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Esteemed Charlene receives a well-earned promotion! 

While it’s all change for the weather as we enter a new season, it’s also time for change here at TMPR – starting with our Office Administrator Charlene Lau being promoted to Office Manager!

Since joining in November last year, Charlene’s unique skill set, and bubbly warmth has been the perfect addition to the team as she has supported the growth of TMPR.

She has been an asset to the business keeping everything running smoothly while injecting her witty humour into the office. Charlene’s adaptability, analytical expertise, and organisation have been second to none in her role as Office Administrator and this promotion is certainly well deserved. 

We asked Charlene the favourite part about her role at TMPR and she told us: “I have loved getting to know everyone in the team, in-house and extended, everyone is equally driven in providing a quality service while still maintaining an element of fun. From Mistress of the SmartSheet to Social Secretary and Chief Toilet Roll Administrator, the role is varied! I was very pleased to learn that I had received the promotion.” 

Louise Morgan, Director at TMPR, added: “Charlene is an essential part of our operations. Introduced as a brand new role at TMPR, the job covers a variety of responsibilities which  have been fundamental in helping our growth over the past 12 months. Since joining the team Charlene has been able to keep up to pace with administration in a fast-moving environment, all while maintaining an infectious enthusiasm for the role.”

As Charlene joined us from Singapore, we’ve taken pride in helping her sample the best that Western cuisine has to offer. We’ve already ticked off the more local Welsh cakes, sampled fine chocolates from the Rhonda valley and helped her to bake the perfect jacket potato… Now we’re looking forward to celebrating her promotion with Spanish tapas at none other than Bar 44, which offers up some of the finest tapas you’ll find outside of Spain.

A huge congratulations to Charlene on her promotion, from everyone here at TMPR!

Celebrations for Oliver’s one year anniversary at TMPR

This month celebrates one year of Oliver working with us here at TMPR. Oliver started with us as a Marketing Intern, was quickly promoted to Marketing Assistant and now commemorates his first full year with us and what an accomplished year it has been!

Oliver joined us as a graduate Marketing Intern back in July 2021 and has flourished as an exceptional member of the TMPR team. We asked Oliver what the biggest highlight has been for him over the past year, and he said that working closely with clients that offer innovative and genuinely fascinating services was a personal favourite. Specifically, visiting one of our clients’ manufacturing factories: “Seeing the manufacturing process helped better my understanding of the company’s product and their core values. It is always nice to meet with clients in-person and develop those relationships, it’s crucial to our service.”

Through his work here at TMPR, Oliver also noted how rewarding he finds the job in experiencing positive results from client campaigns that he has worked on. While Oliver has been able to fully utilise academic skills gained from his BA Marketing degree, he believes the practical experience has given him the most fulfilment: “The experience and knowledge I have acquired over the past year is vast, plus the fast-paced environment has enabled me to take on new responsibilities everyday and push my capabilities to their full potential. I can’t wait to see what my future at TMPR brings.”

Speaking to TMPR’s Director Louise, she is really proud of Oliver’s progress from joining the team as a Marketing Intern last year: “Oliver is a key, valued member of the TMPR team. Aside from being our accomplished barista, Oliver’s adaptability and passion to deliver quality services to our expanding clientele transpires throughout his work.”

We are looking forward to continuing to support Oliver as he goes from strength to strength at TMPR. Oliver completed his Leadership and Management qualification last December and has come full circle as he now supports our new graduate interns in the first steps of their own TMPR journey.

Happy one year anniversary here with us, Oliver!

TMPR recruits a new graduate: Welcome aboard Charlie!

This week, TMPR welcomes Charlie as a new member to our team as a Marketing Intern.

Charlie is enthusiastic to learn the operations of the business, she claims “the experience will be invaluable; I have always had a keen interest in the marketing industry and together with my enthusiasm for writing I cannot wait to take on new responsibilities with the support of such an accomplished team.”

Having just recently graduated from Cardiff University with a BA joint honours degree in Journalism, Media and English Literature, Charlie is especially thrilled to have secured a position so closely related to her degree. Charlie tells us “I am hoping to put my knowledge of journalism and media communications to good use within this role. It is a tremendous opportunity for me to develop my skills from experts within the industry.”

Charlie’s flare for communications and eagerness to learn will be a great help to the expanding team as Louise Morgan states; “We really believe in recruiting new talent and the graduate programmes are a key part of that, it is fantastic to bring it back in full force properly after COVID. Here at TMPR we pride ourselves on giving opportunities to graduates and with our support we look forward to strengthening Charlie’s capabilities.”

Outside of work, Charlie spends her time hiking around the beacons, trying out the best restaurant spots South Wales has to offer, and enjoying time with family and friends. Charlie is settling in well to the team and is especially looking forward to participating in the next team building activity coming up in August (stay tuned!).

Welcome to the team, Charlie!

Technical Marketing & PR: Nurturing New Marketing Talent.

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

 

How to reduce unsubscribers with the power of the preference centre

Picture this: it’s Monday morning, you check your emails with trepidation. Suddenly, you are hit with an overwhelming tide of digital correspondence.

