to author blogs and articles, encouraging salespeople to contribute to and engage in social media activity and even sourcing opportunities with podcasts or broadcasting that can feature leaders in the sales team.

More focus on the sales cycle
All businesses should be delivering against a fully optimised sales cycle. This should be understood internally, allowing PR teams to respond strategically by creating relevant communications in line with the lifecycle of the company’s customer from ‘lead to loyalty’. Content should be created with the view of nudging leads ever forward in the cycle – creating a transition from prospect to a paying customer.

It is clear that there is an overwhelming need to close the gap between sales and marketing. PR teams have a vital part to play in this. Although there seems to be pushback by businesses at this moment, there will come a point where this simply cannot be avoided. Businesses should take note from those leading the way and be open to asking questions about best practice and recognising the wealth of benefits that are available to them if they put these processes in place.

Find out more about Skout PR’s research into ‘Smarketing’ by downloading the e-guide.

International Women’s Day events and initiatives round-up

March 6, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Charity Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

With International Women’s Day approaching on 8 March, the PR industry is gearing up to celebrate the success of women in the sector and to reflect on what still needs to be done to improve the lives of women in public relations and beyond. Here are a few of the initiatives launching in time for Sunday.

The Future (of PR) is female
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry has teamed up with non-profit organisation I Can Be to introduce seven and eight-year-old girls to the possibilities of a future career in PR. I Can Be’s work focuses on introducing girls to opportunities in the workplace as well as the women already working there, and will be collaborating with the Red Lorry Yellow Lorry UK director Hannah Patel for a three-month series of interactive workshops with girls from London schools.

‘To tackle the diversity issues that are rife across all areas of corporate life we have to do whatever we can to encourage the next generation of female minds,’ says Hannah of the initiative. ‘We need to invest time in early-stage education to really make a long-term change. The future is definitely equal, and if we all make a little more effort we’ll be there a lot faster.’
Shattering stereotypes

Finn Partners is also hoping to help open up a world of opportunities for girls in its work with Modern Muse, a charity connecting children with successful female role models – the ‘Muses’ – across a range of jobs. Sharing stories from their education and careers, the women that take part encourage girls to fully explore the career options available to them.

‘To me, International Women’s Day is a timely reminder to think about all the great women I’ve been lucky enough to work with – as well as those I don’t know but are doing amazing things in the world,’ says Finn Partners managing partner Flora Haslam.

‘As the parent of a preschool girl, it also makes me reflect on how far we’ve come as women in recent years, yet how far we still have to go. In 2020 I am amazed how much gender stereotyping there is for young children in terms of toys and clothes. It’s my hope that the next decade will see a shift.’

Sharing what it takes to be successful
The PR people over at Fizzbox have created an interactive graphic for International Women’s Day, highlighting the daily routines of ten successful women including celebrity stylist Marian Kwei, MUHU founder Sally Wynter, award-winning author Jini Reddy and Rich Visions’ Mavis Amankwah. What becomes clear when looking at each time-line is that balancing wellbeing and a healthy work/life ethic is more than just a full day’s work (and it takes getting up at around 6am every morning).

Advocating for flexibility
Committed to the cause of supporting women working in PR all year round, Women in PR is focusing its efforts on flexible working campaign ‘What the F?’ and has launched a survey with Opinium to find out what flexible working looks like in the industry. It is open to men and women, takes only five minutes to complete and is open until 13 March – take part here.

‘Women in PR’s mission is to increase the number and diversity of women in leadership roles in our industry,’ says committee member Natalie Trice. ‘Over the past couple of years as a committee we have made every effort to show that Women in PR welcomes everyone, including men, to join our network and support our work in sharing expertise and encouraging more women, of all backgrounds, to reach their full potential.
With 87% of the UK’s full-time workforce wanting access to flexible working, the PR industry desperately needs to change its attitude towards flexible working provision. The younger generation expect flexible working to be a given and to be treated equally. To retain the best and the brightest talent, organisations, PR or otherwise, need to be alert to the changing needs of the workforce.’

Breaking the glass ceiling
This week saw the PRCA B2B Group event Finding and addressing the glass ceiling in PR, where panellists including The Inner Circle’s Crystal Cansdale, business coach Maria Darby-Walker and president of Women in PR Bibi Hilton discussed how a more inclusive environment can be created in PR and why women start to disappear from the line-up when it comes to positions of seniority.

Fighting for more F(emales) in Fintech
Hotwire has plenty of initiatives in place to help its employees thrive, including a ‘thoughtful working’ policy that recognizes the flexibility needed to maintain a healthy work life. Diversity initiatives at the agency also extend out to industry specific groups with F in Fintech, championing the women leading in the sector in an effort to welcome more workers from minority groups.

‘Our sheer numbers alone give us so much power,’ says Hotwire global CEO Barbara Bates. ‘If more women backed women, we’d be unstoppable.’

PR Blogger Spotlight with Ella Minty, Power & Influence

March 5, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Press and Bloggers, Media Database, PR Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

‘This expectation that we all have to sing and dance, go to the pub and be merry and joyful when that is not how you really feel can take an immense toll’ – today’s spotlight falls on PR pro and Power & Influence blogger Ella Minty, who knows the unique pressures of working in public relations as well as the highs (creativity and stereotype shattering) that go with the occasional lows (long hours and stress).

Encouraging knowledge sharing in her popular #PowerAndInfluence Twitter discussions as well as on the Power & Influence blog, Ella shares extra wisdom with us on how important deeper thinking and diversity is for happiness in the office environment and making more meaningful work.

How did you originally get started with writing about PR, marketing and comms?
I wanted to share what I know and provide a different take on some of the aspects we don’t come across that often but, when we do, they become crucially important to get right from the start.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
It has to be business, through the lens of a PR practitioner and vice versa. I am bemused by how much time we spend looking through a magnifying glass at ourselves (naval gazing) as opposed to really understanding what those who need our services – besides a campaign for a toothpick – are really looking for.

What are some of the recent campaigns you’ve written about that you really liked and why were they special?
I haven’t written anything about campaigns because I haven’t found any to be ground-breaking and really soul-searching. What I can tell you though, after having judged three PRCA MENA’s 2020 Awards categories (and here I’m only referring to the Best PR Campaign: Digital category) I was really blown away by Golin MENA’s ingenious and innovative approach to making a boring and rather bland product such as paint really stand out. Their Jotashield campaign for Jotun Paints was really something else.

