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The power of clear communication: building trust in any business

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Whether you’re running a large organisation, or a small business of just one person, clear, authentic communication is more crucial than ever. Building trust is the foundation of every relationship, and without it, even the best strategies can fall flat. 

In their 2024 Trust in Business Survey report, PwC found that:

  • 61% of consumers have recommended a company they trust to friends or family. 
  • Consumers also spend more at companies they trust — 46% purchased more, and 28% paid a premium. 
  • Four in 10 customers no longer purchase from a company due to lack of trust.

With public trust in institutions declining, improving and maintaining trust in business is at a premium.

Here are three essential ways to elevate your communication and build lasting trust with your audiences:

1. Be transparent  

Honesty always wins. When you’re upfront with your audiences, they feel more connected and secure in their relationship with you. Keeping communication open, even when the message is tough, shows your authenticity. It’s about telling the real story, no spin! Transparency invites trust by showing you’re willing to share the full picture, like the old Ronseal strapline: does exactly what it says on the tin.

 2. Practice active listening  

Great communication isn’t just about talking; it’s about listening. Responding thoughtfully to concerns or feedback demonstrates that you genuinely care about your audience’s needs. Listening and acknowledging others’ perspectives not only improves your relationship with them, but also builds long-term loyalty.

 3. Stay consistent  

Consistency is critical to building reliability. When your messaging is clear, cohesive, and steady across all channels, people know they can count on you. This reliability forms the backbone of trust, as your audience starts to see you as dependable, no matter the circumstances.

Building trust takes time and effort, but the payoff is definitely worth it. Need more advice on how to improve your strategic communications? We’re here to help! Drop us a message via the contact form or call 0845 625 0820.

How to improve your creative thinking in communications

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Claire Stephenson takes a look at creativity and the crucial role it plays in effective communication and public relations campaigns.

Creativity is pretty much an essential skill in communications and public relations. You need it to create a buzz around a brand, structure a newsworthy story, connect strategy with actions, stakeholder management, turn bland content into something that has a spark, and social messaging that is both effective and garners interest…the list is long and wide.

What is creativity?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines creativity as the ability to produce or use original and unusual ideas. A brilliant book on the subject if you’re looking for inspiration – The Art of Creative Thinking by Rod Judkins – explores various strategies and techniques to enhance creativity. Through anecdotes, exercises, and examples from the lives of famous creatives, Judkins encourages readers to break free from conventional thinking patterns and embrace innovation. The book emphasises the importance of curiosity, risk-taking, and embracing doubt and failure as essential components of the creative process.

“Doubt is a key to unlocking new ideas. Einstein doubted Newton. Picasso doubted Michelangelo. Beethoven doubted Mozart.
That’s why they moved things forward.” 

Rod Judkins

Advertising great, John Hegarty – a founding partner of Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) – talks about the environment in which creativity can flourish. He reflects on chaos versus process and the need to find the right balance for the individual. Hegarty at BBH came up with the glorious poster ad and strapline for a Levi Strauss black denim jeans campaign: “When the world zigs, zag.” The line aimed to reinforce the angle of standing out from the crowd, not being one of the flock.

The 1985 poster kick-started the TV ads (and the career of the late model and musician, Nick Kamen) and the infamous launderette scene where Kamen made the Levi 501s into a coveted item, boosting sales by 800%.

Levi’s – A Stitch In Time by BBH

But how do you ‘get creative’?

Several methods can help you shift your mindset towards a more creative slant. Here are three tried and tested methods (by us!) to improve your creative thinking.

1. Mind Mapping

This was a technique created by the late education consultant and author, Tony Buzan. Mind Mapping is an excellent method of visually organising information. Buzan first became aware of the concept during his studying years, when he noticed that his neat and ordered paragraphs of notes were time-heavy to produce, compared with other students who achieved higher grades but with less tidy notes. Buzan noticed his peers used colour and drawings within their notes. Researching through history, he discovered that notable figures of creativity and academia used drawings and doodles accompanied by words to examine theories, further research and break down concepts into easier-to-remember formats.

