Politics on Sunday – 19 November 2017

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Missed any of the political coverage from the weekend?

Sunday’s political shows were dominated by two things: the Budget and Brexit. Phillip Hammond appeared on both the Andrew Marr show and Peston on Sunday to lay the groundwork for Wednesday’s announcements, however he managed to dominate headlines after claiming that ‘there are no unemployed people’. Meanwhile Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell was forced to defend Labour’s nationalisation plans on the Marr show, failing to give a figure when pressed on how much they would cost.

On BBC’s Sunday Politics, Jacob Rees-Mogg made an appearance to defend the UK’s negotiating position in the Brexit talks, and to present his ‘alternative budget’ for the Chancellor. Brexit sceptic Conservative MP Dominic Grieve, who was labelled a ‘mutineer’ this week, discussed his efforts to improve the EU Withdrawal Bill, with John Pienaar, and suggested that some of his colleagues in the Conservative party may have become ‘unhinged’ in the fervour of Brexit.

Check out our dedicated Canvas of political coverage by clicking here or on the image below. Want to make your own canvas? Find out how. 

Politics on Sunday

stressed man

5 PR mistakes to avoid when sending a press release

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Press releases are still a fundamental cornerstone of the PR industry, and while social, digital, events and meetings may yield strong results, the humble press release is here to stay.

PR pros are generally well-practised in the art of sending a press release but there are still common mistakes that can easily be avoided.

1. Don’t be generic
Journalists, editors, bloggers and influencers are already receiving an ocean of content from brands and agencies looking to secure coverage. On top of this, they’ve got their own story agenda – few professionals are just waiting for the next great press release to land on their lap. As such, good content needs to be original, unique and ideally include strong research – at the end of the day people want to read interesting stories and the latest iteration of your office move might not cut the mustard. Your company excels at something, otherwise it wouldn’t be an operating business; tell that story and coverage will come.

2. Don’t forget to know your targets
This ties in with our first point – you need to know your contacts before you send, or your press release will be from a stranger. Good media relations start with knowing your target audience and the right influencers to reach them. The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of contacts across thousands of outlets and includes detailed bios and content topics. Find the right people, give them a call to introduce yourself or, better still, take them out for a coffee (when they’re available) so in future it’s not a stranger pitching to them, it’s a friend.

3. Don’t forget to proof
Any media contact worth their salt will rewrite your press release, use your comments as just part of a feature or expand in their own ways. That said, if your press release has spelling mistakes, uses poor grammar or is just full of unreadable jargon, you may put your journalist contacts off before you’ve started. Keep it simple, and before you send it: proof, proof, proof.

4. Don’t fail to follow up
This doesn’t mean you should call up seconds after pushing ‘Send’ and lead with: ‘Hi there, I’ve just sent a press release…’

Make sure you’re monitoring the content with Vuelio Media Monitoring. That way, if the story is used online, in print or even broadcast, you’ll be able to track all of that coverage in one place. And, if a journalist uses your press release, send them a little note to thank them for the coverage – that lets them know you’re reading their content and also available to help with future stories. And if you’re working on a paid-for campaign with bloggers and influencers, you can ask for metrics to help measure the success of the campaign – work with the bloggers to get your results.

5. Don’t be sales heavy
Your ‘amazing product’ or ‘innovative solution’ is not what a journalist wants to print. The more salesy the press release, the more it will put off a journalist who is looking for a great story for their readers, rather than an advert for your buyers. While a journalist will probably just take these terms out, having too many in will make the whole thing seem like an advert and the journalist could skip it altogether. If you don’t have anything but sales content, then it’s not a press release.

 

What top tips would you give someone for a perfect press release? Let us know in the comments below:

Greggs sausage roll

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 17 November 2017

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This week’s Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed includes Greggs’ sausage roll, Josh Rivers being sacked by Gay Times, Twitter’s verification ticks, Russian troll farms and ONLY ONE WEEK TO GO UNTIL THE VUELIO BLOG AWARDS!

 

1. Greggs and the sausage roll

Sausage rolls greggs
Greggs has apologised this week after posting an image of the three wise men gathered round a manger containing a sausage roll, rather than Jesus Christ. The image, which sparked outrage among Christians online, was made to promote a £24 advent calendar from the bakery, which has a different voucher to spend in store behind each day’s window. While the firm has apologised for causing offence, the story has garnered a lot of coverage for Greggs and its advent calendar, perhaps suggesting there is no such thing as bad publicity.

 

2. Josh Rivers fired from Gay Times

Josh Rivers fired

An investigation by BuzzFeed into Josh Rivers, who was recently appointed editor at Gay Times, found dozens of offensive tweets sent by Rivers between 2010 and 2015. They included ableist, racist, transphobic, anti-Semitic and misogynistic comments, and BuzzFeed read them all to Rivers in an interview. Rivers was shocked and appalled at his own tweets, saying he was a ‘lost’ and ‘angry’ person when he wrote the remarks.

After initially suspending Rivers to investigate, Gay Times – which had claimed Rivers’ appointment would best serve the magazine’s diverse and culturally inquisitive audience – fired Rivers yesterday. It has also removed all of Rivers’ articles from the site.

 

3. Twitter strips verification from alt-right

Twitter verified blue tick

The Twitter blue tick, which was once the mark of a celebrity mysteriously hand-picked by Twitter, has in recent times become more accessible – with anyone able to achieve verification for meeting a few simple criteria. But now Twitter has changed its rules and removed the blue-tick from some high-profile far right and alt right users. American white supremacist Richard Spencer and English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson are two such figures to lose their verified status.

Twitter acknowledged that the system, which was supposed authenticate and identify a voice in an age of FAKE NEWS, has recently been seen as Twitter endorsing certain figures that it in no way intended. It is currently working on a new system for verification.

 

4. Government urged to investigate Russian ‘troll farms’

Russia

New research has suggesting that Russian troll farms – allegedly social media bot accounts that focus on a particular topic to influence it – may have been active during Brexit. While the actual numbers of accounts are low, and the genuine power of these accounts and methods questionable, Theresa May has announced that the Intelligence and Security Committee will re-form and investigate imminently.

Russia’s role in Western democracy was also attacked by Theresa May this week at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet. She accused Russia of direct meddling and weaponizing information. The Russian Foreign Ministry hit back, bizarrely hoping Theresa May will one day drink Crimean Massandra wine.

