Corporate slogans and affectionate chickens

Love ‘em or hate’ em, there’s no getting away from corporate slogans.  They’re about connecting people and because you’re worth it, and that know how is just what the doctor ordered.

You may have known that the first three belong to Nokia , L’Oreal, and Canon.  The last, proving that corporate slogans don’t always last forever, was from a well-known cigarette manufacturer.

They’re ubiquitous across all advertising media, constantly demanding our attention, and all intended to project a sense of corporate identity and brand value.

Some of course are better than others, and the very best have become phrases in their own right, outgrowing the brand they were advertising.  For example, the customer is always right, was a slogan for retailer Selfridges at the start of the 20^th century; diamonds are forever, for the De Beers mining company in the 1940s.

In other words, corporate slogans must be memorable and say, or infer, something about the company or its products.  That means having a clear idea of what the company stands for, and how customers see the brand.

Developing a corporate slogan needn’t be a difficult process, and nor should it just be for larger companies.  At their very best, slogans can help to differentiate a company – personalising it in a way that resonates with customers.

Nor need it involve huge advertising budgets.  A corporate slogan can simply be carried on stationary, signage, or on corporate uniforms or name-badges – a daily reminder to staff, customers and suppliers what the company is about. 

They can be aspirational, fun or mysterious, depending on the brand.  For example, anytime, anyplace, anywhere – the iconic slogan of the 1970s Martini adverts brought to mind a world of jet-set sophistication.

Some slogans are gender or demographic specific.  Calvin Klein’s slogan for one of its perfume brands, between love and madness lies obsession, doesn’t do anything for me – but maybe I’m not the target market.

Slogans are meant to concisely distil the essence of a brand, subliminally linking it with the big idea behind it – a kind of micro mission statement.

It’s where some slogans – for example, it’s the real thing (Coca-Cola) or don’t just book it, Thomas Cook it (Thomas Cook) are on the money.  Once in the public domain, they set out a brand proposition that competitors simply can’t copy.

Some slogans are dreamed up to only last for a single marketing campaign.  Some last for years.  

Others fade away as times change.  For example, Ford’s quality is job one became irrelevant as technology and changing build practices allowed all car manufacturers to offer quality.  Likewise, for digestion’s sake, smoke Camels, didn’t stand up to medical scrutiny for very long.

Here are some of the better slogans (although you might disagree):

Mazda – Zoom, zoom

Carlsberg – Probably the best lager in the world

McDonalds – I’m lovin’ it

Gillette – The best a man can get

Apple – Think different

BMW – The ultimate driving machine

Audi – Vorsprung durch technik*

New York Times – All the news that’s fit to print

Amex – Don’t leave home without it

Skittles – Taste the rainbow

Avis – We try harder

Honda – The power of dreams

Developing a corporate slogan begins with thinking through what your company stands for, the brand promise you’re selling, and how customers would describe it.  It should also examine competitor slogans, if they have one.  (You have to define and occupy a differentiated position in the market).

But beware using your fantastic corporate slogan in different languages.  It might have consequences that you didn’t anticipate.

For example, Scandinavian vacuum cleaner Electrolux ran a marketing campaign in the USA under the snappy slogan, Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.

Best of all was the US chicken supplier that traded under the slogan it takes a strong man to make a tender chicken.  This was translated into Spanish for a marketing campaign, where it became: “It takes an aroused man to make a chicken affectionate.”

Probably not the best corporate slogan in the world but, there again, it was memorable – the first rule of any successful marketing campaign.

*The corporate slogan that we all know, but which baffles many.  Literally, it means, advancement through technology. 

Charlie Laidlaw is a director of David Gray PR and a partner in Laidlaw Westmacott. We are specialists in national and international PR strategy and delivery.  You can contact us at +44 (0) 1620 844736 or Charlie@davidgraypr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

A guide to getting through Christmas Day

Okay, so you’ve opened the presents, but you still have to survive the rest of Christmas Day.

