Communication Strategy That Works

I wanted to talk to you today about connecting your marketing and sales messages.   There was some interesting research recently from Global PR firm Fleishman Hillard. Their 2021 global report looks at The Authenticity Gap, which measures the gap between consumer expectations and their actual experiences of a company or brand using the Nine Drivers of Authenticity that shape consumer perceptions a...

Keeping it simple can help tackle overwhelm, help achieve your goals, and also transform your productivity.   I wanted to talk to you today about telling your story when you work in a technical industry.   It's easy to get this simple step wrong as we are surrounded by technical people in property, construction and tech who are great at their job. Still, we need to help connect technical products...

I wanted to talk to you about PR today, and why I think, sometimes it has a bad reputation for being about spin. It's also made famous by TV shows like Absolutely Fabulous, The Thick of It, and The West Wing. So our perception is skewed of how PR can be used to help businesses grow.   More recently, there have been some reports of darker uses of Public Relations to create a negative reputation of...

If you're not sure what the opportunities are with a podcast, or you know but are uncertain about how it could fit in with your communication strategy, then this episode today is for you.   You will learn;   How audio content is here to stay How play-on-demand content can help your business Why it could be a useful part of your strategy   Ready to start your podcast? Join Lynsay Anne's Start Your...

'Purpose' is a term used by businesses and entrepreneurs to define what they do and believe in. But what does it mean, and is it something you can implement in your startup or growing business? In this 'Deep Dive' episode, I talk to Nick Ranger, a brand strategy expert who is the Managing Partner for a global consulting team at Brand Pie, a boutique brand transformation agency. Brand pie recently...

I wanted to share with you today how one fantastic piece of long-form content can serve you well for a few different reasons and fill your content calendar in one sitting.   I am going to cover with you today;   What long-form content is (and isn't) How it helps you gain authority    Get my FREE roadmap to get more strategic with activity in your business (also here: https://mailchi.mp/henbe.co.uk...

I wanted to talk to you today about the importance of fostering business relationships in B2B when building your brand from scratch.  I reveal why this approach is not just for big consumer brands. Getting people to tell your story for you is a powerful way to build trust and credibility. It's tough when you start out because no one knows you, you may be new in a market or have some new way of doi...

This week, I want to talk to you about creating a great brief and not wasting time, effort, and energy when hiring someone to help you with PR. No one wants to waste time, effort and money. So here are four things to think about when writing a brief to stand the best chance of getting the results you need. Everyone needs help at some point with specific skills and expertise; flying solo on everyth...

Understanding your competitors is a crucial step when starting to plan your communication strategy. However, this is often only ever carried out at the start of the process… well, guess what? You have to keep doing it. I will share why today, especially given the year we have all just had when lots of businesses have had to pivot. I share the 3 types of competitors to look out for, plus when and h...

Every picture tells a thousand words, right? This week I share how using an image-led approach for your media strategy can be a game-changer for you. Why? I started my career as a photojournalist from Essex, UK, in the early 1990s, mostly working with music mags and creative portfolios before I trained in public relations and never looked back. Here's the thing, one of my first proper PR jobs was...

In this episode, I'm delighted to be doing another 'Deep Dive'. This time, the topic is how to use events as part of your marketing strategy, take them online and still create an impactful and memorable experience for your audience.   We have all had online overload in 2020, and this episode aims to dispel myths of online events and share best practice to engaging your audience in an online event...

Today I share how using topic experts can add real value to your business by building trust and credibility in your brand, product or service.   This tool is related to the PR discipline of communication for your business but could be used in any content too.   I'll give an overview of what this tool is and how you can use it, what to look for in a topic expert, and provide examples of where it ha...

Today I share how to avoid three common communication strategy mistakes I see growing businesses make when communicating their business products and services to customers. I am sharing this with you, so you don't make the same costly mistakes and you can save precious time and effort in the process. I also give you some tips on creating a strategic approach to your activity and sharing my FREE che...

In this episode, I wanted to share how using PR strategically can help build credibility with customers in your sales pipeline and help generate warmer sales leads. If you are not using PR this way, you are missing a trick!   Most businesses are selling something, and one of the many things that PR can help is building the 'know, like trust' aspect of a customers' journey with you.   I reveal one...

Today I share 3 simple things you can implement right now that will help you have an impact with your comms and save you time whilst hitting your personal or business goals. We have to adapt to the mood right now amidst a global pandemic, but we can still continue and create value with our business communication. These 3 tools and approaches can be used together or individually and will help you h...

PR is not just about promoting your business; it's about protecting your fledgeling reputation. I share with you why crisis plans are not just for big corporates, why you need one whatever size your business is and show you how simple it can be to get started.   It's important to have a plan for when things might go a little bit wrong, however big or small your business is; whether that's a produc...

Audio is on the rise as a digital media with Amazon getting involved in streaming podcasts last year and the audio-only app Clubhouse's popularity.   It took me a while to fall in love with podcasting and understand the value it could bring to my business and my clients' businesses. But now I am completely hooked! So it seemed only right that for my first interview 'deep dive' episode, I wanted to...

It's that time of the year when to reflect and think; could we enter a business award? If you want to enter business awards, the number one rule is you need to prepare.  Spoiler alert: it's not all about the winning! In this short episode I am sharing with you;   When and what to enter into an award 3 Tips on how to write a killer award entry How to get the most mileage for your entry fee Some do'...

In episode ten, I thought I would give you ten tips on how to make the most from speaking at events.   You can create a lot of authenticity and credibility by speaking at events. But it's essential, especially as we are all time-poor right now, to plan to make sure that the time spent away from the office is worthwhile.   This episode is for you if you are a seasoned pro or starting out as it acts...

I wanted to talk about productivity.  I've been asked about this by a few people recently, and there's been some chatter on social media about how some of us are struggling with creativity, focus and productivity during the lockdown in the UK (and globally) so this is a little bonus episode all about a technique I've been using that I thought I would share with you. Hopefully, it helps!   The Prod...

We all see so many messages each day. On tv, mobiles phones, social media, online, at work etc. So to have an impact, you have to make sure that your content cuts through and speaks directly to who you are targeting.   In this episode, I explain how to work out who your ideal audience is for your content, and where they are hanging as I unpick in more detail Step Three & Four of my Seven Simple St...

How bubbling issues can impact your business reputation, and what you can do prevent it from happening.   Your reputation is by far the most valuable asset you will have as a business. It is a culmination of how you are perceived by everyone who interacts with your business or product/service from the general public to customers, staff, investors, and other people important to you biz.   In this e...

In this episode, I share how to create a unique and impactful statement that defines what your business, product or service does and how it helps people. After listening to this simple process, you can write your own story that sells what you do, and create more impact with your content.   Please leave me a review and subscribe to be the first to listen each week.   Get a free copy of  my seven si...

In this episode, I'm talking to you about PR. Some of you may know, I'm one of only a few hundred chartered PR practitioners in the UK, so PR is one of my big passions, and today and I'm going to share some insights on this topic. I will bust some of the biggest myths, I'll share how to effectively support your business with PR, and some tips on how to get started with a PR programme of your own....

Today I talk about how you can measure the effectiveness of your communication activity using a straightforward approach. I'll share why you should track your activities, how this approach can help support your business goals and save you money. This is up there as one of the top things I get asked about by business leaders and comms people.  So listen and learn, and hit subscribe if you are liste...