 

5. ONE WEEK TO GO – VUELIO BLOG AWARDS

2017 awards for bloggers

The third annual Vuelio Blog Awards takes places in one week’s time! All tickets have been sent out, the goodies are being prepared for the goodie bags and we’re getting ready for the greatest night of the year!

Taking place at the Bloomsbury Big Top on 24 November, the Vuelio Blog Awards will celebrate 15 outstanding winners on a night when hundreds of bloggers come together, along with PR and communications professionals, for fun, food and frolics.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below! 

Russia

Government urged to investigate Russian troll farms

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As claims of Russian interference in the Brexit vote mount, Parliament’s powerful Intelligence and Security Committee is being urged to explore the role that Russian based ‘troll farms’ played on Twitter during the referendum. Theresa May has faced calls from across Parliament to up the UK’s response to these claims, and announced during Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions that the Committee would re-form imminently.

If a Committee investigation does go ahead, it will signify a marked shift in response from the UK, which has so far seen Theresa May and Boris Johnson stress that, while Russian interference takes place, it has not extended to Brexit.

That viewpoint is at odds with research from the University of Edinburgh, which has brought these concerns to the surface once again. The research identified a number of bot accounts operating from the Kremlin-linked Russian Internet Research Agency, tweeting about Brexit during and after the referendum.

While Brexit is undoubtedly a foreign policy win for the Kremlin – leaving the EU with a less cohesive Russian policy and a disruptive period of negotiations to distract member states – there is currently no conclusive evidence that these troll farms had an impact.

Professor Laura Cram, director of neuro-politics research at the University of Edinburgh, has urged caution over assuming the reach of their findings, given the relatively small number of accounts and that the majority of tweets were sent after the vote had taken place.

These points considered, the impact of Russian accounts may not be quite so far reaching as policy makers fear, although they nonetheless play a part in the wider debate about bots and political campaigns. For her part, the Prime Minister may be hoping that any Committee investigation does not require the Government to break from its policy of cautious engagement with the Kremlin, at a time when the UK is trying to build as many bridges as possible.

Binny Shah

Blogger Spotlight: Binny Shah, Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries

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Binny Shah is the author of Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries, a blog in which she shares recipes for dishes she loves and restaurants she’s tried. She also travels and writes about the destinations she visits and reviews hotels around the world. We spoke to Binny about getting out of your comfort zone, PRs appreciating quality and the best meal she’s ever had.

How would you describe your blog?
I am a writer, dreamer, serial wanderluster and travel addict and my blog captures my passion for food and memorable travel experiences.

Why did you start your blog?
I was always being asked by friends and family for tips on where to go and which restaurants to eat at, so it made sense to put them all online on one platform. I’ve always had a passion for writing and Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries launched as a creative outlet where I could share my recipes and document my adventures, both in London and internationally, covering events, restaurants, hotels and destinations I have been to.

It’s also like a digital diary for me and I love reading back on some of my earlier posts from time to time and reliving the memories and experiences.

What’s the best thing about being a blogger?
What I love most about blogging is that it has really enabled me to move out of my comfort zone, meet amazing people, make some brilliant friendships and the blogging community is simply amazing. I hope that in five years’ time my blog has made a valuable contribution to the blogosphere and that it continues to inspire people to move out of their comfort zones and to travel off the beaten track and try new things.

What’s your favourite place to travel to?
As I was born in Kenya, it continues to be my favourite destination to travel to and I love discovering new places and sights every time I travel home. I also love exploring Italy and Spain.

Where haven’t you been yet that you’d like to visit?
The destinations at the top of my wish list are Tahiti, Fiji, Anguilla and Santorini.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in food, travel, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

What and where was the best meal you’ve ever had?
The best meal I ever had was a BBQ on top of a Catamaran in Mauritius. It was surreal! I also love the Butter Chicken at Jamavar in London, which was recently awarded a Michelin Star. Whenever I am craving Indian food it is 99.9% of time that particular dish.

What makes your blog successful?
I think the key to a successful blog is to be consistent, committed and dedicated to it. It is also wise not to compare yourself to others unless it is to inspire, and to focus solely on growing and improving your blog, finessing your writing style and loving what you do. Personally, I try to blog at least four to five times a week and I have focused on improving my photography as well, which has motivated me to blog and share my experiences even more. I think dedication, commitment and self-focus are the most important factors.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like to establish ongoing relationships with PRs and agreeing upfront what expectations are from both parties every single time. I have been really lucky to have worked with some amazing PRs and I like the fact that PRs are becoming more switched on to quality rather than quantity when it comes to aspects such as follower numbers, content engagement and reliability. I like it when PRs actually read your blog too and so know what kind of content you enjoy collaborating on. I keep in touch regularly with my PR contacts to always keep on top of what is new or coming up in the pipeline.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I love travel, taking my own photos and I don’t accept infographics on my site.

What other blogs do you read?
My favourite blogs to read are SilverSpoon London, Fresh and Fearless, Follow Your Sunshine, Adventures of a London Kiwi and The ZRW.

Binny Shah and her blog Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

UK Government

PMQs: Theresa May’s word cloud – 15 November 2017

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This week’s PMQs was dominated by funding issues across the police, NHS and fire service, as well as crime stats and universal credit. We present the word cloud for Theresa May’s answers at PMQs on 15 November 2017.

Word cloud

Funding
With Budget day on the horizon, it’s unsurprising that funding played a major role this week. May fielded questions about schools, the NHS, police and firefighters from MPs hoping for a say in next week’s announcements, as well as Carolyn Harris, who asked the Chancellor to legislate for a Children’s Funeral Fund.

Crime
Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn clashed over police funding and crime stats, with the latter arguing that funding was down and crime had gone up. May disagreed, saying crime was down by almost a third.

Universal credit
Universal Credit has become a weekly topic at PMQs, and this week was no exception. There were calls to halt the reforms from Jeremy Corbyn, Stephen Lloyd and Tracey Brabin, ahead of a Commons debate on the roll-out tomorrow.

Europe
May is facing rebellion over the EU withdrawal bill, which began its journey through committee stage yesterday, and today she answered questions from Michael Tomlinson, Paul Masterton and Charlie Elphicke on the impact of Brexit.

Schools
Corbyn asked for assurances that school funding cuts would be reversed, after 5,000 head teachers wrote to the Chancellor with a request for more resources. According to May, there are record levels of funding going into schools and a fairer funding system.

Bored of Diversity?

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A new social media campaign has launched with the aim of raising awareness around diversity in the PR and communications industry.

