Tell them something they don’t know!

Published
by
Emily
on August 12, 2010
in Hints & Tips
. 0 Comments

I came across this thanks to @adrianweckler of the Sunday Business Post - a fantastic example of getting media coverage by providing journalists with factual, interesting and topical data.  No journalist will ever say no to that!

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Absolute Software, a UK based computer security firm, put in a simple Freedom of Information request into the BBC to find out the extent of losses due to theft and loss of IT equipment within the corporation.

This was a great move because:

  • it provided them with the invaluable currency of previously unpublished data
  • it is of interest to the general public who are focused on money wastage
  • it directly places Absolute Software as the remedy to the problem
  • it dishes a bit of dirt on one of the UK’s best known organisations
  • it facilitates discussion on TV licence fees and where they go as well as internet security, bringing Absolute Software out of tech pages and into national news pages

The story received reams of coverage in the UK and further afield.

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Just some of the Google news results for the story

Just some of the Google news results for the story

Offering unique data to the media is a wonderful way of getting some column inches - provided of course, that it is interesting!

A FOI request is just one of the ways of doing this - you can also do a cheap and simple internet survey, comission a survey or go out and vox pop people yourself!

Craft a nice, eye catching press release with the most interesting aspects of your research and you have a good chance of getting some media interest.

Got something ‘boring’ coming up? Make your news an event!

Published
by
Emily
on July 28, 2010
in Hints & Tips and Online PR
. 2 Comments

So, regular readers (which implies regular writing, I know!) will know that I like to tip the hat when I come across some good PR.  So, this week I’m all about the stroke of genius that was Dot Conf.

Here’s the conundrum:

  • You’re launching something good…and on further inspection interesting, but not unique or ‘groundbreaking’
  • Lots of other people in the same field are launching similar things at exactly the same time
  • There is very little you can do in the way of offering the media ’something different’ or newsy with this one
  • You know you need to get people ‘in’ to see what its all about but you really can’t see them going out of their way to attend another boring launch

The answer?

Hold an event around your launch that WILL interest people, get noticed, create news, benefit others and create a tremendous amount of goodwill once people interact with you and your peeps = National College of Ireland’s Dot Conf, July 22nd 2010.

I first heard of it weeks ago…

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And with an invite like that how could anyone say no?  Actually I forgot to sign up immediately if I’m honest, but there were lots of little gentle reminders from Emma, who completely understands how to use Twitter effectively.


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Not to mention this gem

I knew what Dot Conf was about, and I knew I wanted to go to it.  I didn’t know that actually I was being invited to check out the NCI, get a feel for the place and consider whether I’d be interested in their brand spanking new MSc in Web Technologies.  I didn’t know that until I arrived on Thursday and got my lovely welcome pack full of info, some crucial (like the times of the deep dives) and some additional (like the NCI prospectus).

The conference itself was great - some excellent presentations. My favourites were Keith Maycock and Des Traynor who, to be honest, were the less ’sales pitchy’ ones.  That said I also enjoyed Martha Rotter’s Pivot presentation which was really something considering I’m a Mac user!

There was a free lunch, which I didn’t get because I was meeting with some potential customers.

Then there were the aptly named  ’deep dives’ - I went to eCourgettes and Wired Potatoes (very deep) and the Usable Content one.  (I have to say I was distracted throughout the latter ‘dive’ by the shiny, pretty, ipad beside me.)

Then it was back for more sales pitches (well you have to offer some incentives to sponsors - don’t you?), more interesting presentations and then….free refreshments and a chance to win an XBOX - also known as the ‘MSc launch party’.

Confession time - I couldn’t stay for it.  But, I did, for a split second, think about abandoning my son and heir for the array of really naughty sweets on offer.

I’m not sure how many people stayed for the launch bit, but I’ll betcha’ it was more then NCI would have gotten in had they just released a “Another boring event is happening this Thursday” invite to media and token ’so hot right now’ bloggers.

by the dot conf.

The new NCI MSc course also got a lot more media coverage then other similar post graduate courses launched the same day (or that week).

Dot Conf also brought in new friends for National College of Ireland.  I’d never been there before and as I was walking around, especially through the stair well with pictures of past students, I got a really nice feel for the place.  I reckon if I did want to go back to studying, I would like to give them my money.

Without wishing to sound patronising, well done Emma and Co. A clever idea, a PR stroke of genius and a great day.

