Are you a media supremo?

20.01.2012

See if you know the top 10 DOs and DON'Ts of how to conduct a media interview

Love to get some positive publicity for your company?  Then a great way to secure coverage is to invite a journalist to meet you.  You'll need to have something newsworthy or interesting to secure the interview.  But once the date's set, what then?

At giraffe, in addition to offering media relations support, we provide training courses on successful PR.  Themes range from 'An Introduction to PR' to 'How to Conduct a Media Interview'.  We thought you might like to test how many of our Top 5 DOs and 5 DON'Ts on 'How to Conduct a Media Interview' you know.

TOP 5 DOs 

1. Research your journalist and media outlet thoroughly beforehand and ask what their line of questioning will be
2. Plan what information you wish to impart – and stick to the plan!
3. Remember to name-check your organisation and prepare ‘sound bites’ – short impactful phrases that will entice the journalist to use them in the article
4. Show, rather than tell.  Instead of saying how great you are, give examples of why your service or product is so good
5. Promptly follow up – thank the journalist for attending and issue them with information within the agreed timescales.

TOP 5 DON'Ts

1. Ever think anything is off the record
2. Criticise or mention competitors by name - it's unprofessional.  And why give your competitors the publicity?
3. Use acronyms or ‘management speak’ – it’s bland and unmemorable
4. Be vague. Wherever possible be quantitative, eg instead of saying “our clients love us”, use a fact such as “because of our service and value, % of our clients recommend us”
5. Be tempted to promise future exclusives or any other material you can’t deliver - it's crucial to build trust between yourself and the media.

Our 'How to Conduct a Media Interview' course also includes techniques for handling aggressive questioning aswell as how to generate sustained coverage from a media interview.

Dependent upon the number of delegates, courses start from just £195 per person + VAT.  To find out more, call 0121 363 0077 or email us.

Companies in price sensitive markets - are you an ‘R’ or a ‘T’?

09.05.2011

If you're in a price-sensitive market, how do you engage with your prospects and customers to convey the value of your offer? Take our quick quiz to find out if your organisation practises 'R' or 'T' customer engagement.

We're all aware that there's a greater than ever focus on price.  And yet we all know that the lowest price doesn't mean the best value. 

So how do you engage with your prospects and customers to convey the value of your offer?  And win the contract at your optimum price?

Have a look at the 5 questions below to find out which type of engagement your organisation practises and the impact of this:

1. Do you have regular communication with your customers that is not directly related to selling to them?
2. Do you know how satisfied all of your customers are with the goods or service you provide to them?
3. Do you have a high level of repeat business?
4. Do you find that your customers frequently recommend you?
5. Do you enjoy a high customer retention rate?

If you answered yes to all of the above questions, well done!  You're obviously investing in your customers for your mutual benefit.  You are practising a RELATIONSHIP model of customer engagement. 

If you answered no to one or more of the questions, it's likely that you operate a TRANSACTIONAL model.  This is ideal if you're supplying a high volume, low cost product.  However, if you're not, it's well worth taking a look at how you can adjust your approach.

Download our FREE customer engagement insight to understand more about the characteristics and effects of both of the models.

Promoting the best in private gynaecological care

01.03.2011

giraffe appointed to raise national awareness of The Gynaecology Clinic Group

Keen to raise awareness of the excellence of its treatment and approach, The Gynaecology Clinic Group has appointed giraffe to implement a marketing and PR campaign.

Targeting national and regional outlets, the campaign will provide the media with expert comment from The Gynaecology Clinic.  It will raise awareness of best practise in gynaecological care through the use of case study-led features and comment pieces.

In addition to helping the Group to define its brand, giraffe is working to increase its referrals through affiliate marketing.  This includes liaising with the leading private hopsitals at which it holds its clinics and surgeries.

The Group comprises The Gynaecology Clinic, The Endometriosis Clinic and The Female Oncology Clinic.  With bases at a range of private hospitals in the Midlands, women travel from all of the UK to benefit from the expertise, support and care delivered by The Gynaecology Clinic Group.

One of the UK’s leading gynaecological consultants, Chris Mann is founder of The Group and selected giraffe for this campaign.  “It was clear that giraffe understood our business and what we wanted to achieve.  They listened to us and put a plan together that intelligently and, I might add cost effectively, met our objectives.”