Following comments in M&C Saatchi’s group chief creative officer Justin Tindall’s Private View that he’s, ‘Bored of diversity being prioritised over talent’, the Taylor Bennett Foundation has launched a new campaign to hit back.

Tindall later apologised for expressing the view in an unintentionally divisive way.

The Taylor Bennett Foundation, a PR traineeship programme aimed at increasing diversity in the communications industry, has used the increased focus on diversity released a social media campaign titled ‘Bored of diversity?’. This is led by a video on social media, which you can watch here:

The video features Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) PR professionals sharing what makes them bored as ethnic minorities working in the industry. While the conversation around diversity is being held in the industry, it is often not followed up with much-needed action.

The video made its debut last night at the Foundation’s 10-year anniversary celebration, held at Edelman’s UK headquarters.

Sarah Stimson, chief executive of the Taylor Bennett Foundation, said: ‘We are delighted that our current PR Trainees put this campaign together to tackle, what they felt to be, the industry’s inadequate response to the lack of diversity. There is no room to bored of diversity – there is still such a long way to go to make the PR industry truly diverse.’

John Lehal, CEO of Public Affairs at Four Communications and vice chair of the Foundation, features in the video. He said: ‘For too long, the communications industry has failed to reflect our society, and the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce has not been a priority.  I empathise with many of the sentiments expressed by the BAME practitioners in this video. That is why supporting the Taylor Bennett Foundation in nurturing future industry leaders is vital for the communications, PR and Public Affairs industry.

‘Like any charity, core funding and donations are essential to sustaining the successes of the organisation, and I urge companies and individuals to support the Taylor Bennett Foundation.’

The social media awareness campaign doubles up as a fundraising effort to raise £50,000 for the Foundation in order to continue supporting BAME graduates hoping to pursue a career in PR and communications.

The video also aims to expand on the conversation of diversity in the industry to include the wider BAME community, encouraging and enabling them to share their own experiences and thoughts on the issues.

The Money Principle

Blogger Spotlight: Maria Nedeva, The Money Principle

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Maria Nedeva created The Money Principle, a blog that aims to help its audience get out of money trouble and build wealth. The blog recently featured on the Top 10 UK personal Finance Blogs. We spoke to Maria about building wealth, the effects of Brexit, her rules for financial health and how she is direct with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
The Money Principle is a blog that helps people leave their money troubles behind by taking them from ‘no money at all’ to ‘building sustainable wealth’.

Why did you start your blog?
I was in financial trouble myself; more specifically, £100,000 worth of consumer debt. Through learning about money and doing, we flipped out finances – in five years we went from £100,000 of consumer debt to £100,000 new investments. We didn’t stop there either.

I started The Money Principle to share what I learned and to support others on their way to financial health and wealth.

What’s the biggest issue facing personal finance today?
I believe that one of the biggest issues in personal finance today, and one that I’m very interested in, is about women and investing. All research shows that women do well when investing but very few of us invest. This is a problem at a time when the future of the state pension is uncertain, more women are on their own and we live longer.

I also believe that this matter is not going to be solved by education. Knowledge can get you far only after the fear and motivation have been taken care of.

How do you think Brexit, once enacted, will affect our finances in the UK?
Ha! This is a good one.

I think that we’ll have a very hard decade or so (and this is optimistic). Brexit will negatively affect our finances in variety of ways including:

  • low pound
  • consequently, all imported goods will be more expensive
  • this will be bad with food (or we can revert to eating mainly root vegetables)
  • inequality in the UK will increase (and poverty as well)
  • crime will rise with it (beyond a level of poverty opportunistic crime rises)
  • education and health will be (predominantly) private and costly
  • we’ll experience labour market gaps (jobs for which our people are either over- or under-qualified)
  • weaker pension funds will fail

This is one of the cases where I really hope that I’m wrong. Getting out of profound economic, social and identity crises is very hard work.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in finance, business, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

What piece of advice would you give a young adult in relation to how they manage their money?
Here are The Money Principle rules for financial health:

  • Make sure you don’t waste and remember that frugality is over-rated
  • Pay off all debt before you are in your mid-30s (probably except your mortgage)
  • Earning more is very easy: just remember that it is about contributing value to people’s lives
  • Start investing and don’t be scared. Make use of digital wealth managers and low-cost index funds
  • Do not lust after material things – it is just rubbish that empties your bank account and kills the planet
  • Buy experiences instead – much more satisfying

And the main thing: whatever you choose to do, remember that life is for living with joy.

How do you engage with your readership?
I mainly write aiming to educate and entertain. Sometimes I make videos, but Hollywood is not on the cards!

I also talk to my readers on Facebook and Twitter and I always respond to emails.

What makes your blog successful?
Honesty. This is something I learned from my martial arts practice.

Honesty not only tells my readers that I’m fallible just like them; it also makes me think about things much more deeply so I become better.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I suppose the key is in mutual respect. Here honesty rules again – I only work with brands I love.

What’s the one thing all PR pros should know about you?
No messing about, no ego, no bullsh*t. Just value!

What other blogs do you read?
I read many blogs and am always on the lookout for new ones. I have preference for blogs that focus on big issues in personal finance like paying off debt, money management and investing. I regularly read: Budgets are Sexy, Listen Money Matters, Reach Financial Independence, Monevator, Rockstar Finance (which has very good curating), and Miss Thrifty.

 

Maria and her blog The Money Principle are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Sovastock

Autumn Budget speculation 2017

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The Autumn Budget will be delivered on 22 November. While the exact content remains a secret until then, there are a few areas where the Chancellor is likely to make bold moves.

This is the second budget of the year, after the Chancellor scrapped the Spring Budget to have one, simpler, fiscal event in autumn. As the last budget was only eight months ago, this will likely be more stripped back than usual; but with Brexit on the horizon and a weak election to recover from, there’s still a lot of ground for the Chancellor to cover. Here are the Vuelio Political Team’s predictions of what will be in the Autumn Budget 2017.

 

First Time Buyers
It is expected that Philip Hammond will target first time buyers in the budget with a reduction in stamp duty. This kind of move would prove popular with young people looking to get on the housing ladder, but disappoint the wider market as it would only apply to first time buyers. A move such as this would have the biggest impact in London where the cost of living and property is higher than across the rest of the country.

