Community is at the Heart

/in /by

Here at Technical Marketing & PR, we are passionate about the future of Wales’ development. For this reason, TMPR consultant, Louise Matthews, volunteers as a non-executive director on the board for Planning Aid Wales, where she brings 15 years of marketing and PR experience to bolster the organisation’s communication capabilities.

Planning Aid Wales is a charity that works towards creating effective community involvement in planning and building development. The organisation promotes and facilitates community engagement, to help all voices be heard in the planning of Wales’ future.

With an ever-growing population, there is a need for the development of more houses and community facilities in Wales, with TMPR believing that community is at the heart of creating effective development policies. Louise comments: “Planning Aid Wales advocates that communication between local councils and the public is essential. I am proud to bring my marketing and PR skills to the charity, as it provides a future vision that looks to maximise community welfare.”

Take a look at Planning Aid Wales’ website to find out more about its services or how you can volunteer to support the charity: http://www.planningaidwales.org.uk/

Are you GDPR ready?

/in , , , , /by

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 , , , , /by

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.

 

 

TMPR’s 12 Days of Christmas

/in , , /by

Christmas is a time for giving… so here’s the gift of 12 days of PR and marketing tips from us here at Technical Marketing & PR.

 

On the first day of Christmas TMPR gave to me…

 

 

A Partridge in a Pear Tree (The marketing branch of your business)

There are many branches of your business that are key to its success. When it comes to the marketing branch, if you don’t have internal resources, bring in scalable and flexible support when you need it. Find out more here.

 

2 Turtle Doves (Your relationship with the media)

Turtle doves are known for their courtship and loyalty to their partner. This is exactly how your relationship should be with your core media. Deliver on your promises and be available to talk to them at any time. Building good relationships will increase your chances of securing positive coverage. Also in times of crisis, if you have solid media relations they are less likely to be so damaging towards you. Click here for more advice on media relations.

 

3 French Hens (International reach)

International reach is crucial if you’re looking to expand your business into new markets. Social media is one of the most cost-efficient ways of drawing international attention. The web is a huge space and using social media platforms as marketing tools can really broaden your reach. Find out what Facebook means if you’re B2B here.

 

4 Calling Birds (Tweet tweet)

Twitter is a really useful social media platform for SMEs when used correctly. You can engage with your customers, check out the competition, develop your brand image and use it for marketing to a wider audience. Follow us on our twitter to keep in touch, we like to share some useful tips!

 

5 Gold Rings (Winning gold)

We’re so proud when our clients win gold, or are even shortlisted for industry awards. This is a great way to recognise the hard work of your company, to get your name out there and secure some publicity. We can help you identify award opportunities and plan PR around them. Our client Promethean has recently been shortlisted for ICT Company of The Year (Over £3m turnover) at the Bett Awards 2018!

 

6 Geese Are Laying (Bring your brand to life)

Creative copy writing with a sharp technical edge can really bring your brand to life and ensure that your key messages are always heard and understood. Click here to find out more about creating powerful copy.

 

7 Swans are Swimming (Drive your business forward)

Swimming is all about moving forward. Case studies and testimonials can be an effective way to grow your customer base. Potential customers like to know you have customers that are completely satisfied. Find out how to create powerful case studies and testimonials here.

 

8 Maids are Milking (Make the most of your PR agency)

Your PR agency are experts in what they do, use this to your advantage and utilise them for all the help and expertise you can. Regular contact and keeping everyone on the same page is key. See our guide to getting the most from your agency here.

 

9 Ladies Dancing (Moving in sync with your PR agency)

Having a PR plan is important to make sure you and your agency are in sync. A dance wouldn’t be seamless without choreography, so why engage with a PR agency without a solid PR plan? Find out more about getting the most from your agency here.

 

10 Lords are Leaping (Aim high in those search engine results)

Leap high in search engine results by getting SEO right. Since Google’s updates to its algorithm, any decent SEO strategy is based on quality, dynamic, multi-media content, blogs, social media interaction and regularly updated web content. Have a look at our guide to digital PR here.

 

11 Pipers Piping (A consistent flow of content)

Any effective strategy must be sustained, you should always have ideas in the pipeline. One of the first mistakes an organisation often makes when engaging with a PR company in a campaign, is that once there has been a ‘big splash’ things can lose momentum. Work closely with your PR team to ensure there is regular quality output. Check out our guide to getting the most from your agency here.

