Fun Stuff Archives - Page 2 of 4

Top tips from 11 years in business

30 August 2022/in Fun Stuff, The Soapbox, TMPR News/by Tom Martin

When we hit our first decade of trading in 2021, it was some cause for celebration. We think clocking up 11 years is just as exciting, so to commemorate another year in double digits, we’ve taken a trip down memory lane to think about what’s helped us get to where we are today… and turned these into tips that will hopefully be some inspiration for growing businesses and budding entrepreneurs.

So, what have we learned since opening the TMPR doors back in 2011? Louise Morgan, our founder and director, shares some insights from the past decade (plus 1)!

1. Trust is key

First and foremost, trust is the enabling factor to build long term relationships, and we believe that it’s no different for professional relationships.

Foundations must be built on trust for both the team and our clients. Having trust in the team’s judgement and for our clients to trust in our ability to deliver, is crucial to ongoing success. In our experience, trust enables creative independence plus breeds mutual respect and loyalty.

2. Right people, right place, right attitude

I’ve always been passionate about recruiting the right people with the right attitude.

Over the years we’ve stayed true to hiring people who share our values and are equally driven, something which I believe to be a contributing factor to our success. It’s important we’re all striving to do our very best and genuinely care about what we do. This has translated into consistently exceptional client experiences and the highest quality standards.

3. Training & TMPR go hand in hand

Since TMPR began 11 years ago, the world of marketing and PR has evolved. In many ways it’s unrecognisable, and in others it’s still the same. To keep pace with change and ensure new talent can grow, developing best practice is essential. That’s why we consistently invest in training programmes.

Most recently, we commissioned social selling specialist and bestselling author, Sam Rathling to deliver a bespoke in-house LinkedIn masterclass. This has ignited a new level of passion for LinkedIn in the team and equipped everyone with fresh skills and ideas to implement for their clients.

4. Let your hair down

While we’re serious about what we do, we also know the importance of having fun along the way. If you’re not having a laugh while doing what you love, what’s the point?

Whether it’s having fun with the team or our clients, a happy and positive workplace is one of the foundations for excellent service. We have a regular programme of team building in place, and some of the activities we have to look forward to include testing our team skills at white water rafting and letting out our competitive side at this year’s Rugby Autumn Internationals (thank you for organising Charlene!).

5. Google Drive is a game changer

Since switching to Google Drive several years ago, we’ve never looked back. The move to Google Drive has acted as a catalyst for growth within the business for several reasons.

Firstly, Google Drive increases security. The robust infrastructure has given us even greater data protection and makes manual back-ups a thing of the past.

The flexibility it provides via the cloud-based operations makes it easier to support remote and hybrid working environments – while all working seamlessly on the same systems.

Google Drive has also enabled us to integrate long term freelancers into our operations, all of which has helped drive sustainable growth while maintaining quality.

6. Agencies need agility

Working across multiple clients means our priorities are constantly changing, often daily. Agility is key as it enables us to respond and adapt quickly.

The fast-paced environment can be challenging, but the secret to success is a client-first mentality. Our priority is to make every client feel the most important in the world, because they are.

Whatever size the client, whatever the brief, we value them all equally. Balancing the workload is our challenge to solve, it’s down to us to always deliver… and we have always delivered.

7. Strength of partnership

We have long standing clients that have worked with us since the very first day we formed. There are combined elements to our success that sets us apart when it comes to our strong relationships, the TMPR blend, as I like to call it.

8. Stick in your own swim lane

Specialising in technical marketing is our priority and passion, something which is non-negotiable for the future.

We have got B2B running through our veins and truly technical is where we will stay. There are some excellent marketing and PR companies out there covering hospitality, professional services, and leisure sectors – but that’s not for us. We’ve carved a niche in construction, engineering, manufacturing, and tech, and this is where we will stay.

9. Balance work and life

When TMPR was just starting out, I was working seven days a week and more than 12 hours a day to get the agency up and running. Over time, TMPR has developed into a trusted team with shared values – which includes a proper work life balance.

The balance is crucial to the team’s wellbeing and the agency’s effectiveness. That’s why we have flexi-time, hybrid working, birthdays off, Christmas shopping days, and a new healthcare scheme.

10. You can’t know everything

At our very core, we are writers. We pride ourselves on delivering outstanding written content, but the agency’s broad briefs mean we often get involved with wider projects. We never try to be a jack of all trades, we’re a master of marketing communications and anything outside of that we bring in the specialists.

We’ve built a network of trusted partners over the years, which means we can rapidly deploy experts in SEO, video, design, SoMe, and much more, to deliver on specific client briefs when needed.

