Context Public Relations

‘Tis the season to be jolly and all that, but unfortunately that doesn’t mean that you can put a hold on any crisis until January. Take British Airways, for example. The news of their cabin crew’s decision to strike is causing endless disruption for thousands of passengers, which is being eagerly followed by every news channel and publication in the UK.

A cabin crew strike is inconvenient for passengers at the best of times, but a cabin crew strike at Christmas is a passenger nightmare and guarantees a media frenzy. In order to ride out the storm, British Airways need to be openly communicating with the press to ensure that all affected passengers are aware of what is going on, as well as trying to limit further damage to their reputation.

Good crisis management relies on a stream of open communication that is well planned, covering the facts of the situation and telling people what is going to be done to improve things, which when done well can save your company’s reputation, but when done badly can become a complete disaster.

Unfortunately, sometimes there is little that can be done to avoid a crisis, but if one should happen to your business, don’t add fuel to the fire – have a crisis management plan in place and be proactive about speaking to the relevant media. If you have no experience in crisis management, then seek advice from those who do…a crisis is no time for improvising.

Tags: Uncategorized by Debbie
No Comments »

With the likes of facebook, twitter, IM and myspace becoming more and more popular, many people have started to keep in touch on a more regular basis – and many even keep regular contact with those they only previously contacted once a year with a Christmas card. With this being the case is there still any real need to send a Christmas card? With social networking people can get in touch with family and friends as often as they want, quickly, easily and more importantly, for free. 

Tags: Marketing Mix by Priya
No Comments »

As we put up the office Christmas tree and organise our Secret Santa, it’s easy to think that we can relax our PR activity for a couple of weeks. All the journalists are on holiday now after all…

Think again!

While it’s true that the Christmas holidays are generally quieter than the rest of the year, deadlines still need to be met in the media World and magazine staff are still working hard at getting copy finalised for their January issues.

Take advantage of any quiet periods in your own business to step up your December PR and make sure that’s it’s your company that appears in the post-Christmas publications.

The fact of the matter is that regardless of the time of year it’s important to keep a steady stream of news flowing to help maintain your company’s profile in the press. In fact, with people being out of the office for the holidays, your PR material will have less to compete with potentially giving you far more press coverage than you may have expected.

The same goes for your social media – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Using press releases and PR coverage to create regular updates for networking sites is a great way to build awareness and boost your SEO, but if you slow down your PR you also slow down the flow of content into these sites, running the risk of slipping off the radar.

So if you want to look forward to a prosperous 2010, add PR to your Christmas list this year!

Tags: Public Relations by Anna
No Comments »

December can be a useful time for businesses and marketing professionals to stop, take a breath, and reflect on the past 12 months. It’s a good opportunity to evaluate the business strategies, campaigns and activities which have worked well, and take stock of what has helped to grow your business, through both new business and existing partnerships.

Take the time to review your media relations activities, and ask yourself, did PR help you to achieve the business goals you set out 12 months ago?

The right PR partner will have a shared understanding of your business goals and priorities. They will work with you at a strategic and operational level to develop an effective media campaign that gets you in front of your target audience and the decision makers that count.

The right PR partner will ensure you have a share of voice in the industry debates that matter, ensuring your voice is heard above that of your competitors. They will ensure your opinion is one which is listened to and valued by your target audience.

The right PR partner will also play a key role in helping you to maximise your online presence and search engine rankings through dedicated online, social media and blogging campaigns.

PR isn’t some sort of press release sausage machine; it’s a strategic partnership to help you not only make your voice heard, but crucially, to ensure you are saying the right things, and to the right people.

Looking back at 2009, if your current PR partner hasn’t delivered this year, why not contact us to see how you could be doing things better?

Tags: Public Relations by Luke
No Comments »

December is once again here and many marketing departments may have a little extra time on their hands to put in place all those things they meant to do earlier in the year. Number one on everyone’s Christmas list this year is Social Networking - Twitter, Facebook and Blogging.

If you are one of the companies thinking about Social Networking please take a moment to think about what you are doing.  Social Networking can be great for online SEO and keeping your customers and prospects informed about what you are doing but if you don’t keep it up it can reflect badly on the business.

Here is our quick guide to Social Networking that could help you keep it going:

• Select the right tools - When you start out don’t go for everything at once - Blog to start with and then think about Twitter. Set up your Linkedin profile before you start adding content to your Facebook group.
• How much time can you spend on Social Networking - it takes time to do so how long are you going to spend on it each day
• If in doubt outsource it - don’t be ashamed to admit defeat. Contract the professionals to write the content on your behalf
• Whatever you do don’t give up - If you don’t keep content fresh and interesting your customers and prospects are going to stop visiting the site.

Tags: Marketing Mix, SEO by Rob
No Comments »

It’s that time of year when reality programmes and talent shows go into overdrive. From singing and dancing to eating bugs in the Australian jungle, the ratings for these shows are as high as ever, with producers having figured out a winning formula.

Now that’s not to say that the shows don’t vary each year, with new contestants, judges and twists, but the underlying format is the same – because it works so well. The same approach is true of a good PR campaign.

Creating fresh news angles and campaigns is vital to any company’s success, but these should be delivered through a PR and marketing strategy that suits the individual needs of any company, using a selection of targeted activities that have been proven to deliver the best results. While these may not necessarily gain you prime time TV coverage on a Saturday night, they will deliver the best ROI for your business.

Tags: Uncategorized by Debbie
No Comments »