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“energetic and committed communication specialists.
If you need to get to grips with promoting
your business, look no further.”
Barbara Greenway, head of new media business operations, BBC |
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06/04/2010 10:32 AM |
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It's a 3-D summer - so why does so much PR look flat? |
 They say it’s going to be a 3-D summer – movies ‘coming at ya’ on the big screen and TV programmes that reach out to the viewer. But is your own company story being brought to life with such dimension? The first wave of the economic upturn is upon us and competition is fierce to get noticed. If there was such a thing as 3-D PR what would it look like? And how would it help your business make the biggest impact?
PR relies on:
1. great stories
2. great evidence to back up opinions of
3. great spokespeople.
Tapping into the media agenda is vital to ensure that your PR resonates and finds an audience. And prepping the content and the spokespeople can make the difference between blockbuster coverage and an empty house. We've made a commitment to work with all our clients in a way that energises their brands - whether they're marketing managers attending a Master class, or clients relying on Wordville to make a splash for their business. Will it be 3-D PR? Sit back, pop your glasses on and watch this space.
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01/02/2010 10:55 AM |
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PR can’t help you look good naked |
Working in communications can feel like walking around bearing a scarlet letter, or rather two scarlet letters – a P and an R. Slightly less trusted than TV evangelists, slightly less reliable than politicians’ expense forms, those who help companies get in the press when they want and keep a low profile when the heat is on, are a varied bunch. We don’t all work in the same fashion – we don’t all work for the same people – and very few of us are happy to work in the dark.
Businesses are under greater scrutiny than ever before with a well-informed, highly vocal audience of customers, consumers and citizens who can cut through the hype long before they’ve reached the first exclamation mark. Old-school PR is dead. It can’t be about the cover up, the distraction or misdirection to put people off the scent. The truth will out. Only those companies that engage in open, two-way conversations with their customers and stakeholders build trusted brands. And the best PRs help them do that without any skulduggery.
PR is about building buzz, sharing the brilliance and letting some light in on the magic. The old puppet-masters of the past belong in the cupboard along with their clients’ skeletons – and the scarlet letters. The modern PR likes this new form of communication, the air is crisper – and our skills are more akin to Trinny and Susanna than Gok. Yes, we can find mainstream beauty in a complicated technical product, we can help shout about the unsung heroes behind a worthy cause, we can shine light on the benefits of a new business. But if the company is not what it seems PR won’t provide more than a surface polish. If you don’t genuinely look acceptable under the harsh lights, better sort out your business before going into the press – we can’t make you look good naked.
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29/07/2009 12:17 PM |
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The world’s a stage – are you ready for the spotlight? |
Professional life can seem like a series of conferences, meetings, product launches, reviews, seminars and road shows. And, for many, that means facing a string of uncomfortable challenges. It’s said that more people are afraid of speaking in public than of swimming with sharks. How are some individuals able to stand on stage with confidence, or make a difficult point in a meeting without sweating and stumbling, whilst others avoid any occasion to speak in front of a group?
If public speaking brings so much stress, what’s the point? Unfortunately, the professional world isn’t fair and those that are unable to shout out or speak up can’t get ahead in the way that they should. In today’s competitive business environment, developing the ability to communicate well is a genuine asset to any employer, and gets you noticed. Practice makes perfect, but there are some techniques that even the most nervous person can use to improve their delivery.
This year Wordville’s summer school is focussing on much-sought after personal and management skills. There’s a list below of what’s on offer for anyone needing to improve their ability to manage a team – communicate with confidence in front of a crowd – or develop coaching skills that will help bring out the best in the people they work with. The courses run throughout August at our training room in London Bridge – can be taken together or as a one-off.
SUMMER SCHOOL 2009 PUBLIC SCHEDULE
· Public Speaking and Presentation Skills (course code: PR-PRESPUB01)
Stepping into the spotlight can cause more stress than any other part of professional life. Master the art of speaking to a crowd by learning the skills you need to make your point in public with confidence and flare. Work with a professional presentation coach to improve your delivery, find ways to beat any nerves, and use presentation tools to become a compelling speaker.
NEXT COURSE - Monday 24th August 8:30-11:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT
· Dealing With Difficult People (course code: MG-DIFPUB01)
Harmonious relationships and good teamwork are essential to the productivity of any organisation. Internal and external pressures can lead to people being difficult, aggressive or uncooperative. Find out how to handle sticky and potentially confrontational situations more confidently and effectively.
NEXT COURSE – Friday 21st August 1:30-4:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT
· Clear Communication – Good News and Bad (course code: MG-COMPUB01)
Effective communication skills make all the difference – in the way you manage, sell, work within a team. Whatever your working environment, learn how to communicate effectively. Understand the barriers to communication, the proper techniques to impart the worst news, how to work with a variety of audiences and make an impact with colleagues, clients and the outside world. A practical session that will give you the confidence to use what you learn immediately.
