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Tuesday, February 2, 2016 
Crappy marketing. It's a mistake which has been around for a long, long time. But the growth in social media seems to have given us the opportunity to see even more of it.
Monday, October 5, 2015 
Measurement and evaluation. Fundamental to any effective piece of communications activity, project or campaign. Of course, there are lots of ways in which to do it these days. But should the much derided AVEs be consigned to the bin in the corner forever, or do they have a small part to play after all?
By Nicky Speed
Put your hand in the bucket those who know that the CIPR will disqualify you if you enter one of their awards and include ad value equivalency (AVE) as a measure of success? No, not something I was acutely aware of either - until I attended an event on managing major events and some of the key speakers used the dreaded AVE word!
Now I’m not saying for one minute that we hurtle back to the days when this was pretty much the only performance indicator we used for PR. But should we discount it completely when sometimes it’s the only language that some of our boards, trustees or stakeholders understand?
PR measurement has become a bone of contention in the communications sector. For many industries, services can be measured and return on investment can be easily quantified. This is not the case in our world and I know that many of us are struggling to get to grips with evaluating our work and showing our worth.
Thursday, October 1, 2015 
Ding, ding. Round two. So here we go again. The second generation #PRstack hits the virtual (and actual) shelves of public relations land today.
by David Sawyer
Thirty PR practitioners writing case studies about how they use online tools to do their job better and faster.
I’ve read a few and can’t wait to pore over the rest.
If anything, the quality’s even higher.
Last time round it was a case of “Oooh, I’d not heard of that one. Let’s give it a go.”
In MKII it’s more “Oooh, I was au fait with x and y but never thought of using them together to do z.”
Tuesday, September 29, 2015 
The CIPR is a membership body for public relations in the UK. It is a major voice for the profession. In the race for the Presidency of the organisation Andy Green takes on Jason MacKenzie. We carry a message from both Andy and Jason.
The PR industry remains at a critical juncture. Many people still don’t understand or appreciate the value we create for organisations.
The CIPR’s mandate to unite practitioners in the drive to professionalism is vital. We’re on the right track. Now is not the time to zig-zag or to go off on a tangent.
There are three specific areas I will concentrate on, if I’m elected president.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015 
The CIPR is a membership body for public relations in the UK. It is a major voice for the profession. In the race for the Presidency of the organisation Andy Green takes on Jason McKenzie. We carry a message from both Andy and Jason.
by Andy Green
Public sector comms faces massive challenges in this age of austerity.
Digital transformation continues. We are working in an increasingly networked society where old models of command and control are now no longer valid.
A context of ever rising expectations starkly contrasts with a reality of less resource.
We face the task of ensuring CEO’s understand the value of public relations.
An effective CIPR means you don’t fight these battles alone. A CIPR that increases your resilience. A CIPR that leads the way in redefining a ‘New School PR’ that helps you prove your worth.
I’m going to put a plaque in CIPR HQ reception saying: ‘We are a members led organization’.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 
10 years in communications is a long time. 10 years being a head of comms is a really long time. Lessons are a plenty so here’s a post which attempts to capture the key ones.
Well here’s the thing. I woke up this morning and for the first time in 10-years I am not a head of comms. This is a good thing because it means I have moved on to an exciting new phase of my career.
It’s an obvious time to reflect. Has 10 years of being a head of comms made me a better comms professional? And would I recommend the role to someone else? Here’s my take on it, my top tips and answers to these two simple questions.
I have had some fantastic opportunities. Worked with some brilliant colleagues. Won over a dozen industry awards with them and learned way more than you could ever capture in a single post. I have also sat in some dreary meetings. Had to argue the case for comms, over and over and over and over, and crossed swords with some quite unpleasant people. The rough with the smooth. You know the score.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015 
Know your stuff. Know who covers your patch then get to know them. It's an approach that's as old as the hills but one that continues to bear fruit if done with skill.
It’s interesting to view how much the economic pendulum has swung since the global recession of 2009.
Back then a large part of the media’s agenda was sewn up with the big boys, the car producers, aerospace giants and the financial powerhouses would regularly adorn the pages of the nationals and the airtime of our major broadcasters.
Stories from SMEs - small, medium enterprises - did get covered, don’t get me wrong. However, more often than not they were neatly packaged away in their own special enterprise section and very rarely did they make it into mainstream news.
