How much can the movies teach us about making a point, or presenting your key message? Quite a lot, as it turns out, because learning how to tell a good story is one of the most important lessons we convey when we talk to people about delivering their key messages during media and presentation training […]
Rocket fuel for story ideas
So often, when I am training PR people, especially those working in agencies, they complaint that they’re expected to promote stories which they know are simply not very interesting. I am a strong advocate of being honest with clients and managing their expectations – ie making it clear that their story is unlikely to get […]
The dangers of confused messaging
Credit where it’s due, the government has done extremely well with the rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations. On May 25 the vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told MPs approximately 72% of all adults in the UK had received their first dose and 43% had received both. The figures are impressive but unfortunately one cannot day the same […]
Top pitching advice
This week, we’re running a media relations refresher for a client, so I decided to canvas the talented, and always helpful, members of the Facebook Freelance PRs group for their top pitching advice. Here are their responses: Vicki Moffatt If newsjacking get your pitch in within 15 mins to Nationals, 1 hour to radio and […]
The importance of storytelling
The value and importance of storytelling has been growing in prominence over the past few years. However, it has been recognised for centuries – way back to Ancient Greece and beyond, and a study by the University of Liverpool found that 65 per cent of all human interactions are storytelling. At the moment, I’m reading […]
Charity fundraising: running a Tweetathon
One of the areas worst affected by the pandemic has been charity fundraising. Which is why when I came upon the idea of using a “Tweetathon” to raise money in the book Unmarketing by Scott Stratten, I wanted to share it. He embarked on a 12-hour Tweetathon raffle to raise money for a child hunger […]
Coronavirus crisis: How to keep your good name
Here are our top tips for managing your reputation through the coronavirus crisis: Do the right thing: show that you care about your staff, your clients and the wider public. Witness the backlash against Britannia Hotels for treating their staff badly and Sports Direct for defying the lock-down. Keep communicating: don’t let there be a […]
Coronavirus outbreak: A question of trust
I went into Boots to pick up a prescription (nothing serious) and as I was queuing, I spotted a notice about surgical masks. It said they had all been sold out and gave no indication when further stocks would be available. When I asked an assistant if she knew any more, she shrugged her shoulders […]
Why let branding get in the way of a good story?
Time and again when I’m teaching PR people how to write effective press releases, I come up against the problem of branding. This is particular an issue for PR agencies, often at the mercy of their clients’ brand guidelines. The problem is that brand guidelines generally don’t take into account the realities that PRs face […]
What is good writing?
What is good writing? Well, in 1982, David Ogilvy, the founder of the PR giant, Ogilvy and Mather, sent a memo to his writers, headed How to Write. I recently came across this, and it chimed so well with the points I make to delegates on writing and press release courses, that I decided to […]
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