Tag: Content marketing

OPEN COMMUNICATIONS APPOINTS PR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Laura Wood joins Open Communications, the PR and content marketing agency, as PR Account Executive

We are very pleased to confirm the appointment of Laura Wood as PR Account Executive here at Open Communications.

Having graduated with a first-class BA(Hons) degree in English Language from Edge Hill University, Laura approached Open Comms for a short-term placement before being offered the full-time position at the PR and content marketing agency.

Responsibilities of the new role will include liaising with clients, drafting press releases, writing blogs, producing engaging assets, managing social media accounts and providing monthly reports and analytics.

Director at Open Communications, Emma Lupton, comments: “We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Laura to the team. She is keen, enthusiastic and a perfect fit for our agency. It’s such an exciting time for us, especially as we continue to grow and take on new clients and projects.

“As our remit continues to expand with many of our clients, it is important that we all work together to offer a fresh perspective and bring new ideas to the table. Laura is already doing that, and we know she will become a real asset to the team.”

PR Account Executive at Open Communications, Laura Wood, adds: “I am really excited to join the team here at Open Comms. It feels like the perfect place for me grow, both personally and professionally, as I start my career in the Public Relations industry.

“Everyone has been so welcoming, and having done some work experience here before, I already felt integrated into the team and ready to contribute. I’m looking forward to diving into the variety of tasks and getting to know the clients – this diversity makes every day so different yet fulfilling.

“I have already learnt so much about PR and content marketing, I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me.”

Already the preferred PR agency for brands including CorrBoard UK, FDM Document Solutions, Glaziers Hall, Martin Walsh Architectural and Walker & Sutcliffe, Open Communications continues to expand its client portfolio.

For further details about Open Comms, the PR and content marketing agency, its team and the brands it represents, please visit www.opencomms.co.uk or for regular updates follow @Open Communications UK Ltd on LinkedIn and @opencomms_ on Instagram.

GLAZIERS HALL CHOOSES OPEN FOR COMMS SUPPORT

Glaziers Hall, London

Glaziers Hall, the historic Livery building located on the South Bank in London, has appointed Open Comms, the straight-talking PR agency based in Leeds, as its preferred PR, content management and marketing communications partner.

Becoming its latest retained client, the agency will now manage all traditional PR, media relations, social media management and earned and owned content for the brand. It will also support with marketing requirements to raise the profile of the venue to both private and professional clientele throughout the year.

Director of Open Communications, Emma Lupton comments: “Quite simply, Glaziers Hall is a breath-taking venue. When we visited to discuss the brief, we were charmed by the seven unique spaces but also the history and heritage that underpins this wonderful building.

“We are very much looking forward to working with the team and to putting the comms strategy into practice. There are exciting plans at Glaziers and we are very pleased to be a part of the team that will deliver them.”

General Manager of Glaziers Hall, Will Simmonds, comments: “We already consider Open Comms to be an extension of our team. They have quickly established ways of working that mean we can get the comms in place that we need to share our story with corporate clients and those looking for a unique party venue.

“We have already seen some positive results coming through and look forward to building on this as our relationship and the scope of work develops.”

For more information about Open Comms and the services the agency provides, please visit: www.opencomms.co.uk or follow @OpenComms_.

CORRBOARD UK AMPLIFIES NEW APPROACH WITH OPEN COMMS APPOINTMENT

Rob Burgin, Managing Director of CorrBoard UK and Lindsey Davies, Director of Open Communications

CorrBoard UK, the corrugated sheet feeding specialist based in Scunthorpe, has appointed Open Communications, the straight-talking PR agency based in Leeds, as its preferred PR, content management and marketing communications partner.

Having worked with the team previously, Rob Burgin, Managing Director at CorrBoard UK, tasked the agency to deliver a strategy that would support its new approach, set the foundations and deliver a year-round comms plan to share content, amplify engagement across channel and build brand reputation.

The agency will manage all traditional PR, media relations, social media management and internal communications for the business. It will also support with marketing activities through the year including customer facing events such as trade shows.

Director of Open Communications, Lindsey Davies comments: “This is a great win for Open Comms. Once again, a previous client has asked for our support and there really is no greater compliment. CorrBoard are a great business with an incredible story to share and big ambitions.

“We are very much looking forward to joining the team on this journey and to delivering some fantastic results along the way.”

Managing Director of CorrBoard UK, Rob Burgin comments: “Having worked with Open Comms previously, I know that they genuinely work as an extension of their clients’ teams. This was exactly what we wanted. It was important we were more than just another client on a roster.

“The comms plan we now have in place for CorrBoard UK aligns with our strategy as a business, which we know will support us as we work towards becoming the UK’s leading independent sheet feeding specialist.”

For more information about Open Comms and the services the agency provides, please visit: www.opencomms.co.uk or follow @OpenComms_.

