Tag Archive for: pr

HOW TO GET PUBLICITY FOR YOUR BRAND

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Generating publicity for your brand, be it a start-up, SME or large-scale enterprise, is always a good idea. There are many different ways that you can put your business’ name in the public eye, but arguably one of the best methods is where the publicity is organic (i.e. it’s not an advertisement that you have paid for).

Why? Because people are more inclined to trust what is presented to them naturally. According to Nielson, 92% of people trust recommendations that are put to them by friends and family, while just under half of global consumers say that they trust newspaper and television ads. We can assume the latter is less, because people know that the advertisements are paid for and therefore the trust signals are not as strong. However, when your brand is at the forefront of the media from earned publicity – not an ad – it would be fair to suppose that this is likely to be not only more engaged with, but perceived as more reputable too.

This is, by definition, media relations – a type of PR (Public Relations) service that we offer here at the Source PR. Getting publicity for your brand and achieving that trust from potential consumers isn’t an easy job, which therefore makes it all the more worthwhile and rewarding when great coverage is achieved.

You can get publicity for your brand in many different ways, including:

  1. Show good community engagement
  2. Promote new product and service launches
  3. Give stakeholders an interesting story
  4. Provide statistics that make an engaging article
  5. Offering expert commentary to newspapers where relevant

We’ll expand on these methods below.

5 Ways To Get Publicity For Your Brand

There are a plethora of methods you can use to generate publicity, we’ve decided to explore our top five favourite tactics.

  1. Show Good Community Engagement

Building a brand reputation is as important, if not more important, than generating direct coverage for your business. Appearing in the media with product and service launches is great, but to create a brand image that will be more beneficial in the long term, you need to show your stakeholders what you’re all about. Is there something you can do as a business to support the environment, for example? Or perhaps even a local charity or organisation? Newspapers love positive stories, especially regional titles, so if there’s something you can do to create these optimistic stories (all the while building prolific CSR for your business) then you should do it – then be sure to tell the right journalists about it too so they can spread the word and generate publicity for you.

Publicity for your brand with community donations

Here’s a foodbank donation we did recently with one of our clients, it achieved lots of regional media coverage

  1. Promote New Product And Service Launches

One of the most straightforward ways of getting publicity for your brand is through promoting new product and service launches. However, media titles – both nationals and regionals – can’t cover every single launch. So, you need to make yours stand out. What can you do to make the press interested in your product or service? Perhaps you could create a bespoke launch event or thinking of an imitative way of boosting your new product, such as donating a unit for every unit sold, for example. It’s always a good idea to send your target journalists a sample of your product or service too, they’re more likely to write about something if they know it’s of a good quality.

  1. Give Stakeholders An Interesting Story

You can attract media coverage for your business if you can provide newspapers with an interesting story that they’ll want to cover, that also ties in with your brand. For example, do you have some interesting insights from your business (has a certain product seen more sales since UK lockdown) that you can share? You can test an idea out by creating a headline from your story and then asking friends or family if they’d read the article, if they’re interested, then there’s every chance a journalist will be too – so it’s well worth having a go at pitching.

  1. Provide Statistics That Make An Engaging Article

If you don’t have internal data to share you can also produce external statistics that media titles may be interested in. Could you run a study that runs parallel to the services or product that your business provides, and then sell that in as a story? You can run paid-for surveys on platforms such as YouGov, or perhaps you could conduct desk research and analyse trends to provide a great set of data that newspapers may want to write about.

  1. Offering Expert Commentary To Newspapers Where Relevant

And finally, another of our favourite ways to get publicity for brand is to give the media expert comments where relevant. If you’re a spa venue, for example, and a journalist is covering wellbeing tips to conquer stress – is that a topic you can offer extra insight to? Many writers often welcome tips and opinions from qualified people as it makes their pieces stronger, so all you have to do to generate coverage for your brand is identify these opportunities, and then be on hand to provide a comment if the journalist wants one. Often too, as these comments are provided out of goodwill, a journalist may also provide you a backlink to your website which’ll count towards improving your SEO performance. Great at attaining media coverage, high-quality backlinks and building up corporate and individual reputations, generating publicity through expert commentary is certainly a tactic we love here at The Source.