Because, make no mistake, it’s a dangerous time of year.  According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) more than 80,000 UK citizens end up in A&E over the festive period – some 6,000 on Christmas Day alone.

It’s not just kitchen burns or cutting your finger while peeling the potatoes – or children falling off new bikes.  A few specific Christmas horrors are that some 1,000 people are injured every year putting up Christmas decorations, over 300 are injured by Christmas tree lights – and several dozen UK citizens have died over the past 15 years by watering their Christmas tree while the Christmas lights were plugged in.

 

British hospitals report about four broken arms each year after cracker pulling accidents and some five Britons are injured every Christmas in accidents involving out-of-control Scalextric cars.

More predictably, about eight Britons crack their skulls whilst throwing up into the loo and end up in hospital. 

Many Christmas Day accidents happen because of stairs – usually because they’ve been piled with Christmas clutter.  The other favorite Christmas hot-spot, most obviously, is the kitchen. 

While in there, don’t feel tempted to put the Christmas pudding in the microwave.  The combination of fruit, sugar and water can react violently, as a 49-year-old woman found to her cost when her pudding blew up, necessitating hospital treatment (to her, not the Christmas pudding).  

“People must realize that they are dealing with a potential explosive when they put puddings in the microwave,” a RoSPA spokesman helpfully observed, after the event.

That doesn't mean, of course, that that we can mitigate against all risk.  Some, frankly, can’t be guarded against.  Take Aeschylus, for example, the Greek playwright who died in 458 BC when an eagle dropped a tortoise on his head.  (The tortoise survived, incidentally).

Remember also that there may be 1,200 chainsaw accidents a year, but over 16,000 of us are injured by our sofas.  Socks and tights account for over 10,000 injuries (mainly falling over while putting them on), and vegetables account for more than 13,000 injuries. 

If you go out, don’t walk near birdbaths (311 injuries) or wear wellington boots (5,600).  Don’t even think about putting on trousers (5,900), don’t be rude to the bread-bin (91) and be very wary of that tin of talcum powder (73).

If you can’t eat, relax in the living room, or wear clothes, don’t make the elementary mistake of thinking that the bathroom is a safe place.  There are over 700 sponge and loofah accidents per year – and toilet roll holders, strangely, account for another 300 hospital visits.

All in all, it’s a dangerous time of year.  However, from all of us at David Gray PR, do have a happy (and safe!) Christmas.

Charlie Laidlaw is a director of David Gray PR and a partner in Laidlaw Westmacott. We are specialists in national and international PR strategy and delivery.  You can contact us at +44 (0) 1620 844736 or Charlie@davidgraypr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Thought leadership and a $50 trillion competition

In the spirit of Christmas and as a gesture of goodwill, we're holding a marketing competition with a cash prize of $50 trillion for one lucky winner. No strings, no catches.*


It's a huge(ish) prize because we'd like the marketing and PR community to come up with a better term for one of the most over used and misunderstood terms in the PR and marketing handbook.

Thought leadership. A term that we all think we understand, but interpret in all sorts of different ways.

It's a but like trying to describe an elephant. We all know what it looks like, but it's not easy to define succinctly. 

Wikipedia defines a thought leader as "an individual or firm that is recognized as an authority in a specialised field and whose expertise is sought and often rewarded."

A recent article in Forbes magazine described it as “an individual or firm that prospects, clients, referral sources, intermediaries and even competitors recognize as one of the foremost authorities in selected areas of specialization, resulting in its being the go-to individual or organization for said expertise.”

I’m not sure that either definition entirely sums up the complexity of thought leadership because it’s also about cultivating brand and corporate values that, of themselves, are hugely important but which may be largely intangible.

What is central, however, is that thought leaders are not shy to come forward.  Whether as companies or individuals, thought leaders engage with their markets, to educate, start discussions, or offer insight –with compelling content that everyone in their markets, including competitors, will want to read.

That means stepping away from the bland product press release, blog or Tweet.  It means defining issues in the marketplace on which you can comment – lucidly, provocatively (if need be) but, most of all, cogently.  Irrelevance or waffle not allowed.