 

Pensions
Hammond looks likely to make an announcement concerning pensions, and he has a few options to choose from. The most controversial move would be to make changes to the triple-lock on pensions; however given the DUP’s fondness of it, this looks unlikely. The Taylor Review suggested that the self-employed should be auto-enrolled onto a pension scheme through the self-assessment process, but the most likely change Spreadsheet Phil would make is reducing the annual pension contribution. If this change goes forward, it will hit very high earners the hardest, making it more politically palatable and easier to put before Parliament.

 

Investment schemes
The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) – designed to attract investors to small UK companies – also looks likely to be targeted. The scheme provides up to 30% tax relief on investments of this kind which, while a useful funding source for high risk companies, has attracted criticism from those who believe it is used by wealthy individuals to avoid tax. Along with the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), EIS has been under review for the last year. It is likely that tax relief will be cut to 20% as a result of changes.

 

Student loans
The student loan shake-up was first announced at the Conservative Party Conference. Proposals include a tuition fee freeze at £9,250, and it is expected that the repayment threshold will increase from £21,000 to £25,000. Research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies shows that 77% of graduates do not repay their loan in full under the current system, and it estimate this will go up to 83% if this rise is put in place. The fact the Conservatives are considering the increase is testament to the threat of Corbyn.

While high interest rates on student loan repayments have been a toxic issue for the government, it seems Hammond has heeded calls to reconsider decreasing them. Meanwhile, it has also been reported that the Chancellor may force universities to use different pricing structures depending on the employment rate of each course.

 

Public Sector Pay cap
Hammond is under increasing pressure to lift the cap that has seen public sector pay limited to a 1% annual increase since 2013. Jeremy Hunt and Justine Greening are understood to be leading cross-departmental efforts to lobby the Chancellor to increase pay across all sectors, as he has done for the police and prison services. It looks likely that the budget will see the cap lifted, with the possibility of a staggered approach to offset costs, focusing on the shortest-staffed areas first.

 

Whisky tax
Back in March, the Chancellor used the Spring Budget to raise the excise duty on Scotch, leading to an increase of 36p per bottle. However, figures released by HMRC show one million fewer bottles were sold in the first half of 2017 than the year before, and the industry is now lobbying hard to see this tax hike reversed. Given that this move would also appease Conservative MSPs, this rumour will be worth keeping an eye on.

 

Business rates
With business rates expected to increase 4% next year, leading lobby groups have come together in a concerted effort to ensure the increase is put on hold in the Budget. The coalition, which includes the Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce and Federation of Small Business, is arguing that a rise of this level could be the tipping point during an already uncertain time for business. It now looks likely that the planned rise will be scrapped and business rate increases will instead be aligned with the consumer price index.

 

Don’t want to miss anything from the Autumn Budget? Sign up to receive our comprehensive summaries of key policy announcements direct to your inbox.

Politics on Sunday – 12 November 2017

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Missed any of the political coverage from the weekend?

There was a reduced schedule this week in honour of Remembrance Sunday, but it was a busy Sunday for politics nonetheless.

Conservative stability was the topic of the week, as rumours circulate of 40 MPs ready to back a vote of no confidence in Theresa May: none of the Conservative MPs doing the rounds this week were keen to expand on this. After the comments made about Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe at a Select Committee session last week, Boris Johnson’s future was also a talking point, with Sadiq Khan calling for his resignation while David Davis and Michael Gove both defended his actions.

On Paterson, the tables were turned against Labour as Peter Dowd was questioned over Jeremy Corbyn’s criticism of Boris Johnson, which the host referred to as ‘a bit rich’ given his past dealings with the Iranian Government. On Brexit, Sir James Dyson gave no-deal supporters something to smile about when he said ‘If you walk away, they will come to us’.

Check out our dedicated Canvas of political coverage by clicking here or on the image below. Want to make your own canvas? Find out how. 

Sunday Politics 12 November

 

 

Event

10 ways to get the most out of events

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Events are a big part of a PR pro’s life, both as a host and as an attendee. But how can you ensure you’re going to get the most out of an event? Whether it’s the Vuelio Blog Awards or a roundtable of five, here are 10 rules to follow so you can get the most out of any event.

1. Prepare
Check timings, the date and location to avoid missing out or accidentally turning up at a yoga class the week before. Make sure you know the dress code so you feel comfortable in your surroundings. And find out who else going so you can plan who in your team is best to attend – make sure they’re audience appropriate.

2. Set goals
Professionally speaking, this should extend beyond ‘getting boozed up and having a good time’. Do you have clients or contacts attending? Do you want to meet new people? A huge benefit of events is being able to put a face to a name and have real-life chats – something that is often lost in the social media age. Don’t know if someone is going? There’s no shame in asking people directly: ‘will I see you at the Vuelio Blog Awards next week?’ (Of course you will!).  And if you’re a sponsor or host, make sure you’re monitoring event terms in association with your brand, both online and in print.

3. Plan your entrance (and exit)
Do you know your route to the event and the means that will get you there on time? Traffic, public transport delays and even slow tourists blocking your path while pointing at St Paul’s cathedral, can make the difference between attending the drinks reception (and all that valuable networking time) and just missing out. And when the event is over, how are you getting back to the office or home? A daytime exhibition is easier to manage but an evening awards? No one wants to be stranded at 1am.

4. Don’t be afraid to network
Meeting new people, meeting old friends, laughing, joking and enjoying the company of others is why you’re at the event. It doesn’t matter if you’re hosting and you feel like you’re running around like a headless chicken, you still need to make time to stop and chat. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with someone new. Start with, ‘hello’ and follow it up with: ‘What brings you here?’

5. Don’t just hang out with old friends
Sometimes you don’t have networking fear because you already have your buddies with you. Maybe you’re attending with colleagues, maybe you’ve planned to meet contacts on arrival, but you’ll get more value out of new connections and conversations. So, if you’re in a group and someone is alone next to you, bring them into the conversation. Chances are they’re trying to find people to talk to and the more welcoming you are, the better it’ll be for everyone.

6. Relax when it comes to sales
No one is going to be impressed with the salesperson of the year, hitting as many contacts as possible while pressing business cards into hands as they shake. Good networking takes time to know your new contact: talk about them, what do they do, why they’re at the event and share the same info about yourself. Talk about your product or service only if it naturally occurs in the conversation, and business cards are reserved for people that will want to talk to you again. If it’s an awards ceremony, you can contact finalists beforehand and wish them good luck – and then the winners afterwards, especially if you’re a sponsor!