11. Gratitude is salient

Being grateful for all successes – big or small – is a crucial takeaway for anyone in business. I’m fully aware that the last 18 months have been tough on industry and at TMPR we feel very fortunate to have navigated through those times.

We’re now equally grateful to be going from strength to strength, and I’m particularly excited for the future, while never forgetting where we started.

One thing is for certain, our passion to deliver exceptional experiences – for our colleagues and our clients – is here to stay.

Massive thank you to all our clients, supply partners and team for another successful year of business. Here’s to a dozen!

Excited for another PRide award nomination!

23 August 2022/in Fun Stuff, Roving Reports, TMPR News/by Tom Martin

A lot has changed since TMPR first entered the CIPR Cymru Wales Pride Awards back in 2018… and so we’re excited to announce that we’ve been recognised in this year’s shortlist!

Being shortlisted in the “Small PR consultancy of the Year” category (for the fourth time, no less) is a huge accolade for everyone in the TMPR team. The awards celebrate and reward the hard work of Wales’ leading PR agencies, departments and individuals, so to be recognised on a national scale is testament to the team’s dedication.

Over the past 12 months, TMPR has realised some tremendous achievements … from growing the in-house team, to delivering high-profile client projects (not to mention our second year in double digits as we mark 11 years in business), it’s been an epic year!

We’ve grown in capacity through staying true to our values, investing time and energy into developing new talent:

“The team continues to develop while maintaining exceptional standards and building strong partnerships – the CIPR awards are a homage to that. We cannot wait to celebrate alongside our fellow PR shortlists (virtually) this October, good luck everyone,” said Louise Morgan, TMPR founder and director.

Alongside the in-house team, TMPR owes our continued success to a trusted and talented extended network. Part of the TMPR family since 2020, Jo Hart shares what it’s like to work with us: “While a freelancer for TMPR, I’m part of the family – whether an agency catch up or team rewards and celebrations. TMPR is a great place to work and a great agency to work for.”

The awards ceremony will take place on 11th October 2022, and while it is being held virtually again this year, TMPR is currently hatching plans for an in person event so the team can get glammed up… watch this space.

Best of luck to everyone shortlisted!

Celebrating Oliver’s one year at TMPR!

13 July 2022/in Fun Stuff, The Soapbox, TMPR News/by Tom Martin

This month celebrates one year of Oliver working with us here at TMPR. Oliver started with us as a Marketing Intern, was quickly promoted to Marketing Assistant and now commemorates his first full year with us and what an accomplished year it has been!

Oliver joined us as a graduate Marketing Intern back in July 2021 and has flourished as an exceptional member of the TMPR team. We asked Oliver what the biggest highlight has been for him over the past year, and he said that working closely with clients that offer innovative and genuinely fascinating services was a personal favourite. Specifically, visiting one of our clients’ manufacturing factories: “Seeing the manufacturing process helped better my understanding of the company’s product and their core values. It is always nice to meet with clients in-person and develop those relationships, it’s crucial to our service.”

Through his work here at TMPR, Oliver also noted how rewarding he finds the job in experiencing positive results from client campaigns that he has worked on. While Oliver has been able to fully utilise academic skills gained from his BA Marketing degree, he believes the practical experience has given him the most fulfilment: “The experience and knowledge I have acquired over the past year is vast, plus the fast-paced environment has enabled me to take on new responsibilities everyday and push my capabilities to their full potential. I can’t wait to see what my future at TMPR brings.”

Speaking to TMPR’s Director Louise, she is really proud of Oliver’s progress from joining the team as a Marketing Intern last year: “Oliver is a key, valued member of the TMPR team. Aside from being our accomplished barista, Oliver’s adaptability and passion to deliver quality services to our expanding clientele transpires throughout his work.”

We are looking forward to continuing to support Oliver as he goes from strength to strength at TMPR. Oliver completed his Leadership and Management qualification last December and has come full circle as he now supports our new graduate interns in the first steps of their own TMPR journey.

Happy one year anniversary here with us, Oliver!

In the hot seat with… Tom Martin

29 April 2022/in Fun Stuff, Roving Reports/by Louise

Talking topic: three years at TMPR

Three years ago, Tom started with us as a fresh-faced graduate (well sort of fresh-faced, he’d started to cut his teeth on marketing and sales with another company before joining us). After being given the opportunity to try his hand at all aspects of marketing and PR, Tom’s career progression accelerated, with him rapidly earning his stripes as a fully-fledged Marketing and PR consultant.