 

12 Drummers Drumming (Make some noise)

When it comes to PR it’s all about attracting attention for the right reasons and making yourself stand out from the crowd. Use these 12 tips as a starting point to strengthen your marketing strategy and work better with your agency… and if you don’t have an agency, we’d be happy to chat through how you can maximise your internal resources.

 

For more tips like these throughout the year, sign up to our mailing list here. From everyone here at the TMPR team we wish you a very Merry Christmas and every success in the New Year!

We’re Proud to Sponsor Helen

/in , , /by

Here at Technical Marketing & PR, we like to do our bit to help those less fortunate than ourselves. In recognition of UK Charity Week, we thought we’d tell you about our sponsorship of Helen Ripley. In 2017 we were honoured to be Helen’s main sponsor on a life-changing two-week trip to Nakuru in Kenya, organised by Derby County Community Trust and African Adventures. The trip was such a success in terms of the difference Helen made, we are proud to be Helen’s main sponsor again in 2018. Here’s Helen telling us a bit more about the work she was involved with on the trip and what motivated her to take part:

 

“This year we went and worked with the Ungana Academy in Kenya and we’ll be going back to the same place in 2018 for two weeks. The school has 320 pupils between the ages of 3 and 16. Some of the children live in houses as small as my bedroom, up to 7 people and no running water. Their toilet is a hole in the ground, and 16 families share this. They live on a diet of mainly rice and beans.

When we’re out there we spend lots of time interacting with and getting to know the children and adults. In our team there are some teachers, and they spend time teaching the children English. This year we were also tasked with taking down an old classroom and building a new one.

We take bubbles, balls and stickers with us for the children, they absolutely love it. It is so heart warming seeing them laughing and playing when they have so little. Many of the children’s back packs are worn through and they have shoes without laces – we try and help out with these as well as basic school stationery. Where we can, we visit some families at home and take them food parcels. They are so grateful. We also cook a meal with meat for some of the families. To you and I this is normal, but they only eat meat on very special occasions, it’s a luxury.

The trip is something I have always wanted to do. I feel like I’m at a point in my life with my family growing up, that I can do it. I will admit I was a little worried that it would be a very emotional experience, and it is. But at the same time, it is so rewarding and so positive seeing how much of a difference is being made to the lives of the children, and how genuinely happy they are to have such basic things. It really makes you appreciate what we have.

The difference we can make to these children’s lives really stood out for me when we were able help a little boy named Clifton from the Jubilee School. His leg had been injured in a car accident and his bone was exposed and infected. Together with the charity Start Small we were able to raise £7,000 to help with his surgery, physio and the after care. Without this he would have undoubtedly lost his leg and died.

I’m really looking forward to going to the school again in 2018, the work we do makes such a difference. I’ve run events such as raffles and discos, all to raise funds for the trip. It’s thanks to the kind donations from people and the sponsorship from Technical Marketing & PR that I am able to support the school again.”

Helen will be heading over to Kenya on 19th May 2018. Though Helen has achieved her goal of £2,500 to be able to go and help with the project, your donations are still welcomed and will really help. The donations cover Helen’s flight, materials and lots of resources. Some of the money will also come back to the Derby County Communities Trust to support children in Derbyshire with physical and mental disabilities. The Trust works with these children through engaging them with sport. If you would like to donate, you can do so here.

At Technical Marketing & PR we spend a lot of time working with schools alongside clients in the technology sector. Seeing how lucky children are in this country to have access to the latest edtech only makes it even more important for us to support the wonderful work Helen is doing in Kenya. We wish Helen every success in May and can’t wait to hear all about it.

Technical Marketing & PR Expands South Wales Operations

/in , /by
David Williams appointed as new Account Executive 

Technical Marketing & PR has appointed David Williams as Account Executive, in a brand-new role which marks a decision to expand its team since recently relocating to the Vale of Glamorgan.

David graduated from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism & Media. In his new role, David will be working on key client accounts such as global education technology company Promethean, international supplier of specialist insulation and construction products SIG, and leading stone wool insulation provider ROCKWOOL. “I am really looking forward to this new challenge, in an industry I have a real passion to work in. I am fortunate to be given this opportunity to learn and develop alongside such a great team with a wealth of experience”, explained David.