Smart giving raises £11,603 for The Prince’s Trust and young Midlanders

22.02.2011

Find out how smart giving doubled The Mercantile Club's donation to The Prince's Trust in the Midlands

Because giraffe provides pro bono marketing and PR support to The Prince's Trust in the Midlands, we got to hear about how smart giving by The Mercantile Club has provided The Trust with £11,603 of funding to support young Midlanders. 

The Mercantile Club worked with The Prince’s Trust to double the funds from the recent RAW (Raffle Auction Wine) event through an initiative called The Big Give. 

The Big Give is an annual event where supporters have just hours to double their donation for their chosen charity.

Birmingham-based Ortus Group made a large donation at RAW by placing a winning bid for an original piece of artwork by Willard Wigan. 

As managing director of Ortus, Colin White is also a founder member of the Mercantile Club, “It’s more important than ever that businesses commit to give back to society, be that national charities or local community groups.  By supporting The Prince’s Trust in the Midlands, young people at a very local level benefit from the infrastructure that a national charity can offer.”

Well done all!

 

Lucky winner of eight Gold VUE tickets announced

30.11.2010

Celebrating giraffe's 8th birthday, Matthew Watkins of Invigour, is the lucky winner

Commiserations to those whose name wasn't pulled from the hat, but congrats to Matthew Watkins of Invigour.

Matthew is   the winner of giraffe's 8th birthday prize draw of eight Gold tickets to any VUE cinema.

The Prince’s Trust Midlands Leadership Group

22.10.2010

Exciting new initiative launches to help young Midlanders

More than 50 business leaders from across the Midlands today have attended a luncheon to launch youth charity, The Prince’s Trust, Midlands Leadership Group (MLG).  

The MLG is a powerful business network formed by The Trust to raise investment to help local disadvantaged young people back into jobs, education or training.

Companies including PwC, Lloyds Bank, RBS, Bruntwood and Dunstall Estates have already signed as founder members of the MLG.   And, with support from fellow businesses in the Midlands, they are keen to raise as much money as possible to help thousands of unemployed young people across the Midlands.

giraffe provided PR and marketing services to launch the initiative.  Its MD, Sarah Hughes, is also a member of The Trust's Birmingham Development Committee.

To find out more about The Prince's Trust Midlands Leadership Group, contact Jamie Webb at The Prince's Trust by calling 0207 543 1317 or email.

The launch event below shows Jamie Webb of The Prince's Trust, Sarah Hughes of giraffe communications and Nick Venning of PwC.

Google Ad words

07.10.2010

Click for 100% trackable results

Google Adwords (also known as pay-per-click) campaigns can be a really effective way to generate leads. What's more, they're equally applicable to business and consumer campaigns.

At giraffe, we like Adwords because it's a proven way of providing 100% track-able results.

But like anything, you need to know what you’re doing. Which is why we offer expert consultancy and management of Adwords campaigns. To find out how your business could benefit, get in touch. Still not convinced? Then take a look at the results we’ve delivered for others.

Need a bridge to increasing your sales?

05.10.2010

giraffe SPECIAL OFFER for OCT & NOV - FREE 2-hour strategic sales review

We know it's still an incredibly tough market out there.  That's why for October and November, we're offering a FREE 2-hour sales strategy review.

We'll meet with you to review your current activity, look at what's already working and provide constructive suggestions to further boost that all important bottom line. All completely confidentially of course.

So if you find your sales aren't hitting the heights predicted, give ur a call or drop us a line.

 

giraffe celebrates being 8 years young

01.10.2010

Win your very own slice of Hollywood gold with giraffe

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?  It seems like only yesterday that we were the young calf in a growing herd of marketing communications agencies.  But here we are, eight years later, and still loving delivering quantifiable results for our clients.

To celebrate, we thought we'd bring a little slice of Hollywood to your doorstep.  So we're offering one lucky person the chance to WIN 8 gold class tickets to their local vue cinema for viewings of their choice.  Gold class tickets are the VIP pass of the cinema world.  They offer a VIP lounge, super-luxurious leather recliners and complimentary popcorn.

