PReach PR help Libby Mae’s Little Angels spread the word

Hi – Becca here. I’m the director of PReach PR and hope that before you scroll past this post, you’ll take a moment to learn a little about our connection to Libby Mae’s Little Angels.

This blog post is extremely personal to me.

In October 2014, my little girl Minnie was born 6 weeks premature, weighing a tiny 3lb 12oz.

I went into the hospital for a routine check and ended up having my precious little girl there and then. Having gone to the hospital on my own, it was all a bit of a whirlwind to me, and an experience I will never forget. Minnie had stopped growing at 29 weeks, and, had I not gone into the hospital that day, Minnie probably wouldn’t be here.

Thankfully, Minnie was in the best possible hands at Walsall Manor’s neonatal unit. Having spent a week in NICU, she was home with us. Needless to say, I will be forever indebted to the staff at Walsall Manor NICU – it’s for this reason that I have decided that PReach PR will proactively help Midlands based charity Libby Mae’s Little Angels in their efforts to grant much needed equipment and assistance to neonatal units throughout the region.

About Libby Mae’s Little Angels

Since its foundation in 2013, Libby Mae’s Little Angels has raised over £200,000 which has funded things like:

• An extra baby ventilator for Hereford Hospital, costing £16,500
• A makeover for Heartlands Hospital’s parent rooms
• Two parent recliner chairs for Warwick Hospital
• A new breastfeeding chair for Good Hope Hospital
• New, comfortable parent seating at Worcester Royal Hospital
• iPad technology into neonatal units across the Midlands
• Mother’s Day and Christmas presents to those with babies in Neonatal care,
• £35,000 towards a new transport incubator for the region
• Money towards new infusion pumps
• And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

Libby Mae’s Little Angels, as a charity, was started in 2013 following the devastating loss of founder Charlotte Sharratt’s daughter, Libby Mae. Charlotte and her husband subsequently now work tirelessly to see that the charity is making a difference to tiny lives, and they are truly THE MOST inspirational people I have ever met.

Our wish, in helping Libby Mae’s Little Angels, is to highlight the plight of these tiny lives, and the work that Libby Mae’s Little Angels do to support babies and families in Neonatal care.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you would like to read more about Libby Mae’s Little Angels, click here.

DIY PR is something that a lot of people reach out to us to help them with.

If you’re looking to get DIY PR media coverage for your business, first of all, you need to be able to write an effective press release. But how long should a press release be? And what kind of information should you include?

Here are a few top tips to help get you started:

Make sure your story is newsworthy.

Before you even attempt to write a press release, its almost essential to think about the things you like to read, watch and listen to in the media. Most of us are generally interested in things we haven’t heard before, find surprising, or will help solve problems. So, before drafting your DIY PR press release, its worth asking yourself these questions:

• Is there anything ‘new’ in my story?
• Is there anything unusual, or perhaps unexpected about it?
• Would this be of interest to anyone outside of my business?
• Will anyone actually care?

The last pointer may seem harsh, but it is probably the most important. You might be excited about your new marketing director, or maybe the launch of your new product, but will anyone else be interested? If the answer is ‘No’, hold off on that press release until you’ve got a better story.

If you aren’t sure whether or not your DIY PR press release is newsworthy, read, watch or listen to the publications or programes you might like to see yourself in, to get a feel for the kind of stories they typically cover.

Write killer headlines.

Most journalists get hundreds of emails every. single. day. so it’s a good idea to label emails containing your DIY PR press release with the phrase ‘press release’ or  ‘story idea’. A magnificent story line is also a must.

However, don’t try to be clever. Most journalists will spend only a few seconds deciding whether something looks interesting. If it’s not especially relevant or ‘stand out’, or immediately understand what your DIY PR story is about, they’ll move on to the next thing in their inbox, subsequently leaving you in the trash.

So – if your DIY PR story is about the launch of the first financial planning consultancy for women, say exactly that. ‘Women cash in on financial planning’ might sound like a better headline, but may mean nothing to a busy journalist scanning their inbox for juicy stories.

