By Ian Strachan, Associate Consultant

“There are two kinds of predictions; wrong ones and lucky ones” – anon

Despite the assertion above, we at Clarke Associates have been dusting off the crystal balls, reading our runes and shuffling our tarot cards in order to give you our take on the events of 2010. So here are a few predictions from us. Don’t hold us to them and don’t blame us if we’re wrong. Our fortune telling abilities are no greater or less than your own.

One thing we can predict with absolute certainty is there will be a General Election in 2010, unless Gordon Brown gets so used to the idea of holding unelected office that he decides to scrap the idea of elections altogether.

I predict that the election will be in a month beginning with the letter M, and that the winner will have a Scottish name. I guess that rules Nick Clegg out.

Clarke Associates directors David Clarke and Mark Whitehouse, and associate consultant David Beech are agreed that David Cameron will be the next man in No 10, but are also agreed that it will not be the landslide predicted by some. Indeed David Beech believes that the Tory majority may be so slim that David Cameron could face a leadership challenge from – you guessed it – Boris Johnson.

Mark Whitehouse predicts that one of David Cameron’s first acts will be to insist that Birmingham has an elected mayor, and that after a month of canvassing, a day of voting and two recounts, Jeremy Clarkson wins the day.

On local issues, David Clarke predicts that the West Midlands will become recognised as the world centre for the development of low carbon vehicles. But, following its departure from its association with Birmingham and the Black Country, he also predicts that Coventry will declare independence from the rest of the West Midlands, introduce border controls and its own currency: the Cov.

On a sporting front, the optimists at Clarkes believe Andy Murray will win Wimbledon, and that Henman Hill will be renamed Murray Mount – now there’s a sponsorship opportunity for a well-known sweet manufacturer.

On the subject of optimists, Mark Whitehouse predicts that West Bromwich Albion will get back into the Premiership, this time for good, while I predict that Aston Villa will finally get into Europe the easy way, finishing fourth or higher.
Mark even goes on to predict that England will win the World Cup, beating Argentina in extra time, thanks to a goal punched in by a man whose application for British citizenship was granted at the 11th hour. Step forward Thierry Henry!

Other sporting predictions: F1 Team mates Jensen Button and Lewis Hamilton will have a coming together at some point in the season, the PR machine for the Olympic Stadium will continue to report it as being “on time and on budget”, Cambridge will win the boat race and an Irish horse will win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

We also predict that garden centres will sell out of barbecues – as soon as the Met Office forecasts the wettest summer on record - house prices will remain sluggish, Jedward will win the Eurovision Song Contest, Twitter and other social forums will become so important in opinion forming that the Government appoints a minister for New Media.

Oh, and Film 2009 will become Film 2010.

Clarke Associates' design team has worked hard to completely re-design the website of one of Birmingham's top independent primary schools.

The new-look site, for Norfolk House School - which has more than 140 pupils - uses the bottle green, gold and silver of the uniform to complement the colours of its prospectus.

The new design radically expands the previous site to include more information on the teaching ethos and news about the school and what the pupils are up to.

The site also helped launch the new Norfolk House Nursery which is housed in a completely renovated Victorian house next door to Norfolk House School. The nursery accommodates 52 youngsters from three months to four-years-old.

Norfolk House School is owned by the Challinor family and has a long and proud history spanning more than 70
years. Jonathan Challinor continues the work of his father in guiding the school forward alongside headmistress
Helen Maresca.

The temptation is there. Cut back on your marketing spend when business declines.
Might it be suicidal?

Businesses need to be more focused on their communications and marketing efforts during an economic slowdown and to make more effort to do business in a diminishing marketplace.

“When times are tight, every pound has to be justified. There are still buyers out there and many companies have proved it is possible to grow during an economic downturn - by capturing a larger share of the marketplace when their competitors have reduced spend or even gone off the visibility radar,” said David Clarke, managing director of Clarke Associates.

