In the hot seat with… Tom Martin

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Talking topic: three years at TMPR

Three years ago, Tom started with us as a fresh-faced graduate (well sort of fresh-faced, he’d started to cut his teeth on marketing and sales with another company before joining us). After being given the opportunity to try his hand at all aspects of marketing and PR, Tom’s career progression accelerated, with him rapidly earning his stripes as a fully-fledged Marketing and PR consultant.

In the first of our new ‘in the hot seat’ series, we ask Tom to share his pearls of wisdom on what it takes to carve out a successful and promising career at TMPR…

Thanks for your time today, Tom, and congratulations on your three-year milestone! I guess a good place to start will be to cast your mind back to the day you started…what advice would you give yourself if you were starting over?

Thank you! I really appreciate it…I would say much the same advice as I’d go by now – get stuck in, be willing to try new things, be open to new ideas, and most importantly enjoy yourself!

That’s very productive advice, thanks Tom. So, we know your career has developed firmly at TMPR, but how did you discover what aspect of marketing and PR was right for you?

Having been given the freedom to dip my feet into very varied areas across the agency, I naturally took more of a shine to campaign management. From organising product launches to raising brand awareness, I’ve grown in skills and confidence, and now independently take campaigns from an initial brief all the way through to execution and evaluation.

It’s progressed quite quickly for you – what a fantastic success! We know there have been many achievements during your time at TMPR, but which would you say has been your greatest?

I’d say my greatest achievements are tied to the client projects I’ve led on. I’ve carved my niche within campaign planning and management, and some of the ideas we’ve brought to life have been incredible. In the brief moments that I take a step back to consider what those projects have delivered; it gives me a sense of real pride.  

You should be proud! Now on the flip side of things…what would you say has been your biggest learning curve?

There have been a lot of lessons along the way, but I think the biggest learning curve has been appreciating the importance of mindset. Having the right skills is essential, but it’s your mindset which really drives things forward and leads to those huge breakthroughs.

And finally, what’s your favourite thing about working for TMPR?

I think we have both a fantastic team and a wonderful group of clients to work with. Being surrounded by ambitious and inspiring people and having the opportunity to work with genuine experts across a number of fields is a privilege, and not one taken lightly. Plus, the odd team social doesn’t go amiss!

Thank you Tom, from everyone here at TMPR, for all that you do. It’s been wonderful to chat to you today and hear your experiences. You’re a truly valued colleague and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you. But for now – roll on the next team social!

TMPR heads back to Bett

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On 23-25th March, Bett, the global education technology event, returned for the first time since January 2020, after a lengthy Covid-driven absence. Although we didn’t initially know what to expect, it was a wonderful week that captured the best and brightest moments from the world of edtech.

Chloe Allen, Marketing and PR Consultant, shares her highlights from Bett…

Events…are back!

It’s no secret that the events industry has taken a hit over the last couple of years, with the outbreak of covid-19 and the significant restrictions that followed. So, it was brilliant to see the return of live events and experience the buzz of Bett.

Over the course of the week, we struck up some excellent conversations with exciting brands, vendors, and exhibitors and spent time exploring the show.

Bringing together over 60,000 visitors and 1,200 edtech providers, it was a breath of fresh air to see so many people all in one place to discuss the future of edtech and catch up on missed time.

Exploring the latest trends in edtech

The theme for 2022 was “create the future” and was underpinned by six crucial pillars: leadership, futures, inclusion, wellbeing, skills, and innovation.

The programme of events was shaped by the pillars and included CPD sessions, talks from industry leaders, and pioneering presentations on future-facing learning, digital transformation, building resilience, and tackling the challenges of tomorrow.

It was a wonderful opportunity to truly understand how the edtech sector has reacted to the challenges brought about by the pandemic. Exhibitors shared how they had developed strategies beyond an initial crisis response, their creative approaches to establishing an inclusive curriculum, the prioritization of staff wellbeing, attitudes rebalancing workload, and much more.

Some of the most interesting trends focused on VR and its diverse role in supporting all types of learners, eLearning in the post-Covid world, and a refreshed approach to gamification in the education space.