Publicity for your brand through expert commentary

Our Managing Director has been proficient in commenting on the Government’s Coronavirus communications strategy thanks to this type of outreach and reactive PR… This particular piece is in ITV News

Getting Publicity For Your Brand – It’s Not Easy!

These are just a few of our favourite tips for generating branded coverage, there are a whole host more that can be filtered into your PR strategy. If you need help in making the magic happen for your business, then please do give us a call on 01829 720 789 or contact us here for a free consultation.

Be sure to keep up with us on social too. Find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

CORONAVIRUS COMMUNICATIONS: WHY FIRMER GOVERNMENT MESSAGING WAS NEEDED

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Anyone can get it.

Anyone can spread it.

Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives.

This is the new messaging that the government released last night, after previous attempts of strong Coronavirus communications messaging to the public arguably failed.

Coronavirus Communications – How Important Is Getting The Message Right?

Throughout the unfolding of this pandemic, the government has been met with the challenge of keeping the public well informed and engaged; essentially, they hold the key to successfully containing the virus. The challenge, however, is to share key information, without causing panic or underplaying the issue.

Initially, this begun with the government trying to assure people that the virus would be able to be contained, in multiple press confrences it was downplayed. Now, several weeks on, the Coronavirus communications tactics have changed.

Learning from their mistakes, we believe that the government has noted that their earlier tactics were not successful, and have now moved to more open, transparent, and if you like – firmer – comms.

The announcement of the lockdown was unlike anything this generation has ever seen. The messaging from the government was clear and concise: you must not leave your home.

Before this, using words such as ‘we advise’ and ‘we suggest’ meant that many did not feel inclined to follow the rules, which could potentially be to blame for the increase outbreak of Covid-19 that the UK is now experiencing.

Now, they have gone one step further: explicitly stating that anyone can get Coronavirus, and consequently, anybody can spread it. You must stay home if you want to protect the NHS and save lives.

Coronavirus Communications - New Government Messaging

The best Coronavirus communications ads are those that are clear, but also relatable. They need to hit home and feel personal. The handwashing ad message put out by the government, for example, was effective – giving people a clear message and a simple way of ensuring the right amount of time is taken by twice singing one of the UK’s best-known songs – ‘Happy Birthday’.

This kind of message sticks in the mind, and is something that we don’t doubt the public would have taken on board, as the message was strong and no-nonsense.

Again, the ‘catch it, bin it and kill it’ advert that we’ve all come to know shows a simple way for people to take basic protective measures with clear illustrations and a simple message.

There are no suggestions, there is a firm ‘you must do this’ tone in the messaging, and this is why it works.

Why Did The Government Change Their Message?

The more generic advice to ‘stay off work and self-isolate for 14 days’ if feeling unwell, argugably lead to exploitation.

It’s a simple message but one that required more detail considering the potential impact on the economy. In situations like this, a rigid Coronavirus communications message is required and though trying not to cause hysteria, it would have been a better idea for the government to give the public all the information they had available. Perhaps then, the population may have understood the implications and repercussions of continuing to socialise and ignore social distancing guidelines for as long as they did.

They say a picture paints a thousand words, this comparison image of the Kaaba in Saudia Arabia shows the impact that the right messaging can have:

Coronavirus Communications - New Government Messaging Coronavirus Communications - New Government Messaging

The shift in the outward communication from the government now has seen more definitive messaging in place: “you must stay at home”, “you must not see friends”.

Following this, a large proportion of the working population is now doing so remotely, people are following guidelines to only leave the house once daily, and shops are now practicing prolific social distancing measures. The change in communication is in no doubt responsible for this, and it goes to show the importance of putting across the right message.

Communication works.

In all cases though, the government must also refrain from getting drawn into ‘Armageddon scenarios’ by speculating on figures for potential rises in deaths or NHS capabilities.

We’ve already seen incredible panic food buying in shops and it is likely to detract from the messages around how best to manage the impending epidemic. Your message needs to be clear and strong, and needs to ensure no room is left for speculation.”

Getting your communications right isn’t easy, if it was, everybody would be experts!

 

If you or your business is in need of professional, quality and, if needs be, confidential Coronavirus Communications advice, please email louis@sourcepr.co.uk or call 01829 720 789.

