The Swansea media market has been strengthened by a new addition.
Eye on Gorseinon is a free magazine targeting one of the city's great working class satellite towns.
It's just out and is a mix of traditional advertising and paid-for promotional editorial.
Succeeded
The man behind it is Nigel Dudley who, for the past few years, has succeeded with similar formats in the Swansea Valley (with Valley View) and a little further east with Neath Gnolledge.
Those living in Gorseinon should soon see a copy flutter through their letter boxes.
Others will be able to pick up a copy on advertisers' premises and at other high-footfall places.
Reinvention
Nigel has an interesting concept and fits nicely into the grassroots scene for local media reinvention.
Others - such as the Pontardawe-based Community Magazines, the Mumbles and West Swansea Community Times titles, and Lesley Williams' The Bay magazine, perform a similar function in a variety of ways. A surprisingly wide variety considering their reasonably narrow briefs.
Eye on Gorseinon debut advertisers, incidentally, include Swansea solicitor Peter Lynn and Partners, charity The Pettifor Trust, Bartlett Joinery and Carpentry and Grovesend-based Jenkins Photography.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Traditional media crucial to PR
Hands up if you'd recognise these guys if they walked in the room ... George Michael ... Jimmy Page.
Michael is a musician who has sold over 100 million records. His band was Wham! Page is a musician who has sold over 100 million records. His band was Led Zeppelin.
Hands up if you can tell me which business brands these fellas are most associated with ... Richard Branson ... Ingvar Kamprad.
Richest
Branson is a businessman who's the 212th richest person in worth around $4bn. His brand is Virgin. Kamprad is a businessman who's the 5th richest person in the world worth $22bn. His brand is Ikea.
Hands up if you recognise these names ... Gavin Henson ... Simon Culhane.
Henson was an international rugby player who never appeared at a World Cup. Culhane was an international rugby player who holds the record for the most number of points scored in a single RWC game - 45 when New Zealand beat Japan 145-17 in 1995.
Why?
So why do you know Michael, Branson and Henson? And not Page, Kamprad and Culhane?
Is it that Michael, Branson & Henson have more talent that Page, Kamprad and Culhane? Is it that they've achieved more in their speciality fields?
I suggest not. I suggest it's because Michael, Branson and Henson have been splashed all over the newspapers. Not for all the reasons they would wish - but my straw poll illustrates - to some extent - the power of the press.
Positive
And it's that in which Effective Communication specialises. Our job is to ensure that our clients get the most possible positive exposure in the press.
We harness that power for you.
It's not the only thing we do - yes, every press release we write goes to the media ... but it also becomes a story on our website, a news item on the client's website, a Tweet if required, a Facebook posting, the basis for a blog and perhaps a video clip for YouTube. We also create all-encompassing marketing plans - but that's not my focus today.
Profile
Let me explain briefly how we save you time, raise your profile and improve your profits.
We save you possibly hundreds of hours a year by dealing with news hungry journalists and aggressive, revenue-chasing advertising executives from across the media.
In Swansea Bay alone there are at least 50 media businesses with an interest in your stories (good and bad) and your marketing spend.
New
They range from small brand new operations such as Eye on Gorseinon to the rather more well-established and slightly better resourced BBC.
They range from community radio stations such as Port Talbot's Afan FM which has a well defined geographical market for those aged 12 to 25.
Phone calls, circulars, emails, cold calls ... at some point they'll head your way. Journalists are even likely to call at bad times: when the company's downsizing substantially, being attacked in court or suffering a human tragedy of some kind.
Pain
We save you the pain of dealing with all this because we know the media people, we know their plans, we know their needs, we know how they work, we know their journalists - and we know their ad team's discount structures.
In short, we can plan any media campaign to suit your business. That's everything from the one-off press release for a newly-launched business to a lengthy media campaign which uses editorial, advertising and promotions to deliver the right messages at the right time for the right price.
And we do it for any type of business. This week I was helping rebuild the public reputation of a small motor garage owner who's got on the wrong side of the law ... this afternoon I'm working for Camelot. They want to publicise this Friday's £82m Euromillions jackpot so I've arranged – and will oversee - an interview between an Evening Post features writer and a Llanelli Lotto millionaire. The feature will appear in Friday's paper.
Valuable
And one thing we always stress is that hard-won editorial space in a newspaper is so much more valuable than advertising space - the public know that you've paid a few thousand pounds for a page in the Western Mail ... but they see an editorial feature on the next page as a sign that a team of journalists and their editor see great merit in what you're doing.
Managed properly, your media engagement will make you attractive to journalists seeking expert comment on topics within your sphere; it will have influential individuals such as editors talking about you in their own networking circles ... and it will make you appear to be a very credible employer when you begin a recruitment drive.
As George Michael, Richard Branson and Gavin Henson know, exposure in the media can help make you very high-profile and very marketable.
As I said, traditional media isn't everything in a marketing mix - but it's a very important part. Media coverage is a cornerstone of building your brand – please don't forget it.
Michael is a musician who has sold over 100 million records. His band was Wham! Page is a musician who has sold over 100 million records. His band was Led Zeppelin.
Hands up if you can tell me which business brands these fellas are most associated with ... Richard Branson ... Ingvar Kamprad.
Richest
Branson is a businessman who's the 212th richest person in worth around $4bn. His brand is Virgin. Kamprad is a businessman who's the 5th richest person in the world worth $22bn. His brand is Ikea.
Hands up if you recognise these names ... Gavin Henson ... Simon Culhane.
Henson was an international rugby player who never appeared at a World Cup. Culhane was an international rugby player who holds the record for the most number of points scored in a single RWC game - 45 when New Zealand beat Japan 145-17 in 1995.
Why?
So why do you know Michael, Branson and Henson? And not Page, Kamprad and Culhane?
Is it that Michael, Branson & Henson have more talent that Page, Kamprad and Culhane? Is it that they've achieved more in their speciality fields?
I suggest not. I suggest it's because Michael, Branson and Henson have been splashed all over the newspapers. Not for all the reasons they would wish - but my straw poll illustrates - to some extent - the power of the press.
Positive
And it's that in which Effective Communication specialises. Our job is to ensure that our clients get the most possible positive exposure in the press.
We harness that power for you.
It's not the only thing we do - yes, every press release we write goes to the media ... but it also becomes a story on our website, a news item on the client's website, a Tweet if required, a Facebook posting, the basis for a blog and perhaps a video clip for YouTube. We also create all-encompassing marketing plans - but that's not my focus today.
Profile
Let me explain briefly how we save you time, raise your profile and improve your profits.
We save you possibly hundreds of hours a year by dealing with news hungry journalists and aggressive, revenue-chasing advertising executives from across the media.
In Swansea Bay alone there are at least 50 media businesses with an interest in your stories (good and bad) and your marketing spend.
New
They range from small brand new operations such as Eye on Gorseinon to the rather more well-established and slightly better resourced BBC.
They range from community radio stations such as Port Talbot's Afan FM which has a well defined geographical market for those aged 12 to 25.
Phone calls, circulars, emails, cold calls ... at some point they'll head your way. Journalists are even likely to call at bad times: when the company's downsizing substantially, being attacked in court or suffering a human tragedy of some kind.