7. Remember you’re still at work
It’s 10.30pm, you’ve had wine with dinner, the dance floor is open and the bars are flowing. It can be easy to forget that you’re still at work, and you still represent your company so should be acting accordingly. Being professional doesn’t mean you have to be a buzzkill, but maybe save the Karate Kid and/or Tina Turner performances for when your professional reputation is not on the line.

8. Follow up afterwards
For event organisers this starts with a survey; mention it at the event and send it a few times so you get as much feedback as possible. If you’re an attendee, don’t let the business cards you’ve collected go to waste – follow each one up with an email saying how excellent it was to meet the individual and then bring in the ‘sales chat’ with what you do and how you could help them. If you spoke to someone about a specific feature, make sure you note it at the time so you can easily follow up.

9. Analyse your goals
Maybe the event was a branding exercise or lead generation. Has your monitoring revealed an upswing in coverage and mentions? Do your key influencers know more about you? Have you made contacts you can now reach out to without a generic email? Present all the benefits back to the bosses, whether that’s a Canvas of the event (like this one we made for the PRWeek Awards) or a presentation of your media analysis.

10. Plan the next
Plan your attendance as far in advance as you can, maybe this means putting sponsorship in the budget or perhaps there is an early bird rate on tickets. Either way, talk to the team that went and work out how next year can be even bigger and better for you.

 

What rules do you follow when you attend events? let us know in the comments below.

Vuelio Brexit Bulletin, 10 November 2017

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As the sixth round of Brexit negotiations conclude this week, we bring you the latest news, developments and stakeholder reaction in our Brexit Bulletin.  After a week which was noticeably light on negotiation meetings, there has been no announcement of major progress, leaving leaders with little time to reach agreement before the December summit of EU leaders.

  • Labour utilised an obscure power to compel the Government to give its Brexit impact assessments to the House of Commons Exiting the European Union Committee. However, Brexit ministers have cast doubt on the nature of the assessments, saying that time will be required to pull together the necessary material and warning that publication in full would not be in the national interest.
  • At the CBI’s conference, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross outlined the changes in regulations needed to secure a trade deal between the UK and the USA, while insisting on the importance of maintaining ‘passporting’ rights for financial services. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn each outlined their Brexit vision.
  • The Government will amend the EU Withdrawal Bill to specify the date and time of the UK’s departure from the EU, Theresa May has announced. The Government has also introduced its new Trade Bill to the Commons, with the Customs Bill to follow.

 

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Alex Salmond

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 10 November 2017

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The latest PR, media and comms stories including the battle of the Christmas ads, Twitter’s increase in character, Sky News’ future, Vogue’s new look and Alex Salmond on RT.

 

1. Advertising is beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Christmas ads

Aldi, Lidl and Argos broke cover early, with Aldi an increasing Christmas ad contender with its Kevin the Carrot sequel. M&S were next, for the first time using the John Lewis template but associating with the Paddington movie to make people feel festive – they’ll have a Paddington store to pull in fans of the Paddington 2 film.

Today John Lewis has released Moz the Monster from under the bed. The advert has already delighted and confused audiences across the nation, dividing opinions on Twitter. The fact it is under so much scrutiny shows its place both in the Christmas advert season and people’s festive celebrations generally.

Sainsbury’s and other brands are expected to launch their own Christmas ads this weekend.

 

2. Twitter’s 280 characters

Twitter bird

It’s a big one. Twitter has doubled the limit of everyone’s tweets so users now have 280 characters to play with. While it’s a struggle for most people to currently reach it, the platform is slowly getting used to longer messages (for better or worse). Whether this allows people to use better grammar and express themselves more clearly or if it is going to double the length of hate and ignorance remains to be seen.

Check out our guide of how to tell if you’ve used all 280 characters, and some of the best examples of brands using it, here.

 

3. Sky News under threat

Sky News

It’s been a big week for 21st Century Fox: the business trying to buy out the rest of Sky was revealed this week to be holding talks about a sale of some of its business to Disney; a Saudi prince, and Murdoch ally, sold his stake in the company; and then Sky explained if the Fox takeover doesn’t go through, the future of Sky News will be reviewed. The Competition and Markets Authority is currently reviewing Fox’s £11.7bn bid for Sky and this threat was setting the CMA straight (after it expressed an assumption Sky News would continue regardless).

The CMA is due to publish its findings in December.

 

4. Vogue’s December issue

British Vogue December

British Vogue’s new editor-in-chief Edward Enninful’s first edition of the magazine is the December issue. Published this week, the cover features Adwoa Aboah styled by Enninful himself. Enninful explained his Vogue is about being inclusive and about diversity – featuring ‘all different colours, shapes, ages, genders, religions’.

 

5. Alex Salmond on Russia Today

Alex Salmond

Former SNP leader and first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond will appear in his own political talk show on the Russian state-backed channel Russia Today. Airing on Thursdays, the show is reported to include guests from business, political and entertainment backgrounds.

Salmond said: ‘Of course, the show will have a sharp focus on politics, but I am not interested in catching people out but in finding out much more about the personalities which lie behind their public positions. My view is that the viewer will gain far more information and entertainment from a relaxed, informal style which allows them to express their point of view.’

Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said Salmond was, ‘a former first minister who fancies himself as the Michael Parkinson of Putin’s propaganda channel’.

 

How was your week in media, comms and PR? Let us know in the comments below:

Politics

Today’s Political Headlines – 10 November 2017

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including Penny Mordaunt’s appointment, the Brexit date, Northern Ireland’s status in the customs union and David Cameron’s lobbying. 

Penny Mordaunt appointed as International Development Secretary
Penny Mordaunt, previously minister for disabled people, has been appointed as the new International Development Secretary, following Priti Patel’s resignation. The Times says the appointment keeps the balance between leave and remain supporters in the cabinet, and suggests that it was a ‘consolation prize’ after Mordaunt emerged as a front-runner for the post of Defence Secretary last week.

 

European Commission calls for Northern Ireland to remain in customs union
The Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times break the story that a European Commission document shows that Ireland wants ‘concrete reassurance’ on the issue of the Irish border before the next EU leaders’ summit in December. It appears to require that the UK remains in a customs union with the EU, or that Northern Ireland has a special status and remains in a customs union, creating a trade border between the rest of the UK and Northern Ireland. A negotiator quoted in the Financial Times described Ireland’s stance as a ‘wild card’ factor.