Louis, Managing Director of The Source, recently gave the press his advice around the Government’s updated Coronavirus messaging as the updated campaigns were announced; his comments can be found in the Metro, ITV, Yahoo, Daily Mail and more.

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PR-ING THROUGH CORONAVIRUS: SMALL BUSINESS HELP AND ADVICE

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Coronavirus has caused truly extraordinary times, the UK – as well as several other countries – is currently on a lockdown. The first of its time.

Travel has been limited to all but essential movement, many businesses (such as restaurants, non-essential retail stores and gyms) have been forced to close their doors for the foreseeable future and the healthcare industry is under perhaps its biggest strain that this generation has ever seen. Because of current climate, we can’t shy away from the fact that many businesses are struggling. Whether you’ve had to temporarily cease trading altogether, or whether your customers are less inclined to part with their money due to the uncertainty at the moment – either way most organisations are feeling the pinch one way or another.

It’s not all bad news, however.

Though the current economic climate is bleak, and though many are struggling, we have also been given the gift of something that we wouldn’t normally have: time.

Now is not the time for radio silence, now is the time to be strengthening your brand message, communicating effectively and giving back to the community wherever you’re able. Whilst some brands have taken the stance of radio silence as the Coronavirus epidemic plays out, many others have adjusted and reacted to the current climate, and have been in a better position for it.

You have time to work on your strategies, to work on your brand position and to ensure that when this comes to pass, your business will emerge bigger and better than ever before.

If you’re a small business or an SME and struggling, there are a number of ways you can help yourself during this pandemic.

Small Business Coronavirus Help: How To Support Yourself

The government has already introduced revolutionary support for small businesses. Initiatives include a small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief, grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000. This is as well as the job retention scheme put in place.

While this might be a short-term solution to an otherwise unnerving situation, it’s also crucial for small businesses to think about their long-term plans too.

Below, we’ve racked our PR, Social Media and Marketing brains together to bring you the very best advice on how your business can survive through Coronavirus; how to keep marching on through these uncertain times and how to effectively retain your brand image and position.

Don’t Give Up On Your Team

First and foremost, you need to trust your team.

Unlike many business crises, we’re all in this together and there are many businesses from various industries that are all feeling the strain that Coronavirus has brought about. In most business cases, your team will be instrumental to your survival during this period, so before adjusting your business strategies, you should be providing your team with the technology and support needed to undertake their work and trust that they will continue to deliver remotely.

Trust opens the door to productivity; the more you give, the more you get back.

Keep On Communicating

Effective communication has never been more important.

You should be keeping your communication channels open. You may appear closed to the outside world but it’s important to share the business’s contingencies, its plans and any changes in service. Share your successes or small wins and remember your customers and stakeholders are interested in people-centric stories, as well as positive outcomes in otherwise difficult circumstances.

There’s a strong demand in the media for any positive news amidst all this negativity, so if your business has something good to share this might be a good way of spreading your news further afield and making sure that people are still engaged with your brand.

Adding to this, there’s a new sense of community re-emerging – if your business has changed how it operates or is supporting others, such as pubs offering delivery services to those in need, make sure you share this. Social media usage has increased by 22% since lockdown and provides an excellent community engagement tool which may prove beneficial in the longer term.

Though you may not be trading at the moment, it’s important not to lose momentum. Make sure people still remember who your business is, what you do. Whether this is by maintaining an active social media presence, writing blogs for your website or even appearing in the news – don’t let people forget you if you want to continue to operate a successful business when this storm has passed.

Adapt And Evolve With The Climate

If your business can accommodate it, adaptability is important right now.

Under new government restrictions, many businesses can no longer trade as usual. Is there a way you can overcome this, and support your community too? For example, many restaurants are now offering takeaways and are giving out free meals whilst they do so, which is great in strengthening the business’ Corporate Social Reputation.

Could you keep your cashflow afloat by encouraging your stakeholders to purchase vouchers from you that can be redeemed at a later date?

Other examples of how companies may adapt during the Coronavirus period is by taking advantage of the technology we have at our disposal.

Could you give your consumers a digital version of your product or service to retain your custom? Some housebuilders are now operating fully online house viewings, whilst organisations such as Chester Zoo are livestreaming a day at the zoo on Facebook to the masses.

