PR: Back to basics - simple steps you may have missed

When we consider PR we quite often jump straight in at the news stage – lets create some news and get some press coverage.

This is a good objective to have, and whether you’re doing your own PR or have / want to work with a PR agency to manage this for you, generating news, entering awards, supporting charities and events, running offers and promotions, are all targets to consider in order to gain publicity.

But, and this is a big but, have you covered the basics?

When you start shouting to the media about your business – your revolutionary product or amazing time saving service, are you well prepared, and well presented?

What you want to avoid more than anything is getting great press coverage, and then driving new customers to your website, email address or phone number, for them to be disappointed by the first impression you give.

So what factors can really turn people off, and what can you do? Here goes, this is part 1 of our guide to the simple things.

Telephone messages – what does your telephone answer phone message say about you? Do you even have an answer phone or does it just ring, and ring, and ring when there’s no one available. Make sure your message is clear and concise. The business name should be easy to hear and understand. Make sure you explain how and when you will get back to people – be realistic – don’t say you’ll reply within an hour if it’s more likely to be 24! Manage people’s expectations.

Email addresses – do you have a website? If so make sure to register the email addresses using the same name, for example we are http://www.warrilowpr.co.uk/ and I am catherine@warrilowpr.co.uk. For general queries we also have info@warrilowpr.co.uk. This should be one of the first things you do to improve the perception of your business – proper email addresses look far more professional than Gmail or Hotmail addresses.

Email signatures – make sure you have a signature at the bottom of your emails. This not only looks professional but it’s a great way to promote your business – include a link to your website, blog and Twitter pages. Make sure it’s not too long though, people don’t want to scroll on and on to find your phone number.

Branding – do you have a logo? Maybe a strap line as well? Make sure that your branding appears consistently across all of your marketing materials including your website, email, business cards, stationery and brochures. If you’ve updated your look and you’re still using up that last reem of headed paper or last box of business cards, it’s time to recycle them – be consistent. If you don’t have a logo, really consider investing in a designer – this is something to employ expert help for and will really help you to stand out.

Website – if you have a website, keep it up to date and make it easy to use. Pencil in a monthly check, or even every two weeks if you can to make sure contact details, special offers and news are current and up to date. If you don’t have a website, it’s time to look into having one. Most types of businesses really need a web presence, even if it just serves to offer contact details.

Developing your website – if you have a website and want to take things on a step, look at increasing the content to further engage with your target audience. Add testimonials from happy customers, include case studies if your service or product needs some explaining – what about video or audio content? If you like to write, why not offer tips or articles within your area of expertise? Also think about adding links to groups or associations that you belong to, or complimentary services that customers may find of interest.

In part 2 we'll cover your USPs, business cards, your premises, social media, time and help!

For more advice on back to basics and PR, do get in touch – if we’re not instantly available, do leave a message, send us an email or visit the website and we will get back to you within 24 hours (apart from the first week of September…apparently Blackberry’s don’t work on Spanish beaches….)

If only money could buy time...

Following on from the great advice from Antonia Chitty on setting up your own business as a mum, we have some top tips on separating work and family life.

For the mumpreneurs out there, juggling work and home life can be a constant battle, not only with the workload but with your conscience too.

Advice for home working mums on separating home and family time

Advice for home working mums on separating home and family time

I’ve been working for myself for the last six years, and one of my biggest issues, still, is learning to switch off. I love what I do, and it can be easy just keep working into the evening, but I know that you can’t do that every night and still stay on top the next day. Here I share some of my most effective suggestions to ensure that you get family time, work time AND me time.

It is easy to find that, running a business and a family, you feel permanently stretched. Being busy is one thing: most mums feel tired by the end of the day. But it is quite another to find that you have been working in every spare minute and just don’t have the energy to keep going. So, you need to divide up your time.

Take a few minutes now, sit back, and have a little day dream. If you had 5 minutes to yourself, what would you do with it? What about if you had a couple of hours? Would you have a long soak in the bath, or go to the shops unhindered by the kids? And if you had a whole day, where would you go and who would you spend time with? Make a few notes about these dreams of what you’d like to do in your spare time, and then look at your diary. Now book in some time for yourself, just in the same way that you book in the kids dental appointments, parent’s evenings and the school play. Make sure you note down your plan for the time, even if it is simply to have a luxurious bath and do your nails. Then, do all you can to keep that time for yourself. Try to have a few hours every week booked in to look after yourself. It will make it easier to look after the family during the rest of the week.

With regard to time to spend on the business, I find planning ahead works well. Set yourself ‘work hours’. I’m not suggesting you have to do a 9 to 5. Instead, pick the hours that suit you. When I only had one child I used to work for 2-3 hours each morning while she was at playgroup. Now I’ve got three, my work is timed around when the baby naps. But I still have a clear idea of when is work time and when I stop working.