In the first of our new ‘in the hot seat’ series, we ask Tom to share his pearls of wisdom on what it takes to carve out a successful and promising career at TMPR…

Thanks for your time today, Tom, and congratulations on your three-year milestone! I guess a good place to start will be to cast your mind back to the day you started…what advice would you give yourself if you were starting over?

Thank you! I really appreciate it…I would say much the same advice as I’d go by now – get stuck in, be willing to try new things, be open to new ideas, and most importantly enjoy yourself!

That’s very productive advice, thanks Tom. So, we know your career has developed firmly at TMPR, but how did you discover what aspect of marketing and PR was right for you?

Having been given the freedom to dip my feet into very varied areas across the agency, I naturally took more of a shine to campaign management. From organising product launches to raising brand awareness, I’ve grown in skills and confidence, and now independently take campaigns from an initial brief all the way through to execution and evaluation.

It’s progressed quite quickly for you – what a fantastic success! We know there have been many achievements during your time at TMPR, but which would you say has been your greatest?

I’d say my greatest achievements are tied to the client projects I’ve led on. I’ve carved my niche within campaign planning and management, and some of the ideas we’ve brought to life have been incredible. In the brief moments that I take a step back to consider what those projects have delivered; it gives me a sense of real pride.

You should be proud! Now on the flip side of things…what would you say has been your biggest learning curve?

There have been a lot of lessons along the way, but I think the biggest learning curve has been appreciating the importance of mindset. Having the right skills is essential, but it’s your mindset which really drives things forward and leads to those huge breakthroughs.

And finally, what’s your favourite thing about working for TMPR?

I think we have both a fantastic team and a wonderful group of clients to work with. Being surrounded by ambitious and inspiring people and having the opportunity to work with genuine experts across a number of fields is a privilege, and not one taken lightly. Plus, the odd team social doesn’t go amiss!

Thank you Tom, from everyone here at TMPR, for all that you do. It’s been wonderful to chat to you today and hear your experiences. You’re a truly valued colleague and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you. But for now – roll on the next team social!

TMPR heads back to Bett

7 April 2022/in Events, Fun Stuff, Marketing, The Soapbox, TMPR News/by Louise

On 23-25th March, Bett, the global education technology event, returned for the first time since January 2020, after a lengthy Covid-driven absence. Although we didn’t initially know what to expect, it was a wonderful week that captured the best and brightest moments from the world of edtech.

Chloe Allen, Marketing and PR Consultant, shares her highlights from Bett…

Events…are back!

It’s no secret that the events industry has taken a hit over the last couple of years, with the outbreak of covid-19 and the significant restrictions that followed. So, it was brilliant to see the return of live events and experience the buzz of Bett.

Over the course of the week, we struck up some excellent conversations with exciting brands, vendors, and exhibitors and spent time exploring the show.

Bringing together over 60,000 visitors and 1,200 edtech providers, it was a breath of fresh air to see so many people all in one place to discuss the future of edtech and catch up on missed time.

Exploring the latest trends in edtech

The theme for 2022 was “create the future” and was underpinned by six crucial pillars: leadership, futures, inclusion, wellbeing, skills, and innovation.

The programme of events was shaped by the pillars and included CPD sessions, talks from industry leaders, and pioneering presentations on future-facing learning, digital transformation, building resilience, and tackling the challenges of tomorrow.

It was a wonderful opportunity to truly understand how the edtech sector has reacted to the challenges brought about by the pandemic. Exhibitors shared how they had developed strategies beyond an initial crisis response, their creative approaches to establishing an inclusive curriculum, the prioritization of staff wellbeing, attitudes rebalancing workload, and much more.

Some of the most interesting trends focused on VR and its diverse role in supporting all types of learners, eLearning in the post-Covid world, and a refreshed approach to gamification in the education space.

There were robots designed to explain coding to young learners, and many well-known education brands were launching products that embodied the latest trends, devised to boost student engagement and reinvigorate the classroom for students and teachers alike.

Connecting in person

Getting to spend time with clients in person was a definite highlight. Bett 2022 really compounded the significance of human interaction and making valuable connections in real life.

It was the perfect occasion to bring brilliant minds together and tap into varied expertise and resources in real-time. Not only does this help to maintain truly valuable client relationships, but it also enables us to discuss ambitious ideas that are harder to communicate in a virtual capacity.

Reflecting upon a fantastic week, it’s safe to say that Bett 2022 delivered on all counts, providing the ideal opportunity to immerse ourselves in the constantly evolving world of edtech.