If your business can think of a quirky and imaginative way to stay relevant, it will almost certainly survive this uncertain period.

Create A Contingency Plan – Prepare For The Future

Plan for your future, because if you adopt the right attitude, there almost certainly will be one.

Can you create a contingency plan for your business?

Though there are so many things uncertain at the moment, if you can begin to strategize and plan your bounce-back for when this comes to pass, you’ll be in a more favourable position when the market reopens once more. Make sure you’re well prepared.

Whilst we all have extra time on our hands, we can make the most of this: working on our websites, our SEOs, or even developing social media or PR strategies.

The most important thing to add to your contingency plan, for now and for the future, is a plan that sees your business remaining adept in its industry. Make sure that people don’t forget your brand. Whether this is by thinking of a new and imaginative way to run your business (such as the examples above), or whether it’s just making sure you upkeep a strong media presence. If your company steps into the shadows during this period, it’ll be much harder for it to re-emerge when it’s over.

Also, be prepared for radical change once more when lockdown is over and when the virus dissipates. When you can reopen your doors again, you’ll almost certainly be met with a different audience than the one you’ve come to know. After recovering from the most governed period of their lives, there’s no doubt that people will be more appreciative. They’ll want to explore more, they’ll want to travel more, they’ll want to eat out more and they’ll want to buy more things.

We’ll have a more spontaneous and obligated population on our hands, so make sure your business is prepared to accommodate them.

Do you need PR, Marketing or Social Media support for your business? Either in handling the Coronavirus outbreak, or preparing for when it’s over? Call us for a free, confidential assessment of your situation on 01829 720 789 or email louis@sourcepr.co.uk.

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THE SOURCE TO SUPPORT HOSPICE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD WITH COMPLIMENTARY CHARITY PR

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As times are rather tense right now, let’s have some positivity.

A few weeks ago, for Random Acts of Kindness Day, we shared that we’d decided to offer 6 months’ worth of complimentary charity PR to a local organisation who we felt were really in need of it.

Charity PR assistance - Source PR and Hospice of The Good Shepherd

After leaving the decision to you, the public, we were blown away with the response and all of your nominations.

Who We Decided To Offer Charity PR To, And Why…

Careful deliberation between the team has led us to a decision that the charity we wish to support is…

The Hospice of The Good Shepherd, who are based nearby to our office in Cheshire.

The Hospice of The Good Shepherd are a superb local charity who, free of charge, provide special palliative care for people with both cancer and non-cancer life limiting illnesses, at all stages. The dedicated team of staff and healthcare professionals tend to the physical, emotional and social needs of those with a life-limiting illness and help to maintain their dignity. Not only this, but they also care for relatives, carers and friends as well as patients.

Being a local Cheshire charity with such an important goal, though the decision was not easy, we felt very natural choosing Hospice Of The Good Shepherd for our charity PR campaign.

Charity PR - Source PR Support Hospice Of The Good Shepherd With Complimentary PR

We’re looking forward to showing you the work we plan to do with them.

Looking For A PR Agency?

If you’re looking for PR support for your business, why not give us a call and find out what we can do for you? Based in Cheshire, our integrated PR agency contains a team of experts in all things PR, social media, digital marketing and more.

Click here to get in touch, or give us a call on 01829 720 789.

 

Featured image credit: Chester Tweets.

THE NORTH WEST PR AGENCY

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This week were excited to see our profile piece appear on Prolific North as a leading North West PR agency.  Although based in Cheshire, Source PR has increased its presence across the North West and is delighted to be profiled in this way.

Award winning Source PR, established more than 10 years ago, has grown year on year and is now regarded as one of the leading PR, marketing and digital agencies in Chester, Cheshire and the whole of the North West.

The great work undertaken by the team, covering all services including social media management, B2B PR, consumer PR, design and digital communications have all been recognised by clients with some excellent endorsements achieved across the board.

The team is also recognised for the work it has done in both helping with crisis communications, stakeholder engagement strategies as well as supporting rural businesses raise their profile and develop effective marketing strategies that build credibility and deliver customer engagement.