Pain
We save you the pain of dealing with all this because we know the media people, we know their plans, we know their needs, we know how they work, we know their journalists - and we know their ad team's discount structures.
In short, we can plan any media campaign to suit your business. That's everything from the one-off press release for a newly-launched business to a lengthy media campaign which uses editorial, advertising and promotions to deliver the right messages at the right time for the right price.
And we do it for any type of business. This week I was helping rebuild the public reputation of a small motor garage owner who's got on the wrong side of the law ... this afternoon I'm working for Camelot. They want to publicise this Friday's £82m Euromillions jackpot so I've arranged – and will oversee - an interview between an Evening Post features writer and a Llanelli Lotto millionaire. The feature will appear in Friday's paper.
Valuable
And one thing we always stress is that hard-won editorial space in a newspaper is so much more valuable than advertising space - the public know that you've paid a few thousand pounds for a page in the Western Mail ... but they see an editorial feature on the next page as a sign that a team of journalists and their editor see great merit in what you're doing.
Managed properly, your media engagement will make you attractive to journalists seeking expert comment on topics within your sphere; it will have influential individuals such as editors talking about you in their own networking circles ... and it will make you appear to be a very credible employer when you begin a recruitment drive.
As George Michael, Richard Branson and Gavin Henson know, exposure in the media can help make you very high-profile and very marketable.
As I said, traditional media isn't everything in a marketing mix - but it's a very important part. Media coverage is a cornerstone of building your brand – please don't forget it.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Welsh editors in the firing line
The South Wales media's ongoing radical changes crystallised further yesterday.
Journalism trade magazine Press Gazette reported that the roles of four newspaper editors across the region were likely to be made redundant.
The papers in question are the weeklies in the Celtic group, part of the Western Mail stable. They include the Merthyr Express, Gwent Gazette, Rhondda Leader, Pontypridd Observer, Cynon Valley Leader and Glamorgan Gazette.
Closed
A single editor-in-chief is expected to oversee the weeklies. The same group closed the Neath and Port Talbot Guardians a year ago.
Media Wales publishing director Alan Edmunds is quoted as saying: “The future development and operational requirements of these titles as well as the needs of the communities that they engage will be better served by a new approach, taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by our multimedia news operations.”
Economics
It's also likely that simple economics have much to do with the measure. The loss of three editor salaries will be a handy cost reduction on the balance sheet.
Media Wales isn't the only operation making hard decisions. In recent years the South Wales Evening Post group has experimented - and reconsidered - with joint editorship of its weekly titles the Llanelli Star and Carmarthen Journal.
Globally, the news trade continue to evolve too as media businesses struggle with new technology and recession.
Developments
In a key London lecture this week, former Washington Post executive editor Leonard Downie Jr looked at likely future developments of the journalism industry.
He said: "Much of the most-needed journalism is still best produced collaboratively by stable news organizations that can facilitate professional reporting by experienced journalists, support them with money, logistics and legal backing, and present their work to a large public.
"Credible, verifiable journalism about what is important in life is needed more than ever amidst the babble of the blogosphere and social networks, the polarizing opinion and propaganda, the tabloid invasions of privacy and the cynical audience appeal of news presented as entertainment and entertainment presented as news.
"The challenge I see is to turn this tumultuous moment of transformation into a beneficial reconstruction of journalism, enabling credible, verifiable, independent news reporting to emerge, enlivened and enlarged, from the current decline of long-dominant news media."
Journalism trade magazine Press Gazette reported that the roles of four newspaper editors across the region were likely to be made redundant.
The papers in question are the weeklies in the Celtic group, part of the Western Mail stable. They include the Merthyr Express, Gwent Gazette, Rhondda Leader, Pontypridd Observer, Cynon Valley Leader and Glamorgan Gazette.
Closed
A single editor-in-chief is expected to oversee the weeklies. The same group closed the Neath and Port Talbot Guardians a year ago.
Media Wales publishing director Alan Edmunds is quoted as saying: “The future development and operational requirements of these titles as well as the needs of the communities that they engage will be better served by a new approach, taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by our multimedia news operations.”
Economics
It's also likely that simple economics have much to do with the measure. The loss of three editor salaries will be a handy cost reduction on the balance sheet.
Media Wales isn't the only operation making hard decisions. In recent years the South Wales Evening Post group has experimented - and reconsidered - with joint editorship of its weekly titles the Llanelli Star and Carmarthen Journal.
Globally, the news trade continue to evolve too as media businesses struggle with new technology and recession.
Developments
In a key London lecture this week, former Washington Post executive editor Leonard Downie Jr looked at likely future developments of the journalism industry.
He said: "Much of the most-needed journalism is still best produced collaboratively by stable news organizations that can facilitate professional reporting by experienced journalists, support them with money, logistics and legal backing, and present their work to a large public.
"Credible, verifiable journalism about what is important in life is needed more than ever amidst the babble of the blogosphere and social networks, the polarizing opinion and propaganda, the tabloid invasions of privacy and the cynical audience appeal of news presented as entertainment and entertainment presented as news.
"The challenge I see is to turn this tumultuous moment of transformation into a beneficial reconstruction of journalism, enabling credible, verifiable, independent news reporting to emerge, enlivened and enlarged, from the current decline of long-dominant news media."
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Video PR for Wales’ YouTube generation
If you didn't know it already, the future of PR across Wales is multi-media.
Public relations practitioners will continue to target traditional print and broadcast offerings to build reputations - but there's already much more besides.
Two days in the company of Nathalie McDermott, of On Road Media, reaffirmed this certainty.
Dedicated
One day was dedicated to podcasting - the art of delivering messages and starting conversations on the web through digital audio.
The other did the same for video blogging.
Both are important as businesses of all hues battle to drive traffic to their websites.
Important
I see the latter as most important such is the visual nature of modern life.
So video will now be integrated into my thinking on everything from networking events to media campaigns.
The opportunity came for a trial run on Saturday with a visit to South Gower RFC on behalf of Welsh law firm Peter Lynn and Partners, one of the club's sponsors.
Check out the release by clicking here and the video here. OK, so the video may not be Spielberg, but it's an important step in the evolution of my own services.
Hopefully too, an accompanying photo will be used soon in the South Wales Evening Post.
Public relations practitioners will continue to target traditional print and broadcast offerings to build reputations - but there's already much more besides.
Two days in the company of Nathalie McDermott, of On Road Media, reaffirmed this certainty.
Dedicated
One day was dedicated to podcasting - the art of delivering messages and starting conversations on the web through digital audio.
The other did the same for video blogging.
Both are important as businesses of all hues battle to drive traffic to their websites.
Important
I see the latter as most important such is the visual nature of modern life.
So video will now be integrated into my thinking on everything from networking events to media campaigns.
The opportunity came for a trial run on Saturday with a visit to South Gower RFC on behalf of Welsh law firm Peter Lynn and Partners, one of the club's sponsors.
Check out the release by clicking here and the video here. OK, so the video may not be Spielberg, but it's an important step in the evolution of my own services.
Hopefully too, an accompanying photo will be used soon in the South Wales Evening Post.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Swansea Bay news media support
Fantastic news from Port Talbot. Support is growing for a hyperlocal community news and information service.