How you spend is every bit as important as what you spend. Communicating clearly and consistently should be at the heart of any PR, marketing or communications discipline. Too many organisations waste money by delivering a proliferation of messages, trying to appeal to as wide a market as possible. Focused communication - and making sure would-be purchasers understand the product or service offering - are critical.

“We have helped many businesses grow their market share during a slowdown. The marketplace may shrink - but it doesn't mean to say that your share should shrink in proportion,” he said. Instead, he recommends a strategic analysis of the marketing and communications efforts.

David Beech, associate consultant at Clarke Associates and a life-long marketer, reckons that organisations need to have a more ruthless approach to their marketing activity.

John Wannamaker once famously said that half the money he spent on advertising was wasted. The trouble was, he didn't know which half.

“There's no need for that situation now. Our work enables organisations to understand where their messages go and precisely what messages will be well received by the marketplace. Instead of telling the market what you think they want to hear, ask the market what they would like to hear - and then satisfy that need. That way you grow your business,” he said.

Ian Strachan, also a Clarke Associates consultant specialising in corporate communications who has advised many household name businesses, reckons clever companies have an opportunity to push ahead of their competitors by going for a bigger share of a shrinking market.

“Increasing PR and communications, instead of cutting back, can pull in fresh business while the competition is scaling back and losing its share of voice.”

He reckons that nothing creates uncertainty in the marketplace more than uncertainty
in communication.

The need to communicate effectively with customers, shareholders, employees and other stakeholders is important at any time, but absolutely vital in difficult times. Failure to do so can create a communication vacuum that will very quickly be filled by others.

“Those that are tempted to put a red pen through their communications budget need to think carefully. It could be the decision which decides the future of their business.”

David Beech - Associate Consultant - Strategic Marketing and Research

"Our judgement can never be more accurate than the information on which it is based"
John F. Kennedy

Here’s a simple hypothesis. Consultation with stakeholders is a good thing. It provides insight and understanding – essential ingredients for effective communication. Or, even more simplistically, consultation = the input; communication = the output and they are inextricably linked.

However, consultation and communication processes can be a bit like car driving – most of us think that we’re good at it, probably born naturals. The evidence, however, suggests that maybe we’re not all quite as good as we think.

"The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen"
Rachel Naomi Remen

“Consultation” is often taken to mean telling people, after decisions have actually been taken.  And yet carried out properly, the benefits are clear. Establishing dialogue, seeking to involve people and partners early and getting them involved in the process is not a chore or a threat to progress but a prerequisite for successful, well-supported progress.

Perhaps, for some, the process falls into the ‘too difficult’ category. For example, the results on the RSA Coffeehouse challenge in 2007 reveal some quite startling statistics about levels of community engagement, despite the fact that nearly half the population would feel inspired to get more involved in their community if encouraged. The survey shows that seven out of ten people in the UK are not members of any community group. That suggests that they’ll be hard to reach in order to secure any involvement or engagement. And yet a third of people believe that the community should address local issues.

Or maybe it's 'head buried in the sand' syndrome - “If I can't see you, then you can't see me.”

"The problem with communication... is the illusion that it has been accomplished."
George Bernard Shaw

That quote is a shorthand version of a mythical beast from Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the mind-bogglingly stupid Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal for those who are interested).

Is there sometimes an unwitting parallel in the commercial world? - 'If we don't talk to our stakeholders, then they can't complain and we don't need to worry about what they think.'

If you feel that this piece relies too heavily on the words of others, with some of my favourite quotations, then let me end with one final thought:

"I quote others only in order the better to express myself."
Michel de Montaigne

David Beech - Associate Consultant - Strategic Marketing and Research

We can all learn from great communicators like Barrack Obama says David Beech.

Before he took office, Barrack Obama was tipped to be one of the greatest communicators of all time. After a few months as one of the most powerful men in the world, has he lived up to the hype?

Associate Consultant David Beech casts his verdict – and examines whether others might learn from his techniques.

