Wordplay

Wordville's Word of the Month: Pounce

2012-01-03T07:35:00.000-08:00

First day back to Wordville and the village has cleared out the Christmas decorations, recycled the old papers and prepared our New Year’s resolutions.

I have that back-to-school ‘new pencil case’ feeling, where anything is possible and feel motivated for what we can achieve for the company and for our clients in 2012. There’s a whole year of opportunity out there – a million press stories that can be nurtured, referenced, responded to.

In 2012, Wordville’s is instating a 'Word of the Month' – a professional mantra that can apply to everything we do. To kick-off January and a new year, this month it’s pounce.

It’s a good time of year to get in quickly before everyone’s woken up, before the plans are solidified and while everyone is in that ‘how are we going to get this done?’ frame of mind.

Better get going – time will move fast this year, and I’ve got pouncing to do.

We're looking for new citizens

2011-11-01T02:50:00.001-07:00

Wordville is hiring and has a range of roles to fill – Account Director, Account Manager and Assistant Account Executive – working on a range of consumer and B2B accounts.

We are a small energetic PR agency with an emphasis on work/life balance – we are looking for people with the right personalities to gel with our team.

What do we want?

- Someone hungry, but not so hungry they’d eat their mother to get on top
- High energy yet smooth as silk
- A real team player, friendly to colleagues and clients
- Able to relate to our diverse range of clients – cutting edge creatives, IT geeks, petrol heads, floral designers and leading business CEOs, we deal with them all
- Someone with a consumer background preferred
- A good writer and good at pitching
- Fluent in other languages would be a big plus

To apply, send a cover letter outlining which position you are applying for, what you have to offer Wordville, and your CV to info@wordville.net

Are you ready to face a crisis?

2011-08-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

PR Crises occur around us all the time. There are the big ones that come to mind immediately, for example, when BP’s former Chief Executive declared: ‘I want my life back’ at the height of the Gulf of Mexico oil catastrophe last year. BP has since spent millions trying to repair its reputation.

Another more recent example, which is far from over, is the infamous ‘Hackgate’ – the scandal which embroiled Rupert Murdoch’s media empire when news broke that journalists at his flagship UK Sunday tabloid had been hacking phones for stories. News Corporation has been in PR crisis mode ever since, even dedicating all advertising space in the final edition of the now-defunct newspaper to charities. Many charities were so disgusted by the actions of the newspaper that they even refused free space in what was Britain’s highest selling Sunday newspaper. That’s bad news if I’ve ever seen it.

The riots and looting in London and the UK this week have seen many different PR crises erupt. Blackberry came under fire after it emerged that many perpetrators of the riots spread the word about targets using its BBM messaging service. London’s Metropolitan Police was forced to defend its ability to manage public disorder just a year away from the Olympics at a time when the world will be watching the capital. Even British PM David Cameron faced criticism for a sluggish response to the unfolding hysteria, as he decided whether to return from Tuscany where he was holidaying with his wife. The same went for Home Secretary Theresa May, George Osborne and the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who were all holidaying abroad at the time.

So when bad news threatens to taint your brand, or a brand you’re responsible for, what should you do? Do you have a plan in place?

Of course each situation is different and should be approached with an individual strategy, but being prepared to communicate in a crisis is more important than ever, as organisations and individuals are under increasing levels of scrutiny. Companies and brands need to have processes in place to manage and respond to media interest in times of high stress. It’s a matter of anticipating what could go wrong, and having a plan of action and a ‘tool kit’ ready, so you can tackle the problem head on.

To make sure that you’re fully prepared to handle a crisis why not attend our course on ‘Reputation Management During a Crisis'? Click here for more details

Emphasis on Ideas

2011-07-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

By David Anthony

In what seems like a blink of an eye, my first month at Wordville has already come and gone. It’s been a hectic few weeks, familiarising myself with a variety of clients and throwing myself into some fantastic projects.

I can't believe that almost three months have passed since I first met the team – I guess it’s true what they say, time flies when you’re having fun.

Back in early May, as part of the interview process, I was afforded the opportunity to meet my would-be colleagues over a cup of coffee. This served not only as an informal introduction, but a chance for all involved (myself included) to gauge whether or not I was in fact the right man for the job.

We traded numerous questions, shared past experiences, talked through day to day activities and spoke about the future of the agency. Much was discussed, but for me, one topic in particular really stood out. ‘Above all else, what one thing are you looking for from a prospective colleague?’ I asked. The answer came in almost perfect unison, ‘ideas’.

Before joining the team here, I plied my trade at D&AD – a not-for-profit organisation that represents the international design, advertising and creative communities.

D&AD exists to promote the importance of creativity, innovation and ideas, while their annual awards are to the creative community, what the Oscars are to those in the film industry.

Needless to say, I would find myself immersed in creativity on an almost daily basis, surrounded by the best advertising and design the world has to offer. D&AD is a truly inspiring place to work, and not least because it provides proof, if ever proof was needed, that a good idea can go an awful long way.

There’s a lot more to PR than merely churning out media kits and press releases. Creative thinking is at the very core of what we do.