NEXT COURSE – Tuesday 25th August 1:30-4:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT
· Motivating, Engaging and Re-Energising Your Team (course code: MG-MOTPUB01)
Missed deadlines, mistakes, absenteeism, a lack of enthusiasm – signs of poor performers? Not necessarily. In times such as these, more common than not your team could be worrying about their jobs and the state of the business. Learn the vital steps you can take to get your team motivated, re-energised and facing future challenges with focus.
NEXT COURSE – Tuesday 25th August 8:30-11:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT
· Time Management (course code: MG-TIMEPUB01)
Constantly being asked to achieve more under increasing time pressures can turn the calmest person into a nervous wreck. The current climate demands higher levels of performance but there’s never a moment to spare. Learn how to make better use of your time at work, plan and schedule tasks so that you can keep your head above water, and deliver to deadline.
NEXT COURSES – Wednesday 12th August 8:30-11:30 or Monday 24th August 1:30-4:30
Cost: £200 per person + VAT
· Coaching Your People For Enhanced Performance (course code: MG-COAPUB01)
How much time do you spend every day solving your team’s problems – especially those they could solve themselves? Getting the best out of your people requires more than just throwing them in at the deep end and fishing them out when things get too rough. Knowledge leads to action - and action leads to performance. Learn an effective coaching model to get the most out of your direct reports.
NEXT COURSES – Monday 17th August 1:30-4:30 or Thursday 27th August 8:30-11:30
Cost: £200 per person + VAT
· Running Productive Meetings (course code: MG-MTGPUB01)
If you’ve ever sat through a three-hour waffle session, you’ll appreciate the real art of managing a business meeting. Whether it’s a client meeting, an internal update, or a regular project review learn how to control the timing, gather contributions, prepare and stick to an agenda and use your personal presentation skills to make an impact.
NEXT COURSES – Monday 17th August 8:30-11:30 or Thursday 27th August 1:30-4:30
Cost: £200 per person + VAT
· Problem Solving Facilitation & Brainstorming (course code: MG-BRAPUB01)
Getting the best ideas from a group of creative thinkers is as difficult as working through any problem if you don’t have a method for assessing issues and gathering ideas. Learn the best way to brainstorm, how to prepare and guide the session and work through problems by getting to grips with proven critical thinking techniques.
NEXT COURSES – Friday 21st August 8:30-4:30 or Wednesday 26th August 1:30-4:30Cost: £200 per person + VAT
If the first wave of recovery really does start in October (and let’s hope it does) be ready for whatever the business throws at you.
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30/06/2009 10:42 AM |
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2nd Year for Wordville with Leading Charity Recruitment Event |
 2008 success sees forum3 renew contract
Following the successful campaign in 2008, forum3, the leading UK recruitment event for the Third Sector, has renewed its contract with Wordville.
forum3 hosts a yearly recruitment event for over 12,000 visitors, including 150 top charities such as Cancer Research UK, Big Issue, NSPCC and the RSPCA. The partnership with Wordville resulted in a 20% increase in attendance and forum3 directors engaged with key print, broadcast and online journalists. Extensive coverage was featured in trade, national and international media.
“Wordville was a key part of our 2008 success, enabling us to influence the Third Sector agenda through key media engagement. We saw an increase in visitor attendance and we are now a point of reference for anyone looking for the latest developments in our industry. We are very much looking forward to working with Wordville again this year,” said Debbie Hockham, director, forum3.
The forum3 event will take placed on September 10-11 at the Business Design Centre in Islington in London. For more information, please visit: http://www.forum3.co.uk
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05/06/2009 09:29 AM |
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Mistrust Reality |
Two friends of mine have recently become embroiled in reality TV shows - not the talent show variety but sideshows nonetheless. Both willing participants of on air behind the scenes programmes with two different reasons for taking part. First was emotional (wanted to talk through a relationship breakup), second promotional (wanted to get more clients for his business).
All cautionary tales seemed to fall on deaf ears because they both had a strange belief that they wouldn't "be like those who look insane and unreasonable".
It's not just reality TV that brings out the delusion. Company executives step unprepared into TV studios, confident that the ego that does them so well in the boardroom will work its magic on camera. And subject matter experts ramble on to journalists convinced that their evangelical zeal will inspire.
If you're doing TV for promotional purposes work out what you want to achieve and how your offline activity supports your onscreen appearance. Have you timed your marketing with the transmission? Are you ready to take advantage of any incoming queries and are your staff prepped for any possible negative reaction? If it seems obvious, you'd be surprised how many people think it'll just fall into place.
Ultimately anyone producing a reality TV show is looking to deliver entertainment not reality. Take stock before you agree to appear - think what's in it for you, don't trust that your everyday charm will make it onscreen, and take advice from experts before signing anything. Reality bites.
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