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1. Do quit your job two days before your wedding, because working for yourself is blooming brilliant. Yes, it’s hard work and yes it can be challenging, but nobody checks your holiday entitlement 😎 2. It’s ok to stay small. Our expertise has grown enormously from the news-led PR where we began, but we remain a team of 1 (supported by fellow freelance pros as needed). That’s been a conscious decision, and it allows me to build really strong client relationships as an outsourced member of your team. 3. It’s not who you know, it’s what’s you know. That’s not to say good contacts and researching and maintaining media relationships aren’t super important, but great coverage will always be about a great story.
7. But don’t be afraid to say no. If capacity is tight or the client or project doesn’t feel the right fit, it’s ok to pass (occasionally 😉)
8. Keep learning – especially important in the fast-changing media landscape. Embrace it, it’s exciting. 9. Build a great pool of pros to call on. Because you can’t do everything and having trusty contacts you can lean on or recommend pays dividends. 10. Make time to network, not just to foster new business and partnerships, but because a coffee with like-minded freelancers is often just the ticket. 11. Don’t neglect your own PR & Marketing because you’re so busy managing everyone else’s (a little guilty here 🙃) 12. It’s ok if you don't spend all your time on social media when you’re not at work – busman’s holiday anyone? 13. AI isn’t going to steal your job, but you’d be a fool not to learn to work with it. 14. Make sure you make time to switch off. Completely. You can take your laptop on holiday but try not to open it. 15. Do have office dogs, because all the best ideas come to you on a walk, it never fails 🐶 Here’s to us – and to all our wonderful clients, thank you to being part of our story, and roll on the next 15! 🥂 You have seconds to convince a web visitor to stay on your site – so how do you write the copy that keeps their attention? We’ve put together a few tips to get you on track… KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE First things first, be clear on who you are talking to, what makes them tick and most importantly, how does your product/service/offering help them? FOCUS ON THEM, NOT YOU We just can’t emphasise this enough. Your website isn’t about you, how you started out, what you’re proud to offer, it’s about them, their problems, and how you can solve them. Keep that at the forefront, all the time.
BE HUMAN
Imagine you’re having a face-to-face conversation and take that approach with your copy. What do you really need to say? Being conversational builds a better connection. Use ‘you and ‘your’ to speak directly to your reader. EMPHASISE ACTION Deploying compelling and clear CTAs throughout your website is super important, but if you want more people to buy, subscribe, or contact you for more information, don't wait until the call to action to bring it up. Make sure your copy is setting out how this action will bring this benefit. WRITE WITH SEO IN MIND Naturally integrating keywords into your content is the way to go (as opposed to the ‘keyword stuffing’ approach of old, which now does more harm to your rankings than good). Focus on enticing meta titles and descriptions and answering users’ search queries. If you want to focus on SEO, invest in the right expertise. MAKE TIME FOR PROOFING We don’t subscribe to the ‘write your copy and then cut 50% of it in the proofing stage’ approach (because your copy should be better than that). But proofing is a really important part of the process, make time to revisit every word and check it’s playing its part. BRING IN A PRO? We’re not just saying it because we do it, but outsourcing your copywriting can save time, money and a lot of headaches. If you have the time and the team to do it in-house, go for it. If you get to the stage where your new website is stalling because the words just aren’t coming, seek some help. Copywriters are masters at bringing clarity to copy that converts. And, frankly just getting it done. It’s that feel-good time of year - which presents the perfect opportunity to put a Spring in your step and press refresh on your PR & marketing activity. Here are a few ideas to get you started... 
Need a hand? We’re here to provide the PR & marketing support you need, when you need it – whether that’s a little or a lot. Get in touch and we’ll be happy to chat more. Hello Spring! Looking to get your PR in shape for the new year ahead but not sure where to start? In our first blog of 2024, we look at the benefits of working with a smaller PR agency just like us, and how this personalised approach can deliver significant value to your business, without blowing your budget.
PR often needs quick decision-making and a flexible and agile approach to strategy - and a smaller agency can deliver on both. With fewer layers of bureaucracy, you get swifter action, helping you to stay ahead of the curve.