Brainstorming, thrashing out ideas – ideas that evolve to form the backbone of a story, and a good story at that – is a truly creative process.

Finding the all important hook that will catch a journalist’s eye and ultimately generate press is of course no mean feat. From the sublime to the ridiculous, where ideas are concerned, no stone should be left unturned. Having a team of creative minds, with the ability to bounce ideas off one another is of utmost importance and key to the success of any business.

Thinking back to that day in early May, coffee in hand, sat in front of an expectant audience, it’s clear to see why I chose Wordville, and more importantly, why Wordville chose me. We value the importance of an idea.

Creative thinking isn’t just a mindset here, it’s a way of life. And I for one am extremely proud to be a part of it.

My first year in PR

2011-06-03T02:29:00.000-07:00

By Stephanie Rock

When I finished my A levels I made the unusual decision to look for a job. I was doing the opposite of all of my friends - getting a job without going through years of university. It was, and still is, a huge learning curve for me but I have picked up so many practical skills that can’t be taught at university and have had my eyes opened to the world of public relations.

In an agency where the client base is so varied, I find myself learning about the complexities of Oracle one day, while helping to run a launch event for London’s newest film academy the next. No two days are the same and my interest and knowledge is growing every day.

As I look back on my first year at Wordville it’s interesting to reflect on mistakes made and the experiences I’ve had.

The Skillset Craft and Technical Skills Academy launch was a standout in my first year in PR. I was put in charge of all things ‘guest related’. It’s one of those tasks that should go unnoticed if done well, and it was my job to make sure that it did. I had to organise 200 name badges – with the names only confirmed on the morning of the big day – along with the guest list and coat check. Five helpers, a lot of patience and a couple of hours later all name badges were ready to go in alphabetical order. Task complete, toner cartridge replaced, paper cuts suffered and lesson learned - never again will that amount of printing be done on the morning of an event.

PR agencies thrive on excitement, energy and enthusiasm - things I picked up on very quickly. It’s simple and obvious when you think about it. If you’re enthusiastic about a particular project chances are a client or journalist will be more interested in what you have to say.

Here are the three key lessons I have learnt in my first year in PR:

• Voice your ideas
There is always the worry that what you say will be the worst idea they have ever heard but there is also the chance that it’s a great one. The best ideas can stem from those thrown out there.

• Practice makes perfect
I remember doing my first piece of writing. I was petrified. I’m even worrying about what everyone will think of this blog. But practice does make perfect and although the worry is still there, it is getting easier.

• Be in the know
It’s really important to know about the top stories of the day and events taking place around you. It doesn’t mean you need to read every single piece of news but the more you read the more likely you are to be inspired with an idea for one of your clients.

I’ll carry all these lessons and many more into my second year in the industry and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead - and when it comes to that your guess is as good as mine.

Think mainstream, act niche

2011-05-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

Watching BBC Worldwide as we prep for basketball finals in Barcelona this morning and heard "think global, act local" from three different spokespeople. With the world enjoying a multi-language chat-a-thon through Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, 'think global, act local' isn't just a cliché it's stating the obvious.

But like all home truths it's important to revisit and refresh from new perspectives now and again. Wordville's clients are often specialists or holding one off events or brands famous only to one audience. And it's our job to widen the pool of influence, break into broadcast and make it to the mainstream.

It always takes an understanding of the media targets, one by one. We avoid blanket statements to a mega-list of journalists who can't see the relevance. And we re-write, re-focus and re-pitch as often as required, drawing in specialist help as needed to help us shape the story, the photograph and the event to make media magic. This ensures we never miss a chance to turn the media spotlight to our client.

This approach gives us the opportunity to work with some great PRs - who know a particular geography or a particular medium inside out. These 'visitors to Wordville' join the town's growing number of citizens and have a lasting effect.

Alfons Pich and his team have been our Wordville Espana for the last six weeks and really prove the point. Interviews with all major Spanish newspapers couldn't have been secured unless we had found an angle for each of them. And that's not going to happen unless we focus on the end result and use a one to one approach. It's not the world that's getting small it's the opportunities that are getting bigger.

Population expansion programme – become a citizen of Wordville

2011-04-07T04:06:00.000-07:00

Wordville has a range of roles to fill – Account Director, Account Manager and Assistant Account Executive – working on a range of consumer and B2B accounts.

We are a small energetic PR agency with an emphasis on work/life balance – we are looking for people with the right personalities to gel with our team.

What do we want? Not much, only:

- Someone hungry, but not so hungry they’d eat their mother to get on top
- High energy yet smooth as silk
- A real team player, friendly to colleagues and clients
- Able to relate to our diverse range of clients – cutting edge creatives, IT geeks, petrol heads, floral designers and leading business CEOs, we deal with them all
- Someone with a consumer background preferred
- A good writer and good at pitching
- Fluent in other languages would be a big plus

To apply, send a cover letter outlining which position you are applying for, what you have to offer Wordville, and your CV to info@wordville.net

Just shut up and tweet

2011-03-10T02:03:00.000-08:00

Can a business survive in this world without tweeting? I don’t know, but they certainly can’t ignore the fact that everyone else is doing it anymore. There was a time five years ago or maybe even three years ago if you tried really hard, where you could get away with ignoring social media. But ignore it now and the experts say you’re ignoring a business goldmine. There are even people who have gone as far as adding to their business empire and leveraging their fame to sell their tweet space. Take Kim Kardashian’s $10,000 per tweet deal. We’ll that’s cash for comment and I disagree with it entirely. However, times are changing and tweeting is where it’s at right now.