The town lost its 84-year-old weekly newspaper to the recession a year ago but now the community seems determined to fight back.
After 12 months of hard graft by a determined squad of volunteer journalists - all solid, experienced professionals in their field - a key meeting was held in Blanco's Hotel on Wednesday night.
Influential
It brought together some influential and community-minded individuals impressed by the vision for a new breed of current affairs platform.
Local News Port Talbot already has an embryonic website but its members would like it to be a lot more than that.
At Blanco's they were delighted to greet Meyrick Sheen (Michael's dad), Barry Kirk (Captain Beany), Adele and Catrin from National Theatre Wales, Andy Williams of the Cardiff School of Journalism, local photographer and journalist Peter Knowles, and Port Talbot sports reporter Robert Clement.
Supportive
Everyone was supportive of the proposal and several made specific pledges of help and support. In particular, Peter Knowles is prepared to provide pictures and stories which would link with his own website.
Barry Kirk offered to provide a regular column. Andy Williams indicated that the School of Journalism would be happy to second students to contribute to the newsgathering process.
The town lost its 84-year-old weekly newspaper to the recession a year ago but now the community seems determined to fight back.
After 12 months of hard graft by a determined squad of volunteer journalists - all solid, experienced professionals in their field - a key meeting was held in Blanco's Hotel on Wednesday night.
Influential
It brought together some influential and community-minded individuals impressed by the vision for a new breed of current affairs platform.
Local News Port Talbot already has an embryonic website but its members would like it to be a lot more than that.
At Blanco's they were delighted to greet Meyrick Sheen (Michael's dad), Barry Kirk (Captain Beany), Adele and Catrin from National Theatre Wales, Andy Williams of the Cardiff School of Journalism, local photographer and journalist Peter Knowles, and Port Talbot sports reporter Robert Clement.
Supportive
Everyone was supportive of the proposal and several made specific pledges of help and support. In particular, Peter Knowles is prepared to provide pictures and stories which would link with his own website.
Barry Kirk offered to provide a regular column. Andy Williams indicated that the School of Journalism would be happy to second students to contribute to the newsgathering process.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Swansea promo activity – plan it well!
Successful PR and marketing in Wales means much more than a few press releases and advertisements.
It requires regular get-togethers with key contacts who can reveal what plans the broadcasters and newspapers have for the coming months.
That time-consuming activity pays dividends - it means planned promotional activity can be matched with media needs and trends. And it’s something we do well at Effective Communication.
Specialist
Yesterday I met South Wales Evening Post promotions specialist Gemma Dawkins.
She’s not been in the job long and admits that she’s learning every day. That’s an acknowledgment and strength that’ll stand her in good stead.
Her key duty is to oversee the Post’s in-paper competitions and promotions – Win a £500 shopping spree at Home Sense - Get two lunches for the price of one at Baguette du Jour.
Highlighted
Gemma was happy to talk for going on an hour about some client needs highlighted by Effective Communication.
I was quickly able to report back to clients that there were good opportunities for special offers and eye-catching competitions over the coming months.
They include a tantalising follow-up to this year’s Win a Dream Wedding promotion. This has seen enterprises such as Swansea’s Posh Frocks, Neath’s La Crème Patisserie and jeweller Clive Ranger put up wedding day prizes in return for promo activity.
High-profile
It’s been a high-profile campaign this year and Gemma’s convinced it’ll be bigger and better next year.
Here’s hoping – and here’s to more useful meetings with Gemma Dawkins.
It requires regular get-togethers with key contacts who can reveal what plans the broadcasters and newspapers have for the coming months.
That time-consuming activity pays dividends - it means planned promotional activity can be matched with media needs and trends. And it’s something we do well at Effective Communication.
Specialist
Yesterday I met South Wales Evening Post promotions specialist Gemma Dawkins.
She’s not been in the job long and admits that she’s learning every day. That’s an acknowledgment and strength that’ll stand her in good stead.
Her key duty is to oversee the Post’s in-paper competitions and promotions – Win a £500 shopping spree at Home Sense - Get two lunches for the price of one at Baguette du Jour.
Highlighted
Gemma was happy to talk for going on an hour about some client needs highlighted by Effective Communication.
I was quickly able to report back to clients that there were good opportunities for special offers and eye-catching competitions over the coming months.
They include a tantalising follow-up to this year’s Win a Dream Wedding promotion. This has seen enterprises such as Swansea’s Posh Frocks, Neath’s La Crème Patisserie and jeweller Clive Ranger put up wedding day prizes in return for promo activity.
High-profile
It’s been a high-profile campaign this year and Gemma’s convinced it’ll be bigger and better next year.
Here’s hoping – and here’s to more useful meetings with Gemma Dawkins.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
PR boost for Welsh athletes
Welsh press photo of the month?
No contest.
Log on to the new edition of glossy mag Sporting Wales, flick to page 40 ... and enjoy the cheering sight of the Welsh Commonwealth Games team.
They’re pictured together in Cardiff’s magnificent new John Lewis store before jetting off for India.
Salute
So forget the difficulties with Delhi for a moment if you can and salute the fine achievement of all these red tracksuited sportspeople. They’ve won the right to represent Wales on the international circuit and deserve exposure such as this.
From a PR point of view it’s a lovely way of saluting the athletes and all who support them.
Well done Sporting Wales and good luck to the Wales team.
No contest.
Log on to the new edition of glossy mag Sporting Wales, flick to page 40 ... and enjoy the cheering sight of the Welsh Commonwealth Games team.
They’re pictured together in Cardiff’s magnificent new John Lewis store before jetting off for India.
Salute
So forget the difficulties with Delhi for a moment if you can and salute the fine achievement of all these red tracksuited sportspeople. They’ve won the right to represent Wales on the international circuit and deserve exposure such as this.
From a PR point of view it’s a lovely way of saluting the athletes and all who support them.
Well done Sporting Wales and good luck to the Wales team.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
David’s PR prowess pips Henson
The Welsh rugby PR machine that made such a success of promoting the national side's new shirt is nowhere to be seen on page two of the Llanelli Star's current edition.
As a refreshing change from Henson-mania, the Star offers up a public relations nugget concerning a Welsh sportsman who's got something Gavin hasn't, a European championship win.
To highlight the National Lottery's fulsome backing of London 2012, 400m hurdler David Greene was happy to prepare for some Cardiff publicity.
Olympic
And the Star was good enough to mark the fact with its September 15 story Hurdler's Olympic Chat.
Only a few weeks ago Effective Communication was involved in another media task which saw Paralympian swimming champion David Roberts promote some South Wales National Lottery activity.
Publications such as the South Wales Echo and the South Wales Argus were more than happy to help spread the word.
It shows that there's more to PR life than a man who's not played his chosen sport for 18 months. And you ain't gonna see David Greene in dancefloor sequins any time soon.
As a refreshing change from Henson-mania, the Star offers up a public relations nugget concerning a Welsh sportsman who's got something Gavin hasn't, a European championship win.
To highlight the National Lottery's fulsome backing of London 2012, 400m hurdler David Greene was happy to prepare for some Cardiff publicity.
Olympic
And the Star was good enough to mark the fact with its September 15 story Hurdler's Olympic Chat.