(Check out #dotconf to read up on people’s impressions of the day)

2 weeks with the N97 Mini

Published
by
Emily
on July 12, 2010
in Online PR
. 4 Comments

So a few weeks ago I realised that my trusty Nokia N95 was on its way out. I love that phone but I had to think about a new one and luckily my dilemma coincided with my 30th birthday so my mother said “pick a phone and I’ll get it for you” (Thanks Mum!).

I have thus far resisted the iphone - not sure why really and its odd seeing as I’m a mac user and a mac fan. I think its touch screen putting me off. Also, I had concerns about the camera - my N95 camera is so good and I take a lot of photos and print a lot of photos so the camera is important to me.

I decided I had 3 options the Nokia N97Mini, the iphone (3G or 4 if it EVER arrives!) or the HTC Desire.

My next move was good ‘ol reliable twitter where I asked if anyone had an experience of these phones or an opinion on which one I should get.

Cue Nokia’s excellent PR machine!

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@WOMworldNokia instantly tweeted me offering me a trial of any Nokia phone to help me make up my mind - genius! Did apple tweet me? No HTC? No - but Nokia did, instantly awakening my loyalty to a brand that had served me well in the past and was prepared to work for my loyalty.

Its a very clever scheme - they lend you a phone for 2 weeks and you do their online PR for them! From looking at the WOMworld site I gather they pick people who are active on social media or who blog actively (ok, ok I know I’m more the former!). The agreement I signed with them to borrow the phone stated

“We like loud mouths so post as much as you like – good and bad. Get involved in conversation and have your say based on first-hand experiences. Be sure to let your fellow forum members and blog readers know what you think. WOM World / Nokia always likes to read your posts!

Online conversations that you generate, and are involved in, as part of the programme will help us to better understand the opinions and issues that exist. This insight is pivotal in helping shape future products, initiatives and approaches”

Clever eh?  If you look at the WOMworld site you can see me on their map as one of the trial users…


WOMWorld Experience Map

So what did I think of the phone?

Well I preface this review with a health warning - I’ve been really busy and I didn’t even look at the instruction booklet.  I just charged it, stuck in my sim and off I went!

I’m still not mad about touch screen - I had to bash the N97 Mini screen and I couldn’t see it in the daylight on a sunny day.  I also don’t like the ‘live content’ feature as unless I had it on offline mode it connected to 3G automatically and cost me a fortune.  I had a quick check to see if I could set it to only connect when I’m at my home wifi network but I couldn’t see an option - again, I didn’t read the instructions!

The camera is not great at all - not a patch on the N95 camera. Its about the same quality as an iphone camera.

The OVI maps feature is good - I like that and I don’t have Satnav so its handy.

Texting is a little awkward as you need to flip open the keyboard and often hit other buttons in the process - I sent a few blank texts in the beginning.  On the plus side - there’s no way one could text while driving should one be so inclined to break the law in that manner…

There’s a better charger then on the last generation of Nokia mobiles - more sturdy and less likely to snap off (we’ve been through a few in this house)

I didn’t use any apps - nor did I feel compelled to - they’re not really as much of a feature as they are on iphones.

So in conclusion, the phone was, for want of a better word…meh (functional but nothing special)

But the PR execution was excellent!

I still haven’t made up my mind which phone to get but my loyalty to Nokia as a brand is bolstered by this clever PR scheme.

Bizcamp Dublin Slides

Published
by
Emily
on May 29, 2010
in Online PR
. 0 Comments

Here are my slides from Bizcamp today - please feel free to give me a shout with any comments/questions!

DIY PR for Entrepreneurs
View more presentations from Emily Tully.

Is PR a worthwhile expense for small businesses?

Published
by
Emily
on April 30, 2010
in Online PR
. 4 Comments

A lot of people tell me they can’t afford PR, especially those involved in micro businesses and SMEs.

My response? “Can you afford not to dabble a little?”

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PR today is a lot better value then it used to be - that’s partly because a lot of service providers have taken a large dose of reality of late and reduced their fees, but its also because of online PR.

Using social media and other web utilities to compliment your traditional media strategy can reap you major benefits with minimal outlay…all you need is a little know how (or a PR person with online knowledge….I know one if you’re stuck)!

But I would say that, wouldn’t I?