For businesses, it’s about building brands and PR. It’s another way to get known and promote a business so it can grow and become bigger. People become more aware of your brand and you get more sales or clicks or enquiries or customers. Your business makes more money and it’s a success. In times of crisis it’s also a great communications channel – an instant way to reassure customers or clients of the situation.

Facebook is the same. With more than 500 million users worldwide it’s undeniable that it’s having an impact. And businesses are likely to benefit. Founder Mark Zuckerberg will never have to work again. He’s hit the goldmine that is social media. So if you’re not on it, chances are you’re missing out on something pretty big.

The modern, social world we live in is all about competition, and there’s a big chance your business rivals are tweeting their praises right now.

Don’t know what to tweet about? I was given some advice about six months ago by a mentor of mine which I’m happy to share – ‘just shut up and tweet.’

When PR goes too far

2011-02-08T02:40:00.000-08:00

Kenneth Cole is packing his favourite pens after being enrolled in sensitivity school along with Groupon’s head of advertising. Let’s learn from them so we don’t have to join them. PR can go too far. There is a fine line (a very fine line) between genuinely linking your product or service with world affairs and making a link which isn’t there. It’s tasteless, and it won’t win you any fans.

Mr Cole would know. The fashion designer has apologised for his tasteless tweet where he tried to promote his new spring collection, using the unrest in Egypt as a springboard. "Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online"

He later apologised on twitter for his insensitive comments: "I apologize to everyone who was offended by my insensitive tweet about the situation in Egypt. I've dedicated my life to raising awareness about serious social issues, and in hindsight my attempt at humor regarding a nation liberating themselves against oppression was poorly timed and absolutely inappropriate.”

Cole is famous for being quick off the mark and has cleverly used world affairs to benefit his business before. After the Gulf oil spill last year he opened an online T–shirt store to raise money for the cleanup with shirt slogans lincluding "I Clean Up Well." After a plane landed safely on the Hudson River in 2009, he plastered a billboard with: "In tough times, some land on their feet (others on the Hudson)." He should have known better. But this is a textbook example of getting it very wrong.

Meanwhile a Groupon Super Bowl ad that makes light of Tibet’s political situation has offended viewers not only in China, but worldwide. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the thoughtless ad could stifle the company’s expansion plans.

These are both prime examples of PR being taken too far. The lesson here is that if the links are there, by all means connect them, but if they’re not you’re going to have to get creative and think of something else, or end up in this middle of a media furore like these two find themselves in today. PR is a balancing act - you need to get your message across but don't rely on connections that aren't there.

Why you can't have your cake and eat it too

2011-01-27T04:42:00.000-08:00

We pay for a lot of things in the world. Almost everything in fact. What was the last thing you got for free? I’ve spent five minutes trying to think of the last thing I got for free and all I've come up with is a piece of cake my housemate gave me last week – and to be fair, that's more of a customer loyalty gift as my rent is paying his mortgage!

I can log onto a news website and read stories. That is free, as long as I have a computer and an internet connection. But not probably for long. Three of News International’s publications have already disappeared behind a pay wall – The Times, News of The World and The Sunday Times. The only one still available for free is The Sun, but by the end of this year that too will be a pay-for service.

When News Corp’s boss Rupert Murdoch installed a pay wall on The Times’ website, it cost them 66 per cent of their readers - a dramatic decline, but not as steep as many had forecast. The site had been expected to lose 90% of its traffic. There is something stopping me paying for news online. I am happy to buy a newspaper because I have something tangible to show for it. I can get annoyed at the newsprint in leaves on my fingers and I can feel guilty at the end of the day when I realise I haven’t had a chance to read anything other than client-related stories and the front page. Having worked on a weekly newspaper myself, I also know the amount of work it takes to produce the finished product.

But I don’t like paying for something and having nothing to show for it. So I will continue to buy newspapers, but I won’t pay for the same thing online. I’m not saying I will never pay for online content, but for now I’m not convinced.

When it comes to PR there is nothing like presenting a client with a newspaper clipping – it’s seen as the pinnacle. But why? Maybe it’s the newspaper print. Maybe it’s holding something solid, something that won’t change or disappear. Sure, a new edition will be out tomorrow, but you can keep that old one forever. There is a certain charm and traditionalism about newspapers that people just don’t seem ready to let go of. Will paid-for online content hold that same charm for our Grandchildren? I can’t imagine a world without newspapers, but I guess we will have to wait and see.

But if I want the freshest news from around the world, I’m going to have to face the fact the online news has become a product like a newspaper, in the sense that I will have to pay for it. A newspaper only gets updated daily – at best. I want to read a newspaper, but I want it to be the freshest news. I’ve got a classic case of having cake and wanting to eat it too – but what’s the point of having cake if you can’t eat it?

