My Marketing and PR Insight

I am currently a second-year Business Management student at Cardiff University who has just finished a Marketing and PR insight with Technical Marketing & PR.  I worked alongside the team for one day a week over four weeks and learnt vast amounts about the marketing and PR industry, an area I have a vested interest in pursuing a career in.

Within a few minutes of my first day at Technical Marketing & PR, I was being shown how to create a media list on a media database and distributed a press release for a client, something I can now take away with me.  I then looked at how to complete forward features research for clients to find opportunities in trade magazines.  I also took responsibility for the Technical Marketing & PR Twitter over the course of the insight and learned how to schedule social media posts using various platforms.

I feel like I have learnt lots of new skills and accomplished a variety of tasks, and that was after just one day! Over the next three days, I was able to work on an article for an education magazine, continue researching PR opportunities and manage the social media output.

I am most proud of the article I produced as that was the primary task I worked on during my time at Technical Marketing & PR which will eventually be published on behalf of the client.  I can now add this to my portfolio to show future employers.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Technical Marketing & PR – the team are so friendly which made it easy to ask for advice and guidance if needed.  I would like to thank Louise and David for taking me on and teaching me such an array of skills and increasing my knowledge about all things marketing and PR.

Sophie Williams

 

The Greatest (Marketing) Story Ever Told…

As it’s Valentine’s Day, the hopeless romantic in me began thinking of the greatest love story ever told. As one of the most renowned names in the literary world, Shakespeare seemed to know a thing or two about love. And his story of a love so deep has travelled through the centuries from generation to generation – I am of course talking about the star cross’d lovers – Juliet, and her Romeo.

This got me thinking, storytelling is an essential human activity and has become a crucial component in most successful marketing strategies. But, many marketeers tend to lose sight of this.

So, using the greatest love story ever told, we have looked at the fundamentals of a good story and how you can relate this to your marketing strategy.

 

Theme

“Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”

It is clear that in Romeo and Juliet, the overarching theme is love. Making sure you cement the theme of your marketing strategy in the very beginning is essential. Creating a content calendar using this as a basis will help you tick off the key messages you want to push to audiences – playing a fundamental role in ensuring you go into the year ahead prepared.

 

Narrative

“Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene.”

The prologue of Romeo and Juliet sets the scene for the rest of the play. Similarly, in marketing your narrative must look at the ethos behind everything you do, introduce the persona, and sell the story of you as a brand.

 

Structure

“A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life. Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow.”

A robust structure in your marketing strategy will not only assist with effective planning, but it will help provide the business with a clear focus and direction which can pull through to themes in tactical campaigns.

 

Characters

“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.”

Every good story has a character or subject of focus. In this sense, ensuring you have characters who can be ambassadors for your brand will not only help humanise you but will also make you more personable. In a digital world where a lot of marketing is turning to automation, being personable is more important than ever.

 

Style/Tone

‘O, Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?’

Finally, the style of your marketing material should be consistent with what you are offering. Knowing your audience and being able to translate your USP into suitable content is essential.

 

Looking at your marketing strategy by using the fundamentals of a good story will help you to engage audiences, remain personable and will help you keep a consistent rhythm of material going through your marketing channels that highlights the essentials.

[Exeunt.

TMPR at Bett

Last month, the TMPR team took a trip to London to attend the Bett (British Educational Training and Technology) Show. For one of our clients Promethean, it is an event that is 365 days in planning, every year. This was my first time at Bett, so I was keen to explore the new and existing products on the education market as well as see the year-long plan come together for Promethean.

In the ExCel in London, the Bett Show showcases everything that is new and exciting in the world of EdTech, so this year I went to see what Promethean had to offer and to explore the new innovations coming to market!

From robots, to entirely interactive lessons – the technology wasn’t like this when I was in school! It was interesting to see how technology is being embraced in the classroom and used to better enhance the learning materials available to students.

On stand, Promethean were looking to teachers and students to share their #ClassroomStories in their video booth. In a hunt for inspiring, funny or motivational memories, a Promethean ActivPanel was up for grabs for the winning story!

Also, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Sergey Karjakin, the youngest ever chess Grandmaster, who has been working with Promethean to promote chess in the classroom. Recently made compulsory in Moscow, Sergey was talking about the benefits of chess and how it can help children improve their logic.

Exclusively, for VIPs, Promethean also had preview demonstrations available in the Platinum Suite of the next version of ActivPanel that is currently in development – so watch this space!

How to Build an Elf-y Social Media Strategy

If you thought that Santa’s little helpers are only skilled in crafting toys, you’d be wrong. There’s a lot to be learned from the festive team and we’re bringing the best of what they’ve got to offer in terms of building an Elf-y social content strategy… and the even better news is that this is not just for Christmas… these tips will help you all year round.