 

Brexit date to be set in law
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Theresa May has announced an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill, setting the date and time of the UK’s departure from the European Union as March 29, 2019 at 11pm GMT. Looking ahead to the next stage of the bill’s scrutiny in the House of Commons, she promises to listen to MPs who suggest improvements.

 

Budget news: Hammond refuses to loosen the purse springs, plans NHS spending increase and taxes on diesel cars
According to the Daily Mail, the Chancellor is refusing release billions of pounds for investment and won’t compromise on plans to eliminate the budget deficit by 2025, causing frustration for the Prime Minister. The Times reports that Hammond is planning to include more funding for the NHS in the budget. It says that the Chancellor is considering both ‘a cash injection’ and a pay boost for frontline workers. The Financial Times says that higher taxes will be placed on sales of new diesel vehicles, either by increasing VAT or creating a new levy.

 

Calls for cabinet reshuffle, amid ‘fierce debate’ in Downing Street
A story in The Guardian claims that senior figures in the Conservative party are calling for a ‘bold reshuffle’ of Theresa May’s cabinet, arguing that a ‘new generation’ of Conservative MPs need to be promoted. Others, including civil servants and whips, are warning that this might cause instability.

 

David Cameron lobbied China over planned investment fund
The Times reveals that David Cameron discussed a ‘UK-China fund’ being set up by figures including Lord Chadlington, a Conservative peer, with Chinese vice-premier Ma Kai during a visit to the country. If the fund is set up, the paper reports that Cameron is considering taking a role. As the fund does not currently exist, he did not need to seek official clearance.

 

Carwyn Jones may face investigation over handling of harassment allegations
The Guardian says that Carwyn Jones, the Welsh First Minister, may face an investigation over his handling of the allegations against Carl Sargeant, who was found dead after being sacked last week. Separately, The Daily Telegraph reports that John Bercow, the Commons speaker, has said that Charlie Elphicke, the suspended Tory MP, should be given the details of the allegations against him.

 

Metropolitan police chief calls for tougher sentences for young offenders
The Daily Mail carries remarks made by Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, in which she called for tougher sentences for young offenders, which would ‘actually deter people’. She was speaking to the Howard league for Penal Reform, whose Chief Executive, Frances Crook said that ‘it is unusual for a police officer to comment on areas outside their expertise, like sentencing’.

 

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John Lewis Christmas Advert 2017

The John Lewis Christmas advert divides Twitter

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The John Lewis Christmas Advert 2017 has been released and will premiere on TV tonight during Gogglebox. Watch the advert here:

The annual ‘event’ as it now is, is considered by many to be the biggest advert of the Christmas season, though in recent years M&S, Sainsbury’s and Aldi have all been nipping at John Lewis’s heels.

This year’s advert feature’s Moz the Monster (nothing to do with Morrissey, no matter what twitter says). It’s an ‘imaginary’ under-the-bed monster who at first irritates but then befriends a small boy. They have lots of fun at night but the boy sleeps during the day. The monster, seemingly aware of this, gifts the boy a nightlight thus getting rid of him/herself, because monsters don’t like the light, and allowing the boy to get some sleep.

The advert does raise a few questions about whether the boy would want to get rid of his friend (in the final moment he turns the light off and Moz growls again), and why the mother bought the light but made it look like it was from a monster she presumably thought her son was afraid of. And if she didn’t buy it, and it is from the monster, why she didn’t care there was a suspiciously wrapped present under the tree.

These areas of confusion have spread to Twitter whether opinions are divided over the advertising treat of the year.

These people are confused:

 

 

Some seem to have cottoned on to a meaning where the monster ‘had to go’ and all parties involved understood that. For these people, John Lewis has once again hit all the right emotional buttons:

 

 

What’s clear is that since 2011, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without the John Lewis advert. And for some people, the fact the advert has arrived is good enough to start celebrating the festive season:

 

What do you think of this year’s advert? Confused? Or crying your eyes out?  

Miss thrifty blog

Blogger Spotlight: Karyn Fleeting, Miss Thrifty Blog

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Miss Thrifty Blog recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Personal Finance Blogs. Written by Karyn Fleeting, the award-winning blog focuses on spending and living well. We spoke to Karyn about the return of fashionable thriftiness, her advice for young adults and why PRs need to get to know her first.

How would you describe your blog?
The Miss Thrifty Blog champions the idea that you can spend less and have more. In other words: you can live within your means, get out of debt and begin saving for the future, without resorting to recycling teabags. My posts tackle all areas of spending, from food and fashion to personal finance.

Why did you start your blog?
When I launched Miss Thrifty in 2008, I was thousands of pounds in debt, but talking about money just wasn’t ‘done’. With the exception of my grandmother, who lived through the Blitz and still makes do and mends, my friends and family had zero interest in hearing about my new passion for making ends meet. So, I began sharing my money-saving tips, tricks and discoveries online instead. As the recession hit, traffic to Miss Thrifty soared. Thriftiness became fashionable again – for the first time since the 1940s.

What’s the biggest issue facing personal finance today?
The pension’s hole and the difficulties facing younger people who want to save. When house prices are going through the roof, rental prices are going the same way; you are saddled with an exorbitant amount of student debt and you are expected to plonk down tens of thousands of pounds for your wedding. What can you – and will you – put aside for your pension?

How do you think Brexit will affect our finances in the UK?
Generally, I avoid writing about politics on Miss Thrifty, because I have found my audience doesn’t engage with that subject on my site. People come to Miss Thrifty to discover good ideas and to cheer up! However, Brexit goes beyond politics, because the financial implications are going to affect so many of us. I think we are going to be in the soup.

What piece of advice would you give a young adult in relation to how they manage their money?
Never borrow against a depreciating asset. Don’t take out a car loan, or pay for electronic goods with a credit card if you can’t pay off the balance immediately.

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Get in touch

How do you engage with your readership?
I serve Miss Thrifty readers on a variety of platforms. A number of email subscribers communicate with me via email, asking questions and sending ideas. The blog has been around for a long time now, but I always try and reply personally and promptly. Right now, I enjoy engaging with Miss Thrifty readers via Facebook Live. I like the immediacy of it, and the ability to engage with my audience in real time.

What makes your blog successful?
It makes frugality fun and the editorial voice is distinctive. I am not a domestic goddess; nor am I a 1950s housewife. But this, I believe, is where much of the blog’s appeal lies. What really sets the Miss Thrifty Blog apart is its strong, active community of readers, contributors and followers. They range from schoolgirls to great grandmothers. What they share is the love of a good bargain.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I don’t do much with the news releases I get, but I like to work with PRs and their clients on a more meaningful level: brand partnerships and exclusive, in-depth features are more my thing.