The show provides an excellent springboard for the TMPR team to get back out and attend further in-person events. Next up, we’re visiting The Fire Safety Event at Birmingham’s NEC Arena.

2021… it’s (almost) a wrap

22 December 2021/in Fun Stuff/by Grace

As 2021 draws to a close, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on a year like no other! We’ve navigated a global pandemic for the second year running, significantly bolstered our team, and despite the unexpected places we have found ourselves, we’re ending it on a high. From our office expansion in May to our 10th-anniversary celebrations in June, we’d like to take the opportunity to review our fantastic personal highlights and hopes for the year ahead.

In May, we acquired even more space in our current building to expand our office. Not only has this improved the way we work, but it also means our team has even more room to think and create.

In June, we celebrated a decade of TMPR. Although we might look slightly different than we did in 2011, we’ve managed to retain the same attention to detail, passion for what we do, and many of the same clients. It’s been an excellent opportunity to pause and reflect on how far we have come and has reinforced our ambitions for the future.

They often say a change is as good as a rest, so we have been lucky enough to strengthen our team with some fresh faces and exciting new talent. We have lots of great team-building activities planned for 2022, which will allow us to get to know each other even better.

Rebuilding the team dynamic after lockdown and becoming acquainted with the new members of the team has become increasingly more important to us. Tom, our PR and marketing consultant, is particularly happy to be back in an office environment. He has also been part of some exceptional campaigns on a national and international basis – go, Tom!

Louise, our director, is delighted with our personal and client award wins which demonstrate our excellent working relationships and recognise what we’re doing right. It’s always a bonus to celebrate mutual achievements in person, and fortunately, we’ve been able to raise a glass or two with our clients and team in 2021.

From further afield at her new base in Perth, Australia, Hazel has experienced significant growth in her skill set through a steady increase in responsibilities. Not only has this drastically improved her confidence, but it has allowed her to take ownership of more projects and reach for the stars!

Over the summer, Oliver joined the team and has proved an excellent fit. Oliver’s highlight has been meeting our clients face-to-face and visiting their places of work. Exploring the industries in person has helped him gain a broader understanding of what they do and has been great fun.

In late October, we were joined by administrator Charlene, who made the big move from Hong Kong to Wales. She’s loving it so far and is excited to explore more of the UK, starting with Peterborough and then hopefully London in the New Year.

Chloe, our newest member, who joined us in November, recently bought a house in Penarth, just a stone’s throw from the office – now, if that isn’t convenient, we’re not sure what is! Chloe can’t wait to get stuck into some exciting client projects in the new year and learn as much as she can from the team.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our wonderful clients and partners for their continued support over the last year. It’s been a pleasure to work with you, and we’re truly looking forward to creating more magic in 2022. For TMPR, the year ahead is about nurturing our new team, working on even more ambitious campaigns, and doing more of what we love.

Nurturing new marketing talent at TMPR

23 July 2021/in Fun Stuff, Our Team, PR, The Soapbox, TMPR News/by Grace

We are passionate about nurturing emerging talent in the marketing and PR sector. After all, having the opportunity to hone your skills in the real world can make all the difference to a graduate’s career.

Last year we welcomed Alex Lambden to our team on a Student Placement. Alex was studying Politics and Spanish at Cardiff University and was looking to gain some industry experience within Marketing.

Alex made a real impact at TMPR. As a small team we work at a fast pace and are agile in our approach to ensure everyone is supported and that we get the job done collectively. Alex was on-board with this straight away and got stuck in with various projects across our diverse client portfolio.

Since finishing his studies Alex has gone on to secure a place on a Marketing Graduate Scheme with BT. He told us that the experienced he gained while working with TMPR helped him stand out from his competition and secure this new role.

Here’s what he said about his time with us:

“Graduates leaving university face an ever-challenging job market so it’s essential to have that standout ‘edge’ on your CV. Keen to leave my studies with a well-rounded experience, I reached out to the Technical Marketing & PR team where I gained some cutting-edge industry knowledge with a hands-on approach.

From the start, I dove into the day-to-day responsibilities of a boutique marketing agency and spearheaded important operations for our clients. While this was a new space for me, the TMPR team were true cheerleaders and supported me through how to make each piece of work my best, with a real focus on my self-development. A skillset I wanted to grow was to create inspiring copy, a new challenge for a starter like myself! The TMPR team allowed me to explore different forms of copy; co-ordinating the social media posts for one client, authoring press releases for another – I even got to see the behind-the-scenes of successful promotional video. I was so fortunate to have my first marketing experience with TMPR as I was given a wide range of responsibility which allowed me to figure out which part of marketing and PR I wanted to pursue going forward.