With mental wellbeing being a big issue in the industry at the moment, what do you think agencies can do to support their employees?
Listen – like, really listen and observe. This expectation that we all have to sing and dance, go to the pub and be merry and joyful when that is not how you really feel takes an immense toll. Allow people to be themselves and express their feelings; if all agencies did that to begin with it would be a massive step forward. Encourage authenticity and self-reflection.

How can the PR industry work on its diversity problem?
We should understand that diversity has two main forms of manifestation: one is physical and the other is mental. The former is ‘people like us’ and the latter is ‘no more nodding heads’. This reminds me of that splendid Procter & Gamble campaign aimed to shatter stereotypes ‘Like A Girl’, and of how far we are to even comprehending that another view, someone else’s experience and take on issues may, actually, help us become better.

We often stop at skin colour and gender and we shouldn’t; innovation, forward thinking, competitive advantage and so on, all these imperatives for business growth are in the mind, not in the body. When you submit a proposal, are brought in to sort an issue or help in a crisis, it is your mind that will make all the difference, not the way you look or dress. The quotas on diversity need to be very carefully considered, especially when it comes to gender diversity – bring a woman in because she is the best at that job, not because she is a woman.

How has the relationship between the media and public relations changed during your time in PR?
It has changed dramatically. When I started, almost 20 years ago, the journalists were the authors and the keepers of the ‘Bible’. There was a very clear demarcation line: they asked, you answered, then you could only hope they understood. Today, the lines are blurry and I am quite sad to see that some journalists forget that they are supposed to be neutral, ethical and professional. Equally, it never ceases to amaze me that we still have PR practitioners who treat journalists like the fish in a pond: throw something in and see how many fish you can catch.

Do you think calling to pitch stories to journalists can ever be a good move?
It can, providing the right story is pitched to the right journalist. A journalist cannot be expected to be everywhere, read everything and know what is happening in their sector 24/7. If we can provide them with something that is of real interest to them, we should. This is how many professional and long-lasting relationships start: as transactional.

What are the pros of working with influencers versus ‘traditional’ media?
I have very strong views on this, and often my views are rather strong, one might argue. Influencers to me are pretty much as ‘influencing’ as the answer to the question: ‘how long is piece of string?’. Celebrities are still good at raising awareness when it comes to products – credible they are not, for the most part. Social media influencers, and I cannot help mentioning the case of the ‘over four million followers’ ‘social media star’ who couldn’t make it through one of the dance-offs of Strictly Come Dancing last year; how ‘influencing’ was that influencer? I’ve written quite a lot about this subject and I would always urge caution. If treated strictly as a paid-for transactional relationship, the contractual terms must be very strict to ensure both parties are clear on what their obligations, liabilities and expectations are.

The ‘pros’ of influencer marketing are reach, awareness and, potentially, sales impact – but the last point needs to be very carefully tied back to the actual influence of that person. And I’ll give you an example of a perfect influencer in my book: Stephen Waddington. Before I created my blog, I used to write a lot for CIPR’s Influence (online version) without even thinking to go through the effort and trouble of creating my own blog – between ‘Influence’ and LinkedIn’s Article feature, I was ok. But then Stephen wrote something and urged us to create our own platforms – after all, I can be as hard as I want on one topic or another in my own blog as opposed to someone else’s. Then, it was also Stephen who, when I complained about something to do with our practice a several years ago, when he was the President of CIPR, he turned to me and said just this: ‘and what are you doing about it?’. The penny dropped and I thought to myself ‘I’d better do something about it’ – and I did.

So what I am trying to say here is that an influencer’s ‘influence’ can only be measured, realistically, in their ability to influence someone to do something: change, use, buy, etc.

Do you work with other PRs on your blog? How would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
No, I don’t – never had the chance to because, although I’ve been sent numerous press releases, those I found really interesting to have a constructive dialogue with were only interested in ‘broadcast’, not in anything else. I’m happy to be approached by anyone who has a very interesting story to tell, particularly in our line of work, and is ready to answer my questions – some I’ve even invited to host a #PowerAndInfluence chat but, when they learned that the chat is a conversation and not a prescriptive Q&A or a chest-beating opportunity, never came back to me.

If I like what I read, then I’ll approach the sender – I will never ask to be paid for my writing about them or doing a #PowerAndInfluence together; I have a blog because I am passionate about what I do/write – it’s not a means of income for me and it will never be; this is why I don’t accept any advertisements etc. My blog is very personal and special to me, so any co-operation with any other PR professionals will be based on that premise.

What other blogs do you check out regularly?
I read Stephen Waddington, Scott Guthrie and Jessica Pardoe quite regularly, as well as Sarah Waddington’s FutureProof – I like learning something new every day and look for ‘wow, I didn’t know that’ or ‘I never thought about that’ kind of content. But I read many others, too, depending on the topic/subject. The blog articles I loathe are those who invite you in (clickbait style) and bore you to death in the first five minutes with their services on the topic, how you can work with them, etc. I appreciate that some or many make money from writing blogs, and that is fine with me – but it would be great if they could wow the reader with their knowledge on that topic first and, right at the very end of the article, promote what they do and how they do it.

Cut for time: extra answers from the How to build a charity brand webinar

March 4, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Charity, Webinars Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Our recent webinar How to build a charity brand included discussion on communicating with stakeholders while building relationships with supporters. Expertise came from Scouts’ director of communications and marketing David Hamilton and brand and ambassador manager Chris James, as well as Shape History’s co-managing director Lauren Kay-Lambert.

Watch the full webinar here.

We ran out of time to answer all of the questions that came in during our chat with the experts – but Lauren and Chris have very kindly answered the additional questions regarding research, best practice and rebranding for further reach, below.

How much research has to be done to get branding right? Is it possible to use only data and information we already have?
Lauren Kay-Lambert: It’s important you gain a good understanding and honest insight from multiple stakeholders, both internally and externally from beneficiaries/donors. Existing data, especially around user journeys/Google analytics to see where traffic is coming from will definitely be beneficial.

Chris James: This depends entirely on what data you already have. We’d recommend that you consult widely with internal and external stakeholders and give people scope to give you frank and honest opinions.

How could a volunteer-run community group use this best practice to increase its impact on people and its reach on social media?
Lauren: The key is to get your volunteers and end beneficiaries involved – speak to the people you’re trying to reach on social media and ask them what type of content they’d like to see. Also, don’t feel as though you need to be present on every single social media platform – assess what brings you the best return and engagement.
Chris: The key is understanding your audiences and what they need from you. Test different ideas and approaches and then use these insights to increase your engagement and reach.