Monday, June 29, 2015 
Video footage of good work far out at sea is helping to tell the story of the RNLI.
by Mike Rawlins
I volunteer as a Lifeboat Press Officer (LPO) for the RNLI at Macduff in Aberdeenshire where we have the only lifeboat in the RNLI that comes with its own truck and crane for launching, if that ever comes up in a pub quiz, you’ll ace it.
I have to say I have no affinity with the sea or seafaring blood in me, as far as I am aware. I’m from Manchester so the closest we ever got to the sea was the Manchester Ship Canal or Blackpool beach in summer. There was an incident with the pedalos at Weston Super-Mare in 1974 but that’s best forgotten.
Thursday, April 2, 2015 
One of the things that truly makes our heart sing is hearing bright new ideas. Just recently, we hosted a session with former Edelman PR chief Robert Phillips. His new book 'Trust Me: PR is Dead' is a comprehensive takedown of many established practices and an argument for a new way. The good people at Boilerhouse made a short film so you could learn more.
by Dan Slee
Of course, it was entirely fitting that an event for a book about the power of networks should be held in a venue built by networks.
The book was Robert Phillips' 'Trust Me: PR is Dead' his take-down of the traditional PR industry in a post-spin networked world. We've written about it before here and here.
Monday, March 30, 2015 
There’s a certain age and point in your life when you begin to reflect on things that little bit more than you did in your care-free twenties…
I’ve reached that point.
Reflecting.
These reflections include work life and personal life and that’s a good and natural thing. Questioning what you’ve achieved and delving a little deeper into what you really want to do with the rest of your life.
And events which occur in our personal lives add to this and can't help but remind you that nothing lasts forever.
Monday, March 23, 2015 
It's fitting our 650th post is about an event that will challenge convention and involves a number of bright people we rate.
by Dan Slee
When we first kicked around the idea for what comms2point0 would look like we had this idea that it may be a place for ideas to be shared.
We were also keen to make it a place where people could challenge conventions. So, it's rather fitting that our 650th post should be about an event with one of the most iconoclastic authors we've ever written about.
Monday, March 23, 2015 
What started as a chance conversation online has turned into a collaboration and a really useful tool.
by Dan Slee
Back in the day a bloke at the start of events used to ask two questions to a room full of people 'hands up who knows everything?'
Of course, no-one did put their hand up which unless you are an idiot is the right answer.
The truth is that we all know a little and when we put our heads together then we all get to learn something.
Thursday, February 12, 2015 
It's often the most badly handled part of PR. The phone call to sell-in a story to a journalist. Done badly it ends with the phone slammed down. Done well and it can help you hit the bullseye. Here are some thoughts from a master of the craft.
Call me old fashioned, but I still love the cut and thrust of the ‘pitch’ to journalists.
Admittedly, I seem to be a rather shrinking breed if recent articles and twitter conjecture is anything to go by.
And I know from experience, a lot of younger PRs view picking up the phone as appealing a prospect as relying on a London Midland train to get you to your appointment on time.
Don’t get me wrong I can understand the apprehension. I’ve been given many a ‘short shrift’ by experienced hacks, been embroiled in heated exchanges when an embargo has been broken and been left exasperated at the choice of photo the picture editor chose to be a bit ‘different’.
Saturday, November 29, 2014 
The world is changing and PR with it. If you work in PR or communications there is a book and set of arguments you'll be hearing more of in the New Year. It cuts to the heart of what public relations is and does.
by Dan Slee
Fueled by a bottle of red wine a frustrated journalist and blogger wrote a bold post in 2006 called ‘Die! Press Release! Die! Die! Die!’ that took an axe to one of the standard tools in the PR toolbox.
Now taught in colleges the Tom Foremski post was a battle charge against the Linus blanket of the press release and its 400 words of journalese, approved quotes and notes to editors.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014 
The problem with blowing whistles is, it can mean everything stops, or something wrong is about to be put right, or a journey is about to start – or you are about to climb up out of the trench and face murderous machine-gun fire. The trick is to ensure you get the first three and never the evil fourth.
By Alan Taman
Dan Slee wrote that whistleblowing should be a part of the pr contract. Well, yes it should. But I would argue that in talking truth to power, and not being cut down for it, there are several things that need to happen before you even get to the point of putting whistle to lips. Without any of them, you can hear those hammers being primed. It’s only a question of time. And they are all about perspective – how the senior people see you, and see comms.
