Mental Health

7 tips to improve mental health in PR and comms

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Mental health is finally starting to get the attention it needs in society. As our Issue Spotlight: Workplace Mental Health revealed, it’s high on the Government’s agenda and has drawn in a range of stakeholders across MPs, charity and business. 

It’s also a major issue in PR and comms, which is why PRWeek asked a question about mental health to its most influential comms professionals in the Power Book 2019. The question, ‘What key practical step can your organisation take to improve staff mental health?’ produced answers covering a range of helpful advice for anyone working, or managing, in communications today.

1. ‘Restricting out-of-working-hours emails and calls where possible’
This comes from James Herring, CEO and co-founder of Taylor Herring, but it’s a popular tip throughout the Power Book. While some answers discuss different ways to create a digital detox, limit specific hours or even offer in-house apps that encourage staff to switch off (that last one’s at Frank), ultimately they’re all saying the same thing – when you’re not at work, don’t be at work.

2. ‘Create a culture in which mental health is spoken about and dealt with in the same way as physical health’
Sarah Hall, former president of the CIPR, makes this point, which many work places are still struggling to implement. We easily accept people’s inability to come into work or perform their best when struck with physical illness but there’s a gap where mental health is not understood in the same way. By talking openly and treating it as you would any other illness, mental health becomes less stigmatised and those that need help are more able to get it.

3. ‘We offer free financial-planning clinics’
This is one of a range of perks Mark Flanagan, UK MD at Portland outlines and one which could do a great deal for the mental health of many. There are lots of links between mental ill health and financial problems – in many cases both negatively feed off each other making each situation worse. Good financial planning, which is often a service not available to most, helps people avoid this spiral.

4. ‘Put personal needs at the heart of development plans’
Ella Dorley-Brown, MD at The Academy, makes this suggestion. It’s often easy to make development plans with the business in mind and the many ways to achieve those goals, but if we develop people with their needs in mind we will have happier, more productive staff and that will ultimately help achieve the business goals.

5. ‘We are rolling out Mental Health First Aider training’
A number of those interviewed have said they have Mental Health First Aiders in their companies and agencies. Anna Bartle, vice-president, corporate affairs at The Estée Lauder Companies UK and Ireland, goes on to say that these First Aiders will ‘spot the symptoms of mental-health issues if they occur, offer initial help and guide a person towards support.’ Having other staff looking out for colleagues is a great way to make the environment at work more supportive and more understanding of mental health issues. Even if you don’t have officially designated First Aiders, training for staff to help spot those in need could make a world of difference to someone’s life.

6. ‘Create safe spaces for people to talk about their lives without fear that it might impact their prospects’
This one is from Greg Beales, director of campaigns, policy and comms at Shelter. It highlights the stigma still attached to mental health in the workplace whereby many people feel they can’t speak up, which ultimately will make things worse. If your culture allows people to talk about it without any fear of retribution, it will improve the mental health of the whole company.

7. ‘Offer flexible working hours and a choice of work location’
Said by Shakila Ahmed, comms director at Travelodge, this is another popular point raised throughout the Power Book. While some go as far as four-day work weeks or unlimited holiday, it doesn’t have to be that much of a change to make a big difference. Adapting to meet the needs of each staff member will often get the best out of them; if you have the flexibility to manage everyone individually, it will not only improve mental health but also increase productivity and performance.

…and finally, a plea
We were struck by Simon Enright, Director of comms at the NHS’s answer, which included a plea. He said: ‘We were grateful to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for donating a mental-health garden to Camden and Islington Mental Health Trust. Can anyone donate another to each NHS Mental Health Trust in the country?’

How does your company or agency improve mental health at work? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

IWD what's it like to be a woman in the industry

International Women’s Day: What’s it like to be a woman in this industry?

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For this year’s International Women’s Day, our female colleagues completed an anonymous survey about IWD and working as a woman in the industry. The first post is here. In this post, we look at what it’s like be a woman in the industry – covering the PR, public affairs and the tech sectors, just as Vuelio does.   

We’ve also been overwhelmed with positive comments for our CEO, Joanna Arnold, because as a tech SaaS company it’s highly unusual that we have a female leader – and we’re proud to be different.

What makes Vuelio different
‘Vuelio works outside the industry norm as we have Joanna as our inspiring female CEO and a number of women in senior management positions across the business. I’m proud to be part of a progressive company that values women and men equally.’

‘I particularly like that I have a female CEO in the software industry as it isn’t what people would expect!’

‘Women are capable of doing anything and everything. Our CEO is an example that women can fit in to IT industry and can drive the whole company.’

‘I very much hope that the women I work with feel that it is great to be a woman in this industry and in this company.  We are led by a female CEO; the gender split for our senior leadership team mirrors our overall gender split, and in those departments where there is a gender imbalance such as Development and Sales our managers are fully aware of this and actively looking for female candidates.’

‘Being a woman in Vuelio is fantastic as there are many women within the leadership team to inspire and learn from. Being a woman in the sales industry in general can be challenging. I have been patronised and underestimated many times in the past but again, Vuelio is different to the rest of the industry.’

‘After working for men for most of my career it is genuinely refreshing and inspiring to be working in a company with a woman as CEO and other smart women in the senior team too. As a woman, you look at them and realise that if you work hard maybe someday you can be them too.’

‘I am very proud to be employed at a female-lead company. It is incredibly motivating to know that my leader understands my perspective and provides me with opportunities to drive my career forward.’

‘I think people associate a SAAS company to be run by men, and so it means a lot to me that the CEO of this company is a woman. Having a woman CEO is inspiring, and very important to me, and is one of the main reasons I work at Vuelio.’

The industry is positive and supportive
‘Being a female in the industry means acknowledging the hard working and successful women that do an amazing job. It’s a powerful time to be a woman and inspiring to be surrounded by supportive, strong women!’

‘Being a woman in this industry has overall been a very positive experience and I feel I’m held at equal balance to my male colleagues. I feel respected and am glad to be in this industry.’

‘I think it’s important that we celebrate success from both men and women in the industry, there’s some really inspiring people that have worked very hard to get where they are regardless of their sex! We are lucky to have an inspiring CEO who is a constant reminder that being a woman should not get in the way of being successful!’

The differences in PR and Public Affairs
‘Public affairs seems quite pale, male and stale. That’s not the case here – this is a very supportive environment and being a woman doesn’t feel like a hindrance at all.’

‘In my opinion, it’s pretty saturated by women – however sometimes at the top it can feel a bit like an old boys’ club. It’s inspiring to see women reaching new heights, taking positions in C-Suite and board level positions. I think it’s important for women to empower each other, but actually to inspire both men and women if we want true equality.’

‘PR and Public affairs are quire difference in their gender balance, Public Affairs is still male dominated, particularly in leadership roles. There is still a long way to go, however organisations like Women In Public Affairs are breaking down barriers and connecting successful female leaders with those seeking mentorship and insight. This is exactly the kind of programmes that the industry needs!’

‘It still depends on what room you end up in on any given day – in some, people with deeper voices are automatically given more credence and respect, or you’re expected to clean up after people, or be okay with being spoken over in meetings. There are still portions of the industry that haven’t moved on from the sexist 90s PR/media culture. But we’re doing GREAT compared to lots of other industries, and I’m grateful for that.’