There were robots designed to explain coding to young learners, and many well-known education brands were launching products that embodied the latest trends, devised to boost student engagement and reinvigorate the classroom for students and teachers alike.

Connecting in person

Getting to spend time with clients in person was a definite highlight. Bett 2022 really compounded the significance of human interaction and making valuable connections in real life.

It was the perfect occasion to bring brilliant minds together and tap into varied expertise and resources in real-time. Not only does this help to maintain truly valuable client relationships, but it also enables us to discuss ambitious ideas that are harder to communicate in a virtual capacity.

Reflecting upon a fantastic week, it’s safe to say that Bett 2022 delivered on all counts, providing the ideal opportunity to immerse ourselves in the constantly evolving world of edtech.

The show provides an excellent springboard for the TMPR team to get back out and attend further in-person events. Next up, we’re visiting The Fire Safety Event at Birmingham’s NEC Arena.

2021… it’s (almost) a wrap

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As 2021 draws to a close, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on a year like no other! We’ve navigated a global pandemic for the second year running, significantly bolstered our team, and despite the unexpected places we have found ourselves, we’re ending it on a high. From our office expansion in May to our 10th-anniversary celebrations in June, we’d like to take the opportunity to review our fantastic personal highlights and hopes for the year ahead.

In May, we acquired even more space in our current building to expand our office. Not only has this improved the way we work, but it also means our team has even more room to think and create. 

In June, we celebrated a decade of TMPR. Although we might look slightly different than we did in 2011, we’ve managed to retain the same attention to detail, passion for what we do, and many of the same clients. It’s been an excellent opportunity to pause and reflect on how far we have come and has reinforced our ambitions for the future.

They often say a change is as good as a rest, so we have been lucky enough to strengthen our team with some fresh faces and exciting new talent. We have lots of great team-building activities planned for 2022, which will allow us to get to know each other even better.

Rebuilding the team dynamic after lockdown and becoming acquainted with the new members of the team has become increasingly more important to us. Tom, our PR and marketing consultant, is particularly happy to be back in an office environment. He has also been part of some exceptional campaigns on a national and international basis – go, Tom!

Louise, our director, is delighted with our personal and client award wins which demonstrate our excellent working relationships and recognise what we’re doing right. It’s always a bonus to celebrate mutual achievements in person, and fortunately, we’ve been able to raise a glass or two with our clients and team in 2021.

From further afield at her new base in Perth, Australia, Hazel has experienced significant growth in her skill set through a steady increase in responsibilities. Not only has this drastically improved her confidence, but it has allowed her to take ownership of more projects and reach for the stars!

Over the summer, Oliver joined the team and has proved an excellent fit. Oliver’s highlight has been meeting our clients face-to-face and visiting their places of work. Exploring the industries in person has helped him gain a broader understanding of what they do and has been great fun.

In late October, we were joined by administrator Charlene, who made the big move from Hong Kong to Wales. She’s loving it so far and is excited to explore more of the UK, starting with Peterborough and then hopefully London in the New Year. 

Chloe, our newest member, who joined us in November, recently bought a house in Penarth, just a stone’s throw from the office – now, if that isn’t convenient, we’re not sure what is! Chloe can’t wait to get stuck into some exciting client projects in the new year and learn as much as she can from the team.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our wonderful clients and partners for their continued support over the last year. It’s been a pleasure to work with you, and we’re truly looking forward to creating more magic in 2022. For TMPR, the year ahead is about nurturing our new team, working on even more ambitious campaigns, and doing more of what we love. 

Technical Marketing & PR: Nurturing New Marketing Talent.

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We are passionate about nurturing emerging talent in the marketing and PR sector. After all, having the opportunity to hone your skills in the real world can make all the difference to a graduate’s career.

Last year we welcomed Alex Lambden to our team on a Student Placement. Alex was studying Politics and Spanish at Cardiff University and was looking to gain some industry experience within Marketing.

Alex made a real impact at TMPR. As a small team we work at a fast pace and are agile in our approach to ensure everyone is supported and that we get the job done collectively. Alex was on-board with this straight away and got stuck in with various projects across our diverse client portfolio.