It’s about engagement with everyone in your markets, and saying things that are useful to them.  Things that give them pause for thought.  New ideas boldly expressed and well researched.  Inspiring or educational content that will lodge in potential customers’ minds: raising profile, creating trust – and nudging them into the sales cycle.

A lot of companies play at thought leadership, and as a result rarely become respected commentators.  They make the mistake of writing from a corporate standpoint, rather than from their industry.  In a way, thought leadership is therefore communications philanthropy.

It’s about giving valuable insights away for free; promoting you or your company for what it knows, rather than what it does.  It should demonstrate an intellectual mastery of the market: a company to be trusted because it understands and is willing to share that understanding.  It’s about positioning and corporate value.

My problem with thought leadership is with the term itself.   It’s now so used and abused in so many different contexts to have lost its shine.  A cliché to be quietly killed off.  I think it’s time to come up with a better term.

What’s certain is that the person who comes up with that new term, and manages to achieve widespread business acceptance for it, will be a genuine thought leader.

I’ll cull the best suggestions made on our LinkedIn or Facebook pages before Christmas, post the best of them early in the New Year and (since it’s my $50 trillion) I’ll also pick a winner.
Any takers? 

* The prize is offered as a single banknote issued by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, so don’t get too excited.

 Charlie Laidlaw is a director of David Gray PR and a partner in Laidlaw Westmacott. We are specialists in national and international PR strategy and delivery.  You can contact us at +44 (0) 1620 844736 or Charlie@davidgraypr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Google+  or Facebook.

Corporate ethics and business advantage

Companies are in business to make money and increase market share. To achieve that requires competitive advantage and a positive reputation in the market. That’s not easy to achieve, particularly for SMEs competing against larger companies - not least to create a corporate culture that empowers employees to make it all happen. Corporate culture is the indefinable “something” that companies rely upon to drive sales and good customer relations, the cornerstones of all business success. But, as we’ve previously written, corporate culture can be planned for and incorporated into business strategy, helping to define what a company stands for and how it is “doing right” for its employees, customers and the wider community. One effective way to give voice to corporate culture is to develop and set down a Code of Ethics, providing employees with a context within which they can act honestly and fairly, and removing any ambiguity in their decision-making. It sounds deceptively simple, but creating a Code of Ethics can be of far-reaching importance, because it helps managers focus attention on what the company is really about, and what risk factors can impact on decisions made – at any level in the company. Not least, it should clearly set out the ethical values that drive the company, from its relationships with customers, suppliers and employees – and covering everything from sales techniques to accounting practices. A good Code of Ethics will cover a company’s ethical values and how those values are monitored and periodically reviewed. It should tell everyone, from customers to employees, what the company stands for. Although primarily a business tool, a Code of Ethics is also a powerful marketing and PR statement, because it articulates how a company does business, and how individual employees conduct their day-to-day activities. Most Codes start with a clear statement that sets out in the broadest terms what the company expects. For example: Google Under the strapline, “Don’t be evil” Google says that it’s about “providing our users unbiased access to information, focusing on their needs and giving them the best products and services that we can. But it’s also about doing the right thing more generally – following the law, acting honorably and treating each other with respect.” LinkedIn “Consistent with our core values, LinkedIn employees are expected to act and perform their duties ethically, honestly and with integrity - doing the right thing even when "no one is looking.” Morgan Stanley “Putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, and giving back.” Coca-Cola Coca-Cola provides one of the clearest statements on why ethical standards are so important: “We live in an era when public trust and confidence in business are among the lowest levels in history. We at The Coca-Cola Company are fortunate, however, to work for one of the most admired businesses in the world – a reputation that has been enhanced and safeguarded over the years by a rich culture of integrity and ethical conduct. Our business is built on this trust and this reputation. “It influences how consumers feel about our products, and how shareowners perceive us as an investment. We have seen plenty of examples in recent years of powerful companies with once stalwart reputations tarnished forever by unethical actions of a few people or even just one person. As former Company Board member Warren Buffett once reminded us, “it takes years to build a reputation and only a few seconds to ruin it.” The above examples from mega-companies can equally be applied to the smallest of enterprises, because every company’s activities impact on employees, suppliers, customers and the communities within which it operates. However, a Code of Conduct should be more than some fine words on a piece of paper. It needs management leadership and input at all levels to determine what issues are of concern to employees – everything from sales techniques to customer relations. It should fit easily into a company’s approach to corporate social responsibility and, not least, it should be monitored for compliance, with staff training to ensure that ethical behaviours become simply “how we do business.” In a fast-paced enterprise, creating those ethical standards and monitoring mechanisms can be time-consuming, and many companies just don’t see the point. However, as a way to concentrate everybody’s minds on what matters, and to offer a better service than your competitors, creating a Code of Ethics may be the best thing you’ve never quite got around to doing. Charlie Laidlaw is a director of David Gray PR and a partner in Laidlaw Westmacott. We are specialists in national and international PR strategy and delivery.  You can contact us at +44 (0) 1620 844736 or Charlie@davidgraypr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Google+  or Facebook.

