Learn how to effectively use PR to market your business !

Effective PR Strategies for Small Business

Date: 1st May 2013
Time: 9.30am to 5.00pm
Venue: Absolute Hotel
Bookings at www.limceb.ie

                                                     Managing the Media

                                                      Date: 29th May
                                                      Time: 9.30am - 1pm
                                                      Venue: Absolute Hotel
                                                      Bookings at www.limceb.ie


I am delighted to say that Quinn Communications will be running two PR workshops once again this year for Limerick City Enterprise Board (details above) aimed primarily at small business owners/managers who need to develop a better understanding of how to effectively use PR and the media to grow their business.

In the first one day workshop on Wednesday 1st of May, Effective PR Strategies for Small Business, I will aim to provide practical advice on how to develop an effective PR strategy for a small business and how to use PR creatively to promote your business.

Lots of tips will be provided on the day and the session will be interactive with plenty of discussion and exchange of views / opinions and experiences.

Please book through www.limceb.ie and the cost is €40 for the full day.

The second workshop on Wednesday the 29th of May is half a day and its entitled Managing the Media. The objective of this workshop is to inform participants on the everchanging media landscape locally and in Ireland and tips will be provided to help them prepare for media interviews.

Again, please book through www.limceb.ie and the cost is €25 for the half day.

Please mail me with any enquiries to niamh@quinncommunications.ie, more details nearer the time.

Hope to see you there!

Niamh

Is my PR worth the effort and how will I know?

This blog post was also published on Donncha Hughes' blog, earlier this month when he asked me to  write a guest post, thanks Donncha. Donncha is a fantastic mentor, trainer and business advisor to SMEs and startups, offering a range of services, see his website www.startuphughes.com.

I get asked a lot about Public Relations (PR) Evaluation by clients and potential clients who are somewhat skeptical about the benefits of PR and how it will help their business. It’s understandable , particularly in times of tighter budgets, that clients need to justify the costs involved. Here are my thoughts on the topic……………

Public Relations is an intangible, and it is therefore difficult, not impossible, but difficult to measure.  How do you know if a particular success in your business such as an increase in sales (the most commonly mentioned one), can be linked to PR? The short answer is you don’t know for sure but there are some key things to remember when embarking on a PR campaign which will assist you in determining its success.

It’s critical to set out your objectives at the beginning of any PR campaign and know what you want to achieve. If you do this, you will at least have a benchmark against which to measure your successes. For example, if an objective is to increase sales, then a good way of determining whether you have succeeded is to track leads. Ask new customers how they heard about you and you will soon begin to determine if its your PR which is assisting in the generation of sales.

PR is about building  reputation, one PR hit wont necessarily do this on its own. One ad is unlikely to either by the way. PR works best if carried out in a strategic fashion, over a period of time, preferably 12 months and in conjunction with the other elements of the marketing mix such as Advertising, Direct Mail, Direct Selling etc.

Part of that strategy will be identifying your target audience, key messages and the publications and media which you wish to achieve publicity in to reach that audience.

You can collate the clippings yourself, being mindful of copyright issues, or employ a press cuttings agency to assist you in collating media coverage in those target publications and media. Over a period of time, you will see how many hits you have achieved and where.

If you wish you can see what this coverage might cost in equivalent advertising revenue, ie if you purchased the same amount of advertising, how much would it cost you?. You will see that PR is often  more cost effective in terms of column inches.

Key message content is also a good way of measuring the effectiveness of a PR campaign. Part of your PR strategy will be to have a set of key messages which you wish to convey to your target audience. You can analyse your media coverage for those messages and see if you are managing to get them across.

Technological advances are also continuing to transform the media landscape in which we operate.  The new media channels such as blogs , Facebook ,Linked In and Twitter have helped to generate a proliferation of media.  On the one hand, this creates opportunities, on the other it presents a challenge in terms of measurement. Many of these platforms have measurement tools inbuilt which enable you to see who is viewing your Linked In profile for example or how many people have ‘Liked’ your Facebook page and ‘Retweeted’ your Tweets. Seewww.measurement.ie, details of a recent conference which may also provide some useful insights.

In summary, here are some tips for measuring the effectiveness of PR :

1.Set clear objectives

2.Be strategic in terms of the publications & media you target, have a clear message

3.Monitor your media coverage

4.Compare your media coverage to equivalent advertising spend

5. Measure the effectiveness of your PR across all media, traditional and new media

6. Ask your customers where they heard about you

Any further queries, don’t hesitate to get in touch, I am on 087 122 0119.

'The beginning is the most important part of the work,' Plato

(l to r) Brian Moore, Motivational Speaker & Referral Expert; John Flynn, MD, BCS Computers; Eoin Tynan O'Mahony , Regional Manager Plato MidWest yours truly at launch of Plato Midwest Advanced Group earlier this year



For the last few months, I have been attending the Plato Midwest Advanced Group in Shannon, so I thought I would tell you a little bit about it and what it involves.

