The Power of the Re-Tweet

If you have a personal or business Twitter account, you will no doubt have seen many ‘RTs’ that run through you news feed. These are Re-Tweets, which in short means someone has read a Tweet that the feel has value to be shared and therefore will Re-Tweet the original Tweet in order to spread the message.

Many businesses see Twitter as a one dimensional social networking tool, but Twitter has many layers that need to be understood to receive a maximum return on investment.

The effectiveness of a RT is extremely powerful and can address a wider audience and of course, drive traffic to a site if a link is included.

So to understand the effectiveness of a RT, you must firstly understand how far a Tweet can go. It’s a very simple concept. If, for example, I, Amy Brown of Freer PR tweet to all my contacts, I have on average 200 followers. Then Freer PR’s Director Nicki Spindler Re-Tweets my comment on her business Twitter account @Freer_PR which on average has 1000 followers, and then on to her personal account which again has on average 100+ followers. My short Tweet has the possibility of being read by an audience of 1,300.

Think of the true impact when your post is Re-Tweeted by 10 or 20 others. This could possibly expose your content to tens of thousands of Twitter users. Powerful stuff and lots of exposure which drives traffic to your site. But please, before you get overly excited, understand that only a small percentage of the people that the Tweet is exposed to will actually click through to your site. But if your message is clear enough, that may be enough to attract new followers.

So, when Tweeting, you must make sure that the message you want to send out is clear and positive. Also, understand the importance of making your message global. By making the Tweet globally recognised, the possibility of the Re-Tweet is limitless.

Do you track Re-Tweets to see what the impact is or is this something you have not given much attention to? Re-Tweeting is a fantastic and cost effective way to get your business message out to a wider audience. So when posting a simple Tweet today, remember the possibilities of where that Tweet may end up!

For further information on getting the best from your Twitter account contact Amy@freerpr.com.

Social media, Log on, Switch on!

In this, the first of a four part blog posting series, we will be taking a look at the importance of having an online presence and how social media can work for your business. We will be finding out what your competition is doing online, and asking the all important question, is your business missing out?
There are many aspects of having an online presence that will benefit your business:

Here at Freer PR we believe that if your company is not online, it may as well not exist. The fact of the matter is, when a business is introduced to someone, their first action is to ‘Google them’. If you have Twitter accounts,RSS feeds, LinkedIn profiles, Facebook pages, Apps and of course an up-to-date-website, you business is instantly of interest to that person. Having an online presence makes your business interesting. For example, a Google search can tell people about your business, who works for you, your business objectives, your business goals, your current news, your product offering and, of course, the services you provide. This gives an audience member a greater understanding about your business.


A Neilson Study recently announced that we spend 68 hours per month online including on social media sites and blogging. That’s 2 hours and 6 minutes every day! If you’re not online, these figures should be motivational enough to realise that having an online presence today is a key aspect of your company.


“The reality is social media is playing more of a part in how people find services than ever before. If you’re not participating in social media networks, you are jeopardising the success of your practice.” says Sara Sims, Director of Business Development for TherapySites.


• Current news: Constantly up-to-date, discussing worldwide or regional news that is of interest to your business, or your audience. Instantly updated, you can comment on the news that is happening, now!


• Interactivity: Social media is not a one way tool. You are able to talk to your client base, ask them questions, answer concerns they have towards your business or thank them for their praise. You are able to offer a dedicated service to them that can only be gained from social media. Social media increases customer engagement and builds brand ambassadors.


• Wider Reach: Your potential online audience is global. There are no limits here, if your product or service can be sold globally, then social media can be a great way to break new worldwide audiences. Link your profile with your e-commerce site and you’re flying.


Being online means your company has no limits; you are able to reach far and wide and build engaging relationships with your target customers.


If you need help promoting your business message online through Social Media or Online PR contact amy@freerpr.com

Top Ten Reasons for Sending a Press Release

Many companies struggle to understand the importance of sending out strategically planned news campaigns to the press. There are two main reasons businesses don’t get the coverage they want or deserve.