To check-in or not to check-in?

2011-01-17T05:09:00.000-08:00

I 'checked-in' for the first time on Friday night.

People check-in all the time, I know it's not a new thing, but I am one of those people who are avidly against telling the world where I am and who I am with at any set point in time.

I don't know why I'm against it, I don't have any stalker ex-boyfriends who might be trying to hunt me down or anything exciting like that, I just think our lives are already public enough.

I had my friend's iPhone out while we were at a restaurant in Angel, and I checked-in to the Italian restaurant we were at, tagging all the people I was with.

When I arrived home some hours later, all my belongings were still where I left them. Laptop – check. Jewellery – check. Stash of cash kept under my mattress – I wish. Right, so no one had used the knowledge of my being out drinking cocktails and eating pasta to break into my house either. It looks like this check-in thing isn’t such a big deal after all.

But I’m still not a convert. If I start checking in to everywhere I go, what will happen when I want to have a lazy Friday night on the couch? Do I check in to my couch and face the uproar from friends whose invites I have kindly turned down in favour of a much needed night in. Or do I not check in at all and face the “Where are you?” queries from all my followers (Who are watching my every move, right?) So now there’s social pressure to attend the best events in town. Or maybe, people – shock horror - actually just don’t care where I am, who I’m with and what I’m doing. In which case, I won’t take up space in their news feeds by telling them when I’m at the gym, the supermarket, or when I’m on my couch.

A friend of mine has admitted to ‘selective’ check-ins. “I always check-in when I’m at the gym so people can see I’m being really good. But I don’t check-in to Ben and Jerry’s. Ever.” So now we’re life censoring, displaying the best and hiding the worst, making me feel guiltier about my night on the couch while gym bunny over here is slogging it out at the gym – for the sixth time this week.

Not many PR campaigns have tapped into location-based tools yet, but the fact that smart phones are quickly taking over means it’s only a matter of time before there’s a ‘check-in’ element to every event. Before long it will probably be standard.

So is checking-in dangerous? Or is it simply TMI in the social media-frenzied world we live in? Or is it the way forward? In which case ... now, how exactly do I check-in?

It's a 3-D summer - so why does so much PR look flat?

2010-04-06T02:22:00.000-07:00

They say it’s going to be a 3-D summer – movies ‘coming at ya’ on the big screen and TV programmes that reach out to the viewer. But is your own company story being brought to life with such dimension? The first wave of the economic upturn is upon us and competition is fierce to get noticed. If there was such a thing as 3-D PR what would it look like? And how would it help your business make the biggest impact?

PR relies on:

1. great stories

2. great evidence to back up opinions of

3. great spokespeople.

Tapping into the media agenda is vital to ensure that your PR resonates and finds an audience. And prepping the content and the spokespeople can make the difference between blockbuster coverage and an empty house. We've made a commitment to work with all our clients in a way that energises their brands - whether they're marketing managers attending a Master class, or clients relying on Wordville to make a splash for their business. Will it be 3-D PR? Sit back, pop your glasses on and watch this space.

PR can’t help you look good naked

2010-02-01T02:50:00.000-08:00

Working in communications can feel like walking around bearing a scarlet letter, or rather two scarlet letters – a P and an R. Slightly less trusted than TV evangelists, slightly less reliable than politicians’ expense forms, those who help companies get in the press when they want and keep a low profile when the heat is on, are a varied bunch. We don’t all work in the same fashion – we don’t all work for the same people – and very few of us are happy to work in the dark.

Businesses are under greater scrutiny than ever before with a well-informed, highly vocal audience of customers, consumers and citizens who can cut through the hype long before they’ve reached the first exclamation mark. Old-school PR is dead. It can’t be about the cover up, the distraction or misdirection to put people off the scent. The truth will out. Only those companies that engage in open, two-way conversations with their customers and stakeholders build trusted brands. And the best PRs help them do that without any skulduggery.

PR is about building buzz, sharing the brilliance and letting some light in on the magic. The old puppet-masters of the past belong in the cupboard along with their clients’ skeletons – and the scarlet letters. The modern PR likes this new form of communication, the air is crisper – and our skills are more akin to Trinny and Susanna than Gok. Yes, we can find mainstream beauty in a complicated technical product, we can help shout about the unsung heroes behind a worthy cause, we can shine light on the benefits of a new business. But if the company is not what it seems PR won’t provide more than a surface polish. If you don’t genuinely look acceptable under the harsh lights, better sort out your business before going into the press – we can’t make you look good naked.

The world’s a stage – are you ready for the spotlight?

2009-07-29T04:06:00.000-07:00

Professional life can seem like a series of conferences, meetings, product launches, reviews, seminars and road shows. And, for many, that means facing a string of uncomfortable challenges. It’s said that more people are afraid of speaking in public than of swimming with sharks. How are some individuals able to stand on stage with confidence, or make a difficult point in a meeting without sweating and stumbling, whilst others avoid any occasion to speak in front of a group?

