Tag: Open Communications

An insight into the team at Open Comms

Posted on September 2, 2013 by

Right, so we always say that we aren’t your typical PR agency and we also advise that brands consider injecting some personality into their comms – after all it’s the one thing that can’t be replicated by competitors. We therefore felt it would be a good idea to follow our own advice.

We asked our new(ish) recruit Tarina some questions to give you a little insight into what makes her tick. We will update tomorrow with the same questions from Naomi, our most recent team member – so make sure you come back to hear more from the team here at Open.

How would you describe yourself in three words

Ughh, I’ve never been good at answering this question, but going on what I’ve been told by family and friends, I suppose it’d be; mellow, sarcastic and fun-loving

What do you most enjoy about working in PR

So far the best thing about it for me has been the variety of tasks that we all have set each day of the week, we were laughing in the office a couple of days ago about how one minute you’ll be finding a lively venue for a kids event, and the next you could be writing a serious article about Chlamydia. It definitely hasn’t been boring.

What is your favourite book

I personally don’t really like reading, I’ve always preferred to listen to music, and I could sit doing nothing for days if I had music to listen to. I’ve grown up going to gigs and festivals as often as possible, and reading was never “my thing” but just recently I’ve downloaded one of these kindle fandangles and I’m currently reading ‘The Rum Diary’

What did you want to be when you grew up

I have no idea. I have a vague memory of imagining myself getting out of a fancy car with a briefcase and some perfect heels. But I don’t suppose that’s an uncommon dream. At one point I wanted to be an architect, but when I realised maths wasn’t my strong point, that hope went out the window.

The most important goal to me is a promise I made to myself at the age of about 10, to visit every continent at least once before I die. So far I’ve managed about 5%.

…one day.

What do you find most challenging about working in PR

I sometimes find it hard to get through the monotonous parts, the reports and basic bits of research, because I’m constantly eager to get on with the fun bits, but if it wasn’t for the research, the fun parts would pretty much be a massive flop, so you’ve just got to keep yourself motivated with the thoughts of that end product I suppose, and once you get there you’ve totally forgotten about it.

If you could be anything else, what would it be (career wise)

A makeup artist. For the last few years I’ve really loved makeup, I’ve spent hours watching tutorials and playing with new products and I do get told a lot that I’m good at creating looks and suiting styles to different people. Before I started in PR I was aiming towards a professional makeup qualification in the hopes of becoming self employed. I think I’ll still end up doing it at some point in my own time, maybe not to earn any money, just because I enjoy it.

If you had a super power what would it be

I would read peoples minds. I think it’d be possible to do anything if you could read minds (well….except fly……but there’s planes for that), and you’d know who exactly was worth your time.

What is your guilty secret (food / TV programmes)

Jeremy Kyle!  I’m sorry to say I miss it so much now I’m here full time, me and my closest friend Danielle are always getting laughed at because we’ll sit and text eachother about the people on it….while were both watching it, and we’ve applied for tickets to sit in the audience. It’s fairly embarrassing, but hey ho!

What are you most proud of

I was just about to say “the fact I haven’t eaten any chocolate today”, until I realised I’ve just finished off a Boost bar.

Which account would you most like to work on if you could choose

There are so many.

As you’ll probably see in one of my other Blogs, I’d love to work with a charity that provides support and developments for developing countries. I have so many ideas for these types of campaigns and I think it would be amazingly rewarding to see I had contributed to changing peoples lives.

Next up would probably be something along the lines of music events, promotions or venues. I was really hoping to get into events management at one stage in my life, and I love that PR gives the opportunity to attend some of the events that you help put together. Being in a venue with a crowd of other people all feeling good vibes from music is just about the best place in the world, and I’d be ever grateful if I had the chance to introduce people to that.

I’d also love to be a part in some makeup campaigns or promotions. My favourite brand is Urban Decay; I love everything about it and have too many times raided my purse to get my hands on products they make. So I suppose they’d be another dream account.

