Marketing Archives - Page 3 of 5

Reaching audiences with podcast marketing

15 May 2019/in Fun Stuff, Marketing, The Soapbox

Podcasting has seen a huge growth in popularity in the last five years, with weekly listeners in the UK having increased from 3.2m in 2013 to 5.9m in 2018.¹ Although the majority of podcast listeners tune in to entertainment genres, many businesses are reaping the rewards of on-demand audio. Podcasting is non-disruptive media boasting high engagement rates compared to radio and television.

Whether you are completely new to podcasting or considering setting up a podcast for your business, here are some considerations to keep in mind:

Invest in equipment

Your podcast will be representing your business, so it’s important that the quality is up to scratch. You don’t need a professional studio set-up, but the right gear will set you off in the right direction.

A dynamic microphone (with a pop-shield), an audio interface, a pair of headphones and any modern PC or laptop to run an audio recording software will give you what you need to introduce your podcast to the world.

Have a goal in mind

Before you sit down to record anything, take the time to consider who your audience is and what they are looking for in a podcast. Bear your audience and their motivation for listening in mind when planning your topics and booking guests.

It’s usually a good idea to produce a continual podcast with regular releases, whether it be weekly, monthly or even quarterly. In this way, you can work consistently towards your goal and establish a regular listener-base.

How will you present your podcast?

There are a few formats your podcast can take, and it is often best to have an interactive element to the discussion rather than relying on a single host. One way to achieve this is to use an interview format, where the host speaks to a different guest each episode. Bringing guests onto your broadcast fosters engaging discussion and can also bring credibility.

Promoting your podcast

Last but not least, make sure your podcast is promoted on your website and that you’re telling people about it wherever you go. You might even consider putting together some business cards to hand which point people in the right direction!

For some inspiration, check out some of our favourite podcasts:

Not Another Marketing Podcast, by Jon Tromans
Marketing Over Coffee, by John Wall and Christopher Penn
The Science of Social Media, from Buffer

If you think podcast marketing could be a good option for your business, feel free to get in touch with the Technical Marketing & PR team for more information on how to get started.

¹Ofcom, 2018

My Marketing and PR Insight

4 April 2019/in Fun Stuff, Marketing, PR, The Soapbox, TMPR News

I am currently a second-year Business Management student at Cardiff University who has just finished a Marketing and PR insight with Technical Marketing & PR. I worked alongside the team for one day a week over four weeks and learnt vast amounts about the marketing and PR industry, an area I have a vested interest in pursuing a career in.

Within a few minutes of my first day at Technical Marketing & PR, I was being shown how to create a media list on a media database and distributed a press release for a client, something I can now take away with me. I then looked at how to complete forward features research for clients to find opportunities in trade magazines. I also took responsibility for the Technical Marketing & PR Twitter over the course of the insight and learned how to schedule social media posts using various platforms.

I feel like I have learnt lots of new skills and accomplished a variety of tasks, and that was after just one day! Over the next three days, I was able to work on an article for an education magazine, continue researching PR opportunities and manage the social media output.

I am most proud of the article I produced as that was the primary task I worked on during my time at Technical Marketing & PR which will eventually be published on behalf of the client. I can now add this to my portfolio to show future employers.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Technical Marketing & PR – the team are so friendly which made it easy to ask for advice and guidance if needed. I would like to thank Louise and David for taking me on and teaching me such an array of skills and increasing my knowledge about all things marketing and PR.

Sophie Williams

The Greatest (Marketing) Story Ever Told…

14 February 2019/in Fun Stuff, Marketing, The Soapbox

As it’s Valentine’s Day, the hopeless romantic in me began thinking of the greatest love story ever told. As one of the most renowned names in the literary world, Shakespeare seemed to know a thing or two about love. And his story of a love so deep has travelled through the centuries from generation to generation – I am of course talking about the star cross’d lovers – Juliet, and her Romeo.

This got me thinking, storytelling is an essential human activity and has become a crucial component in most successful marketing strategies. But, many marketeers tend to lose sight of this.