‘Being a woman in media is not as bad as it is in other industries, because there are lots of women in PR. There’s a solidarity there, and I feel pride and hope seeing more women in senior positions than in industries like finance, for example. However, as a woman of colour in the industry, you can still feel as if you are at the bottom of the barrel. I am a freelance journalist too, and find I have struggled to have my voice heard more than others. As a woman of colour in the industry, you have to fight twice as hard to be heard. We need solidarity and understanding of this fact from other women.’

‘We have some really influential women in this industry and I think compared to others, it’s easier to be successful in the media/PR space. I think it’s harder to be taken seriously as a woman in Public Affairs, and this is still hugely male dominated.’

‘I’ve found it to be positive and sit within an evenly split team of both men and women. Attending industry events does show that the more junior roles are often women with men taking the top spots, hopefully this will change thanks to organisations like Women in PR and Women in Public Affairs. Plus, I’ve been lucky enough in my career to work with a female PR powerhouse: Mary Whenman!’

‘The PR industry is dominated by women whereas in the tech industry, only 30% of workers are female. I think it’s important for young girls to have role models working in industries that aren’t traditionally female, breaking traditional barriers and showing that there are no gender specific jobs. Most importantly, it’s about being who YOU want to be. Within our industry, there are a lot of inspirational women who are trying to drive change, so it’s time we try to tackle issues such as the gender pay gap!’

The challenges of being a woman in the industry
‘I have at times in the past had to work a lot harder to prove myself and get my points across than perhaps some of my male counterparts did simply because they were louder or more confident – although I don’t think that was ever a conscious bias my employers had; for the most part I don’t think they realised they were doing it.’

‘Laddy banter can often dominate conversations where women are in the minority, and it’s difficult to know how best to position yourself to fit in.  I’ve generally had the best experience when teams are made up of a diverse range of people.’

‘Like in any industry, juggling motherhood with your career can be challenging even if your employer is willing to offer flexible working hours. It’s still relatively uncommon for parents to share parental leave in the UK and, with high childcare costs, many women find themselves taking a break from their career or cutting work hours until their children reach school age. I have been lucky to continue working since having my child but unfortunately not everyone has this option. Taking a few years off can seriously affect your chances of finding a new job and your future pension pot will also stay frozen until you are able to start contributing again. The same goes for women applying for jobs around their childbearing age – gender bias, conscious and unconscious does exist in the workplace, which puts a lot of pressure on women wanting to reach their career goals while planning to start a family.’

‘I think sales is a tough role for everyone, female and male. I do think that some preconceptions still exist around ‘salesmen’ being the ideal in this industry. However, I think clients are looking for a credible and friendly advisor, regardless of gender or any other demographic for that matter. It’s also super inspiring to have such an accomplished, driven and overall FUN female CEO!’

‘Last year, my former employer held an event for International Women’s Day. Women who had been successful in their careers spoke to an audience mainly made up of other women. It’s all very well talking about success; however, I think it’s important to recognise that, often, women have a great deal more to think about than their male peers on a day to day basis. Whether that’s the pressure of looking a certain way (i.e. the time and money it takes to look merely ‘acceptable’ to a corporate crowd), to the potential discomfort of walking home from work alone in the dark, to carefully positioning how you come across so you appear to be ‘strong’, but not a ‘bossy bitch’, etc. These are the things that I’m REALLY interested in hearing about – I feel it’s important that these annoyances are shared so women don’t feel isolated in the work place. The fragility of a few men’s egos have caused me considerable stress over the years – in and out of work. It’s an exhausting task to balance everything. A truly open dialogue about gender is vital in order to facilitate EVERYONE in feeling empowered enough to be their true selves, and not be inhibited by their gender, whether they be male or female.’

IWD what does it mean to you

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

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For this year’s International Women’s Day, our female colleagues completed an anonymous survey about IWD and working as a woman in this industry. In this first post, they talk about International Women’s Day and what it means to them.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
‘It is about striving for balance and acknowledging that women have a significant part to place in the workplace and should be equally valued and compensated.’

‘A special day to remind women that we are wonderful but also that we still have some way to go in the fight for equality. And that’s ok, we are in this together.’

‘Solidarity and recognising how far women have come and achieved. Empowering each other and creating awareness on equality worldwide is important!’

‘To celebrate how far women have come in terms of being valued and represented in society, since the days when we were considered inferior to men. Luckily, in most of the western world, we have now gained a seat at the table and it’s a chance to celebrate the success of those who helped us get there, but also a reminder that there is still some way to go in some countries, for example less access to education, health and safety risks and political representation.’

‘Gender equality is still an issue in many contexts, it is not a ‘given’ that men and women are treated or perceived in equal terms. IWD provides an opportunity to have positive discussions regarding the importance of gender balance and to celebrate wonderful female role models who are leading the charge.’

‘Like many men and women, my views on the need to secure women’s rights and shape an equitable society have been influenced in recent years by raising a daughter.  A daughter who (despite often wearing gender-neutral clothes and playing with ‘boy’ toys and having a proudly feminist working mother and a father who is more useful in the home than her mother), said at the age of six when asked if she would like to be a doctor, ‘I can’t be a doctor, only boys can be doctors.’ A daughter who had to be persuaded to remain in the top maths set at school because she was the only girl from her form in that set.  A daughter who has repeatedly heard other mothers saying to their daughters, ‘Don’t worry, darling, I wasn’t any good at maths/science/technology either’ as though those things were in some way not cool or aspirational.  A daughter who has said she can’t call herself a feminist because she associates that term with being unfeminine or anti-men.  A daughter who sets high standards for herself and the women in her life, but who is comparatively tolerant of the foibles and failings of the men she knows (in a ‘Oh, shame they can’t help it’ sort of way).  We kid ourselves if we think we don’t have to be alert to gender bias in our society and International Women’s Day is a great time to stop and think about that.’

‘This is a day where I can reflect how proud I am to be a woman and recognize the progress I’ve made in my career and personal life.’

‘For me, its super important. I have a couple of really inspiring women close to me, in my work and personal life and I think it’s great to take a moment to appreciate and reflect on their success/journey.’

Am I a female role model

Am I a female role model? International Women’s Day with Joanna Arnold

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I am delighted to be writing this on International Women’s Day. For me, IWD is a fantastic movement that recognises and promotes the achievements of women and finds ways to support and encourage more to fulfil their potential. It’s not a single event confined to 24 hours – each year feels like another step in the right direction with more progress for women’s rights and gender equality.

Joanna Arnold IWD 2019But it’s patently clear that there’s still some way to go. We know, from the PRCA Census, there’s a 21% gender pay gap in PR and comms, which is higher than the UK average (which is obviously too high itself). The Census also revealed a 7% increase in female MDs since 2016, but men still dominate at the top and true equality is therefore still lacking.

At Vuelio, our story is a little different – we have an even gender split across senior management and a female CEO, which is rare for a tech company.

I was recently asked whether I feel a responsibility to be a strong female role model as the CEO of Vuelio. The answer is complicated because I feel a responsibility to be a role model for all my staff, no matter what gender, and try to champion excellence in Vuelians* in all its forms.

As a business we’re aware that not all departments are as diverse as they could be, and where we have an uneven split – in Development for example – we’re actively seeking to bring more female Vuelians into the fold. This isn’t just a gender policy but part of a wider belief that a diverse workplace makes better products, services clients more effectively and solves problems more efficiently.