Naomi supports growth at Open Comms

Posted on August 23, 2013 by

We have some exciting news to share with you all – here at Open Communications, the straight talking PR agency based at Nostell Priory Estate Yard, we have strengthened our growing team with the appointment of Naomi Stafford as PR Account Manager.

With experience as a journalist having written articles, blogs and press features for some of the UK’s leading consumer magazines, as well as managing accounts at a previous agency, Naomi is already proving herself to be an asset to the team.

Taking responsibility for the development of press office schedules, creative plans, campaigns and social media strategies, Naomi will be a key point of contact and will help us to meet with the objectives of our ever expanding client base.

When asked about her appointment Naomi said: “I’m delighted to be a part of a growing agency. Having built up my experience within journalism and PR, I’m now eager to develop my skills even further, working across a broad range of accounts.  Since joining Open Comms I’ve been made to feel like one of the team and I very much look forward to working more closely with an extensive and increasing list of clients in the near future.”

As Naomi has already proven herself to be an asset to the Open team, we know that she will be welcomed by our clients and we are looking forward to sharing her skills, ideas and enthusiasm with the current brands we work with, as well as prospects, over the coming months. Please do say hello if you are passing, tweeting, phoning or just generally getting in touch.

Open expands with new appointment

Posted on July 17, 2013 by

 

Open Communications, the straight talking PR agency based at Nostell Priory Estate Yard, has expanded its team with the appointment of Tarina Wild, as PR Account Administrator.

 

Following a series of account wins and extended contracts the agency has found it necessary to expand the team in order to drive new business, while also maintaining the level of activity that it is involved with for leading brands including HARIBO, Intersnack and Pom-Bear.

 

Tarina comments: “I’m really excited to be a part of the team at Open Communications.  I’ve always been interested in event planning, and as PR gives the opportunity to do this, I’ll be able to put some of my ideas into practice.  Since starting at Open I’ve felt really comfortable around everyone at the agency and I can’t wait to meet the clients and get to know their brands and businesses better.”

 

Director at Open Communications, Lindsey Davies comments: “Tarina is an excellent addition to our growing team. She brings with her a wealth of enthusiasm, drive, creativity and commitment, which we feel are essential qualities when you work in a fast-paced PR and communications agency. We know that she will be an asset to Open and the clients that we work with.”

 

Have you got the power?

Posted on July 5, 2013 by

It doesn’t matter whether you are the very best widget seller in the world, or that you can make 100 cold calls an hour, if you haven’t got the power then your business simply won’t work. So what is the power? Well, in simple terms it is your reputation.

 

When you think about it PR and marketing aren’t rocket science but what they are is powerful tools that can take your business from good to great. We often speak to businesses who say that they haven’t got the time to manage their communications because they are too busy doing the day job.

 

Thankfully our clients are able to rely on us to make sure that people know all about them and the products and services they offer but what about the others?

 

If you take a step back and think about the purpose of effective business communications – whether digital, written or spoken – the idea is that you give people the information that they need to form an impression. What you need to make sure is that this is the right impression and that you appeal to prospects. In order to do that the fundamental requirement is to be liked.

 

Having a great service is just the start when you work in any organisation what’s more important is that you get on with your clients and you take the time to communicate with them and share your innovations, ideas and successes. Pass them the power.

 

People don’t come knocking on your door just because – they need that push to do so. PR allows a business to manage its reputation, which is questionably the most important asset of any company of any size.

 

As an example if you are scared of flying, as I am, then you wouldn’t be comfortable booking a flight with an airline you had never heard of but if you have seen and even engaged with a brand that you have chosen to soar through the skies at 37,000 feet with you feel more comfortable. The truth is that these businesses invest in PR and marketing, which in turn leads to credibility and trust that means people are more likely to book with them as opposed to an alternative.

 

This principle can be applied to any business of any size.   

