Reaching for a wider audience the smart way

With the ubiquitous use of Twitter, it was interesting to see a statistic this week on the BBC News website that suggests 40% of users don’t actually write their own tweets. For anyone obsessed with Twitter this might seem a surprising statistic and yet maintaining any social media profile is a highly involved one! Gone are the days when social media was the preserve of tech-savvy teenagers looking for new was to chat and web links, music or photos. Today, the likes of Twitter, Linked-In and Facebook are must-have channels of communication for many modern businesses (with newer alternatives such as Google+ and Pinterest vying for prominence as well) – but to any unsuspecting business it soon becomes clear that talking to such a vast potential audience requires a great deal of time and consideration to ensure it is engaged properly. In fact a badly judged profile can be quite damaging to your company’s brand, in much the same way as any other publically visible content.

What the statistic above doesn’t clarify is whether this is Tweeters literally having someone else formulate and post on their behalf or whether they actually have somebody else managing it for them. The idea of unknown persons masquerading as public figures or influential people in government or business conjures up a somewhat sinister, Stalinist-type propaganda, but actually I suspect what the stat really indicates is that many of these individuals have help in getting their message across to this online audience. If you have something to talk about then why not use it to its full advantage. If you have written an interesting blog then why not link to it on Twitter? If you have some big product news or outstanding financial results it seems a shame not to share this through all the media available. At MCC International we encourage our clients to make full use of social media as they would with print magazines, online coverage or even TV and radio – if you have a good story then make sure it is disseminated as widely as possible! Having a dedicated support team to help push your message out to the public is what good PR is all about and contrary to the propaganda analogy, allows anyone to spread a genuine opinion or statement directly to your chosen audience.  

If you would like to talk about how you can do more with social media give us a call on 02380 111977 or visit www.mccint.com

Iconic Global IT Storage Company, LaCie, Chooses MCC International For UK PR Campaign

MCC International delighted to have been chosen by the global digital storage company, LaCie, to raise the UK profile of the company. We will run a campaign across the technology, home, lifestyle and gadget media, as well as managing the reviews of its multi award-winning products.

“Think about how many music tracks, videos and photos you own, how much they are worth and how much they mean to you. For many of us, our digital libraries would fill a large room,” commented the Managing Director of MCC International, Fiona Brewer. “Today, with products such as those from LaCie, you can securely store a lifetimes worth of memories, work files and more on a device that you can easily fit in your bag.”

MCC International will be promoting the latest LaCie products including its range of drop-resistant rugged products, designer collaborations with Porsche to create a high performance hard-drive that is only 11mm thick, as well as the Blade Runner, created with the world renowned designer, Philippe Starck. Fiona continued: “To put the capabilities of these devices into perspective, the highest specification iPad can store an impressive 128GB, however, LaCie’s portable hard-drives can store up to 1TB, which is more than most laptop and desktop PCs.  So these products not only look great, but perform exceptionally well.”

EMEA PR Manager at LaCie, Ekaterina Wilk commented: “MCC International was recommended to us and we have been very impressed by the knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise of the team.”

As well as LaCie consumer products, MCC International will be promoting its range of PC and Mac compatible business products, used by broadcasters, movie-makers, photographers, designers and musicians around the world.

Fiona concluded: “It is great news that a Southampton agency has attracted the attention of such an important and respected global technology brand.”

Extra, extra – read all about it!

MCC International Agency Director, Graham Thatcher, met up with a journalist and publisher this week with a client and the conversation turned around to the fact that as an organisation a considerable amount of their energies have now moved over to producing online content as opposed to printed magazines. Of course we are all very familiar with digital content and it has become even more convenient and realistic to use it with the phenomenal rise of the smart device and tablets. As if by a quirk of fate, Graham also spoke to another contact recently who remarked that upon seeing a commuter on a packed train reading a broadsheet newspaper; had assumed this was because they had forgotten to bring their iPad Mini! Anecdotes like this are not, I’m sure, out of the ordinary and digital media has rapidly become such an important part of our everyday lives – largely because of the ubiquity of relatively cheap high performance and highly portable devices that are geared to offering the content that the person in the street (literally) wants. It doesn’t seem so long ago that people had to be convinced that online press coverage could be considered important, and yet it is now perhaps the central medium from which people gain news and information. MCC has been embracing online coverage since its early days, we have long advised clients that whilst having printed coverage still feels special (and probably always will!) being online rapidly opens up a potential audience that would have been unthinkable even a generation ago. It also makes other areas, such as video content, a realistic way of reaching this audience, as I mentioned in my last blog entry.