So, I tend not to focus on my role in the company as a woman, but as someone who has worked hard and is now in a position to support and mentor others in this business. I actively seek to increase diversity and mentor brilliant people, so they can progress their careers at Vuelio. The fact I can strive for this and also be a female role model to other women in this industry is truly humbling and a responsibility I take seriously.

That’s why for this International Women’s Day we’ll be highlighting the views of female Vuelians from our company survey and we’re also delighted to have a guest post from Heather Baker, CEO at TopLine Comms, with advice for young female PR professionals.

But we’re not confining these brilliant voices to a single day, instead we’ll continue to featuring regular commentary and guest posts from excellent women in the industry. We have a few lined up already but there’s always room for more.

So, if you’re a brilliant woman, we’d like to hear from you. Get in touch and let’s start a conversation.

Happy International Women’s Day.

 

*Vuelians work for Vuelio, because we’re cool like that.

Heather Baker feature

International Women’s Day: Advice for young female PR professionals

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This is a guest post from Heather Baker, Founder and CEO at TopLine Comms.

Reassessing the gender pay gap on International Women’s Day

Today marks the 108th International Women’s Day. It serves as a collective call for gender parity and this year’s theme #BalanceForBetter is, in my opinion, one of the best yet. It recognises the fact that balance isn’t just an issue that affects women, but a business issue: and it’s a really important distinction to make.

Even though PR has historically (and somewhat stereotypically) been perceived as a female-led industry, there is still a marked gender pay gap. According to the PRCA’s 2018 PR and Communications Census, the current pay gap between male and female PR professionals stands at 21%. When you compare this to the 2018 ONS stats, which put the gender pay gap at 8.6% for full-time workers (the closest it’s been for 21 years), you realise how far behind the PR industry really is.

Initiatives like International Women’s Day are important because they help create change and raise awareness. On the topic of gender parity, you can already see positive changes in education, with more children being taught how to code at primary school in the UK. By comparison, I went to an all-girls school and had to learn knitting and cooking alongside maths and physics. I ended up studying psychology at university; I would have preferred engineering but it just didn’t occur to me at the time.

Fortunately, my mum was a career woman and my dad always treated me like an equal, which helped me develop some valuable self-belief. After graduating, I went into PR. I’m proud to say that my company, TopLine Comms, is an equal opportunities employer and that our STEM specialist team comprises an equal gender split.

Having built TopLine from scratch, here are some of the things I’ve learned along the way that might help anyone starting out in public relations, or any other career for that matter.

Help others
Watch enough romantic comedies and you’ll end up believing that female colleagues need to be archenemies, but that shouldn’t be the case. Women must help other women succeed. The first step is to help others and hold yourself accountable for speaking up about positive gender parity and equality in your workplace.

Mentorship is extremely important to empower younger generations to fill the shoes of their seniors. Look out for mentorship programmes, or simply ask a more senior female colleague to mentor you and show you the ropes

Run your own race
Social comparison theory is the belief that humans are driven to self-evaluate by comparison to others. It’s easy to believe that your peers are better than you – maybe you think that they have better senior relationships, get to work on more exciting opportunities or get better results. But comparison is the thief of joy. It’s a dangerous practice and one that stops you from running your own race and focusing on you. Be yourself, know your strengths, use them wisely and the rest will follow.

Set boundaries
If you haven’t read Michelle Obama’s book ‘Becoming’, I strongly recommend that you do. In the book, she talks about the idea and importance of balance – precisely the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day. Juggling a career, family and friends, and still having time for yourself is no easy feat, so it’s vital that you set boundaries and stick to them.

Try to identify what you feel comfortable sacrificing and what you don’t, and then make sure that don’t compromise on it. It’s different for everyone so, as mentioned above, don’t compare your choices to others. You’ll find lots of articles with top tips from successful people, from not reading emails first thing in the morning to creating lists and getting enough me time. Ultimately, it just comes down to what you need to do to be your most productive self. Find what helps you to balance your time and don’t be embarrassed to incorporate it into your schedule.

Awareness days give us an excuse to reflect on important issues that affect our lives. Let’s use this year’s International Women’s Day and theme of #BalanceforBetter to tackle the gender pay gap and talk more openly about how women can succeed in the workplace.

PR Tips for Monzo success

4 PR tips for Monzo success

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This is a guest post from Katy Bloomfield, Comms Director at TopLine Comms.

Monzo is arguably the UK’s biggest fintech success story to date. Just look around any London underground station and you’ll see hordes of commuters tapping in and out with their bright coral cards. Millennials are mad about Monzo; they make up its biggest market and help to drive its popularity, which continues to spread like wildfire.

In 2018, Monzo welcomed its millionth customer and secured new finance through customer crowdfunding, boosting its value to more than $1bn (£787m). Not bad for a digital bank that first launched in 2016. From its semi-humble beginnings, Monzo has grown into an industry leader. Plenty of start-ups want to emulate its success, and many PR agencies would love to work with them.

There is no doubt that Monzo’s spectacular trajectory is a great story, but it’s important to remember that a number of factors contributed to its rise. Here are four lessons PR firms and professionals can learn from Monzo.

1. Pay attention to timing
When it comes to PR, there is little better than being in the right place at the right time. To maximise this sweet spot, you need to understand your market fully – that includes your target audience as well as your competitors. Pay attention to trends, behaviours and events – this will help you identify the perfect moment to announce yourself.

Monzo, of course, could not have timed its arrival better. The 2008 recession did some serious damage to banks’ reputations, and consumer confidence hit rock bottom. The financial services industry worked hard to rebuild its reputation, but an increasingly tech-savvy customer base wasn’t satisfied with more of the same.

Digital disruptions were upending all sorts of status quos, from hailing a taxi (Uber) to booking accommodation (Airbnb) – and banking was no exception. In 2016, the foundations for a fintech revolution were already in place: 47% of the world, for example, used mobile banking. Monzo was not the first fintech to launch, but it launched during a perfect storm of opportunities and, crucially, launched with a better product than its competitors.

PR lesson: Keep a close eye on the market, and make sure your communication is well-timed.

 

2. Play the long game
Good timing requires patience, agility and a stockpile of content to release at the right time. It doesn’t pay to publish everything all at once, you’ll simply overwhelm your audience and drown them in messaging. Monzo used incremental communication tactics like focus groups, online surveys and social media teasers, and only then did it launch its first campaign.

Monzo also knows how to whet appetites and seed interest. The company cleverly staggers news, product updates and announcements: and the strategy works well. Founder and CEO Tom Blomfield recently penned a blog post on the company’s planned updates for 2019, introducing an exciting next stage of features that could add some serious value to Monzo’s core offering. The response has been positive, loyal and anticipatory – you can almost ‘hear’ the bated breath.

PR lesson: Keep your powder dry.

 

3. Know your audience
Monzo knows its target audience inside out. The company is enmeshed in millennial culture; using collaboration to create a democratic business. The Monzo Community Forum is one such example, encouraging customers to become advocates and evangelists known as ‘Monzonauts’. This community is treated to special events and their insights and ideas are fed back into product development for testing in Monzo Labs.

The Monzonauts are such an integral part of the bank that when the company’s original name, Mondo, faced a trademark challenge from another business, they came up with ‘Monzo’. By allowing Monzonauts to guide the company’s development and get involved, Monzo created a product that people want and will recommend. It worked; early referrals accounted for 80% of the company’s early-stage business.