 

Take Open Communications, we are not the biggest PR agency but we have a portfolio of fantastic businesses that we work with and this is because when we launched in 2008 we were adamant that we would manage our own PR. Although it sounds strange you would be surprised at how many agencies can’t find the time to communicate with their clients and prospects.

 

As a result of the PR that we do for Open, and the relationships that we have with our clients, 80% of our new business comes from recommendation. We know that through effective communication, which includes the blog, press releases, sponsorship and relationships we are giving our own business the power.

 

The values of our business are relatively simple; what you see is what you get, we are straight talking and we do the job and do it well. All of our clients understand how we work and because we manage our own reputation, as well as that of our customers, we have been able to grow and develop over the last five years.

 

Building relationships is essential to the success of any organisation and that starts with word of mouth, so make sure that when people talk about your business they are conveying your key messages and that you are giving them the power that they need to become your next best advocate.

The Skypes the limit

Posted on May 9, 2013 by

 

We have recently secured our first international client and they just happen to be at the other side of the world! As you would expect we have had to take into account time differences but more importantly how we choose to communicate with the team.

 

We could have chosen to ring them and to hold regular conference calls but it is difficult to build a relationship with clients without putting a face to a name, which is why we always hold regular on site monthly meetings with the brands we work with.

 

In this instance a monthly meeting was obviously out of the question – mores the pity – however the wonder of modern technology has come to the rescue with the well-known social tool Skype.  Not only are we able to see the team but we can build a relationship with them and our calls can include the usual banter you would expect from our monthly meetings.

 

The fact that Skype is a cost effective option for business makes it all the more appealing and an obvious choice for those who want to work with clients that are based across the globe. Better still you don’t feel that you have to keep the calls short, or that you can’t engage with some general chatter as well as the business you have to deal with.

 

Of course this is not the first time we have used Skype for business, we have had calls with suppliers in Croatia who use it as a common tool to connect with prospects and brands in the UK. I have to admit that at first it was a little strange but now it’s just an alternative to the standard telephone call and if I’m honest a far more appealing option.

 

For all those considering Skype for business I would suggest that you try it out. Not only are you able to connect and communicate with your clients but the system also gives you the option to widen your scope, after all if your prospect list could span the globe as opposed to the UK then why not?

 

We are currently looking at other ways that we can use Skype to benefit our clients so if anyone has any examples or suggestions please feel free to comment.

Open goes global and announces expansion plans

Posted on May 7, 2013 by

 


Open Communications, the straight talking PR agency based at Nostell Priory in Wakefield, has secured its first international contract after it was appointed as preferred PR and social media provider for Print Media Group (PMG) in Australia. 

Securing the contract to supply an on-going press office facility for PMG, which is one of the largest print specialist organisations in Australia with sites throughout the country, Open will also support the business to implement a social media strategy, alongside training and guidance.

With a focus on improving the profile of the business throughout Australia, PMG has appointed Open Communications to assist the marketing team with extending its offering into new markets and territories. In addition the business will work with Open to share its successes with current and prospective customers, while growing its sales revenues over the next twelve months.

 “We’re delighted to be working with Lindsey and the team at Open Comms, they will become a valued extension of the marketing team at PMG. We’ll be drawing on their expertise to raise the company’s profile in select markets here in Australia,” says PMG Marketing Communications Manager, Cathie Agg.

Director of Open Communications, Emma Lupton said: “With the technology and communications channels that are now available to business, we are able to operate in a truly global market and our appointment by PMG is an excellent example of this.

She adds: “We are confident with the service and results that we are able to deliver to our clients and this is without doubt one of the reasons PMG were attracted to us in the first place. We are really looking forward to working with the team and to showing them how PR can support the growth and on-going success of an organisation.”

As a result of the PMG contract win, plus two further appointments over recent months, Open Communications is looking to expand its team. The agency now has vacancies for an administrator and Account Executive.