HORTOR HANDS PR AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT TO OPEN COMMS

Lindsey Davies, director at Yorkshire PR agency Open Communications and Andy Roe, COO at Hortor

Hortor, the global resourcing and managed service consultancy headquartered in Leeds, has appointed Open Comms, the straight-talking PR agency, as its preferred PR and content management partner.

Having previously worked with the organisation, the agency was asked to provide a communications strategy that would support the business as it goes through an accelerated change programme to support its ambitions plans.

As a result, the agency will provide retained PR and marketing support, along with website content creation and social media management.

Director at Open Comms, Lindsey Davies comments: “This new retained contract with Hortor is testament to the relationships we have with our clients. It is great that we were chosen to support the business as it works towards meeting with its ambitious targets.

“This is an exciting time for Hortor and we are pleased to be the agency that will be supporting the company as it evolves and takes the next step in its journey.”

Chief Operating Officer for Hortor, Andy Roe comments: “We liked the approach that Open Comms took when we worked with them previously and always had a good relationship with the team. As well as being honest, they get the job done and they do it well.

“We need partners we can trust, and we have that with the team at Open Comms. We are looking forward to making some subtle changes to our comms strategy which will position Hortor as so much more than a recruiter.”

For more information about Open Comms and the services the agency provides, please visit: www.opencomms.co.uk or follow @OpenComms_.

FORCED LOCKDOWN LEADS TO PLANNED SUPPORT

Planned support for business

It was only last week I asked our team to stop focusing on Covid-19 in our blogs. In all honesty, I just felt it was a depressing topic that was being covered enough. And so, here I am, a week on doing the exact opposite!

I am hoping however that what I am about to share will give businesses something positive to focus on during the next four weeks. It may also change the direction that they choose to go in the future. Rather than dwell on the past, we are looking ahead.

Time on your hands

For many businesses, the lockdown will mean that they have time on their hands. As this wasn’t planned or expected, it can be redirected. Rather than reverting to lockdown habits, think about the future. Where do you want to be and how are you doing to get there?

Things aren’t easy and budgets are tight but that doesn’t mean you can’t invest wisely.

Planning your next six to twelve months will give you a road map to follow and some structure during uncertain times.

Take control

For the first time in my lifetime, I can honestly say that no one knows what is around the corner. We can all make predictions. Everyone is suddenly an expert. Truth be told, we just don’t know.

It’s time to take control of the things that we can predict. Create a timeline of what you want to achieve and by when. Don’t dwell on what might be and start to put your energies to what will happen.

Once you have a plan in place it will be easier to work towards achieving those goals. Make it visual and you’re onto a winner.

It’s good to talk

During the first wave of the pandemic, some businesses went off grid and fell silent. This is a really bad idea. It sends out the wrong messages to your marketplace and gives audiences – including your staff – cause for concern.

Rather than going quiet, think about what you have to say. Pull together some ideas. Put some thought into the topics that you want to discuss and start to engage. For once, find the time to make communication a priority.

Remember, the people that you rely on when the doors are open are the same as when they are shut. Your customers need to know that you are there and that they have a supplier to come back to. Furthermore, employees need some confidence that all is not lost.

Keeping a consistent feed of updates will give the reassurance that all audiences need.

Planned support

One of the first things we did when we started Open Comms was to create ‘Open for New’ sessions. These have evolved over the years and are opportunities for businesses of all sizes to get the professional and planned support they need.

Each session is bespoke and is carefully tailored to each organisation. We make sure that the brands we work with get the very best return and that this takes no more than a day.

Up to six members of a company are invited to get around a (virtual) table and look at where they are and where they want to be. We focus on communications and how this can support the strategy of the business.

The discussion evolves to cover positioning statements, key messages, targets, engaging with the media, social media, crisis management and putting the right processes in place. As mentioned, we speak to the client beforehand to find out what their challenges and objectives are.

In our experience, every single session is different and that is what makes them so exciting! People leave them knackered (it takes work!) but energised.

Full steam ahead

It can be difficult to find the time to focus on PR and content marketing when you are ‘head down’ and in the thick of it. That is why we are suggesting to businesses that communication is put firmly on the agenda.

Don’t waste your time with the latest box set, you wouldn’t wander off to watch the TV if the doors were open. Use this window of opportunity to pave the way, get some planned support, and look forward to a stronger start to 2021 and all that it holds in store.

For further details about Open for New sessions, please email Lindsey at lindsey.davies@opencomms.co.uk and for more details about the agency and the many businesses we work with please visit www.opencomms.co.uk.

SHARING THE SECRETS BEHIND PR

Sharing the secrets about PR

The truth is that when it comes to sharing the secrets behind PR, there aren’t any.

Before I go on, let me make it clear, those working in the profession are specialists and they spend years training but there is no need for a scholarship at Hogwarts.