PR lesson: Focus on the customer. They are your biggest asset.

 

4. Get out there and network
Blomfield has a rather rarefied circle of friends which assisted the company’s ascent. That said, he had to get out there, meet them and convince them of his idea’s viability – which he did. Blomfield cofounded GoCardless, a business aimed at streamlining direct debit collections, with two friends while studying at Oxford. They pitched the start-up to Y Combinator, an innovation incubator in Silicon Valley and in the process, met – among others – Mark Zuckerberg.

In 2014, Blomfield became Chief Technology Officer at Starling Bank. This was one of the UK’s first fintechs to launch after the financial crisis. During this time he met and worked with many top industry people, some of whom now work for Monzo or helped cofound it.

PR lesson: Building a business relies on making good relationships with key people. Make sure your communication efforts are targeted at the brand’s network of contacts – as well as its customers.  

 

Whether you’re a PR agency, or looking for one, keeping these four tips front and centre at all times will give your marketing efforts more oomph in the highly competitive world of fintech.

sharron and anita pr blind date

PR and Journalist ‘Blind Date’: When Relevance International met The Travel Magazine

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Our third ‘couple’ in the first of our ‘blind date’ series were Anita Gryson, associate director at Relevance International and Sharron Livingston, editor at The Travel Magazine. Here’s what happened when they met for their PR and journalist ‘blind date’. 

How was your lunch?
Sharron: It was interesting and fun. Anita was a fabulous lunch date.

Anita: Lunch was enjoyable and informative. It was a great opportunity to catch up with Sharron who I hadn’t seen since before I started working at Relevance International, just over a year ago. The team at Vuelio did a fantastic job at ‘matching’ us seeing as Sharron and I have both been working in the travel and lifestyle sector for over ten years. We met each other at the start of my career when I had just moved to London. We travelled together to a luxury resort I was launching in the Seychelles, and have made sure to arrange regular catch ups since then.

Sharron is passionate about travel and is regularly interviewed on TV, radio and in the press about travel trends and destinations. She updated me on the latest news from The Travel Magazine, a travel portal with highly informative, upbeat and inspirational articles for people who love to travel. We discussed potential stories for some of my clients including The Royal Atlantis Resort and Residences opening in Q2 2020 and The World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ 50 Best Explores travel series.

Did you learn anything new about their role? If so, what?
Sharron: I wasn’t aware of her new role. So, it was great to chat about what she does and who and her clients are.

Anita: It was interesting to hear about the way in which The Travel Magazine works with brands. She explained that the magazine has existed purely as an online publication since 2009 and is focused on brand journalism and cross-platform storytelling. As storytellers, they work with clients to include their brand and product offering as native advertising through highly informative, upbeat and inspirational articles. They also use their substantial social media following to not only promote a brand but also engage their readers with it.

In the past 10 years, The Travel Magazine has worked with hundreds of clients, including airlines, accommodation providers, CVBs, DMOs, visitor attractions, travel accessories, tour operators, OTAs, cruise companies, and many more.

Were you surprised by anything they told you about their job?
Sharron: No

Anita: Sharron and I established that there is definitely a misconception that our jobs are all about travelling, sipping champagne and parties. Ironically, we were discussing this over lunch while sipping a glass of wine.

Naturally, everyone sees the glamour of a career which involves travelling around the world. Due to the valuable time spent away from the office, travel time, layovers and time differences, the role can also involve fact checking at midnight having just landed at Heathrow, or writing a press trip report or article in transit to ensure deadlines are met. To be successful as a travel journalist or PR, it is a must to be passionate about travel and determined to get the job done. Sharron always delivers.

If you could share one top tip from lunch what would it be?
Sharron: Ask lots of questions and listen intently.

Anita: I would advise brands who want to engage with influencers to look further than those who are associated with Instagram. Online platforms can be valuable and have proven to make a difference to a brand’s bottom line.

Do you think this lunch will change how you interact with PRs/journalists in the future?
Sharron: Not really.

Anita: Driving results for clients and forging strong relationships with journalists will always remain at the forefront of my mind. Ultimately, our aim is to get that story published. Taking time to get to know someone’s likes and dislikes helps us build strong working relationships. Being professional, passionate and connected continue to be key work values I live by.

Did you disagree on anything? If so, what?
Sharron: No. It was a conversation and an exchange of ideas and we explained how we work and what we are looking to achieve.

Anita: The conversation cards we were given allowed for an interesting conversation about journalists and PRs, best and worst experiences, what we look for, respectively, when working with journalists and PRs, and common misconceptions. We were very much on the same page.

If you could change one thing about PRs/journalists what would it be and why?
Sharron: Only that I would like to receive only relevant stuff, but with round-robins that is not likely.

Anita: I’d love to swap jobs for a day so that PRs can appreciate the hard work that journalists do as well as what we do for them.

Finally, do you think you’ll stay in touch?
Sharron: Yes. I am sure there are ways to work together.

Anita: Absolutely. It was great to hear how The Travel Magazine has evolved since its launch. I hope to still be working with Sharron in ten years’ time, and again ten years after that, with regular catch ups and lunches. A big thanks to Vuelio for arranging this one!

 

Sharron and Anita’s ‘blind date’ took place at the Paternoster Chop House aka the First Dates restaurant! If you’re a PR or a journalist and you’d like to be set up on one of Vuelio’s professional ‘blind dates’, please email Rebecca Potts.

Emergency Brexit

Emergency Brexit: Predictions for the Comms Industry

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The UK is set to leave the EU on 29 March – that’s only 25 days away. Our next webinar will explore what these final weeks have in store for the comms industry and what’s coming next.

Emergency Brexit takes place at 11am on Tuesday 5 March. You can sign up to join us live, or receive the recording afterwards.

The webinar will hear from leading industry experts including Iain Anderson, executive chairman at full-service communications and market research agency Cicero Group, Matthew Elliott, who was chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign, and our host Lionel Zetter.

Matthew, who is now senior political adviser to Shore Capital, has been described by the Financial Times as ‘one of the most formidable political strategists in Westminster’, by the New Statesman as ‘one of the most successful – and feared – campaigners in British politics’, and by the BBC as ‘one of the most effective lobbyists at Westminster’.

He previously led the successful NOtoAV campaign in the 2011 referendum on changing Britain’s voting system, and he also founded the TaxPayers’ Alliance and Business for Britain.

Iain is an expert in integrated communications, global political risk and public policy. He has over 25 years’ experience in communications, initially as a business journalist and then as a founding shareholder at Incisive Media. He has also worked for a range of politicians, including Kenneth Clarke MP on his leadership bids.

He is co-founder and executive chairman at Cicero Group and focuses on public policy and corporate communications strategy supporting many global FTSE and Fortune 500 blue chip organisations. He provides CEO and Board-level counsel.

Lionel is known across the industry and has written, spoken and taught widely on politics and public affairs. The former CIPR President is an expert in lobbying and will play host to our other esteemed guests.

The webinar will cover the comms aspects of the original Brexit referendum, the effect the result has had on communications and business over the last three years, how to prepare for Brexit and what the likely scenarios are over the next four weeks and beyond.

Everyone who signs up will have a chance to question our guests but if you’re unable to join us live you’ll receive a recording of the whole webinar afterwards.

Sign up here, and prepare for Brexit.