Barack Hussein Obama II, 44th President of the United States, has now been in office since January. He was heralded as a natural - an exceptional communicator, in the mould of JFK, with an apparent ability to inspire, rouse and to empathise with his audiences. So, as he took office as President and Supreme Commander of the mightiest nation on earth, expectations ran high.

Barack Obama’s background provides numerous pointers as to how he acquired and honed his communication skills. After working in several community organisations, he studied law at Harvard, where he was selected as an editor of the Harvard Law Review at the end of his first year and became president of the journal in the following year. This latter role, where he was the first black president of the publication, attracted a level of media attention that led to a publishing contract for a book on race relations - ‘Dreams of my Father’. He subsequently won a Grammy Award for the best spoken word album for the audiobook version of this and his later work ‘The Audacity of Hope’. He then went on to become professor of constitutional law at University of Chicago Law School.

After an initial political setback in 2000, when he lost the democratic primary run for the US House of Representatives, he was elected as senator for Illinois in 2004, massively outperforming his rival and, in doing so, achieving the largest victory margin in the state’s history. Ultimately, this proved to be the springboard for his subsequent achievements. Undoubtedly, his eloquent language and delivery style promote effective communication and conflict resolution. This sets him apart from many of his predecessors as well as many current politicians. Leading commentators - including Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal - have analysed his technique, seeking to draw out key lessons that we could all apply in business.

Four to highlight are:

• Deliver good positive messages with confidence; have you noticed how frequently Obama begins his response to an interview question with the words ‘Here’s what I think’?
• Focus on clear and compelling messages - which are easy to say but, without rigorous planning, not always as easy to deliver
• Become masterful at defending a position by tackling any negatives head on; this was well illustrated by his repeatedly outperforming Senator McCain in televised debates
• Be a quick thinker The overall conclusion has to be that he continues to perform exceptionally well as a communicator.

There has been the occasional hiccup – but that has probably further strengthened his position by making him appear human. He possesses a verbal fluency to make his words crystal clear. His rhetorical skills are such that he has an ability to paint pictures with words so that others not only see what he sees but feel it too.

Maybe he is not yet up there with Kennedy in terms of memorable quotes that will go into the annals of history – although there are already several contenders, including – ‘A good compromise, a good piece of legislation, is like a good sentence; or a good piece of music. Everybody can recognize it. They say, 'Huh. It works. It makes sense.’ and ‘Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.’ No doubt there are more to come. So, whilst he may currently be unaware of it, his inclusion in the Clarke Associates roll-of-honour for Great Communicators is richly deserved.

Here are some of our other ‘heroes’ in the world of communication:

Name: Sir Winston Churchill 1874 - 1965

Famous for: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat”.

“What is our aim?…Victory, victory at all costs”.

“We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender”.

And many, many more powerful and emotive phrases that fostered national spirit and inspired courage – all delivered with unflinching determination.

Claim to fame: British Prime Minister through World War Two, from 1940 to 45 - and then re-elected 1951 to 55.
A colossus amongst the great orators, motivators and communicators – despite having a speech impediment that never left him. Educated at Harrow and Sandhurst, he combined his military skills with a reporting role for The Morning Post during the Boer War. His political career began in 1900, as Member of Parliament for Oldham. He became renowned for his rehearsed – and meticulously prepared – rhetoric when speaking in the House.
Why he stands out from the crowd: A powerful speaker with an equally powerful image.

Renowned for his passion for cigars as well as his alcoholic intake - sometimes in less than moderate quantities – and his witty but often withering insults to fellow politicians (such as the famous exchange with Bessie Braddock – “Winston, you’re drunk”, to which he replied “Bessie, you’re ugly, but I shall be sober in the morning” – or his putdown of Clement Atlee, describing him as “A sheep in sheep clothing” and “A man with a good deal to be modest about”).

Knighted in 1953, his final spell as Prime Minister came at the age of 77 – and he continued in parliament as a back-bencher into his late 80s.

His achievements are still recognised and admired by millions, making Churchill stand out as one of the greatest ever Englishmen.