How can a smaller charity without the reach and recognition of a big charity undertake a full rebrand to improve its effectiveness?
Lauren: Still use the same process, but don’t spend a huge budget on an agency to do the design work. I suggest hiring a freelance designer (go onto The Dots/use Major Players, etc.) to find someone who will be cheaper. I’d suggest focusing on the ‘Understand’ phase and nailing down your verbal identity.

Chris: You don’t need a huge budget for a rebrand. However, you do need huge buy in. Start by building the case for a rebrand – why do you need to do it? What’s not working? Who are you not reaching? It may be that you need a refresh rather than a full rebrand. Before looking at colours, fonts and logos, the key is identifying your key benefit – answering the question ‘why do we exist?’ Run some informal workshops where stakeholders get a chance to answer these questions. The key is taking people with you – a rebrand that is foisted on an organisation, charity or company will not succeed.

How do you measure your relevance?
Chris: We regularly track our perception across a range of key audiences – across relevance, trust and other factors. We work with research partners to do this.

Can you explain more about ‘self-service culture’?
Chris: Self-service is simply about providing your members or customers with the tools and resources to speak confidently about your brand, whether online, in print or in person. We provide a free online hub with templates, videos and other assets members can use with minimum expenses and expertise.

When you establish a charity, how do you choose right types (trustee, foundation… etc.)?
Chris: We’d recommend seeking specialist advice and research widely on this, as it depends on what you’re setting out to achieve.

How much did the Scouts rebrand cost from start to finish (budgets are always tight in our sector, and so often we see these great examples of what can be done, but they are way out of our reach)?
Chris: We were fortunate in that a number of partners were willing to work with us at significantly reduced rates or free of charge. For that reason we agreed that we would keep the arrangement confidential so it would not affect their wider business. We recommend that you have honest and open conversation with potential partners and you also have the option of doing this in house – although external perspectives are invaluable.

Watch the How to build a charity webinar here. Want more expertise from charity brands? Check out advice from Tiny Tickers and The Wildlife Trusts on creating successful PR campaigns on shoestring budgets.

Top tips for finding an effective tone of voice for your online brand

March 2, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Branding, PR Club, Content Marketing Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This is a guest post by Marketing Island.

Tone of voice isn’t the words we say but how we say them. It is the language we choose, and the personality behind the screen. Brands often rely so heavily on graphics, colour pallets and typefaces, but having a distinct tone of voice is just as important for building brand affinity and familiarity.

In the wise words of Maya Angelou, ‘People won’t always remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel’. Mastering your own tone of voice is crucial, it’s a major part of what makes you unique. A consistent tone of voice ensures you are easily recognisable and can resonate with your customers.

When we speak face to face, we are not solely relying on the words leaving our mouths as we have the assistance of non-verbal communication. Using facial expressions, gestures and different pitches allow us to correctly communicate what we are trying to say to others. A carefully considered tone of voice is vital for the representation of a brand online, as we lose all these additional factors. Online marketing such as email and social allow you to build strong relationships with your consumers through one to one conversations. Therefore, portraying the correct tone of voice can help you stand out against competitors and communicate authentically and honestly.

‘If you’re looking for your voice, tap into how you write and talk to your best friends – when you’re not trying to impress or be someone else, but just telling your stories. That’s the quickest way to find it.’ – Jess Pan

Since establishing Marketing Island in 2017, our tone of voice has always been an important factor in our overall branding. Marketing Island was created with a specific audience in mind and this enabled us to quickly establish who we were talking to and how to talk to them – women like us!

Being human has always been the most important thing for us, we have always prided ourselves on being genuine and passionate about the topics we share. We have found this vital to our engagement; it allows us to build connections and bonds with our readers.

Our Top Tips:

Understand your values and personality
Your tone of voice should express your brand’s personality and values. Figure out if you want to be humorous, empathetic or serious (but always ensure you’re relatable!). Your customers are only human (like you), so be approachable and break down that fourth wall – you are not a robot!

Know your target audience
Who will you be talking to? As with all marketing, understanding your audience and their needs is vital. Ensuring your tone of voice aligns with their purpose and ethos as well as your product or service is extremely important.

Write down guidelines
Once you’ve nailed your tone of voice then document it, this can be a part of your overall brand guidelines. Having documentation in place informing of your tone of voice is extremely important to ensuring everyone in the organisation is on the same page.

Be consistent
Through finding your authentic tone of voice your audience will learn to understand your brand and expect a certain experience from you. They will begin to recognise you and build a trusting relationship. Consistency is key here, they need to have the same experience with you 24/7, 365 days a year.

Continue to check that your tone is relevant to your brand. Over time, external and cultural factors can influence organisational change. As important as it is to keep a consistent tone of voice, it’s just as important to be mindful when things may need to be adapted.

Marketing Island is an award-winning online marketing magazine set to inspire women in the digital industry. Find out more here, and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

PRFest 2020 launches with a new format and keynote

February 27, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Event Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

June’s PRFest 2020, taking place in Edinburgh, is launching with a refreshed format focused on individuals, participation and evolution with the theme Purpose Over Profit.

The first keynote confirmed for the event is Manifest CEO and founder Alex Myers, who brings experience from agency’s work in offices across London, New York, Stockholm and Manchester as well as creative comms work with brands including Virgin, Help for Refugees. He will be sharing expertise on ‘Building a creative process fit for the purpose economy’, detailing how Manifest ensure that purpose is at the centre of each client’s strategy.

Other conversations already announced for this year’s PRFest include:

– Waging ethics battles for positive outcomes with senior strategist and MPRCA Mary Beth West
– How can PR influence organisations and their sustainability plans? With Good Will Studios’ creative consultant and designer Will Saunders
– Three is the magic number – How to manage your time more effectively so you can be successful in life with mindfulness coach and former PR professional Sarah Lloyd

Further conversations, and their hosts, will be revealed when the ‘Organised People’ tickets are released on 13 March. The first tranche of tickets, for ‘Super Organised People’, are available from today.

The PRCA continues to support PRFest. Director general Francis Ingham said: ‘We’re excited to return to Edinburgh for PRFest in June. It offers communication professionals the perfect opportunity to get away from London and other cities, and network with colleagues from across the UK. Its fresh approach to out-of-office learning has a richly deserved reputation for sharing intelligent thinking on the latest PR trends.’

PRFest was originally launched by Aura PR’s Laura Sutherland as a two-day public relations festival and now boasts attendees from across the world.

More information about the PRFest 2020 launch, this year’s programme, the speakers and how to sign up for tickets can be found on the PRFest website.

