IS ALL PR GOOD PR WHEN THE NEGATIVE TAKES OVER?

The Brits topped off an amazing year for Adele, winning the most prestigious award of Best album the week after clearing up at the Grammys. But what dominates the media the next day is the fact that Adele was cut off mid speech by an apologetic James Corden and stuck her middle finger in the air in response- though as her PR company quickly clarified, the insult was indeed directed at “the suits” (the show’s organizers) and not her fans.

This echoes of events two weeks ago, when Madonna’s multi-million dollar performance at the Super Bowl was overshadowed by British pop star M.I.A giving the middle finger salute to the camera.

Last year the sports world was rocked, not by broken records or incredible achievements, but by cheating sport stars. John Terry dropped as England Captain over the racism affair, Tiger Woods dropped by Nike as details of his sex addiction surfaced, Rio Ferdinand branded a cheat as the details of his many kiss and tell stories come to light.

Are we so addicted to car crash entertainment that we can relish every bit we get? These are the days of reality TV where we tune in for the next lot of heartbreak and fashion faux-pas. Millions of people were gripped to see whether the TOWIE tribe of fake tan, eyelashes and bare flesh can overcome cheating allegations week after week.

What should be big news is the impact that this had on young fans, with news and opinions so easily accessible by social media and smart phones, celebrities need to be aware of the impact that they have on young and impressionable minds. How many kids witnessed Striker Luis Suarez refusing to shake Patrice Evra’s hand before the match? What message does that send about good sportsmanship!?

Perhaps more time should be spent trying to achieve great results, than trying to put a positive spin on a bad situation?

THINK LOCAL: REVIVE THE UK ECONOMY

The euro appears to be in meltdown and some economists are predicting a `double dip’ recession. But is it all doom and gloom for UK Plc? Maybe if we all started to think local when buying goods and services there would be less consumption of global resources and a few more UK jobs might be created.

If you wander around the average supermarket you will see fruit and vegetables flown in from every corner of the world. It’s a nice indulgence of course, but we could actually choose more food from the UK, saving a fortune on air freight and creating some more jobs right here.

Fact is we import an enormous amount of stuff from overseas and a glance at the state of our manufacturing shows it’s most definitely the Cinderella of UK business.  Nobody seems to want to see factories set up and work at full tilt making things any longer – from cars to vacuum cleaners, curtains to chocolates, everything is either foreign owned if made here, or else long since vanished overseas. It’s not good in the long run, we need to make more products and market them better in the UK and then globally.

SAME APPLIES TO LONDON?

Call us old fashioned here at Source PR in Cheshire, but the same can be applied to a regional economy.  We don’t understand why many business people feel they have to outsource business services to a `big’ London accountancy, ad agency or law firm once their company reaches a certain level.

What seems even stranger is that some “regional” businesses are even paying to have a “London address” to appear bigger in an effort to attract regional work?  Such tokenism just seems a waste all round?  

We think it’s great if you’re employing over 500 staff, but maybe local professional talent is being ignored in the rush for ‘London’ status.  Big isn’t always best, sometimes it just leads to a big bill at the end of the month…

The great thing about modern technology is that it allows you to be based anywhere and immediately available if needed.  We reckon if more business people made a conscious decision to consider the local option before calling in the `big boys,’ the UK economy would have more balance, a wider variety of sectors and start to recover from the ground up.

There are sound reasons for choosing the best goods and services that you can afford, no matter where they come from, but sometimes there are talented people and great value products just waiting to be discovered right there on your doorstep.  Don’t get dazzled by the bright lights or eastern promise.

Make Friends & Influence People – LinkedIn Tips

LinkedIn is one of the `big three’ social media networks in the UK, with a more business orientated feel than Twitter or Facebook.

The great thing about LinkedIn is its usefulness as a recruitment tool of course, as the site started as a glorified CV bulletin board. But there have been many changes over the last few months which make LinkedIn even better as a business network. For example, the LinkedIn phone app is arguably easier than the main site to navigate and so makes interaction that bit quicker too.

MANAGE YOUR COMPANY PROFILE ON LINKEDIN

Many businesses are on Facebook and there’s nothing wrong with that, but if say your company offers B2B type services or products, such as outsourcing, call-handling, solar panels for social housing projects or maybe rainwater harvesting systems, then having a profile on LinkedIn is more useful.

The big advantages with LinkedIn are; trade show networking, product launches and targeted recruitment.

Now you can update you company’s status, much as you would on Facebook and everyone who follows your company on LinkedIn will be able to see that status. This is ideal for posting things like; “Scorchio Solar Will Be At PV World Expo, Stand XX etc’ or maybe “MegaCorp Media is Hiring Web Developers.” Deliver more news value and you’ll get more followers – especially those within your industry sector.