What’s the one thing all PR pros should know about you?
I live with my young family, in a modest semi in Greater Manchester. Why am I taking the trouble to point this out? Firstly, if you invite me to your after-work event in London, I probably won’t make it. Secondly, journalists at a women’s magazine once asked if they could come and photograph me in my ‘craft room.’ I was amused by the assumption that I lived in some sort of Pinterest mansion, but had to let them down gently.

What other blogs do you read?
When I started the Miss Thrifty Blog, there weren’t many other UK money blogs around – but now there are lots, and I enjoy reading them. Current favourites include Debt Camel, Be Clever With Your Cash, The Money Principle, Skint Dad and Emma Drew.

 

Karyn Fleeting and Miss Thrifty Blog are both listed in the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

The Young Money Blog

Blogger Spotlight: Iona Bain, The Young Money Blog

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Iona Bain is a freelance journalist and speaker who writes The Young Money Blog. Covering advice for young people’s finances including housing, stocks and pensions, The Young Money Blog recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Personal Finance Blogs. We spoke to Iona about the financial issues facing today’s youth, using valuable research from PR sources and engaging her audience.

How would you describe your blog?
My blog is the first and pretty much only UK blog dedicated to covering young people’s financial problems – what they are, how they came about and what we could do to solve them.

Why did you start your blog?
I started my blog in 2011 when I was 23 because there was no coverage of financial issues that affected young people in the mainstream media at that time. We were entering a new era where teens and 20 somethings faced unprecedented financial problems, from student debt to unaffordable housing, but were getting very little guidance or representation. I used to be a musician and music journalist, but the work started drying up and I moved back home. It was a difficult time. My dad used to be a financial journalist before he retired last year, and he said I could start a financial blog. That way, I would build my confidence around money and possibly help others at the same time. I am very glad I did.

What’s the biggest issue facing personal finance today?
Hopelessness and the feeling of alienation among young people. If we start to think there is no chance of saving any meaningful money or having a healthier relationship with spending, then we are destroying any chance of cementing our long-term financial security AND happiness. It is possible to be frustrated about the status quo and determined to not let it defeat or demoralise you at the same time.

How do you think Brexit will affect our finances in the UK?
I don’t know. I see very little point in speculating about the future. Waste of time. None of us know how things will pan out. Anyone who pretends otherwise is putting on a very good show.

What piece of advice would you give a young adult in relation to how they manage their money?
Don’t get a credit card. If a company offers you one, delete the email, close the webpage, throw the letter in the bin. They’re not worth the huge psychological price you will end up paying throughout your twenties. I don’t have one because I can’t trust myself. We’re only human – credit cards pander to our weaknesses and make us pay dearly for them.

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Get in touch

How do you engage with your readership?
I am sympathetic to my readers – I’m not constantly telling them what to do. I say, ‘Hey, I get it. Handling money is tough – particularly these days.’

It helps that I’m not an old fogey. But I don’t talk down to readers either. I don’t assume that they’re thick, wrong-headed or easily bored just because they’re young. I don’t write insultingly short blogs in big font with simple words. I try to write the kind of blog I’d like to read – intelligent, witty, thoughtful and insightful. I don’t always succeed but hey, I think people appreciate the effort. I respond to comments and I’m always trying to reflect the zeitgeist, what young folk are thinking and worrying about.

What makes your blog successful?
I think the title says it all. Young Money. It’s simple but it represents something important. Nobody really cared about my generation and its money problems when I started in 2011, bar a few articles/news items here and there. Now we’re starting to recognise that young people need to be listened to, understood and helped when it comes to their money. And I think the blog has become a very visible focal point for that feeling. And it helps that I’m a journalist, applying certain standards to what I write.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like PRs who really understand what journalism is about. Any research or insights have to be commensurate with that. Good PRs think about what the blog is, what it’s trying to do and make a real effort to come to me with something valuable (maybe even something I could use as a freelance journalist).

What’s the one thing all PR pros should know about you?
The blog doesn’t accept advertising or guest posts provided by companies. It’s independent – readers trust that I’m not swayed by commercial considerations. But I am definitely always interested in hearing about genuinely original research or insights into young money issues.

What other blogs do you read?
To be honest, I have massively cut down my online time recently. It was quietly driving me around the bend and dulling my creativity/free-thinking. So, I’m making more time to read offline. Newspapers, The Week…and magical things called books. There are blogs I admire and respect, but in the end, you’ve got to go your own way. That’s the only way you create something original or significant.

Iona Bain and The Young money Blog are both listed in the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Politics

Today’s Political Headlines – 9 November 2017

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A round-up of the latest political headlines from the UK’s media, including Priti Patel’s resignation, a Brexit ‘crisis’, the sexual harassment scandal and Corbyn’s call for sprinklers. 

Priti Patel resigns amid unauthorised meetings scandal
Yesterday evening Priti Patel resigned as International Development Secretary, having been summoned back to London by Theresa May following further revelations about her authorised meetings with Israeli officials. The BBC explains the scandal, whilst The Times says that friends of Patel believe that the story was leaked by the Foreign Office to kill off an attempt by her to change Government policy towards Israel. The Daily Telegraph reports that allies of Patel claim that she is ‘livid’ and ‘could do some pretty hard damage’ to the Government from the backbenches.

 

EU leaders fear Government instability could lead to Brexit crisis
The Times says that ‘fears are growing in Brussels’ that instability in the British Government could lead to a new Prime Minister or new elections, resulting in a Labour victory. Brussels is therefore planning for a disorderly ‘no deal’ exit or even for the UK to decide to stay in the EU. The Financial Times reports that the UK will offer more clarity on budget commitments if the EU simultaneously outlines a transition deal, but that the EU will only do this the UK makes ‘sufficient process’ on financial issues, quoting a diplomat who described this as a ‘chicken and egg’ dilemma.

 

Sexual harassment scandal: bar manager speaks out and Welsh First Minister criticised
Alice Bailey, a former bar manager at Parliament’s Sports & Social Bar spoke to The Sun about her experiences of harassment by MPs whilst working at the bar. When she asked bosses about reporting one incident, in which an MP followed her onto her bus home, she was told that she would not be believed. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reports calls for Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones to resign as a result of his handling of allegations against Carl Sargeant, who was found dead earlier this week having been sacked from his cabinet post.