So, using the greatest love story ever told, we have looked at the fundamentals of a good story and how you can relate this to your marketing strategy.

Theme

“Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”

It is clear that in Romeo and Juliet, the overarching theme is love. Making sure you cement the theme of your marketing strategy in the very beginning is essential. Creating a content calendar using this as a basis will help you tick off the key messages you want to push to audiences – playing a fundamental role in ensuring you go into the year ahead prepared.

Narrative

“Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene.”

The prologue of Romeo and Juliet sets the scene for the rest of the play. Similarly, in marketing your narrative must look at the ethos behind everything you do, introduce the persona, and sell the story of you as a brand.

Structure

“A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life. Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow.”

A robust structure in your marketing strategy will not only assist with effective planning, but it will help provide the business with a clear focus and direction which can pull through to themes in tactical campaigns.

Characters

“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.”

Every good story has a character or subject of focus. In this sense, ensuring you have characters who can be ambassadors for your brand will not only help humanise you but will also make you more personable. In a digital world where a lot of marketing is turning to automation, being personable is more important than ever.

Style/Tone

‘O, Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?’

Finally, the style of your marketing material should be consistent with what you are offering. Knowing your audience and being able to translate your USP into suitable content is essential.

Looking at your marketing strategy by using the fundamentals of a good story will help you to engage audiences, remain personable and will help you keep a consistent rhythm of material going through your marketing channels that highlights the essentials.

[Exeunt.

Advice: Finding the Right Partner

22 January 2019/in Digital PR, Marketing, PR, The Soapbox

There are many reasons businesses may be looking to work with a marketing & PR agency, whether it be for projects, additional resource or to fulfil a year-round function. We know the process can be long and time-consuming, and it isn’t a necessarily a bad thing, as it’s crucial that you find an agency that works well for your business, so you can reap the benefits. We spoke to some of our clients about how they went about working with us and the best advice they would give to businesses currently in the process.

Your objectives

First and foremost, you need to think about exactly what you want from an agency and what role you would like them to play. Only when you know what you’re looking for can you begin to invite agencies to submit proposals. This doesn’t mean you won’t be able to add elements on, it just means you need to be able to communicate your core intentions. You should also agree a budget spend in principle for the agency to work with.

The significance of specialisms

For our clients, specialisms are one of the most important points they raised. If only it was as simple as any agency being the perfect fit for any business. There are an array of business types out there, and there are also many different types of agency. If your business is in the manufacturing sector, find an agency with manufacturing experience. If your business in the technology sector, find an agency with technology experience. If your business is retail, then find an agency with retail experience. For something that is quite logical you’d be surprised how many businesses sometimes overlook the link. If an agency has proven experience in your sector, the chances are they already understand the principles of how your business works and have existing relationships with the trade media in your sector.

Team work really does make the dream work

Your agency should be an extension of your own team and work in sync. Ask to meet the team, visit each other’s offices if time allows. It’s important to get a feel for what the relationship might be like, it’s a bit of a dating game, you need to find that spark and be excited about working with one another.

The nitty gritty stuff

Request a portfolio and have conversations about the types of work the agency has been involved in for other clients. Find an agency that is focused on producing quality output and campaigns. Client testimonials are also useful to help you evaluate the work of an agency.

If you’re on the lookout for an agency for the first time, or thinking of reviewing your current partnership, we hope these tips from professionals who have been there, done that, and got the right t-shirt will help you out.

How to Build an Elf-y Social Media Strategy

19 December 2018/in Fun Stuff, Marketing, The Soapbox

If you thought that Santa’s little helpers are only skilled in crafting toys, you’d be wrong. There’s a lot to be learned from the festive team and we’re bringing the best of what they’ve got to offer in terms of building an Elf-y social content strategy… and the even better news is that this is not just for Christmas… these tips will help you all year round.

Short and sweet

Just like the stature of an elf, your social media content should be short and sweet, capturing what you need to say in as few words as possible but having optimum impact on the reader.