Only a few weeks ago Effective Communication was involved in another media task which saw Paralympian swimming champion David Roberts promote some South Wales National Lottery activity.
Publications such as the South Wales Echo and the South Wales Argus were more than happy to help spread the word.
It shows that there's more to PR life than a man who's not played his chosen sport for 18 months. And you ain't gonna see David Greene in dancefloor sequins any time soon.
Ryder Cup's radio temptation
Another golfing PR opportunity is being offered up by the Swansea-based media.
Local radio specialists Town and Country Broadcasting have a tempting little Ryder Cup package available to a sports-loving enterprise.
I met account manager Matthew Anderson in the Uplands Diner, Swansea, today and he was mad keen on his new offering.
Exposure
For an outlay of £1,400 - although I suspect that's negotiable - the broadcaster's Ryder Cup associate will get decent exposure on Nation Radio, Bay Radio and Bridge FM, covering a good wedge of central South Wales.
In the two weeks' run-up to the big Celtic Manor showdown there'll be mentions on five daily promo slots and a few "live reads" by presenters.
Over the three days of the competition there'll be mentions on four daily updates from the course along with more live reads.
The presenter with the rather tasty job of reporting every three hours on the progress of the European and American teams is Gareth Williams, a regular on TCB's saturday sport output.
Nice work if you can get it ... and a tempting promotional hook-up.
Local radio specialists Town and Country Broadcasting have a tempting little Ryder Cup package available to a sports-loving enterprise.
I met account manager Matthew Anderson in the Uplands Diner, Swansea, today and he was mad keen on his new offering.
Exposure
For an outlay of £1,400 - although I suspect that's negotiable - the broadcaster's Ryder Cup associate will get decent exposure on Nation Radio, Bay Radio and Bridge FM, covering a good wedge of central South Wales.
In the two weeks' run-up to the big Celtic Manor showdown there'll be mentions on five daily promo slots and a few "live reads" by presenters.
Over the three days of the competition there'll be mentions on four daily updates from the course along with more live reads.
The presenter with the rather tasty job of reporting every three hours on the progress of the European and American teams is Gareth Williams, a regular on TCB's saturday sport output.
Nice work if you can get it ... and a tempting promotional hook-up.
Friday, September 17, 2010
PR boost for Swansea show exhibitors
A number of healthy enterprises have enjoyed some useful PR on the back of an event in Swansea.
It was great to meet professionals associated with the firms exhibiting or simply visiting the Liberty Stadium Business Show.
And it's good to read a substantial story about the event in today's South Wales Evening Post.
Those mentioned in the piece include Vodafone, Finance Wales, Swansea City, Gower College Swansea and St John Training.
Mingling
My Effective Communication colleague Tracy Marsh had a busy day, mingling and explaining to potential new clients how we can help push their businesses forward. She also had a good response from those eager to learn more about membership of Swansea Business Club.
Incidentally, she was thankful to the ever-helpful Robert Lloyd Griffiths, of the IoD, who helped her out with a technical glitch.
Amongst the other exhibitors enjoying a the splendid eyeball-to-eyeball marketing opportunity were accountants Clay Shaw Butler, Swansea's Pennant Homes, website specialists W3 Web Designs, the splendid Fruity Bouquets, Swansea-based Days Contract Hire and go-ahead Xerox concession Pinnacle Office Equipment.
Clay Shaw Butler's Amanda Russell told me the firm was working hard on raising its profile, especially throughout Carmarthenshire.
Strong
Pennant are enjoying an increasingly strong take-up of Assembly low-cost homoeowner plan Homebuy and w3's engaging Lee Ann Smith talked of some great recent e-commerce work with the likes of West Wales-based Nona Jewellery.
Fruity Bouquets make fabulous gifts and table displays - chocolate-dipped fresh fruit creations which at first glance look like traditional flower bouquets. Jan Holmes founded the company and, from her base in Bridgend, now operates all over South Wales. She has exciting plans.
Days marketing coordinator Sharon Crocker told me that business remained brisk and that more trade than ever was being done via the web.
Eyecatching
The office solutions guys from Cardiff-based Pinnacle had one of the most eyecatching stands, complete with a stunner of a racing motorbike. Their big sales pitch was on a new-generation photocopier that uses wax-based ink blocks rather than wasteful plastic cartridges. Swansea area account manager Gavin Lewis revealed that he's genuinely excited by the product.
However, it didn't stop him and his colleagues having an unscheduled game of ball in the main show space as the day drew to a close!
It was great to meet professionals associated with the firms exhibiting or simply visiting the Liberty Stadium Business Show.
And it's good to read a substantial story about the event in today's South Wales Evening Post.
Those mentioned in the piece include Vodafone, Finance Wales, Swansea City, Gower College Swansea and St John Training.
Mingling
My Effective Communication colleague Tracy Marsh had a busy day, mingling and explaining to potential new clients how we can help push their businesses forward. She also had a good response from those eager to learn more about membership of Swansea Business Club.
Incidentally, she was thankful to the ever-helpful Robert Lloyd Griffiths, of the IoD, who helped her out with a technical glitch.
Amongst the other exhibitors enjoying a the splendid eyeball-to-eyeball marketing opportunity were accountants Clay Shaw Butler, Swansea's Pennant Homes, website specialists W3 Web Designs, the splendid Fruity Bouquets, Swansea-based Days Contract Hire and go-ahead Xerox concession Pinnacle Office Equipment.
Clay Shaw Butler's Amanda Russell told me the firm was working hard on raising its profile, especially throughout Carmarthenshire.
Strong
Pennant are enjoying an increasingly strong take-up of Assembly low-cost homoeowner plan Homebuy and w3's engaging Lee Ann Smith talked of some great recent e-commerce work with the likes of West Wales-based Nona Jewellery.
Fruity Bouquets make fabulous gifts and table displays - chocolate-dipped fresh fruit creations which at first glance look like traditional flower bouquets. Jan Holmes founded the company and, from her base in Bridgend, now operates all over South Wales. She has exciting plans.
Days marketing coordinator Sharon Crocker told me that business remained brisk and that more trade than ever was being done via the web.
Eyecatching
The office solutions guys from Cardiff-based Pinnacle had one of the most eyecatching stands, complete with a stunner of a racing motorbike. Their big sales pitch was on a new-generation photocopier that uses wax-based ink blocks rather than wasteful plastic cartridges. Swansea area account manager Gavin Lewis revealed that he's genuinely excited by the product.
However, it didn't stop him and his colleagues having an unscheduled game of ball in the main show space as the day drew to a close!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Ryder Cup marketing chance for Swansea business
Businesses with a concerted Swansea PR or marketing drive planned for the coming weeks would do well to consider advertising in a Ryder Cup special planned by the South Wales Evening Post.
The ads team down Adelaide Street tell me the plan is for a 16-page full-colour tabloid supplement previewing the Celtic Manor's golfing showpiece.
They also say it'll be editorially led which means a good chance of decent stories which will hold the attention of readers.
Among those featured will be Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomerie.
The Ryder Cup is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime treat for many of us in Wales so why not ensure that, when the story's told in many years to come, there's a little piece of your business in a dusty drawer filled with commemorative newspaper pull-outs?