Mind Mapping is an excellent method if you’re a visual person and you like to doodle ideas and thoughts on paper. This short video by Tony Buzan on YouTube explains the basic concept behind Mind Mapping.

2. Brainstorm

This is a great technique for idea generation that can be done solo or on a team level. It’s also good for team cohesion and driving a project forward. Even brainstorming can be broken down into different methods. Here are 10 brainstorming techniques to try as an individual or a team. If you’re brainstorming within a group, it’s best to have a structure as the conversation can rapidly digress off-topic and swiftly turn unproductive. An article in Harvard Business Review offered the advice of focusing on asking better questions rather than seeking answers.

Keeping brainstorming fun and fresh is the key – try moving out of your usual environment. Take a brainstorming session on a walk or to the park for lunch, for example! Shaking it up can help produce the best atmosphere for ideas generation.

3. Exercise

This is one of the most effective idea-generation methods for many people. It can help to free up mental clutter and refocus thoughts, unleashing creative thinking. Steve Jobs was a notable figure who used walking to brainstorm ideas and help formulate strategies. He also carried out meetings with colleagues while he walked.

There is a scientific element to exercise and creativity. The release within the body of endorphin hormones during workouts is known to improve mood and produce the neurobiological ‘runner’s high‘ phenomenon. A study by Steinberg et al in 1997 recorded a 25% improvement in mood following physical exercise, but the results also demonstrated that exercise had a marked improvement in creativity levels. A 2014 study by Oppezzo et al found a positive correlation between exercise and creativity, stating that “walking opens up the free flow of ideas” and creative thinking processes.

These are just three ideas of ways to boost your creativity if you’re not feeling the buzz. But if you’re looking for some extra power to your campaigns, contact us here for a chat to see how we can help you.  

Hit your target: strategic communications done properly

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

From small businesses consisting of just one or two people, to large corporations of hundreds and thousands, there’s still a formula to follow that will ensure your communications have the desired direction and impact, meaning your messages hit the right target. If you’re creating a strategic communications strategy for the coming year, check out our advice here.

We asked four of our seasoned public relations and communications specialists for their top tips for strategic communications and the power of sharing a good story.

Power of Purpose

Greg Wilson - Strategic Communications - Limitless PR

Greg Wilson, on the benefits of authentic brand purpose:

“Having a true purpose is at the heart of any genuine brand story. And when you have an integral purpose, you have a great story to tell.

“Purpose includes an intrinsic set of values, that drives a business beyond increased annual profits or shareholder benefits.

“Let’s be clear about purpose and not let it become just another buzzword.”

Authentic storytelling

Claire Stephenson MCIPR, on genuine content and storytelling:

“Authentic storytelling can greatly impact your public relations efforts. Creating content that has a genuine purpose, but moreover, adds real value to your stakeholders/audience. Aim for this.

“People have had enough of cheap gimmicks and blatant sales pitches: they want fresh, honest and clever stories from brands they can trust.”

Claire Stephenson - Limitless PR - Strategic Communications

Internal communications

Limitless Public Relations - Strategic Communications

Michael Gregory MCIPR FRSA, on internal communications:

“Don’t forget the importance and power of internal communications.

“If you’re embarking on a strategic communications campaign, let your people know first what’s happening in your organisation.

“Don’t let them find out what’s happening in the media.”

Quality of content

Mark Sutcliffe, on the quality of communications content:

“The first step to posting higher quality content is to step off the treadmill and refocus time and resources on creating high-quality content that’s relevant to the target audience to achieve what we, in the trade, call ‘cut-through’.

“Giving greater care and consideration to what you post in terms of its appeal, relevance, usefulness, originality, distinctiveness and creativity is likely to achieve greater ‘cut-through’ than wishing all your followers a ‘fab weekend’ or ‘happy Tuesday’.