The North West PR Agency is also well placed to provide specialist communication support for businesses looking to secure planning permissions or help with their broader stakeholder communications.  With experience of working in the property and construction sectors for decades, Source PR is uniquely placed to help businesses with a broad range of communications challenges and issues.

Most recently, Managing Director Louis Hill was asked by the national media to comment on the government’s Covid-19 communications strategies.  His comments were widely picked up in the national media including the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail as well as The Metro.  This kind of media coverage is often achieved for the North West PR Agency’s clients – resulting in Source PR often being nominated and receiving numerous awards.

The team at Source PR comes from a wide variety of backgrounds including those with proven PR skills, journalist backgrounds or specialist social media / digital agencies.  The team is now responsible for communicating with more than a million customers on a weekly basis for its clients located across the UK.

Earlier this year, the North West PR agency has also secured it’s first international client, helping one of Europe’s leading manufacturing businesses extend its presence in the UK and to raise its profile, credibility and to share the excellent work it does with new and existing customers.

If you would like to speak with a member of Source PR’s North West PR agency team, contact us today.  We would be delighted to meet and discuss how we can help your business grow.

THE LIFE OF A SOURCE PR INTERN – BY BRIDIE BUCKINGHAM

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As part of National Careers Week, our intern, Bridie Buckingham wrote about her experiences of being a ‘sourcerer’ intern and the pros of work experience.

Bridie also gives her own to advice for those who are thinking about their future career aspirations.

I’ve been a PR intern at Source PR for over seven months now and I must say they have been some of the best and busiest months of my life. A lot has changed in that time, I moved across the country, started at a new university and changed my degree to a completely new field of study.

Read more

THE EXPECTATIONS OF BRANDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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In recent years, the way brands approach public relations and customer interaction has changed radically. When your ASOS or Amazon package doesn’t arrive on time, your first step might be to send a tweet or DM to their official accounts. You’re then likely to hear from a sales team member or social media intern within minutes. Some even go beyond customer service and go to great lengths to provide humorous, cutting content that quickly goes viral; Tesco seem particularly adept at this, whether that’s ribbing a guy who implied that it’s uncool to be on Tesco Mobile, making a pun about ‘hitting the hay’ during their horse meat scandal in 2013, or flippantly telling a Tweeter that they probably aren’t going on any dates this weekend.

An Era of Accountability

A brand’s presence on social media also allows people to come together as a collective to hold them accountable for a product, headline or action that is, at best, below par, and at worst, offensive or harmful. The examples are numerous: the beauty community alone has held gurus such as Jaclyn Hill accountable for hair and metal balls found in her range of lipstick, as well as Jeffree Star for similar reasons; the defamatory Pepsi commercial that featured Kendall Jenner was taken down in less than 24 hours after Twitter’s backlash; and the Advertising Standards Authority began to investigate a weight-loss pill company after its billboards asking ‘Are you beach body ready?’ sparked heated conversations online.

But just where is the line drawn when it comes to advertising? A tongue-in-cheek joke or pun on a billboard might be just that to some, but to others, it could be a sign of the way in which advertising manipulates stereotypes or the insecurity of consumers. In the age of social media and accountability, it’s great that companies find it more difficult to get away with ads that are racist, sexist or otherwise. If it weren’t for the long campaigning of women’s rights groups, for example, we’d still be seeing ads for cars flanked by bikini-clad women.

A Step Too Far…Or Simple Misjudgement?

But it’s not always so clear cut. A campaign by Brewdog in 2018 was withdrawn amid claims of sexism, yet the pink bottles of their Punk IPA – rebranded to ‘Pink IPA’, complete with a new design – underwent their makeover to promote the gender pay gap, with 20% of the profits going to charities that fight gender inequality. Nevertheless, it was deemed ostentatious and unnecessary by The Crafty Beeress, a beer industry blogger, and Labour MP Jo Stevens, who tweeted their distaste.

McDonald’s, usually an industry-leader when it comes to ad campaigns, dug a hole for themselves when they encouraged social media users to use the hashtag #McDStories back in 2012 in order to highlight their guarantee of fresh produce. Users shared their horror stories of ‘finding a fingernail’ in their Big Mac, being hospitalized for food poisoning, and losing 50lb after they stopped eating at the restaurant. The campaign – originally set out to promote something positive – was so disastrous it lasted a mere two hours.

