My mantra of the moment is ‘high value’. As a customer or a client, I’ve always thought that you get what you pay for! It’s not always the case though, is it? Sometimes, you pay a little and get a lot back from it. Sometimes you spend a lot and see little return! I take that in to my own business – my clients can expect to receive the highest returns on investment. It’s all about value. My bank balance needs to feel valued, loved and fed! My creativity and lifestyle needs to feel valued and I need to feel valued. When you value your clients, deliver efficiently, beyond expectation, bring in real, tangible results, then your clients value you. I value my clients and they pay me well and recommend me to others. Likewise, there are certain businesses and people in my life that I value. I value their advice, support and friendship and I hope that I offer them this same high value. The belief that you get back what you put in (often threefold) has always shone through for me. So, I’m really thinking ‘high value’ and trust me, that’ll extend to my shopping style, this weekend!
Whether you’re the CEO of an expansive empire or a go-getting solo entrepreneur, there is nothing more important than finding your own voice. Our personal impact and authenticity is what attracts the best and most loyal teams or the right clients to our businesses. The rise of citizen communication is overwhelming and parallel to the collapse of traditional institutions, we no longer fully trust one autocratic information source. We trust each other. How many of us go to Twitter first to find out what’s happening? Which hotel reviews would you trust? Who prefers interacting rather than being sold to?
Contrary to popular belief, the basis of good public relations is communicating the truth – the days of white wash or glossing over are gone. We want authenticity, we want good news and hope and solutions around the bad news but fundamentally we just want the truth.
There’s nothing more transparent than comment or speeches or social media accounts where the protagonist isn’t using their own voice and there’s nothing more attractive than when business owners speak from the heart. Watch out bland quotes, skewed surveys, one-way communication – the truth police are coming to get you!
Dark nights and fireworks – it’s our annual reminder that the year is coming to a close. It’s also a not so subliminal reminder that we should celebrate and mark key moments.
This week we hosted the annual Chartered Institute of Public Relations Pride Awards – championing great communications work in the region. They celebrate the hard work practitioners have put in across the year and also demonstrate the highest standards in creativity and impactful influence. For those shortlisted, it’s also a key way to promote their businesses even further.
There are proliferations of awards today and so whichever industry you are in, there’s bound to be one which suits and illuminates your business. If there isn’t – start some up. If you do enter and win - they’re an opportunity to reach a wide section of your customer base and demonstrate your continuing commitment to excellence.
Shout about your successes and show the world you mean business.
If you’d like somebody else to shout about your business, contact Lyndsey Whiteside at Inspired PR on 07896219153, email lyndsey@inspiredpr.co.uk.
Over the last week, prospective clients, colleagues and peers have all talked to me about jobs they’ve gone for and haven’t got, or clients they want to attract but haven’t quite managed to. What’s clear is that it’s very seldom down to skillset and far more down to mindset. It comes down to the messages we are sending out – consciously and subconsciously. In particular, the ones that have gone for jobs have told me beforehand that they’d love the job because it’s more money and offers the responsibility they crave but it would mean changing locations, it’s always difficult being the newbie and they’d have to really step up. Is it possible that potential employers might have picked up subconsciously on this reticence?
As with clients – we do much work to ensure that we get their messaging just right. What is it that their clients need from them? What reassurances should our clients be giving their clients? How can we make sure that customers are attracted to our clients and will our clients be the right fit for their customers? These are all things that I hear at the beginning of a working relationship and issues that we have to allay. Skillset and mindset need to work in unison for the perfect results.
Messaging is really important – are you saying the right things? Are you too busy talking about your business to listen to what the market needs? Every client and every business is unique. Make sure that you understand them and listen to what they are saying (at all levels) before you start to speak.
LyndseyInspired
Like everyone, I get a lot of sales calls, email, web and postal approaches from those pitching for business. Some are great and some are just pretty annoying. Each is an example of what to do or what not to do. These are the top ten things that I look for in a supplier. You might have some others to add?
LyndseyInspired
I’ve been reading lately about TripAdvisor, which now attracts more visitors than any other travel website, globally. It’s testament to the power of citizen communication. It seems that we no longer look to traditional sources of opinion but we seem to trust each other more, for honest views, from the ‘average’ person. Of course, it’s a matter of our opinion, whether we can trust those reviews. Anybody is able to post, whether they have experienced a stay at the hotel or not and let’s face it; everyone has their own agenda.
