I can be as flexible as you need
Q. We have an internal comms/PR team who can execute but at times they require senior support which we don’t have in-house. How can you help?
I can add a lot of value here. Everything from messaging and planning and how to execute, including support on writing op eds and how to pitch to the media. Equally, if you just need a sense-check, I can run a slide rule over every aspect of your PR strategy to help optimise it.
Q. Can I hire you for just one key news announcement?
Yes, you can, especially when it’s a significant piece of news that the company has to land, e.g. a new launch or entry to a new market; a key hire; an M&A scenario etc. I’ve handled every kind of news announcement over my career and know how to position news and tell the kind of story that generates maximum coverage.
Q. We’re being bought/we’re buying another business. Can you help us navigate the comms/PR around this?
I’ve seen M&A from every angle; buyer, seller and the M&A advisory perspective. I can support on internal comms across multiple countries and I can develop your entire comms/PR strategy. You can use as much or as little of my support as you need.
Q. We develop a lot of our thought leadership in house as well as assets such as white papers, research and data, but we don’t have a great track record of landing them in key media. Can you help us up our game?
Absolutely. I’ve written and landed thought leadership consistently in leading publications over the last 30 years. I can either write your pieces for you, edit what you’ve written, or coach your people to write more effectively for the media and engage with journalists effectively. I can also help you sweat your assets better. I can audit what you have and where necessary develop a creative idea that brings them all together to offer a compelling story for the media.
Q. Our CEO (or any C Suite or business leader) has an important interview with a leading journalist. We need to make sure they are properly briefed to communicate a high stakes story. Can you prepare them for that and help build their personal brand more broadly?
I’ve regularly prepped senior executives for crucial interviews of this kind, setting out the difficult questions and helping build an effective narrative. I’ve done this for marketing agency holdco leaders, for the CEO of Kodak, grocery industry executives and entrepreneurs across sectors. I’ve also worked with business leaders over the long term to help establish their personal brands as well as at at pivotal moments, such as big new roles or a change in direction.
Q. As a newcomer in a really crowded market, we’re finding it really hard to differentiate ourselves and tell an effective story that cuts through.
I can take your business through a process that includes mapping the competition, looking at the “white space” to own, establishing your messaging and building a story that you can own. As a second stage, I can run a brainstorming session that will help develop key assets that own your “white space” and help you cut through to the right audiences.
I can work to a retainer model where I do everything you’d expect from traditional PR agency support.
I can also support on clearly defined PR projects or help you scope out a project if you're not sure what needs to be done.
And there are many other ways I can support. Even if you don't recognise your situation below, I may be able to help.