As an industry, PR suffers from a reputation crisis. Many businesses have been let down by false promises, hidden costs and wasted budgets. They have been offered the earth and when that doesn’t materialise they are left with a document full of excuses.

Unfortunately, this has put many companies off, and rightly so, but the good news is that this doesn’t have to be the case. 

Starting at the beginning

All businesses can benefit from PR. This isn’t a statement, it’s a fact.

Whatever the industry or product, there can be a clear rationale made for engaging with staff, customers and / or suppliers. Furthermore, it is really important that companies share their values, approach and where possible, the reason for their existence.

If people are to part with their hard earned money, they want to better understand where their purchases come from. This isn’t necessarily about food miles, but more about the philosophy of an organisation and what it stands for.

Setting a strategy

Clearly, not every business is the same, and the objectives for putting a communications strategy in place will be different. This is one of the benefits of PR; it can be shaped around any organisation whether business to business, business to consumer or third sector.

The other thing to consider is who will be involved in developing the strategy and delivering it. There needs to be clear ownership and input. PR isn’t something that will just happen, it needs to be managed and driven.

A seat around the boardroom table

PR needs to take a seat around the boardroom table. There is no point in making the investment – of time or resource – if putting a strategy into practice is not going to be taken seriously. If PR remains a nice to have then it simply won’t work.

Finding those within the business that have a natural affinity or passion for communication will take some of the pressure off. Giving these individuals additional responsibility and set performance indicators to work towards will keep PR on the agenda.

Discussing the tactics that have worked and those that haven’t with the senior management team will reinforce the importance of PR and what it can deliver.

Sharing the excitement

As a business function, when PR works well, it is difficult for people not to notice. It may be coverage in a newspaper, on the radio or even TV. It could be a newsletter, a blog, social media posts or an internal communication programme.

Whatever the objective, getting excited by the results that can be achieved through PR is fundamental to its success. A further benefit is that once one element of the plan is working, it can evolve and additional actions can be added.

Not enough time in the day

It’s easy to default to this assumption. There just simply isn’t enough time in the day to do everything that is required and PR isn’t a priority.

Well, it should be.

How a company communicates will influence the behaviour of its customers. There are few other specialisms that can make this kind of impact. PR is just as important as the quality of a product or service, which should ensure that it remains on the agenda.

When organisations recognise the real value of PR it can be transformative and that is why setting aside the time is so important.

Relying on the specialists

For those that really don’t have the time and cannot find any available resource within the business, the alternative is to turn to the specialists.

As a Wakefield based PR agency we work with businesses of all sizes. As well as delivering a year-round PR, communications and content strategy for our clients, we also deliver training. This gives smaller organisations the tactics, tools and techniques they need to put the theory into practice.

For those that want to explore PR, content marketing and social media further, please do give us a call or email.

 

HORTOR CHOOSES OPEN COMMS AS PREFERRED PR PARTNER

Hortor and Open Communications

Hortor, the global strategic resourcing consultancy with UK offices in Leeds and London, has chosen Open Communications, the straight-talking PR agency, to manage the brands content strategy across traditional and social media channels.

Having worked on an initial project to update the company website and provide recommendations regarding social media and content marketing, Hortor has agreed a year-round programme of activity that will be delivered by the agency.

Reporting consistent growth since its launch in 2014 and with ambitious targets for the next twelve months and beyond, Open Comms will focus on raising the profile of Hortor, its specialist divisions and the world-class clients that it works with.

Joint CEO of Hortor, Andy Roe, comments: “In the first instance Open Communications were recommended to us by a business associate that has worked with the agency for years. We needed support with the copy writing on our website and a few other projects and so felt it was the right time to engage a team that could give us some specialist support.

“Open quickly became an extension of our team and we are very much looking forward to working with them as we roll-out our year-round programme of activity.”

Director at Open Communications, Lindsey Davies, comments: “Hortor are a great fit for us. As well as being ambitious, the business has a great culture and is not afraid of doing things differently. We are looking forward to taking insight from the team and using this to create compelling content that we can share.

“As experts within their industry, we want to make sure that we reiterate the knowledge from the team and position them as the growing and global organisation that they are.”

Hortor has made a number of appointments in recent months with colleagues joining both the Leeds and London offices. Further plans to expand internationally to support its global network are also underway, with no fewer than four launches scheduled in the next year.

Open Communications is celebrating ten years in business throughout 2019 with plans to move to a new office in Wakefield city centre. The agency is preferred PR partner for a range of brands including Opus Trust Communications, Ring, The Coalfields Regeneration Trust, Martin Walsh Architecture and Bellingham IT.

For further details about Hortor and its approach to strategic global resourcing please visit www.hortor.co.uk and for information about the services we provide for clients please visit, https://www.opencomms.co.uk/what-we-do.

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