TMPR News Archives - Page 3 of 6

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!

TMPR at The Fire Safety Event 2022

14 April 2022/in Events, Marketing, PR, Roving Reports, The Soapbox, TMPR News/by Oliver

As we begin to get back into the flow of live industry events, the TMPR team recently visited the NEC in April for the first in-person Fire Safety Event since 2019.

Marketing Assistant Oliver Thorne headed to Birmingham alongside Tom Martin, and shares his experiences of the show with us here:

Keeping on top of the industry’s latest

With the stands filling quickly and the atmosphere growing from early on, it was great to see an enthusiastic response from everyone involved after the three year hiatus from live events.

With over 100 exhibitors and even more visitors, there was plenty to explore and lots of connections to be made at the event. Seeing some of the latest products and practices in person was eye-opening and refreshing to see the current level of innovation in the industry.

Sharpening our knowledge

Various presentations from industry leaders ran throughout the first day that were not only engaging but also imperative for those in the fire safety industry. We attended a couple of these sessions which included talks on the process of CCPI verification and recent developments in the prevention of fires in the healthcare industry.

Catching up with familiar faces

Fire safety is a huge consideration for some of our clients in the construction industry, some of which were even present at the event. It was lovely to say hi to some familiar faces – and some new ones too! It was great to see some of our clients in person for the first time, as well as catching up with other wider contacts that help us do what we do on a regular basis.

Alongside this, it was rewarding to see some of the great work put on display by our clients. We love to support our clients on projects like these and it’s even better when we get to see the finished products looking so good in the field – it’s fair to say our visit was definitely worth the commute across the border.

Our time at the event has us eagerly looking forward to the next one!

Until next time…

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.

Welcome our new Marketing & PR Consultant!

14 January 2022/in Marketing, Our Team, TMPR News/by Grace

Technical Marketing & PR is pleased to announce another exciting hire. Chloe Allen joins the team as our newest Marketing and PR Consultant. Residing locally in Penarth, Chloe has previously worked in the insurance and legal sectors.

Chloe said: “I can’t wait to get to know more about TMPR’s great client base and understand more about the mechanisms behind the business. It’s an excellent opportunity to work with such an accomplished company.”

After graduating from Cardiff University with an MA in Magazine Journalism and an undergraduate degree in English Literature, Chloe has spent time in different areas of the private sector and is looking forward to working alongside a bright and committed team. “I’m hoping that I can put my journalism training and keen analytical skills to good use in my new role. It’s the perfect position for me to learn and grow.”

Louise Morgan, Director of TMPR, said: “It’s wonderful to have Chloe on board as the latest addition to our terrific team. Recruiting another Marketing and PR Consultant reaffirms our investment in nurturing TMPR and will provide a solid start to 2022. Welcome, Chloe!”

After meeting the team, Chloe said: “Everyone is so approachable and dedicated to creating cutting-edge content. It’s a fantastic time to take on a brand new challenge and offer my support on inspiring client projects over the coming year.”

Outside of work, Chloe enjoys walking her dog on some of Wales’ fantastic beaches, travelling (although this one is slightly on hold right now!), and watching films.

Welcome to the team, Chloe!

TMPR welcomes administrator Charlene Lau

5 January 2022/in TMPR News/by Grace

We’re delighted to announce our latest appointment, Office Administrator, Charlene Lau. Charlene joins at one of our most critical periods in a brand-new role created to support the growth of the agency.

Over the past few years, Charlene has worked in Singapore in public housing, hospitality, advertising, and the media industry, priding herself on her adaptability, analytical expertise, and organisational skills. A Singapore native, Charlene, has spent time living in Hong Kong since 2002 and can speak an impressive four languages including English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Hokkien (a Southern Min language).

Charlene said: “It’s great to be joining the TMPR team as an administrator. It’s a truly fantastic opportunity to use my interpersonal skills and work with a strong team of like-minded people.

“It’s also a great time of year to start a new challenge too. With the new year just ahead of me, I can get really stuck in, making things easier for the team and streamlining our processes for 2022.”

Louise Morgan, Director at TMPR, added: “Charlene is another great addition to our growing team. Charlene brings a unique skill set with her, and I’m looking forward to seeing how implementing a dedicated support function creates space for further ambitious projects. Moving forward, Charlene will be an essential part of our operations.”

Charlene enjoys catching up with friends, traveling, and watching live music in her spare time. We’re delighted that Charlene is joining our team, bringing a natural warmth and humour that enables colleagues to feel comforted and supported.

Working from home(land)

18 October 2021/in The Soapbox, TMPR News/by Grace

Working from home is a different experience for everyone. Love it or hate it, if you work in the PR and communications industry, you’ve probably had to use your home office (or kitchen or loungeroom) for at least part of the last year. Since starting my role at TMPR, my WFH experience has gone through many iterations. From learning the ropes remotely, to working in another time zone, it’s certainly been quite a journey.

Coming to the UK from Australia near the end of 2019 felt like the beginning of a great adventure. I had no set plans, except to see where life took me! Of course, in March 2020, things changed somewhat. My hopes of saving and travelling were soon replaced by just attempting to get through the strange circumstances I now found myself in, far away from home.

Starting from home

After a year in and out of lockdowns and a particularly trying winter bunkered down in Cardiff, things started looking up in March 2021: I found a job working for TMPR. From my little home-office I had my induction remotely, met new colleagues over Zoom, and introduced myself to clients through Outlook.

If you have ever started a new job from home before, you’ll know how disconnecting it can feel. It’s so much easier to ask your workmate a silly question, or get reassurance that you’re following correct processes in-person.