If you’re interested give me a shout on 07890 953402.
Advertising Opportunity
Publication South Wales Evening Post
Supplement Ryder Cup
Format Tabloid, full colour, 16 pages
Publication date Wed Sept 29 (tournament runs Oct 1-3)
Editorial content Interviews with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Europe team captain Colin Montgomerie & major Welsh players.
Key target audience Golf lovers in Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Llanelli
Ad prices include:
The ads team down Adelaide Street tell me the plan is for a 16-page full-colour tabloid supplement previewing the Celtic Manor's golfing showpiece.
They also say it'll be editorially led which means a good chance of decent stories which will hold the attention of readers.
Among those featured will be Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomerie.
The Ryder Cup is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime treat for many of us in Wales so why not ensure that, when the story's told in many years to come, there's a little piece of your business in a dusty drawer filled with commemorative newspaper pull-outs?
If you’re interested give me a shout on 07890 953402.
Advertising Opportunity
Publication South Wales Evening Post
Supplement Ryder Cup
Format Tabloid, full colour, 16 pages
Publication date Wed Sept 29 (tournament runs Oct 1-3)
Editorial content Interviews with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Europe team captain Colin Montgomerie & major Welsh players.
Key target audience Golf lovers in Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Llanelli
Ad prices include:
- “In association with” sponsorship incl 5x8 supplement p1 ad & full page on the back - £750
- Full page - £500.
- Half page - £250
- 4x8 ad - £120
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Swansea PR booster from Community Times
Lorna Davies was on form when we sat down to discuss PR and marketing opportunities for some Swansea businesses yesterday.
One of the two women behind the city's pair of Community Times titles, she exuded confidence in the magazines but - equally importantly - excitement and pride at being involved.
Mumbles Community Times, helmed by Joanne Caulfield, has now clocked up well over half a decade on the Swansea media scene. That's some track record and suggests that it has found a useful little niche.
Its newer sister publication focuses on Sketty, Uplands, Dunvant, Killay, Upper Killay and Tycoch. It's been around for a year, was originally tabled as a 48-pager but has since gone up as high as 72 pages.
Another title is planned.
High footfall
Between them, the A5 bimonthly glossies hit around 10,000 homes through door-to-door delivery; another 2,500 are made available for free pick-up in high footfall places such a hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants and surgeries.
They mix editorial and advertising steadily in a lifestyle-oriented manner. Existing advertisers include the Village Hotel, Swansea, solicitors Peter Lynn and Partners, SIP Financial Management and builders Barber & Co.
Columnists have included the Yummy Mummy aka Victoria Blandford, BBC TV Wales rugby pundit Stuart Davies and cosmetic medical specialist Stephen Bassett, of Shape Cymru.
My favourite remains the junior sport player profile - a page of none-too-searching questions posed to a young local rugby or soccer starlet.
One of this year's featured Mumbles Rangers football six-year-olds was Charlie Smith.
Q Favourite teacher?
A Mrs Hurley.
So there you are, Mrs H - proof that promotion in Community Times works!
One of the two women behind the city's pair of Community Times titles, she exuded confidence in the magazines but - equally importantly - excitement and pride at being involved.
Mumbles Community Times, helmed by Joanne Caulfield, has now clocked up well over half a decade on the Swansea media scene. That's some track record and suggests that it has found a useful little niche.
Its newer sister publication focuses on Sketty, Uplands, Dunvant, Killay, Upper Killay and Tycoch. It's been around for a year, was originally tabled as a 48-pager but has since gone up as high as 72 pages.
Another title is planned.
High footfall
Between them, the A5 bimonthly glossies hit around 10,000 homes through door-to-door delivery; another 2,500 are made available for free pick-up in high footfall places such a hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants and surgeries.
They mix editorial and advertising steadily in a lifestyle-oriented manner. Existing advertisers include the Village Hotel, Swansea, solicitors Peter Lynn and Partners, SIP Financial Management and builders Barber & Co.
Columnists have included the Yummy Mummy aka Victoria Blandford, BBC TV Wales rugby pundit Stuart Davies and cosmetic medical specialist Stephen Bassett, of Shape Cymru.
My favourite remains the junior sport player profile - a page of none-too-searching questions posed to a young local rugby or soccer starlet.
One of this year's featured Mumbles Rangers football six-year-olds was Charlie Smith.
Q Favourite teacher?
A Mrs Hurley.
So there you are, Mrs H - proof that promotion in Community Times works!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Welsh butcher enjoys his own recipe for PR fun
One of Swansea's finest proponents of grassroots PR is about to hang up his hotline to the Evening Post.
Roger Thomas has been one of the city's finest butchers but now plans to retire.
He'll be missed not only for his range of exquisite meats, pies and ready-made meals but also for his passion for publicity.
Being the owner of a small business is tough, not least when you're competing against the big boys who seem to have marketing budgets the size of a nation state's GDP.
But Roger simply got on with the job in hand, ensuring that Sketty-based Howard Thomas and Sons - the business launched by his father - achieved more than its fair share of photo stories in the Evening Post.
Topical
Rugby was his favourite topical hook. If Wales won a Grand Slam he'd create a sausage with ingredients favoured by each of the defeated opponents - beef for England, malt whisky for Scotland ...
Invariably, a Post reporter would hear about the new offering, see it as a fun way of illustrating a big story and send out a photographer. Roger and his staff would be pictured with a string of their new bangers.
Only this summer he was still at it. Roger's World Cup sausage was a South African-style concoction of beef, pork, coriander, nutmeg, Worcester sauce, vinegar, garlic and thyme.
I'm ashamed to say that the Media Master family failed to make the short trip to Frogmore Avenue. Our loss.
What Roger did show is that a little creativity and cheek can go a long way in getting news of your business out there. Well done, Roger - now you'll have more time to enjoy reading your bulky scrapbook of press cuttings!
Roger Thomas has been one of the city's finest butchers but now plans to retire.
He'll be missed not only for his range of exquisite meats, pies and ready-made meals but also for his passion for publicity.
Being the owner of a small business is tough, not least when you're competing against the big boys who seem to have marketing budgets the size of a nation state's GDP.
But Roger simply got on with the job in hand, ensuring that Sketty-based Howard Thomas and Sons - the business launched by his father - achieved more than its fair share of photo stories in the Evening Post.
Topical
Rugby was his favourite topical hook. If Wales won a Grand Slam he'd create a sausage with ingredients favoured by each of the defeated opponents - beef for England, malt whisky for Scotland ...
Invariably, a Post reporter would hear about the new offering, see it as a fun way of illustrating a big story and send out a photographer. Roger and his staff would be pictured with a string of their new bangers.
Only this summer he was still at it. Roger's World Cup sausage was a South African-style concoction of beef, pork, coriander, nutmeg, Worcester sauce, vinegar, garlic and thyme.
I'm ashamed to say that the Media Master family failed to make the short trip to Frogmore Avenue. Our loss.
What Roger did show is that a little creativity and cheek can go a long way in getting news of your business out there. Well done, Roger - now you'll have more time to enjoy reading your bulky scrapbook of press cuttings!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Welsh PR pedals an upbeat Swansea message
The Swansea PR machine has been in top gear for today's leg of the Tour of Britain cycle race.
