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Do you have a Perfect PR Strategy?

  Last Monday (19 March) saw a variety of PR professionals come together for our 1-day conference at the CIPR, focussing on this topic.  Keynote speakers, David Gallagher and Ruth Yearley, from Ketchum set the tone by defining the need for a strategy, and suggesting that the best strategy will
· Meet business and communications goals
· Be salient in terms of messages
· Relevant to target audience
· Be timely
· Tap into a wider social context
· Work the hardest
They culminated with the reminder that there isn’t one correct strategy – there is always a choice!

Other speakers included Docklands Light Railway’s David Sanders speaking on Stakeholder Buy-in, followed by a talk on Strategy in a Multi-media world, which is essential to us today.

Delegates were invited to join in a discussion on Crisis Planning with Dacorum Borough Council’s Daniel Zammit, Chief Executive, and Louise Oughton, Strategic Communications Manager, giving impressive examples of the Buncefield incident   The key messages the left with delegates were about
· Co-ordinating knowledge and understanding
· Strategic and communication challenges
· Emergency response
· Recovery
· Communications challenges
· and, of course, Reputation and confidence.

The second discussion group focused on Measurement and research and how to monitor and improve results.

Lunch gave delegates a chance to network and talk about topical issues.  Afterwards Fraser Hardie of Blue Rubicon spoke about what to do When a strategy has to Change, which left delegates with lots of food for thought - ‘a real eye opener for the people in the field.’

One delegate felt this conference enabled ‘leaders in the PR field to come together and share best practise’, something which the CIPR obviously likes to champion.  She also went on to say the ‘standards of the speakers are high and sets a good benchmark in the PR field.’

The conference was rounded off nicely with a drinks reception in the Members’ room here at St James’s Square, which gave delegates the chance to reflect on the day and socialise. 

If you missed it, the conference is being repeated again on Monday 24 September and bookings are now open.  For more information visit  www.cipr.co.uk/strategy.

WOW! What a great start to the 2007 conference season!

The delegates to the Fresh Thinking:PR 1-day conference were eager, inquisitive and highly complementary, the speakers were experts in their fields and equally impressed with the attendees.

It got off to an exciting start with Cherry Chappell MCIPR explaining how 56% of business is created through developing relationships, i.e. “Enriching your life at every level”. Each of us has a potential to develop a network of 2,000 contacts via various friends and acquaintances! The speed networking was a great end to the session, as delegates familiarised themselves with each other and made their own contacts!

Your first PR campaign was presented by Louise Mackintosh from Mantra PR, who explained how everything you do focuses on the communications you are having with your client. Be honest with your client and make sure you are very clear on budget and evaluating properly! Julie-Ann Ryan MCIPR presented a session on the ‘perfect press release’ and started off by explaining that all journalists are not monsters – but, if not dealt with efficiently you can make them turn into one!! As a former journalist she was able to provide delegates with a helpful list of hints and tips.

Richard Parkinson ACIPR gave a fantastic and hugely popular presentation on getting your creative juices flowing even without a huge budget. He began his session by directly involving the audience, asking if anyone had any ‘creative’ dilemmas with outstanding results. His top tip was that no idea is a bad idea and creativity differentiates the truly successful companies from the rest.

Events Manager Johnnie Gates MCIPR from Coca Cola gave a jam packed presentation with lots of tips and tricks when organising a successful event. His own account of a highly successful ‘Soccormagic’ event, gave an amazing account of a football tournament with 100 celebrities! Unbelievable!

Tim Johnson MCIPR from Regester Larkin gave a hugely interesting a very insightful talk on coping with a crisis. His advice to all PR practitioners is to always be prepared because it might just happen to you!

If you missed it, this conference is being repeated on Monday 11 September. To book visit, www.cipr.co.uk/conferences