So, I got in touch with some people ‘on the ground’ to find out their opinion on whether or not its worth spending a few bob on PR if you’re involved in a start-up or small enterprise.

“Absolutely it’s something they leave out” says Ciara O’Mahony, Press Officer with Enterprise Ireland, who does a lot of work with EI’s HPSUs.

“We work with lots of start-ups and usually they are so consumed with getting their business up and running, focusing on sales leads and coping with limited resources that they forget the importance of promoting it.”

“In my opinion PR is less expensive then other forms of marketing and is much more effective then advertising - especially if you’re trying to attract investors and build your brand.” said Ciara.

newspapers-1“A lot can be achieved with a small budget in PR.  A newspaper clipping from a national daily or Sunday newspaper can gain you serious credibility with investors and further validate you and your product.  Its important to do it right though - speaking to a professional and planning the release of your story properly is crucial to getting it out there.”

Michael Johnson, CEO of Dun Laoghaire County Enterprise Board was also kind enough to share his thoughts.

“In the overall scheme of things, PR is not a top issue for most Micro businesses, unless it has a quirky or innovative aspect. The business generally needs to concentrate more on fundamentals: money, product, service tweaking, marketing and advertising.”

“We are currently trying to raise the issue more in our workshops and courses - PR if done properly and without major cost can be very useful.”

From my own point of view, I think small business has a lot to gain from a reasonably priced PR service and likewise a lot to lose from overpriced services as in this game there are never any guarantees of media coverage.  You just never know when an Icelandic volcano will erupt…

You can read how some of my clients feel about spending a few bob on PR on my Happy Customers page.

If you have any thoughts on the subject please share them below.

Drive your web strategy in 2010: My presentation

Published
by
Emily
on March 24, 2010
in Online PR
. 1 Comment

Here’s my presentation from today’s iia ebusiness seminar as part of Dun Laoghaire CEB’s enterprise week.

Online PR: Making part of your strategy

View more presentations from Emily Tully.

Corporate Sponsorship - a tricky business these days

Published
by
Emily
on March 19, 2010
in current projects
. 2 Comments

Recently I’ve been engaged in an activity, rivaled  only in its level of difficulty by securing a large mortgage…the business of finding some sponsorship money for an arts event.

Dublin Puppet Festival 2010

The International Puppet Festival of Ireland, dear to my heart as many of you will know, has managed to get the Arts Council backing to morph into a larger event this year.  That backing, in the form of continued funding (using the mortgage example  - as difficult as getting a loan to buy a large 5 bed in Mount Merrion!) will see this year’s festival move from its birth place, my grandfathers Lambert Puppet Theatre in Monkstown to the big shmoke!  Temple Bar will host the festival which will now be called The Dublin Puppet Festival, which is the only festival of puppetry in this country.

Along with keeping its Arts Council funding, the festival was promised funding from some other sources this year.  Unfortunately for reasons we’re all familiar with in our own lives, this funding will now not materialise.  So there’s a panic on to find some cash - otherwise the festival, while it might still go ahead this year, will probably not survive until next year.  That would be almost 20 years of hard work down the drain.

My grandfather, Eugene Lambert, had been to a few puppet festivals in his day - when he decided to be a puppeteer he’d never even seen a puppet show so you can imagine how exciting it was for him to immerse himself in a whole festival dedicated to the art form he so loved.  He dreamed of bringing some of that magic to Ireland - and like most of his dreams, he managed to bring some reality to it.  This year’s ‘Dublin Puppet Festival’ will be dedicated to that dreamer.

My Grandad and Judge

We, here in Ireland, are now at a point in time where corporate support of the arts in this country is more important then ever.  But its also a time where securing corporate support of anything is trickier then ever.

Being emotionally involved in the puppet festival, I was starting to feel like a failure having not yet managed to source a corporate sponsorship account in the black.  Then yesterday I read  in the Sunday Times how Dublin’s latest venue, The Grand Canal Theatre cannot secure a sponsor.  The same article states that half of all companies are reducing their sponsorship spend this year.

So why would any company want to support something like the Dublin Puppet Festival?  From a PR point of view, what’s in it for them?