The McDonald’s ad in particular is a stark reminder of just what can happen if the tides of social media turn against a brand. Never mind if the campaign has good intentions; it seems there’s nothing more people enjoy on social media than collectively complaining, for better or worse.

So what can businesses learn from this?

Unfortunately, it sometimes seems to be the case that campaigns are either a swing or a miss, depending entirely on how they’re perceived. Common sense dictates not to go for anything that might be provocative in terms of social justice, and yet the alternative – promoting equality – doesn’t always sit right with consumers either. Ads that are simple, punchy and effective, with no ulterior motives, seem to be the safest bet.

For advice on digital marketing and PR, give us a call on 01829 720789, or follow us on Twitter (@source_tweets), Instagram (@PRSource) and Facebook (Source PR).

LESSONS FROM A BOOKSTORE: HOW EFFECTIVE IS SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING?

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How effective is social media marketing? Well, we could tell you that it’s super worthwhile, but why not show you how effective it is instead?

Never has a story better demonstrated the sheer power of social media than that of Petersfield Bookshop. A story that we at Source PR have had the pleasure of following right from the beginning, and one that we’ve really enjoyed watching unfold.

It started like this…

Petersfield Bookshop – The Power Of A Tweet

“…Tumbleweed…

Not a single book sold today…

£0.00…

We think this maybe the first time ever…

We know its miserable out but if you’d like to help us out please find our Abebooks offering below, all at 25% off at the moment….”

This was the tweet put out by @The_PBS, better known as Petersfield Bookshop, on the 14th January this year. We doubt whoever sat down to type it would have known just how much of an effect it would have.

Thanks to the ever-gladdening honourability of Twitter and the general tenderness of the British public, a few months down the line and the Bookshop is not only surviving but thriving.

petersfield-bookstore-how-effective-is-social-media-marketing

The tweet caught the attention of many and managed to rack up a little under 20,000 likes, supported by 9300 retweets. It attracted not only many verified accounts who further spread the notion that you should support small businesses, but also attained worldwide media coverage too.

It really has been a snowball effect; and is a true testament to just how powerful social media marketing and the right media exposure can be.

We may complain about the internet sometimes, but despite all its flaws, it really does have its advantages too. How effective is social media marketing? We think this short Twitter story demonstrates that it is entirely effective, when gotten right. Who can disagree with that? This story is just one glowing example of many.

Petersfield Bookshop went from having literally no customers on a single day, to having orders placed all around the world, along with an abundance of well-wishes and attentive followers.

Knowing exactly how to retain their audience too, the Twitter account manager for Petersfield has done an excellent job of keeping interested parties up to date. From charming acknowledgments to those who’ve supported the small business, to endearing posts that update us on how the store is doing now.

petersfield-bookstore-how-effective-is-social-media-marketing

We for one hope they never stop!

How Effective Is Social Media Marketing?

Adding to the engagement enjoyed on social media, the business has also seen quite a significant uplift in Google searches too. Thanks in no small part, we would presume, to the virality they relished just a few weeks ago.

how-effective-is-social-media-marketing
Google searches for ‘Petersfield Bookshop’ over the last 12 months… Spot the spike!

But perhaps what we love most about this whole affair, is that thanks to the updates on social media, you can actually really see and feel the benefits of the social media engagement that the Bookshop enjoyed. If you’re ever looking to answer the question “how effective is social media marketing?” then here’s your case study.

Not only is this total proof that social media truly works, but it’s also just so fantastic to see. We at The Source really love to see any small business burgeoning.

petersfield-bookstore-how-effective-is-social-media-marketing

Here’s to one of our absolute favourite Twitter stories of all time, long may Petersfield Bookshop continue to prosper and demonstrate how effective social media marketing is.

Are you looking for assistance with your social media marketing? You’re in the right place. Get in touch to find out how The Source can strengthen your reputation and grow your social presence. Or, why not check us out on social media?

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This blog was adapted by PR Executive Jessica Pardoe from her personal PR blog.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS DAY: HOW CAN BRANDS GET INVOLVED?

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February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness Day in the UK, and ever interested in Awareness Days and how they can be leveraged in PR and Marketing campaigns, we thought we’d take a look at how brands can get involved.