So who can we trust? Our national newspapers? Our Government? It comes down to building up trust, being reliable, helpful, useful, knowledgeable - creating and sustaining a good reputation. Some bloggers are more popular than others because their independent, honest and pertinent content speaks to us. If I was a gambling woman – which I am, occasionally – I’d say that the structure of media as we know it, will break down and we’ll start putting our trust in independent writers, bloggers and ourselves. We’ll turn off our televisions and figure out our own opinion.
Be honest and authentic. Relate to your audience in a style that clicks with them and don't be afraid to communicate in new ways.
Hi everyone,
We have just launched an Inspired PR Facebook page, so that we can offer out tips on PR and perception. We would love you to like us at: http://on.fb.me/mSJEcs
We look forward to meeting you there!
LyndseyInspired
Public Relations, I like to think, is the truth – beautifully told. We know how powerful the media is but the rise of the public eye is all too evident. And, this is a great thing. The advent of Twitter against a backdrop of social media sites and international online forums means that brands, businesses and personalities (or their agents) can no longer just talk at their audience. There’s an incredible interaction going on Worldwide. Behind the safety of a computer screen; the public can discuss the highs and the lows of every business, product and person.
Today’s privacy case defeat and the tearing down the walls of the superinjunction have only given those in the public eye, less places to hide. Public opinion can make or break a reputation and therein, a business.
Assume for a moment, we are not celebrities, we haven’t done anything (that) scandalous and that we are salt-of-the-earth businesses, making an honest living. We absolutely still need to tell the truth about what we do, how we do it and why our customers should care. PR has moved on from the early days of whitewash. Our customers are concerned with our credentials; many will care that we are ethically and ecologically sound; will want to know where we have sourced our raw materials from and that we can deliver in a professional and reliable way. Honesty is hugely important.
Telling our truth is so much more than that. It’s about knowing what we are and what our skills and capabilities are. It’s about being authentic. It’s about being truly passionate about what we do and doing it better than anyone else, just because that’s who we are. Fostering honesty in the workplace is the new ‘wheeling and dealing’. It’s about telling our story, explaining our business and celebrating the trust and truthful dialogue which will be the making of every professional reputation.
LyndseyInspired
It was recently reported that the double Bank Holiday will cost the nation up to £30bn in downtime and loss of business. From Good Friday, many employees are taking just three days holiday leave and accruing 11 days holiday in total. The majority of us will be taking the Easter and royal wedding celebrations in good spirit and making the most of the sunshine, festivities and abundance of nearly compulsory chocolate. So, how can business owners find salvation during this time? The answer is to use the break to step outside of the business and check that we are still aligned to our original goals and whether this time for rebirth might mean a renewed vision. These are some of the questions we should be reflecting upon…
It may be that the business has reached extreme levels of perfection or we might discover incredible opportunities for growth. I will be using the break to create eggciting new plans for the coming months. Have a wonderful long weekend and make it count!
Email me at lyndsey@inspiredpr.co.uk to discuss business growth and new starts.
LyndseyInspired
The following blog was posted by the Smarta website. Smarta is the ultimate advice and networking resource for anyone starting and running a small business. It provides independent, entrepreneur-led support and is backed by some of the UK's top entrepreneurs.
Writing a Winning Press Release
The greatest skill you'll have in public relations is empathy. Understanding who your audience is; what talks to them and telling a story in a way that invokes action is all critical to having your customers behave in the way you'd like..
I little need to convince entrepreneurs of the power of PR. Having their profile raised and all of the benefits of their brand, product or service broadcast by an independent source is an obvious win.
Many will employ PR agencies or consultants, some businesses have their own marketing and communications director and some do what they can, when they can.
So few secure effective and regular PR coverage though because they fail to put in place the basics of a well written press release.
PR is a multi-faceted discipline. Its purpose is to influence the perception and decision-making of all kinds of interested and disinterested parties - but this won't happen if the message isn't delivered correctly.
A well-written, well-placed and delicately targeted press release will incite the attention of a stretched journalist. That's when you've won.
You'll have your business in front of the right audience and the independent endorsement inferred will have a profound effect on buying behaviour.
Writing a winning press release should be reasonably simple - but we all fall in to the trap of being over-passionate about our businesses. It's worth taking an objective look at how to perfect the process:
Beyond this, look to build relationships with media in your field. It takes time but becoming a reliable and speedy source of news is extremely valuable - and being able to craft a winning release is a great PR stride forward.