Get your top line in the first line of your DIY PR story.

Getting a journalist to open your email is important. However, if your first sentence doesn’t grab them, they may not read any further. Its for this reason you need to get the ‘top line’ (the most important bit) of your story right at the beginning of the press release. Your first line should be a summary of the story, and read like the opening of a news story.

Journalists are generally taught to get as many of the ‘Five W’s’ (who, what, where, when and why) into the opening line of a news story. If you want examples of great first lines for press releases, be sure to look at your daily newspaper.

An especially relevant trick is to imagine your story is going to be covered on a TV or Radio programme. A presenter generally has around 5-6 seconds in order to introduce each item. For example; “Coming up next… why a local cafe owner is giving a free coffee this weekend to everyone born in July”. If your story was going to be featured on the radio today, how would the presenter introduce it? Being sure to ask yourself that question should give you a top line for your DIY PR story.

Be concise.

The ideal length of a press release is about an A4 side, or about 300 to 400 words. That’s just three or four short paragraphs and a couple of quotes. If your DIY PR story is longer than that, you’ve probably got unnecessary waffle that doesn’t add anything to your press release.

Don’t be tempted to include background information about your company in the opening paragraph. This, along side any other additional information, can be included in a ‘notes to editors’ section at the end.

Sub headings and bullet points can be useful to make information easier to digest, particularly if you’re using figures or statistics.

Use quotes to provide insight, not information.

Including quotes from people within your company can be helpful for journalists (and in regional or trade publications, they’re often used word-for-word). A common beginner’s mistake is to provide information, for example, “last year, we employed 100 staff in 12 different countries and turned over £5m”.

Quotes should be used to provide insight and opinion, and sound like a real person said them. They most definately shouldn’t be filled with jargon or technical language.

A few more tips for your DIY PR…

Whilst it can be a usefull background document for journalists, a press release isn’t a story. If you want to maximise your chances of getting press coverage, you’ll have to tweak your idea, and your release, for different publications or programmes.

When you send a DIY PR press release, it’s a good idea to include a short outline of your idea (no more than a paragraph) and where you might think it fits in the publication you are pitching to. Paste your press release underneath an email, as a busy journalist may not bother to open or download an attachment. Photo’s can be helpful if they add something to the story, but avoid sending big files that will clog up people’s inboxes.

And finally… aim high, but be realistic in your expectations of your DIY PR. Most journalists are swamped with press releases, so it may take a few attempts and a bit of hounding to land press release coverage for your business. Don’t give up though; determination and a willingness to learn can take you a very long way!

If you’d like some more tips on how to go about doing your own DIY PR, click here to contact us, and we’ll give you a call as soon as we can!

We’re delighted to say that our client was featured in the Birmingham Mail!

Sutton Coldfield based estate agents, Aston Knowles, contacted us to announce that a £7,495,000 mansion in Little Aston Park has been brought to the market by the high-end agency. The hefty price tag has made the headlines for being the most expensive property EVER in Birmingham.

The exceptional family home, which is enveloped by ten acres of beautiful grounds, enjoys an unbeatable location within the heart of Little Aston, Sutton Coldfield.

To read the article, click the image:

“This is the most expensive house EVER to be sold in Birmingham”

To find out more about luxury estate agency, Aston Knowles, visit their website here.

Gifts all around – We’re celebrating our 5th birthday!

That’s right – our Midlands PR agency is 5 today. To celebrate surviving, and thriving, through 5 years of business, we’ve treated ourselves to a whole new website. Not only that, but most importantly, we’ve also invested in new media monitoring software, and new distribution tools too!

PReach PR celebrate their 5th Birthday!

As well as treating ourselves (it’s not all about us – we promise!), we thought we’d also treat one of you lovely readers.

The first person to click here and tell us how old their company is will receive a free press release on us – the Midlands PR agency that goes the extra mile!