Since finishing his studies Alex has gone on to secure a place on a Marketing Graduate Scheme with BT. He told us that the experienced he gained while working with TMPR helped him stand out from his competition and secure this new role.

Here’s what he said about his time with us:

“Graduates leaving university face an ever-challenging job market so it’s essential to have that standout ‘edge’ on your CV. Keen to leave my studies with a well-rounded experience, I reached out to the Technical Marketing & PR team where I gained some cutting-edge industry knowledge with a hands-on approach.

From the start, I dove into the day-to-day responsibilities of a boutique marketing agency and spearheaded important operations for our clients. While this was a new space for me, the TMPR team were true cheerleaders and supported me through how to make each piece of work my best, with a real focus on my self-development. A skillset I wanted to grow was to create inspiring copy, a new challenge for a starter like myself! The TMPR team allowed me to explore different forms of copy; co-ordinating the social media posts for one client, authoring press releases for another – I even got to see the behind-the-scenes of successful promotional video. I was so fortunate to have my first marketing experience with TMPR as I was given a wide range of responsibility which allowed me to figure out which part of marketing and PR I wanted to pursue going forward.

The team really captured the start-up culture in their office which is an ever popular theme in discussions for creating better workplaces. A constant hub of energy, the team and I constantly bounced ideas off one another to innovate the work we provided our clients. Regular check-ins and feedback further made TMPR a great place to work, I was always clear on how I could improve my performance while also celebrating both the team and my own’s triumphs. By the end of my placement, I had built up an impressive knowledge in the marketing field which I could go on and take with me to show graduate employers.

Since finishing my studies at Cardiff University, I have gone on to join BT’s Marketing Graduate scheme, with a current focus in commercial management. I often think back fondly at my time working at Technical Marketing & PR and I know the team set me with a solid foundation to become a rising star in marketing!”

TMPR is rapidly growing and we’re on the look out for an enthusiastic, experienced marketeer to work with us.

We’re a close knit team based in the centre of Penarth and we love what we do!

If you’re interested in joining the fun, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch via: hello@technicalmarketing-pr.com

 

Technical Marketing & PR welcomes back Alex

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TMPR is over the moon to welcome back Alex Lambden back into the team and provide a further insight in what it takes to be a successful marketeer.

Joining the team for a student placement for three months last year, Alex learnt how to create cutting-edge copywriting and discovered a passion for industry standard video production. After a short hiatus for his Erasmus year in Spain, he has returned to Cardiff University for his final year and is eager to brush up on his marketing expertise.

“I’m really excited to be back with the TMPR team, and this time in their new office in Penarth,” Alex explains “It’s amazing to see how the company has grown, as well as being back under the team’s guidance who are so dedicated to expanding my professional skillset.”

The mention of the name Alex in the office has now produced an amusing situation, with two heads now turning instead of one. We’re still looking for nicknames to differentiate between the two.

It’s great to have Alex back in the swing of things, and we recommend other students to keep updated on any student placements that Technical Marketing & PR might offer in the future!

Technical Marketing & PR Named #1 Outstanding Small PR Consultancy in Wales

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At the annual CIPR PRide Cymru Awards, Technical Marketing & PR has been awarded gold in the ‘Outstanding Small Public Relations Consultancy’ category. The awards ceremony which was held at Cardiff’s Exchange Hotel on Friday 11th October and hosted by TV and radio personality Jason Mohammad, celebrated the best of PR in Wales.

“Since laying down roots in South Wales, Technical Marketing & PR has gone from strength to strength with expansion of the in-house team and growing our South Wales client base. It is incredible to be recognised as the leading small PR consultancy in Wales whilst staying true to our core sectors,” said Louise Morgan, Director at Technical Marketing & PR.

The judges commented: “Technical Marketing & PR’s clear, well thought out strategy has supported profitable growth, with impressive global reach which has seen successful campaign delivery as far afield as Russia. Yet this dedicated agency remains committed to supporting its local community; delivering workshops through the local business network and building strategic partnerships with businesses in South Wales. The judges were extremely impressed by Technical Marketing & PR’s continued investment in its staff, with a strong focus on CPD and ensuring up-to-date knowledge of data compliancy and information governance.”