  • They get to be a saviour
  • They get to capitalise on media coverage based on circumstantial events and sadly, more unfortunate events
  • They get to reach a loyal family audience  through their association with performances for adults and children, along with the Free Open Air weekend in Temple Bar
  • They get to ‘brand’ to their hearts desire
  • They get to be associated with an event born out of passion for an art form and a desire to entertain for no other reason then to make people happy!
  • They get to play in the original Wanderly Wagon which will be stationed in Temple Bar for the entire open air weekend

And all of this with none of the stranglehold of your average fixed rate mortgage!  Good luck to anyone trying to get corporate sponsorship at the moment - its a tricky business.

Gáis Craic

Published
by
Emily
on June 18, 2009
in Online PR
. 4 Comments

 

A few months ago Bord Gais proved themselves to be ahead of the pack when they launched their ‘Big Switch’ campaign on Twitter.  I for one was really impressed with how they communicated their message online, though I did wonder at the time was it really worth it for them i.e. the old ROI question. Was the time dedicated to tweeting to 800 or so followers worth it in terms of conversion to sign ups? How much did that contribute to the impressive 100,000 sign ups to date?

 

Whatever questions there were about the campaign, one thing for sure is they managed to shake the Irish PR industry a little.  All of a sudden every Tom, Dick and Harry PR agency set up a Twitter account and followed media people and other PR people - mind you, I’m not sure if they did anything else with their tweets, but that’s another story.  They also ensured communicating with bloggers was on their standard campaign ‘to do’ list - as I’ve said in previous posts, I’m not sure about this ‘practice’ either.

All that aside, I was sorry to hear on the RTE radio news at 6 pm yesterday that Bord Gáis were in a spot of bother.  RTE’s Environment correspondant reported 4 laptops had been stolen from Bord Gáis.  

 

What’s more, it happened 12 days previous… something sure to rattle a few cages.  Bord Gáis hands were apparently tied here though, as the gardai had not wanted the information in the public domain for operational reasons.

I immediately checked Twitter for information from  @thebigswitchirl   - nothing. Then I checked the Bord Gáis and Big Switch websites - nothing.  It would appear informing RTE, or media relations, had taken precedence over informing the customers themselves via the channel through which they were originally engaged an recruited.

 

Thankfully, the  official statement appeared on the websites and was tweeted late last night.

According to the statement, the laptops contained names, addresses and bank account details of 75,000 Big Switchers. Only one of the four laptops was encrypted, the other three had ’sophisticated password protection’.

Bord Gáis are contacting those affected from today.

Now don’t get me wrong - these things happen and this is not a criticism of Bord Gáis on that level.  I’m not in a position to criticise the level of security used on the laptops as I am no expert.  

While I accept the Gardai had put restraints on who could be told and when, I have to question the level of communication to affected customers.  Bord Gáis have shown how impressive their communication skills can be when it comes to signing customers up - but where were these skills when their customers needed them? Even today, the once noisy tweeter @thebigswitchirl is very very quiet indeed…

 

@BigSwitchIrl Twitter activity

@BigSwitchIrl Twitter activity

Dublin’s 1st MeasurementCamp

Published
by
Emily
on May 29, 2009
in Online PR and Online PR Research
. 4 Comments

On Tuesday last I had the pleasure of attending MeasurementCamp in the Odeon on Harcourt St in Dublin. MeasurementCamp has been going in the UK and the US for some time but this was a first for Dublin. Now, anyone involved in the tech industry will have seen their calendar somewhat fill up in the past few months. You could make a full time job out of attending digital media conferences and networking events - and you could pay anything from €0 to €400 to attend.

I have to say recently I’ve cut back on these events as I had a string of disappointments…these make it difficult to justify putting the time into them and spending the money (Digital Engagement 2009 in the Burlo springs to mind!).

Thankfully, on Tuesday, I found my enthusiasm hiding behind a plate of yummy pastries in the Odeon (thanks to FHS I believe).

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Tweeting away at MeasurementCamp!

The MeasurementCamp assignment had been distributed on Twitter the day before…

For tomorrow’s measurement camp we will split into groups and work through a fictional client brief (below). Please have a look at this beforehand and come armed with thoughts and ideas! The emphasis will be on measurement, rather than the creative behind the campaign.

Client Brief - KSwift

K-Swift are a shoe company that typically target young males, aged 18-30. They are keen to widen their appeal and change their brand image, by launching a new line, aimed at 18-30 yr old women.

The client has an offline marketing campaign which includes traditional PR, television and print advertising, in-store promotions and competition giveaways.