Yep – that’s right. On the house, courtesy of our thriving Midlands PR agency. Because we’re nice like that.

In other news:

Another huge name has been added to our list of notable clients…

As a result of being a part of the team who brought Van-Damme and Schwarzenegger to audiences in the UK, we’re especially delighted to announce that we will be working alongside Olexy Group once again. This time, we’ll be part of bringing Kevin Hart to Manchester.

The world exclusive event will take place on the 15th June 2017 at the Manchester Arena. Not bad for a Midlands PR agency, huh?

We’re in the position to offer some unique sponsorship opportunities, so if you’d like to get involved in the event, please email our director. Rebecca Underwood – becca@preachpr.co.uk.

See you there!

Something for the ladies…

PReach PR land Bronzie contract!

We’re thrilled to be working with revolutionary tanning accessory brand, Bronzie.

Ladies (and gents), if you’ve not come across them yet, check them out here: www.bronzieuk.com

Bronzie are market leaders in tanning innovation, and their best selling products include:

• The Bronzie Jumpsuit
• Got Your Back 3 in 1 tanning mitt

The brand make incredible products that are the ‘must haves’ for any seasoned fake tanner!

Bronzie approached us here at PReach PR because London agencies often are, almost always, charging far too much, for a service that, often, is surprisingly poor. Leave London agencies behind, and you can find double the service, for half the price at our Midlands PR agency.

If YOU are looking for an agency that provides results, at an affordable level, please do get in touch. Our doors are always open for a brew*.

Signing off – The Team @ PReach PR

The Midlands PR agency that really make a difference.

*Please bring biscuits.

Our wonderful, and most loyal clients, Howells Patent Glazing, have been with PReach PR for over four years now, and we have learned so much from their family run business.

Here’s their latest story,’Black Country pride; Howells Patent Glazing delve into the history of Black Country glassmaking’. See the links at the bottom of this article for the coverage we secured!

Cradley Heath based manufacturing firm, Howells Patent Glazing are one of the UK’s leading glassmakers whose roots are firmly set in the heart of the Black Country.  To celebrate their 41^st year in business the company has decided to take a look back into the history of glassmaking and manufacturing in the Midlands.

Black Country Glass was used in the original Crystal Palace!

The Black Country is an area in the West Midlands generally agreed to include Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Walsall. However, there’s more to the Black Country than just the distinctive ‘Marmite’ accent. Industry roots date back to around the 17^th century, coinciding with the discovery of an abundance of coal, iron ore and clay, making it an ideal location for the birth of industry. In the 1960’s, the Black Country was described as the best area for glassmaking in the country.

Tracey Jackson, marketing manager at Howells Patent Glazing said, “The Black Country has once again become an industry hive for most areas of manufacturing. There are so many skilled people around here, who aren’t afraid of a little hard work, who make Midlands businesses so strong. We’re proud of who we are, and where we are from. Our family run firm has been based in Cradley Heath for over 40 years, and its heritage is important to us – it’s been really interesting to look into our industrial past”.

With such rich history in manufacturing and glassmaking, it’s no surprise that the Black Country inspired the fabrication of systems, which hold and support architectural glass – something that Howells Patent Glazing are renowned for producing. Long after the closure of the mines and the shutdown of steel mills and foundries, industry still thrives throughout the West Midlands, albeit on a smaller scale. Whilst Howells Glazing may not have been founded four centuries ago, the family team behind the business remain proud to have been born and raised in the Black Country and are looking forward to another 40 successful years in business.

See the whole thing at Midlands Business News : http://www.midlandsbusinessnews.co.uk/howells-patent-glazing-delve-history-black-country-glass-making/

Want to see YOUR story in the press? Give us a call on 01543 439 239!

Happy new year everyone! We all hope you enjoyed your festive break.

We are delighted to announce that, due to the incredible year we had in 2016, we’d treat ourselves, and our loyal clients to a new listening and monitoring software to further extend the services we offer!