For many mumpreneurs the time between 3 and 7 is the toughest time of the day. Tired grumpy kids need food, attention and baths. Make things easier on yourself by switching off the computer at this time. Try letting the phone go to the answer machine if you’re in the middle of something too. By just concentrating on the kids at this time everything can run much more smoothly.

My final tip is about making the transition between work time and family time. Everyone finds it difficult to change from one to the other. So, if your mind is full of all the uncompleted jobs at 2.45, take 15 minutes before collecting the kids to make a list in a notebook. Give yourself a pat on the back for all the things you have achieved, and then close the notebook until you next plan to work. Go and do the school run with your mind clear to concentrate on family time.

Antonia Chitty is author of the Mumpreneur Guide’s Start Your own Business Book, available from1 September from http://www.themumpreneurguide.co.uk/, http://www.amazon.co.uk/ and to order from any bookstore.

Thanks Antonia!

I want to be the boss!

For many women, having children is a real time of change. Not just for the obvious reasons, by priorities change. Time is more precious and the daily commute to work may no longer fit in with your lifestyle.

There's some great advice and support networks out there, and we're really excited to have some expert advice from Antonia Chitty, author of the Mumpreneur Guide’s Start Your own Business Book.

Advice for mums thinking of setting up their own venture

If you’re on maternity leave, are you thinking of ways to avoid returning to work? Or perhaps your little one is about to start nursery or school this September. With plenty of news about successful mumpreneurs, you might be thinking about setting up your own business. This is a great way to choose your own work hours to suit your family. You also get to work in an area of your choosing: most mums tie in their work with an interest, skill or passion which can help you keep motivated.

Starting your own business can seem daunting, however. So what are the first steps?

1. Come up with a business idea. You might have an idea of your own, or you may prefer to sign up for an existing direct sales business or franchise. Loot at whether there is a niche for your business. You are more likely to succeed if there is little competition in your area. Whatever sort of business you choose don’t forget to…

2. Do your research. You may be excited about your new business, but the important thing to find out is whether people will buy. Don’t just ask friends and family as they are likely to be positive about whatever you do. Set up a survey online using something like survey monkey and print off some copies to hand out to potential customers face to face too. If your business is targeting mums, catch people at toddler group or the school gate and ask for their views.

3. Make a plan. Business planning may seem daunting, but it is a great way to thrash out all the ins and outs of your potential business. Talk to your local enterprise agency: most offer free or low cost courses to help you get started with your plan. Enterprise agencies are also a great place to go for more help and resources.

4. Take your plan and break it down. Again, don’t be daunted by all the things you now need to do to start the business. Work out the hours you have available to work and make a timetable. This will give you a realistic idea of when your business might be able to launch. It will also help you break big ideas down into small, achievable steps. One of the biggest problems for most mumpreneurs is lack of time. If you have a plan laid out they you can see what you need to do next even if you only have a few minutes.

5. Finally, get some support. It can be lonely setting up a business single handed, but there are lots of mums out there doing the same thing. Join a forum or go to a local networking group and you’ll be able to get help and advice from experienced mumpreneurs.

One of the biggest challenges anyone working from home struggles with is separating work and family time. Do I get my expenses in line or put a wash on? Do I review my marketing strategy or clean the car? Some of us are very disciplined, but others are easily distracted. We'll have some more expert advice from Antonia on this subject coming soon.

Antonia Chitty is author of the Mumpreneur Guide’s Start Your own Business Book, available from 1st September from http://www.themumpreneurguide.co.uk/, http://www.amazon.co.uk/ and to order from any bookstore.

The rise of social media in PR and business communication

Ingrid Semanikova recently joined Warrilow PR on a freelance basis having just graduated from Thames Valley University.

Ingrid wrote her dissertation on social media, so it is a pleasure to welcome her as a guest blogger on the subject.

In recent months there has been significant growth in interest in the micro-blogging social media service Twitter among PR professionals. Why? Because it’s about communication, interaction and engaging.

PR, in very simplistic terms, is about the ability to communicate a series of messages to a target audience.

There are many directions that could be taken and many audiences every company needs to communicate with in order to succeed, including potential customers, existing customers, employees and others. Good PR practitioners do not only communicate their messages, they listen to their stakeholders, monitor what is being said and done and respond accordingly.

Where other activities such as marketing and advertising are normally shorter term campaigns with one clear target, to sell, PR enables companies to have ongoing conversations with their target audiences where they can demonstrate their knowledge and expertise of products and target markets.

While advertising and marketing are one way monologues about the benefits of certain product or service, PR being a two-way conversation actually helps to identify what matters to customers. This can be then reflected in an organisation’s overall strategy.

The evolution of technology combined with the natural human desire to converse has brought about a real change into the way businesses and individuals communicate and relate to others.

The work of the PR industry, in building and sustaining reputation while spreading awareness, therefore has to adjust.