Name: Robert Allen Zimmerman – better known as Bob Dylan, b. 1941

Famous for: An American singer/songwriter extraordinaire, Dylan’s work inspired a generation – maybe several - as well as countless fellow musicians. His fan base ranges from the poet laureate, Andrew Motion to David Bowie.

Claim to fame: Blessed with a rather eccentric style of singing and heavily influenced by the work of Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan re-wrote the rules of popular music, with lyrics incorporating politics, social commentary, philosophy and literary influences.

Reluctantly, it is claimed, he became a leading and influential figure during the 1960s with a catalogue of anti-war and civil rights compositions. As such, the themes he chose defied the usual pop culture of songs about boy meets girl – but registered with the growing counterculture during that period.

During the 1970s, he made a radical change to his performances by introducing an electric guitar – and upsetting many of this traditional followers; during the 1980s, he was widely seen as the elder statesman of pop culture and Christianity became a major influence on his work, although he also embarked on a more frivolous style of music, in conjunction with Roy Orbison, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty as a member of the Travelling Wilburys; in the 1990’s, he survived a life-threatening heart infection and went on to perform in front of Pope John Paul II at the World Eucharistic Conference; in 2001, he won an Oscar for best original song – not something that his early followers would even have dreamed of – and since then has continued his recording career.

Why/how he stands out from the crowd: Maybe it’s his durability – Bob Dylan is still recording and performing, 40 years on from the protest era – or maybe it’s his ability to change the rules, such as his act of “treason” when, unannounced, he switched from playing folk style acoustic guitar to the electric guitar used by rock musicians – or maybe it’s his profound influence on an extensive list of other famous performers, who have either recorded his compositions or have tried to emulate his style in their own writings.

Whatever the reason, Bob Dylan remains a unique pop and cultural icon of an era.

Name: Peter F. Drucker b. November 19, 1909; d. Nov 11 2005

Famous For: “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said."

Claim to fame: Widely recognised as the most prophetic business thinker of his time, Peter Drucker became known as "the man who invented management"; by common consent, he was the founding father of modern management studies. Born in Vienna, the son of a high level civil servant, Drucker went to Germany at the end of the 1920’s where he worked as a journalist. He was also politically active in conservative circles in Germany. In 1933 he emigrated to England, where he worked in banking and took part in the legendary Keynes seminars; shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War he settled in the USA. There, at the beginning of the 1940’s, he embarked on his real career: as a consultant to General Motors and other large corporations, he set in place the foundations of modern management techniques. In the following decades, Drucker foresaw and helped shape all of the important developments in economics and management: from decentralization and privatisation to the emergence of the knowledge-based society. From 1950 to 1971, Drucker was a professor of management at the Graduate Business School of New York University. Following that, he was instrumental in the development of the country’s first executive MBA program for working professionals at Claremont Graduate University in California.

Why/how he stands out from the crowd: Peter Drucker established management not merely as a discipline but rather as a way of life that is central to the well-being of society as well as to the economy. He wrote more than 30 books which were translated in almost as many languages. Many of these have become classics of management literature. Drucker also published a number of works that dealt with general societal developments. By end of the 1950’s, in Landmarks of Tomorrow, Drucker was speaking of a "post modern society." A decade later, in The Age of Discontinuity, he foresaw a replacement of industrial work with "knowledge work."

In his spare time, he collected and studied classical Japanese and Chinese paintings, eventually becoming a professor of Japanese art. And in addition to this, he also devoted tremendous time and energy to working with non-profits, governments, non-governmental organisations and religious organisations.

For his accomplishments, Peter Drucker was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush on July 9, 2002.

Name: Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington b.1769 d.1852 aka The Iron Duke

Famous for: Two distinctly non PR principles:

“Publish and be damned!” “If you believe that, you’ll believe anything”

Claim to fame: Born in Dublin and educated at Eton (where else? – see below for his views on the military and public schools), he was commissioned after attending military school and sent to India to deal with Tippoo Sahib of Mysore. On returning to England, he was elected MP for Sussex, although he still remained in the army. After victories against the French in Portugal, he took command of the British Army in the Peninsular War. In 1812 the French were forced out of Spain and Wellesley reinforced his victory against the French at Toulouse.