Music Blogger Spotlight with Mark Millar, XS Noize

February 25, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight PR, Press and Bloggers, Media Database Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

‘I pinch myself when I think I have interviewed people like Jim Kerr from Simple Minds, the guitar legend Johnny Marr and many more.’ Music blogger Mark Millar of XS Noize has met many music monoliths since starting his blog back in 2014, but also loves giving new bands and artists a platform for their music to be heard.

Writing about music has changed a lot since the days of Smash Hits magazine – read on for what Mark counts as the pros of digital publishing and which platforms for new musicians aren’t the best route to take if you want longevity in the charts and music collections.

How did you get started with writing about music?
I have loved music for as long as I can remember. My aunt made me sing along to Bye Bye Baby by the Bay City Rollers when I was three. So I suppose I was hooked from then! My parents played everything from Meatloaf to Simon & Garfunkel around the house growing up so I was exposed to loads of great stuff. Then I started buying my own records and tapes as I got older. I read all the music magazines like Smash Hits, Number One and NME from cover to cover.

I did an HNC in Interactive Multimedia. I planned to get into web design, but that didn’t work out. So I decided to marry my knowledge of web design and my passion for music and created XS Noize in 2014. It started as a hobby and now XS Noize is recognised as an authority in music, which is amazing.

What’s your favourite thing to post about?
I like to feature new bands and artists to give them a platform for their music. Also, I love to interview musicians who I admire and have been a fan of. It’s always interesting to hear about their process. I pinch myself when I think I have interviewed people like Jim Kerr from Simple Minds, the guitar legend Johnny Marr and many more.

What makes the music blogging community different (and better!) than others?
People love listening to music either on radio, streaming or by playing records and CDs, so it’s a real pleasure to be able to inform those people about new music. To do that I have to have my finger on the pulse by regularly checking my emails throughout the day because I never know when I’ll receive news about the next big release or confirmation about a band or artist I will be interviewing. My laptop is with me everywhere I go (even on holiday) to enable me to publish on XS Noize immediately. XS Noize is a team effort – we have contributors worldwide who are passionate about music and what they do, and it’s a real pleasure to work with them all.

Do you think shows like The Voice and Britain’s Got Talent are still a good route into the music industry for wannabe musicians?
No, not really – they are only entertainment shows. If you want 15 minutes of fame then go for it but today no one remembers who wins these shows. I don’t think any winner of The Voice has ever been successful. I suppose it’s a foot in the door for the acts, but ultimately those shows are about the judges. The best route for musicians is to play the circuit to as many people as they can and write loads of songs.

Do you see the increase in the intersection of tech with music (VR shows/holograms) as a good thing?
I have no problem with it – it’s novelty and fun, but it’s not the kind of show I would go and see. I would rather see the real thing.

What was the first song/album you bought and would you still listen to it?
The first single I bought with my own money was Wide Boy by Nik Kershaw. And yes, I would stick on his greatest hits now and again.

Favourite song lyric of all time?
‘Life’s a bag of Revels/And I’m looking for the orange one/She’s gone’ – Polar Bear by The Charlatans.

How do you work with PRs and brands?
Working with PRs is the lifeblood of XS Noize. I have built amazing relationships over the past six years with PRs. We work closely every minute of the working day on new content by arranging interviews, gig passes, photo passes, reviews and loads more. With brands, we have sponsored live events and organised competitions.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you?
PRs can get in touch with me mainly via email, but sometimes they get hold of my phone number and call me directly – I don’t mind either way. I get sent hundreds of emails daily from PRs and it’s impossible to go through them all, which I feel terrible about.

What other blogs do you read (whether music-related or not)?
I like The Quietus, it’s great! And Chordblossom and The Thin Air. The latter two are also based in Northern Ireland, and I like Nialler9, who is based in Dublin. They write fantastic coverage of the local music scenes and beyond, so check them out.

PR Blogger Spotlight: Jessica Pardoe

February 25, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight, PR Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Want a fresh take on the high-profile PR campaigns hitting the headlines? Jessica Pardoe, PR and digital media executive for The Source PR, may still be at a relatively early stage of her career, but knows good (and less-good) work when she sees it: ‘I could write about campaigns all day, every day – I find so much joy in dissecting PR stunts and praising their successes.’

Blogging about big news in public relations has grown from a project started during university into a genuine passion for Jessica as she makes her way in the industry. Read on for more on what makes jessicapardoe.com one of our top ten PR blogs in the UK.

How did you originally get started with writing about PR, marketing and comms?
We were advised in my second year of university to start a blog for an online PR module. Me and a couple of my course mates accepted the challenge. It later transpired that we didn’t actually need to create a blog – in fact, it was never brought up again. I’d spent a fair bit of time on it though and didn’t want to see it go to waste so I carried on writing blogs for a little while.

I started out with two-three views on each post, but I powered through as I was finding that I was really enjoying writing about PR – particularly exciting campaigns I’ve seen recently – and then things kind of just escalated from there. I’ve been blogging for over three years now, and though my blog has seen a fair few different names in its lifetime, it’s now firmly jessicapardoe.com.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
Oh easy – campaigns. I could write about them all day, every day if my life permitted. I find so much joy in dissecting PR stunts and praising their successes. One day I’d really love to be involved in, or even heading up, a team that pulls off big marketing campaigns for well-known brands. But for now, I’m still finding my footing in PR and am learning more about reputation management and targeted marketing – and I’m loving that at the moment!

What are some of the recent campaigns you’ve written about that you really liked and why were they special?
It’s not that recent, but without a doubt one of my favourite ever campaigns is the vegan sausage roll by Greggs. It’s literally paved the way for a vegan fast food revolution and is undoubtably in my mind one of the best product launches of recent years. More recently, I’m loving KFC’s collaborative Valentine’s Day campaigns, and the ‘free Costa Coffee’ campaign that was released late last year.

With mental wellbeing being a big issue in the industry at the moment, what do you think agencies can do to support their employees?
Understanding work life balance is fundamentally important. I’ve been in jobs previously that didn’t value that, and it very nearly caused me to burn out completely. Now, I’m with a PR agency, The Source PR, that really respects our mental health, praises us for our work and understands the concept of balance. That kind of attitude only helps me to be more creative and productive, I feel. PR is largely a stressful job, it does require employees to be switched on and it definitely isn’t always easy; understanding that, but also understanding you have to take care of your mental health outside of your job is the key, I think. It’s okay to switch off your phone, take off your thinking caps and take some time to yourself when you need to. Any good agency should encourage their employees to adopt this attitude.

