Private Eye notices Silver Fox

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Bob

The beady gaze of the celebrated satirical magazine, Private Eye noticed Silver Fox’s Margaret Thatcher-press release. Over the years, Private Eye has taken a great deal of interest in Margaret Thatcher and produced a ‘souvenir’ issue (Private Eye number 1338) to mark her death.

In the next edition (number 1339, dated 3^rd to 16^th May), page 16 carried the following report:

‘The funeral of Baroness Thatcher, the UK’s first female prime minister, which takes place on Wednesday 17^th April at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, will be of special significance for those who have personal memories of her. Among those is Nick Michaelson, CEO of Silver Fox, the UK manufacturer of high performance labelling solutions. He met Margaret Thatcher when, as prime minister, she opened the Offshore Europe ’85 exhibition and conference on Aberdeen in September 1985…

Margaret Thatcher meets Silver Fox's Nick Michaelson in Aberdeen in 1985.

“Understandably, we haven’t been invited to her funeral,’ [Michaelson] added. ‘Instead, we’ll be continuing our work with engineers across the globe helping them turn time into profit utilising our world leading solutions, designed, developed and made by us here in the UK.”’ – Press release by labelling form Silver Fox Ltd, 16 April.

It also reproduced an advertisement for the Avenue Tennis Club, published in the Hendon and Finchley Times, which also mentioned Baroness Thatcher – and headed the report ‘Desperate Marketing’.

That may be a valid view, of course – but now all of Private Eye’s 206.000 or so readers know that Silver Fox (a) is a UK manufacturer of high performance labelling solutions and (b) works with engineers across the globe, helping them turn time into profit utilising world leading solutions. So, in this case, a perfectly good synonym for Private Eye’s ‘desperate’ may be ‘effective’.

Huzzah for (professional) PR!

Young, gifted and Brummie

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Bob

One of the delights of a public relations consultant’s existence is receiving enquiries from journalists who’re looking for help with their stories. One that has just arrived, from ‘Birmingham Living’ said: I’m looking for candidates for our Young, Gifted and Brummie section – young professionals under 30 who have made a great difference to their community and achieved great things with their life.’

I wonder why it might be difficult to find people who match all three of these criteria?

Milk of amnesia

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Bob

Recently, I received a request from a journalist (on ‘Woman & Home’ magazine) who was asking to interview a ‘psychologist with expertise in building memory’.

I used to know just the man – but I’m afraid I’ve forgotten his name.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Bob

Amid the fallout from the Illinois Batman killings, evidence that the accused did not use Facebook has sparked a debate over whether – with social media use becoming almost omnipresent among younger users – not having any form of online profile is inherently suspicious. It now seems to be a case of ‘damned if you do and damned if you don’t’ where social media is concerned.

Forbes magazine has suggested that with social media profiles now an integral part of public life, employers would be nervous of candidates without one, suspecting that absent or deleted accounts could indicate an attempt to conceal relevant information.

So, with employers increasingly checking Facebook pages, LinkedIn profiles and Twitter feeds during the selection process, is maintaining a social media profile now becoming a prerequisite for job seekers? With some major recruiters already using social media channels to promote vacancies and initiate contact with candidates, will non-users risk missing potential opportunities? And to what extent do employers currently use online profiles as part of routine candidate checks?

Comment: Could this be a carefully constructed conspiracy by social media networks designed to shame those allegedly last few people in the world who’re not participating in any social media activity to be bullied into ‘signing up’?

Probably not – since, attractive as conspiracy theories are, they’re usually unfounded since it’s so hard to keep a conspiracy both covert and cohesive.

However, it’s a sobering thought that what was intended as a way of ‘talking to your friends and family’ has been hi-jacked by the world of business – and your every ‘footfall’ on the web is potentially significant for your future career and prosperity.

Maybe the time has come for everyone to have their own PR consultant. Now that would be a good idea!

Sunday Times and Daily Telegraph feature Waste King

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Bob

The picture of Andy Cattigan - taken by Philip Hollis - that appeared in the Daily Telegraph.

Waste King, the specialist collections, clearance and recycling company – and, it must be said, a client of Bob Little Press & PR – followed up being mentioned in The Sunday Times’ Appointments section on 15^th July with being featured in the Business section of the Daily Telegraph on 16^th July.

The company, which recently won a Gold Award from the National Recycling Stars Scheme which rewards an organisation’s commitment to increasing the amount of waste it recycles and improving the environmental awareness of its staff, was featured in the Daily Telegraph as an exemplar – for a small business – of ‘helping local people and improving the environment’.

According to the Daily Telegraph article, ‘[Waste King’s] turnover has increased from £26,000 in 2008 to £588,000 last year. But the … company has only one eye on profits and has taken several extra steps to ensure it has a positive impact on local people’s lives. The business diverts some of the higher-quality waste to good causes, including clothes and shoes to the Salvation Army and records, CDs and DVDs to the British Heart Foundation. It also donates a selection of old computers to a severely autistic local man called Matthew, who finds comfort in dismantling and rebuilding them… Being environmentally friendly is also a major focus. The firm’s ethos is to reduce long-term pollution by sending the smallest amount of waste possible to landfill and it guarantees to recycle at least 85 per cent of what it collects…’

Andy Cattigan, Waste King’s operations director, commented: “If you’re in the waste and recycling business, it’s important to be seen not only as professional and competent, but also as caring for the environment. It’s important that Waste King provides a ‘green’ and ‘clean’ service as well as a competitive one.”