Working with a small PR agency often means having direct access to seasoned PR professionals, including agency owners. In larger agencies, senior expertise may be reserved for high-profile clients. Years of experience, personalised to you and your budget.
Smaller PR agencies tend to work more closely with their clients. We’re very much about becoming part of your team - fostering a strong partnership and going the extra mile for you.
For businesses with limited budgets, small PR agencies can offer cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality. You get a personalised strategy from a seasoned pro that’s flexible and more accessible to small and medium-sized businesses. We provide the PR & marketing you need – when you need it. Get in touch to find out more about how we can help you in 2024! It’s that time of year when everybody likes to make a prediction or two, and when it comes to PR, there are two big buzzwords for 2024. Authenticity and AI Rather contradictory? Bear with us a minute… 1. Authenticity first In our digital world – where we’re seeing a rapid increase in AI driven technology – emotional connections and the human touch are more crucial than ever. Authenticity is just that – and in 2024, we expect to see brands adopting a more personal and relatable image and being more human in the way they communicate their messaging and interact.
2024 will see a surge in purpose-driven communication too. Brands that authentically align with social and environmental causes will strike a chord with consumers who increasingly value purpose over profit. PR professionals will weave these narratives into their strategies, demonstrating that their brands are not just selling products but making a positive impact on the world. 2. Enter AI (second) Want to know which messages will strike a chord with your consumers? AI is the ultimate data maestro, turning raw information into actionable insights. More and more PR strategies are expected to leverage AI to analyse vast amounts of data, uncovering trends, preferences, and opportunities. This data-driven approach ensures that communication efforts are not just intuitive but also backed by concrete evidence. Personalised communication strategies will become the norm, ensuring that each interaction resonates with the unique preferences and interests of the target audience. Our Conclusion:
Authenticity comes first – and that means the human touch must always come first. But there's no doubt AI is an incredibly powerful tool, and should absolutely be harnessed to maximise efficiency and insight in PR strategy. As long as it's led by a human. Not a bad marriage, after all? Read our earlier blog on AI & Copywriting here Time to sharpen your pencils and shine your shoes. Or better still, re-group, re-focus and get your PR & marketing strategy in shape for the new season ahead. As everyone returns from holiday and the children head back to school, this time of year always feels like a new beginning. So, we’ve put together a few tips to help you re-focus your PR & marketing goals and stay top of the class.
2. Fall into the new season:
We’re not there yet (and we’re in no rush to say goodbye to the summer here!) but it is technically Autumn, and it will soon start to look like it. It’s a feel-good season, so let’s make the most of its warm colour palette and mood. Consider tweaking your brand's visual elements to reflect the cosy autumn hues. Update your website, social media profiles and marketing materials with autumn-inspired images, colours, and fonts. A subtle seasonal touch keeps you current and relatable. 3. Remember content is king: Compelling content is key all year-round, and now’s a good time to take stock and refresh any areas that can be improved. The golden rule? Consistency (and good planning) – that goes for your socials, blogs & email marketing. Make sure your web content is up-to-date and keyword optimised, consider any new channels that could improve your reach, and be creative when it comes to credibility-boosting PR opportunities. Linking your content to the season can be a great trick – but make sure your content is valuable & relevant. *And if you need a hand to get your PR & marketing in shape, give us a shout! It can be a bit of a chicken and egg moment, which comes first when building your new website – copy or design?
By providing your copy before your designer gets to work, they get:
And that saves a whole lot of back and forth, rebuilding pages because you’ve changed your mind. (You’re allowed to change your mind – but it’s much easier to crack the content with your copywriter before the design process begins.) Designers need to understand what you want in terms of:
Iron out your copy first, and you iron out everything you want your website to say and do. A solid base for the design & development phases to launch from. We write and design websites (in that order!) If you need a hand, get in touch. I’ve challenged Chat GPT to numerous ‘write-offs’ – surely it can’t do a better job than me? The speed at which it produces copy (a lot of it, and within seconds) is something I can’t match. But good copy is all about compelling humans to do something, buy something, be somewhere, engage – and no AI can compel a human better than a human, right? That’s my stand-out from my experimentation. Chat GPT isn’t human, it doesn’t write like one, and when you’re in the business of really good copy, that’s evident. So, I asked my robot sidekick – is AI as good as a human copywriter? And word for word (americanisms and all) here’s what it said:
Human writers possess creativity, intuition, and a deep understanding of cultural nuances that can be challenging for AI to replicate. They can bring a unique perspective, inject emotion and storytelling into their writing, and adapt their approach based on subjective factors.
