Are you tempted to start a business?

This appeals to me a lot.  If something seems impossible then you just need to try harder to find a way to make it work.

These great sentiments and graphics are from the Be Your Own Boss programme fronted by Innocent entrepreneur Richard Reed. http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/beyourownboss

Interestingly they have set up an investment company - so if you are struggling with funding from a bank, try these guys.

I tripped over all this on Twitter and need to share with you a first in my Twitter usage.  It is the first time that I have ever paid any attention to a promoted tweet.

I don't follow many links on Twitter, unless I know the person/business that has posted the link.  So there you have it - a perfect example of how powerful a brand can be.  Will I watch the programme?  

Well, I missed the first one .... but I am definitely following @jamjarinvest

PR from an editors point of view

I have just read a great blog post written by an editor about how editors are treated and what they face day to day. I have pleasure refering clients and PR associates alike to this great post that explains what is acceptable and not acceptable to a modern editor of a trade publication.

I have been fortunate over the years to consider many editors as colleagues and our work has been mutually beneficial and enjoyable. It is not always easy, however, to build 'relations' when you work in Public Relations and to find the 'social' when you use Social Media, in the way this blog post suggests PR and marketing people should always do. I agree, however, that this is what should be done.

There are plenty of editors that build impenetrable walls around themselves. There are lots of journalists that enjoy proving to novice PRs that there is a imbalance of power to be remembered at all times - the power being in the hands of the journalist, of course. These are unhelpful attitudes but are a response, no doubt, to the unforgivable behaviour of too many PRs and companies that try to randomly promote stuff using the online equivalent of a blanket junk mail campaign. It's just rude behaviour all around.

Shh, don't tell anyone but . . . there are plenty of times when editors rely on PRs for relevant information, contacts and, of course, opportunites and transport to cover a story first hand - but PRs are never meant to openly acknowledge this side of the relationship as it hints at some sort of impartiality in journalism. Obviously I would never, ever suggest journalists can be swayed in any way, just that PRs and editors both have jobs to do and can help each considerably if they know how to make things a bit easier for each other. After all, I shall never forget that balance of power as long as I am in the PR business ;)

I like to think that this blog post from a real, live editor might restore the faith of a few hurting, novice PRs and provide some tips to anyone considering some DIY media relations. This blogger reminds us of a golden rule of PR: publications are approachable if we have applied serious thought to what each editor requires. It also reminds us of a golden rule of doing business: remember our manners.

Pink Concert PR disaster at Alton Towers

It was all going so well, Pink wowed the capacity crowd at Alton Towers . . . . and then it was time to leave the concert and head home. That's when, from midnight, it all started going horribly wrong at Alton Towers. A double whammy, guest and local residents PR disaster ensues! Quick, arrange a meeting with the crisis management PR people.

I had heard last week that Alton Towers were genuinely expecting it to take 4 hours to exit the park - well they were right, it just about did take that long. I really have to wonder why, if Alton Towers knew how long it was going to take, they couldn't make better arrangements. Either find a way to get everyone out of the park quicker, or find a way to set more realistic expectations.

Guests exiting the park at 2am after a 2 - 3 hour stationary wait apparently vented their frustration by beeping their car horns in the local villages. Not sure how that fits into operating within a noise abatement order (brought about by the already frustrated residents of Farley). During a meeting at Alton Towers recently, the PR person said to me that they had given up worrying about what local residents think of Alton Towers. Amazed by this, I downloaded a Charter they've written on this subject and looked carefully to find any meaningful content, but alas, there was none so I guess she meant what she said.

The residents of a few roads in Alton and Oakamoor receive a quota of free theme park passes to compensate them for the lines of traffic passing their front windows, but then receive letters reminding them that special events like concerts are strictly off limits with these passes . . . oh and sorry about the extra traffic jams and noise it will all cause. I don't guess they mentioned the likely risk of angry car drivers beeping at 2am! This letter went down quite badly, which was a pity when it could have been turned into a local PR triumph with just a bit of smart thinking. But Alton Towers' PR thinking of late has been about issuing press releases to do with the need for plastic pants on Thirteen and the calorific content of the flies that riders unwittingly ingest. Not very strategic.


Meanwhile, customers invest in Park plus Pink tickets and get there early to enjoy a day at the park prior to the concert; a USP over Coventry where Pink played last weekend. Were the early birds with this ticket really directed to the furthest away car park K? Surely better arrangements were in place. No?! Just imagine, there you are with your kids, after 14 hours spent trailing round Alton Towers (with a lack of food and facilities to cope with the pre-booked 28,000 guests) and guess what? Only another 2 and a half hours from midnight sitting together in the car before you need bother to start the engine! It just wasn't what full paying customers were expecting. No wonder there are so many complaints posted on their Facebook page this morning! These techniques to engage your customers are great, aren't they . . . I've not seen any replies from Alton Towers as yet!

Fabio Capello is probably not the only one who's job contract is being examined this morning! Was there any trouble getting people out of Glastonbury do you think? Alton Towers, it really is time to consider PR a lot more strategically than you do. Plastic pants indeed.

Press Release Oct 2009: Strictly Marketing Club

Press Release: Strictly Marketing Club is a year’s programme for business owners.

Businesses in Derbyshire and Staffordshire are being offered a way to make sure their marketing effort isn’t wasting time or breaking the bank. Strictly Marketing Club is designed to help business owners focus their effort and maximise results from their marketing. It’s a programme for the year with a combination of group workshop participation and one-to-one marketing consultancy.

The workshops consist of tutorials, case studies and group discussion, all designed to add insight and inspiration as well as encourage action and add accountability. Catherine Doel, MD of Henmore Marketing and facilitator of the Strictly Marketing Club workshops says: “The programme will help business owners remain in control of their marketing communications and budget for the year ahead. Participants establish clear marketing objectives and create their own calendar of activity to suit their businesses. We cover strategic subjects and make them relevant to participating businesses by addressing tactics they could use and discussing case studies. Ideas and feedback from everyone in the group plays an important part.”

These days, simply being 'open for business' is rarely enough. Businesses need to find ways to get their message out there and convert interest into sales. Business owners have joined the programme to ensure all aspects of their marketing mix are well planned and managed.

Paul Hickman, an experienced business owner who runs Great Business Websites in Belper, explains why his business has joined the Strictly Marketing Club programme: “I know a good deal about marketing already, but there is always more to think about and it is important to take time to focus. The management team at Great Business Websites is serious about what we want to achieve and the part that marketing plays in that. We will be using the consultancy sessions for experienced input to our marketing plans, and the group workshops to get feedback on everything we do to win and keep customers. Starting and running a business means spinning a lot of plates - marketing is not one we intend to drop! This programme will be enough to keep us thinking and is incredibly cost effective for what it includes.”

The first group Workshops are starting in October and November and are being held at Dove Studios in Ellastone.