Lyndsey Whiteside owns Inspired PR and Chairs the Wessex Chartered Institute of Public Relations. For further advice, training or copywriting, you can email Lyndsey here lyndsey@inspiredpr.co.uk or find her on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Can you describe you role?
I’m an author, speechwriter and event organiser. My goal is to make people see how the Bournemouth/Poole/Christchurch conurbation can become a vibrant city like Los Angeles. We can be the home of the future British equivalents of Apple, Facebook and TED. We have the highest quality of life in the country and we’re not limited by the history and tradition that restricts other English cities.
What events have you got coming up?
I’ve got the We Do, Do God conference with Bournemouth Media School this Friday 8 April. Then it’s the Six Feet Under convention in August and Bournemouth Business Week in September.
Bournemouth Business Week will include the UK Business Book Festival – a platform for business/self help authors to give talks and promote their books – and the UK Speechwriters’ Guild annual conference – where you can see the UK’s top public speakers in action. We’re also piloting the first UK Motivational Speaker of the Year Competition, which will be a little cheesy, but some of us find the uplifting platitudes of American-style gurus irresistible.
Why is it important for professionals to keep on learning?
The world is driven by ideas. We have impulses that drive us to be creative and engage with others. But we’ve got to be receptive by reading books and listening to people who have unusual perspectives on the world. By following those ideas and putting them into action, we can develop new products and services. We also become more interesting people.
The way we work feels different now. Cracks in the economy are widening, we are all scrutinising our spend and flabby parts of business are being trimmed off. The normal reality is that lean should equate to mean; competition should be fierce and we should all be acting selfishly. That simply isn’t my experience and there’s a strong argument to suggest that the business landscape is changing.
I’m part of an all-female networking group, the Women in Business Network. It's an indicator of the fashion for women, of all ages – to create and run their own businesses; taking charge of their financial destiny and spreading wealth across the county. Similarly, I’ve recently joined the Chamber of Commerce – a substantial and progressive group which understands the power of networking and championing one another in business. It is my firm belief that ‘pulling together’ serves us so much better than going it alone.
Likewise, many in employed work might have felt rather fed up – colleagues may have been made redundant, with workload increasing and pay increases, frozen. It is the duty of management to find a way to motivate teams; to get the best out of people under difficult circumstances. For those that feel stuck – and I’m sure we all have at times – it’s a question of taking responsibility. Whatever the issue; the advice I always fall back on is ‘If you’re not happy, change it – if you can’t change it – change your attitude’. I’m not sure who first said this but it’s always worked for me. Bringing passion, a willingness to help others around you and a great attitude to your work, whatever you’re doing, will move mountains and that definitely changes a landscape.
LyndseyInspired
Maxine Clayman is the new online editor for Asda Magazine, supporting and engaging customers of the supermarket giant. We find out all about the latest offer:
Congratulations on the new role - what does it involve?
Asda Magazine is the fourth biggest consumer publication in the UK with a readership of around six million. As editor of Asda Magazine online , I’m incredibly lucky as my role is so varied and challenging – the digital space is constantly evolving so it's crucial to keep abreast of all the latest trends. I work for Publicis Blueprint, a contract publisher, and manage a team of full-time staff and freelancers. Our aim is to create the best possible content online for our client, Asda. One minute I could be interviewing a household name for the lifestyle section of the website, the next I could be editing and proofing copy, adding in links and optimizing it for SEO. I also field calls from PRs, agents, freelancers to source exclusive content for the site. At least once a week I get together with the team and brainstorm ways we can improve the site – Blueprint is an incredibly creative environment to work in. A large part of the job also involves client liaison as it’s imperative that the site reflects the needs, and wants, of Asda and its customers. The overall aim is to enhance brand loyalty and in turn drive people to buy product from Asda.
What plans have you got for the site?
My remit is to develop the site’s non-food content and drive traffic through a raft of initiatives. Obviously I don't want to give too much away! But, for example, I’ve secured a number of exclusive interviews with celebrities that include Ashley Jensen and best-selling crime author Patricia Cornwell. We’re also hoping to expand upon the site’s video content and I’m also looking to create greater synergy between Asda’s trade plan and the website – developing areas like travel, finance and health and beauty – key sectors that Asda offer services in.
