WELCOMEABS PR SEMINAR

WELCOME BY TOBY ROECorporate Communications Director

Ashridge and Chair of the ABS PR Network

1 Prepared by Grayling for the Big Picture Meeting April 2010

PR skills in a changing landscape

27 September 2010

Me

11 years three agenciesCranfieldGrayling A passion for learning

30 minutes three objectives

Reflect on your skill set

How you develop yourself

How we at grayling are developing our people

Change

What new skills have you developed in the last two years?

1.2.

What skills are you currently developing and why?1.2.

The work we have done

Recruited Head of Learning & DevelopmentInvest more in developing skills, behaviours, aptitudes and knowledge requiredCompetentcy Framework – PRCALearning to learn + CPD + Diploma

Why?Opportunity knocksShake-out

Developing our people

Priorities for PR Professionals

Creativity – a process

Creativity – a process

Digital – blogging/so

cial media/SEO

Digital – blogging/so

cial media/SEO

Writing & presentingWriting &

presenting

Leading & managingLeading & managing

Business & strategy

Business & strategy

Keep your skills up to date by ...

Networking/events/conferences Reading (trade journals)Dedicating time to learning – doing cultureUnlearning Investing in core skills – writing, presenting Spend time with your agencyBenchmark against other professionals

How do you learn?

Two skills you will develop in the next 12 months

What ........................................................................................................................................................................................Why........................................................................................................................................................................................How........................................................................................................................................................................................Share...

Current Skills Needed by the PR Professional in a Changing Landscape

Or put another way - ‘How to Get Headhunted’ – 10 things you need to be doing – and now!

JULIAN GOLDSMITHManaging Director

Dialogue Europe Ltd27/9/10

Ten Tips - Overview

1.        Be vital - reputation is everything2.        Invest in your career – ‘old dogs/new tricks’ 3.        Networking – get out & about, like today4.        Invest in relationships – beyond the Dean5.        Develop a rich experience – 5 year tenures

Overview (Contd...)

      6. Show progress – success metrics7.     Develop your own brand – by-lines to blogs8.       Innovate – what do you do differently?9.       ‘Elevator pitch’ - develop your own USP

10.     Compelling CV - your chance to impress  

Be Vital·            Research (and anecdotal evidence) shows one of main things keeping Vice-Chancellors/Deans awake      at night, is reputational risk·            Recognise your importance to the business school and go the ‘extra mile’ to achieve·            Don’t do a good job but then forget to quantify and play-back the value of what you do·            Success metrics are vital but rarely seen/heard·     What % of coverage was on message?; what % improvement of coverage Y-on-Y over last 5 years?; what improvement in blog coverage...?

Invest In Your Career

·   If pressure to step-up performance does not come from above, it should come from you

·   Keep learning new things – keep trying to adopt new skills even if not at first always obvious

·    Everyone here have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile?·    Invest time and effort to go to trade body (e.g. CIPR  events) as well as ABS ones

·    Physician-heal-thyself – get new, additional qualifications

Networking

• ‘Not what you know, but who you know!’ – in physical and internet world

• Often doesn’t come naturally as PR/comms people walk one-step behind the Dean

• Keep in touch with past Deans/key Faculty• A diligent headhunter will be asking your peer group about you, so you need to be known

• Two-way street – use it know who else is on their way up – you could be a vital ‘source’

Invest In Relationships

• As well as external networking, be vital in build Dean’s profile – good profile features win prizes!

• Who are your ‘rock stars’? – you all have them and their day comes

• Work with them in advance; build their trust; push them hard and shine in reflected glory

• Behind every guru there’s a PR/comms person ‘peddling’ hard

Develop A Rich Experience

• Jobs for life are gone but a constant job-jumper is bad news too

• Secondments into businesses with close relationships to the business school?; maybe a short period at the Department of Education?

• Could you do a job swap with a business school (as students do after all), so you can talk about role of PR/comms in a North American or Far Eastern business school?

Show Progress

• Where you have been somewhere for a long time, show clear progression: PR Exec/Officer to PR Manager; to Deputy Head of Comms...

• If promotion is hard (where you are), can you demonstrate clear achievement/best-practice...?

• Too many candidates are too vague about progress and achievements and are not showing a USP

• Develop anecdotes that underpin your progress; can you tell a story about what you have done?

• Have success metrics to hand from coverage to ‘hits’

Develop Your Own Brand

• Should be easy yes? Or too focused on building school’s / Dean’s / Faculty’s to think of your own?!

• Should you be where I’m standing talking to your peer group – or on larger stages?

• You ghost articles for others, shouldn’t you be writing articles/blogs under your own by-line?

• From attitude to appearance to ‘glass’ overflowing/ empty, your brand arrives before you do

Innovate

• Easier said than done but a chance to really add to your own brand and wider reputation

• What could any of you here be doing differently in the day-job that would stand you out?