JOIN IN DISCUSSIONS, BE A REAL PERSON

There are thousands of UK discussion groups on LinkedIn, some open groups, whilst others offer approved membership. You send a request, and the administrator either says yes or no. It can be time-consuming being in LinkedIn discussion groups and the pace of debate can be agonisingly slow compared to say Twitter. Still worth doing however.

Sometimes a measured approach before posting online is a good thing, so pick your groups carefully and look at the administrator’s profile. Are they in your industry, or are they recruitment consultants simply seeking to round up 200 followers whose CVs they can copy and paste, then email to clients? That can happen, so be wary.

Start a topic based around your sector, don’t make it too sales pitch orientated. LinkedIn is full of discussion topics which say “Can anyone recommend a good web designer who can build an e-commerce retail site for a client?” These tend to get filled with spam marketing messages and who really reads or engages with that kind of thing?

Instead, ask a sensible question about a new development, or piece of legislation which affects your industry?

There’s a default tab on LinkedIn which means you get an email notification of each day’s posts within that group– if you feel too busy, you can reset that notification to weekly digest instead. Just click `More’ on the Discussion groups menu, then `settings,’ then scroll down to where it says `daily digest and change it to `weekly digest.’

BE YOUR OWN RECRUITMENT AGENCY

You get more from LinkedIn with a paid for account, but even a free account lets you do your own headhunting quite effectively.

For example, let’s say you want to expand your in-house marketing team in future. You could hire an agency, who may ask for a 10% commission of salary of whoever you hire, or perhaps a more reasonable consultant might find someone for a mere £300. But how about doing it for free?

OK, start by searching LinkedIn using the box top right. The `people’ tab will probably bring up marketing directors/managers with the most followers and mainly based in the USA. Refine your search by country and enter a postcode on the left hand sidebar menu.

The search boxes will let you refine it further by company if you like, so go and see who is doing what at various companies. Let’s assume you find someone who looks to have the right skills, scroll down and check the `Viewers of this profile also viewed’ box. Do the same again maybe three or four times and note the groups that they belong too, as well as the professional qualifications they have listed in their profile.

Now you can also click the `Answers’ tab in the search box and ask LinkedIn if say anyone can `recommend best marketing campaign for UK retailers/pharma/legal’ sector or something similar. Search Groups using the same criteria – soon you are narrowing down a shortlist of candidates.

See, you don’t have to post a job vacancy, and deal with the hundreds of spam emails, recruiters phoning you up, emailing etc. You can search, link up to your preferred three or four candidates and then email them suggesting an informal chat to gauge interest.

DETAIL IS EVERYTHING

LinkedIn has an Insights page, so you can see how many followers your company pages have, plus what pages they are viewing. Handy.

Use the `More’ tab at the top of your LinkedIn dashboard to check the latest apps too – LinkedIn is expanding this part of its site, it really wants you to share data via the network, so consider starting a WordPress blog that you post on regularly and maybe autopost an update to that blog via LinkedIn and Twitter. The Apps section will probably get much bigger on LinkedIn in future, so keep an eye on it.

For me, WordPress and Slideshare are perhaps the two most useful bolt-ons from a business point of view, as they give you the chance to set up your own business media channel. Once you amplify yourself, and your company on LinkedIn, you really are getting so much more from it than simply being `on there.’ Being on a social network isn’t enough, you need to actually network and that takes time and planning.

Once you work at your LinkedIn activity you are truly on the social media marketing bus, not just waiting at the bus stop.

Hitting Page 1 on Google Just Got Harder

Google recently made some profound changes to its SERPs, or Search Engine Results Pages for those of us who don’t do Geek-Speak.

As you may have noticed, a search for a particular company, product or service can now bring up perhaps just two or three results on page one, set under the three PPC ( Pay Per Click ) advertisements. Each result can be split into as many as twelve sub-sections, which Google search spiders scan and rate for relevance and popularity within the website.

You may see more multi-url page results from one company, depending on your browser

Google’s argument is that the new site links SERP display offers more relevant results, so for example if you typed in `Find car servicing in Cheshire’ you might find say three results from dealers, with their `Service & Repair,’ `Tyres and Brakes’ or `Winter Service Offer’ sub-pages featuring highly.

That’s great, except this new SERP display naturally rewards websites which have a variety of pages, built and updated by SEO professionals and perhaps using marketing support to help drive traffic to particular pages within their main website via social media.