Amanda Coleman

PR Blogger Spotlight: Amanda Coleman

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Amanda Coleman is head of corporate communication at Greater Manchester Police and uses her blog to share opinions and expertise on issues across the industry. Amanda’s blog is featured in the Top 10 UK PR Blogs, and we caught up with her to talk about how Brexit and other issues are affecting comms, and why it’s important to love what you do!

What’s in store for the blog in 2019?
I never really make firm plans for the blog I just see what happens and then work from that point. It was set up so I could share some thoughts, views and ideas as long as I can still do that then I will be happy.  

How has PR changed since you first got into the industry?
It has changed almost beyond recognition. There was no social media when I moved into PR and we had one computer that could access the internet for the whole office. At the heart of it though the skills are still similar, it is about people and understanding them as it was when I started. 

How much is Brexit affecting comms in the UK?
I think the uncertainty is what is affecting people the most.  

What’s the biggest issue facing the industry (outside of Brexit)?
The issues remain broadly as they have in recent years. The lack of diversity is a critical issue as is the gender pay gap that still exists. The challenge is also to demonstrate real business benefits and to have the right data and analytics to support what we do.  

Are traditional media outlets losing their importance to the industry?
From my perspective no. Their role is changing but the move for media to rush to break the news digitally means they are moving to be more relevant to modern audiences. The way our society is organised means they are still influential among stakeholders. 

What’s the best campaign of 2019 so far?
I think it has to be the Greggs vegan sausage roll mainly for the interaction that the brand had with Piers Morgan. As a vegan, though, I  am yet to taste one. 

What advice would you give students looking to join the PR industry?
Find the right brand or organisation for your values and interests. You spend a lot of time at work and if you can’t love what you do then you can’t give your best.          

What are your best pitch tips for PRs?
Understand the business and know the data. 

Do you receive pitches from other PRs looking to work with you in your capacity as a blogger?
Very rarely but that is probably because I work in the public sector and people realise I need to be careful about any conflicts of interest.  

What other blogs do you read?
I love finding new blogs or first blogs from people. I am always drawn to communication and PR blogs. I love all those who are on the Top 10 including Sarah Hall, Ella Minty and Stephen Waddington. 

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MK and Wadds

Comms School aims to create top bloggers of the future  

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Top PR bloggers and Metia colleagues, Stephen Waddington and Marcel Klebba, have joined forces to help students get ahead in their careers through blogging and creating communities. We spoke to them to find out what Comms School is and how it’s going to help progression in the industry. 

What is Comms School?
It’s a community for anyone that’s keen to learn practical communication skills to get ahead in their job. During the initial 12-week course we’ll cover the basic skills you need to land a job and get ahead. We’re running webinars every other week.

Who are you?
Stephen recently landed at Metia, the digital marketing agency, as managing director. Marcel is a new colleague who captured industry attention in 2016 thanks to his relentless approach to blogging and networking while at Westminster University. We’ve both been named top ten industry bloggers by Vuelio for the past few years and Marcel was crowned the UK’s top PR blogger in 2017 [pictured, above, with Stephen celebrating his win].

Why have you set up Comms School?
There’s a gap between what students are taught at college or university and the practical skills needed to get ahead at work. Mentoring, work placements, Twitters chats and initiatives such as Richard Bailey’s #PRstudent blogging community all help. We want to help people that are looking to get ahead in their career as well as create a talent pipeline for Metia.

What will success look like?
We want to help students land jobs by blogging and building networks. It would be great to see our students feature in the Vuelio blog ranking in the future and maybe there will even be an award-winning blogger among our graduates.

What topics will you cover?
The six sessions and online discussions will cover blogging; building a social profile; developing an online community; content creation; and finding a job and getting ahead.

How do I join a session?
We’ve built a virtual classroom on Facebook. Follow the link or search for Comms School. Please come and join the growing community of more than 300 people. Sessions start on 5 March.

School’s in – good luck to everyone taking part in Comms School, we look forward to seeing you in our rankings soon! 

DEFRA

Government comms focuses on influencer outreach

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Michael Gove’s announcement that he has appointed 10 ‘green ambassadors’ is the latest sign that the political and influencer worlds are colliding.

Under Gove, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has embarked on an ambitious programme of work. Some of this is forced – leaving the EU requires major changes to agricultural, fisheries and environmental policies – but much of it seems to stem from Gove’s own desire to make a mark.

Indeed, improving our environment seems to have become something of a personal mission for Gove, who tweeted that footage of the impact of plastic pollution on our oceans in David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II had left him ‘haunted’. Measures he has announced include a ban on plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds and a deposit return scheme for drinks containers.

When Theresa May launched the 25-Year Environment Plan in January 2018, one of its measures was a commitment to make 2019 the ‘Year of Green Action’, alongside a commitment to scope out ‘an evidence-based behaviour change strategy’. Indeed, one of the most important parts of delivering the environmental change our planet requires is to deliver behavioural change by getting us to appreciate our impact on the environment.

With this in mind, it is hardly surprising that Gove has chosen to work with influencers in order to communicate his department’s environmental message. By moving beyond ‘traditional’ ambassadors – you might expect such a list to contain charity leaders, academics or high-profile businesspeople – Gove will know that his message is reaching a larger, more diverse audience that more conventional figures simply wouldn’t reach.

Indeed, the list of ten ambassadors is wide-ranging. It contains Besma Whayeb, whose blog Curiously Curious was ranked as one the top ten UK green blogs by Vuelio, and Sian Conway, the Green & Eco Influencer of the Year 2018. Alongside these, the list also includes an endurance swimmer, television presenters and an adventurer who sailed across the Pacific in a boat made of 12,500 plastic bottles. And while there is an academic – Professor Tim Jackson – even he has nearly 11,000 Twitter followers.

Gove’s expressed hope is that his strategy will, ‘ensure that this country is recognised as the leading global champion of a greener, healthier, more sustainable future for the next generation’.

The ambassadors were introduced at a reception which also featured the #iwill4nature campaign, encouraging young people to take part in green social action. Among the newly-announced influencers was the student Izzy McLeod, who blogs as The Quirky Queer. It seems clear that by working with younger influencers to spread messages about environmental responsibility to their peers, Defra hopes reaching the next generation and implementing its environmental goals will be much easier.

Scott Guthrie

PR Blogger Spotlight: Scott Guthrie

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Scott Guthrie’s blog focuses on informing PRs on everything to do with influencer marketing, alongside content around wider comms topics. Scott Guthrie is one of our Top 10 UK PR Blogs and we caught up with him to talk about influencer marketing issues in 2019, top tips for pitching and why The Body Shop is winning at influencer marketing so far this year. 

What’s in store for the blog in 2019?
More of the same. I wrote 47 articles on influencer marketing for my blog in 2018 plus a dozen or so covering public relations in general. Increasingly my aim is to peer over the brow of the hill at the issues influencer marketing is likely to face in the near and midterm.

Last year I foresaw three major issues for the nascent industry: influencer fraud; lack of transparency in disclosing advertisements; and a media backlash. These issues will rumble on throughout 2019 but we will also look beyond compliance to consider the ethics surrounding influencer marketing. For example, we will consider why it’s not okay to promote gambling sites to young, impressionable audiences, and why ‘merch’ shouldn’t be so oversold. The industry will also start to ask questions about kidfluencers, image manipulation and virtual influencers. I’ll be writing about these issues and how the industry approaches them via regulation and trade body codes of conduct.