“Setting the quality bar higher will inevitably reduce the volume of content an organisation is capable of creating. Social media platforms will continue to reward frequency, but genuinely engaged audiences will appreciate the improved quality of the information you share.”

Limitless Public Relations - Strategic Communications

As always, we are here to help if your business needs a powerful strategy to ensure that your audience(s) are kept informed and engaged in the best way possible, driving your business forward.

Message us here or call 0845 625 0820 to see how we can help your organisation be known.

Industry experts confirm AI is just a tool 

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

No, they weren’t name-calling. This was the rough summary, as interpreted by our Greg Wilson, of an event he attended last month (we’ve also discussed AI as threat or opportunity here).

AI Futures

The event, AI Futures: the Creative Industry in the North West was organised by ImaginationLancaster, Lancaster University and Wash Studio. Keynote speakers and panellists were drawn from across the worlds of academia, TV, film, music, architecture, design and marketing. 

Industry experts confirm AI is just a tool 

Here’s Greg’s take: 

Without regurgitating the whole speaker and panellist list for the full-day event, it’s hard to capture the credibility of the speaking panel, so hopefully, it’s suffice to say the organisers pulled together an extremely impressive array of senior and well-informed contributors. 

My key takeaways from the event were that, while AI is a genuine technical wonder that is developing fast, its outputs will only ever be as good as the human inputs it receives. And, more crucially for me in terms of its impact on the creative industries, it will never be able to judge the value of its own outputs from an emotional perspective. 

In short, to provide value, it will always need a human operator and/or “selector” at some level. Yes, it can produce imagery in seconds. But it will never experience an emotional response to that imagery, so will never know if it has done well, unless a human tells it so. 

Now, some people in the creative industries may say they know that feeling well! But, to me, the binary nature of AI means that it will only ever be a tool for people working in the creative industries. In that sense, it will only ever work for humans, and will never replace them… entirely. 

Entry-level at risk

There is huge weight in the word ‘entirely’ there though. The danger that AI poses, potentially, to the creative industries, is that it will be able to replace some of the entry-level creative roles where most of us got our start. 

I’m not sure, personally though, whether that is just part of natural change. I, for one, started my PR career in the late 90s, gluing photos to printed press releases, stapling them together, putting them in envelopes, slotting them through the franking machine then walking over to the red post box at the far end of the office estate to post them one by one – sometimes until it was too full to fit any more. 

And then they invented email. And then guess what?  

But people have still been getting entry-level jobs in PR since the 90s and long after I hung up my Pritt Stick. It’s just the nature of entry-level jobs that have changed, pretty much hand-in-hand with technological progress. 

At the moment, I feel that AI will, in fact, just help us do our jobs quicker, which means providing better value for clients. And the more value we can provide and quicker, the better shape the industry will be in, overall. 

ESG: more than just a PR tick-box exercise

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

ESG, or Environmental, Social, and Governance, is the umbrella term for a business’s impact and approach to sustainability issues, including its investments.

The three components of ESG are:

Environmental – business activity and its impacts around topics like climate change, environmental impacts, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), renewable energy, pollution, waste and recycling.

Social – this criteria centres on how a business or company views and treats employees, the local community and people they come into contact with. Working conditions and employee wellbeing, along with diversity and inclusion are also important. 

Governance – highlights how a business carries out day-to-day operations, with a focus on ethics and standards, diversity in staff and management, political lobbying, corruption policies, donations, wages and tax matters.

Greenwashing 

However, many businesses are content to “greenwash” their ESG commitments. This reduces the seriousness of what the responsibility of having and implementing an ESG policy involves, making it little more than just a buzzword.

FIFA was slammed in a report for their claims that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a “carbon neutral” event, but Carbon Market Watch said they had “serious doubts” on this. They described the World Cup as underestimating “…the tournament’s true emissions levels and climate impact.” By claiming that the event was carbon-neutral, it paints a misleading picture and is not a “harmless exercise”. Carbon Market Watch went on to state such claims mislead “…players, fans, sponsors and the public into believing that their (potential) involvement in the event will come at no cost to the climate”.