Uniform

Elves are always in their uniform, look smart and presentable. Make sure your branding is visible across your social platforms. It can be a good idea to set up visual templates for creating social media images that include some of your branding.

Full of life

Your social media content should reflect your personality, think about how you would like to come across to your audience and take the time to produce quality content that reflects you.

Work all year round

Santa’s little helpers work all year round, and so should your social strategy. The key to successful social content is planning it in advance and scheduling the content using online tools. Planning content in advance allows you to vary and structure what you put out, but you should also post in the moment at events or when you find something interesting.

Form part of a wider strategy

Elves are part of Santa’s wider mission to deliver meaningful gifts to children around the world on Christmas eve each year. Your social strategy should fit in to your wider marketing campaigns and business objectives. Think outside the box, about how social media can be used to help all areas of your business.

So, when you’re planning your social output think about those little elves, or to find out how our in-house team of elves approach social media content, get in touch. We’re more than happy to give you some advice, call it a Christmas gift from us to you!

5 Reasons to Visit us at the Introbiz Expo

8 November 2018/in Events, Marketing, PR, The Soapbox

On Thursday 22^nd November 2018 we will be returning to the Introbiz Expo, Wales’ largest business expo at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff. Here are 5 reasons why you should come and visit us on stand 259:

A face to face conversation

Never underestimate the value of a face-to-face conversation. The Introbiz Expo is the perfect opportunity to come and say hello to us in an informal setting and see what we’re all about! Meeting face to face is really important for developing meaningful relationships and networking.

A prize giveaway

Fancy winning a gin afternoon tea for two at the Park Plaza in Cardiff City Centre? This unique afternoon tea experience includes elements of a classic afternoon tea combined with Hendrick’s cucumber gin served in a teapot. Come and enter the prize draw on stand 259!

Some great freebies

What do we all love most about a good business expo? FREEBIES! We’ll be doing a survey about what freebies people love most and posing the question of what value freebies have on stand at an expo. Come and share your thoughts with us… (we will also have some good freebies)!

Some free advice

Take advantage of our team being available. We’re happy to share our advice and answer any PR and marketing questions you may have.

A fantastic networking opportunity

The Introbiz Expo is completely free to visit and a great opportunity to network with over 200 exhibitors. You’ll also get to hear from a line up of world class speakers. And in a first for Wales, headliners, Lord Sugar and Grant Cardone will be taking part in a special Q&A session – be sure not to miss this one!

We hope to see you there on stand 259! You can register to visit the expo here.

TMPR Invests in Team Growth

4 October 2018/in Marketing, The Soapbox, TMPR News

Alexandra Davies appointed as new Junior Account Executive

Technical Marketing & PR, a boutique PR agency in South Wales, specialises in delivering marketing and PR services for some the UK’s leading construction, engineering and technical brands. Just ten months after Technical Marketing & PR appointed a new Account Executive, the company has expanded the team further with the recruitment of Alexandra Davies as Junior Account Executive.

After being appointed to work on a PR campaign in Australia and New Zealand for long standing client, Promethean, securing new contracts and being shortlisted as ‘Outstanding Small PR Consultancy’ in the upcoming CIPR PRide Cymru Awards, expansion is going from strength to strength for Technical Marketing & PR. Investing in the team is going to be a vital part of developing the business, servicing a growing client base and establishing the company as a leading PR provider in South Wales.

Alexandra Davies is a Journalism Graduate from Cardiff University, who is taking on the role of Junior Account Executive. Alexandra undertook a work experience placement at UK newspaper and online news desk, The Sun, where she developed an ambition for a career in marketing and PR.

Commenting on her appointment, Alexandra said: “I am really excited about this new challenge, and I am looking forward to learning and developing alongside such a wonderful team, especially at such an exciting time for the business. Finding a job, after university can be difficult and I feel so lucky to be joining the team at Technical Marketing & PR, in an industry that is so interesting, and where no two days are the same!”

Louise Matthews, Director of Technical Marketing & PR, stated that: “We’re very excited to have Alexandra on board as this will support our plans for growth and expansion. It is very difficult for graduates to gain the experience necessary to work in industry, and I want to invest in nurturing teams from the ground up, providing graduates with an opportunity to develop in a supportive environment.”