What news will most appeal to your visitors?
Where do I start as we’ve got so much going on?! I’d say the easiest way for people to find out all our news would be to check out the site and see for themselves. But our main aim is to make Asda.com/magazine even bigger and even better, giving users more invaluable tips and advice, something they’ll hopefully love to hear. The site is updated daily so we can keep it packed with seasonal features. For March, we’ve got George Clarke, star of The Restoration Man, who’s also an ambassador for the Ideal Home Show, to give us his top tips on ways to add value to your home. We’ve also got loads of brilliant exclusive online giveaways (sadly I'm not allowed to enter them) which can be anything from holidays to the chance to attend a Justin Bieber premiere. And we’re keen to get users more involved and hear their feedback so we can continually improve the site so we’re thinking about introducing a regular webchat, to give people the chance to let us know what they really think.
Elizabeth Barnett is the new editor of Archant Life title, Hampshire Life. We ask her about her plans for the magazine:
What's next for Hampshire Life?
As the Editor, my main responsibilities are to ensure that my readers are getting valuable, fascinating and enjoyable content for their money. Together with the website, I want to create a community within the magazine to encourage readers to become a part of Hampshire Life and to assure them that they are valued and listened to on a regular basis. Reader’s photographs, stories and news items will all help to form a wider audience, attracting higher levels of advertising resulting in a better value publication and I am very much looking forward to taking the magazine to the next level.
What makes Hampshire such a vibrant place?
Hampshire is so ideally situated that it is impossible not to fall in love with the county. I grew up in the Midlands and have not been able to go back since I first came to University in Southampton. The New Forest, coast line and beautiful countryside are surely enough to suck anyone in? Couple that with the fascinating people that live in the county, the vast amount of local food producers, and the countless number of festival’s, fêtes and events. It is impossible to be bored living here and as the Editor of Hampshire’s main county magazine, I feel honoured to become even more involved in these communities.
How can Hampshire businesses get involved ?
The best way for them to be involved in the magazine is to include us in their marketing packages; we have a vast readership both online and within the publication with figures growing on a monthly basis. I will always listen to any businesses that are interested in being involved in the magazine. Send an email or call me and if I feel there is possibility for a feature, then there is no reason why I won’t include them in the publication. What I am looking for is good, gritty, articles that portray every aspect of Hampshire. Local businesses with an interesting history or fascinating building for example are perfect for Hampshire Life. I will be steering clear of blatant advertising and instead encouraging my readers to get to know their local tradesmen and women by creating personal, informative articles.
There is a Latin proverb which roughly translates as 'By learning you will teach, by teaching you will learn.' I've been thinking so much about learning and teaching, lately that I wanted to jot down a few thoughts; very self-indulgent!
I have met so many inspirational people over the past month - new clients and 'civilians' from all sorts of business platforms. My business life has taken me in a completely wonderful and exciting direction, that although my work in PR has featured in three decades, I feel that I'm right at the start of where I am meant to be!
Having managed significant and compelling communications campaigns, I am lucky enough to have had a pretty vibrant life in PR - high and low lights include eating, drinking and dancing the night away at London's finest hotels, partying and working at the National TV Awards, embarrassing myself in front of the Prime Minister, taking part in a food tour of Chicago, sipping champagne on board a Sunseeker, hosting press launches at Lancaster House and on HMS Belfast and eating chips on Blackpool seafront with one of our most attractive TV chefs! There are lots of other stories too but I'm keeping those for the book!
I now feel that I'm at the stage where I can teach others how to handle their own PR, parallel to thriving on running my own PR business and helping other businesses to grow. I am privileged to have taken the Chair role of the Wessex Chartered Institute of Public Relations and next week, I will be part of the panel shaping and modernising the PR degree at Southampton Solent University.
Recently, (with the CIPR), I also hosted a 'Meet the Professionals' event at Bournemouth University where PR professionals from across the region are cross-examined by students, with aspirations to enter the industry. It was great fun but also a chance to learn from the students; to take on board their outlook and to acknowledge that every industry and business needs fresh input and a view from the outside in.
So, it's my resolution, number 537, to keep on passing on knowledge but more importantly, to keep on learning.
LyndseyInspired
I’m pleased to introduce new client: renowned author and life coach Louise Presley-Turner. Louise works internationally, inspiring her clients to create the life they want. Her coaching practice and book are both entitled 'The Game of Life'; so we asked her...