How has PR changed since you first got into the industry?
I can still (vaguely) recall foot messengers delivering financial results and press releases by hand to the City editors. While in newsrooms rip and read printers spewed out headlines from the Press Association. Press releases were usually faxed to newsrooms. The importance of a good story told well from a trusted source hasn’t changed. The technology surrounding news acquisition and distribution has. Technology has splintered the entire media landscape.

How much is Brexit affecting comms in the UK?
Brexit is affecting comms in two ways: by seemingly keeping all other news from front page for almost two years; and, by heightening a sense of anxiety. My clients are typically small businesses. Small business accounts for over 99% of all private sector businesses in the UK. Yet, just 6% of small and medium-sized businesses feel the Government is listening to their concerns about Brexit. That is causing them anxiety and preventing them from making any significant business decisions.

What’s the biggest issue facing the industry (outside of Brexit)?
Influencer marketing offers an amazing opportunity to the public relations industry. The discipline can transcend ‘selling stuff’ to embolden positive reputation, communicate an organisation’s purpose, assist in a crisis situation, or scale subject matter expertise heightening employee advocacy in the process. The biggest issue is the risk that these opportunities are passed up by the PR industry. The risk that these opportunities are squandered; handed over to the other creative industries only for us to look back in future years and realise our mistake. The same mistakes of missed opportunity that we saw with failing to shape the future of social media, SEO or content marketing.

Are traditional media outlets losing their importance to the industry?
There is no secret that the media has fragmented from print, to online and social media. In turn influencers have emerged on every media, in every market. This does not mean that traditional media outlets are no longer important. It does mean that, as effective communicators, we need to know which mastheads, broadcasters and individuals are influencing the important people we are seeking to influence on behalf of our clients. Our opportunity is to work with these organisations and influencers and to engage with their networks in the way we have traditionally done solely with journalists.

What’s the best campaign of 2019 so far?
The Body Shop works with influencers in two very separate ways: to sell product; and to affect positive social change. For its Forever Against Testing campaign, the cosmetic company sought to gather eight million signatures in the form of a petition to take to the United Nations. The campaign over achieved its objective in under the time allocated: 8.3m signatures in 3/4 time. The campaign demonstrated a fundamental element of influencer marketing – that influencers can help affect change in behaviour and opinion. And that the change needn’t be confined to a purchase decision. The campaign also highlighted the importance of an integrated communications programme.

What advice would you give students looking to join the PR industry?
Read widely and read deeply. Acquire a firm understanding about how the PR industry is put together and look to specialise in a particular area. Follow relevant hashtags on LinkedIn and Twitter. Start to form your own opinion then codify and collate those opinions into your own blog. Writing about a subject is a wonderful way to better understand that subject. It is great way to showcase your mastery of the subject and mark yourself out from other graduates looking to enter the industry.

What’s your best pitch tip for PRs?
Never pitch blind. Know who you’re pitching to. Know what they’ve written or broadcast recently. Know their point of view. Understand their audience. Attempt to establish a degree of relationship before you need to pitch. That might mean following the journalist on social media, sharing their articles and commenting on them. My best pitch advice is to be useful to the journalist.

What other blogs do you read?
I am a major fan of Richard Bailey’s work at PR Place. He edits the site and his Friday morning round-up posts are a must-read for PR practitioners regardless of whether they are just starting out or well-established in their careers. I also enjoy talkinginfluence.com, stedavies.com, influenceonline.co.uk,orlaghclaire.com, and the Vuelio Blog natch!

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Magazine rack

ABC releases magazine circulation figures for the second half of 2018

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According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), many magazines saw a decline in circulation for the second half of last year.

For women’s magazines, Red and Bella grew the most, by 7% and 6% respectively but for a large number of magazines it was a different story. The biggest year-on-year falls were experienced by Now magazine (43% decline) and Cosmopolitan (23% decline).

Mark Winterton, managing director for women’s weeklies and TV at TI Media, told Press Gazette: ‘We are starting to see the benefit of our bold decision to go against the grain and remove our women’s weeklies titles from bigger packs.

‘While the overall ABC results reflect the initial impact of stripping out the bigger packs from our promotional activity, which inflates sales figures, these single copy sales are indicative of the rewards of doing so. Our investment in audience research and editorial redevelopment will continue across all titles in the portfolio.’

Rob Munro-Hall, group managing director at Bauer Magazine Media UK, owner of second highest circulation magazine Bella, said: ‘Our focus on curating the highest quality content continues to drive engagement on all platforms – with print remaining proudly at the heart of what we do.’

For men’s interest magazines, Stuff’s circulation fell 27% year-on-year between July and December 2018. The now-closed free magazine Shortlist recorded the highest circulation, shifting an average 500,000 copies per issue.

For news magazines, The Week’s circulation fell by over 25%, while its sister title The Week Junior grew by as much.

Marina Haydn, managing director of circulation at The Economist, said it has worked with ABC to change how its circulation figures are reported, consolidating its print offerings and separating it from its digital publication figures. Haydn said this reflected The Economist’s “product neutrality” as customers can choose between print and digital’.

This new format shows The Economist with a print circulation drop of 38%, as print figures are being compared to combined print and digital figures from last year.

According to the Economist, like-for-like figures would put its print circulation down by 10% year-on-year and its digital circulation up by 83% year-on-year.

All the ABCs are updated in the Vuelio Media Database, helping you to make informed decisions about which outlets work for you. 

Get Ahead with forward planning

How good is your forward planning?

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Forward planning lets you make the most of your time – but how well are you planning ahead? 

Whether you want to fill your calendar with the best events and awards, understand the benefits of setting time aside for training, or make the most of forward features, our latest white paper gives you practical advice to improve your planning in 2019.

Get Ahead with Forward Planning teaches:

  • How to create award-winning campaigns in 2019, with tips from the top
  • Why everyone in PR should have regular training
  • How to use forward features to secure earned media coverage

The white paper presents actionable steps for making the most of your plan this year and can be used a resource for everything from the training sessions you should attend to the award ceremonies you should enter.

Download Get Ahead with Forward Planning – PR awards, training & forward features.

Ella Minty, Power and Influence

PR Blogger Spotlight: Ella Minty, Power & Influence

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Ella Minty created the Power & Influence blog and is responsible for the popular #powerandinfluence Twitter chats. The Power & Influence blog is featured in our Top UK PR Blogs and we spoke to Ella about the importance of credibility, learning about human psychology, and ditching PR speak. 

What’s in store for the blog in 2019?
In 2019, following a trend I started in 2018, I’m going to be speaking primarily about ‘PR and business’. If we are a strategic management function, we need to be able to articulate how and why we are impacting organisations, their bottom line and their mid to long-term objectives.  

How has PR changed since you first got into the industry?
I think we are coming out of the shadows now, both literally and figuratively. That aura of mysticism our industry was surrounded by, as well as that general perception that we are mostly spinners, are starting to disappear and be slowly replaced by accountability, responsibility, purpose and social impact.  

How much is Brexit affecting comms in the UK?
Brexit as an outcome won’t have much bearing, in my view, on the comms output of UK agencies and consultants, on the contrary. Brexit as a process, however, has been largely pursued based on image and perception, not on facts and hard figures.  

What’s the biggest issue facing the industry (outside of Brexit)?
That has to be credibility – tactical outputs are important, for sure; however, being able to fit all those tactics, tools and techniques into credible and sustainable business propositions is a different matter altogether.  