His biggest claim to fame, under his recently granted title of Duke of Wellington, was the defeat of Napoleon – a man for whom he had considerable respect – at Waterloo. He then returned to politics and, in 1828 replaced Lord Goderich as prime minister, rattling quite a few cages with his speeches and subsequently becoming extremely unpopular with the public. Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington died in 1852 and is buried in St Paul's Cathedral.

Why / how he stands out from the crowd: Wellington was a man of strong and forthright views as well as being a great traditionalist.

In today’s world of political correctness, his sentiments would have rendered him hugely unpopular. Although his actual words are frequently misquoted, he firmly believed public schools – particularly Eton –to be the sole breeding ground for battle-winning officers and that front line troops were the scum of the earth (summed up in the famous misquote as “I don’t know what effect these me will have on the enemy, but, by God, they frighten me”). However, he inspired his officers – who in turn motivated their troops – to splendid victories in the field of battle, by clever strategic thinking to outsmart the enemy and thus earned a place as one of the greatest military leaders that this country has ever produced.

Name: Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson, b. 1941

Famous For: Forthright statements – particularly to the media and to his players (the infamous “Hairdryer Treatment”)

Claim to Fame: In 1986, Alex Ferguson was coaxed to Manchester United from a successful career as manager of Aberdeen and his start was not auspicious - the team lost to Oxford United. Since then, under his stewardship, the club has won six English Premier titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup, a European Cup and a European Cup Winners Cup. In the process, Manchester United became only fourth team this century to complete the championship and FA Cup double. The 1998/99 season saw Manchester United winning an amazing "treble" - English League, the F.A.Cup and the European Cup in the same season. Manchester United’s official web site describes him as “the man responsible for making Manchester United the team of the 1990s” and “the most successful British manager of all-time”.

Why / how he stands out from the crowd: Sir Alex Ferguson has come a long way since he was born in working class Govan where he served as an apprentice tool-maker in the shipyards.

He has a huge competitive spirit - and a temper to match. He is described variously as honest, fierce, driven, obsessive, charming, humorous, stubborn or aggressive. Players have described the "Ferguson hairdryer" when he blasts them with a head-to-head tongue-lashing. But equally he has the ability to measure and inspire his players and to bring about winning performances.

He is well known for being dour - and getting a smile is said to be like wishing for sunshine on a wet Glasgow Fair weekend. In footballing circles, he is seen as epitomising Machiavelli’s view that "it is better to be feared than loved".

Name: Herbert Marshall McLuhan – 1911 to 1980

Famous for: “The medium is the message”.

Claim to fame: The acknowledged guru’s guru when it comes to great communications thinkers, McLuhan is also the originator of what is probably the second most quoted catchphrase (after Lord Lever’s “ I know that fifty percent of the money I spend on advertising is wasted…”) in marketing and communications circles.

A Canadian PhD in English Literature, he specialised in developing theories about communications and media in society, expounding his (then) controversial ideas about the impact of the communications medium – particularly television – being far greater than the content.

Why he stands out from the crowd: His life was dedicated to showing mankind the truth about the world we live in – and the hidden consequences of the technologies that are developed.

So much of McLuhan’s theorising is as relevant today as it was when it first saw the light of day in the 1960s. He foresaw the future existence of a global village and global communication at a time when television was still in its infancy - and when the personal computer was still 20 years away.

He was deeply concerned about man’s wilful blindness to the downside of technology – the fact that the simple act of turning on a television can reduce a room of people to silence. Add today’s generation’s fixation with Xboxes, iPods, video games et al to this and you can see just how accurate and profound his predictions have become.

Just three years before he died, as one of his final acts of standing out, he starred in Woody Allen’s film Annie Hall!