For more details about Open Communications and the vacancies on offer please visit www.opencomms.co.uk or call Emma or Lindsey on tel. 01924 862477.

No regrets

Posted on May 2, 2013 by

 

There was a surprising article in today’s Yorkshire Evening Post saying that one third of all small business owners and managing directors in Yorkshire say that they not only regret starting their own venture, but would not go through the pain of launching a business again.

I find this really hard to believe, particularly as less than a week ago more than 4,000 businesses from the region spent two days sharing their success and giving advice and guidance to others during the Buy Yorkshire Conference. Not a single person I met on either of these two days said that they regret launching a company, in fact many of them quite the opposite.

This update came from the Viking Small Business Barometer, but interestingly there is no indication to the size of sample that was used to make these assumptions, nor any specific reference to the companies that were involved.

As a small business owner I am absolutely aware of the difficulties that people face when trying to get a venture off the ground and then the struggles that you come across in trying to keep it going – it’s not easy or for the faint hearted, but do I regret it? Not a single second.

I network with a lot of local businesses and we often natter about the different challenges that we are facing and then offer advice on how to overcome them and I think it is this that some small businesses are missing. It can be quite lonely when you work in a small organisation – particularly if you’ve come from a large corporate or agency environment – and so it’s essential to surround yourself with a network of people that you can trust.

Like making friends you need to be careful but if you have a couple of reliable people that you can call upon when you feel like pulling your hair out it makes life so much easier. There have been times when I’ve been close to throttling someone or myself but after sitting down with a business colleague for a coffee or something stronger the world makes more sense and I can get excited about the good things that are around the corner.

It would be ridiculous to say that every day you skip into work with a smile a mile wide but I have to admit that I’m happier in my career now than I have ever been, regardless of the longer working hours and added pressure.

I don’t profess that running a company is easy, far from it, but I don’t think that surveys like this encourage people to give it a go. Looking back at what we have achieved as a business and the challenges that we have overcome at Open Communications I am really proud to say that I am the owner of an agency and there isn’t a single thing that would make me regret the decision that I made to launch back in 2008.

So anyone out there who is considering launching a new start up, remember, what makes you unique is what will also make you a success, so as long as you truly believe in the product or service that you have to offer your clients then all you have to do is give it a go. No one will ever fault you for trying.

Why careful doesn’t mean boring

Posted on February 27, 2013 by

I’ve worked with lots of creative people throughout my career, many of whom I totally respect for the fantastic work and ideas they have developed, but I can’t help feeling that fairly conclusively there has always been a belief that when you work with large marketing and PR agencies careful has to mean boring.

I disagree. I think in some instances careful should be changed to ‘managed by professionals’.

If I was the owner of a brand and I had hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of pounds to spend I wouldn’t want to let that budget loose on a team that would come up with stunts and ‘creative’ ideas that could be to the detriment of my business longer term.

Here’s the thing – pretty pictures can be very appealing and they can even make what in the cold light of day would be a ludicrous idea seem like a brainwave. I’ve seen it happen many times before and it usually lands on the door of the PR agency to sort it out once the ‘big idea’ hits the media and is found to be the emperor’s new clothes, or worse.

At Open Communications we have always maintained that we would work within a client’s budget to come up with campaigns that first and foremost meet with objectives. I can hear some agencies groan just reading this but it’s true. What’s the point of even employing an agency otherwise?

We could come up with yet another stunt that put yet another over-sized object in Trafalgar Square, we could consider a one off activity that would mean we claimed much of the budget in management and had little to do for the rest of the year and we could chase industry awards with our big ideas but the reality is that we just don’t work like that.

We try to create long term strategies that we can implement over time to ensure that our clients engage across all channels and with all audiences. We use online, in print, digital, outdoor and sponsorship. We don’t profess to be all things to all people but one of the things that I am most proud of is that we are good at what we do – and that’s PR, traditional and online.