Sea change

Globally, asset managers are set to boost their investments in ESG to reach approximately $33.9 trillion by 2026, up from $18.4 trillion in 2021. This growth represents an expected average annual increase of 12.9%. In less than five years, ESG assets are predicted to make up about 21.5% of the total assets managed worldwide.

Consumers are now seeking socially responsible leadership from brands that prioritise both sustainability and environmental responsibility in their practices and investments.

New research in the US suggests that a major sea change in consumer behaviour is approaching, where authentically sustainable brands who put people and planet first, are at an advantage over organisations who engage in shallow greenwash over authentic sustainability investments.

The trend suggests that consumers are becoming increasingly discerning and conscientious in their choices. They are not merely swayed by marketing fluff that presents a superficial glow of sustainability. Instead, customers are looking for businesses that embody true environmental and social responsibility. Authenticity has become the key currency in the consumer landscape.

Consumers are now seeking brands that align with their values and beliefs, particularly those related to sustainability and ethical practices. They are more likely to support businesses that walk the talk when it comes to sustainable initiatives. This is further indicated by the increase and prominence of the B Corp label.

Brands that genuinely commit to reducing their carbon footprint, practice good working conditions, and contribute positively and genuinely to their communities, are earning the benefits of this changing consumer sentiment.

ESG and why your business should take it seriously 

When economist Mark Carney was the Bank of England Governor, he wrote:

“In the future, climate and ESG considerations will likely be at the heart of mainstream investing. Investors will tailor their investments and fulfil their fiduciary duties through better quality and more widely available data on sustainability and performance, and more informed judgements of strategic resilience.

“Companies with strong ESG performance have demonstrated higher returns on their investments, lower risks and better resiliency during a crisis.”

ESG reporting is still voluntary in many countries, including the UK, but looking forward, greater transparency in corporate ESG reporting will be required, so it pays well – quite literally – to be proactive in setting out a strong position on a business’s environmental, social and governance standards and commitments now.

If you are considering integrating ESG into your communication strategy, get in touch to see how we can help you – find our contact form here, or call us on 0845 625 0820 for a friendly chat.

Crisis communications in business: 5 tips for navigating storms successfully

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Claire Stephenson reflects on some of the recent public relations crises in the media. How can businesses be better prepared to weather emergencies through proper planning and strategic crisis communications?

With social media offering an instantaneous ability to share information – good and bad – crises are inevitable. Whether it’s a recalled product that is dangerous (currently, Home Bargains has placed a recall on a muscle-building product that has “potentially lethal” levels of caffeine in it), a public relations nightmare (think of the fallout over Huw Edwards), or a natural disaster impacting business operations, every organisation must be prepared to face challenges head-on. 

Top 5 tips

Effectively managing a crisis begins with a solid crisis communications strategy. Here are five key elements on how to prepare your communications for any kind of emergency.