As the men with jerseys brighter than the 2010 Mensa champion prepare to hit the city streets, the media has been fed a saddlebagful of info.
It wasn't enough to stop the Evening Post pointing out - in pictorial grandeur no less - that there were one or two potholes amongst the Constitution Hill cobbles.
But the public relations onslaught has since had the desired effect of raising the neighbourhood profile of the Tour's visit.
On two fronts it's been important - the Swansea public need to know about the day's road traffic changes, and the city must generate positive publicity for its economic well being.
Bigging up
The council media team has trawled its contacts book to issue quotes bigging up the day. Those tapped for comments include council culture chief Iwan Davies, cafe owner Nigel Evans, Federation of Small Businesses official Mike Jones, Tourism Swansea Bay chairman Tony McGetrick and city tourism manager Steve Hopkins.
The front page Tour picture in the current edition of council tabloid The Leader was predictable but there was also page one exposure via glossy mag What's On in Swansea, a decent build-up on Real Radio and increasingly excitable material in the Evening Post.
Post reporter Jason Evans has provided the journalistic highlight, cycling some of the long, hilly route himself and even managing to conquer the daunting incline of Constitution Hill (now with potholes repaired).
The media interest shows what can be achieved with an informed and coordinated promotional effort.
Good luck to all concerned - saddle sore or not.
As the men with jerseys brighter than the 2010 Mensa champion prepare to hit the city streets, the media has been fed a saddlebagful of info.
It wasn't enough to stop the Evening Post pointing out - in pictorial grandeur no less - that there were one or two potholes amongst the Constitution Hill cobbles.
But the public relations onslaught has since had the desired effect of raising the neighbourhood profile of the Tour's visit.
On two fronts it's been important - the Swansea public need to know about the day's road traffic changes, and the city must generate positive publicity for its economic well being.
Bigging up
The council media team has trawled its contacts book to issue quotes bigging up the day. Those tapped for comments include council culture chief Iwan Davies, cafe owner Nigel Evans, Federation of Small Businesses official Mike Jones, Tourism Swansea Bay chairman Tony McGetrick and city tourism manager Steve Hopkins.
The front page Tour picture in the current edition of council tabloid The Leader was predictable but there was also page one exposure via glossy mag What's On in Swansea, a decent build-up on Real Radio and increasingly excitable material in the Evening Post.
Post reporter Jason Evans has provided the journalistic highlight, cycling some of the long, hilly route himself and even managing to conquer the daunting incline of Constitution Hill (now with potholes repaired).
The media interest shows what can be achieved with an informed and coordinated promotional effort.
Good luck to all concerned - saddle sore or not.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Henson gimmick is a Wales masterstroke
Welsh expertise in marketing, promotion and PR has come a long way since John Toshack posed with Barry John and Gareth Edwards on the Cardiff Arms Park turf.
A black and white image of that early 70s rendezvous - with all three in loose-fitting cotton Wales rugby jerseys and Tosh clutching a brown leather oval ball - adorns a wall of Pontcanna's Cameo Club.
It was there for all to admire yesterday as Effective Communication colleagues met to discuss fabulous plans for a key area of our business.
I wonder if Gavin Henson's new promo shot for Wales' latest Under Armour skin will be in the bistros and cappuccino haunts of Cefneithin, Blaengwynfi and Tonyrefail in years to come?
Probably not - but it's everywhere now! A few puzzled sentences of reaction from past and present Wales internationals has ensured that.
Gimmick
Others have been a little more informed in their pronouncements: "It's a good sales gimmick."
And in Welsh rugby's professional era we should expect many more examples of such creative thinking, activity which encourages media-friendly mild outrage.
Those involved in top-flight Welsh rugby know the sport is a dog-eat-dog pressurised world of hirings, firings, hard-fought commercial deals, tight margins and underwhelming ticket sales.
The players know full well that promotional activity is key - if the Henson stunt does have a negative effect on the sensitivities of a few then more fool them.
Just contrast the number of fans at tonight's Ospreys-Treviso game with the number of people around the UK who know what Wales'new shirt looks like, who the sponsor is, who the manufacturer is and which rugby star's on Stricty Come Dancing.
No contest. Yet despite this being the Italian club's (slightly) historic first Magners League appearance on British or Irish soil what creative energy have the Welsh galacticos put into getting bums on seats at the Liberty Stadium today? Put up Scott Johnson and a few players at a Tuesday press conference by the looks of it.
It's 2010 not the days of It's a Knockout. Publicity images of three guys with a ball in front of an empty stand now do little to trigger merchandise sales and to raise profile.
The Henson stunt is a masterstroke. Well done to all concerned.
A black and white image of that early 70s rendezvous - with all three in loose-fitting cotton Wales rugby jerseys and Tosh clutching a brown leather oval ball - adorns a wall of Pontcanna's Cameo Club.
It was there for all to admire yesterday as Effective Communication colleagues met to discuss fabulous plans for a key area of our business.
I wonder if Gavin Henson's new promo shot for Wales' latest Under Armour skin will be in the bistros and cappuccino haunts of Cefneithin, Blaengwynfi and Tonyrefail in years to come?
Probably not - but it's everywhere now! A few puzzled sentences of reaction from past and present Wales internationals has ensured that.
Gimmick
Others have been a little more informed in their pronouncements: "It's a good sales gimmick."
And in Welsh rugby's professional era we should expect many more examples of such creative thinking, activity which encourages media-friendly mild outrage.
Those involved in top-flight Welsh rugby know the sport is a dog-eat-dog pressurised world of hirings, firings, hard-fought commercial deals, tight margins and underwhelming ticket sales.
The players know full well that promotional activity is key - if the Henson stunt does have a negative effect on the sensitivities of a few then more fool them.
Just contrast the number of fans at tonight's Ospreys-Treviso game with the number of people around the UK who know what Wales'new shirt looks like, who the sponsor is, who the manufacturer is and which rugby star's on Stricty Come Dancing.
No contest. Yet despite this being the Italian club's (slightly) historic first Magners League appearance on British or Irish soil what creative energy have the Welsh galacticos put into getting bums on seats at the Liberty Stadium today? Put up Scott Johnson and a few players at a Tuesday press conference by the looks of it.
It's 2010 not the days of It's a Knockout. Publicity images of three guys with a ball in front of an empty stand now do little to trigger merchandise sales and to raise profile.
The Henson stunt is a masterstroke. Well done to all concerned.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
PR roller coaster - all in a Swansea day's work
When you're trying to enhance the profile of Welsh business through the medium of PR it can be a roller coaster ride.
Yesterday was a case in point. Going about Effective Communication everyday business in Swansea, activities moved swiftly between highs and lows.
More precisely, my public relations tasks switched rapidly from helping delighted solicitor Peter Lynn sponsor a Gorseinon charity gig by Swansea bands Doctor Watson, Freeflow and Honeyslave to being instructed to help manage expected media interest in the sad tale of a business collapse.
The day had begun on a high as the South Wales Evening Post used with great prominence a commentary on financial prudence by Richard Croydon, of Effective client Brewin Dolphin.
They're one of the UK's most successful personal investment management operations and the feature was based on sound expertise.