The Source are an ethical PR and marketing agency, we’re heavily invested in the rural community and work with brands who care deeply about their CSR and reputation. As such, days like Random Acts of Kindness Day are the exact kind of events that we’d look to include in our PR strategies.

Here’s a little more on why exactly we do this… 

Managing CSR For Brands

PR is all about brand reputation, it’s building and maintaining an image for a business and positioning them as ethical and responsibility. CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) plays a huge part in this. For us, we like to make sure that the brands we work with are well versed in being involved with local communities and that support charities too.

It’s really important for your brand to have a great CSR strategy, as this can make or break your business’ reputation. Days such as Random Acts of Kindness Day can help to do exactly this…

How To Get Involved In Random Acts Of Kindness Day

Random Acts of Kindness Day is just one of the many Awareness Days worth getting involved in if you’re wanting to improve your brands CSR and overall reputation. What’s more, these kinds of Awareness Days are abundantly spoken about in the media, so it’s also a great PR and marketing opportunity for getting your brand some media coverage too.

Here’s some of our ideas as to how your brand can get involved in Random Acts of Kindness Day this year:

  • Donate some money to a local charity, such as an animal shelter or food bank. Don’t pre-plan the donation, just head in and leave a cheque (and ask if they wouldn’t mind a quick photo, of course).
  • Get some of your team out doing a litter pick or beach clean-up, showing kindness to the environment and to the earth.
  • Visit a local nursing home or children’s hospital and drop off some bits and bobs that you’ll know they’d love. This one might be a little harder to be ‘random’ as you’ll probably have to get in touch with a co-ordinator first, but it’s still a kind thing to do.
  • Email a small business or charity and offer an hour or two of your services for free, they won’t be expecting an email like that and if you work in a service-led industry (such as PR like us) that extra hour or two might benefit their business more than you could ever anticipate.
  • Ask your staff members to bring in a few items of food, or some clothing that can be donated either to a local food bank or charity shelter, helping out small businesses is a really nice idea for Random Acts of Kindness Day.
  • Shout about a small business on social media, if you have a great online presence – this could mean a world of difference to them in getting them some great exposure for their brand. Take for example the ‘Hinch Effect’, not too long-ago famed influencer Mrs. Hinch posted a story of the company who fitted her a loft ladder. And the results, well, click here to find out what happened.

Want help utilising strategies like the above, and turning your kindness into coverage, as well as a strong brand image? Get in touch with The Source to find out a little more about what we do, and how the ‘Sorcerers’ can support your brand’s marketing strategy.

Call us on 01829 720789. Or, see what we get up to on social…

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DIVERSIFY, BUT TELL YOUR STORY WELL

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Adding income streams through diversification projects is focusing the business brains of many farms and estates in this post-Brexit landscape. And while a new farm shop, glamping enterprise or festival requires concentrated attention, it’s also vital to think about PR and marketing for your rural business to actually tell customers about your rural business or scheme.

People are wanting more from the countryside – more to see, do and experience – and this behavioural change creates opportunities. Estates and farms may be thinking of outdoor film nights, festivals, high-end camping experiences or demonstrations of local goods: these are all great stories to tell via social media and structured PR.

Rural Marketing and brand building

Take the example of creating a high-end product by rearing extensively farmed meat;  research shows that some customers are keen to pay more and travel further to make a special purchase of say, Longhorn beef. The story that needs to be told includes the health benefits of the meat, the welfare enjoyed by the cattle, the rearing system, (e.g. a grass-fed diet) and interesting breed traits. By promoting provenance, you can build a brand.

The benefits of nature are increasingly cited as helping with mental health problems; this offers opportunities for creating low-cost schemes such as walking and cycling routes or woodland glamping. With the possibility of outdoor therapy being prescribed by the NHS in future, these are good stories to tell. Likewise, with broadband and the prospect of 5G opening up rural areas creating opportunities for diverse businesses, it’s important to publicise an exciting enterprise, engaging with the local community as well as broader  promotion.

It’s easy to get bogged down in the detail of setting up a business. A different perspective on reaching out to a wider customer base can be illuminating – that’s where professional PR and marketing come in and can pay dividends.  Get in contact with our specialist rural PR and marketing team for a free business consultation.

 

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