What is the Game of Life?
I run a successful coaching practice called The Game of Life helping individuals all over the World achieve their personal and professional goals - from people wanting to change career and find their purpose, to those who are looking to increase their confidence and self-esteem. I use many coaching tools and techniques to help my clients transform their life and create sustainable change. I also have a passion for writing and have just published my first book ‘The Game of Life’ – a step-by-step guide of how to create the life you want.
How can people set goals for progress?
When I learnt the true art of goal setting, my life changed dramatically and I started achieving things that I never dreamt possible. Those that set goals live far happier and more successful lives than those that don’t. Of course, it’s important you set the right goals, but when you have a target in front of you, or a vision of where you’re going, you become incredibly focused and motivated.
It’s important to point out that all good goals should be accompanied by a strategy or plan of action. Having a strategic plan breaks the whole goal down into manageable chunks, which means you won’t be overwhelmed by the size of your goal. Having a plan keeps you on-track and focused and is fundamental if you want to succeed. It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction!
What do you enjoy most about your work as a coach?
I’m a real people person and have a genuine passion for helping my clients to see just how capable and amazing they really are. I think it’s fair to say that many of us have limiting beliefs about ourselves that we allow to sabotage our success in life, from the ‘I’m not good enough’ to the ‘I could never do that’. Coaching helps bring these negative beliefs in to the light of day, so clients can understand them and let them go. When people can stop being controlled by their subconscious thoughts and beliefs they can then transform their life in unimaginable ways! It’s truly amazing! My personal coaching aside, I thoroughly enjoy running workshops and seminars, especially my Life Coaching Weekend Retreat which I run in May and October.
Louise Presley-Turner will be running workshops at the Vitality Show between 24th and 27th March, Earls Court 2, London.
It's the traditional time for something new - a month for reinvention. Why? Do we really need to change? Do we really know who we are and how much we have to offer? Perhaps, we should simply look at ourselves in a different way and just be proud?
I'm not talking about our human failings - losing this, giving up those, doing more of that. I'm talking about really understanding what we are and what people think we are. Often, when an organisation comes to us for PR advice or training; it's a time for them to take stock of what their business is, what they can offer, who their customers are and how they can best reach them. Many of us get so embroiled in the day-to-day running of the business; our own talents; our own beliefs that we form opinions about the way the world is, what others believe and what others need. These beliefs don't necessarily resonate with reality.
So, if you have New Year's Resolutions for your business; you might also like to consider these:
Happy New Year - wishing you the absolute best in 2011.
LyndseyInspired
The much revered Sir Martin Sorrell of global marketing services group WPP, recently claimed that PR 'had resumed its rightful place as one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, marketing medium today'. He's right, you know. How many of us want to be sold to? We want to make decisions based on a discussion rooted firmly in earthly truth. We want people to keep their promises. We want to listen and be listened to - so that the concepts, the products, the brands and the services that we buy in to, do the things they say they will.
Public relations means relating to your public. Do you? Do you:
These are just some of the questions an effective PR programme can answer. All elements of marketing are important and should be interwoven in to your business plan but guess which one really gets people talking?
LyndseyInspired
You know the way in which books sometimes leap off the shelf to beg your attention? Recently, new ways of working and living have made themselves strikingly apparent. In the last few weeks, I have encountered so many examples of businesses from all sectors sharing, caring for the environment ... using intuition to create new opportunities. And, I've seen business people support each other; recommending and championing other businesses. This holistic approach is the future of corporate living and probably the most sane way to achieve growth.
I've also seen calls to support independent crafters and artists and I'm personally attending a 'green' Christmas Fair at the weekend, to get the celebrations off to an ecologically happy start!
It has been an incredible year for me personally and the business, professionally. So, yes - I know it's only the first of December but getting in to the Spirit of things is what 'Being Inspired' is all about. So - in terms of your own businesses and in advance of 2011; may I bring you all tidings of comfort and joy.