 

NHS Chief Executive warns of soaring waiting lists
The Guardian reports that Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, has called for NHS England to be given at least £4 billion more in 2018-19, and for the Government to emulate German, French and Swedish levels of health spending. He warned that waiting lists could reach 5 million if action wasn’t taken.

 

Corbyn calls for high rises to be fitted with sprinklers
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is to call for £1 billion to be set aside in the budget in order to fit all social housing blocks with sprinklers, starting with those over 30m (ten storeys), to prevent a repetition of the fire at Grenfell Tower, The Mirror says.

 

Gove backs ban of neonicotinoids
The Guardian reveals that Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove is to back a proposed ban of neonicotinoids across the European Union. In an article for the paper, Gove writes that ‘the risks neonicotinoids pose to our environment, particularly to the bees and other pollinators which play such a key part in our £100bn food industry, is greater than previously understood’.

 

Iranian prisoner’s husband asks to accompany Boris on Iranian visit
The husband of the Iranian prisoner Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has told The Sun that he will ask if he can accompany Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson when he visits Iran. Richard Ratcliffe told the paper that he had not seen his wife for 18 months and that Johnson had repeatedly turned down requests to meet. The Foreign Office told the paper that Johnson would meet Ratcliffe and try to arrange a family reunion.

 

Leading US General warns against cuts to the UK’s armed forces
Lieutenant-General Ben Hodges, who commands the US Army in Europe, has told the BBC that if the British armed forces ‘got any smaller’, the UK’s position as a US ally and leading NATO member would be at risk, and the country would struggle to meet is global commitments.

 

Find out more about Vuelio political services. 

The Money Shed

Blogger Spotlight: Jonathan Gutteridge, The Money Shed

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Jonathan Gutteridge is the author of The Money Shed, which recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Personal Finance Blogs. The largest community websites focused on earning money online, The Money Shed helps people find home-based opportunities and shares experiences of making money in the digital world. We spoke to Jonathan about avoiding judgement, engaging his readership, working with PRs and his absolute favourite blogger.

How would you describe your blog?
The Money Shed is the UK’s largest community website dedicated to earning money from home. People can come to our site and instantly find out how to earn £1,000+ a month from home without any trouble. We have a community forum with over 100,000 posts on it as well, which is chocked full of thousands of UK members all talking about how they earn money from home.

Why did you start your blog?
I wanted to create an alternative to MoneySavingExpert. I wanted to create somewhere where people could ask questions and get helpful replies instantly to get them earning money as soon as possible. I wanted to create a culture that wasn’t just advising people to do surveys for pennies but would promote higher paying things such as Web Search Evalulator work or Risk Free Matched Betting .

What’s the biggest issue facing personal finance today?
Judgement. People made decisions a lot of the time because they are right for them at that point in their life. Sadly, that can come with a lot of judgement, either from their family or friends or from the banks. There’s sadly a real culture of looking down on people who are just trying to crawl their way out of debt in the best way they can.

How do you think Brexit, once enacted, will affect our finances in the UK?
Well it’s already affected our exchange rate with the Dollar. I remember working the night of Brexit and literally watching it nosedive as it became clear ‘out’ was going to win. Apart from that I just think it’s too difficult to say at the moment how it will change things financially, heck, not even the Government seem to know!

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Get in touch

What piece of advice would you give a young adult in relation to how they manage their money?
Make a spreadsheet. I know it sounds boring to anyone under 40 but visually being able to track where your money is going can really set you up for life. If spreadsheets really aren’t your thing then you can look at using one of the many money tracking smartphone apps around so you can keep on top of things.

How do you engage with your readership?
The forum is the number one place to find me. As the UK’s largest community site dedicated to earning from home, it is always busy but I personally connect with every new user who signs up to get an understanding of what drew them to The Money Shed and what I can do to help get them earning and improve their financial situation. On top of that I would say social media is a biggie, it can feel like you are on a conveyor belt sometimes trying to manage Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. all at once but it’s worth it when you connect with people and are able to help them out.

What makes your blog successful?
It’s been featured in The Sun, Daily Mail, The Mirror and all sorts of other places but I wouldn’t say that’s what makes successful. Instead I look at how many lives The Money Shed has been able to change. People have been able to have holidays or even just been able to afford the bills easier thanks to my site once they are shown how easy it is to earn a decent amount from home.

How do you like to work with PRs?
Always, until I get told there isn’t a budget and ‘others’ have worked for free and they sort of expected me to do the same. Lol.

What’s the one thing all PR pros should know about you?
That I don’t work for free but your content will get cross promoted across both our blog AND our forum so you get double the bang for your buck!

What other blogs do you read?
Slummy Single Mummy is probably the only regular one that I read every few days if only because I like to see her latest middle-class japes.

 

Jonathan Gutterridge and The Money Shed are just two entries on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Tweeting

Everyone has #280characters

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Twitter has finally rolled out 280-character tweets across the platform, after trialling the initiative with a handful of users at the end of September. As with any change on social media, the general consensus is to be outraged – but some brands are making use of the new limit to have ‘fun’.

*unneccesary warning* this post is much longer than it would have been before the new 280-character limit.  

To check that your account has been accepted into the 280 club, either write a really long tweet or check for a little blue ring, which has replaced character count, when you write a new tweet. It should look like this:

280 characters

280 characters

280 characters

A character count appears for the final 20 characters and the ring then turns yellow:

280characters

When you hit zero and beyond, it turns red and your numbers become negative:

280 characters

Not everyone on Twitter is delighted with the change, and for many social media managers this is seen as ruining Twitter’s USP.

Our own social media manager, Kirsti Kauronen, said: ‘One of the main reasons Twitter became so successful was because of the brevity of posts – if you can’t say what you want in 140 characters (which I think is most people’s attention span anyway) you might begin to bore people and Twitter might not be the right platform for you.

‘From a communications perspective, I can see why many social media managers would be happy to avoid the everyday battle with the character limit but, personally, I’d prefer to keep it!’

Keeping to such a short limit encouraged creativity and so some are planning to stick to 140 characters:

For charities, and those that generally have more worth saying, the new limit is being welcomed (and used to make a point):

But for other brands, the new limit seems to be more of a challenging target to reach:

Of course, the new character limit explicitly ignores the only technical request users ever seem to make to Twitter. And so, this morning, the most popular tweet is variations on:

What do you think of Twitter’s new limit? Is it killing creativity, or have tweeters now got a chance to express themselves properly?