I've been a member of Plato for a few years now and have always found it useful as a Sole Trader, working alone, to have a confidential forum for discussion, problem solving and general brainstorming of ideas.

That is what Plato is all about, the peer to peer group discussion as well as the involvement of the Group Leaders from multinationals and large companies in the Region.

You get the benefit of the large company experience and specialist knowledge from the Group Leaders and I have found that neither they nor the other members in the Group are shy in coming forward with advice!

The Plato Advanced Group moves it up a notch and the idea is that it will help me to focus more on where my business is going, to find my niche and challenge me to come up with a clearer vision.

So far I have been finding the Group very beneficial for a few different reasons:

As I said above, working alone, you don’t have the benefit of a team around you so in some ways I see Plato as filling that gap.

Coming up with ideas all the time is challenging. As part of developing a clear, strategic vision for your business, you need new ideas that set you apart so I have had to actively seek new ways of developing them.

This in turn has energised what I am doing.

I will keep you posted on how it develops but for now it’s a winning formula for me.

Plato Midwest is an initiative of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment through the Enterprise Boards of Clare, Limerick County and Limerick City with the support of Limerick Chamber, IBEC and Fas.

Further information visit www.plato.ie/midwest.

Effective PR Strategies for Small Business, Alan English, Limerick Leader, Guest speaker !

Effective PR Strategies for Small Business

Local editor, Alan English, guest speaker

16th October 2012, Strand Hotel Limerick City, 9.30am to 4.30pm

Cost : €30

Folks, I am running another PR course in Limerick City, next Tuesday and if you own or run a small business in Limerick City and would like to learn how to deal more effectively with the media then this workshop could be for you!
Organised by Limerick City Enterprise Board the course is Great Value for money and lunch is provided.

The one day workshop presented by myself will help you by providing practical advice on how to develop an effective PR strategy for your business. I will cover media relations top tips, the ‘do's and don’ts’ when dealing with the media, tips for writing press releases and setting up photocalls.

In addition, Alan English, editor of the Limerick Leader, will join the workshop as guest speaker to give us some inside track on the challenges facing local media today so we can look forward to that.

Places are limited so booking is essential, please book your place online at http://www.limceb.ie/event-registration/?ee=76email. See www.limceb.ie for details on this and other workshops for small businesses.

Some testimonials:

“Since attending the PR workshop which Niamh was running in conjunction with Limerick City Enterprise Board my whole approach to the PR and marketing of my business has become much more effective. Niamh has great insight into the tricks of the media trade and a very clear way of dispensing this information to others. I would highly recommend anyone in business to take one of Niamh’s workshops.” Asa Carlsson / House of Norden – The Scandinavian Design Boutique.”

“I really enjoyed the course, it was a fantastic insight into the local and national media outlets, it gave me a completely different mindset of how PR works and I am very grateful for that. I would recommend it to any business, big or small, new or old.” Marie Keating, Marie Keating Photography.

Limerick City Enterprise Board launches Limerick Business Week 2012

Dear all,

Please see press release below from Limerick City Enterprise Board regarding the launch of Limerick Business Week 2012.

Limerick Business Week is in its ninth year and has attracted hundreds of business people each year and this year will be no different.

The events are all FREE of charge, there is a fantastic line up of speakers so its a must for all business people in Limerick City & County.

Have a look, I hope to see you all there!

Niamh

Limerick City Enterprise Board launches Limerick Business Week 2012, 1st to 5th October

(l to r) Pat Rickard, Chairman of Limerick City Enterprise Board, Dr. Helena Lenihan, Assistant Dean, Research and Senior Lecturer in Economics ,Kemmy Business School, UL; Eamon Ryan, CEO, Limerick City Enterprise Board and Cllr Gerry McLoughlin, Mayor of Limerick City.


PRESS RELEASE

Limerick City Enterprise Board launches Limerick Business Week 2012, 1st to 5th October

Limerick City Enterprise Board, responsible for developing small business through training, mentoring, financial assistance and other services in Limerick City, has announced details of Limerick Business Week 2012, which will run from the 1st to the 5th of October.

Limerick Business Week will provide support and information to assist and promote businesses in Limerick. The City Enterprise Board has teamed up with a number of business organisations and agencies to organise a packed week of networking events, presentations, seminars, a business showcase and workshops.

Highlights during the week will include ‘Brighter Horizons’ on Monday 1st October with Dr. Helena Lenihan, Assistant Dean, Research and Senior Lecturer in Economics at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick. Dr. Lenihan will talk about the impact of Enterprise Policy Interventions on small businesses in Ireland. With a current unemployment rate in the region of 14.9%, any jobs strategy needs an enterprise policy dimension.

The events include, on the 3rd of October, ‘Growing your Business in International Markets’ with Dr.Briga Hynes, Kemmy Business School, UL, Neil Kelly, Enterprise Ireland and John MacNamara, BCM Ltd, which will ask ‘Why export?’ and will look at what it means for pre-export and early stage exporting companies or existing companies wishing to explore international markets.