You put up a mean fight, sorting the influx into various subfolders, a red flag here and a delete there, in your hunt to find those crucial pieces of information amongst the slurry.

It’s 9:05am, and your tired little brain already needs a break. You cry out to the Outlook Gods, “There must be an easier way!”

Well, there is: UNSUBSCRIBE!

Simple, no?

The unsubscribe button oft gets neglected in favour of move-to-trash (or willful ignorance, for those hoarders amongst us), which does nothing to curb the bloat of our inboxes with unnecessary content. But trust us when we say there is something so satisfying in that little act of rebellion: hitting the “opt out” button.

 

Minimalism: fashion statement, or state of mind?

When militant cleaning – Marie-Kondo-style – swept the world in 2017, we experienced a collective eye-opening to the clutter in which we allow ourselves to be surrounded. But clutter doesn’t stop at the physical world.

Our digital space is just as important to keep clean for peace of mind, and ease of thought. You wouldn’t believe how much head space gets freed up when faced with a decluttered inbox, allowing you to focus on the important stuff.

But don’t just take our word for it: a recent study found that 60% of Brits feel less stressed after decluttering their devices, 69% feel more productive, and 71% feel more organized.

 

The best defence is a good preference (centre)

“But wait”, I hear you say, “Why is TMPR espousing digital minimalism? They handle my e-marketing!” Yes, if you’re reading this there’s a good chance you are one of our clients who rely on email marketing as a major source of revenue (and no, we haven’t been taken over by a rogue gang of Zen Buddhists). We’re here to tell you there’s a way to avoid the unsubscribe: a solid preference centre is worth it’s bytes in gold!

Any good marketer knows there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to what an audience will respond to, so why would emailed content be any different? Preference centres put the consumer in the driver’s seat, giving a feeling of control, and allowing your subscribers to decide on the content that is meaningful to them.

Allowing subscribers to tailor what they see, and how often they see it, helps mitigate unsubscribe rates. It also gives you valuable insight into what your customers really want.

In keeping with the hyper-personalised world that digital media and marketing has become, tailored content can be super useful if funnel marketing is your bag. And as data privacy laws are tightening for third-party collectors, Preference Centres provide a direct source for first-party data.

An engaged, interested reader is far more likely to share your content, widening your audience in a way that is far more valuable than “delivered” numbers on a stats report. So, while an email a day may not be able to keep Dr Unsubscribe away, stop worrying and embrace the power of the preference centre.

Building towards safer site procedures during the pandemic

As specialists in construction and manufacturing, many of our clients have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak – either by closures, interruption of work or even just widespread confusion. In a letter to the construction industry, the UK’s Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has now confirmed that the sector is essential and should continue to operate under specific safety guidance.

In accordance with the Chief Medical Officer’s advice, the Construction Leadership Council has published a set of guidelines to help site managers continue in the safest way possible.

The Council’s advice can be broken down into three key points:

 

  1. Enforce social distancing on-site

First and foremost, all non-essential site visits should be stopped with immediate effect. When on site, all workers should maintain two-metre distances at all times, physical contact should be avoided and any activities requiring skin to skin contact must be halted.

To aid this, site managers can stagger the start and finish times of their team members, reducing on-site congestion and contact throughout the day. Social distancing should be observed not only while working, but also in the canteen, toilets and anywhere else that individuals could congregate.

 

  1. Improve hygiene facilities

Site managers should look into installing additional hand-washing facilities on-site, and making hand sanitiser available where this isn’t possible. Regular hand washing should be encouraged throughout the day, especially following direct contact or use of shared tools.

Similarly, tools and equipment should be cleaned and sterilised between uses – doing so can significantly decrease the risk of the virus spreading.

 

  1. Ensure safe waste disposal

Site managers should be vigilant in ensuring that waste is disposed of regularly and safely. This includes general waste, but also single-use PPE and other disposable equipment. Cleanliness standards should be increased, and closely regulated.

 

In the construction sector, as in wider society, safety must come first in the current climate – but it’s important to keep the industry moving. By following the guidance provided, site managers can enable construction to continue in the safest way possible and protect both employees and ongoing projects.

 

For more advice on ensuring safe operating procedures during the COVID-19 outbreak, use the following links to access relevant resources:

Maintaining a long-term brand strategy during a crisis

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected brands in almost every sector across the globe to varying degrees. Some industries, such as hospitality and travel, have been brought almost to a complete stop while others are adapting to remote working or reduced staffing policies.

Whilst it is a challenging time for all bringing sweeping lifestyle changes, it’s important to recognise that it is a temporary situation. It’s likely that we’ll learn important lessons through the crisis and return to a ‘new normal’, but it remains vital for brands to keep an eye on the future.

 

Keeping marketing in the picture

Ultimately, marketing is an investment, and should be treated as such – rather than as a cost. Although there is no precedent for such an impactful pandemic in the modern era, we can take a few lessons from the 2008 financial crisis, which saw many brands take a hit.