  1. Proactive planning. Successful crisis communications begin long before a crisis actually happens. Proactive planning and risk assessment are essential to identify any potential vulnerabilities and help you to prepare for a range of scenarios. Conduct a thorough assessment of your business operations, supply chain, communication channels, and any potential risks. Create a crisis management team – including key stakeholders. Depending on the size of your organisation, this could include public relations specialists, a legal team, human resources, and operations management. Establish clear roles and responsibilities within your team to ensure any emergency is met with a strong and effective response.
  2. Timely communications. In the midst of a crisis, misinformation can spread rapidly – especially on social media – which can also make the situation worse. Make sure any response is swift and transparent. Acknowledge the issue as soon as possible, and furthermore be open about the facts. Hiding information or delaying communications will damage trust with your audience. Make sure all appropriate communication channels are used – this might be social media, press releases, or e-news – a dedicated crisis telephone line may also be required, depending on the severity of the issue.
  3. Compassionate communications. It’s important to recognise that some forms of crisis can bring a wide range of emotions, with individuals affected on personal levels. Demonstrating empathy and compassion in your communication can go a long way in diffusing tension and building stronger relationships with stakeholders. Show concern for those impacted by the crisis, whether it’s customers, employees, or communities. Offer support and solutions to address their needs and concerns. A genuine display of empathy can humanise your brand and encourage goodwill during challenging times.
  4. Consistent communications. When in a crisis situation, it’s important to maintain consistency in your messaging across all communication channels. Ensure that all team members and spokespeople are briefed on the key messages to be shared. Avoid any kind of contradicting statements or mixed signals that can lead to confusion and undermine credibility. A unified voice will convey a sense of stability and competence, reassuring stakeholders that the situation is under control.
  5. Post-crisis analysis. After the crisis has passed, it’s essential to conduct a thorough analysis and evaluation. Did any areas of communication work particularly well? What could be improved?  Obtain feedback from your stakeholders and use overall analysis to update and strengthen your crisis communications strategy. Remember, a crisis can provide valuable insights and also opportunities for growth and improvement.

Final thoughts

Crisis communications in business is not just simply about damage control: moreover it’s an opportunity to showcase your organisation’s values, integrity, and resilience. Further, by proactively planning, communicating transparently, showing empathy, and maintaining message consistency – along with learning from experiences, your business can effectively navigate through emergencies, safeguard your reputation, and become stronger for it. 

If you need any help in crafting a crisis communications strategy, please message us here or call 0845 625 0820 to see how we can help your organisation be known. 

AI: a threat or opportunity for creative industries?

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Is AI the long, hard look in the mirror that the creative industry needs? Greg Wilson considers what we know so far about AI and its impact on public relations in particular.

The world is currently awash with articles about AI. The sad irony though, is that half of them could easily have been written by AI. But sadder still, is the fact that most of them probably weren’t.

Because if the creative industry is so worried about AI taking its jobs away, what does that really say about the state of the industry itself? The clue is in the name; the value that we provide, is that we are, well, creative. Or we are supposed to be.

Content v PR

I, for one, was so relieved when “the PR industry” rebranded itself back again to “the PR industry”, after having toyed around with the idea for a few years of being the “content” industry.

Is that, in fact, just window dressing though? Was calling ourselves the “content” industry the day the mask slipped? Or is that all we provide now? Content. Filling for digital gaps.

People fear that AI will see the rise of machines as masters and we as their subordinates. I say that day has already come. It was the same day the words “link strategy” and “citation” entered the industry vernacular. When you think about it, we have been writing content to please the machines for some time – all hailing the great God of Google and its whimsical ways.

It’s almost a bitter irony that the machines got so smart, they could see what we were up to.

Having been in PR for over 25 years, I’ve got to say, it’s not this side of the value chain that gets me out of bed in the morning. Some people love it, I know – their self-worth now inextricably linked to moving clients a couple of places up the search results, because machines approve of their content.

Humans v AI

But what about the humans? Aren’t we forgetting them? Do they count for nothing now? And are they so easily fooled – sorry, engaged? Inspired? Educated? Amused? Enlightened? Moved? Transfixed?

Is a human brain as easily pleased as a machine? (scroll, scroll, scroll) Okay maybe. But not for long. To properly win and maintain a human’s interest, you have to give them something more. Something they have never quite seen before. Something… oRiGinAL?.

(Do you remember when people did that for a bit on social to show they were saying something CRaZy? I reckon a human did it first. And it was quite funny the first time. And there’s the rub…)

The thing is – while it’s true that, one day, AI might come up with the next weepy John Lewis Christmas ad, I firmly believe it could never have come up with the first.

For older readers, would it have ever come up with the Milk Tray Man, to advertise chocolate? “If you see Sid…” for shares in a public company. “Accrington Stanley!” for milk? Yes, milk.