Are traditional media outlets losing their importance to the industry?
It depends on which side of the value chain one is. For a local/regional business, the local media bears much more importance than the national. For a listed business, Reuters and Financial Times are their shareholders’ ‘Bible’. For a multinational business, national broadcasters are as important as national ‘influencers’. There is no ‘one size fits all’.   

What’s the best campaign of 2019 so far?
It has to be Gregg’s Vegan Sausage Roll. 

What advice would you give students looking to join the PR industry?
Understand the importance of research and analysis in everything you do, read as much as you can on human psychology and get a business qualification, too.  

What’s your best pitch tips for PRs?
Leave our language at the door of the boardroom; once inside the boardroom, use theirs.  

Do you receive pitches from other PRs looking to work with you in your capacity as a blogger?
I received a couple related to product reviews. I don’t do vacuum cleaner reviews, nor do I write about pottery. I’m happy to work with my peers in positioning and articulating their strategic offering, collaborating on sector-specific thought leadership pieces and market entries etc. I found it very disconcerting that those who got in touch with me didn’t take the time to actually check whether I have any ‘influence’ on the vacuum cleaner market or whether I wrote anything about which ceramic pot works best with an electric hob… 

What other blogs do you read?
Stephen Waddington’s, Stephen Davies’, Scott Guthrie’s, PR Place (edited by Richard Bailey), CIPR Influence’s, Comms2Point0’s and many others. I like reading ‘heavy’ blogs, those blogs that once you read make you (re)consider what you know, what you’ve learnt, what you can do better etc.  

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Forward planning

5 ways to get the most out of Forward Features

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Forward features are a great way to plan your campaigns and content throughout the year. Outlets across the media landscape use forward features to request PR materials and content, so they can provide a simple route to securing earned media coverage.

The Vuelio Media Database already has tens of thousands of forward features for 2019 and more are being added every day. They typically include brief descriptions, submission deadlines and dates of publication.

Our latest white paper, Get Ahead With Forward Planning, covers a range of forward planning activities in comms, including these five simple rules for getting the most out of forward features, saving you research and pitching time and ultimately helping you meet your goals.

1. Be specific
The Vuelio Media Database allows you to find upcoming features by keyword but broad terms, such as ‘IT’ or ‘technology’, can be applicable to a number of different industries. Work out what unique keywords match your aims and identify and remove irrelevant categories from your search.

2. Research the relevance of media outlets
You can further refine your results by taking a closer look at the media outlets each forward feature comes from. Profile information allows you to get a better idea of how a media outlet may be appropriate to your brand and campaign. Only target the outlets that are consistent with your campaign’s objectives.

3. Prioritise the list
You may be surprised at how many relevant opportunities you find, particularly in the B2B sector. By identifying the opportunities that have the most worth to your campaign and making these a priority, you will be able to manage your leads more effectively.

4. Diarise the opportunities
Journalists are often working to strict deadlines. We give the same advice for PRs receiving enquiries through the Journalist Enquiry Service – making sure that you have the right information for the right journalist at the right time can be the difference between getting coverage and missing out. Also be aware that deadline dates could be months before the issue date.

5. Pitch your idea well in advance
Forward features will often have a named contact that is responsible for the editorial. You can increase your chances of coverage by contacting them ahead of time to find out more about the feature and how you can contribute. It also presents you with the opportunity of pitching an idea or viewpoint for the feature they may not have considered.

Ready to access the forward features and opportunities relevant to you? Get a demo of the Vuelio Media Database today.

Connects Agency

Connects agency launches #VerifiedViews video and podcast series

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London influencer marketing agency Connects is providing an unadulterated look into the stories of top influencers in its new video and podcast series #VerifiedViews.

Aiming to provide a unique view of what it’s like to be an influencer, through honest and open interviews, #VerifiedViews follows the mantra of ‘No scripts, no agenda, no #Spon’.

Content is available as a shorter form 10 minute IGTV video series, alongside longer-form full podcasts of around 30 minutes.

The first episode features The Mac Twins opening up about life on Love Island, being female DJs in a male-dominated industry and how they are seeking to improve the nation’s gut health. Viewers can expect open, honest, unfiltered views from Lisa and Alana as they discuss how they feel the responsibility to use their influence to drive positive change.

Watch here: #VerifiedViews Ep #1 The Mac Twins on IGTV

Listen here: #VerifiedViews Ep #1 The Mac Twins podcast

The second instalment includes Edd Kimber (The Boy Who Bakes) discussing his experiences of being trolled online, coming out as gay, and what life has been like since winning The Great British Bake Off. Edd ends by offering positive and helpful tips on how to remain true to yourself and build a lasting career in social media.

Watch here: #VerifiedViews Ep #2 Edd Kimber IGTV

Listen here: #VerifiedViews Ed #2 Edd Kimber podcast

Commenting on the launch of #VerifiedViews, Connects founder and managing director Sedge Beswick said: ‘At Connects we’re constantly looking to push the boundaries of influencer marketing, blur the lines between content and real life. Working with some of our friends from our network of social media influencers, we’re excited to bring to light these influencers’ lives with behind-the-scenes access to find out what it’s like to be an influencer and what makes their views verified. We’re hopeful #VerifiedViews will be a platform for sharing these positive and impactful stories for all to hear.’

James Preece blog

Dating Blogger Spotlight: James Preece

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James Preece is a leading dating expert and dating coach, and his blog is featured in our Top 10 UK Relationship and Dating Blogs. James has been working in the industry for over a decade and is involved in a wide variety of different areas, such as personal dating coaching, online dating, singles events and consulting for many dating companies. He is a very experienced relationship expert and has helped tens of thousands of men and women find love, build confidence and improve their relationships. We asked James for his dating tips, the recipe to a perfect date and how brands can get involved with the site.

What’s in store for the blog in 2019?
I’ve been working on some big plans for this year.  I’m creating some online courses and have written some new books, so these will be featured on my blog. I’m going to be teaming up with some other leading world-renowned dating coaches to bring joint content. Dating is always evolving so I like to stay on top. This also means much more video content!

What’s the secret to a great date?
Focus on making the other person feel special. That way you won’t have time to worry about what they think of you. People like people who like them, so pay them some compliments and find out what they are passionate about. Oh and don’t be too picky if there’s any chance things might work. Chemistry is often something that develops between dates rather than during them. It’s when you are thinking about what they are up to and looking forward to seeing them again.  You know you’ve had a good date when you are still smiling a few days later.  

What are your dating no-nos?
The language you use gives away so much information. If you use negative language and talk about negative topics (Brexit, your horrible job, bad dating history etc) then you’ll be associated with these things. Instead, focus on only saying positive things. This could be future dreams, ambitions, holidays planned or life achievements. That way you’ll be viewed as a happy, positive person worth getting to know.  

How does Valentine’s Day affect your content?
Valentine’s Day is always a key time for me as a dating expert. Every brand wants to push a Valentine’s story and I’ve been getting feature requests since November! This year I focused on promoting some great singles events by an upcoming brand called My Friend Charlie. I thought they were of great interest to all my single readers. 