Whether you go once with 8 people, or fancy 4 romantic dates, or even 8 solo expeditions, the choice is yours!  And being a national chain, there should be a Vue near you.

To enter, all you need to do is send an email to results@giraffecomms.com with your name and telephone number.  There will be a draw at the end of November 2010, with the lucky winner being emailed and announced on the giraffe website.

CSR - a costly luxury?

30.09.2010

giraffe's MD, Sarah Hughes, talks to RICS Focus magazine about the truth of corporate social responsibility

With the economic downturn, there's understandably been more pressure than ever, especially on industries such as construction, to batten down the hatches and focus on core business.  But does CSR really have to be costly to implement?  And why should companies bother?  Click on the PDF download below to read Sarah's thoughts.

Conference success for LG Futures

26.08.2010

giraffe's campaign increases qualified lead rate by 100%.

Public sector financial experts, LG Futures, are happy people after a campaign by giraffe increased their qualified lead rate by 100%. 

The focus for the marketing activity was the development of a product called the Savings Optimisation Model.  Designed to unlock the savings potential of local government, we worked with LG Futures to develop the brand and produce the marketing material. All of which was launched at LG Future's key trade exhibition, CIPFA.

Like to know how we did it? Then click here for the case study.

giraffe extends Birmingham Science Park’s entrepreneurial reach

08.07.2010

Having exceeded its six-month target in its first year of operation, Birmingham Science Park's entrepreneurs 4 the future (e4f) initiative was keen to shout about its achievements. 

e4f commissioned us to produce a report which highlighted how successful the scheme had already been.

We created an eight-page report that blended quantifiable material with spotlights on the businesses supported by the initiative. Along with displays from the businesss supported, the publication was the centrepiece of a celebrating success event held at the science park.

Simon Jenner of e4f said, "The report was our first opportunity to work with giraffe.  We were really pleased with their approach and work and will definitely be back in touch with giraffe again."

To see the report click on the download option below.

giraffe’s new website set to help… giraffes!

28.06.2010

Wildlife charity set to get bucks from clicks

To celebrate the launch of our new, spangled, super-duper website, we're pledging cash for every click our home page receives to a great wildlife charity.  The Giraffe Conservation Foundation is dedicated to securing a future for all giraffes in the wild. 

Our 'donate per home page click' lasts until 31 Aug 2010, so if you're feelng the love for our long necked friends, get clicking!

Give me five… reasons to celebrate

11.05.2010

Giraffe helps LG Futures celebrate its fifth anniversary

Public sector financial experts, LG Futures, were keen to celebrate their 5th anniversary.  Having booked London's stylishly exclusive Andaz Hotel, they approached giraffe about creating excitement and interest in their event. 

We worked with them on the theme of 'five reasons', producing an attractive invitation and coming up with ideas that reflected the theme within the event itself.

The result?  A highly successful celebration that exceeded LG Future's objectives for the event.

Clearly different sales consultancy

16.03.2010

Leading South West glazing specialists commission sales strategy

Breakfast at…. Bruntwood’s

09.02.2010

Giraffe devises 'Breakfast by Bruntwood' concept

Keen to raise its profile in the Midlands, successful North West developer, Bruntwood, came to Giraffe. One of Giraffe’s ideas adopted by the company was ‘Breakfast by Bruntwood’, a quarterly event aimed at Midlands’ movers and shakers. With the venue being Bruntwood’s newly-refurbished McLaren building, Giraffe devised the breakfasts as a great way to show off its gorgeous new interior and to position the developer as a major property player.

Serene Order appoints giraffe to launch new store

01.12.2009

Designer retailer asks giraffe to raise awareness and drive footfall to its new store

Successful online designer retailer, Serene Order, has commissioned giraffe to promote its new location at Mell Square, in Solihull.

The integrated marketing activity will include direct mail, promotions, PR and sponsorship.  Click here to see how we did.

Arden’s invites giraffe to take the biscotti

26.11.2009

Giraffe to launch exciting new concept deli-cafe

The first of what is hoped to be many outlets in the UK, Arden's is the brainchild of established Midlands business, Arden Fine Foods. It has charged giraffe with launching its first retail outlet.

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