The team really captured the start-up culture in their office which is an ever popular theme in discussions for creating better workplaces. A constant hub of energy, the team and I constantly bounced ideas off one another to innovate the work we provided our clients. Regular check-ins and feedback further made TMPR a great place to work, I was always clear on how I could improve my performance while also celebrating both the team and my own’s triumphs. By the end of my placement, I had built up an impressive knowledge in the marketing field which I could go on and take with me to show graduate employers.

Since finishing my studies at Cardiff University, I have gone on to join BT’s Marketing Graduate scheme, with a current focus in commercial management. I often think back fondly at my time working at Technical Marketing & PR and I know the team set me with a solid foundation to become a rising star in marketing!”

TMPR is rapidly growing and we’re on the look out for an enthusiastic, experienced marketeer to work with us.

We’re a close knit team based in the centre of Penarth and we love what we do!

If you’re interested in joining the fun, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch via: hello@technicalmarketing-pr.com

Technical Marketing & PR welcomes back Alex

12 November 2019/in Fun Stuff, The Soapbox, TMPR News/by Louise

TMPR is over the moon to welcome back Alex Lambden back into the team and provide a further insight in what it takes to be a successful marketeer.

Joining the team for a student placement for three months last year, Alex learnt how to create cutting-edge copywriting and discovered a passion for industry standard video production. After a short hiatus for his Erasmus year in Spain, he has returned to Cardiff University for his final year and is eager to brush up on his marketing expertise.

“I’m really excited to be back with the TMPR team, and this time in their new office in Penarth,” Alex explains “It’s amazing to see how the company has grown, as well as being back under the team’s guidance who are so dedicated to expanding my professional skillset.”

The mention of the name Alex in the office has now produced an amusing situation, with two heads now turning instead of one. We’re still looking for nicknames to differentiate between the two.

It’s great to have Alex back in the swing of things, and we recommend other students to keep updated on any student placements that Technical Marketing & PR might offer in the future!

TMPR: #1 Small PR Consultancy in Wales

23 October 2019/in Fun Stuff, Marketing, PR, The Soapbox, TMPR News/by admin1

At the annual CIPR PRide Cymru Awards, Technical Marketing & PR has been awarded gold in the ‘Outstanding Small Public Relations Consultancy’ category. The awards ceremony which was held at Cardiff’s Exchange Hotel on Friday 11^th October and hosted by TV and radio personality Jason Mohammad, celebrated the best of PR in Wales.

“Since laying down roots in South Wales, Technical Marketing & PR has gone from strength to strength with expansion of the in-house team and growing our South Wales client base. It is incredible to be recognised as the leading small PR consultancy in Wales whilst staying true to our core sectors,” said Louise Morgan, Director at Technical Marketing & PR.

The judges commented: “Technical Marketing & PR’s clear, well thought out strategy has supported profitable growth, with impressive global reach which has seen successful campaign delivery as far afield as Russia. Yet this dedicated agency remains committed to supporting its local community; delivering workshops through the local business network and building strategic partnerships with businesses in South Wales. The judges were extremely impressed by Technical Marketing & PR’s continued investment in its staff, with a strong focus on CPD and ensuring up-to-date knowledge of data compliancy and information governance.”

Congratulations to all of the finalists and winners from the night, there is some incredible PR talent in Wales. See the full list of winners and finalists here.

One year on… Alexandra’s TMPR Highlights

30 August 2019/in Fun Stuff, The Soapbox, TMPR News/by admin1

This week marks one year since Alexandra Davies joined our team as Junior Account Executive… and what an amazing 12 months it has been!

When speaking to Alexandra about her personal highlights, she’s always quick to cite that securing bylined articles in the trade press is one of her favourites (especially when she takes the printed copy home to share with her family and friends). She’s also fast become our resident social media guru, leading the charge with campaign set up and management using recently introduced platforms to the agency.

And aside from the professional progress she has made (which has been high quality and fast paced), Alexandra is a very valued member of our small but perfectly formed and specialist team.

In fact, Alexandra has assumed the official position of ‘Social Secretary’ which in the last year has seen TMPR head out to events such as the Wales v England rugby game, to ‘paint-a-pot’ when we needed coasters for the new office (Alexandra painted a bee on hers… which was no surprise), as well as to celebrate Beaujolais Day in Cardiff.

So, on behalf of your esteemed colleagues at TMPR, we’d like to thank you for being such a fab team member, making us laugh and being truly awesome at PR and marketing.

Enjoy the beehive cake!