LyndseyInspired
In a week where student protests and the future of Universities came under fire, it is startling to me that we don't nuture talent and support education more. It is very British to underplay success but don't we need to set benchmarks, so that we can continue to raise our standards? Simply put, we need to keep being better. It may well be that we change the structure of degrees - perhaps they'll become more vocational; perhaps industry will sponsor or become more involved in the learning process? What we need to do is to build confidence - let those at the start of their careers know that putting in the hard work is worthwhile. Last week, I was priveleged to attend the Southampton Solent University Media School graduation ceremony. On behalf of Wessex CIPR, I presented the prize for the best PR student. The energy from all of the students was incredible - and it's vital that we continue to bring 'new blood' and fresh thinking in to the media environment. University is an important playing field, where students are encouraged to expand their minds and thinking and to forge informed opinion. That's why they need this time and that's why they can add an extra dimension to any creative team.
At the other end of the scale, I am looking forward to attending the CIPR PRide Awards for the region, next week. I am presenting another award - this time for Best Event. This is an example of the other need to keep rewarding brilliant creative and campaign execution. It is a brief pause at the end of the year to showcase hard work and real results. I'll try not to over-cliché but I am a great believer, at all levels of life, that you get back what you put in; that we can learn something from EVERYONE we meet and that we should encourage and champion success - not create ways in which to make it only possible for a few. It's about pride in ourselves, our students and our workforce, in whatever field that may be.
LyndseyInspired
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Marie-Claire Carlyle is a world renowned Transformational Coach,Feng Shui Expert and Inspirational Speaker who works with individuals, companies and academic organisations to create positive change from within. She is author of the groundbreaking book ‘How To Become a Money Magnet’.
Tell us about your new book…
A few years ago I realised that the one thing that would make the biggest difference to most people was to have more money and to feel financially free. Of course, we all want to feel loved, happy and fulfilled....but it's harder to feel happy when you are worried about paying the bills! So using what I knew from a successful career in corporate sales management with what I had learnt about energy and the law of attraction, I created the one day “How to Become a Money Magnet” workshop back in 2008. It was one day because people are short of time as well as money! The workshop delivered incredible results, with some people attracting money within just 24 hours of the day! It wasn’t long before I realised if I wanted to help more people to become financially free, I needed to put the essence of the workshop into a book. I remembered a book that had a profound impact on my life some years earlier ...it was Allen Carr's book “The Easy Way to Give up Smoking” and it transformed my mindset from being a victim to tobacco to being delighted to become a non smoker. I wrote the book “How to Become a Money Magnet” with the intention of transforming your mindset to money. In my experience, your biggest block to wealth is in your unconscious mind. When you let go of the resistance you have, albeit unconsciously, you can create unlimited wealth.
So, what are the biggest blocks for entrepreneurs in making money?
Let's look at what we define as entrepreneurs, because they come in all shapes and sizes. We have the start-ups who may have escaped from years in a 9-5 job and they have started a small business using their redundancy payment. If you are a start up, you may still be listening to the voice of parents or school teachers from your early years, advising you that the best way to succeed is to get a job for life. You may be used to receiving money every month through a pay packet and it can be shock to realise that the money you receive is directly dependent on the value you offer. If you provide a direct service to your clients eg therapist or life coach, there is no room for limiting beliefs about yourself or the service you offer. You may have a belief that “you need to work hard to earn money” and if you are self employed, the belief “there are only enough hours in the day “ will limit your success. As a business owner, the blocks are more likely to centre around trust, responsibility and commitment - "Can I trust my staff to get on with the job?” “Can I trust myself to borrow from the bank in order to expand the business?” Irrespective of the type of entrepreneur, most people’s blocks around money centre on one of the most human of basic needs ....to be loved. A high profile entrepreneur who recently attended one of the Money Magnet workshops discovered that she thought people only loved her for her money. So she was driven to earn more money. She was then able to realise that her core limiting belief was that she was unlovable. Now she is free to make powerful choices around money because she is no longer attached to the need to prove to others that she is lovable.
And, how can big business increase their money flow further?
The temptation for big business is to blame external factors for the financial situation. The economic or political climate, the quality of inherited staff, and the demands of the banks and shareholders all get plenty of discussion. There is nothing wrong with discussing these subjects, but do so from the viewpoint of looking for the inherent opportunity rather than focusing on how something is blocking your progress. Always bear in mind that the best way to do things in the past is not necessarily the best way to do things today. Employ external consultants to open you up to new ideas and new ways of thinking. And finally, commit to clear your clutter. As CEO of Flowcrete, Dawn Gibbins famously decluttered her offices and streamlined the global offices and product portfolio. The result was a staggering double of sales turnover and the subsequent sale of her company for a reported £35 million.