If public speaking brings so much stress, what’s the point? Unfortunately, the professional world isn’t fair and those that are unable to shout out or speak up can’t get ahead in the way that they should. In today’s competitive business environment, developing the ability to communicate well is a genuine asset to any employer, and gets you noticed. Practice makes perfect, but there are some techniques that even the most nervous person can use to improve their delivery.

This year Wordville’s summer school is focussing on much-sought after personal and management skills. There’s a list below of what’s on offer for anyone needing to improve their ability to manage a team – communicate with confidence in front of a crowd – or develop coaching skills that will help bring out the best in the people they work with. The courses run throughout August at our training room in London Bridge – can be taken together or as a one-off.

SUMMER SCHOOL 2009 PUBLIC SCHEDULE
· Public Speaking and Presentation Skills (course code: PR-PRESPUB01)

Stepping into the spotlight can cause more stress than any other part of professional life. Master the art of speaking to a crowd by learning the skills you need to make your point in public with confidence and flare. Work with a professional presentation coach to improve your delivery, find ways to beat any nerves, and use presentation tools to become a compelling speaker.
NEXT COURSE - Monday 24th August 8:30-11:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Dealing With Difficult People (course code: MG-DIFPUB01)
Harmonious relationships and good teamwork are essential to the productivity of any organisation. Internal and external pressures can lead to people being difficult, aggressive or uncooperative. Find out how to handle sticky and potentially confrontational situations more confidently and effectively.
NEXT COURSE – Friday 21st August 1:30-4:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Clear Communication – Good News and Bad (course code: MG-COMPUB01)
Effective communication skills make all the difference – in the way you manage, sell, work within a team. Whatever your working environment, learn how to communicate effectively. Understand the barriers to communication, the proper techniques to impart the worst news, how to work with a variety of audiences and make an impact with colleagues, clients and the outside world. A practical session that will give you the confidence to use what you learn immediately.
NEXT COURSE – Tuesday 25th August 1:30-4:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Motivating, Engaging and Re-Energising Your Team (course code: MG-MOTPUB01)
Missed deadlines, mistakes, absenteeism, a lack of enthusiasm – signs of poor performers? Not necessarily. In times such as these, more common than not your team could be worrying about their jobs and the state of the business. Learn the vital steps you can take to get your team motivated, re-energised and facing future challenges with focus.
NEXT COURSE – Tuesday 25th August 8:30-11:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Time Management (course code: MG-TIMEPUB01)
Constantly being asked to achieve more under increasing time pressures can turn the calmest person into a nervous wreck. The current climate demands higher levels of performance but there’s never a moment to spare. Learn how to make better use of your time at work, plan and schedule tasks so that you can keep your head above water, and deliver to deadline.
NEXT COURSES – Wednesday 12th August 8:30-11:30 or Monday 24th August 1:30-4:30
Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Coaching Your People For Enhanced Performance (course code: MG-COAPUB01)
How much time do you spend every day solving your team’s problems – especially those they could solve themselves? Getting the best out of your people requires more than just throwing them in at the deep end and fishing them out when things get too rough. Knowledge leads to action - and action leads to performance. Learn an effective coaching model to get the most out of your direct reports.
NEXT COURSES – Monday 17th August 1:30-4:30 or Thursday 27th August 8:30-11:30
Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Running Productive Meetings (course code: MG-MTGPUB01)
If you’ve ever sat through a three-hour waffle session, you’ll appreciate the real art of managing a business meeting. Whether it’s a client meeting, an internal update, or a regular project review learn how to control the timing, gather contributions, prepare and stick to an agenda and use your personal presentation skills to make an impact.
NEXT COURSES – Monday 17th August 8:30-11:30 or Thursday 27th August 1:30-4:30
Cost: £200 per person + VAT

· Problem Solving Facilitation & Brainstorming (course code: MG-BRAPUB01)
Getting the best ideas from a group of creative thinkers is as difficult as working through any problem if you don’t have a method for assessing issues and gathering ideas. Learn the best way to brainstorm, how to prepare and guide the session and work through problems by getting to grips with proven critical thinking techniques.
NEXT COURSES – Friday 21st August 8:30-4:30 or Wednesday 26th August 1:30-4:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT

If the first wave of recovery really does start in October (and let’s hope it does) be ready for whatever the business throws at you.

2nd Year for Wordville with Leading Charity Recruitment Event

2009-06-30T02:38:00.000-07:00

2008 success sees forum3 renew contract

Following the successful campaign in 2008, forum3, the leading UK recruitment event for the Third Sector, has renewed its contract with Wordville.

forum3 hosts a yearly recruitment event for over 12,000 visitors, including 150 top charities such as Cancer Research UK, Big Issue, NSPCC and the RSPCA. The partnership with Wordville resulted in a 20% increase in attendance and forum3 directors engaged with key print, broadcast and online journalists. Extensive coverage was featured in trade, national and international media.

“Wordville was a key part of our 2008 success, enabling us to influence the Third Sector agenda through key media engagement. We saw an increase in visitor attendance and we are now a point of reference for anyone looking for the latest developments in our industry. We are very much looking forward to working with Wordville again this year,” said Debbie Hockham, director, forum3.