  • Short and sweet

Just like the stature of an elf, your social media content should be short and sweet, capturing what you need to say in as few words as possible but having optimum impact on the reader.

 

  • Uniform

Elves are always in their uniform, look smart and presentable. Make sure your branding is visible across your social platforms. It can be a good idea to set up visual templates for creating social media images that include some of your branding.

 

  • Full of life

Your social media content should reflect your personality, think about how you would like to come across to your audience and take the time to produce quality content that reflects you.

 

  • Work all year round

Santa’s little helpers work all year round, and so should your social strategy. The key to successful social content is planning it in advance and scheduling the content using online tools. Planning content in advance allows you to vary and structure what you put out, but you should also post in the moment at events or when you find something interesting.

 

  • Form part of a wider strategy

Elves are part of Santa’s wider mission to deliver meaningful gifts to children around the world on Christmas eve each year. Your social strategy should fit in to your wider marketing campaigns and business objectives. Think outside the box, about how social media can be used to help all areas of your business.

 

So, when you’re planning your social output think about those little elves, or to find out how our in-house team of elves approach social media content, get in touch.  We’re more than happy to give you some advice, call it a Christmas gift from us to you!

Happy 1st Birthday, David!

Throughout University I worked hard at my Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies course, I was section editor of the university newspaper, Gair Rydd, and held a managerial position in a high street retail store in Cardiff. With no experience in Marketing & PR I found it difficult to get into the industry. A year ago, our Director, Louise, hired me with the intention of teaching and coaching me on how to succeed at Technical Marketing and PR. After celebrating my 1st birthday this week, I wanted to summarise what I have learned this year.

In the last year I have learnt so much more than I could have imagined. From day one I was dealing with clients first hand, writing copy and attending expos. After six months in my position as Junior Account Executive, I was promoted to Account Executive, something I am incredibly proud of.

I thoroughly enjoy the roving reports we produce when visiting clients at expos or events. I participated in a video course when I started at Technical Marketing & PR, which taught me how to create professional looking content on a mobile phone. This has been a fantastic opportunity for me to improve my video skills, interview our clients, and help them produce content.

All in all, this last year has been a big year for me, both professionally and personally. In my first few weeks at Technical Marketing & PR, we were exhibiting at the Introbiz Expo, something we are excited to be doing again this year on stand 259. The Introbiz Expo is one of the biggest business expos in Wales and we are excited to exhibit and have lunch with Lord Sugar! In January, we attended education technology show Bett with our client Promethean, which was a fantastic opportunity to see how technology is being utilised in the education sector. Another big event for the business as a whole was the CIPR Cymru Awards where we were shortlisted as ‘Outstanding Small Public Relations Constancy’, and even though we didn’t win the party was brilliant and a great opportunity to celebrate our successes with some of our clients! Whilst all this has been going on, I also got on the property ladder, buying my first property in Cardiff Bay. My commute to work has improved ten-fold, I am no longer stuck in traffic for an hour and a half, now it takes me just 12 minutes!

I am incredibly pleased with my successes over the last year at Technical Marketing & PR, and I am looking forward to seeing what the next year will bring. Thank you to the team for my amazing cake!

Sharing a Passion for Our City

We love Cardiff, and when we found out that a local charitable organisation needed help to create a video promoting the city to its members worldwide we were more than happy to help out.

Cardiff Round Table is a group set up to encourage fun and friendship, in addition to raising money for charity. One of their biggest events you’ve probably heard of or even possibly been to, is Sparks in the Park Cardiff. The annual firework display is extremely popular, and members of Cardiff Round Table put in a tremendous amount of effort to organise the event and raise a lot of money.

Round Table groups exist all over the world and every year meet up in a different city to celebrate the achievements of Round Table. In 2019, the International Union of Clubs (IUC) event will be hosted by Cardiff, so Cardiff Round Table needed a video that would give ‘Tablers’ from far and wide a brief insight into what our beautiful city has to offer.

We came up with this video which was presented at IUC in Roubaix, France, in June. It was a privilege to be able to help the guys!

If anyone is interested in knowing more about Cardiff Round Table, the social and networking aspect, or the fantastic charity work they do, get in touch here.

 

Lucky Number 7!

We’ve just turned 7 and we’re super excited to be celebrating this milestone. Here are seven things we’re most proud of since we landed:

  1. Technical Marketing & PR is Born

In June 2011, Louise Matthews, landed Technical Marketing & PR. With over 10 years’ experience of working in marketing and PR, as well as strong links to businesses in the construction, engineering, manufacturing and technology sectors, Louise identified a gap in the market for a PR & Marketing business that specialised in creating technical content.