• Keep challenging your team to think in new ways• Get under-the-skin from undergrads to MBA alumni – how do you reach/influence them?

• Alumni could well be a future employer themselves, or at least their organisations!

Elevator Pitch

• In media training sessions, you tell the Dean/Faculty to have a sharply-honed message; points of differentiation - does your own career?

• We might be pretty good if asked what makes your own business school better than others – but can we do this for ourselves?

• Develop your own ‘USP’ refine, up-date, refine and practise 

• Expertise in crisis comms, web innovation...?

Compelling CV

• Career progression starts and ends with a good CV• Don’t be lazy, adding on ‘new bits‘ now and again – review, keep it tight and punchy

• Does it tell-a-story? Would you call you for interview?• Does it achieve impact within five seconds; easily assimilated within 30 seconds?

• Does it maximise you - your work, past experience, personal achievements?

• Will an RPO (recruitment process outsourcer), also hiring admin, HR, IT... get it?!

Some Other CV Thoughts

No strict rights nor wrongs, but some key guidelines…

•  Save in Word (not a pdf please), using your name and ideally a date. e.g. John Smith CV – Sept10

•  No date of birth, no pic of yourself, no more than ‘.. over 20 years experience…’ even when 35!

•  Contact details – mobile plus your own personal e-mail address (using your partner’s is naff) 

• Home address up to you• Start with 4-5 line summary profile, mention eye-catching former 

employers, include your USP(s); state key qualifications• Chronology of employment/titles/dates… end with 

Education/Qualifications, then Interests and References Available • Be ready to tailor to each specific role applied for 

CVs – From Good to Great

•  Is there a ‘thread’ running through most (if not all) of what you have done which shows a ‘logical’ progression?

• Can some past experiences be ‘retro fitted’ to illustrate different learnings and key competencies?

• Do you have multiple CVs (if only topping-and-tailing the intro 4-5 lines) for different employment opportunities?

• Does your CV convey not just your key responsibilities but main achievements, potentially using these as sub heads?

• What success metrics can you show? 10% year-on-year coverage increase; 20% more web site ‘hits’

• Is it clear what you personally did; what the quantified outcome was; how this impacted the business school?

CVs – Great to Excellent

It means more digging/researching, but the rewards are great…

• Can you put financial gains/savings to your work in things achieved or other things prevented? e.g. crisis management

• Can you talk about a Return on Investment (ROI) to what you do?• Can you demonstrate strong team leadership? Are there any statistics 

showing people perform better/are more motivated working for you?• Can you add web links to especially strong on/off line coverage or a 

YouTube video?• Have you pioneered use of social media and/or established a 

successful digital strategy where you are/have been?• Can you show close working/providing senior strategic counsel to 

senior leadership within the business school which has clearly been acted upon?

Questions

Dialogue Europe Ltd Floor 4 / 28 Shelton St London  WC2H 9JE 

+44 (0)7887 548503 julian@dialogue.eu.com 

Corporate Marketing; Corporate Marketing; Positioning the Positioning the ccorporate orporate

bbrand in new marketsrand in new markets

Bernard CareyBernard Carey

What is corporate What is corporate positioning?positioning?

• What are we for?What are we for?

• Who are we?Who are we?

• Where are we Where are we going?going?

Bernard Carey 19.04.2010

Corporate Positioning; New MarketCorporate Positioning; New Market

• Mission: Mission: Does it fit? Biggest, first, bestDoes it fit? Biggest, first, best

• Vision: Is it credible, does it translate?Vision: Is it credible, does it translate?

• Values: Do they match local aspirations?Values: Do they match local aspirations? Do they create trust?Do they create trust?

StakeholdersStakeholders

Someone who has an Someone who has an

interest in, or an influence interest in, or an influence

over the success of your over the success of your

companycompany

TrustTrust

• Track recordTrack record

• TransparencyTransparency

• CredibilityCredibility

• Corporate responsibilityCorporate responsibility

• Make a differenceMake a difference

Standardisation vStandardisation v AdaptationAdaptation

• You cannot change who you areYou cannot change who you are

• but you can change emphasisbut you can change emphasis

• Are you pitching to several new Are you pitching to several new markets at once?markets at once?

• Or one at a time, selectively?Or one at a time, selectively?

Market entry strategyMarket entry strategy

• Structure – own staff; representative in-Structure – own staff; representative in-house; agencyhouse; agency

• Systems – devolved; shared; branding ; Systems – devolved; shared; branding ; issues managementissues management

• Process – approvals; initiatives; crisis Process – approvals; initiatives; crisis managementmanagement

Market entry strategyMarket entry strategy

• PEST; political, economic, social, PEST; political, economic, social,

technologicaltechnological

• Porter’s Five forces adds Porter’s Five forces adds

environmentenvironment

• Market, medium, messageMarket, medium, message

Planning communications - Planning communications - marketmarket

• DemographicsDemographics

• Psychographics Psychographics

• RegulationsRegulations

• Legal frameworkLegal framework

We are all differentWe are all different

• What do USA, Russia, China and What do USA, Russia, China and France have in common?France have in common?

