- Launched in 2008 – something different

- A hardworking and straight talking PR team

- Understand the brands and businesses we work with

- Objective driven, there is a purpose to everything we do

- Develop realistic and sustainable campaigns

- Enjoy long-term relationships with our clients

- Make recommendations that add value

- Work as an extension of our clients’ teams

We are Open Communications

Directors, Lindsey Davies and Emma Lupton

“How we differ”

- A team approach (we are never unavailable)

- We don’t do ‘air kissing’

- Attention to detail is imperative

- Experienced writers with an understanding of the media

- A portfolio of results we never tire of sharing

- We never work with competing businesses

- We enjoy what we do, and we do it well

“What you should get out of today?”

- An understanding of PR and marketing communications

- The skills to draft a simple press release

- Ability to identify news that will drive interest and raise your profile

- Background into the media and how they work

- Opportunity to consider cost effective marketing communications

- Update on how to use social media to gain best return

- The knowledge to put a plan in place for your business

- Excitement

WORDS AND PICTURES

PR and marketing communications

Press releases /

news articles

Social media / user

generated content

Marketing materials

Customer facing

interactions - WOM

Copy that captures attention• Headline – make it stand out

– Single sentence that sums up the story

– Interesting, quirky not too clever

• Simple but effective

• First paragraph: who, what, where, when and why

• Further explanation

• Quote

• Contact details

Using imagery and video

• Bring your stories to life

• A picture paints a thousand words

• Many papers now use podcasts

• What visual prompts can be used

• How will your story differ from others received– What can you offer them that will make it different

– What can you stage that will get your message across simply and effectively

Consider marketing materials• Where are your prospects

– What do they read

– Print is dead, long live print

• What do you leave behind at meetings – Brochure

– Leaflet

– Business cards

• Can you do something quirky

• Could your product do the talking for you

• How will you engage, interact and share

Language – tone of voice

• Many people over complicate the message

• Keep it simple

• Think about your audience– National, regional or technical

– In print or a blog

• What is a solution

• Write down the words that describe your business– Look at them as a check list and inject that personality in to your writing

– Professional, confident, knowledgeable / approachable, friendly, straight talking

STOP PRESS

What makes a good story• The ‘why’ test

• How relevant is your story to the media

• Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy

• Be proud of your achievements

• Nothing is ever ‘off the record’

• Understand the media – Read the papers

– Watch the news

– Find similar articles

– Make a note of the reporter

Editorial and advertising • Editorial is run of paper

– News stories

– Balanced

– Editorial control

• Advertising is paid for – ‘Advertorial’

– Written by the business

– Sales led

– Supplements such as property

– Special issues

– Sponsorship of awards

BEING SOCIAL

Social media tools • LinkedIn

– Business connections

• Facebook– Consumer led campaigns

– Fans

– Business and personal

• Blogging – User generated content

• Twitter– Hashtags

– Follows

– Favourites

• Instagram– Images

• FourSquare– GPS tracking

When to use social • To share a message

• Engage with your audience

• Appeal to a new target audience

• Share images

• Create video content and share with a wider audience

• Share blog content with a wider audience

• Build a brand

• Recruitment campaigns

What NOT to do

• Mix business and pleasure

• #RANT

• Swear

• Be offensive

• Be overtly opinionated

• Access social media when drunk

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Sharing your success

• Be proud of your coverage – frame it!

• Send links out through social media channels

• Bitly.com (make your URL’s smaller)

• Tweet and retweet links to your articles online

PUTTING THE THEORY INTO PRACTICE

New Moon Games • Brainstorm

• Choosing your stories

• Media / medium – Regional papers

– National newspapers

– Trade media

– Social media

• A planned approach – Schedule

– Keep it simple

QUESTIONS

Open CommunicationsNostell Priory Estate Yard

Nostell Wakefield WF4 1AB

www.opencomms.co.uk01924 862477