Congratulations to all of the finalists and winners from the night, there is some incredible PR talent in Wales. See the full list of winners and finalists here.

One year on… Alexandra’s TMPR Highlights

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This week marks one year since Alexandra Davies joined our team as Junior Account Executive… and what an amazing 12 months it has been!

When speaking to Alexandra about her personal highlights, she’s always quick to cite that securing bylined articles in the trade press is one of her favourites (especially when she takes the printed copy home to share with her family and friends). She’s also fast become our resident social media guru, leading the charge with campaign set up and management using recently introduced platforms to the agency.

And aside from the professional progress she has made (which has been high quality and fast paced), Alexandra is a very valued member of our small but perfectly formed and specialist team.

In fact, Alexandra has assumed the official position of ‘Social Secretary’ which in the last year has seen TMPR head out to events such as the Wales v England rugby game, to ‘paint-a-pot’ when we needed coasters for the new office (Alexandra painted a bee on hers… which was no surprise), as well as to celebrate Beaujolais Day in Cardiff.

So, on behalf of your esteemed colleagues at TMPR, we’d like to thank you for being such a fab team member, making us laugh and being truly awesome at PR and marketing.

Enjoy the beehive cake!

Reaching a new audience with podcast marketing

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Podcasting has seen a huge growth in popularity in the last five years, with weekly listeners in the UK having increased from 3.2m in 2013 to 5.9m in 2018.1 Although the majority of podcast listeners tune in to entertainment genres, many businesses are reaping the rewards of on-demand audio. Podcasting is non-disruptive media boasting high engagement rates compared to radio and television.

Whether you are completely new to podcasting or considering setting up a podcast for your business, here are some considerations to keep in mind:

 

Invest in equipment

Your podcast will be representing your business, so it’s important that the quality is up to scratch. You don’t need a professional studio set-up, but the right gear will set you off in the right direction.

A dynamic microphone (with a pop-shield), an audio interface, a pair of headphones and any modern PC or laptop to run an audio recording software will give you what you need to introduce your podcast to the world.

 

Have a goal in mind

Before you sit down to record anything, take the time to consider who your audience is and what they are looking for in a podcast. Bear your audience and their motivation for listening in mind when planning your topics and booking guests.

It’s usually a good idea to produce a continual podcast with regular releases, whether it be weekly, monthly or even quarterly. In this way, you can work consistently towards your goal and establish a regular listener-base.

 

How will you present your podcast?

There are a few formats your podcast can take, and it is often best to have an interactive element to the discussion rather than relying on a single host. One way to achieve this is to use an interview format, where the host speaks to a different guest each episode. Bringing guests onto your broadcast fosters engaging discussion and can also bring credibility.

 

Promoting your podcast

Last but not least, make sure your podcast is promoted on your website and that you’re telling people about it wherever you go. You might even consider putting together some business cards to hand which point people in the right direction!

 

For some inspiration, check out some of our favourite podcasts:

  • Not Another Marketing Podcast, by Jon Tromans
  • Marketing Over Coffee, by John Wall and Christopher Penn
  • The Science of Social Media, from Buffer

 

If you think podcast marketing could be a good option for your business, feel free to get in touch with the Technical Marketing & PR team for more information on how to get started.

1Ofcom, 2018

Bright horizons for Education Technology through 2020

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Education technology, or EdTech, is becoming increasingly embedded in every level of our education system. The growing EdTech revolution can be seen in classrooms and lecture theatres around the world, but the British government is proving to be among the most proactive in supporting its development and implementation.

The Department for Education recently published its strategy report for education providers and the EdTech industry, paving the way for unprecedented progress through 2019 and 2020. Given that we work with some of the world’s leading EdTech brands, we’ve spent the time digesting the (rather lengthy) report, so that we can bring you the three major takeaways…


Developing the infrastructure to support EdTech implementation and use

We live in an increasingly connected world. That said, some schools and colleges suffer from poor internet connectivity which hampers their ability to use EdTech seamlessly in the classroom. Despite a top-level government initiative to achieve nationwide full-fibre connectivity by 2033, the Department for Education have pledged funding to help hundreds of the most affected schools to reach this within the next two years.