How can the PR industry work on its diversity problem?
Something I’ve spoken a lot about is how PR has a PR problem. It’s not widely taught in school curriculums, and honestly, we get a lot of bad rep as an industry. To some people, PR is perceived as a deceitful and sometimes seedy career. That isn’t the case at all. Too many age-old stereotypes have seen some people presuming that PR is spinning the news and mastering coverups. That might have been true in the past, but it certainly isn’t any more. These negative perceptions could potentially be deterring people and could be causing diversity issues within the realm of public relations. To work on this, I think we need to see PR integrated into school curriculums, more A-Level courses and more emphasis placed on opting to study PR and marketing at university, or undertaking a relevant apprenticeship. After all, we need to focus on encouraging young, talented and diverse minds into the sector.

How has the relationship between the media and public relations changed during your time in PR?
Well, I haven’t actually been in PR that long. I started studying Business & Public Relations at LJMU in 2015, and have worked in PR since 2018, just coming up to two years now. I don’t think the climate has changed dramatically since my career really started, but I do think now that we’re thinking more about reputations and less about media relations. Meaning that there’s less of an emphasis in getting brand coverage here there and everywhere, but more getting great exposure for your clients in areas that are really relevant to them. I’ve also noticed a massive shift in influencer marketing over the past couple of years, and I think that despite its flaws, influencer marketing is absolutely here to stay.

Do you think calling to pitch stories to journalists can ever be a good move?
Calling to pitch, no. Follow-up calls after an email pitch, it depends. So long as your story is relevant to the journalist you’re contacting, I think it’s fine – however I do have some conditions. When working with national press, I’ll very seldom phone up journalists as not only are they super busy, but I find many prefer talking over email. With regional newspapers though, phone call follow-ups almost always result in positive outcomes for my clients. Just make sure you’re pitching the right kind of story to the right journalist.

What are the pros of working with influencers versus ‘traditional’ media?
Influencer marketing is an incredible new branch to the PR and communications sector. Media coverage is fantastic, but you can’t always see its value (let’s not open that can of worms about measuring ROI in PR). With influencer marketing however, you’re opened to this whole new world of social engagement. Some of our most successful campaigns in recent times have been with influencers, and from well-known people interacting with our clients; we’ve seen engagements, impressions and even follows fly through the roof. I think probably the biggest advantage of working with influencers is you can target those who fit your brand like a glove, and it’s very easy to see if they have an engaged and tuned-in audience who will actually be interested in your brand if the said influencer is promoting it. Though media coverage is always fantastic, that’s an insight you can’t always get with traditional papers.

Do you work with other PRs on your blog?
I used to, I don’t do it as much as I should now (oops!). I’ve had a few guest posts in the past, and in the early days of my blog I used to do a ‘meet the PR blogger’ series which was really popular. I’m always open to hearing ideas for topical guest posts about the PR, marketing or advertising space, so feel free to contact me if you’d like to chat.

What other blogs do you check out regularly?
Oh, I could be here absolutely all day, so let me tell you the top ten I read religiously: MK, Orlagh Claire, Wadds, Famous Campaigns, PR Academy, Power & Influence, Ulster PR Student, Arianne Online, Scott Guthrie, and Rise At Seven.

3 tips to improve your PR measurement and reporting

February 24, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, media measurement, PR Club Media Monitoring, Media Analysis, PR Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

As part of Vuelio’s Customer Voice series, we host regular focus groups to hear from our clients, track the latest sector trends and make sure we’re delivering what the industry needs.

Our most recent session focused on measurement and reporting, and the impact of PR campaigns on your organisation’s goals. A few clear challenges came out of the discussions along with practical advice to improve best practice.

1. Coverage quality vs coverage quantity
Reach is a common way of reporting on the potential number of people who could have seen your coverage. While reach figures look impressive to the board, on their own they provide little indication of the quality of coverage. For example, while the BBC might have a reach of 500 million, this doesn’t reflect how many of your target audience your coverage actually reached.

Providing context to the success of PR activity is a real challenge. Part of the problem is educating the board how a piece of coverage from an online influencer can be just as impactful as a piece in a national newspaper. The reach figure maybe vastly different but the reach of an influencer/blogger is much more targeted.

Pivoting from quantitative to qualitative reporting means moving away from numbers such as reach and circulation.

2. (Un)Integrated measurement
While PR teams are working closer with marketing and social media teams, when it comes to planning integrated campaigns they are all still reporting separately.

One option is to align PR KPIs with the marketing funnel to demonstrate that what they do helps fill up the top of the funnel and provides marketing with an engaged audience. Another option is to create KPIs together with all related departments to ensure you’re reporting on the same tactics in the same way.

3. Frameworks? Give us practical advice!
The approaches our group took to reporting were similar and everyone had a real appetite for practical best practice advice on measurement and reporting. With all the talk of how to tackle the challenge of evaluating PR in a meaningful way, there appears to be a knowledge gap between those leading the measurement conversation and those on the ground looking for credible methods to demonstrate how PR impacts on organisational goals.

This means if you’re involved in measurement in your organisation or in the wider industry, you need to do more to bring your colleagues, who are often at the coalface, into the conversation. It’s something we’re focusing on at Vuelio and we’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can all improve this process. Get in touch and let us know.

Are you a Vuelio client? We’d love to hear from you – get involved in our Customer Voice series.

PR Spotlight with Jess Hawkes, host of PR podcast OutSpeech

February 21, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Podcast, PR Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Amy Wilson

Last month digital marketing agency Impression launched monthly podcast OutSpeech for PRs, marketers and SEOs who want to build links effectively. Its host is digital PR specialist Jess Hawkes, who will be addressing the evolving discipline of digital PR, the latest trends and challenges.

‘There’s so much chat about digital PR across the internet already, particularly on Twitter, and sometimes it feels like it’s the ones who shout the loudest that get the most attention. I wanted to create a platform for everyone to have a say and a podcast is such an accessible format to do that.’ Read more to find out how Jess hopes the podcast will allow more opinions from the digital PR industry to be heard, without shouting about it.

How did you enter the world of PR?
From a young age I’ve always obsessed with language, in particular the power it can hold in shaping ideals and changing minds. I realised very quickly that it was easier to talk my way out of something by using language effectively, and this level of influence fascinated me. Naturally, this led me straight into the world of PR and marketing.