David Clarke - Managing Director - head of Strategic Communications

Do you remember Guy Kewney?

He was the man who suddenly found himself in the headlights when, inadvertently, he ended up on BBC News 24 answering questions about Apple Computers and technology – when in truth, he had only gone to the BBC as a job applicant. Remarkably, he found himself in front of the TV cameras answering questions on a subject he knew nothing about – and to his credit, he got through it. Meanwhile, the “right” Guy Kewney was still in BBC reception, waiting to be taken through (the link to the clip is below).

Few of us will have to experience such an ordeal – but many of us will, at one point or another, have to face the press.

Being interviewed, whether on a subject where we have absolute knowledge or none at all, can be daunting but as with most things in life, a little experience helps.

Knowing your subject is one thing but also being clear about the key points you wish to convey, is critical. But it is the environment in which you operate – often in a studio or in front of a microphone or camera – that is frequently the killer.

Unfortunately, especially when the interview is being conducted live – as is often the case nowadays – you only get one chance to impress.

We must have all winced when we hear an interviewee, perhaps on Radio 4’s Today Programme, struggling. Often, it is not the inquisitive style of John Humphreys but a faulty link providing feedback and echo – distracting at the best of times but especially so when you are on national radio. But how many of us would have the nerve to point that out and instead, manfully struggle on whilst not fully appreciating the impression given to the outside world?

Responding to an interviewer is a technique – and it is one that is best practised. Effective media training is not generalist but very specific. We go out of our way to ensure that media training workshop delegates concentrate on those issues that are likely to be interviewed on and we encourage them to learn techniques that enable them to convey the key messages – even when the interviewer might not wish to give them the space or time to do so.
Speaking clearly and concisely is another technique. Most interviews are pretty short – 90 seconds at the most – and you have to work hard to get your message across within such a short timescale. Contrary to popular belief though, the majority of interviewers are there to help the interviewee. It is actually in their interests to enable you to speak and come across well. Someone who sounds amateurish does not enhance the programme.

Many of course ask to be ready for the “first question” believing that a little knowledge will help them along. But most interviewers also steer away from such priming – reckoning that impromptu reaction makes for a better interview. It does – but it can be unnerving to the person in the hot seat.

Television is an altogether different ball game.

I have only recently recovered from one interview conducted, in of all places, Birmingham Markets, where I was responding to research that had denigrated the Brummie accent. The lunchtime interview was live and the final item on the bulletin requiring me to finish my interview exactly on the dot. That seemed daunting enough – but what the viewers and indeed, the interviewer could not see, were the market traders standing behind him and gesticulating with a variety of vegetables. On the plus side, it is amazing how hard you concentrate when you know you are live on regional news.

Many years ago, I presented a programme on local radio. Ironically, it was to do with sport – not my chosen subject. However, each of the half hour programmes seemed to go well – until they were live instead of recorded. Coming towards the end of one programme, with about 30 seconds to go, I indicated to the interviewee, who was in full flow, that we should start wrapping up. He misinterpreted my signal and just stopped. Thirty seconds of dead air is not something that anyone wants – but it made me realise that being interviewed for radio or TV especially, is a two way process and one where the interviewer can help interviewee – and vice versa.

Clarke Associates undertake tailored media training programmes covering press, radio and TV. For information, please contact david-c@clarke-associates.co.uk

www.youtube.com/watch

Victoria Phillips - Account Manager

The term ‘social media’ is one many of us will recognise but perhaps either don’t really understand, or may understand but are not quite sure how it all works.

Most people will have heard of the various forms that social media and social networking takes – blogging, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter to name but a few. When you look around your office you can bet that the majority of staff will be registered with one or more of these social sites.

The explosion of social networking sites such as Facebook has become even more apparent in recent months, when it made headlines for its use in Barrack Obama’s presidency campaign. The 44th American president’s campaign team used the networking site to help encourage younger voters to vote, making his page the one with the most ‘friends’ in the world – with close to three million people registered.