For businesses the immediate challenge is to identify processes and procedures that will enable them to interact online as members of specific communities, while simultaneously maintaining their role as guardians of reputation. This is not a challenge that will be overcome lightly, requiring commitment to deploying time and resources. But it is not something which can be achieved without becoming immersed in this post-Web 2.0 environment, and the implications of failing to face these challenges adequately could ultimately prove more time-consuming and costly.

If a growing number of customers now seek information online, then a business needs a successful approach to online PR. Those turning away from online PR and social media, whatever their motivation, risk becoming ignorant of their target audiences, but also turning down the opportunity to create word-of-mouth endorsements.

Social media are communication tools with a truly global reach potential. However, there are rules to be followed in order to succeed. These are not defined by the business community, not even by those who develop and sell the technology itself, but by those who use it.

Of course there is a lot more to say on this topic, and that's what I intend to do here. In future posts I plan to examine Twitter and social media in more detail.

Food for thought...

A family friend asked me at the weekend, what is PR? Is it marketing? So I thought I'd do a quick post because sometimes it's important to remember what it is exactly that we're trying to do.

We all like a good meal. Whether it's a traditional roast (a firm favourite although I couldn't eat one in this heat!), an authentic Italian pasta dish, or something like sushi.

But back to PR and the reason for the food theme.

PR is very much like that favourite meal. Granny's steak pie maybe?!

It's that family recipe that has been handed down through the generations and is simply delicious.

I'm not usually one for analogies, but bear with me because this is a good one.

PR creates memorable moments. It captures people's imagination and leaves a lasting impression.

Like that favourite steak pie. You enjoy the experience, you wonder what the ingredients are and you want to find out more. You want the recipe and you tell your friends how good this pie is.

You're interested. You remember it. And you tell other people about it.

That's what good PR is about.

On the other hand there are lots of other methods of communicating with your customers that can be very effective, but sometimes they are just chicken nuggets.

No comparison to granny's steak pie really.

Chicken nuggets can taste good. But do you ever remember a chicken nugget?! Would you want the recipe or ask where they came from? And, the other issue, there are lots and lots of chicken nuggets out there, all doing pretty much the same thing, just being nuggets of chicken.

So, I'm sorry for the cornyness of this little post about what PR is, but I quite like the food association.

What is Google Local Business?

Merrill Jacobs of Genero Web Design is our guest blogger this week, and tells us about Google Local Business.

Google local business is an online directory of business listings that target location specific searches (eg. London, Berkshire etc). It is similar in principle to the paper version of the local business listings found in the Yellow Pages, except that you have the ability to update your online listing as and when you like.

The significance of having a Local Business listing is the fact that it appear at the very top of the page in a section that stands out from the rest of the page.

So, how can you get a listing?

All you need is a Google account. If you need to create an account then visit https://www.google.com/local/add.

Once you have an account and are logged in you can enter the details of your business. These range from your address through to contact details, hours of business, accepted methods of payments and a link to your website.

There are also ways in which to improve your ranking amongst other businesses within your sector. These are:

Encouraging clients to write reviews. Clients can rate your business using a five star rating system.
Adding photos/videos. Your listing can be branded with your company logo, product photos/videos.
Using location specific keywords (eg. London, Berkshire etc). These keywords appear in your listing.

Google Local Business will compliment your other online marketing activities and is a smart, straightforward and cost effective way of increasing you online presence.

Good luck!

Work from home? Enterprise Nation offers a helping hand.

Run a home business? If you haven't already discovered Enterprise Nation check out the website now. We spoke with Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation and the brains behind Home Enterprise Day.

What is Enterprise Nation?

Enterprise Nation [http://www.enterprisenation.com/] is a free resource for anyone starting and growing a business from home.

Who set it up and why?

I set it up! I started my first home business when I was 27 and sold it within 2 years. After the sale, I realized that even though I had started, grown and sold a business from home (and there were many more people turning spare rooms into home offices) there was no dedicated website or resource for us home business owners. I decided to create one.

What kind I find on the website?

You will find content across three areas; business, lifestyle and technology. We cover all the topics you need to know when starting and growing a business from home - from making a first sale, through to the music that will have you working at your best! The site is updated every day with homeworking news, features on gadgets/products, interviews with successful home business owners and tips/how-to guides. As well as written content, we also have an audio/video channel, packed with informative and entertaining podcasts.

What is Home Enterprise Day?

We are very excited about this. Home Enterprise Day forms part of this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week and will be held on Friday 20th November. The aim of the day is to encourage more people to start up at home (full time or part time) and to inspire those running a business from home, to grow. It will be a day long celebration of a modern way of working. The highlight of the day will be the Enterprise Nation Conference and .. in the lead up to the day we have launched a race to follow every home business owner in the UK on Twitter. Please join us at www.twitter.com/e_nation

What would be your biggest piece of advice for people working from home?

Start small. Grow at your own pace. Keep family and friends onside. Oh, and enjoy it! After all, you’re making a living from doing what you love, have the freedom of being your own boss and … enjoy a 30 second commute!