Why do you think a podcast will be a good vehicle to use to discuss the digital PR industry?
There’s so much chat about digital PR across the internet already, particularly on Twitter, and sometimes it feels like it’s the ones who shout the loudest that get the most attention. The digital PR industry is broad though, and I wanted to create a platform for everyone to have a say – a podcast is such an accessible format to do that. You don’t have the sometimes toxic Instagram culture that comes from social media, and you don’t have to spend hours reading through blogs and articles – it’s something anyone can stick on in the car or on the train.

What are you hoping that the podcast can achieve that perhaps hasn’t been done before?
There are already several PR and SEO podcasts, but nothing specific exists for digital PR, which is such an evolving discipline. I wanted to be able to create something that would really be able to shape our malleable industry in a way that represents everyone.

Are there any other podcasts that you will draw inspiration from?
Professionally, I think PR in a Car is a really great resource for broader traditional PR topics. In my spare time, I like to listen to Guilty Feminist, and I’ve long been a fan of the Joe Rogan casual style of interview whereby you just encourage the guest to speak their mind in a relaxed environment.

Which trends do you expect will increasingly come up in your discussions?
Digital PR is changing all the time, so there’s always discussions about where it is going and what will be the ‘next big trend’. We have set topics for the year, which includes measurement, link buying, influencers and the rise of the affiliate.

What would you say are the biggest misconceptions of the digital PR industry?
A lot of people who speak to me from traditional PR seem to think digital PR is simply an online version of PR, and completely miss the link building side of it. Digital PR is entirely different to ‘doing PR online’. It’s a discipline built from SEO and fundamentally differentiates itself from traditional as it is measurable, and can tangibly prove the value and ROI to clients through organic search benefits, rather than ‘awareness’.

How do you expect the shape of digital PR to change in 2020?
I think this year in particular there will be a lot of chatter around relevance, and how that will play a broader role in the style of link building activity that is happening; whether it will still be applicable to create news that sits on an orphan page off the main domain and has little bearing on the actual user journey, or whether we’re going to have to start being far more integrated with our marketing and digital PR efforts.

Is discussion of mental wellbeing in the PR industry overdue?
PR is a discipline which, no matter how it is managed, will always have some level of uncertainty or lack of control, and I believe this has multiple repercussions on mental wellbeing. In so many jobs the outcome of your work directly reflects what you put in, but this isn’t always true in PR since there are so many variables to getting a result. You can put a load of physical and emotional resource into a campaign and get very little in return, as success hinges on a whole host of wild variables, sometimes including the weather or the mood of a journalist!

This is only heightened in digital PR, as there are so many more variables to consider. Even if you get a result and a journalist features your piece, digital results can always be better; they need to include a link, it needs to be followed, from better domains, more optimised anchor text or going to deeper, more targeted areas of the site, to name a few. It leaves digital PRs potentially feeling that no matter what they do, they could always be doing better. That can be a positive motivation, but on the other hand, you can understand why this mentality might wear people out and be a detriment to mental wellbeing if it isn’t addressed.

Who would be your dream guest to interview, from the world of digital PR or otherwise?
Hands down: Edward Snowdon. For me he represents the often lost, true integrity of the media.

Listen to Jess Hawkes on the OutSpeech podcast here.

Dating Blogger Spotlight with Natalie Lue, Baggage Reclaim

February 20, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Press and Bloggers, Media Database, PR Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

Sometimes blogs are inspired by bad dates, sometimes by a mix of ‘bubble guts and a busy mind’. Natalie Lue’s Baggage Reclaim was born from a combination of all three and has since become our top relationship and dating blog in the UK.

If you aren’t yet a Reclaimer, read on for more on that killer combo that kickstarted Natalie’s love affair with blogging, as well as the most romantic places in the world and some baggage-related dramas.

How did you originally get started with writing about relationships?
It started with a bad date and me wondering why I’d say that I wanted to be with a ‘nice guy’ but then feel bored and turned off by them. I woke up in the middle of the night with bubble guts and a busy mind thanks to the dodgy date dinner – ten minutes later, I had my then-personal blog. And here I am almost sixteen years later.

How do you stay enthusiastic (and not cynical) about Valentine’s Day?
I’m not, and never really have been, into Valentine’s Day. Even as a child, it bemused me how it changed people for a week or two! It was the anxiety over gifts and cards, and whether they were loved. My husband and I pick and choose which year we want to give each other cards. We do it for a laugh and to get sentimental.

What’s the most romantic place in the world?
Tough call, as I absolutely love New York and have wonderful memories of trips there with my husband. I’m going to say Paris, as he surprised me with a trip there for my 40th. There is something magical about it. I highly recommend going on an electric bike tour for a few hours.

What is the worst date you’ve ever been on?
Too many to choose from. I’ve previously said it was a guy who was stoned out of his tree (I didn’t realise until towards the end of our date). He was very pervy straight away, and after I tried keeping him at bay, he tried to make a move when he dropped me home. I declined and so he proceeded to touch himself up as I exited the car…

Has blogging about relationships ever impacted your own relationships in real life?
Yes. One acquaintance stopped talking to me – she read my blog after finding out about it in a newspaper and fumed that I’d said she served us all Blue Nun at her party (she did). And someone else thought I was talking about their relationship (I wasn’t) and that I’d written about them revenge-cheating on their ex.

What are your favourite dating shows?
I don’t really watch dating shows any more, although I loved watching Take Me Out – it’s a fascinating social experiment that teaches a lot about misconceptions around compatibility and attractiveness. My husband watches Dinner Date and Dress To Impress religiously, so I sometimes catch a bit of those.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind do you really like working with?
I don’t currently collaborate with brands for Baggage Reclaim. I built a lot of brand relationships from when I ran Bambini Goodies and the now-defunct Nest Goodies, so if I am occasionally gifted something it’s through personal relationships.

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 am open to working with brands, but I do get turned off by stock approaches and requests for reviews. DM me on Instagram or drop me an email. In order for me to work with a brand, it has to offer as much value to my audience as it does to me, so we have to share core values. The likelihood is that it would be for the podcast, Instagram or for collaborating on an event. Book publishers, wellness, eco-friendly, and sustainable and creative brands are certainly of interest.

PR Spotlight with Missive’s associate director Gemma Dunn

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

‘Technology is ubiquitous so has evolved to become a byword for disruption. Every business is underpinned by technology, so tech PR now covers everything.’ Working in a sector of public relations that now encompasses almost every industry, Missive’s multilingual and multi-skilled Gemma Dunn brings experience from her time in journalism as well as a passion for communication. Having spent ten years in PR, Gemma has seen measurement move from press clippings to email alerts and the evolution of the industry’s approach to campaigning, collaboration and supporting staff under pressure.