The forum3 event will take placed on September 10-11 at the Business Design Centre in Islington in London. For more information, please visit: http://www.forum3.co.uk

Mistrust Reality

2009-06-05T01:26:00.000-07:00

Two friends of mine have recently become embroiled in reality TV shows - not the talent show variety but sideshows nonetheless. Both willing participants of on air behind the scenes programmes with two different reasons for taking part. First was emotional (wanted to talk through a relationship breakup), second promotional (wanted to get more clients for his business).

All cautionary tales seemed to fall on deaf ears because they both had a strange belief that they wouldn't "be like those who look insane and unreasonable".

It's not just reality TV that brings out the delusion. Company executives step unprepared into TV studios, confident that the ego that does them so well in the boardroom will work its magic on camera. And subject matter experts ramble on to journalists convinced that their evangelical zeal will inspire.

If you're doing TV for promotional purposes work out what you want to achieve and how your offline activity supports your onscreen appearance. Have you timed your marketing with the transmission? Are you ready to take advantage of any incoming queries and are your staff prepped for any possible negative reaction? If it seems obvious, you'd be surprised how many people think it'll just fall into place.

Ultimately anyone producing a reality TV show is looking to deliver entertainment not reality. Take stock before you agree to appear - think what's in it for you, don't trust that your everyday charm will make it onscreen, and take advice from experts before signing anything. Reality bites.

It’s the way you tell ‘em

2009-03-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

Writing speeches for someone else is an unusual way to spend your time. Finding the right words, weaving in the key points, following a thread to a conclusion. It’s got to be more than an intellectual exercise. You’ve got to find the humour, the passion, something beyond the metre of the words to stir the audience and keep them involved. But when you hand over the pages it’s down to the speaker to make your sentences into something memorable. Those attending the recent event at the V&A’s Sackler Centre were lucky to have Sir Christopher Frayling on hand to kick off the launch of the National Museums Online Learning Project. An excellent engaging speaker, he said what was needed but so much better than anything that could be written on a page.

I enjoy reading speeches – a pleasurable homework to keep my own speechwriting skills up to scratch. But it was a real pleasure this week to stumble on the British Library’s exhibition The Sound and The Fury: The Power of Public Speaking. A row of headphones lets you listen in on some of the greatest speeches given over the last 150 years, drawn from the Newspaper and Sound Archive. The pacing of the great actors, the passion of the sportsmen, the wit and humour of the statesmen. So much better than reading the transcript - the breathing and phrasing makes all the difference. So many of the recordings are famous enough that you can anticipate the words “I am the greatest...”, “Once more unto the breach”, “We shall fight them on the beaches” - but it’s great to hear them spoken.

What makes a great speech? There are certainly some dos and don’ts that can help even the novice to improve. What makes a great speaker? Practice, for sure. But more important is the desire to connect with the audience, to really say something that changes how people feel, that knocks them for six. Engage the audience and they’ll feel lucky to be listening.

How do you know that you’re ready for PR?

2009-01-20T00:22:00.000-08:00

Before you kick off a campaign - PR, marketing or any other type of formal communication - there are a few important questions you need to ask yourself to avoid putting the cart before the horse.

Key messages are just that. Key to working out your press targets, key to finding the case studies to support your business, key to every piece of collateral that you create. However, it takes time to work them out. Sit in a boardroom with a group of executives, with the company's brand seemingly running through their bloodstreams, and you’ll find that each one has a different perspective on what the company stands for, how it stands out and why customers chose them.

If the board is unclear every level down will have a variety of other company colours to add to the mix. Unfortunately, rather than making the end result a kaleidoscope of opportunity - if you mix too many colours the result is mud.

If you want to build a multifaceted business start with an achievable goal then build. Find your main differentiators and ensure that one important selling point doesn't contradict another.

When Amazon launched with a goal to be "Wal-Mart online" the story goes that the chairman and founder, Jeffrey P. Bezos, threw out the extensive marketing plan declaring "We're going to sell books." Building credibility in one area before expanding to another makes marketing sense rather than be an 'all things to all people’ newcomer who can get lost in the crowd.

As times get tougher you need to make it easier for your clients or customers to buy. Can your service be simply explained? Is the product's benefit easy to understand? Is what you charge clear and not laden with hidden costs? Whatever size your customer is, their budgets are being scrutinized. If you can’t be clear about what you sell, how much it’s going to cost, and how they’re going to benefit – they’ll never to the internal selling job needed to get you a purchase order.

What do you want to be famous for? Take the time to establish your messages before you turn on the PR machine. It’ll provide you with a engine under the bonnet and make all the difference.

Snap, Crackle and Crunch

2008-12-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

It seems that everyone is fixated on the economy and it doesn't matter if you're pitching to a trade title or a lifestyle mag, everyone is selling in the same story: "We can save you money", "How to cope with your impending redundancy", "Why this service is what you need to fight the downturn". It's not an easy time for PR. But just because everyone is writing the same story doesn't mean you have to.

It's time to add more snap and crackle to the Crunch. Interviews with journalists can be time badly spent if you're giving them nothing new. Go deeper with your analysis of the market, think further into the future and predict how behaviours of consumers and businesses will change. Go beyond telling it like it is.