A mission statement for the New Year

Every company starts off with an idea, and it’s that initial idea that illuminates how all companies grow and develop.

That idea will flow through your business and marketing plans, helping to determine everything from corporate strategy to sales forecasts.

However, have you considered setting down in black-and-white a clear mission statement on what your business is about? – something brief and snappy that summarises who you are, and why customers should consider buying from you?

Every large company has a mission statement.   You can see details of Fortune 500 companies and their mission statements on this website.  The influential business writer and lecturer, Dr Diane Hamilton, also lists her Top 10 online mission statements.

But well-crafted mission statements shouldn’t just be the preserve of the big boys.  In essence, it’s a succinct and clear statement about your company – and the big idea that underpins it.  It’s about who you are and why you exist.

Writing a compelling mission statement is more than scribbling down a few sentences.  It’s about thinking through why you’re in business, what you offer customers, and why you’re different or better than everyone else.

In a sense, a good mission statement encapsulates your business plan, and going through the creative process can be as beneficial as the finished mission statement.  After all, it forces you to think again about your big idea – and how it relates to staff, suppliers, customers and the community.

However, mission statements should not be a procession of dull and meaningless words, joined together by phrases that we’ve all heard a million times before.   Don’t be afraid to be a bit wacky – if one of the reasons you’re in business is to have fun, say so.

The clothing firm, Joe Boxer, makes this explicit as part of its mission statement  “…Because everyone wants to have fun everyday, Joe Boxer will continue to offer something for everyone with fun always in mind.”

Of course, if you’re a law or accountancy firm, you might reasonably not consider fun to be part of your mission statement.  But beware of using words such as “professional” or “expert.”  Clients expect you to be professional and expert – otherwise you wouldn’t be in business.

In other words, a good mission statement shouldn’t be a statement of the blindingly obvious, or trite words that could equally apply to any other company in your sector.  For example, Dell’s mission statement is “to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve.”  Really?  I thought that’s what all computer firms were in business to do.

Equally, mission statements should reflect reality, and illuminate how staff should behave.  Enron’s snappy mission statement was “Respect.  Integrity.  Communication and Excellence.”  Okay, a bit vague, but rather inspiring – but a pity that Enron was also in the business of ripping off pension funds and ruining livelihoods.

It can be rather fun comparing the different mission statements of companies in the same sector.  Car manufacturer Volvo, likes lengthy gibberish: “By creating value for our customers, we create value for our shareholders.  We use our expertise to create transport-related products and services of superior quality, safety and environmental care for demanding customers in selected segments.  We work with energy, passion and respect for the individual.”

Compare that with Jaguar: “To create and build beautiful fast cars that bring the enjoyment and exhilaration of driving to life.”

Nike’s mission statement is also rather good:  “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”  (A co-founder of Nike made the point that if you have a body, you’re an athlete.

