Learning is a lifelong process
I’ve been working in public relations for 25yrs in May this year. It’s a career that I’ve loved and I still do today. PR has changed immensely since I first started out. Long gone are the days of photocopying press releases, paper filing, courier bikes and paper cuts from monthly coverage boards (more on that soon)! Public relations is a creative brand marketing discipline that has many faces and abundant opportunity. This fast-approaching anniversary got me thinking about the changes I have seen and how much I’ve learnt.
The pros and cons of living in the UK versus NZ
I came to the UK nearly thirty years ago from my native New Zealand. Initially I planned to stay for a six-month overseas experience - and I’m still here today. Why, a lot of people ask, have I stayed so long, leaving such a beautiful country behind? And NZ is a truly beautiful country, but then again so is the UK. Both countries have their pros and cons…
The 13 sins of email and easy mistakes to avoid
Email is a torrid flow and there are many simple things we can all do to make it easier to navigate. The one thing I tell my team all the time is; “ask yourself, do you need to send an email?” Maybe a call, a WhatsApp or a text will suffice. Either way, we ought to cut down on the volume of email and make the ones we do send more meaningful for the recipients. Ultimately, we will all benefit from less time consumed from our busy days in typing them and also reading them. Here are thirteen deadly sins of emails. Things that I detest. Things to think about before hitting SEND.
How to handle crisis comms in business
My mantra is simple: “solutions not problems”. For every problem, issue or crisis - there is also a workable solution to be found. It often just requires a fresh-thinking mindset to identify it. In order to deploy the best response companies and directors need to be 100% transparent and consider things from different angles and perspectives. Who are the stakeholders? What is the message we want to convey externally/internally? What is the potential impact/and on who? Establishing an open and honest two-way dialogue with clients is the best approach to putting together a viable crisis communications plan. It is always best to tackle a crisis head on. Doing nothing is never an option. The three things brands absolutely must avoid when faced with managing a crisis are; lies, manipulation and silence. True perspective is key to mitigate potential damage.
Seven steps to eliminate paper from your workplace
Eight years ago we went 100% wireless and paperless. I have never looked back. I made the decision after reading a success guide from the Google CEO. I was becoming increasingly irritated with the state or our office and all the clutter that was amassing – most of which was paper-based. Not to mention the waste, cost and environmental conscious. I also found that some members of my team got into the habit of printing everything. Print, photocopy and file. Repeat. Because a printed email is clearly very useful to nobody ever. I also noticed that if you give people paper they will find a reason to use it. They will print something onto it, photocopy something onto it or write onto it. These ‘uses’ all come with hidden costs to the bottom line, the planet and the office aesthetic. Remove the paper and you remove the root cause.
Twenty top tips for a lower-stress PR career.
The media is ‘always on’ and social media is an intrinsic 24/7 part of our lives. As such, PR professionals often have to go the extra mile to maintain momentum and win. PR is no longer a nine-to-five occupation - it is a lifestyle career choice. By default, we work in a profession that is run by deadlines, long to-do lists and high expectations. Not to mention the energy, drive and emotional input needed to achieve cut through. This means that at times it can be stressful because client demands are high and the flow of media opportunities never ceases.
Ghosting in the public relations industry
Winston Churchill famously stated “When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber". Proof that ‘ghosting’ (basically; ignoring someone) has been around for a while. Ghosting is becoming more prevalent in business. I think this is because the behaviour is now common-place and wrongly ‘accepted’ across digital dating and social media. There is a whole tranche of people, spanning different generations, who now decide to simply ignore rather than respond. Here are some of my thoughts and experiences on this topic.
How to make the best first impression and win in your traineeship
At MANDATE, we offer a six-month fully paid PR trainee scheme which leads to a fulltime position, with an attractive salary, benefits and bonuses. Candidates who join us on this scheme work for four days per week and have one day dedicated to external training and skills development. This approach means that a candidate will develop all of the foundation skills and core competencies needed to win as a generalist PR, content and communications consultant. After the training period we encourage people to specialise in the area of PR that they enjoy and excel in the most; editorial, media relations, social media, content creation, creative services etc.
All year resolutions: the need to be more daring
As we carefully emerge from lockdown in the UK and try to find a new norm, I thought it would be interesting to consider the concept of resolutions and how we can all be more daring. Many people make these in the new year and then by mid-January they have failed. I’ve never liked the concept of new year resolutions for this very reason as they put too much pressure on people at the most depressing and grey time of the year.
Five differences between working agency VS in-house
Ask any PR professional who has worked in both an agency and in-house and they will often tell you they have a definite preference. I believe, although the nuts-and-bolts of the role are essentially the same, the two are vastly different. Your favoured one will depend on your personality and what you want from your career. Each, of course, has their pros and cons but working in both has given me a more rounded experience in my career, for which I am thankful for.
What to wear to work?
What you wear to work speaks volumes. One of my standard interview questions is “How did you decide what to wear today?” This isn’t a question about fashion, taste or style - it’s about confidence, forward thinking, analysis and mindset. Many people have a ‘go-to’ look for business and don’t actually think about what they wear. Other than what’s clean and ironed. The weather may play a small part in that decision too. Attire is a very clever way to present oneself in different workplace situations. To me, as an employer, it conveys many personality traits and can give an insight into attitude.
Time to say Goodbye: how to end client relationships positively
Every PR consultancy will have had at least one account on the books that was not working out for whatever reason. Before deciding to call time, it is important and prudent to look for solutions. Perhaps a change of strategy, refresh the team, address concerns or issues in an open two-way forum. However, through no fault of either party sometimes the chemistry is just not there, expectations are not set, or met, and it’s simply a case of ‘time to say goodbye’. The negative impact of retaining such clients when the magic has gone is detrimental to overall business performance, mental wellbeing, productivity, motivation and ultimately the business’s longer-term successes.
Five important things my first job taught me
Like many young people growing up, I had a part-time job at the weekend. At fifteen years old this was my first ever job. I worked as a shop assistant and my role was split between working on the tills, stacking shelves and being responsible for the in-store baked goods. Every Saturday morning when I clocked in at 10.00am I had to make sure there were freshly baked baguettes ready for the lunchtime rush. Fast forward fifteen years later I am now client director in a boutique PR agency. Whilst the two roles seem wildly different, there are actually some key skills that I picked up as a young spritely shop assistant which have served me well to this day. These lessons I learned early on have made me a better manager and showed me the importance of client satisfaction.
Successfully on-boarding new team players.
Fail to plan, plan to fail. This is a mantra we often hear at We Are MANDATE. Inducting new starters is crucial to making sure they have the best possible chance of success. Preparing onboarding materials for new employees can be time-consuming and seem like another dull admin job which often ends up at the bottom of your to-do. A positive onboarding experience helps settle new people in and avoids issues in the future. Investing time to thoroughly induct your new employee makes for happier and more successful teammates. Over the years I have tried numerous formats and ways of doing inductions - these are just some tips I have picked up along the way.