All that is expensive and time-consuming for many small businesses and Source PR reckons some smaller businesses might lose out with these changes. Fact is, it will be harder to get on page one – especially above the fold – on Google if you only have say a basic 6 or 7 page website and a limited web development and marketing budget.

Let’s say you do car servicing as an independent garage in Cheshire. If you have a basic website with all the right info, photos tagged with keywords, sitemap, strong H1 header description, regular news items which aren’t just pasted from an aggregated news source, but feature original copy etc, then you will probably still struggle to get anywhere near page one.

The reality is that the big boys, with the big websites, are now more likely to appear on position one, page one, of Google’s SERPs under the new system. So what’s the solution? Oh yes, a Google Adwords campaign…of course!

However, we at Source PR think differently. Here are a few online marketing tips for smaller businesses that haven’t got time, or money, to chase that Google page one place.

1. Facebook offers viral word-of-mouth for consumer products & services. The hosting is free, you essentially build your own site, and you may find that Facebook ad costs are lower than Google ad rates. Some well-taken photos and relevant, human-friendly text can have a big impact on Facebook.
2. B2B business? Try LinkedIn; establish your own company pages, update them, link your personal updates to Twitter and each time you plan to attend a trade show, launch a product or change a supplier contract, use LinkedIn for information, contacts and advice. The great thing about LinkedIn is that it allows you build a local or industry-specific network, and if your website offers unique, interactive content, then LinkedIn can help drive the `right’ visitors to your home page. Sometimes quality wins over quantity – a fact of business life that Google Analytics can never measure accurately.
3. Use the 80/20 rule wisely. There’s an old saying in business that 80% of your revenue probably comes from 20% of your customer base, so keep in touch with those regular buyers. Email interesting page links out via a newsletter, offer a VIP landing page within your Facebook site, with exclusive deals or competitions for your best customers – reward loyalty, it goes a long way in business. Offer to `Groupon’ your online marketing activity with small business in your sector, especially if you all attend a specific show or use a leading trade publication – did you know that ASDA began as a dairy farmers association? There’s real buying power in co-operation and that can allow smaller brands to get a bigger bang per buck.

4. Tell your story, be your own media star. It’s something we all see on Dragon’s Den, or watch on The Apprentice – the back story behind someone’s success, the journey. You can always get media coverage if you have an interesting success story to tell, papers love `Rags to Riches Boss Signs £10m Deal,’ or `Brit Boffin Invents new Widget,’ type features. So never be afraid to tell your own personal business story, before you try to sell your product. Tell people what inspired you to go into business, how you did it, the obstacles you overcame, and you will get media attention. Here’s an example featuring Mark Ellis from Ellis Whittam.

Online business is changing rapidly, which makes it hard to keep pace with the stream of changes in SEO, but there’s more to SEO than simply aiming for position one, page one, on Google. As more people use social media, our `likes’ are becoming our links and where our eyes go, our money follows…

Are injunctions super?

The news that BBC presenter Andrew Marr has taken out a super injunction in the press, has had many claiming he is asking for double standards having made a career about reporting on other people’s private lives.

Having been a journalist for 30 years, Marr who hosts the Andrew Marr show on the BBC revealed that he sought the super injunction for the protection of his family.

To really understand this, and its implications it’s essential to understand the difference between a regular injunction and a super injunction.

Quite simply in the case of a super injunction, it can’t be reported that the injunction has even been taken out or any other facts about the potential story; it is effectively a gagging order. A super injunction is the closest thing someone can get to a total lockdown.

Courts have stressed since this story became headline news, that they are used very rarely and have underlined the importance for open justice.

A ‘regular’ injunction usually lasts until any trial for breach of privacy, although a full injunction can be obtained pre-trial if the person in question can provide enough evidence that they will win the trial.

It has certainly caused many waves amongst journalists, who believe that this is a bar to freedom of speech and more importantly freedom of the press.

The question now is; with more super injunctions surfacing, is there actually a freedom of the press anymore?

It’s hard to say, but equally would super-injunctions exist if the press acted a little more responsibly? 

Newspapers print sales have been predicted to slump with the digital boom and online news resources available, could publishing some of these stories exclusively in print-based newspapers get them flying off the shelves again?

The problem here is that the press has been caught out numerous times in the past, gaining sensational headlines and stories but at the expense of their targets whether celebrities or even businesses.

Lest we forget the now defunct Sunday Sport sneaking into a hospital to photograph ‘Allo ‘Allo star Gordon Kaye, after he had brain surgery following a car crash.

Kaye was furious and took the Sport to the Court of Appeal, but his demand for a law of privacy was never approved.

In 2000 the Labour Government passed on two contradictory Human Rights into UK law through the Convention of Human Rights – the right to private and family life under article eight, but also the freedom of expression under article 10 – which allows the press to publish.