Starbucks goes for cute: “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time.”  Nice also that the company paid UK corporation tax this year for the first time since 2009.

Other examples are:

Google: “Organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

Amazon: “To build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.”  (A recent UK TV documentary called into question some of its labour practices).

Perhaps the last word should lie with Sir Richard Branson, who suggests that a mission statement should follow the Twitter format – no more than 140 characters.

He follows his own advice.  The Virgin Group’s mission statement is to the point: “Be different by being better.”  Enough said.

Charlie Laidlaw is a director of David Gray PR and a partner in Laidlaw Westmacott. We are specialists in national and international PR strategy and delivery.  You can contact us at +44 (0) 1620 844736 or Charlie@davidgraypr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Google+.

Corporate responsibility and doing the right thing

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is about how companies conduct themselves.  Not just big companies, all companies.

It’s about how businesses align their values and behaviour with the expectations and needs of stakeholders - customers and investors, employees, suppliers, communities, regulators, special interest groups and society as a whole.

It gives voice to corporate culture and helps to ensure that everyone in an organisation conforms to a common set of behaviours – even when “nobody is looking.”

Having a clearly-articulated set of social values should be, I believe, at the heart of every business strategy.  For smaller companies, those values need not be onerous – but they should demonstrate that the company is thinking beyond itself.

After all, business leadership starts with clear purpose and values, and CSR is what happens when you express and live those values in all your internal and external relationships.

Nowadays, CSR can be used interchangeably with other terms including responsible competitiveness, corporate citizenship, social contribution, or the triple bottom line, among others. 

It has existed as a part of the business lexicon for years, but has increasingly come to encompass not only what companies do with their profits, but also how they make them.

It goes beyond philanthropy and compliance to address the manner in which companies manage their economic, social and environmental impacts and their stakeholder relationships in the workplace, the marketplace, the supply chain, and the community.

Many companies now look to support initiatives that are aligned to the issues and interests most relevant to them, their industry sector, and to the countries and communities in which they operate, often picking a few key thematic areas or challenges, rather than tackling hundreds of different things on an ad hoc basis. 

In terms of the tools they are using, they are increasingly applying their own core competencies in addition to money – for example the skills of their employees, the capability of their technologies, the leverage of their networks, and product donations to help tackle public problems.

CSR: a starting point

CSR is, in essence, about managing social, community and environmental impacts to help improve results, reduce risks and enhance reputation.  It is also about growing a business in a way that has value for everyone connected to it.

At its very simplest, a starting point could merely involve:

• Recycle printer and toner cartridges, and print and photocopy only when necessary and double-sided
• Buy materials only from suppliers who use sustainable sources, and audit the supply chain accordingly
• Ensure lights, computers and other equipment are switched off when not in use, use power-saving devices – and, if possible, buy energy from renewable sources  In any case, replace lighting with low energy bulbs
• Pay staff, suppliers and creditors on time.
• Encourage support for local not-for-profit organisations.  Perhaps give staff a couple of paid days per year to work with local community groups, or “adopt” a local charity
• Think positively about flexible and home working.  After all, a day saved on commuting will have an environmental impact.  Flexibility is also about home/work balances and being a family-friendly business.

Benefits will vary depending on the company, the specific proposed and the effectiveness with which they are implemented, and could include:

• Attracting, retaining and developing motivated and committed employees
• Winning and retaining business customers
• Improving business reputation, positive publicity, and networking opportunities
• Cost and efficiency savings

The above is no more than a starting point, to focus management minds on how to “do business better.”  That in itself is a good thing.

From a marketing perspective, it puts the company in a wider context, no matter the size of that company.  It demonstrates a commitment, however small, to the world beyond its office or factory.

It is, of course, about doing the right thing.  However, doing the right thing can also have commercial and reputational benefits – a win-win marketing and PR strategy.

CSR should be part of every business.