The previous day, Waste King’s managing director, Glenn Currie, had been quoted in an article in The Sunday Times about the use of humour in the workplace.

“Everybody at work needs to understand when it is OK to tell jokes, as well as which topics are acceptable and which are not,” said Currie. “Our Environment Agency-licensed staff often get ‘mucky’ and difficult jobs to do and a bit of banter between workmates can help pass the time. On the other hand, employees clearing out the house of someone who has died would need to take a respectful tone when introducing themselves to relatives. As the job goes on, they might then see that it’s OK to have a bit more banter. It’s all about using emotional intelligence.”

He added: “Appropriate humour is the shortest distance between two people and, in the right context, brings you closer to people – and it helps to make people happy.

“Of course, one of the key ways in which we make our customers happy is by meeting their needs and disposing of their waste in the most environmentally friendly way – notably recycling it,” Currie continued.

To see the articles, visit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/business/sme-business-essentials/9397531/environment-business-waste-king.html and

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/Appointments/article1080755.ece

Comment: Modesty forbids one – except to say ‘ congratulations’ to Waste King on being recognised for a highly creditable environmentally friendly – and responsible – approach to business.

Huzzah for PR professionals!

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Bob

Apparently, PR professionals make excellent CEOs.

Rosanna M. Fiske, the chair and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has leaped into a debate about whether being a PRO is a one-dimensional position that limits what one may be capable of doing in the business world. In a recent article, Ms Fiske commented: “Public relations professionals are expertly positioned to be successful CEOs due, in part, to their extensive role managing a corporation’s reputation, stakeholder relations and crisis management issues. PR professionals gain a strong understanding of the inner workings of a business, as well as where it fits within its industry and its growth opportunities and challenges.

“These are many of the same issues and concerns CEOs are tasked with managing, and, in the UK, it is noticeable corporate affairs professionals are exerting more influence in the boardroom.

“Furthermore, one can argue that corporate communications professionals’ main goal is to help businesses grow by connecting them in meaningful and beneficial ways with key audiences and stakeholders. Sounds like the role of the modern CEO.”

Comment: That sounds like good news. I’ll just wait for the offers of CEO jobs to come flooding in, then.

British small businesses opt for DIY

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Bob

A recent survey of 760 business owners – conducted by DIY website builder WebEden.co.uk – has found that UK start-up businesses are now carrying out tasks themselves rather than outsourcing these to a professional. When asked for the main reason they chose the DIY option, over 50% of respondents answered that the key factor was ‘retaining control of the process/end product’. Saving money was listed as the third most popular reason.

The survey results also showed that 38% of these DIY business websites were already generating, or were expected to generate, over 50% of the entire company turnover. Some 93% of respondents said they updated their website at least once a month, with 70% updating weekly and 33% updating daily.

In addition, 20% of respondents said they had previously paid to have a website built for them and 61% of those who had taken on their own website creation had never had any formal design experience.

Comment: This survey found that saving money was only the third most popular reason for a ‘DIY’ website. In the current economic climate, this has to be a significant factor in any business decision – as businesses strive to remain competitive and profitable by controlling expenditure while new business opportunities and sales are not as buoyant as they might be.

It’s not only websites that are attracting the DIY approach. A recent straw poll of UK businesses – admittedly not as scientific as a full blown survey – has revealed that businesses are also tending to opt for an in-house DIY approach in terms of:

marketing but not sales activities,
purchase/bought ledger but not sales ledger activities and
staff learning & development – especially in terms of e-learning materials being produced in-house via such tools as Articulate

It’s interesting what businesses see as ‘so important we must use a professional whatever the cost’ (such as accountancy/ tax matters) and ‘we’ll do the best we can with what we’ve got in order to save money’ (such as learning & development activities and marketing/PR activities, including website design).

How much more competitive, successful and profitable would UK businesses be if they adopted a fully professional approach? It looks like we’ll never know.

Eight biographical words to avoid

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Bob

Writing a blog on BNET, the CBS Interactive business network, (http://www.bnet.com/blog/small-biz-advice/8-words-that-should-never-appear-in-your-twitter-bio/1752#ixzz1Qm50ze6D), Jeff Hayden revealed that, after some extensive research into Twitter users’ biographies, he dislikes the following – over-used – words:

‘Passionate’ You can have one passion. Four ‘passions’ are interests. And can anyone truly be passionate about ‘delivering lasting customer value’, ‘teaching small businesses to harness the power of social media’ or ‘providing lasting solutions to common business problems’?
‘Authority’ As Margaret Thatcher said: “Power is like being a lady; if you have to say you are, you aren’t.” If you have to say you’re an authority, you aren’t. Show your expertise instead. ‘Speaker at TED Conference’ indicates a level of authority. ‘Social media authority’ reads as ‘I spend too much time on Facebook.’
‘Workaholic’ has negative connotations and implies tremendous effort without tangible results. Potential customers don’t care how much you work. They care about what you get done.
‘Guru’, ‘sage’, ‘connoisseur’, ‘guerilla’, ‘whiz’, ‘ninja’ and other allegedly clever descriptors.
‘Serial entrepreneur’ A few people start multiple, successful, long-term businesses. They truly are serial entrepreneurs. If you have two or three successes under your belt, listing them can be powerful. If not, just say what you do now.
‘Technologist’ Many people who claim to be ‘technologists’ are interested in technology – but not technologists. If you use scientific knowledge to solve practical problems, share an example. Otherwise just say, ‘I love my new iPad 2.’
‘Strategist’ Strategists look at the present, envision something different and develop approaches to make their vision a reality. Very few people are strategists. Most ‘strategists’ are coaches, specialists or consultants who use what they know to help others. 99% of the time that’s what customers need. They don’t need a strategist. Be who you are.
‘Unique’ We’re all individuals; different, and unique — and we all know it. ‘Unique’ means nothing. Say why you’re better.

Comment: Jeff offers some useful advice here. My guess is that we all have a lot of sympathy with these sentiments. Yet it’s equally certain that these eight inappropriate words will still be used – and over-used – in biographies. Strange, isn’t it?

ISMM encourages compliance training relating to the new Bribery Act

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Bob

On 1^st July 2011 the UK Bribery Act comes into effect – creating a new raft of criminal offences. Under the new act, corporate failure to prevent bribery on the part of any employee – including third party agents – will be punishable by significant fines and, potentially, jail sentences for directors and others.

Welcoming this Act, which replaces a mixture of antiquated legislation that has made it difficult to bring successful prosecutions, The Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM) – the UK’s association for sales professionals – is anxious to clarify the implications of the Act and dispel any ‘folk myths’ that surround it. Stephen Wright, the ISMM’s Commercial Director, explained: “Contrary to some people’s views, genuine business hospitality, or similar business expenditure, is neither against the letter nor the spirit of the Act.

“Nonetheless, we’re urging all Institute members – including those who feel that their business activities may have even a tangential relationship with this Act – to undertake compliance training as part of their continuing professional development (CPD) activities. If members of our Institute want some relevant courses and training providers, we can provide them with this information, on request.”

The Bribery Act creates four new offences:

Offering or giving a bribe
Requesting or accepting a bribe
Bribing a foreign public official
Failure by an organisation to prevent bribery

The Act covers all UK individuals and companies, whether their activities take place at home or abroad. Criminal penalties include unlimited fines and up to ten years imprisonment for individuals.

Companies found guilty may also be prevented from bidding on future public tenders. Bribery in both the public and private sector is covered by the Act and an offence may be committed regardless of whether the bribery is ‘direct’ or carried out via an agent or other intermediary.

The only way that an organisation can avoid prosecution is if it can show that it had ‘adequate procedures’ in place to prevent bribery. The Government has set out six guiding principles on the procedures that should be put in place:

Create procedures that are proportionate to the size and nature of the business
Ensure a clear commitment from the top of the organisation
Assess the risks that you might face
Know exactly who you are dealing with
Communicate your policies and procedures to staff and business partners
Make sure your procedures keep pace with changes

“We believe that it’s important for anyone in the public and private sectors to understand this new legislation,” Wright said. “Government guidance states that, ‘like all procedures, training should be proportionate to risk but some training is likely to be effective in firmly establishing an anti-bribery culture whatever the level of risk.’

“There are some simple measures that organisations can take to ensure that they comply with the new law – and we would encourage them to do so,” he added. “And, as a professional institute, we remain fully committed to give advice and guidance to our members as they operate within the law’s demands.”

Comment: With the increasing wealth of business-related legislation it may be difficult to feel much enthusiasm for this new Act. Yet we would all like to feel that we conduct our business on a fair and level playing field, where merit and competence – rather than any sordid, unscrupulous, nepotistic, dishonourable skulduggery – meet with the success that they deserve. So, if the Bribery Act can contribute to this process, long may it remain in force.

Reputation, reputation, reputation: the key to PR agency success

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Bob

When members of Linkedin were asked recently: ‘When you’re going to employ a PR agency, what is the most important factor in making that purchasing decision?’ the PR agency’s reputation emerged as, by far and away, the most popular key factor – attracting 50 per cent of the votes cast.

While no one chose ‘price’ or ‘third party recommendation’ as the key factor, there was no significant difference in the number of votes for:

The PR agency’s size and
Personal rapport with the account director.

However, there was a distinct gender split in opinion, with men tending to opt for the PR agency’s size and women preferring a ‘personal rapport with the account director’ as a key factor in the PR agency selection process.

Comment: The results of this poll strongly support the ‘no one got fired for buying from IBM’ view. In other words, buyers of PR services seem to be strongly influenced by a PR agency’s size and the publicity it attracts for itself. Personal relationships also count for something – especially among women – perhaps following the maxim of ‘better the devil you know than the one you don’t’.

At least all PR agencies will take heart from the fact that no one appears to be interested in the price they’re paying for PR.

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