You have been brought in to implement the online campaign, which includes media spend as well as your fees. They are keen to tap into the areas and sites where their target market are active online. KSwift would have clear KPIs but there is opportunity to set your own KPIs, room for creativity and the possibility to integrate offline and online behaviour.

Consider :

* What your campaign would involve (this can be kept quite broad)
* What measures are necessary before, during, and after the campaign
* How you would integrate online marketing with offline
* How you would demonstrate to the client that the campaign has worked – what does ‘success’ look like?
* Are there any ‘traditional’ marketing measures that can be applied to your campaign?
* The benefits of online marketing compared to offline (how would you justify the online budget for the next campaign?)
* What problems might arise for demonstrating the value of your campaign.

The assembled crowd (around 60/70 eager social media fans) were instructed by Mulley to break away from the comfort of their mates and colleagues and join a group of strangers to work on the brief.

I bunked in with the ‘gas’ lads, a boards.ie vetern and a handful of PR ladies  - a tactical move I think you’d agree? I could see from the floor surrounding our table that there was a strong knowledge of all things ’shoe’ .

We got down to business and planned our campaign - launch a microsite “MissK Swift.ie” by holding a photo/videocall with well known macho Irish attempting to walk about in stillettos.  Then an online ‘design your own shoe’ competition  - the winner will feature in Sex and the City 2 believe it or not! Throw in a few facebook ‘what shoe are you’ apps and a bit of offline promotion and Bob’s your uncle.

In hindsight, I think we may have focused too much on the creative and less on the measurement end of things - but we did outline that success would be measured through sales, brand awareness and perception and traffic to the site (including competition entries etc.)

Throughout the brainstorming session there was a fantastic buzz in the room - creativity flowing.  It was a really nice environment to work in.  At the end, one person (or two in one case!) from each group presented their team’s work…I always end up with that job for some reason.

While there was a lot of repetition there were also some really interesting ideas.  I think however, we were all guilty of running away with the creative (come on…when do we ever get to plan a campaign where money is in endless supply?) and focusing less on the measurement end of things, but I think this will come with practice.  I got the impression there were a lot of social media virgins in the room peppered amongst the ‘gurus’ and I’d imagine they probably took the most from the 2 hour session.

We also discussed a subject I feel quite strongly about  - is it necessary to engage bloggers in a campaign just for the sake of it?  of late, many brands and companies are holding blogger events to woo citizen journalist.  Sometimes its necessary and effective, but I can’t help feeling its being done more often to ‘tick a box’.  I fear bloggers, who are not stupid, will start to feel used and will shun these events as they would an unsolicited email!

All in all it was hugely enjoyable, hugely worthwhile, excellently executed (by Lauren Fisher and Damien Mulley) and I for one am looking forward to the next MeasurementCamp Dublin.

@mmcdublin

http://measurementcamp.wikidot.com/measurementcamp-dublin



The Dominos Effect - Why you can’t ignore online PR

Published
by
Emily
on April 16, 2009
in Hints & Tips and Online PR
. 1 Comment

Its often difficult to explain to clients the importance of monitoring their reputation online and justifying time and money spent on online communications can be a challenge.

This example will help!

On Monday, April 13, 2009 a couple of Dominos employees took it upon themselves to post this video on YouTube


Within 2 days the video had over 690,000 viewers and was shaping up to be a real social media nightmare for Dominos

On Digg - the video was favored by over 5,000 viewers

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… causing a twitter storm!

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And here’s a snapshot of Google News results for

Dominos Pizza…

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Apart from the obvious  - Dominos problem was they allowed the video to gather attention for 48 hours before responding with this statement

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The moral of the story?

This could happen to any one’s brand - we know that.  What is key is to constantly monitor social media and respond immediately! A global franchise like Dominos simply can’t afford to ignore what’s being said about it online.  Dominos have learned that the hard way.

But its not just global brands, we all need to keep an eye on what’s being said about us online.  This is the new ‘crisis communications’.  If somebody is going to say something negative about you or your brand they are most likely to say it online.  If you are not monitoring the internet, like Dominos, you could have over half a million people knowing the bad news before you do.

So here are some tips for small businesses…

  • regularly ‘Google’ yourself
  • set up Google alerts to monitor your company name, brands, the names of key personnel
  • set up a Twitter account and get int the habit of searching for your company/brand names
  • respond to any comments about you as quickly as possible, interaction and communication can work wonders!

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