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Professor Tom Watson is a leading light in public relations. We talk to him about his role at the renowned Bournemouth University Media School, how students and employers can gain from one another and how those of us already involved in the media and communications sector can keep on learning:
Can you describe your role and tell us what is on offer at Bournemouth University?
I am the Professor of Public Relations in Bournemouth University’s Media School and lead on research and professional practice for the BA (Hons) Public Relations and the MA Public Relations programmes. My background is in public relations consultancy. I ran a successful consultancy for 18 years and was chairman of the Public Relations Consultants Association from 2000 to 2002. I work closely with the two programme coordinators and all the PR academic staff to ensure that these BU programmes remain the best in the UK and increasingly important in world-wide reputation. My research interests are in reputation, PR evaluation, corporate public relations and, especially, the history of public relations. I established the International History of Public Relations Conference, which ran very successfully in July and we are now planning for the next conference in July 2011.
The BAPR, which celebrated its 21st birthday in March, is a four year programme in which students are learning about PR from their first week. In their third year, students spend 40 to 44 weeks in a public relations placement with an organisation. It could be with a consultancy, in government, a charity or a major brand company. The MAPR is aimed at graduates who want to enter the PR industry after having studied other subjects in their first degree. It attracts UK, EU and international students.
A new option for those who are busy working in PR is the programme of academic credit-bearing media short courses offered by the BU Media School. Students can progress at their own pace and build up to a PG Certificate (three units), PG Diploma (six units) and Masters (dissertation or project). Increasingly PR subjects are being offered.
What can students and employers gain from one another?
One of the very successful relationships that BU’s PR programmes have is with employers. They provide guest lectures, live briefs and placements for students. In particular, we have a long-standing and mutually beneficial relationship with the Wessex branch of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). Students regularly meet PR employers and so get a greater understanding of the practice of public relations, especially at the annual ‘Meet the Professionals’ event. The outcome of these relationships is that there is a continuing high level of employment for our graduates and there is always strong demand by employers for students to join them on placements.
How do the courses prepare students for the corporate world?
Two important elements in the philosophy of BU Media School really benefit all students. The first is that all programmes are ‘Informed by Industry’ through industry panels, industry accreditation, visiting fellows and visiting professors and top speakers from industry. For example, our new Visiting Fellow for public relations is Paul Mylrea who is head of media relations at the BBC and was formerly with Oxfam, Transport for London and DFID in top level communication management roles. A Media School Masterclass speaker earlier this year was BBC Director-General Mark Thompson. Who better to guide students on the future of the media sector in the UK? The second is we are ‘Replicating Industry’ in programmes that link across the School; there are joint student projects, students experience the components of the media and communication industries and there is an aspirational, creative atmosphere. Employability and development of life-long learning skills go hand-in-hand, which is why the Sunday Times recently acknowledged BU Media School as the top in UK universities.
In addition to our own thoughts - we wanted to introduce some of our favourite media and businesses. We are starting with the charming and charmed Katy Evans, Editor of Soul & Spirit magazine.
What do you do?
I edit Soul&Spirit magazine (soulandspiritmagazine.com), which is a monthly, glossy women’s magazine about all manner of spiritual subjects, from how meditation can boost your mood, and how to use healing crystals, to cosmic ordering your perfect man, and reading about your future with our in-depth horoscopes. The job is very hands on, involving selecting images, commissioning features, planning the magazine, handling the budget, and much more!
What do you love most about the job?
I enjoy the fact that it is so diverse; I love being involved in all aspects of production, from writing my own features, to being involved with the design. It is especially rewarding when you come up with a really striking front cover, which we did this month (November issue, on sale now), which has a bright orange masthead (the first time we have used orange!). I am also deeply interested, on a personal level, in spirituality and anything that supports self-development; as such, I am in heaven with all the spiritual literature, card decks and DVDs sent in to us on a regular basis! That, and the fact I actually get to go and try out many different therapies.
How can businesses engage your readers?
Our readers seem particularly interested in angelic phenomena. We realised early on with the magazine that features on angels were very popular. As such we include something angelic in each issue. This month (November) we even have free angel cards on the cover. The readers also like to find out more about themselves, and how they can grow as people, which is why we make the features as interactive as possible; we include practical exercises, such as visualisations and meditations, to try, so it’s not just all theoretical. For me to choose to cover a subject, it has to be something I think will be useful to the reader in terms of improving their life, and be presented in a fairly mainstream way, i.e. not too much spiritual jargon.