 

  1. Virtual Marketing Manager Service Launched

Identifying a need in the core sectors for flexible and competitive marketing support, the Virtual Marketing Manager Service was born. Technical Marketing & PR has positioned itself as an agency that can seamlessly integrate with existing marketing teams to provide flexible support, no-nonsense marketing planning and implementation.

 

  1. Relocation and Rebranding

In 2015, Technical Marketing & PR relocated from its offices in Derby, to Barry in South Wales. Following the relocation, Technical Marketing & PR exhibited at the Introbiz Expo where the new branding was launched, and the company announced it was laying down roots in Wales.

 

  1. Going for Growth

In 2017, the decision was made to move away from the business model of working with a team of ‘permalancers’ and recruit permanent in-house staff. Though working with ‘permalancers’ had historically worked very well for the business, Louise Matthews, wanted to grow and develop a strong close-knit team in South Wales where she could pass on her experience.

 

  1. Investing in Marketeers of the Future

In 2018, Technical Marketing & PR has offered paid work experience placements to students, reaching out to Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University to seek candidates. There is a need for hands on paid work experience placements in the sector and Technical Marketing & PR is keen to provide this wherever possible to give future graduates the experience they need to transition into jobs in the sector.

 

  1. Sustainable Partnerships

This year marks the 7th anniversary of the company’s partnership with clients such as Promethean, SIG, ROCKWOOL, Bowden Group and Lumin. These long-standing relationships are testament to the level of service the Technical Marketing & PR team offer.

 

  1. Looking Forward

Business growth and development continues to be a significant focus for Technical Marketing & PR, the company is expanding the team and investing in staff development to further enhance the range of services it provides. The team are looking forward to strengthening long-standing relationships and welcoming new clients on board.

 

To celebrate our 7th birthday, we’ll be doing a series of prize draws over the next few months on social media so make sure you’re following us. If you’d like to pop in for a chat, a cup of tea and maybe some birthday cake, then drop us a message!

Are you GDPR ready?

What is GDPR?

GDPR is the new General Data Protection Regulation which will come into force from 25th May 2018. It will replace the current Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC. The new regulation intends to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals in the European Union.

 

But what about Brexit?

Even though the UK is set to leave the European Union, the government has fully committed to GDPR. From a global perspective Europe is leading the way with GDPR and although data protection is constantly developing, the rest of the world is likely to follow over time. And if nothing else, all you would have to do is store one EU citizen’s data on your system and you would have to be compliant with GDPR anyway. Any company not compliant with GDPR would face significant difficulty in trading with the EU.

So, what does GDPR actually involve?

Valid Consent: There will be stricter rules surrounding consent to use people’s data. Obtaining consent for processing personal data must be clear and seek an affirmative response or opt in system.

Transparency: People will have a right to see what information you hold about them. You must be able to tell any one person at any time how their data is being used.

The Right to Correction: Individuals will have the right to rectify any information that is incorrect.

The Right to Erasure: In some cases, people will have the right to have their data completely erased.

Data Portability: People will be able to request their data is moved from one service provider to another.

The Right to Object to Automated Processing: Individuals will have a right to object to certain types of automated processing.

 

How will GDPR impact PR & Marketing?

GDPR will impact all areas of businesses, it’s not just an issue for compliance teams. GDPR will arguably change the way in which marketing departments operate. In marketing we work with a lot of data, particularly when it comes mailing or analytics. Communications data such as name, email, phone number and address, all fall under the GDPR remit.

With GDPR in place, marketers will only be able to mail people who have opted in to receive messages. The sign-up process must include information to subscribers about the brand that is collecting consent, and outline information on the purposes of collecting their personal data. Records need to be kept of the given consent.

But what about people like journalists who make their contact details readily available? Although you are unlikely to face consequences for mailing journalists you must not be complacent. Only send journalists relevant content and do not abuse the access you have to their information.

There is no allowance for data collected without consent prior to GDPR. Many companies will want to work with marketing and PR firms to make themselves visible in new campaigns to retool and build brand awareness to encourage new opt ins.

You might think that there is going to be a mad rush to collect new data, but this is where ‘privacy by design’ comes in to play. Privacy by design is about being responsible users of information and only collecting the minimum amount of data required to conduct business operations. The data must also not be stored for any longer than is necessary.

Working with other organisations

In an increasingly globalised world of information sharing and collaboration, businesses often work with other partners or services to outsource areas of work. The original data owner is responsible for ensuring there is a procedure in place to confirm the data is used appropriately. There needs to be a formal control in order so that the information is only used for the purpose agreed. This could take the form of a contract or formal assessment of data security and privacy. It’s all about showing that you have effective regulation and control processes in place.