PR agents can do their best to set up the interview, pitch the hell out of your customer win, inundate key titles with product launches but a spokesperson shouldn't agree to go into a meeting with a journalist unless they understand how what they're going to say will appeal to the readers and appear in print.

If you're a household name then your comment on what we already know can make a headline (John Major says there'll be job losses – yeah, that's no surprise) but otherwise you and your PR need to try much harder.

Tough times bring out the very best and worst. And that's what journalists want to write about. How is your sales team coping with the slump? What are you experiencing which you never have before? Michael Gonzalez, a PR guru and killer media relations expert, says it’s time to take risks. “If you are too nervous to say what hasn’t been said then you are not in a good position to handle press interviews. If your latest press missive doesn’t pass the ‘so what?’ test then don’t waste your time. Stretch your research to the point that it uncovers what’s really valuable. Stare far into the future to predict the aftermath. That’ll give a journo something worth writing about.”

If you have a PR team on a monthly target for the number of press releases distributed or coverage achieved, it's time to look again at your goals. Opportunities abound to make a name for your business during this stressful business climate. But it'll take you and your PR specialists more than the normal approach to create a tasty morsel that the press will crave. Book in a brainstorming session and cook up some genuinely original angles.

A New Brand of Uproar

2008-10-31T06:55:00.000-07:00

Two overconfident radio personalities, a slow moving institution, politicians eager to show their morals, and a growing crowd of offended individuals to spread the story like a virus. Anyone who has ever faced a serious issue in their business and been put under media scrutiny at a time of high stress looks back with dread at their experience. But knowing what you’re about to face and then facing it is a walk in the park in comparison to the escalating outrage of mob rule.

There are lessons to be learned from the Brand/Ross chaos over the last few weeks. And the first is to act fast and make your statement strong, definitive and sincere. You may not be able to quash the furore with one statement but you can certainly add to the anger by appearing vague, unrepentant or reactive.

You never want to make a mountain out of a molehill but if, two days after the story breaks in a national paper, the prime minister and opposition leader have made their feelings known and Ofcom are on the case, you need to get the big guns out. It’s easy to criticize the handling of a media crisis from the outside but it would have been nice to see more from the BBC management earlier. Three days after the news broke (and 11 days after the show aired) is too long to wait to take decisive action against the tide of opinion.

People love to pass on news – especially bad news – even more so if it has salacious content and appears to bring down someone in a prominent position. According to noted anthropologist Robin Dunbar, language evolved because it enabled gossip. Individuals who could share stories had an advantage. It made them popular and connected them to their gossip partners. When people pass on timely gossip they feel more powerful, they have a better shared sense of what is right and what’s wrong. It’s impossible not to talk about these things. Gossip and stories like this burst out.

It’s difficult to stop gossip and those that are genuinely distressed by what’s happened will keep talking. But show your position, set out clearly what you’re going to do according to established policies, rather than be lead to react by the ongoing situation. The story will go away. But PR people worldwide should watch and learn. It’s a cautionary tale and one that could teach us all a lot.

Lying for a Living

2008-10-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

Having worked in PR and media relations for many years, it’s not the first time I’ve heard it. But it’s always an unwelcome surprise to find out how few people trust PR. A survey by Ciao Surveys found that 60.3% of people in Britain believe that PR officers often lie. Is that fair? And which PR person distributed that survey that pours scorn on the profession?

There’s a reason I object to lying on behalf of a client. Not just on moral grounds but on practical ones. If you are using a PR that exaggerates the truth beyond all reality then they’re doing you no favours. Companies are under more scrutiny than ever and bloggers and journalists are quick to expose untruths or fabrications. And with the internet a permanent reminder of all that is said on (and off) the record, an untruth can resurface years later to haunt a spokesperson or an organisation.

PR should help an organisation polish their image – find the good things to talk about – gather the impressive evidence – and evangelise about the business. Everyone deserves to look their best. But if your PR is straying too far away from the truth then it’s up to you to think hard about whether they’re doing the kind of work you need. Any PR should evaluate the organisation or individual they offer to help before the work begins. And if they don’t think they can get you press coverage and exposure based on what you really are, they shouldn’t take the job.

There are liars in every profession. But whereas advertising gets a slap from the Advertising Standards Authority if they promise something they can’t deliver, PR folks are left to follow their own moral compass.

The most famous PRs in the country are some of the worst liars and manipulators – but that doesn’t mean you should have them working for you. It’s a pity for the reputation of PR in general that political spinning and the trading of celebrity gossip has blinded people to the genuine art of media relations.

Success on a Soapbox

2008-09-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

An interview with a journalist takes time. It takes time for the PR team to secure the meeting, arrange the logistics, prepare the spokesperson, brief the journalist. And the spokesperson will have to take time to prep and have the meeting. It’s frustrating when all that investment in time results in an article without the spokesperson in it.

One of the biggest disappointments is when the spokesperson just doesn’t seem to have anything interesting to say. They’ve nothing to add to the argument, no vision of the future, and no evidence to support what they do say.

If you think you’ve wasted your time then the journalist will feel the same. And you’re not likely to be on their list of people to call for a comment in future.