Luckily, Louise agreed, and reopened the Penarth offices to help me find my bearings. Soon the office was alive again, with the team in one room – collaborating and communicating like a well-oiled PR machine. But I couldn’t escape the fact that something was still missing in my life…

It was coming up to two years since I’d been home, since I’d seen most of my family and friends, or smelled the familiar perfume of a eucalyptus tree on a warm day. With travel restrictions (and costs) being as they were, popping back to Perth for a short visit was out of the question.

Broaching my concerns with Louise, she couldn’t have been more understanding. And, as it happened, a particular client was looking for on-the-ground support for their Australian operations. The stars were aligned!

Back to the mother-and-father-land

Soon I was in a mandatory quarantine facility in Darwin. ‘Working from room’, you might call it. This phase of my WFH experience was by far the most trying. I don’t know how many times I had to use “quarantine brain” as an excuse for silly slip-ups, but I still swear it is a real and dangerous condition!

14 days later I was working from my parents’ home (see: basement) in sunny Western Australia. After a week of meetings being interrupted by my dad showing me the crayfish he’d just caught, or my mum “just popping in” to see if I needed anything, it was somewhat of a relief to finally move into my current location, where I am working from home right at this very moment.

Remote self-control

My working life now is broken up into two distinct segments. When I log in in the morning, I sift through the emails that have piled up as I was sleeping the night before. None of my colleagues and very few of my clients are awake at this point. I then get to work on my list, chunking out my time to copywriting or daily administrative tasks, fuelled by too much coffee.

It can be tricky to stay motivated when your boss is asleep (sorry, Louise), but it helps to have a defined list. It’s a cliché for a reason – it really works! And the satisfaction you feel when crossing off each item is so rewarding, trust me.

Then the afternoon rolls around and, all of a sudden, I start getting notifications. People are rising! Replying! I’m no longer alone! Louise, ever the early bird, usually starts responding to my emails at around 7:30am UK time; Tom logs in at 8am. Then the meetings begin!

To the annoyance of, I’m sure, everyone that I work with, the best time to meet with me is between 9am and 10am in the UK. This then brings me to 5pm in Perth – but I often will stay logged in later than that.

Working from home, sweet home

Working from home(land) means that I have very unique working hours. I have the privilege of not needing to set an alarm anymore. I start work when I am well and truly ready, and finish on that same principle. The tricky part is then switching out of work-mode mentally. It can be hard to completely log off when your colleagues are in the full swing of their workday.

Still, the move back home feels right. On a sunny day I go out and work on my front porch, enjoying the particular birdsong of Perth. The kind of subtle background music that easily goes unnoticed when it surrounds you, but is sorely missed in absentia. If you catch me on Zoom between the hours of 9am and 10am, you might just hear it too.

PRide Gold Award Winners Nominated Again

2 August 2021/in Digital PR, TMPR News/by Oliver

The team at Technical Marketing & PR is thrilled to be once again shortlisted at the upcoming CIPR Cymru Wales PRide Awards in the “Small PR Consultancy of the Year” category. These awards celebrate and reward the hard work of the leading PR businesses and individuals nationwide. Nominations such as these always bring a lot of excitement for our team and this year is no exception.

This is the third consecutive shortlisting for the boutique agency, who has held the Gold PRide award for “Outstanding Small Public Relations Consultancy” since 2019. This shortlisting is evidence of the fantastic hard work that has been consistently delivered by our team for the past few years.

Louise Morgan, Director of Technical Marketing & PR, commented on the good news, saying: “To once again be shortlisted for ‘Small PR Consultancy of the Year’ is a great compliment to the continued efforts of everyone in, and surrounding our team, over the past 24 months. Following a challenging period for the industry and our clients, this shortlisting is a testament to the excellent work the team has done to keep us running smoothly.”

Technical Marketing & PR not only remained fully operational over the past 18 months, but also achieved a record year of growth. What’s more, as the team marked 10 years in business back in June, this latest shortlisting is making 2021 a year to remember for all the right reasons!

The awards ceremony will take place on 5^th October 2021 and will be an online-only event.

Interested in learning more about Technical Marketing & PR’s journey over the last 10 years? Check out part one of our anniversary blogs now.

An Exciting New Addition to the Team

30 July 2021/in Our Team, The Soapbox, TMPR News/by Oliver

This week at Technical Marketing & PR sees Oliver Thorne join the team as a new Marketing Intern. Living only a stone’s throw (or two) away from the Penarth offices, Oliver says that he has “no excuse not to get stuck in with the company right away”.

Having graduated from the University of South Wales in the summer of 2019 with a marketing degree, he claims to be “super eager to put his academic skills to practical use with Technical Marketing & PR”, especially after spending his time at the height of the pandemic being stuck indoors playing Chess, like most people (he presumes).

Commenting on Oliver joining the team, Louise Morgan said; “Having an intern such as Oliver at the company will be a huge helping hand to us, as he shows all the qualities we look for in a new recruit and seems more than comfortable to get a head start with the fast-paced nature of our line of work. We take great pride here in nurturing talent and helping every member of our team to grow and develop their practical skills.”

Since his first meeting with the team, Oliver says that he looks forward to the job at hand, claiming that “not only did the team seem very friendly and as equally driven as I am, but it also became apparent that the work undertaken at Technical Marketing & PR would offer myself some extremely valuable experience in the industry”.

What’s more, after being greeted and given his favourite chocolates upon arrival, he is more than sure that he is in the right place to thrive.

Welcome, Oliver!