The first reason is lack of stories, you may be thinking, "Why should I send a press release to the media - they aren't going to care about what I'm doing with my business." Well, you're wrong! Editors and reporters earn their living by finding interesting stories - they see you as a resource, rather than an inconvenience.

The second reason is too many stories. Many companies seem to bombard journalists with their press stories, believing that the more they send out, the more coverage they will receive. Right? Wrong.


If you fall in to this category then here are some top tips for sending out a NEWSWORTHY press release.
 
Firstly, your business needs a structured plan for your newsworthy stories. You won’t get fantastic coverage in your first month, you need to build relationships with your local newspaper, and this takes time. You must sew the seed, sending occasional stories and speaking to the same contact will allow them to remember your name. Make sure the journalist covers the types of stories you company feature in. Don’t send your beauty business stories to the financial reporter! Do research; ask for advice if you are struggling.

When sending out a press release, think about your audience, does your audience WANT to hear about this story? Do they NEED to hear about this story? Would the story be better with pictures?

So you think you have a topic of interest that both your journalist and audience will love. Well, let’s see if it falls in to our TOP TEN REASONS TO SEND A PRESS RELEASE!



1. An announcement of a product or service. Is your company offering something new? Something different? Then surely your audience will want to know about this.

   2. Are you holding a public event? Maybe you want the journalist to attend? You’ll surely want to publicise the event. If this an annual event you may have pictures from a previous year, send them along with your story.

3. Client wins & success stories. Are you hitting a record breaking year? Have you wont a fantastic new client? Is there a joining force of businesses that will benefit your industry or region?

4. Expansion. Especially in these tough economic times, if your company is expanding, then this is a positive news story.


5. National topic or holiday. Keep your finger on the pulse when it comes to trending stories in the national press, if something happens which you feel your business can comment on then call the press. Are you offering a service in conjunction with a national holiday, your audience will want to know.

6. Awards. Has your business won an award? Has an employee won an award? Maybe you’re holding an award ceremony, or have been nominated. These stories are extremely newsworthy.

7. If your business is conducting a new study, then this would be a story for your industry magazines.


8. Community stories are great for regional press. If you are volunteering at a local charity, or have donated a gift of kind or a monetary donation then let the papers know. This will also benefit the charity.

9. Business Anniversary. If your business has been running for 20 years, then this is a great success story, your audience will want to know your exciting news, so do tell the papers.


10. Finally, if you have any celebrity endorsement, a visit for a Government minister or your product has been used on TV, then these are all great regional news stories.
    
A strategic and planned approach always drives effective and measurable results. If you'd like to talk to us about how we can keep your business profile in the media then contact Amy@freerpr.com

An Introduction to PR

Many people are often confused by the term ‘PR’ (Public Relations) and what it really means. Some businesses disregard spending time and effort in their Public Relations. However, Public Relations is a vital tool for any business, no matter how big or small. In short, PR is the message a business wants to send to its audience. By sending a linear and honest message to its customer base, a business will gain a sound reputation in the public eye.

Customers, suppliers, employees, stakeholders and journalists can have a powerful impact. They all have an opinion about the organisations they come into contact with – whether good or bad, right or wrong. These perceptions will drive their decisions about whether they want to work with, shop with and support these organisations.

The PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) recently issued an updated definition of what PR is on their Twitter account. Conveniently fitting in a handy 140 character Twitter-friendly message: 

“Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organisations and their public's.”

A Business reputation is everything, it can help make or break a company, with the Internet your reputation (good or bad) can now spread like wild fire if you’re not on top of it.

Having to worry about running your business in today’s climate, never mind keeping an eye on what people are saying about you online, can be challenging and very time consuming.

No matter what your budget your PR must be effective. It’s for that reason companies hire a PR agency to take care of all their marketing needs. This allows the company to concentrate on what they do best, and know their every PR and Marketing need is taken care of by industry professionals.

To find out how PR can work for your business contact Amy at Amy@freerpr.com.

Excessive Advertising: When is enough too much?