Crisis management
The day went on to bring a hook-up with a down-in-the-dumps businessman who needed some crisis management.
His company has had a little difficulty with the courts and, pleasant guy that he is, now seeks to undergo a programme of rebuilding the trust and goodwill of his community.
We'll ensure that, punishment over, he'll look back in a few months and thank his pal who recommended Effective to him.
To end on a high, Robert Lloyd Griffiths of the Wales IoD, was in demand from BBC Wales.
They invited him along to their Llandaff studios to comment on a key issue and he was thrilled to do so, keeping his profile high with it.
Robert also tipped me off about a BBC Radio Wales slot he has coming up this Monday. He'll be rising early to be the morning's newspaper reviewer on the station's breakfast show.
Good stuff, Robert - it's a shame that everyone's not on such a roll at the same time!
Yesterday was a case in point. Going about Effective Communication everyday business in Swansea, activities moved swiftly between highs and lows.
More precisely, my public relations tasks switched rapidly from helping delighted solicitor Peter Lynn sponsor a Gorseinon charity gig by Swansea bands Doctor Watson, Freeflow and Honeyslave to being instructed to help manage expected media interest in the sad tale of a business collapse.
The day had begun on a high as the South Wales Evening Post used with great prominence a commentary on financial prudence by Richard Croydon, of Effective client Brewin Dolphin.
They're one of the UK's most successful personal investment management operations and the feature was based on sound expertise.
Crisis management
The day went on to bring a hook-up with a down-in-the-dumps businessman who needed some crisis management.
His company has had a little difficulty with the courts and, pleasant guy that he is, now seeks to undergo a programme of rebuilding the trust and goodwill of his community.
We'll ensure that, punishment over, he'll look back in a few months and thank his pal who recommended Effective to him.
To end on a high, Robert Lloyd Griffiths of the Wales IoD, was in demand from BBC Wales.
They invited him along to their Llandaff studios to comment on a key issue and he was thrilled to do so, keeping his profile high with it.
Robert also tipped me off about a BBC Radio Wales slot he has coming up this Monday. He'll be rising early to be the morning's newspaper reviewer on the station's breakfast show.
Good stuff, Robert - it's a shame that everyone's not on such a roll at the same time!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Wales holiday business on the PR hunt
PR and the media will be very much on the agenda when tourism professionals gather in Swansea on September 28.
And I'm delighted to report that I'll be there, hosting an informal - but highly informative - Q&A session with Rupert Hall, the South Wales Evening Post's very engaging business reporter.
He's agreed to reveal to visitors at the Tourism Swansea Bay Marketing Mix Roadshow how to make their businesses essential to editors.
The big question, no doubt, will be: "How can I tempt a journalist to write a great story about my business?"
Spotlight
We hatched the plan over tea and coffee in Morgans Hotel and are both looking forward to our half-hour in the spotlight at the nearby LC.
It goes without saying that successful PR involves developing good relationships with the journalists you may have to deal with in future months and years.
The writers and broadcasters themselves seek to build a great contacts list - so get yourself along to the show and add a few more crucial names and numbers to your Windows Contacts.
Other speakers include Visit Wales head of campaigns and digital marketing Gillian Berntsen, South West Wales Media advertisement director Lisa Cameron and The Wave and Swansea Sound station director Helen Bowden.
And I'm delighted to report that I'll be there, hosting an informal - but highly informative - Q&A session with Rupert Hall, the South Wales Evening Post's very engaging business reporter.
He's agreed to reveal to visitors at the Tourism Swansea Bay Marketing Mix Roadshow how to make their businesses essential to editors.
The big question, no doubt, will be: "How can I tempt a journalist to write a great story about my business?"
Spotlight
We hatched the plan over tea and coffee in Morgans Hotel and are both looking forward to our half-hour in the spotlight at the nearby LC.
It goes without saying that successful PR involves developing good relationships with the journalists you may have to deal with in future months and years.
The writers and broadcasters themselves seek to build a great contacts list - so get yourself along to the show and add a few more crucial names and numbers to your Windows Contacts.
Other speakers include Visit Wales head of campaigns and digital marketing Gillian Berntsen, South West Wales Media advertisement director Lisa Cameron and The Wave and Swansea Sound station director Helen Bowden.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Twitter: A prime PR tool for Swansea
They often say that Swansea - Wales' second city - is simply a big village.
That's (largely) meant as a great compliment, explaining how so many people know each other.
This close-knit nature means that citizens are highly likely to follow local acquaintances through the magical new media world of Twitter.
Each tweet may only be short but every day now brings lovely examples of 140-character Swansea PR bursts. That's why professional communicators Effective Communication now offer social media services to back up their expertise in dealing with the traditional media.
Today my own twitterfeed includes:
Earn 75p per ticket commission for selling Calvin Harris tickets! pointing to an online promo for the Oceana club
NHS in Wales faces £380m cutbacks BBC Wales web page
Come to Swansea City Reserves v Swindon Town Reserves Tuesday 14:00-16:00. Facebook event promo
Have you ever made a costly mistake at work? Nation Radio Facebook page
We're reviewing our houses in multiple occupation licensing policy and welcome your views Swansea Council web page
Breakfast Show Blog The Kev Johns blog page on Swansea Sound's website
That's (largely) meant as a great compliment, explaining how so many people know each other.
This close-knit nature means that citizens are highly likely to follow local acquaintances through the magical new media world of Twitter.
Each tweet may only be short but every day now brings lovely examples of 140-character Swansea PR bursts. That's why professional communicators Effective Communication now offer social media services to back up their expertise in dealing with the traditional media.
Today my own twitterfeed includes:
Earn 75p per ticket commission for selling Calvin Harris tickets! pointing to an online promo for the Oceana club
NHS in Wales faces £380m cutbacks BBC Wales web page
Come to Swansea City Reserves v Swindon Town Reserves Tuesday 14:00-16:00. Facebook event promo
Have you ever made a costly mistake at work? Nation Radio Facebook page
We're reviewing our houses in multiple occupation licensing policy and welcome your views Swansea Council web page
Breakfast Show Blog The Kev Johns blog page on Swansea Sound's website
Monday, September 6, 2010
Online PR strategy crucial to Welsh business
A weekend with other communications professionals underlined the need for Welsh business to health-check its online PR and marketing activity.
Our Cardiff gathering, Writing for the Web, explored the wide issue of driving traffic to web-based shop windows and keeping it there.
Delegates included Wales-based PR and marketing folk, journalists and lecturers from locations between Carmarthen and Usk.
Organisations represented ranged from union giant Unison to sole trader Grey Pebble Productions and from the National Union of Journalists to cycle business Wheelies and the University of Glamorgan.
Passionate exponent
Our guide was Simon Williams, a passionate exponent of good web practice.
We all took much from his guidance. My own focus was on developing skills to help push client websites ever higher in Google searches.
Action points being passed on to Effective Communication clients include:
A strong, well considered online strategy can enhance the profile - and profits - of every business. Hands up who's got one!
Our Cardiff gathering, Writing for the Web, explored the wide issue of driving traffic to web-based shop windows and keeping it there.
Delegates included Wales-based PR and marketing folk, journalists and lecturers from locations between Carmarthen and Usk.