Following the 2008 financial crisis, strength of brand – or ‘brand equity’ – proved to be a significant factor in businesses’ recovery. Brand equity is made up of three key elements:

  • Brand meaning – how is the brand seen by consumers?
  • Point of difference – what differentiates the brand against the market?
  • Salience – how well recognised is the brand?

Of these factors, salience is the greatest indicator of a brand’s ability to recover effectively. It’s having a strong point of difference, however, that tends to indicate growth in the long term.

Brands can improve their salience by ensuring that they have an effective share of voice, which should be equal to their market share, if not higher. Despite the current situation, very few consumers are expecting brands to stop advertising completely, so there’s no reason not to keep developing brand voice provided the messaging remains relevant, reassuring, and avoids profiteering.

Marketing might not be the first thing on everybody’s minds right now – but it certainly shouldn’t be the last, and brands that continue to work proactively will reap the benefits in the long term.

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

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.

Managing change in manufacturing

The Technical Marketing & PR team recently attended an expert panel discussion covering change management in manufacturing, hosted by Darwin Gray. Joined by an audience steeped in experience within the manufacturing sector, the panel evoked constructive discourse around how businesses can capitalise on new opportunities in a rapidly changing industry.

Change is inherent in manufacturing – whether it’s the effect of new legislation on supply chain management, or a generational shift in working patterns. It is, as the old saying goes, inevitable. As the discussion progressed, it became apparent that change is not something to be feared so much as seen as an opportunity to excel.

So, how can manufacturing businesses start managing change?

 

Plan for change

Too often, specialist consultants and industry experts are brought in to oversee change management projects during times of crisis. The first thing that the panel was keen to raise was that things don’t need to be heading south for change management to kick in – in fact, it’s much better to take a proactive approach.

There’s always a lot going on in manufacturing, and keeping your ear to the ground can go a long way to making sure you are ready for any changes that will affect your sector. Failing to plan is planning to fail – there’s a lot of clichés we could lean on here, but it’s safe to say that those who plan are most likely to prosper.

 

Encourage a ‘change mindset’

Change management does not have to mean an overhaul of business procedures. By creating a culture that supports growth and change, manufacturing businesses will be able to change gradually and ensure that they are working effectively and prepared for the future.

It’s important to be open to change. This might sound simple, but it’s crucial to recognise that change is happening every day – it’s normal, and we must accept it in order to make the most of new opportunities. By embracing a change mindset, manufacturing businesses can be flexible and take any developments in-stride.

 

Communicate and collaborate

One of the messages that the panel was keen to impress was that there is a wealth of support available to manufacturing businesses. By surrounding yourself with experts in your field, you can ensure that you have access to all the knowledge you might need to progress.

It’s worth being prudent with anyone who you introduce to your business, but the panel agreed that being trusting and finding the right partners can be invaluable. Whether it is involvement in government schemes or engaging more closely with local professionals, there is a huge ecosystem around the manufacturing industry which can be tapped into.

 

While there is a question around recognising the need for change, it seems more sensible that manufacturing businesses take a proactive approach to change management. With a strong team and a willing attitude to change, you can prepare your brand for the future and ensure that you’re evolving day by day.

For advice on how marketing and PR support can help you manage and effectively communicate changes in your business, contact the Technical Marketing & PR team.

Technical Marketing & PR Celebrates Double Shortlisting in Regional PR Awards

For the second consecutive year, Technical Marketing & PR has been shortlisted in the ‘Outstanding Small Public Relations Consultancy’ category at the CIPR Cymru Wales PRide Awards. The awards recognise leading agencies and individuals in Wales, and celebrates the successes of PR in many businesses and organisations. Technical Marketing & PR has continued to deliver outstanding campaigns and services for a diverse range of clients, and the shortlisting acknowledges the exceptional work of the team.

In addition to the shortlisting for ‘Oustanding Small Public Relations Consultancy’, Technical Marketing & PR is also celebrating the recognition of its Account Executive, David Williams, who has been shortlisted as ‘Outstanding Young Communicator’. David joined the team in 2017, and his prowess in communication along with a passion for PR has contributed greatly to much of Technical Marketing & PR’s recent success.

Commenting on the news, David said: “I’m thrilled to be recognised for my achievements in the shortlisting for ‘Young Communicator of the Year’ at the CIPR PRide Cymru Awards.  When I joined the team I was just beginning my career in marketing & PR, and in a short space of time I am extremely proud of the progress I’ve made.”

Louise Matthews, Director of Technical Marketing & PR, said: “We are extremely pleased to be shortlisted for ‘Outstanding Small Public Relations Consultancy’ again this year. We constantly strive to deliver industry leading marketing and PR services for our clients, and the shortlisting is testament to the commitment of our team. David’s shortlisting as ‘Outstanding Young’ Communicator is indicative of this enthusiasm, and moreso of his remarkable development. I know I speak for all of us when I say we are very proud!”

You can see the full CIPR PRide Awards Cymru shortlist here.  Winners will be announced at the Cymru Wales PRide Awards ceremony on 11th October 2019 at The Exchange Hotel, Cardiff.