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 […]
PR made easy for SMEs: webinar
This month, I was privileged to be asked to deliver a webinar PR made easy for SMEs, by Start Up Richmond. During the webinar we discussed how to do your own PR, including how the media works and what they’re looking for, what makes a good story, how to decide the right media outlet for […]
How to handle a press conference: five quick tips
If you’re expecting a lot of media attention, it can make sense to organise a press conference. This is particularly true if you’re in the midst of some kind of emergency or looming PR disaster. The advantages are that: it gives the impression that you are open and transparent, it helps you take control of the […]
How to speak to journalists
It might sound very old fashioned to talk about your “telephone manner” but it matters. Whether you’re operating a switchboard, making sales calls or working in PR, you won’t get far if you don’t know how to communicate well by phone. As a PR professional, how often do you stop and think about what subliminal […]
TV coverage: how TV reports work
What kind of impact would TV coverage focusing on your issue or campaign have? Especially as nowadays, anything that is on TV is repeated throughout the day on 24 hour news, and is automatically online and on social media too. For so many people gaining TV coverage can seem completely out of reach. If you’re seeking […]
10 tips for membership bodies to audit PR
At Rough House, we work a lot with membership bodies – we have trained everyone from the Manufacturing Technologies Association to the Joint Council of Qualifications. Our friends at Bojangle Communications also specialise in working with membership organisations, and their founder Lindsey Collumbell has agreed to share her top 10 tips on how they should audit their […]
How to get great publicity – for free
1. Do stories about your or your business never make it onto TV or into the papers? 2. Do you write press releases or pitches that never result in media inquiries? 3. Do your competitors get better coverage in newspapers or on TV? 4. Are you buzzing with ideas for newspapers or magazines but don’t […]
PR case study: Cleanhome
For the fourth in our series examining how small businesses manage their PR, we spoke to Karen Kelly, who founded the Thames Valley based cleaning franchise Cleanhome back in 2010. She works with our friends at Cerub PR. Karen has a corporate background – she worked at Disney and Virgin Atlantic. She to set up the business because […]
Crisis communications quote: One to think about …
It is always wise to get crisis and reputation management advice from people who have been there and know what they are talking about. If you would like support with crisis communications strategy, please contact us on 020 8332 6200 or info@roughhouse.co.uk. by
Six handy PR tips
Today I’ve pulled some PR tips out of the bag – completely at random – which should help boost the amount of editorial coverage you get in newspapers, TV and on the radio. 1. Journalists love pegs. You are more likely to get more coverage if you link your activities and press releases to an […]
Stay in touch: social media