With freedom of expression for the press comes responsibility, but with injunctions ready to shoot down their next great story, does action need to be taken to ensure the press is allowed to go about their business – if done in a evidence based / responsible manner!.

In this case the story can only be published if it is deemed to be in the interest of the public, for example a married celebrity having an affair or taking illegal drugs.

Are super injunctions also to do with a person’s standing in society, does an England footballer or TV celebrity attract special treatment over the regular business owner who has been caught having an affair.

Again it’s hard to say, as both John Terry and Ashley Cole had requested for super injunctions turned down, and suffice to say their scandals were two of the biggest celebrity headlines of recent years.

A meeting has been arranged by the Master of Rolls, Lord Neuberger in May, to report on super injunctions, with the results set to benefit either the press or the rich and famous.

IT’S A WONDERFUL WORLD

It takes all sorts to make the world go round and the great thing is that we each play a part.  There are some unforgettable highs, and some very sad lows, but the reality is that although you may be in a peak or trough – that moment will not last forever.  What you can control however is your outlook and how you take on challenges.

This week has been an example of various highs and lows.  There are the highs of new client wins with Ellis Whittam and Power Solutions, great coverage on the BBC or even simple things like teaching rugby to a group of kids at Whitchurch.  There was also a considerable low when attending the funeral of a young boy who was a family friend, a great little chap and an inspiration to so many.

But what can we learn from this?  For me it is about keeping the right priorities in life, remembering to live life, to be enthusiastic and not to be afraid.  He certainly wasn’t and he had more to face in a week than many do in a year.  We should take the opportunities life gives us because if you don’t she may take them elsewhere! 

It also reminded me of the importance of relationships.  As a small PR agency in Cheshire we boast that we have not yet lost a client and that our success is largely because people buy people.  It is relationships that matter and setting out a positive can do approach that people like.  It’s not about a big PR agency reputation, over promising, champagne lunches and high fees – it’s the simple things like hard work, the right frame of mind and a joined up approach.  That’s what gets results and what makes a positive contribution to this wonderful world.

Harvest Time?

Why are PR agencies always so busy in September?  Maybe it is ingrained in the British psyche that, like school, works starts again in September.  Is it that clients are invigorated after a summer break or perhaps it’s just harvest time when opportunities ripen? 

Who knows?  Either way there are no complaints – it’s great to see the team motivated, some exciting opportunities in hand and the reaping of some great results. 

Some food for thought though.  I am increasingly hearing from clients that companies want experienced, affordable and capable support right there on their doorstep.  As such I can’t think of a better time to be a PR agency in Chester, Liverpool or Manchester as businesses reject some of our over priced siblings from London as they build genuine relations with more local and affordable PR and marketing agencies.

Despite speaking on behalf of a number of companies, this time I am speaking for myself when I question whether the “economic downturn” has influenced this pattern.  It seems that this harvest time, locally sourced goods and services are certainly much more on the menu?

HAT-TRICK OF NEW CLIENTS FOR SOURCE

Cheshire-based Source PR has scooped a hat-trick of major new business wins, despite the current economic difficulties facing many in the service industries.  The success of the PR and marketing consultancy, located just outside Chester, is a positive indication that many companies are still looking to actively market themselves and win new customers in response to the tough trading climate.

The latest organisations to take advantage of Source’s results orientated approach are; the Nantwich based Self Storage Association (SSA), London’s Aquality Trading & Consulting Ltd and Wrexham’s Moneypenny.

• Moneypenny, one of the North West’s entrepreneurial success stories, appointed Source to help raise its profile nationally as well as within its core business sectors. 

• The Self Storage Association (SSA UK), the trade association for the UK’s Self Storage industry, bought Source PR on board to help raise the profile of self storage in the UK, support its nationwide member base and promote best practice within the industry.

• London based Aquality Trading & Consulting Ltd appointed Source PR to help champion water efficiency technologies and flood control systems across the UK using classic PR techniques as well as a broad range of marketing initiatives.  

The MD of Source PR, Louis Hill, explains, “It’s been a great summer and these new business wins show that there are many companies out there looking to take the initiative and maximise there opportunities in the current economic climate. 

“These three businesses are a great example of that as they are all doing fantastic work and we are really looking forward to helping them share their good news, attract new customers and making a positive difference to their businesses.”

The Source PR team is made up from experienced PR and marketing professionals as well as former journalists.  It offers a full range of PR and marketing services to clients but prides itself on its straightforward personal approach and its ability to cost effectively deliver results.  For more information, visit www.sourcepr.co.uk.

Ends