This is just one example of social networking at its most powerful. Another campaign that proved the sheer power that sites like Facebook has at reaching some of the largest corporations in the world was the Cadbury Wispa group. A group was simply created in Facebook to encourage Cadbury to consider producing their Wispa bars again – and it worked! The popular 80s chocolate bar was back in shops for a limited time period.

But what about the effectiveness of using it in business? Some businesses use each and every social site available, which perhaps doesn’t quite give off the right impression. There is no value in trying to be part of everything. To use social media effectively you need to be able to invest time in it.

Take blogging for example, while daily entries can be short there has to be thought behind what you are saying otherwise people will see through it as being just another marketing technique. Blogs need to be relevant, interesting and there needs to be some benefit to the reader – which can be as simple as they get to know you or your business a little bit better.

At first social networking and social media can seem daunting as it is a very different form of communication, but if used in the right way can become a valuable tool.

Social media can provide more creative outlets for business messages and campaigns. Charities are using sites such as Facebook to alert people to what they do or if they are holding a fundraiser, they can of course use regular media and communications channels for these messages but by using Facebook they are reaching a whole new audience.

Facebook works because it is less formal and traditional, which is why if a business attempts to use it as a vehicle for a traditional direct marketing campaign it will not work. Users do not want to be bombarded by companies trying to sell them something, as first and foremost the reason people usually log onto social networking sites is to be social.

If you are thinking about using a form of social media, do it so it fits in with the rest of your business. Make sure it has a purpose, otherwise it will not attract the interest or following that you are hoping for. Finally, above all, make it relevant as people are investing their time in these sites. So if you have something interesting to say these forms of communication can open a whole new set of doors.

If you would to talk through the social media possibilities that could benefit your business pick up the phone to Vicky Phillips on 0121 702 2525 or email victoria-p@clarke-associates.co.uk

Ian Strachan - Associate Consultant - Corporate and Press Relations

Ask the chief executive of any company how he rates internal communications within his firm and he’ll say they’re good.

Ask any employee of the same company the same question and you may well get a different answer.

In a complex and competitive business world, there has never been a greater need to keep employees informed, motivated and equipped to perform their job well. But the response to that need varies enormously.

In some companies the “mushroom culture” of keeping employees in the dark still exists. In other companies, workers are left floundering under a deluge of information – much of it confusing and unnecessary. Well-intentioned managers are subjecting their employees to a communications overload as they compete for brain-space.

The only constant in today’s business world is change. And getting communications right inside an organisation is a pre-requisite if change is to be accepted and sustained. All too often managers sabotage their own efforts by communicating badly.

Communication in any organisation, large or small, must involve a communications strategy which is accepted and understood from the boardroom downwards. This strategy must fulfil the communications needs of employees, but must also fulfil the needs of the business by identifying what the organisation requires of its people.

Done properly, effective internal communication will give employees a sense of belonging, maybe even a feeling of pride and excitement in what the business does. They will be well informed about its activities, its place in the world, and their place in the business. They will know the direction of the company, and what is expected of them to achieve the company’s goals.

But to create this climate, communication needs to be on a number of levels: • People need to understand the company’s direction, mission and values • They need to have a sense of community and belonging • They need to understand what happens in other departments, and how they fit in • They need to know how their own department fits in and how it is performing. • They need to know how they themselves are performing and what is expected of them.

Once the need to communicate and the strategy is established, the plumbing has to be put in place; the means to communicate with the workforce, and for the workforce to communicate with managers.

There are no hard and fast rules here – what is appropriate for one company may be inappropriate for others. However, whatever processes are chosen, they must be taken seriously by all involved, they must be used consistently and they must be kept as simple as possible, while still being robust.

Different media may be appropriate for different messages. For example simple awareness of company facts, news and issues can be effectively communicated via a newsletter – electronic or printed – or a video. To get an employee’s understanding requires more effort, and will require team briefings, departmental meetings or company-wide roadshows. Employee support will flow from understanding, reinforced with seminars and training courses. Employee involvement requires interactive communications, feedback opportunities and two-way team meetings. Finally commitment will need one-to-one discussions and appraisals as well as team activities and the constant updating of all other communications media.