The Mayor of Limerick City, Cllr Gerry McLoughlin, who officially launched Limerick Business Week at City Hall commented, “I am delighted to see the continued level of support for small business provided by the Enterprise Boards in Limerick. Their training programmes are second to none, ranging from more traditional areas such as bookkeeping and marketing to cutting edge disciplines such as ebusiness. We look forward to Limerick Business Week and at a time when there are more challenges than ever facing small business, the role of the Enterprise Boards is more critical than ever.”
Eamon Ryan, CEO of Limerick City Enterprise Board said, “For almost 20 years now, we have supported local entrepreneurs in building sustainable businesses. Our message continues to be that ‘we are open for business’ and ‘we can help’ through our various training and development programmes, mentoring or business grants. We look forward to meeting local businesses during Limerick Business Week and we hope they will benefit from the wide variety of advice and insights on offer.”

Events during Limerick Business Week are free of charge but prior booking is essential. Log on to www.limceb.ie for full details and booking information or contact Limerick City Enterprise Board on 061 312611.

The CEBs in Ireland were established by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation with responsibility for promoting Enterprise through training, mentoring and financial assistance. CEBs provide direct grant support to new and existing enterprises, and are uniquely positioned to understand local needs and know the background and track record of those applying for support and assistance.

Limerick Business Week Overview

Mon 1st October
Brighter Horizons & Networking, Limerick Strand Hotel
Booking www.limceb.ie

Tues 2nd October
Chamber Top Ten Sales Tips, National Franchise Centre
Booking Limerick Chamber info@limerickchamber.ie

Wed 3rd October
International Markets, Clarion Hotel
Going Global, a Female Perspective, Carlton Castletroy Park Hotel
Booking www.limceb.ie

Thurs 4th October
Irish Innovation Showcase, DELL, Raheen
Booking www.irishinnovationshowcase.ie

Fri 5th October
Small Business Start-Ups, Absolute Hotel
Booking http://www.paulpartnership.ie

Dear readers,

Last month, I posted on my blog about some PR workshops which I was planning in the Autumn, well the first of these is in Ennis on 4th October for Clare County Enterprise Board, details below. If you are interested in coming along, booking details below or please pass on to friends, colleagues who you think might be interested.

Thanks  a million,

Niamh

Effective PR Strategies for Small Business

4th October 2012, Woodstock Hotel , Ennis, 9.30am to 4.30pm

Do you own or run a small business in Co. Clare? Would you like to learn how to deal more effectively with the media? Then this workshop is for you!

Organised by Clare County Enterprise Board and presented by my good self, the one day workshop will help you by providing practical advice on how to develop an effective PR strategy for your business.
I will cover media relations top tips, the ‘do's and dont's’ when dealing with the media as well as tips for writing press releases and setting up photocalls.

In addition, a guest speaker from the local media will give some inside track on the challenges facing local media today.

Places are limited so booking is essential, please book your place online at http://www.clareceb.ieor contact Clare County Enterprise Board on 065 684 1922

Some testimonials:

“Since attending the PR workshop which Niamh was running in conjunction with Limerick City Enterprise Board my whole approach to the PR and marketing of my business has become much more effective. Niamh has great insight into the tricks of the media trade and a very clear way of dispensing this information to others. I would highly recommend anyone in business to take one of Niamh’s workshops.” Asa Carlsson / House of Norden – The Scandinavian Design Boutique.”

“I really enjoyed the course, it was a fantastic insight into the local and national media outlets, it gave me a completely different mindset of how PR works and I am very grateful for that. I would recommend it to any business, big or small, new or old.” Marie Keating, Marie Keating Photography.



Autumn PR Workshops in Limerick & Clare

Autumn Dates for your Diary

PR Workshops for Small Business in Limerick & Clare

Do you own or run a small business in Limerick City or Co. Clare? Would you like to learn how to deal more effectively with the media? Then this Autumn, I will be running two one day PR Workshops, one in Limerick City and one in Ennis, Co.Clare on behalf of the Enterprise Boards.

The PR Workshops will help you by providing practical advice on how to develop an effective PR strategy for your business.  I will dispel the myth that PR is too expensive for the smaller business, explain how to get better ‘bang for your buck’ when dealing with the media and encourage you to think creatively about how to use PR as a tool in promoting your business.

The details are as follows:

Clare County Enterprise Board, 4^th October, Woodstock Hotel, Ennis, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Limerick City Enterprise Board, 16^th October, Strand Hotel Limerick, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

In addition to this I will be holding a Mentoring Clinic on PR in Limerick on behalf of Limerick City Enterprise Board on the 26^th of October at Limerick City Enterprise Board offices on Michael Street, Limerick. The Clinic will be made up of six one to one mentoring sessions  following on from the Workshop on the 16th.

Both Enterprise Boards will be publicizing details of their Autumn training in due course and I will be doing a further blog post in the next few weeks. In the meantime, note the dates if you are interested.

You can contact me on 087 122 0119 if you have any queries or keep an eye on Clare County Enterprise Board and Limerick City Enterprise Board websites for further info and details on how to book.