To take creativity to its ultimate degree, I believe that while AI may one day (maybe even now) be able to produce music that sounds like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony – it could never come up with Beethoven’s actual Fifth Symphony. Only Beethoven could do that.

Have I just compared Beethoven to the Milk Tray Man? Yes, I have. Would AI do that, if it was writing this article? Is it running the risk of sounding slightly smug and self-satisfied to say, probably not? Do I care?

A bit.

Because I truly care what you think of what I write. Because you’re a human and I’m a human and I hope to add a little value to your life, by writing something that might entertain you enough to read this far. In which case, I thank you.

Or as Bing’s AI Chat actually said…

What AI might mean for the public relations industry

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming various industries and sectors, including public relations (PR). AI is not something to be afraid of in PR, but rather a tool that can enhance the efficiency, creativity, and impact of PR professionals. Here are some of the ways that AI might change the PR game in the near future.

Data collection and analysis

AI can help PR agencies, especially when it comes to the enormous amount of data they must filter through. Because of the abundance of information available, it can be difficult for staff members to stay on top of the most recent trends and news, which makes it difficult for PR firms to stay competitive.

AI can help with data collection and analysis by automating tasks such as media monitoring, trend spotting, sentiment analysis, and audience segmentation. These tasks can help PR professionals understand the media landscape, identify opportunities and threats, measure the effectiveness of their campaigns, and tailor their messages to different groups of stakeholders.

Content creation and distribution

AI can also assist with content creation and distribution by generating text, images, videos, or audio based on natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision. These technologies can help PR professionals create engaging and personalized content for various platforms and channels, such as social media, blogs, podcasts, or newsletters.

AI can also help with content distribution by optimising the timing, frequency, and format of the content based on the preferences and behaviours of the target audience. AI can also help with content amplification by identifying and reaching out to relevant influencers, journalists, or bloggers who can help spread the word about a brand or a campaign.

Relationship building and management

AI can also enhance relationship building and management by providing insights into the emotions, motivations, and needs of the target audience. AI can help PR professionals craft messages that appeal to the emotions of their stakeholders, such as trust, empathy, or excitement.

AI can also help with relationship management by providing feedback and recommendations on how to improve communication and engagement with different groups of stakeholders. AI can also help with crisis management by detecting potential issues or risks before they escalate and providing guidance on how to respond effectively.

Skills development and ethics

AI can also impact the skills development and ethics of PR professionals. AI can help PR professionals upskill by providing them with resources and training on how to use AI tools and technologies effectively. AI can also help PR professionals develop their critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence skills, which are essential for human communication.

However, AI also poses ethical challenges for PR professionals, such as data privacy, transparency, accountability, and bias. PR professionals need to be aware of these challenges and adhere to ethical principles and standards when using AI in their work. PR professionals also need to be able to explain how AI works and what its limitations are to their clients and stakeholders.

Final thoughts…

AI is changing the PR industry in various ways, from data collection and analysis to content creation and distribution to relationship building and management. AI can offer many benefits for PR professionals, such as increased efficiency, creativity, and impact. However, AI also requires PR professionals to adapt their skills and ethics to the new realities of communication. AI is not a threat to PR professionals but rather an opportunity to enhance their work.

© Bing

A full spin wash

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

A recent headline on the front page of The Belfast Telegraph’s (June 23) featured the headline: “Anger over council plan to hire a ‘spin doctor’ on £105k salary”. The term spin doctor is derogatory and outdated terminology, which portrays public relations as a manipulative role. This sloppy headline shows a disregard and poor understanding of the strategic role of public relations. 

The PR community was quick to express its disapproval of such a headline, with comms professional, Stephen Waddington, highlighting how far from the truth the headline relates to public relations, particularly in the public sector industry.

In recent times of the Covid pandemic, high-level strategic communication and information campaigns were essential to local government departments, to convey crucial health messaging, safety directives and content, along with emergency signposting for communities during one of the most uncertain times in history. This hardly qualifies as ‘spin’.