 

“GDPR won’t impact small businesses like mine”

GDPR will impact all businesses. Rightly so, larger businesses and corporations will have a lot more work to do to make sure they are GDPR compliant, as they often have large databases that feed in to one another. It will become mandatory for large businesses processing high volumes of data to appoint a Data Protection Officer. But small businesses also need to be able to prove they are compliant, even if it’s in the form of a 1-page document. You need to have some sort of document you could show a compliance officer to demonstrate you are GDPR ready. Any business you work with inside the EU, where sharing data is involved will be required to assess you to some extent in terms of GDPR. So, it’s worth getting it right.

 

What are your obligations?

Accountability: Demonstrate compliance by maintaining accurate data processing records.

Data Transfer: You are only allowed to transfer data if the appropriate safeguards are in place.

Data Security: All data must be kept secure and protected.

Data Breaches: Data breaches must be reported within 72hours.

Data Protection Officers: DPO’s will be mandatory in organisations processing large volumes of data.

Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA): DPIA will be mandatory if you’re processing activity results in a high risk to any person’s data rights.

 

What will happen if you don’t comply?

Regulators are super serious about data protection and responsibility this time around. Regulators in the UK have begun a serious recruitment drive, so companies will certainly be subject to checks. Data Protection Authorities and the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) will be able to flag companies that are not compliant and carry out an assessment. Consumers and individuals will also gain power from this perspective as they will be able to make complaints about any organisation they feel is using their data irresponsibly. Hefty fines will be placed on businesses who are not compliant with GDPR.

 

What next?

There is certainly a lot of information to take in surrounding GDPR and it is important to do your research and make sure your business is compliant. The emphasis is on being responsible data users and being able to demonstrate how you comply rather than defending yourself if you don’t. GDPR is a great opportunity for businesses and organisations to get into shape and promote how you control data use in a professional manner.

 

Benefits of GDPR

Enhance customer trust

Improve brand image and reputation

Strengthen data governance

Tighten information security

Increase competitive edge

 

It’s important to do your research and get the correct protocols in place. The ICO website is a great place for more information on GDPR. Check it out here.

Online Content: ‘The Perfect Mix’

In celebration of ‘Pancake Day’ we thought we’d give you a sweet treat to indulge on. We all know if you get the pancake mix wrong, they can end up being a disaster. Online content works in exactly the same way, you need to start with the right ingredients to come up with something that will appeal to your audience. So, here’s what we believe to be ‘The Perfect Mix’:

 

  • Start with a captivating title 

The chances are the first thing your reader will see is the title. You need to make sure that you grab their attention by telling them what the content is about, but equally don’t give away the punchline. It needs to be a teaser that pulls them in and drives traffic to your page or website.

  • Keep paragraphs short

Smart phones and tablets are now the most popular devices to view content on, so make sure you consider this when you’re writing. Short and concise paragraphs mean that when viewed on a mobile device the content won’t appear too ‘heavy’ and the reader is more likely to remain engaged. A few sentences per paragraph are generally ample.

 

  • Add a strong image

People are far more likely to remember content if paired with a strong image, they’re also more likely to click on it. People love visuals and are programmed to better remember information if associated with images. If your content includes lots of data, why not use an infographic?

 

  • Avoid using industry jargon

While you may be proud to know a wealth of industry jargon in your sector, it can be hard to decipher and off-putting to your audience. Say what you have to say in the simplest way possible in plain English, it’s far easier for your audience to digest.

  • Break content up into sizeable chunks

When writing, break up your content into small sections that you can later extract and use on social media. This is an easy way to make sure you have strong bits of content that you can push through your social media channels and direct traffic back to the original content piece.

 

  • Consider using video

Popularity of video content is on the rise and represents an increasing amount of internet traffic. All you need to do is take a look at your social media feeds to see that video content is everywhere, it’s easy for people to view and make sense of, even on the move. Because of subtitles, most videos don’t even rely on sound. The best videos are visual, short and concise and generally last less than a minute. You don’t even need a camera, the quality of the video recorded on your smart phone or tablet is sufficient for online use and there are apps available to help you to edit your video content so that it looks professional.

 

  • Make your content relevant

When sharing content on social media look out for opportunities to capitalise on your output. Tailor your content towards international days or celebrations that are likely to trend on social media, it will likely increase the amount of traffic to your post. Whether you coincide your content with general or industry specific days/ events, targeted and planned output tends to be more successful.

 

  • Add hyperlinks

Think about your content and whether it relates to anything in your wider content portfolio. If so, add some hyperlinks linking through to the content. The chances are, if people have made it as far as reading the body of your content they will also be interested in other content you’ve shared. Hyperlinks are an easy way to direct and increase traffic to different areas of your website or social media platforms.

So, there you have it, the perfect mix for online content. If your business needs support or advice on online content, then get in touch. We are more than happy to offer up some of our time for a free consultation.