What’s your idea of the perfect date?
The perfect date is around 90 minutes long – at least for the first one. That’s long enough to find out if you like each other but also short enough to leave something for next time. Drinks are your best bet rather than dinner as it’s more relaxed. Avoid going to the cinema or theatre for your first meeting. Do you really want to get stuck in the dark with 400 other strangers? End with a peck on the lips as that signals you are into them.  

How has the rise of dating apps changed the dating scene?
They definitely have – and that’s not always a good thing. While dating apps can allow people to get matches very quickly, it’s also made it so much harder to make a real connection. We’ve become fussier than ever and we are making judgements based purely on one photo. My dating coaching clients are coming to me more and more because they are frustrated. I teach people to try a bit of everything – online dating, singles events, approaching people they like. If you focus on what you’d like and take action you’ll soon get it. 

How do you work with brands for the blog?
I often get approached to feature brands on my blog, but I have to be very selective about what will appear.  If it’s not a good fit then I have to say no. For those that would be interesting to my audience, then I work out a detailed promotional plan. I like to give them a good return for their investment.

What’s the best collaboration you’ve worked on?
I worked with a Universal Pictures a little while ago to promote a film they were featuring. I got to advertise a competition on my blog which had a prize of a celebrity dating seminar I was running. I had so much interest and the event was amazing. 

What other blogs do you read?
I absolutely love reading anything from Naomi Narrative and Hey Saturday. Both are very experienced in this industry and are constantly thinking up new ideas and content. They’ve kept going while many other dating bloggers have long gone. 

 
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Rachel Miller

Blogger Spotlight: Rachel Miller, All Things IC

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Rachel Miller is the creator of the award-winning All Things IC blog, specialising in advice for anyone working in internal comms. All Things IC was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK PR Blogs, so we caught up with Rachel to discuss changes to the industry, the importance of research when pitching to bloggers, and why the Greggs vegan sausage roll campaign worked so well. 

What’s in store for the blog in 2019?
My All Things IC blog turns 10-years-old in March 2019. To mark the occasion, I’ll be highlighting some of the forgotten gems that I published years ago, dusting them off and seeing what’s changed since they first appeared. I’ve published 1,250 articles, so there’s a lot to choose from! I’m also working on online masterclasses to bring my blog content and consultancy work to life through a new medium for internal communicators.

How has PR changed since you first got into the industry?
I started my career as a Journalist in 1999 and moved into Internal Communication in 2003. PR and comms has changed a lot in that time. The fundamental principles of good, effective communication haven’t, but the methods and media have. For example, there was only one computer with internet access in the newsroom when I was a journalist and it was incredibly slow. I started my blog in 2009 to help me research how social media could be used for internal communication. There were only two case studies globally I could refer to in my post-graduate diploma in Internal Communication Management dissertation back then. Ten years on, I’d be spoilt for choice!

How much is Brexit affecting comms in the UK?
Many of my clients are spending a lot of time trying to provide clarity and create clear instructions for their employees around Brexit. Looking for certainties when everything seems uncertain and unclear is frustrating. A lot of time, money and effort is being spent trying to plan for every eventuality.   

What’s the biggest issue facing the industry (outside of Brexit)?
The biggest issue facing the industry is keeping up with the pace of change. Although the fundamentals of comms haven’t changed, the pace of technology and speed of communication has. This has resulted in an ‘always-on’ mentality which is having a detrimental effect on the mental health and wellbeing of many comms professionals.  

Are traditional media outlets losing their importance to the industry?
No, I think there will always be a place for traditional media outlets. Importance is relative to status, as long as people value something they will continue to choose it. We have such a rich variety of media to choose from, I think it’s healthy to have a mix of traditional and modern.  

What’s the best campaign of 2019 so far?
The Greggs vegan sausage roll launch. I thought the white boxes sent to Journalists, Apple style, and hype around it was fascinating to observe. I read yesterday that their sales climbed 10% in seven weeks, so they’re clearly on the right tracks.  

What advice would you give students looking to join the PR industry?
Go for it! Build your network and work on being known and communicating your personal brand (who you are and what you’re known for/want to be known for). Start writing using your own blog, create articles on LinkedIn and offer to guest blog on established blogs to build your presence.  

What’s your best pitch tips for PRs?
Make sure you’ve read/heard/watched whatever you are pitching to. It stands out a mile if you haven’t done your homework. Tailor each pitch and demonstrate why you’re a good fit. 

Do you receive pitches from other PRs looking to work with you in your capacity as a blogger?
Yes, daily. The best ones have done some research, they’ve looked at the content I’ve published, spotted a gap and sent me a relevant message. I have guest article guidelines and it’s obvious when they haven’t read them. I prioritise publishing internal communicators sharing their stories, I’ve published around 300 of these articles and that’s what my readers are interested in. I say no to pitches 90% of the time because they are from agencies wanting to use my blog for their own gains, rather than thinking about how they could add value to my readers.  

What other blogs do you read?
So many! I enjoy the weekly round-up from PR Place, edited by Richard Bailey, as it helps me uncover new voices in the PR world. I like to support those who are just starting out by reading and sharing their posts to encourage them.
 
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MK 2019

PR Blogger Spotlight: Marcel Klebba, MK

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Marcel Klebba, or MK to those in the know, is a rising star in the PR industry, with his award-winning blog that has once again been named in the Top 10 UK PR Blogs. A master networker in the industry, MK’s blog features interviews with leading comms voices as well as posts following his career and experience of PR.

We caught up with MK to find out what advice he has for PR students, why he’s launching ‘Comms School’ with Stephen Waddington and what PR blogs are on his reading list.

What’s in store for the blog in 2019?
I’m running a marathon*. Promise I won’t be trying to top your top fitness bloggers list, but there might be a few updates on how my training is going and a few lessons that this journey teaches me. But I’ll be also exploring the fascinating world of communications, building networks and succeeding in careers.

What’s the biggest issue facing the industry (outside of Brexit)?
Fake news. Not a new phenomenon but more amplified than ever. Comms professionals need to be aware of it and act upon it.

Are traditional media outlets losing their importance to the industry?
No. Some of our target audiences will be still reading press and will treat it as the most reliable source of information. Personally, I couldn’t live without having a flick through The Economist each Friday and City AM each morning (both in print, of course!).

What’s the best campaign of 2019 so far?
Aren’t we still in February, though?! I was really impressed with how WWF used the #10YearChallenge trend on social media to raise awareness about plastic pollution and global warming.

What advice would you give students looking to join the PR industry?
Start blogging and create a network. Stephen Waddington and I recently started a community called Comms School, which aims to help students get ahead. Blogging helps you explore a plethora of subjects, makes writing a habit and, most importantly, helps you connect with some brilliant people.

What are your best pitch tips for PRs?
Know the outlet you’re pitching to. Do your research. Make the pitch short and snappy.

What other blogs do you read?
There are a few solid ones in PR community. I’ve always read Stephen Waddington’s blog; work from Ella Minty is always thoughtful and engaging; Scott Guthrie always teaches me something new about influencers, and there’s many more.

I shouldn’t forget those who are still students or only recently graduated, just like me. Jessica Pardoe does amazingly well, and I’ve also started following some other luminaries including Beth Smith, and Ulster PR students who are running their community blog. My Friday mornings wouldn’t be the same without PR Place, edited by Richard Bailey, and its regular roundup ‘This week in PR’.

Metia, where I work, also runs a resourceful blog, full of insights into the world of marketing, that I read regularly, too.

 

*You can sponsor MK’s marathon run here.
 
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