Soul&Spirit magazine is on sale nationwide in Sainsbury, Tesco, Asda, Morrison, WHSmith, Borders, and other independent newsagents. Visit soulandspiritmagazine.com to find out what is in the November issue, on sale October 15. Also see Katy’s blog at www.whatkatylouisedid.blogspot.com
I am endlessly fascinated by how the mind works and moreover, social psychology. I suppose, it's a valid interest for someone working in PR - understanding what motivates and excites. Having had another major declutter session last night; it's evident that most of the clutter consists of books. And, the majority of these books are on the mind and also 'mindfulness'. So, as a slight step away; I'm currently reading 'Spark - The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise'. It's helping to motivate me to get to the gym on a regular basis; except the book is yellow and puts me in mind of crisps, cheese and Chablis. The book talks about the benefits of exercise - bringing a keener mind and squashing stress - a major contributor to all sorts of horrible illnesses.
As well as the gym - and now I'm *nearly* in my mid-thirties and therefore old; I have taken to rambling. Not official rambling but going on very long walks, heading in the general direction of a pub and back again. Living and working in the New Forest; I really enjoy it. The great outdoors as a gym is something not nearly saturated enough; something I learned to take advantage of at 'Fit Woman Boot Camp'. I'm lucky enough to have the Fitness Master group as a client and as a precursor to working with them, I attended a week-long residential boot camp based in the New Forest. Tough is an understatement but it was also amazing and really helped flip the way I think about exercise, which had been tainted as a schoolchild by cold cross-country runs and twisted PE teachers. I also believed that exercise was the terrain of the academically challenged; so you could be smart or sporty ... take your pick.
I'm hugely persuaded that in many cases, medicine smothers an illness and we first need to work on a healthy mind to achieve a healthy body. I'm learning more and more about herbs and nutrients in cooking and I think that the right foods; and the right attitude powers vibrancy in our thought-processes and being.
So - it's been a revelation: working impossibly long hours (and grabbing something to eat) is synonymous with the creative sector but feeding and fuelling the body in the right way is vital to the success of us right-brain types and can only benefit our clients with a stronger, more inspired team. Who knew?
LyndseyInspired
I have to be honest - as a 21-year-old PR graduate - I was pretty determined (read: cocky). Armed with ambition, assertiveness and blind naivety, I embarked on the good ship 'PR Career'. I was my own captain and I was going to change the World. With alarming alacrity then, it was that the World changed me.
It's not that unusual. To fall in to the 'way things are done', to bend and shape to egos and agendas and to learn quickly how to run campaigns which make marketers look good and bring in money to your agency - this is the stuff of gold stars and promotion.
I've had an amazing life in PR, worked with some great brands, businesses and people but I was craving unchartered territory. The scenery was all too similar. Just as I was about to abandon ship, the World got turned upside down - everybody was questioning their career choice; entrepreneurs were driving the economy and I wanted 'in'.
When I started Inspired PR, a good friend in the highest echelons of business, earnestly informed me that 'it's balls out on the table time'. But that's good, isn't it? Proving that your career of choice really matters? It's very satisfying to use PR when and where it counts. New types of influencers are changing the communications landscape, blowing old-fashioned PR methods out of the water. Public Relations is really exciting; there's a buzz in the economy and right now, we're riding the crest of a wave.
LyndseyInspired
Whether you’re the CEO of an expansive empire or a go-getting solo entrepreneur, there is nothing more important than finding your own voice. Our personal impact and authenticity is what attracts the best and most loyal teams or the right clients to our businesses. The rise of citizen communication is overwhelming and parallel to the collapse of traditional institutions, we no longer fully trust one autocratic information source. We trust each other. How many of us go to Twitter first to find out what’s happening? Which hotel reviews would you trust? Who prefers interacting rather than being sold to?
Contrary to popular belief, the basis of good public relations is communicating the truth – the days of white wash or glossing over are gone. We want authenticity, we want good news and hope and solutions around the bad news but fundamentally we just want the truth.
There’s nothing more transparent than comment or speeches or social media accounts where the protagonist isn’t using their own voice and there’s nothing more attractive than when business owners speak from the heart. Watch out bland quotes, skewed surveys, one-way communication – the truth police are coming to get you!
© Inspired PR Ltd 2009