Charlie Laidlaw is a director of David Gray PR and a partner in Laidlaw Westmacott. We are specialists in national and international PR strategy and delivery.  You can contact us at +44 (0) 1620 844736 or Charlie@davidgraypr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Corporate culture and commercial dividend

You can’t see or touch it.  But it’s there, an essential and invisible part of every company or organisation, and a potent force in marketing and commercial strategy.

Corporate culture has become increasingly important in recent years and, despite being intangible, it can affect employee performance and organisational success.

Prof James Heskett in The Culture Cycle suggests that an effective culture can make a 20-30% difference in corporate performance, as compared with “culturally unremarkable” competitors.

It’s something that every company should at least think about, and all those agencies that advise on business, marketing or PR strategy.

However, corporate culture is also difficult to pin down.  It has many definitions and is heavily influenced by, for example, geographical location, sector, history, and the personalities of leading managers.  For example:

Wal-Mart -  Founder Sam Walton’s concern and respect for staff from the foundation of the company created an environment of trust that still persists.  Walton met staff, calling them by their first name and encouraged change to maintain a competitive edge.  Even now, employees consider “how Sam would have done it.”

Southwest Airlines -  Its relaxed culture can be traced back to unconventional boss Herb Kelleher who encouraged informality and wanted staff to have fun at their jobs.  Employees are valued, with management acknowledging births, marriages and deaths by notes and cards.  Staff are encouraged to pitch in and help out, especially at check-in, giving Southwest a higher turnaround time than the industry average.

Hewlett Packard -  Problems several years ago encouraged HP to change its culture; staff are now required to formulate personal and professional goals each year, and are rewarded for meeting them, such as getting away early from work.

Apple - has a culture of innovation.  As one director explained, it’s “deeply embedded…. The boldness, ambition, belief there aren't limits, a desire to make the very best products in the world…It's in the DNA of the company.”

But corporate culture isn’t just for large corporations and essentially has several key elements, of which two most important are:

• A clear corporate vision, supported by corporate values consistent with the aims of the company and aligned with the personal values of employees
• A high value placed on staff with extensive employee communication at all levels

Simplistically, there are four types of corporate culture:

Academy Culture

Employees are highly skilled and tend to stay in the organisation, working their way up the ranks.  In return, the organisation provides a stable environment in which employees can develop and exercise their skills. Examples are universities, hospitals, large corporations.

Football Team Culture

Employees are “free agents” who have highly prized skills. They are in high demand and can rather (too!) easily get jobs elsewhere. This type of culture exists in fast-paced, high-risk organisations, such as investment banking.

Club Culture

The most important requirement here is to fit into the group. Usually employees start at the bottom and stay with the company, with the organisation promoting from within and valuing seniority. The best example is the military.

Fortress Culture

Employees don't know if they'll be laid off or not, in industries that often undergo regular and significant change.  While there are many opportunities for those with specialised skills, the nature of the business keeps changing.  Examples are high tech and IT companies.

Corporate culture can flow from a company’s Mission, Vision and Ethics (if it has those), but is largely unwritten. 

It comes from the personality of leading managers, corporate vision, how the company communicates with staff, and how employees interact with the company.  However, corporate culture can be influenced by:

• The key things that a company is there to achieve, both for employees and to satisfy customer expectations
• The “cultural” elements that are positive - for example, excellent staff, high motivation, good morale etc
• The “cultural” elements that are hindering the business - for example, high employee turnover, or staff not helping one another etc.

Assessing what corporate culture exists within your company can be hard.  For example, staff may be reluctant to make their views known.  Sometimes an external assessment is the way forward.

However intangible, corporate culture does have an impact and, if planned, can have a commercial dividend.  Best not leave it to chance.

To reinforce the positive, an article for Harvard Business School quantifies the fact that companies with well-defined corporate cultures are generally perceived as good places to work – and that’s on top of other commercial benefits.  Not bad for something invisible.

Or as the Great Places to Work website puts it:  “30 years of research, in over 40 countries around the world, has shown us time and again that investing in a high-trust workplace culture yields distinct, tangible business benefits.”