Most employees will say they prefer face-to-face communication, and they prefer to hear and discuss things with their immediate line manager. This should be borne in mind when drawing up communication strategies and processes.

Finally there is the grapevine. This is the most potent and active informal communications process in any company. You’ll never put an end to the grapevine, but you can ensure it is accurate and kept up to date. That way the grapevine can be a force for positive change.

Clarke Associates can give your company an internal communications health check. Contact David Clarke on 0121 702 2525 or email david-c@clarke-associates.co.uk

Mark Whitehouse - Deputy Managing Director - Head of tactical communications

With spring in the air, now is the ideal time to give your business an annual health check and spring into action with those feather dusters.

It's time to get rid of a winter's worth of dust and grime, and we have just the thing to help you; eight great cleaning tips to spruce up your PR.
 
1. Creating a PR plan

- Think through your audiences
Define who your "audience" is - i.e. are they individuals or groups who have an interest or stake in the activities of your business? This can reach far beyond just your customers.
- Develop a PR plan

This needn’t be complex, just think in simple terms:

Objectives (identify your goals)
Positioning (decide how you want to be perceived by your audiences)
Key messages (prioritize the most important facts about your business

2. You've got to have a hook

Ask yourself ‘is our story really worth telling?’ If it’s only interesting to you the answer may be ‘no’. Think hard about what you say - only speak when it’s worth shouting about.

3. Case studies

One of the most effective ways you can get publicity for your business is to be prepared to share case studies that demonstrate how your product or service makes a difference to your clients. Journalists love "proof" that the story you're telling is genuine – this is particularly true in the health and beauty industry.

4. Writing a press release

The common rule of writing press releases is to present the who, when, where, what and why in the very first paragraph.

Of course, press releases must be newsworthy, timely and sent to the right people, but journalists have to scan several hundred releases and by placing the key facts and information in the top paragraph, you give your
press release the best chance of gaining coverage.
 
5. Give it to them straight

Journalists want to tell the best story possible. They want to appeal to their readers, outshine competitor publications and break the most important industry or national news story - so provide them with newsworthy
information in a timely manner.

6. A picture tells a thousand words

Pictures sell and when journalists and their readers see your pictures, the product or service becomes more tangible - they can see for themselves.

7. Make it count

Make sure you’re sending your press releases to right publications. There’s nothing worse than someone calling to see if the magazine is going to publish a press release when they clearly have never read the magazine.

8. Finally, don’t waste time

The golden rule is don‘t waste a journalist’s time. Avoid jargon and hassling them at all cost – they won’t thank you for it.

Mark Whitehouse - Head of tactical communications

No PR programme is the same - and in consequence, no PR brief is likely to be the same.
However, there are certain questions that will help you to determine what you are seeking and how we, as the consultancy, should achieve the best results.

1. Where is your business now? What are the perceptions and what challenges does it face?

2. What are the main elements of your business marketing plans and the key performance indicators? (This will enable us to devise strategies to support these.)

3. Who are the clients you most what to attract - and how do those targets compare with the current client portfolio/mix?

4. What are the current business units and product areas now by value and/or market share and what are your business targets for the next 12 months?

5. Which companies/kind of businesses do you consider to be your competitor(s)?

6. What are your core brand values?

7. What do you want to be known for?

8. What industry or sector do you consider yourselves to be in? (For example, some technology companies identify more closely with the markets their products/services service than with the technology sector.)

9. Have you identified a budget for this programme? (A sensible piece of advice we were once given when facing a similar question: state a budget because you know full well that every potential supplier will spend up to the maximum but analyse how they spend that budget and the weight they give to different elements.)

10. What are you looking for from the consultancy: ideas, strategy, contacts etc?
(We take it as read that you want results)