It's the winning that counts...

An interesting client meeting on Friday to discuss the possibility of entering (and hopefully winning!) one or two industry awards, primarily as a means of attracting positive publicity.

The client already had a very clear idea of which awards they'd like to win, but was somewhat less clear on what it was about their business that might justify such aspirations. This is a common mistake, which often leads companies to enter awards that the proverbial 'cat in hell' stands more chance of winning.

Believe it or not, in order to win an award, you must have done something 'award-winning' and we encourage clients with such aspirations to look first at their business, products and services to identify those elements that genuinely differentiate them from their competitors. Then look at the award schemes, categories and criteria and identify those which 'match' your particular success story - if you've done this properly, there probably won't be many.

Having done this with the client in question, we now have a realistic shortlist of awards which they might actually win!

This was also the first time this company has enlisted external help to produce awards entries. In the words of the marketing manager: "We've always cobbled them together ourselves, but we've never won anything."

Far be it for us to suggest that the two things might just be connected! Whilst there are never any guarantees, with our proven track record in producing winning award entries, I get the feeling their luck might be about to change...

Reaping the awards

Finally, after months of preparation and planning, award time is here! I’m currently knee deep in compiling an award entry for a client – this gives me memories of writing my dissertation all those years ago.

Apart from having a new piece of glassware for the trophy cabinet, awards bring much more value to a client. They boost team morale, add more weight to PR and marketing activity and reassure customers that they are dealing with a quality business.

This client was the runner up in last year's awards. Let's hope we can go one better in 2010!

Every cloud has a silver lining

Just like the weather at the moment this job can be very unpredictable!

A few days before Christmas I came up with an idea for an article for one of our clients in the supply chain and, after a few discussions with the editor, sold the idea of a feature in a sector magazine.

The article was supplied on time and I called to check it had been received. All seemed well. However, in one of today’s trade e-newsletters I discovered that a new editor has just been appointed to the publication.

A quick call to the now former editor confirmed this. It also transpired that the article hadn’t been passed on as the magazine was taking a new direction.

I immediately contacted the new editor, he seemed to like the idea as well, wanted to take a look and would let me know. I fired it over with some relevant photos and crossed my fingers.

Bingo! We’re on. He wants to run it as an exclusive in the next issue and also commented: “Great pix.”

Particularly good news as I have a meeting with the client tomorrow.

Going Dutch!

For only the second time in more than 15 years, tomorrow, work is taking me outside the UK - to visit the head office of a client in Kessel, Holland for a plan and review session following a very successful first four months. 

This news has been met with a degree of jealousy by family and friends and serves to confirm their belief that PR is a highly glamorous and jet-setting occupation. This is short-lived when I then tell them that in order to be on board a 6.55am flight from Birmingham to Dusseldorf, my 14 hour day will start at 4am! 

However, whilst this prospect does not fill me with great joy, a job which, over the years, has also taken me to lunch at Claridges and The Ivy and to the International Motor Show in Geneva (now that really is glamorous!), can't be all bad! In between, there have been long stretches of hard work and trips down the M1; these much more representative of what a job in PR is all about. Would I have it any other way? Ask me at 4am tomorrow!

It's not what you know

Finally, after months of chipping away at a longstanding freelance journalist contact, my efforts have been rewarded! He called to say that he's been commissioned to write a logistics feature for the leading wines & spirits sector magazine and asked whether I can line him up with an interview with someone from my client organisation. This is no coincidence - my client is actively seeking to extend their presence in this sector and I have been knocking on the door of this well read and respected publication for some months. As the editor is more slippery than most, I also approached this freelance journalist in the knowledge that he regularly writes for the magazine proving that in PR, it's all about who you know.

Now I just need my client to come back to me...!

Some bits and bobs about us...

1. The name of the business – Quiet Storm – was decided upon after being caught unawares by a heavy rain shower in the middle of Derby, following a new business pitch. The decision was celebrated immediately in the nearest pub.

2. Since then, we have seen the name used as a regular segment on a Friday night national radio show. It is also the name of a nightclub in London, a fashion house in Naples, Florida and an American laxative brand. We thought the association with each of the first three - radio, leisure and fashion - was quite cool. Make of the fourth what you will.

3. We’re the leading PR name in the supply chain industry. You can’t drive for more than ten minutes on a UK motorway without passing, or being passed by, a vehicle sporting the name of a business on our client list.

4. We handled PR activity for Hotpoint for two years, but one of our major successes for the brand was on the advertising side. Of all the advertisements run by Hotpoint on the television and in consumer publications over a two-year period, the most successful was a double-page spread advertorial in the M&S magazine – recommended, written and produced by our good selves.

5. When required, we’re good at minimising, rather than maximising, editorial coverage. Examples where we can’t show you lots of cuttings include poor financial results, racist graffiti, slow response times to emergencies, dodgy customer damage claims, depot closures, road accidents and obnoxious security guards.

Expressing ourselves in the form of Wee Mees