Louise Matthews, Director of Technical Marketing & PR, commented: “We are thrilled to have David on board. It’s an exciting time for our company as we look to expand, David brings a great sense of ambition and passion to the team, with a real desire to learn. It’s tough for graduates to break into the industry and we are pleased to be able to create this role for the candidate to develop. I have every confidence David is going to be an asset to our team”.

 

 

 

Local School Children to Showcase Coding Skills at Cardiff Business Event

/in /by

Ysgol Y Ddraig form partnership with local business in coding competition

Year 5 pupils at Ysgol Y Ddraig in Llantwit Major have taken part in a ‘V-Factor’ coding competition to design their very own computer games. The winners are due to present their games at the Introbiz Expo at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena (2nd November), Wales’ biggest business event. Pioneered by Vale of Glamorgan based Technical Marketing & PR, the children will be joining the team on stand 279 to demonstrate the role of technology and entrepreneurship in the modern business environment.

Rebecca Cadman, Acting Head Teacher at Ysgol Y Ddraig, said: “The competition has been great for the children. They’ve been really excited about the idea of creating the games and its allowed them to relate their learning to coding in the real world. It’s been thoroughly engaging.”

Technical Marketing & PR is due to launch a new Virtual Marketing Manager (VMM) service at the show and will be giving visitors the opportunity to enter a prize draw to win a brand-new 3D virtual reality headset. Visitors will also be able to experience a Google virtual reality environment.

Director of Technical Marketing & PR, Louise Matthews, has commented: “It’s really important to combine business, technology and education. It has been refreshing to see the children so enthusiastic and engaged with the concept from the very start and rewarding that the competition has encouraged pupils to develop their coding skills whilst keeping the world of business in mind.”

For further information please call Technical Marketing & PR on 01446 731180.

The TMPR Guide to Digital PR

/in , , , /by

As technology continues to advance, particularly mobile and smart phone devices, the divide between digital and ‘traditional’ PR continues to shrink at a rapid pace.

 

Any potential customer is almost certain to make a web search their first port of call when researching a supplier and your company’s digital footprint is there for all to see. Companies that are digitally savvy are turning this to their advantage with the PR team taking the lead. Here, our TMPR experts offer a few pointers.

Search engine optimisation (SEO)

Since Google’s recent updates to its algorithm, any decent SEO strategy is based on quality, dynamic, multi-media content including blogs, social media interaction and regularly updated web content. Within any organisation, the PR team is best placed to produce regular quality content and those with successful SEO strategies have PR at their core.
Improved search visibility helps marketing efforts and it can attract analysts, journalists and bloggers researching your industry.

Social media

Understanding social media is an important part of a digital PR effort. The audience a company is trying to reach or influence will spend time on, and being influenced by, social media. Social participation in a digital PR program means connecting with and engaging influentials and customers to perpetuate a positive brand image as well as identifying and empowering brand ambassadors. Proactive optimisation of social media content and building relationships with fans helps dispel negative brand attention and accentuate what’s positive. It is essential to be open with and useful to social communities and to adhere to both implicit and explicit ‘social rules’ rather than just dropping links to what you’re promoting.

Digital assets

Digital assets such as video, audio, blogs, pod casts, images and online communities are all essential tools for successful digital PR and will all have a positive impact on SEO. Keywords still have a role to play here to make sure you get the most from your digital assets and sites such as Flickr and Youtube are integral to your strategy.

Blogging

When done right, a company blog can be an incredible PR asset. A company blog is an opportunity for a brand to create and publish its own content to a relevant online audience of key stakeholders and opinion formers. Well-optimised and linked blog posts can rank well in the search engines which makes them easy to find for journalists and bloggers researching stories.  Blogger relations is often more successful when the company being pitched has its own blog to point to.

Search and social media monitoring

Producing quality digital content is only half the battle and with all this additional content out there, there is more chance for both positive and negative brand mentions to occur. As with traditional PR, monitoring the result of your digital activity is essential in refining and improving your strategy and there are plenty of tools available to help digital PR practitioners keep on top of the online conversations around their brand. Companies can set up free alerts using tools like Google Alerts, Social Mention or Twitter to watch for mentions of their brand name, competitors’ names, industry news and can respond accordingly. Being seen to respond quickly and positively to negative mentions can give your brand a real boost as well as nip any potential crisis in the bud.

 

Download the ‘TMPR Guide to Digital PR’ here.