This week The Guardian issued a report regarding the independent panel set up by the Government to tackle the effects of last year’ riots. The report, by the Riots Communities and Victims panel concludes that the riots were fueled by a range of factors including a lack of opportunities for young people, poor parenting, a failure of the justice system to rehabilitate offender's materialism and suspicion of the police.

The report points out that half of the recorded offences in the riots were for looting, often high-value products, including TV’s, trainers, designer clothes, mobile phones and computers. The report has issued a plea to the Advertising Standards Authority to work to increase children’s resilience to advertising and to be protected from ‘Excessive Advertising’. So, we ask the question, when is enough, too much?

You must firstly understand that here at Freer PR we love advertising. We enjoy receiving a brief from clients, and then developing the creative process involved with finding a great advertising hook, then running with it up to final completion. We, of course, love the final return of investment our clients receive from a successful advertising campaign.

   

We are not disputing that advertising is a great way to build a reputation with your customer base, however, we purely ask, can there be too much advertising? The answer, of course, is yes!

We all know the major contenders for Forbes largest advertising campaign. But is it really necessary? If a worldwide hamburger chain spent a little less on their advertising, would people stop going? Would people suddenly forget about them after all these years? Of course not.

Would we struggle to find running shoes? Or give up running altogether? Because a certain trainer brand spent less money on advertising? Of course not. But yes, we are being slightly melodramatic here.

With so many advertisers spending so much money to advertise and market their message across so many mediums and platforms to so many people, will we one day get to that point? Will we all one day collectively say ‘enough is enough?’

I surely hope not for as I mentioned previously we love advertising and I think it plays a very important role in the consumer ecosystem. Advertising informs. Advertising educates. Advertising entertains. And of course, advertising sells.

Freer PR hires PR executive as part of first phase of expansion

Freer PR has hired Amy Brown as PR executive to the firm. The role marks the first phase in expansion for the company. 

Amy brings with her a wealth of experience, working in the industry for the past seven years. Earlier in her career Amy worked with such clients as The Primary Care Trust, The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust, and The Feathers Hotel Group.

Nicki Spindler of Freer PR, said: “We are extremely excited that Amy has joined the Freer PR team. Her experience in the industry will allow us to continue offering excellent levels of service to our clients. Amy brings with her wealth of experience working within the PR industry and has created some fantastic campaigns for an impressive array of clients. We’re delighted to have her on board, and feel she will be a true asset to Freer PR."

Amy Brown said: “I’m delighted to have joined the team at Freer PR. They have a fantastic reputation in the industry and a great client base. I’m looking forward to injecting my ideas and creativity to further enhance the service offering."

Amy will start work with Freer PR on April 2nd. On behalf of the company, we would like to welcome Amy to the team. 

For PR queries, Amy can be contacted on 07714037704. 

Time Recruitment appoints Freer PR to raise profile

Specialist recruitment firm, Time Recruitment, have appointed Freer PR to deliver their PR and Communications campaign across regional and national media.  

Freer PR will deliver a strategic campaign that will raise the profile of the firm, as well as driving awareness of the “credible reputation” that Time Recruitment have built across their specialist Construction, Healthcare, Industrial and Commercial divisions.

Nicola Spindler, Director of Freer PR said: “ Over the last 10 years Time Recruitment have built a strong and positive reputation as a specialist recruitment firm. The recruitment industry is a competitive market place where quality and delivery distinguish you from your competitors. Time Recruitments vision and passion for the work they do has seen their business transform into the leading provider they are today. We’re delighted to be working with Stephen and Paul and look forward to contributing towards their next phase of growth.”

Stephen Lyons, Director of Time Recruitment commented: “In this our 10^th Year of business we recognised that in order to continue achieving year on year growth it was important that we continued to re-invest in our brand. We chose to work with Freer PR because of their understanding of our industry and their approach to helping us  achieve our business objectives. It’s refreshing to hear a PR Agency talk about accountability and return on investment – and we’re confident we’ve chosen the right partners to help raise our profile.”