With St Valentine’s Day this week, Internet businesses have inevitably been cashing in on the trade for sending flowers, gifts and cards but the BBC News has reported on another ‘romantically’-connected online money-spinner -  fake girlfriend profiles for Facebook. As a way of bringing the industry of Escorting into the digital age, enterprising women (and some men apparently too) are making hard cash from lending their attractive likenesses to clients who want to make their ex jealous or impress their friends. For example, US site Cloud Girlfriend let the paying customer choose their ideal companion’s profile which could then be linked romantically to their own for a fee (well until Facebook got wind of it enforced its honesty and privacy rules). Perhaps it’s another reminder that people take their online persona as seriously as their offline one and that there can be money to be made in offering services that people want, however bizarre they may seem!

Developers have long talked about cars that can take a greater share of driving from drivers, to help battle the problems of fatigue for example (I’m thinking KITT from 1980s classic Knightrider myself!) but one disabled driver found out this week that this can be a truly frightening prospect if things go wrong. As reported in The Register (with a considerable degree of hyperbole it would seem), driver Frank Lecerf feared for his life as the cruise control system on his specially adapted car malfunctioned, propelling the terrified Frenchman at speeds of 120mph across the border into Belgium before the fuel ran out and he was able to stop his Renault. Talking about it in the office we couldn’t help but compare it to movie classic ‘Speed’ but in reality the prospect of technology potentially controlling life and death and then going wrong is a terrifying one. On another level, it’s a good reminder that technology should be there simply to make life easier or more productive and stops being a benefit when it fails to meet those criteria (something we always bear in mind when assisting our clients with their PR campaigns and talking about the benefits of products or services). It’s something that no doubt Monsieur Lecerf is more than aware of.

Take The Lead With Your Online Media Coverage

MCC Director Graham Thatcher looks at great ways to improve your online media coverage:

Getting a great story published isn’t always easy, especially if you want the right story in the right publication at the right time. But once you have achieved it there is no time to sit back and bask in your own glory, as there is still plenty of work to be done. I have been working in the world of PR for well over a decade and in some respects the industry has changed beyond all recognition and in a very good way.

When I first started my career in a PR agency it was about the ‘thud value’ of the monthly clippings book you could leave in the reception area for your client. Print coverage was king and online was supplementary noise (many clients would even ask me to omit it from there books as it held no value!).

Today, any agency or in-house PR will tell you that whilst we all still love to see our work in print, on the radio and TV, in the main it is all about online exposure. Crucially, when I talk about online coverage I am not talking about the here today gone tomorrow newsfeeds and copy and the ‘copy and paste’ breed of journalism (although there is an argument that this all contributes to the on-going SEO effort to an extent). I am talking about generating editorial rich online content that will create relevant links in the appropriate places, which in turn generates tangible PR-driven leads. Great for the PR, the publisher/blogger (it helps them to coax marketing budget) and the organisation.

So, the next time you find yourself with such a piece of coverage here are my top tips to maximise its lifetime value…

• Read the story! Sounds obvious but in the midst of the euphoria of getting the story published in your top tier title, checked it for accuracy, is there an issue that you can pick up the phone and rapidly resolve with the journalist. 
•  If you work in a PR agency the next step is to notify your client that the story is live. Send them the link and encourage them to share the story internally, especially with the sales team. If the story includes a reference to a customer or business partner who helped you create the story, then a courtesy email or call to them is always appreciated. 
• Now for the traditional tip! Remember to clip it in its original glory! Don’t assume that it will stay online forever, especially if it is the top story on the homepage. 
• Get online and tweet the story, being sure to use the most relevant hash tags and encourage others to do the same. More than likely it will be tweeted by the publication so make sure you retweet that also. Remember the more activity an Editor sees around a story, the more likely they are to pick up your next one 
• As well as Twitter do a LinkedIn share. 
• Whilst you are logged on to LinkedIn get on to the relevant groups and either start a new discussion about the theme of the article, or use the story to contribute to an ongoing debate (be sure to include the URL). 
• Write a short trailer of the article that the organisation can use to create a new item on their corporate blog. 
• Get on to the corporate Facebook paged to post a link. 
• Finally, with all of this pushing of the story it is vitally important to track the resulting comments, as it is here that a potential new lead may originate.

As you can see, one clipping creates an opening many different virtual doors. The publication has given you the destination and that has huge value and potential in its own right, but as a PR it is your job is to maximise the number of the right people who see it.