So for all those who think that careful is boring just consider how you would manage your project or brief if you were playing with your own money.

 

A proud Northerner

Posted on February 22, 2013 by

There have been a number of comment pieces recently requesting that brands and businesses consider suppliers outside of London. I wasn’t aware that there was a need to put out this call to action but apparently some companies feel that in order to get the best you have to go down South.

You won’t be surprised to hear that I’m not a believer of this philosophy, not because I’m from the North and proud of it but because I fail to see how geography can make you the best at what you do. I can only presume that you get to Kings Cross and by some miracle become a guru in your given sector.

It’s laughable that businesses still feel the need to ‘fake’ an office in London in some bizarre effort to 1. Look bigger than they are and 2. Attract bigger business.  Would it not be more productive and indicative of long term relationships to be honest?

With transport links being what they are today you can get to London, should you wish to, from Wakefield in around 2 hours. Knowing a number of people who live and work in London they find it difficult to cross the city in this time.

Not only do I know that there is an immense amount of talent in the North but also that we have leading organisations based here and also the events to support business and encourage growth.

Take for example two events that are coming up in the next couple of months – and I do have to take this opportunity to confess that Open Communications manage the PR for both – Wakefield Business Week and the Buy Yorkshire Conference.

Wakefield Business Week is a celebration of the success of the district. The week-long showcase is an open source event, which means that it is fully inclusive and allows for any business, group or individual to get involved and promote an event they are hosting from 18 – 22 March.

Right in the middle of the week is Wakefield Business Conference which will bring together more than 500 delegates, 50 exhibitors and a selection of headline speakers who will come together to network, connect and share their experiences. What a great way to meet potential suppliers and clients.

Then there is the Buy Yorkshire Conference, the largest business to business event in the North. This event, formerly the Yorkshire Mafia Conference, is off the scale. Attracting a massive 3,500 delegates, 170 exhibitors and a list of speakers that you simply couldn’t pay to see it is a must for any serious business.

We will be exhibiting at both of these conferences and I am looking forward to both. Not because we may generate business as a result, although that is obviously part of the reason we will be there, but to meet with new faces and contacts.

I am looking forward to introducing people to Open Communications and explaining that there is such a thing as a straight talking PR agency that cares more about results than air kissing! I want people to understand that you don’t have to go to London to find a PR agency that you can trust and most importantly that we are part of a vibrant and growing business community.

Business is still booming in the North and companies that only work with those who are based in the South are quite honestly missing out.

 

Do manners really matter?

Posted on February 20, 2013 by

As a PR agency we receive lots and lots of phone calls every day. Sometimes the calls can be from suppliers, other times it could be contacts with regards to sponsorship, a client or journalist. Although I have to admit that most of the time people are polite and well-mannered there are the odd times when this really isn’t the case.

Take this morning as a classic example.  I received a call which started with the caller demanding to speak to a colleague. No ‘morning’ or ‘would it be possible to speak to’ just an abrupt and quite honestly rude demand.

As we always do, I asked who was speaking, which in turn meant I received a blunt one line answer and nothing further.

Now this person gave me the name of their company when I asked where they were calling from and it happens we were hoping to work with one of their clients. As a result of the way in which they handled the call we will now be moving our efforts to another similar business.

So, due to that person’s appalling attitude their client has lost out.

It’s not often that people surprise me but there have been a few instances over recent months where it’s apparent that people working on behalf of brands or for third parties get some strange delusion of grandeur which in turn results in them losing all ability to communicate professionally.

Although these situations do irritate me I have to say that I also feel rather smug as I know that when people work with Open Communications – whoever they are dealing with – we are able to manage their needs professionally and appropriately wherever they are calling from and whatever the nature of the call.

Perhaps if people took the time to consider how they would feel if the person they were speaking to was to handle their call in the same way they may just choose to change their attitude. We have a saying in our house – ‘manners cost nothing!’