Organisations represented ranged from union giant Unison to sole trader Grey Pebble Productions and from the National Union of Journalists to cycle business Wheelies and the University of Glamorgan.
Passionate exponent
Our guide was Simon Williams, a passionate exponent of good web practice.
We all took much from his guidance. My own focus was on developing skills to help push client websites ever higher in Google searches.
Action points being passed on to Effective Communication clients include:
- get busy on the web in a way that directly relates to customers - blog, contribute to forums and use social media, in all cases using links and key words widely and wisely;
- take a fresh look at your website - ensure it appeals to punters, guides them smoothly and enables them to find what they want;
- ensure that your online content is good quality - don't compromise.
A strong, well considered online strategy can enhance the profile - and profits - of every business. Hands up who's got one!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Nigel's making plans for Gorseinon
Nigel Dudley is a man on a mission.
The publishing whirlwind is about to add a third title to his South Wales portfolio.
Eye on Gorseinon will service one of the Swansea area's most populous areas which boasts a town centre with plenty of local trade alongside some high-profile nationals.
It's in the throes of climbing away from its post-industrial dip and suffered a little in media terms when the small-circulation Llwchwr edition of the Llanelli Star ceased publication a couple of years back.
Nigel now believes the time's right for his fresh-faced advertorial magazine-style approach.
Building on the success of his Neath and Swansea Valley titles - Neath Gnolledge and Valley View - he is busily preparing for launch in the coming weeks. Expect a football programme-sized glossy with features of one and two pages. The majority will be delivered door-to-door.
When we last met he was planning a 13,000 circulation of his new free and had already got a healthy number of businesses on board. He was looking for an MoT/Servicing garage to add to the mix.
I'm meeting him this morning on behalf of a client from the hospitality sector and will be interested to see how far his planning has come.
The publishing whirlwind is about to add a third title to his South Wales portfolio.
Eye on Gorseinon will service one of the Swansea area's most populous areas which boasts a town centre with plenty of local trade alongside some high-profile nationals.
It's in the throes of climbing away from its post-industrial dip and suffered a little in media terms when the small-circulation Llwchwr edition of the Llanelli Star ceased publication a couple of years back.
Nigel now believes the time's right for his fresh-faced advertorial magazine-style approach.
Building on the success of his Neath and Swansea Valley titles - Neath Gnolledge and Valley View - he is busily preparing for launch in the coming weeks. Expect a football programme-sized glossy with features of one and two pages. The majority will be delivered door-to-door.
When we last met he was planning a 13,000 circulation of his new free and had already got a healthy number of businesses on board. He was looking for an MoT/Servicing garage to add to the mix.
I'm meeting him this morning on behalf of a client from the hospitality sector and will be interested to see how far his planning has come.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Facebook generation still enjoy the glossies
New mums have so much to think about that some even forget to Facebook.
Others, however, use those rare moments when baby's dozing to post a few offspring images for social media followers.
All want to learn more about the new landscape in which they live - parenthood. And all - well, most - adjust their household budgets and spending habits.
Which is where a new twice-yearly magazine from the South Wales Evening Post stable comes in.
Swansea Bay Early Years is due out this month - free in some places, £1 in others - and its design is being masterminded by the editor of Swansea Life and Swansea Bay Business Life, Wyn Jenkins. That suggests it'll be a good looking glossy that'll hang around coffee table for some weeks to come.
He promises that the A4 glossy will cover Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire and that it'll be targeted directly at those with children aged one to five. Print run: 7,000.
Advertisers on board already include clothing and equipment retailers, childcare providers, private schools and hotels with a key interest in the family market.
Facebook remains one key option for interested businesses, of course, but Swansea Bay Early Years may also be worth a punt. Book prices include around £340 for a full page ad and Wyn would be happy to hear from those with potential editorial content. I have contact details for those keen to know more.
Others, however, use those rare moments when baby's dozing to post a few offspring images for social media followers.
All want to learn more about the new landscape in which they live - parenthood. And all - well, most - adjust their household budgets and spending habits.
Which is where a new twice-yearly magazine from the South Wales Evening Post stable comes in.
Swansea Bay Early Years is due out this month - free in some places, £1 in others - and its design is being masterminded by the editor of Swansea Life and Swansea Bay Business Life, Wyn Jenkins. That suggests it'll be a good looking glossy that'll hang around coffee table for some weeks to come.
He promises that the A4 glossy will cover Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire and that it'll be targeted directly at those with children aged one to five. Print run: 7,000.
Advertisers on board already include clothing and equipment retailers, childcare providers, private schools and hotels with a key interest in the family market.
Facebook remains one key option for interested businesses, of course, but Swansea Bay Early Years may also be worth a punt. Book prices include around £340 for a full page ad and Wyn would be happy to hear from those with potential editorial content. I have contact details for those keen to know more.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Rugby bloggers predict a Blues blast
Magners League rugby returns this weekend. The Ospreys visit Ulster on Friday, the Dragons, Blues and Scarlets kick off on Saturday against Connacht (a), Edinburgh (h) and Treviso (a) respectively.
There'll be much build-up in mainstream media such as the Western Mail and South Wales Evening Post but it's increasingly worth checking out online coverage.
The Rugby Blog is a case in point. It's run by forward-thinking company Front5 and is fast gaining credibility in oval-ball circles.
Its Magners club-by-club guide is already online, penned by Matt Kellett and predicting a final table of: 1 Leinster, 2 Blues, 3 Ospreys, 4 Munster, 5 Glasgow, 6 Edinburgh, 7 Ulster, 8 Dragons, 9 Scarlets, 10 Connacht, 11 Treviso, 12 Aironi.
Choice comments include:
Blues Dan Parks, from Glasgow, could prove to be the best signing of the summer.
Dragons Wing Aled Brew needs to be a key player if the Dragons are to finally push for a top-half finish.
Ospreys If they can navigate their way through the long season to the top four, they’ll have what it takes to claim back-to-back titles.
Scarlets Centre Regan King has become one of the best players in the league and is the heartbeat of this team. Can he lift the team into the top half?
Whether you use traditional media or the online variety - or both - enjoy the ride!
There'll be much build-up in mainstream media such as the Western Mail and South Wales Evening Post but it's increasingly worth checking out online coverage.
The Rugby Blog is a case in point. It's run by forward-thinking company Front5 and is fast gaining credibility in oval-ball circles.
Its Magners club-by-club guide is already online, penned by Matt Kellett and predicting a final table of: 1 Leinster, 2 Blues, 3 Ospreys, 4 Munster, 5 Glasgow, 6 Edinburgh, 7 Ulster, 8 Dragons, 9 Scarlets, 10 Connacht, 11 Treviso, 12 Aironi.
Choice comments include:
Blues Dan Parks, from Glasgow, could prove to be the best signing of the summer.
Dragons Wing Aled Brew needs to be a key player if the Dragons are to finally push for a top-half finish.
Ospreys If they can navigate their way through the long season to the top four, they’ll have what it takes to claim back-to-back titles.
Scarlets Centre Regan King has become one of the best players in the league and is the heartbeat of this team. Can he lift the team into the top half?
Whether you use traditional media or the online variety - or both - enjoy the ride!
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