As one of the forces behind PRWeek’s UK Best Place to Work (Small Agency) for 2019, Gemma shares the importance of integration in the work and the working environment to produce disruptive – and effective – results.

Tell us a bit about how you got into PR originally, and what keeps you passionate about the work?
I studied languages at university, which I chose because I loved communication and travel. This led me to move to Chile where I had a brief stint in journalism. I loved the storytelling required as a journalist, but the job was too solitary for me – I spent most of each day completing research or writing on my own. I wanted the chance to be part of a team and spend my days being interactive, which led me to look at PR. Fast forward ten years and the teamwork aspect of my job is a big factor in why I’ve stayed passionate in my career. Between my team and clients, I meet and learn from a huge range of people from different cultures and with very different experiences. It makes the job hugely varied.

Missive works with clients in the technology sector – what have been some of the big changes you’ve noticed in tech PR during your time in the sector?
I’ve seen two fundamental changes in tech PR in recent years. Just like in other sectors, clients expect tech PR campaigns to be fully integrated. PR used to be siloed from the rest of the comms mix but in an ever-integrated content world that doesn’t make sense anymore. Getting ahead of what clients (and their customers) need means we have to be channel agnostic and use audience insight to determine what is the best way to reach customers – whatever that might be.

Another big change is that tech is ubiquitous so has evolved to become a byword for disruption. Every business is underpinned by technology so tech PR now covers everything from the banking and insurance industries to veterinary services, property and commodities trading.

Is there anything you really miss about how the PR industry worked when you started?
I used to love that moment of popping into a newsagent to get the paper and find my client’s coverage. The thrill of seeing a story do well is still there but it isn’t as much of a moment when the email alert arrives. Of course, the flip side is that nobody has to scan press clippings anymore!

Missive won the PRCA best place to work award last year – what are the best things about working at Missive and how do you keep employees happy and fulfilled in their work?
It meant a lot to us to win the PRCA Best Place to Work and receive recognition of the distinct culture we have – and the hard work of the founders to create something special. They wanted Missive to be a brilliant agency where people had the opportunity to take ownership of their career and have a say in how the agency is run. It sounds obvious but we treat people like adults and expect people to manage their own time – this means if you decide to work from home last minute, or leave early to play tennis, it’s fine as long as you get the job done.

We also have a healthy rewards programme that includes benefits ranging from an all-company annual holiday abroad to a weekly personal trainer as well as an annual wellbeing and tech allowance. Underpinning all of this is a commitment to innovative, ethical and open behaviour that the team is a part of creating and sustaining.

What do you think it is about the creative industries that can result in mental health issues, and how can companies work to prevent it/support their workforce?
The challenge of being in a creative industry is that your work is always under scrutiny and has to be delivered to a deadline (and in budget). This can create a real pressure cooker, which becomes even more of a problem when you’re trying to navigate the overwhelming amount of information we have to get through. It’s why there are such sustained mental health issues in the industry.

Tackling the problem has to start with being open about when people are experiencing difficulty and working together to tackle the pressure someone might feel under. We check in with our team at Missive to encourage people to find a work/life balance that works for them including a daily routine that is focused to their overall wellbeing.

Do Missive work with influencers/bloggers? What are the pros and cons of working with ‘new’ media versus print?
With every brief we get from a client, we start with research into the target audience to gain insights into who (and what channel) will have greatest impact; this could be an influencer, blogger, broadcaster, politician or journalist. For some of our audiences, influencers will be the most credible way to have impact. For others, it could be through the FT newsdesk.

The benefit of working with this new media of influencers is that you more often have the chance to partner and collaborate on the content you create. Whatever the channel or the individual, the most important thing is to be authentic to the audience.

Missive have been shortlisted for more awards recently for client work – how important are awards for PR agencies?
I think awards are a great way of showcasing results delivered to clients and giving the industry an idea of how you create success. What they don’t always show is overall value to clients in terms of strategy, commercial objectives or brand awareness. When clients are choosing agencies, I think it’s important they look at both awards and style of working to understand whether the agency is a ‘fit’. For example, do they have a strong track record in strategic consultancy that may not be highlighted through award wins?

What is the process for creating content/encouraging ideas for campaigns at Missive?
We have a really collaborative work environment with regular team-wide brainstorms for clients and those we are pitching to. We try to look outside of our immediate industry to get inspiration from other areas, and we’re not afraid to steal ideas where we see something that worked well in a different sector!

How have you noticed the relationship between PR and journalism changing during your career and what do you think is next for both?
PRs now outnumber journalists (64,000 journos to 95,000 PR) which has changed the relationship fundamentally. Journalists are more time-poor than they’ve ever been so on the one hand they need help from PRs to find stories, experts and case studies but on the other hand they are inundated with content they don’t often need, ruining relationships between the two sides.

Understanding the right journalists and industry analysts to take a story to isn’t hard if you have the right tools and a bit of common sense, and I think PRs who invest time in this are always those who have better relationships with the media (and probably with their clients as a result).

Learn more about the Missive team and their work on the website here.

Music Blogger Spotlight with Stefan Toren, A&R Factory

February 18, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

How does the music blogging sector continue to adapt as the way we share and stream music changes? For A&R Factory’s Stefan Toren, it’s ‘the creativity in connecting people’, whether through traditional features and interviews, curated playlists or Instagram stories.

Aiming to explore the meaning behind the music rather than straight-forward industry updates, Stefan’s blog has become a ‘hotspot’ for professionals in the sector. Read on for his approach to writing about music, how the music industry is changing and whether reality TV is a good thing for artists.

How did you get started with writing about music?
A+R Factory started around 10 years ago when I was working as a music manager for a few bands. Originally I just wanted to write about the different artists I had the pleasure of working with, but it started to evolve into something much bigger when I found we had organically become a hotspot for music industry professionals – ranging from unsigned talent to A+Rs from some of the world’s top labels. I guess the answer is almost boringly simple: I began because I wanted my own platform to give a voice to the unheard musician. A decade on, here we are.

What’s your favourite thing to post about on your website/blog?
Just go on over to our homepage and take a look for yourself. We don’t tend to focus on industry news and developments – we focus purely on music and what it (might) mean to the listener. Exploring artists and their new projects is therefore, by far, our favorite stuff to post.