Propaganda all wrapped up

But where do the terms spin and spin doctor originate from? 

In the US, the “father of public relations”, Edward Bernays, was heavily linked with spin in the form of propaganda, controlling of the masses and “the engineering of consent.” His association with tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical brands is well documented, and his writing on propaganda attracted the Third Reich, with Joseph Goebbels in the 1920s becoming a fan of Bernays (despite Bernays being Jewish). Goebbels’ position of the Third Reich’s minister of propaganda, he used Bernays’ works as the basis for a “Fuhrer cult” to ‘promote’ Adolph Hitler.

The Thick of It

Certainly in the UK, the term spin doctor became synonymous with Alistair Campbell, the then head of communications for former Prime Minister Tony Blair and the New Labour campaign. Political spin was rife in the 1990s, particularly with the advent of 24-hour news coverage and the growing appetite for political access and commentary. This increase was then followed by a marked decline in the quality of British media content. The demand for media and PR consultants within politics grew from this point.

The comedy, The Thick of It, satirises the “sultans of spin”; the inner sanctum of the British government, with the main character – Malcolm Tucker – said to be based on Alistair Campbell. The show’s creator, Armando Iannucci, stated he wrote the comedy to help him process the political spin and turmoil of Blair’s government that allowed the UK to “back a war [in Iraq] with no purpose, no target, no endgame and no rationale”. This resulted in a horrific war and a lasting distrust in British politics. 

One of Campbell’s most notorious examples of spin was the 1997 General Election, called by John Major. Campbell’s efforts persuaded Rupert Murdoch and the editor of The Sun, Stuart Higgins, to publicly declare that the paper offers support for Labour and would be telling its readers to vote their way.

The power of strategic communications

The managing director of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), Renna Markson hit back at the article, stating:

“Salaries in public services are always, and rightly, under scrutiny, but no one is helped by lazy headlines that misrepresent the work of communications teams. 

“Belfast City Council spends £240m each year providing public services. A communications director helps make sure the council gets the best possible return for that money, by ensuring that the council listens to and understands the needs of Belfast residents and that those residents know about and can make full use of council services.

“The focus on tourism will mean extra demand for Belfast’s hospitality industry and a boost for Northern Ireland’s private sector. These measures alone should, if the candidate is successful, mean a return on the council’s investment far and above the reported salary.”

Renna Markson, PRCA

The chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Alastair McCapra, said: 

“Public relations is more than spin and publicity. Strategically it is about fostering trust and goodwill, and promoting understanding between organisations and their various stakeholders.

“Within the public sector, communication serves a crucial purpose by responsibly delivering information and services, effectively communicating change, and encouraging and ensuring public engagement… This story shows a lack of understanding of PR’s strategic function and fails to recognise the many responsibilities that come with serving the needs of the community and driving positive change.”

Alastair McCapra, CIPR

Whilst spin hasn’t disappeared from politics and the media, it has become less associated with modern-day public relations and the highly-skilled practitioners that abide by the ethical codes of professional bodies like the CIPR and PRCA. 

As PR professionals, we take our role, continual education, and responsibilities most seriously. Operating at the highest standards with full transparency and accountability is essential for public relations professionals, therefore it’s disappointing to see inaccurate headlines from The Belfast Telegraph that belong to a bygone decade.

Strengthening the reach of brand values through employee advocacy

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Creating and communicating a culture of employee advocacy is important for fostering a supportive and engaging work environment. When employees feel empowered to advocate for their colleagues and the organisation, it leads to higher job satisfaction, increased productivity, and a stronger sense of belonging.

What is employee advocacy?

Employee advocacy refers to the promotion and support of a company’s brand, products, or services by its employees. Empowered and valued employees are natural ambassadors for their organisation, and are an authentic voice that can advocate in a positive way for your organisation, particularly for an online setting such as social media. 