Charlie Laidlaw is a director of David Gray PR and a partner in Laidlaw Westmacott. We are specialists in national and international PR strategy and delivery.  You can contact us at +44 (0) 1620 844736 or Charlie@davidgraypr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Five steps to writing a PR plan

It’s nearly Christmas, and what better time than to consider your corporate plans for 2014.  If you haven’t already thought about it, what PR plans do you have for the New Year?

Every company has a business and marketing plan.  Yet it’s surprising how many don’t have a PR plan to support new business acquisition and growth.

However, effective PR can make a real difference, helping to position the company with its buyers and oiling the wheels of commercial success.

Essentially, an effective communications plan is about creating and sustaining relationships between the company and its ‘publics’ – whether those publics are the media, customers, potential customers, employees etc.

Creating a PR plan can be divided into five stages:

1. Situation Analysis

First, a full assessment of the business and the target markets you want to reach – a clear picture of where your business is now, and where you want it to be in five years time, against your business plan. 

It should also be based on an analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT), to give a comprehensive picture of the markets(s) in which you operate, the particular strengths you have in those markets, and the potential opportunities, dangers – and points of differentiation.

The PR plan should address all your ambitions and set key objectives, namely:

• To raise corporate profile and reputation
• To develop relationships with key publics
• To build value into the brands(s)
• To provide the best environment for achieving commercial objectives.

While many such programmes are open-ended, with a budget set at the end of the process, it is more sensible to have a rough budget from the start – that way choices can be made and priorities set in developing tactics.

2. Audience Identification and Segmentation

You need to be clear from the outset at whom the programme is aimed – the key stakeholders or publics that you want to reach:

• Customers & potential customers
• Employees
• Suppliers
• Investors
• Those in a position to influence

A clear understanding of your business and markets will then illuminate the communications plan, segmented horizontally by target sector and vertically by target audience (age, sex, demographics etc).  That, in turn, will determine the range of media and other marketing activity best suited for each of your business requirements.

3. Messaging

The programme should have clear messages for each target audience, and which will help to underpin your corporate brand(s) and brand values.  Those messages must be appropriate for each target audience and consistent across all online and offline channels. 

Branding and messaging are vital to communicating an integrated and cohesive image of your company and products/services, and must work across PR, advertising, direct and online marketing etc.

Internal communications should also be part of the mix: at the very least, it gives staff the knowledge and tools to be active brand ambassadors for the company. 

It should perhaps also involve an element of crisis planning to ensure that all scenarios are considered in the PR process.  Reputation can take a long time to gain, but can be lost very quickly.  In any business, it's wise to integrate PR strategy into any corporate preparedness plan. 

4. Creating the PR Plan

Once the above steps have been completed, it becomes easier to look at the different ways in which you can influence key publics:

• Media relations (online and offline) (press releases, articles, 1-to-1 briefings etc)
• Direct Mail and E-marketing
• Advertising (print, radio, TV)
• Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) (social participation)
• Seminars, conferences, exhibitions, business awards
• Website and online strategy (including blogs, social and newsletters)

The plan should also address two other aspects:

Thought Leadership – a clear demonstration that you understand the key issues in each of your markets from the perspective of the customer.  This will differentiate the company from its competitors.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – a clear statement and practical demonstration that you understand that you have responsibilities to your communities, employees, and wider society.  Putting in place a CSR element within the PR plan is, again, a point of differentiation.

5. KPIs, Budget, Annual Planning

In the same way as every part of a business should be subject to performance measurement, the PR plan should also have Key Performance Indicators to determine how successfully the programme is being delivered.

The plan should be reviewed on a regular basis and, more systematically, on an annual basis - determining whether such aspects as reputation or brand recognition are being raised.  Double-guessing what your customers (actual or potential) think is never a good idea.  Companies that listen to what their customers say, good and bad, are generally more successful. 

Successful companies are ones that pay attention to PR, promoting themselves and their products/services and helping potential customers through the purchasing cycle.  It needn’t be hard, and it needn’t be expensive.

So if you make one corporate resolution this New Year, why not embrace PR as part of your sales and marketing armoury.