What makes the music blogging community different (and better!) than others?
Oh, it’s different alright – in all the good ways (and some bad, but let’s not get into that here!). One of the parts that make it so good is the ability for a blog to help curate a listener’s taste, and get them to explore new artists and new music that (literally) resonates with them. We’re also seeing the blog community explore different avenues to tell those artists’ stories too; some of the best music bloggers don’t even write these days, they curate playlists, create videos and post insta stories. I think the creativity in connecting people with art is the special something that makes music blogging stay relevant as online culture evolves.

Do you think shows like The Voice and Britain’s Got Talent are still a good route into the music industry for wannabe musicians? What are the pros and cons?
Have they ever been? Facetiousness aside, I think these shows have a cultural value to offer and do help show artists that they don’t just need to be good musicians – they need to be characters and have a story to tell. But I think it goes without saying that ten times out of ten, an artist should focus on their art and marketing before considering a musical reality show to be a viable option for getting into the industry.

Do you see the increase in the intersection of tech with music as a good thing – VR shows, holograms of musicians who are no longer with us, etc.?
I think most people look at tech in the music industry as these ‘flashy’ PR pieces – and that’s fair because a Tupac hologram catches eyes and ears. The real tech in the music industry is a lot more hidden and it’s all about data. Just like a brand needs data about its customers, music labels all need data about their listeners, and platforms like Spotify have all the value in this space. Because of this data, we’re seeing music labels adopt different approaches to new releases to maximise streaming value, perhaps at the risk of compromising artistic value. But for many artists, data can be their most powerful tool in building a following and cracking the online space – so there’s lots of pros and cons on all sides for tech being adopted more heavily in the music industry.

What was the first song/album you bought (and would you still listen to it)?
Eric B and Rakim’s Paid in Full. Who doesn’t still listen to it? It’s one of the seminal hip-hop albums.

Favourite song lyric of all time?
‘All my exes live in Texas’ by George Strait. I can’t explain why. I’ve never been to Texas.

How do you work with PRs and brands?
Our approach is heavily tied to our original and simple vision of spotlighting the world’s best independent artists and musicians. So of course when we work with PRs and brands, we only choose the ones with an offer that can bring something truly helpful to the table for unsigned musicians. There’s so many incredible services out there that act in line with A+R factory’s values, and we make sure each one we work with gives artists a real digital leg up in this crazy industry.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you?
We have a delightfully simple contact page here where you can reach out to us.

What other blogs do you read (whether music-related or not)?
Earmilk is great. Indie Shuffle and Resident Advisor are two other staples.

How to build a charity brand

February 17, 2020/in PR, Press and Bloggers /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

How do you build a successful charity brand?

At a time when public trust in charities is at an all time low and Brexit has put a strain on funding in the sector, it’s more important than ever to build a solid brand with a proactive communications strategy.

Our webinar, How to build a charity brand hears from industry experts on how to strengthen relationships with brand supporters while communicating effectively with all stakeholders, from families and healthcare professionals to journalists and MPs.

We are delighted to host Scouts‘ Director of Communications and Marketing, David Hamilton and Brand and Ambassador Manager, Chris James. We also hear from Lauren Kay-Lambert, co-managing director at purpose-led creative agency, Shape History, who shares insights in working exclusively with good causes.

Watch the webinar to learn:

Why proving trust is central to brand building in 2020
How to improve insight and action in charities
Why charities have the potential to gain the most engaged audiences

6 stats to help agencies work with comms directors

February 17, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, communications research, Event, PR Club PR, Press and Bloggers, Media Database Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Over 200 senior communications directors, consultancies and agencies gather at The Richmond Communication Director’s Forum each year and their views and opinions of the industry form the conference’s annual research report.

From the numbers on how comms professionals are allocating their budgets to sourcing new agencies to work with, here are six useful statistics to help you improve your agency’s work.

1. Change management is the biggest business challenge (even more than the prospect of Brexit)
When asked about the biggest challenges they were facing back in November, respondents’ answers fell into the five categories of Change, Resources, Technology, Political and Talent and Value. Change came out as the most challenging, with over half replying with concern. Surprisingly, worries concerning Brexit (rather a big change) had gone down since the year before – from 36% to 19%.

2. Budget reduction is down – only 13% were planning to decrease their budget spend for 2020
Whether careful and canny spending or a sign of belt-tightening, a reduction in budget spend wasn’t a big concern for the delegates at the forum – of 2019’s delegates, 20% had planned to reduce their communications budget, for 2020, it’s down to 13%. Hopefully a sign of healthy budgets to work with. Over half (58%) reported they’d be spending the same, and 29% reporting an increase.

3. Comms directors use an average of seven agencies, but new projects mean new appointments
Exploring how respondents interact with and choose new suppliers to work with, the Forum discovered that comms directors use an average of seven agencies. A further seven are likely to be spoken with as prospects, and 3.2 new agencies a year are appointed. What causes delegates to look for new agencies to work with? New projects (for over 80%) and the need for new technology (for just over 50%). Less than half were looking for cheaper or better alternatives.

4. 70% of those making the decisions on agency appointments are looking for new products and technologies to try out
What most of the directors who decide on budget spend – and which new agencies they’ll be spending it on – are looking to hear about are new-launch products and technology. Less important for them – discussing the outlook for the economy (10%), agency employees (under 20%) and the competition people are pitching against (20%). So, shiny new things that will make their work easier, and not so much with the bad-mouthing of competitors or staid economy talk when pitching.

5. Cold calling is bad: over 90% of sellers of services and over 50% of buyers still prefer face-to-face contact over email or telephone for building professional relationships
Both word-of-mouth recommendations and face-to-face meetings are what those surveyed said were most important with forming new business connections and choosing suppliers to work with. Telephone calls were not popular with buyers of services and products – 0% of those surveyed mentioned it as they way they find new suppliers to work with.

6. What most (60%) comms directors are looking for when picking a supplier or agency? Personal chemistry
Reinforcing that face-to-face is the way to attract companies and brands to work with you, rather than email or phone, is the 60% of comms directors looking for personal chemistry with the suppliers they sign with. Price (over 50%) and innovation (almost 50%) were the next most important considerations. What may turn people off from working with you and dim the chemistry, though, is desperation – ‘Hunger for my business’ was a positive for only 30% of the people at the latest Richmond Communication Directors Forum.

Find out more about The Richmond Communication Directors’ Forum Industry Research Report 2020 on the Richmond Events website.

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PR Spotlight with Jess Hawkes, host of PR podcast OutSpeech

Dating Blogger Spotlight with Natalie Lue, Baggage Reclaim

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Music Blogger Spotlight with Stefan Toren, A&R Factory

How to build a charity brand

6 stats to help agencies work with comms directors

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