Technical Marketing & PR is always open to providing work experience opportunities and would encourage anyone who is interested in a career in marketing or public relations to get in touch at, hello@technicalmarketing-pr.com.

Writing a Winner: Crafting Winning Entries

19 September 2018/in Digital PR, Marketing, PR, The Soapbox

No matter what business you have or how big it is, you can enter a business award. There are a large variety of awards, stemming from local to national, industry based, or product based, and it provides an incredible opportunity to get yourselves recognised in your industry. It is a great PR opportunity for your company, which can provide free marketing, increased credibility and help to attract new customers. Having drafted many award-winning entries for our clients we wanted to share our ‘must-do’, tried and tested formula with you.

Read Entry Criteria

It may sound simple but ensure you read the entry criteria. It is important to make sure that what you are offering is relevant to what the category is requesting.

Time is NOT of the Essence

Give yourself plenty of time on the award entry, this is a fantastic opportunity for your business to be recognised and your team to be rewarded for its hard work. Entries can take much longer than you think, so start early!

Best Feature Forward

Put forward your best and most relevant feature for the category your entering. It is vital to ensure that you believe what you are proposing is going to win this category, so make sure it’s the right product or service.

Stick to the Facts

It is important to include supporting evidence to validate why you feel that you should win this award, and more so to prove to the judges that you deserve it. Statistics or customer testimonials and case studies can provide confirmation of the work you have done and help persuade the judges.

Proof Read

Ensure you read and re-read your entry, make sure you are happy with it and feel proud of the product or service you are offering. Stick to the word count, say everything you need to say without being too complex and use supporting evidence!

Hopefully, with these tips you’ll craft your award-winning entry and your business will get the help it needs to achieve the recognition you deserve. Good luck!

TMPR Celebrates Regional Award Shortlisting

23 July 2018/in Events, Marketing, PR, The Soapbox, TMPR News

Technical Marketing & PR has been shortlisted in the ‘Outstanding Small PR Consultancy’ category at the upcoming CIPR Cymru Wales PRide Awards. The awards recognise the outstanding work delivered by industry leaders that demonstrate the value of PR in the world of business.
The shortlisting is testament to the hard work and commitment the team has put in to delivering a series of fantastic services, campaigns and initiatives for clients, in addition to wider business growth and development.

Louise Matthews, Director of Technical Marketing and PR, said: “We’re so incredibly excited and proud to be shortlisted for Outstanding Small PR Consultancy. The team works continuously hard to deliver the best service to our clients, which has led to us experiencing significant growth as a business. It’s fitting that this shortlisting comes just as we’re celebrating our 7th birthday.”

You can see the full CIPR PRide Awards Cymru shortlist here. Winners will be announced at the Cymru Wales PRide Awards ceremony on 12th October 2018 at Cardiff’s City Hall.

Sharing a Passion for Our City

19 July 2018/in Digital PR, Events, Fun Stuff, Marketing

We love Cardiff, and when we found out that a local charitable organisation needed help to create a video promoting the city to its members worldwide we were more than happy to help out.

Cardiff Round Table is a group set up to encourage fun and friendship, in addition to raising money for charity. One of their biggest events you’ve probably heard of or even possibly been to, is Sparks in the Park Cardiff. The annual firework display is extremely popular, and members of Cardiff Round Table put in a tremendous amount of effort to organise the event and raise a lot of money.

Round Table groups exist all over the world and every year meet up in a different city to celebrate the achievements of Round Table. In 2019, the International Union of Clubs (IUC) event will be hosted by Cardiff, so Cardiff Round Table needed a video that would give ‘Tablers’ from far and wide a brief insight into what our beautiful city has to offer.

We came up with this video which was presented at IUC in Roubaix, France, in June. It was a privilege to be able to help the guys!

If anyone is interested in knowing more about Cardiff Round Table, the social and networking aspect, or the fantastic charity work they do, get in touch here.

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