If you don’t know why you’re doing the interview – you probably shouldn’t be doing it. Consider the publication’s audience and what they might be interested in. Work out early what key points you want to get across and think of the proof you have to support what you say.

In the simplest terms, spokespeople need to See it … Say it … Show it.

See it
Journalists are looking to write what hasn’t been written before. Feature articles review the landscape, look to the future, and reveal unknown trends. An expert spokesperson should be able to future-gaze. Before you meet with a journo, take time to think about what you see in the industry. What’s going to change? And how will that affect the customers and the market?

Say it
Your key messages should be worked out in advance. You’ve got something to say to the publication’s audience so work out what that is. Try to come down on one side or another of an argument. If you have to get permission to be outspoken then get it. Avoid marketing scripts but instead prepare what you want to say with the audience in mind. And speak. Don’t just answer the question as quickly as possible and sigh with relief when it’s all over. Really say something.

Show it
Your business is innovative? How so? You are changing the nature of the industry? Who else agrees? Attend an interview with something to back up your statements. Follow up by providing the results of research, the name of an industry expert who can support your view, a graph that lays out the landscape.

Make every interview count. Plan to perfection. Get on your soapbox and I’ll get off mine.

Tooth and Nail

2008-09-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

There are 47,800 PR people in Britain. That’s twice the number of NHS Dentists. That’s double as many people as those licensed to give you a manicure. That’s 13 PR professionals for every company listed on the London Stock Exchange.

It’s a wide sphere of skills and ability – ranging from those that can really help transform your business to those who you wish you’d never met. If you’re looking to hire a PR agency or a PR consultant how do you know that you’re picking from the top of the industry? The process is rarely straight-forward but it must start with a clear picture from you of what you want to get out of PR. Marketing in general is a discipline that is full of vague guidelines for measuring success. But if you know your business well enough you should have an idea of what you want to change. Perhaps it’s better name awareness so the sales teams find it easier to connect with prospects? Perhaps it’s industry recognition for the innovative work your organisation is doing? Perhaps it’s traffic to your website or an increase in sales of a particular product?

It’s interesting that PR agencies talk about success in so many different ways. Measuring the advertising spend equivalent (sorry, you’ll never get me to buy into that), counting cuttings, before and after media audits. There are numerous feel good factors about appearing in print too – better staff morale, assisting recruitment, customer satisfaction. They’re all valid. But for most organisations, the PR spend is justified by the impact it’s going to have on the bottom line.

It sometimes seems that organisations want PR because their competitors have it. Some organisations are unprepared for the contribution they will have to make, uncomfortable with the revelations and demand for opinion, and unsure what the real point is. But there are 47,800 people fighting tooth and nail to convince them that PR is the answer.

It’s only ever the answer if you’ve actually worked out the question.

Know your business objective before embarking on a PR campaign. The best PR professionals can help you devise a strategy, can create compelling campaigns, can get you noticed. But without a true goal in mind you might just as well get your teeth cleaned or your nails done.

Very Superstitious

2008-09-02T23:48:00.000-07:00

The more volatile the world becomes the more we rely on forecasts, predictions, and calculations. Whether it’s a turbulent economy, a new market, or the launch of a breakthrough product – marketing strategists cling to their research reports like crystal balls. Gartner, Ovum, the CBI, the EIU – who you get your predictions from and which ones you build your strategy upon depends on your industry. And for marketing people, as times get tougher, the assumed behaviour of the ABC1 crowd becomes a life-raft. But it’s getting harder to predict. How will the bling-bling society behave when they’re strapped for cash? Sensible (switching power suppliers and maximising current assets) or speculative (investing in the high risk returns, refusing to give up the luxuries)?

How can you predict the unpredictable? Complex economic models provide a comfort factor to prop up a multi-million pound strategy but the reading of tea leaves might be as helpful.

It’s times like these that people start relying on magic. It’s a recognised human behaviour that can be traced back to the caves. “Should we hunt on this side of the mountain?” “Only if the clouds are shaped in a certain way.” “Shall we move the flock to safer ground?” “Red sky at night – shepherd’s delight.” “Do we fight in the morning?” “The entrails from this slaughtered goat will have the answer.”

In The 1984 California Management Review, Martin L. Gimpl said, “superstitions are the vehicle whereby charismatic leaders provide feelings of certainty in otherwise uncertain times.” And superstitions can deliver great results. Choosing random locations to hunt based on the results of cloud formation or cracks in burnt bones (like the Native Americans did) reduces the likelihood of overhunting one area or teaching the animals to avoid predictable hunters.

How many PR and marketing folk rely on ‘rules of engagement’ that no longer apply? Press releases only go out on a certain day of the week – headings must be X words long – it’s more difficult to get hold of a journalist on a sunny day? Real or random – the confidence of someone with inside knowledge can’t fail to impress the client. But it’s only the results themselves that provide the answer. So measure them. This week, next month, year by year. If someone’s superstition is bringing you a great communication campaign then keep going. If the report and research-fuelled strategy is getting customers to beat a path to your door then don’t stop now. Action is always better than inertia – especially during the tricky times.

But don’t really be fooled by the magic. It’s not real, you know.