By encouraging employee advocacy, organisations can tap into the power of their workforce to amplify their brand message, strengthen stakeholder value, improve brand perception, and increase the overall visibility and credibility of the company in the marketplace.

Fostering employee advocacy

Here are six ideas to consider when creating and building a positive culture of employee advocacy:

  1. Encourage open communication: ensure transparent and open internal communication channels throughout your organisation. This might include providing opportunities for your employees to discuss and share their ideas or any concerns. Listening – truly listening – to any employee feedback is vital, along with any follow-up that is required to act upon.
  2. Training: ensure your employees have access to all the training they require for their roles and beyond. Social media is a great giver – and taker – for a brand or organisation. Social media guidelines and real-life examples of how to behave online are important for employees to understand the impacts of commenting and sharing content online – both the positives and negatives. Education is essential.
  3. Sense of purpose: here at Limitless, we talk about purpose all of the time. What is the greater purpose and mission of your organisation? Do your employees know and understand the importance of this? When people feel connected to a shared purpose, they are more likely to advocate for your organisation and its goals. Focus on regular internal communications about employee work and contributions, and how this impacts the overall success of the organisation.
  4. Advocacy recognition: acknowledge and appreciate employees who go above and beyond to advocate for their colleagues and the organisation. Consider recognition reward schemes and publicly celebrating such employees.
  5. Diversity and inclusion: help to grow an organisational culture that values diversity and inclusion. Create and communicate a safe environment where every employee feels respected, included, and valued for their unique perspectives and contributions. Ensure that all employees have equal opportunities to participate and advance within the organisation.
  6. Wellbeing: support the workplace wellbeing of your employees however you can. There are many ways to help the entire organisation to prioritise their wellbeing – from walking meetings, offering flexible working, mentoring and wellbeing support services, along with employee assistance programmes – Calm has carried out research around workplace stress and wellbeing here, which is worth looking at.

Creating and building a culture of employee advocacy requires consistent effort and commitment from both business leaders and employees. By nurturing a supportive environment where advocacy is both valued and encouraged, you can help to create a workplace culture that thrives on collaboration, trust, and mutual support. This in turn, will strengthen your brand through its values.

If you need help with brand values and encouraging employee advocacy, please contact us here.

Want strong public relations? Here are five ways to boost your presence

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

In our previous post, we talked about ways to approach and assess an organisation’s communications strategy for maximum impact. Below, we look at five ways you can rethink your public relations strategy and boost your brand’s presence.

  1. Build and maintain strong relationships. Public relations centres around building and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders. These include media, customers, employees, investors, and community members. It’s essential to establish and foster strong relationships and trust with these groups, as they can help you to grow your brand, and also support your organisation in times of crisis.
  2. Be proactive! Effective public relations isn’t just about reacting to situations but also anticipating them. Be proactive by staying updated with your industry news, identifying potential issues before they become problems, and creating a crisis management plan in advance of ever needing one.
  3. Communicate clearly and honestly. Making sure your communications are clear and authentic is essential for quality public relations. Be transparent about your organisation’s values, mission, and actions – and make sure you’re walking the talk. If an issue arises, address it promptly, and provide honest and accurate information to all stakeholders across appropriate channels.
  4. Data data data! Analytics are key. Ensure you’re regularly monitoring and measuring results from your public relations activities. Analytics can be used to assess the effectiveness of your strategies and actions, as well as identify areas that you could improve. There’s a blog post here, where we talk about data decisions in public relations.
  5. Stay flexible. Public relations is constantly evolving, and it’s essential to stay adaptable and flexible as to the needs of your business and organisation. Be open to new strategies and approaches, and be prepared to adjust your tactics based on changing circumstances or emerging trends that you can use to benefit your business. Look at the agile communications blog for more thoughts on this.

Work with Limitless? 

Are you looking for public relations support and strategic advice? We can help you to achieve your communication objectives and be known. Contact Michael Gregory on 0845 625 0820 or drop us a message using this contact form here.