The Department for Education has also identified cloud-based systems as a key resource for increased security, cheaper running costs, ease of work-sharing and remote access.


Providing educators with the skills and confidence to use EdTech resources

Some of the largest barriers to the adoption of digital technologies are teacher confidence, willingness and adequate training. The Department for Education is setting up a network of ‘demonstrator’ institutions to show good practice and online training courses to build skills and confidence in educators.


Promoting innovation and investment into the EdTech industry

The Department for Education has published a set of ten challenge objectives which it hopes the industry will solve by 2021, for example: ‘“Improve parental engagement and communication, whilst cutting related teacher workload by up to five hours per term.”

There will be innovation competitions related to these challenges to promote product development where solutions are lacking. These involve potential investment and access for EdTech producers to pilot programs and tester institutions for their products.

 

A positive landscape for Education Technology

The enthusiasm of the Department for Education towards EdTech combined with the innovation on display from producers and education institutions alike point to a brilliant few years of growth for Education Technology. Effective support is being put in place for educators, providers, SME’s and customers in such a way that educational outcomes and business are set to benefit.

The education technology space promises to be hugely exciting through 2020, and institutions looking to innovate their classrooms will have no shortage of options at their disposal. If you’ve got a spare half hour, you can read the full report here, and if you’d like to pick our brains on how best to approach PR and marketing in the EdTech space, drop us a line.

Technical Marketing & PR sends Fraser Bear to the TRIC Awards

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Here at Technical Marketing & PR, we understand the importance of supporting local charities and causes.  In March, we were delighted to donate tickets for the TRIC awards to the Believe charity.  The Television and Radio Industries Club Awards were established to celebrate the networking of technological industries and raise money for causes nominated by TRIC.  The awards play host to crowds of well-known celebrities every year.

Believe Organ Donor Support (ODS) is a charity founded by Anna-Louise Bates who tragically lost her son, Fraser and husband, Stuart in a collision in December 2015, but saved a number of lives by donating Fraser’s organs.  She set up the charity to raise awareness of talking about and participating in organ donation and supporting donor families who have been affected by organ donation.

Believe is based in Wales and partners with many other cause-based charities such as Kidney Wales, Donor Family Network and a number of bereavement charities. The charity visits schools to educate children on the importance of organ donation and to encourage people to get involved by purchasing a Fraser Bear to take on their adventures and pose for pictures to raise awareness of the charity and the work it does.

The awards were the perfect opportunity for Fraser Bear to meet celebrities such as Michael McIntyre and Freddie Flintoff at the event. Leila Castell from the Donor Family Network was able to talk to the celebrities about the work the charity does and the importance of organ donation. Having recently become finalists in the Charity Film Awards and relying on votes to secure a win, Believe were also able to promote the video it had produced at the TRIC Awards and encourage celebrities to support and raise awareness for the film.

Anna-Louise Bates, Founder of Believe ODS, said: “We were so excited to take Fraser Bear to the TRIC Awards this year and want to say a huge thank you to Technical Marketing & PR for donating the tickets and supporting Believe. We have had an incredibly positive response on social media, especially from Alan Shearer and Connie Hyde (Gina from Coronation Street) in relation to our film, which will be extremely beneficial in the run-up to the forthcoming Charity Film Awards. We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity to raise awareness for Believe as a charity and the animation.”

Louise Matthews, Director at Technical Marketing & PR, commented: “As a marketing and PR company, we regularly develop marketing strategies that best align with our clients’ messages and ambitions. Understanding the importance of Fraser Bear to Believe’s strategy of raising awareness and encouraging discussions around organ donation, donating our tickets for the TRIC Awards to the charity was a no-brainer. At Technical Marketing & PR, we believe in giving something back to charities, and it isn’t always about money – in this case, we saw an opportunity for the TRIC Awards tickets to be put to better use and that was to help raise awareness for such a wonderful cause.”

If you would like to find out more about Believe ODS, please visit www.believe-ods.org.uk.

 

Fraser Bear and Michael McIntyre

Fraser Bear met cricket legend Freddie Flintoff

Fraser Bear meets the ladies of the Cobbles!

Fraser Bear with Alan Shearer