In future posts we’ll look at how companies and brands can create better commercial contexts from, for example, corporate culture and corporate social responsibility.

Charlie Laidlaw is a director of David Gray PR and a partner in Laidlaw Westmacott. We are specialists in national and international PR strategy and delivery.  You can contact us at +44 (0) 1620 844736 or Charlie@davidgraypr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Tips on writing the perfect press release

It can be daunting for small businesses to contact the media.  You may feel that you have a good story to tell, but how to go about it?  Sadly, many companies – particularly smaller ones – end up hiding their lights under bushels.

But if you’ve decided to take the plunge, the best way, now and since dinosaurs roamed the earth, is by press release.  However, there are certain rules and conventions to ensure that your release receives the attention that it deserves.

Subject

First and foremost, a bit of honesty.  How newsworthy is your press release?   Is it going to be of interest to the local or national media?  Or is it something best suited to the trade press?   In other words, create realistic expectations and work to them.  If you’re opening a café in Glasgow, that will of local interest – so no point thinking about the national media unless, of course, you plan to open a whole chain within five years. 

Create a media list

Having thought through your target media, create a list.  Your coffee shop is of local news, but how about food writers?  What about student magazines?  (You could offer them a discount on first purchases).  Research your target media, and identify who’s been writing on the subject.  And don’t forget relevant bloggers or other online sites – they can often be more influential than the mainstream media.

Structure

Draft out a rough structure for your release.  Remember, the media want to know who, what, why, when and where.  They want key facts, not waffle.  Ultimately, they’ll be writing the story, not you.

Headline

Journalists receive huge amounts of dross every day and, often, the headline is as far as they read.  Therefore, think very carefully about your headline.  New café opens in Glasgow will go in the bin.  New Glasgow café to put caffeine into the community will stand a better chance.

Key messages

Whatever your company, or its size, you want to communicate messages of importance to your business.  For our Glasgow café, are your ingredients Fairtrade?  Will you be creating new jobs?  Are you family-friendly?  Do you offer wi-fi?  However, don’t exaggerate and, if you’re quoting facts or statistics, double-check that they’re accurate.

News v advertising

It’s a truism, but a press release is about news.  Everything else is advertising.  Don’t get the two mixed up.  Glasgow café sponsors local football team is news.  Glasgow café would like more customers is advertising.   Likewise, don’t use words like “best” or “unique” or “world-beating.”  You may believe that about your company or product, but hyperbole is the surest way to cross the news/promotion boundary – and for the media bin to beckon.  (Also, don’t use exclamation marks).

Accuracy

It always helps if you can make a journalist’s life a little easier, so check and double-check spelling and punctuation.  It’ll also enhance your reputation as someone they can trust, and who is taking their media relations seriously.  Good tip: write your press release then go home.  Check it again the next day.  You’ll be surprised at the little mistakes you missed the day before.

Quotes

Quotes are great, because they’re the only part of a press release that can’t be changed.  But use them sparsely, and use them to get your messages across.  “We want our café to be an integral part of the community,” is probably quite a good quote.  “As part of the refurbishment, we bought a new coffee machine,” probably isn’t.

Jargon

Avoid like the plague.  You are the master of your subject; don’t expect anybody else to be (unless your press release is aimed at highly specialist publications).  A wise old advertising executive once said that jargon is the hallmark of a pretentious ass – and he’s right.

Length

In media relations, size isn’t everything.  If you can’t tell your story succinctly, it probably isn’t worth telling.  For inspiration, have a read of The Sun or The Daily Record – good stories need not be long stories.

Distribution

Once your release has been buffed and polished, send it by email, with a catchy subject line.  Paste your release into the body of your email (some media outlets don’t like attachments from unknown senders) and, under your fine words, provide full contact details, a link to your website – and any further information you think might be useful.

Conclusion

The media is there to serve its readers, viewers or listeners.  Not you.  However, the well-crafted press release is still able to cut through the media clutter and benefit you and your business.  Good luck!