So remember next time you get a Google Alert, are trawling Pickanews, or a doing your own search, it isn't necessarily the size of your clippings book that matters, it is what you do with it that counts!  You have worked hard to craft the story, cultivated the media interest, so you owe it to your organisation, client and yourself to make the most of it. Follow these best practice tips and you can be sure that every quality online story is given the treatment it deserves.

Sound and Vision

 

Now that we are truly into 2013 (and the snow is reminding us that we really are in the middle of winter) MCC International is busy meeting with clients and looking at what the PR campaigns will be doing for the next 12 months. It’s an exciting time for many of us in the PR industry, a fresh slate if you will, that allows for strategic planning and new ideas to drive forward the key messages. At MCC International 2013 is the year of video – we have recently opened up a specific YouTube channel dedicated to hosting the existing and future video material that will be an integral part of our work this year. In 1968 Andy Warhol famously said everyone would be famous for 15 minutes in the future – perhaps he had the foresight to see that once the technology had evolved, we would all be looking to make an impact on the world. It would seem he’s right and we’re glad to be helping our clients achieve more than just 15 minutes of fame!

One of the big headlines this week (especially for anyone who grew up buying their music in a shop rather than online – how quaint!) is the likely demise of HMV. There has been a lot of speculation as to why HMV has found itself in such dire straights (no pun intended) and anyone who bought their treasured music collections there in the 1980s and 1990s will probably tell you its as much to do with the company losing its appeal as a pure purveyor of music as it is to the Internet revolution and download sales. Interestingly, another brand that we grew up with, Argos, has reported it has grown sales using its click and collect service, as reported on the BBC News website this week. The idea of reserving an item online and then buying it instore is becoming popular with a number of ‘real-world’ retailers, offering consumers lower prices without the wait for the delivery to turn up. Of course Argos and HMV are very different beasts in the way they operate their stores, but its interesting to see new technology and traditional stores coming together to offer consumers a third option.

Another brand that seems to be feeling the pinch from the changing way we live is processor and chip manufacturer Intel, as reported on Sky News this week. Intel was interesting in that it managed to create a strong brand for processors (even accompanied by a jingle!) - not the kind of thing that consumers would traditionally have thought about when purchasing electronics. It would seem that Intel has lost some ground from the wider switch by consumers to smartphones and tablets from desktop and laptop machines. Like Microsoft, Intel had cornered a market that was hugely buoyant at the time but has since changed, almost beyond recognition, as users turn to new ways to process their information. If nothing else, Intel’s news like that of HMV shows that the world of business doesn’t stand still and whilst you’re the top of the pile you may well have to fight, tooth and claw, to maintain that advantage in the future. Like spinning plates, your customers need constant attention and stimulation to keep purchasing from you – something that is at the core of any good PR and Marketing campaign.

So this is Christmas…

As is the case most years, by the time you reach mid-December many people’s minds are on the big ‘C’ and whether you like it or not, it’s a major event for most of us (especially as it’s often grouped together with New Year). It’s a good chance to take a well-deserved break, to enjoy a little down-time and to perhaps reflect on the past year and look forward to the challenges and rewards of the new one.  Judging by the amount of ’Out of Office’ replies we have seen this week a lot of people are already getting well into the festive spirit! Putting the festivities aside for just a moment (there are still two weekends to go!) it’s also an ideal time to start thinking about how your Marketing and PR campaign for the new year can drive forward your business’ profile, reacquainting customers and potential customers with just how good you are and helping to make sure you create your own ‘luck’ in 2013! There is no harm in hitting the ground running in the new year…..

Levels of English literacy have long be debated (probably as long as the language has existed!) but in a new twist, as reported in the BBC News website this week, it would seem that the English language as a whole is being shaped by Internet usage. Whilst English is predicted to be the dominant online language within the next 10 years (with the majority, by percentage, being in Chinese at the moment) there is the fact that many people using it will be second language speakers. It’s interesting to see how the globalisation of technology can directly affect the way we communicate, potentially even the way we speak! If you’re wondering what the cultural flipside might be of not having a vast Internet to explore, why not take a look at North Korea’s far more ‘selective’ scope at the state-controlled Naenara website, which shows what its people can see if they manage to be in the small ‘Elite’ minority that has access to this.

 
Back to the wider Internet, there are some Christmas favourites re-emerging again at the moment – such as festive cards and videos (featuring yours or any friends/family/pets faces you might choose!) at JibJab or even the Santa Tracking from the nice people at NORAD! It’s all a reminder that you can find all human interest on the Internet (and a reminder that your business should be getting its fair share of coverage!)
 

All the team at MCC International wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! (or Happy Holidays if that’s more appropriate to you!!)