Additionally, human copywriters have the ability to understand complex business objectives, conduct in-depth research, and make strategic decisions based on specific target audiences. They can also bring their expertise to optimize content for search engine optimization (SEO) and engage with readers on a personal level. In summary, AI has made impressive strides in copywriting and can be a valuable tool for generating content. However, human copywriters still hold an edge when it comes to creativity, emotional connection, and strategic decision-making. The ideal approach often involves a combination of AI tools and human expertise to achieve the best results." And maybe that's the future - a combination, copy that embraces the advantages of AI but is still ultimately human. I saw a great post that summed it up nicely for me – AI doesn't pose a threat to your job, but refusing to embrace AI might. We’ve established the press release is far from dead (if you missed it, read the blog here). Done right, it has the potential to generate significant media coverage and the brand credibility that comes with it. But it can be a big blow if your well-crafted copy fails to catch the attention of journalists and goes unnoticed. What’s to blame? In this blog post we look at 5 common reasons that might stop your press release being picked up by the media - and explore the (often really easy) ways you can overcome them.  1. Your press release looks like spam
Journalists get a lot of emails. Your subject line needs to grab their attention – but you need to be really careful that it doesn’t look like spam. Don’t mark it URGENT and don’t write READ THIS. Using your headline usually does the trick. Keep it punchy and direct. 2. Your press release is attached Newsrooms are inundated with press releases (and journalists get a lot of emails, we’ll just say that again). If you attach your press release, somebody has to open it before they decide whether they’re interested in the story. And they might not. Pasting the press release into the body of your email is much more effective. (You can always attach it too to cover all bases). 3. Mass mail fail Sending your press release to a generic distribution list or irrelevant media outlets can significantly reduce its chances of being picked up. It’s so important to spend time researching your contacts so that it reaches the right people. Otherwise it's a waste of everybody's time. You should also avoid mass, impersonal mailouts. Personalise your outreach - address the journalist by name, add a short note explaining why your story is relevant to their audience, start to build a rapport. 4. Lack of imagery A story needs an image – especially in today’s digital age, and providing one boosts your chances of press release success. If your press release lacks compelling visuals, such as high-resolution images, infographics, or videos, it’s unlikely to capture attention. Make sure those visuals are good to go, so the journalist doesn’t need to do any sourcing or chasing. Insert a link for multiple images and videos so they are easy to view and download. 5. Lack of newsworthiness One of the biggest reasons for your press release being ignored – it’s not newsworthy enough. To be newsworthy it needs to be timely, relevant and impactful. Press releases that are ready to be copied and pasted, with little editing and all the info, quotes and images provided, make busy journalists happy. But they have to tell a really good story too. If it's not newsworthy, don't expect it to get picked up. Need a hand winning media coverage? Get in touch to find out how we can help. Ask somebody to sit down and write about their business and it usually goes a little something like this: “We have been established since… we work with… we work across… we provide solutions for… we pride ourselves on…” Without realising it, they’ve fallen into the bad copy trap at the very first opportunity. Because when it comes to copywriting ‘we’ is a bad, bad word. Why?  Truth is your business isn’t really about you – it’s about your customers.
And they don’t want to hear about you – they want to hear about themselves, about their problems, their needs and their solutions. So how do you avoid the ‘we’ trap? The trick is to flip the way you approach your copy – stop thinking ‘we’ and start thinking ‘you’ instead. There are few words in the marketing world as powerful as you. It engages your customers, it personalises your content and it makes it oh so easy for them to relate to what you’re offering and quickly see how it benefits them. By routing out and rewording each ‘we’ you very quickly change the way you approach your copy, and in turn, the way you approach your customers. You’re more direct, more compelling, and more likely to get results from your content. A small change that has a really big impact. We come to the rescue of plenty a project that has stalled at the copy stage. Not sure whether to handle your content in-house or outsource to a pro copywriter? Check out our blog to help you decide. |