• Public Relations in Eastern EuropePublic Relations in Eastern Europe

• And in non-democratic countriesAnd in non-democratic countries

• Access to internetAccess to internet

• International media; BBC World International media; BBC World Service; CNN; Russia today; Al JazeeraService; CNN; Russia today; Al Jazeera

We are all the sameWe are all the same

• International mediaInternational media

• International markets/economyInternational markets/economy

• Ageing populationsAgeing populations

• Maslow’s hierachyMaslow’s hierachy

• The internetThe internet

Planning communications - Planning communications - mediamedia

• BroadcastingBroadcasting

• Print mediaPrint media

• Direct mailDirect mail

• Trade fairsTrade fairs

• Consumer showsConsumer shows

• Internet access - broadbandInternet access - broadband

Planning communications - Planning communications - messagemessage

• NameName

• LogoLogo

• TaglinesTaglines

• Mission, vision, values fit.Mission, vision, values fit.

• Does the sentiment translate?Does the sentiment translate?

Case studiesCase studiesTesco -USA entryTesco -USA entry

• Positioning - innovator, value, own Positioning - innovator, value, own brandbrand

• Awareness - store locationAwareness - store location

• Message - intelligence-driven Message - intelligence-driven retailingretailing

• Online sellingOnline selling

• Digital marketingDigital marketing

Case studies - TescoCase studies - Tesco

““Early on one of the things we said about Early on one of the things we said about establishing as a business was effectively to establishing as a business was effectively to start having a conversation…we are an start having a conversation…we are an unknown, so lets be clear about… what weunknown, so lets be clear about… what we

stand for and then lets continually stand for and then lets continually demonstrate that… we’re living up to what we demonstrate that… we’re living up to what we say we are doing… So that was a starting say we are doing… So that was a starting point in our, for want of a better word, point in our, for want of a better word, strategy’strategy’

Simon Uwins, CMO at Fresh & EasySimon Uwins, CMO at Fresh & Easy

Case studies - TescoCase studies - Tesco

“ “here… stuff written on blogs does get picked here… stuff written on blogs does get picked up quite a lot in newspapers … in fact up quite a lot in newspapers … in fact newspapers here, much more so than in the newspapers here, much more so than in the UK, are very internet based … So for all these UK, are very internet based … So for all these reasons we went ‘Ok, lets first have a go at reasons we went ‘Ok, lets first have a go at starting up a blog’, because a blog is much starting up a blog’, because a blog is much faster moving, it would allow us to talk a bit, faster moving, it would allow us to talk a bit, and it also felt very appropriate in this and it also felt very appropriate in this market.’market.’

Simon Uwins, CMO at Fresh & EasySimon Uwins, CMO at Fresh & Easy

Case studies - MINICase studies - MINI

• The product – Car of the CenturyThe product – Car of the Century

• The icon – 60s BritainThe icon – 60s Britain

• The brand - valuesThe brand - values

• The politics - British or GermanThe politics - British or German

Case studies - MINICase studies - MINI

• Global brand – fun, adventure, Global brand – fun, adventure, genuine, individual, cheeky!genuine, individual, cheeky!

• Global positioning – Global positioning – lovelove

• Showroom design – innovative, Showroom design – innovative, uniqueunique

• PR – creating a legend for the brandPR – creating a legend for the brand

• USA – local radioUSA – local radio

• Continental Europe – postersContinental Europe – posters

SummarySummary

• Think global; BE localThink global; BE local

• Plan, research, test, evaluatePlan, research, test, evaluate

• Be innovative, make a differenceBe innovative, make a difference

• Be open, transparentBe open, transparent

• Build TRUSTBuild TRUST

What can you do?What can you do?

• Looking for allies and friendsLooking for allies and friends

• Looking for information and Looking for information and knowledgeknowledge

• Understanding culture…Understanding culture…

• ……and differencesand differences

Corporate Marketing; Positioning Corporate Marketing; Positioning the the ccorporate orporate bbrand in new rand in new

marketsmarkets

Thanks for listening; have a good Thanks for listening; have a good week.week.

Bernard Carey FCIPRBernard.carey@marlinconsulting.co.uk

www.marlinconsulting.co.uk

Further readingFurther reading

• Heath R.L. (2001) “Handbook of Heath R.L. (2001) “Handbook of Public Relations” Thousand Oaks, Ca. Public Relations” Thousand Oaks, Ca. SageSage

• Etaing J. and Pieczka M. (2006) Etaing J. and Pieczka M. (2006) “Public Relations. Critical debates “Public Relations. Critical debates and Contemporary Practice”. and Contemporary Practice”. Mahwah, NJ. ErlbaumMahwah, NJ. Erlbaum

PR CLINIC

52 Prepared by Grayling for the Big Picture Meeting April 2010