We’re now using Meltwater and Precise media monitoring to kick-start 2017!

For those of you who have never heard of Meltwater, it’s an advanced media and news delivery and monitoring tool. Monitoring conversations across news outlets is a crucial part of the ‘Yogurt Top Method’, part of our model of digital and traditional PR and marketing service alongside our sister company, Yogurt Top Marketing.

Our use of Meltwater involves listening out for and analysing conversations about your target audiences, affiliates, industry influencers and competitors. It’s important to understand what people are saying about topics relevant to your brand or industry, as this will influence what you decide to talk about, and when!

Are we to blame for the Monday blues?  Well, not us per say but people like us, PR people that is. The answer is YES! Most definitely.   

Blue Monday was created by a PR campaign.. 

‘Blue Monday’ was a name given to a date in January which is said to be the most depressing day of the year – as it happens, it’s next Monday.  The most loathsome day of the year was invented by people like us, PR people that is, as part of a publicity campaign for Sky Travel – but the stunt worked a little too well and now most people detest Mondays as a result.

As a way of apologising on behalf of our industry, we’d would like to offer you 3 top tips which will hopefully help you to beat the Monday Blues.  If all else fails, scroll to the bottom of this email and follow the YouTube link – you’ll thank us for it, trust us.

Fake it ‘till you make it
Make a habit of smiling, even if you’re not actually feeling very positive in that exact moment. Why?  Well, when the muscles used for smiling are fired up, it signals to the rest of the body that we are happy.  On a physiological level, what that does is it starts to change the chemistry of your body to be happier. So smile like you mean it and enjoy the day.

Change your perspective
Instead of viewing something as a problem, see it as a challenge.  Think of happiness as a muscle, in the sense that the more you use it, the more it will grow. If you consciously make an effort to change your outlook on situations, it will start to become instinctual over time.

A happy person might see a challenge instead of a problem because that intuitively brings with it the suggestion that there is a solution.

Plug in your headphones
Music impacts your mood, so choosing to listen to a song that you enjoy can put a smile on your face even if you are having the dreariest of days.  For instance, in one 2015 study, researchers found that listening to tunes can curb biological markers of stress, including increased heart rate, high blood pressure and wonky cortisol levels.

And finally, as promised, here’s a video which we guarantee will make you laugh – the poor chap is not having a very good start to the year:
https://youtu.be/RuDAZDcDvaI 

Last week, our client – award winning restaurant Chak 89, hosted its annual ‘invite only’ Elbrook Charity Gala Ball to help raise funds for the British Asian Trust. The event, which took place on the 27th October, was headlined by James Arthur ahead of his much anticipated album launch the following day and raised an impressive £26,000 for the charity.  We’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all those involved on organising such a spectacular evening!

Co-Director Matt Flint, Calum Best and account manager, Adele Flint at the Elbrook Gala Ball 2016

The star studded night saw the likes of: Chart topper James Arthur, M People’s Heather Small, TOWIE’s Chloe Sims, Frankie Essex and Ferne McCann, Kerry Katona and her partner George Kay, Calum Best, Big Brother favourite Pete Bennett, X Factors Stevi Ritchie, and BAFTA award winner Chanel Cresswell in attendance.

The best part of this event was putting together our client’s post-event coverage report, which totaled and incredible £1,037,766!

This takes our 2016 total to almost £2million, standing currently at £1,927,207!

Want to see the press coverage we achieved for the event? Click a few of the links below!

The Sun: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/2067230/kerry-katona-silences-marriage-critics-by-putting-on-a-united-front-with-husband-george-kay-at-glitzy-charity-bash-in-london/

The Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3880456/Ferne-McCann-shows-gorgeous-womanly-figure-chic-one-shoulder-grey-gown-turns-heads-Elbrook-charity-dinner.html 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3885060/His-hands-Chloe-Sims-cosies-Calum-Best-charity-gala-seen-giving-amorous-goodbye.html 

Well it’s officially November so we thought we’d get into the spirit of the season, especially since the boss is expecting a very precious gift any time now!

A little bundle of joy will be making an appearance at PReach PR!

PReach PR will continue to operate as normal, but one of our directors, Rebecca Underwood, will be out of the office with her new bundle of joy, until Monday 5th December 2016.  Although Rebecca intends to be back to work she will remain behind the scenes until January 2017.  Co-director, Matt Flint and senior account manager, Adele Flint, will be taking over all client accounts and new business.  Their contact details are as follows:

Adele Flint
Email: adele@preachpr.co.uk
Office: 01543 439 239

Matt Flint
Email: matt@yogurttopmarketing.co.uk
Mobile: 07702 018 529

What good is a great body without a healthy mind? We’re honored to be assisting Dr Samantha Birch and marketing mogul Rachael Field in helping the UK take control of their mental wellbeing, as well as their physical being, with the launch of their new subscription package; Distraction Box.

Mental wellbeing is just as important as looking after your physical self, but few people realise the implications of ignoring just what your brain needs to de-stress and relax.  Ensuring that your brain gets the care it needs is the key to a happy, healthy lifestyle, and the clever ladies behind Distraction Box want people to realise just how important mental wellbeing is – just like eating right and exercising often, taking care of your brain should be at the top of your list too.

PReach PR are excited to help the lovely ladies at Distraction Box to launch the first mental wellbeing subscription service in the UK!

Rachael Field and Dr Samantha Birch officially launched their subscription-based Distraction Box on the 1^st of October 2016, and have already had a huge amount of registered interest in the UK’s first wellbeing box service for the mind.  Distraction Box contains products that are carefully selected to give customers a diversion from the monotony of daily life as well as to remind them that it is OK to take a break from everything – in fact, the whole purpose of the subscription based service is to encourage people to actively take time out to care for their mental health.

Rachael Field, co-founder of Distraction Box said, “We want to help the people of UK to manage their stressful lives by giving them the tools to happily distract their mind and give themselves some self-love – and it helps focus the mind too! You can’t achieve total wellness unless you work on both mental and physical wellbeing – something Sam & I are extremely passionate about.  The great British public are starting to become more in tune with their physical health, but lag behind other countries like Australia when it comes to taking care of the mind.  We want to change that and we hope Distraction Box will be the start of something really exciting”.

Whilst conversations are being had in the media about mental wellbeing, people are still frightened of the stigma that can potentially be attached to the phrase ‘mental health’ and are not actively seeking ways to improve their own mental health. Whilst it’s widely believed that ‘mental health’ is a term reserved for those who suffer with depression, anxiety and similar issues, in reality, it is often the disregard for mental wellbeing that can lead to such tormenting health problems. In other cases, as is the case with Co-director Dr Samantha Birch, it’s genetic. The reality is that taking care of your mind, whether you already have mental health issues or not, is key to a great lifestyle, and even your work life can improve by taking care of your mental wellbeing.

The contents of the subscription boxes are made up of little delights that have been hand-picked by the business owners to be delivered monthly. Expect things such as colouring books, pocket games, face masks, edible treats such as mug brownie mixes, candles, herbal teas, seed bombs and more. Everything inside the box has some sort of mind-refuelling advantage, whether that be a physical distraction from day to day life, something small to treasure as a gift, or an indulgence to say ‘I have conquered today, well done me!’.

Distraction Box aims to simplify the way in which people tackle their mental wellbeing, and release the tensions that everyday life can have on your mind. The entrepreneurial pair hope that their launch, which happened just before World Mental Health Day on the 10^th of October, will prove to Brits that taking the time out for yourself is nothing to be ashamed of, and people should take the time to learn to treat themselves to regular self-love and indulgence sessions.

A monthly subscription from Distraction Box is £19.95, three months is £55.95 and 6 month subscription is £99.95.

To see more from Distraction Box, visit www.distractionbox.co.uk