Lisa Astle

I’ll be at the PRmoment Agency Growth Forum, talking about a code of conduct for pitching. To help make this session as useful as possible, I’m on the hunt for examples of poor pitch behaviours from both clients and agencies. Did an agency ask for a tissue then ignore your feedback? Have you been ghosted? Did one of the clients fall asleep mid presentation (obviously this didn’t happen during one of Kindred’s thrilling pitches 👀…)?? This is your opportunity to get pitch beef off your chest and share your experiences to help create better pitches for everyone involved. Tell all to Auntie Shaz in the comments below or send me a DM if you’d prefer

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😭 Has your marketing budget been squeezed? 😭 Are you struggling to get multiple proposals signed off internally? 😭 Do you wish you had easy access to award-winning creative storytellers? 😎 Welcome to the our MIXED SERVICE PACKAGES - designed in response to all of these challenges Marketing Managers and Marketing Directors are currently facing BUT... Register your interest in these quickly (no commitment) as they're filling up fast! #Marketing #CreativeCommunications #Storytellers #MarketingManager #MarketingDirector Conteur #PR #VideoContent #VideoMarketing

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Every year Full Fat Agency | Certified BCorp submits its data to the PRWeek UK and People Like Us Pay Gap Report Project, which are then published along with every other agency that submits data. Why do we it? 🖼 Our data along with others helps paint a bigger picture of the Ethnicity & Gender pay gap in the PR industry and where change is needed 💰 It demonstrates our commitment to fair pay to our employees 🔎 It ensures we analyse our pay gaps every year 👀 It holds us accountable Participation in the industry is noticeably lacking but it is improving and this year could be the biggest report to date. There's still time for agencies to submit data via a very simple online form before the deadline next Monday 27th August. #PayEquity #PayGapReport

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A fab opportunity to earn while you learn! I did some work with our apprentices earlier this year and it has been great to see them grow in confidence as they get to know the organisation and develop their skills. Housing is a great place to start your career, especially if you're not quite sure what you want to do - how many other sectors can open the door to careers in customer service, repairs and maintenance, development, office admin, communications, housing management, IT, HR, finance and so much more under one roof? #apprenticeships #Twogether #Makeadifference

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A moment for Will Hart 👏 It’s important to me to give credit where it’s due, and Will has grown PRmoment Leaders Agency fantastically since its launch. It's been great to watch what was once an idea come to fruition and give real value to PR leaders. It’s an excellent programme that aims to engage PR leaders in their own personal development. Whether it’s learning how to future-proof your teams, the role comms has in your business strategy or understanding the contribution PR has on an organisation’s bottom line. It's been a fantastic project so far that we've had some great engagement on. ___________________________________________________________________ If you've somehow managed to miss it, PRmoment Leaders Agency is for senior agency team members. It features an educational syllabus designed to develop and retain your key team members, while preparing them for leadership. If you want to know a little more, drop Will a DM, or head to our dedicated page (link in the commments).

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Very useful guide for anyone considering a #PR qualification.

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The Nuts and Bolts of Industrial Media Comms You don't need to know what every nut, bolt, cable and tank does for your client ... or do you? A recent media comms forum threw up some interesting perspectives: some felt it was the client that had to explain to their media consultant what they do and how they do it; some felt intimidated by industrial technology and made attempts to Google it; some went to site but not to the industrial area where products and equipment were being manufactured and finally, some stated it was imperative to learn as much as possible about your client's industrial portfolio via site visits, research, engagement with client technicians and seeing the technology in action. I believe the last comment is essential to building a successful long-term relationship with industrial clients. It did amaze me though to hear quite a few media consultants feeling intimidated by industrial technology. Engaging with interest and passion for the industry your client plays in is so very important. My advice to those who felt this way was to 'jump in and swim' no-one wants you to drown, they want you to succeed and will help you. A few years ago, a colleague of mine labelled me 'passionate about valves'- it was a huge compliment coupled with much laughter! That passion is still fired up and walks alongside my industrial curiosity..... If you are looking for me, you will find me climbing into a sludge recycling tanker....passionate as ever! #industry #engineering #publicrelations #media

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Essential reading for anyone working with, or for, public sector organisations in the run-up to the #GeneralElection. The pre-election period officially begins at 1am tomorrow, so thoughts and prayers with all public sector communicators having to rip up their plans and figure out when to launch key initiatives (we’re helping several of our clients navigate this tricky conundrum). As a survivor of the triple election year of 2019 (locals, Euros, General), I totally feel your pain! #publicsectorcomms #preelectionperiod #GE2024

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Excitingly, PRmoment Leaders begins again this week. Our first new masterclass is on Wednesday afternoon, and there's still time for you and your senior team to get involved. I've known Alex Aiken, former executive director, UK Government Comms, since we started PRmoment and he's one of the PR sector's most interesting speakers. In his PRmoment Leaders session Alex will be giving an Agency feedback session: with five thoughts on how agencies can improve their client service offer. Can't wait! If you want more info on PRmoment Leaders, give me or Will Hart a shout.

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Good morning today spent with one of our clients at 44 Communications Ltd talking through the results of recent research into one of their core channels. In the past (read: pre-covid) we used to run semi-regular Focus Groups to find out what employees were interested in for the channel. Whilst they were valuable, they took a lot of time to organise and pulled hard-pressed workers off the job for an extended period of time. Not easy to do when there are deadlines and priorities competing for attention. So, this time we worked with the client on a programme of 'Speed focus groups' - fast conversations with employees asking a set of questions and quickly exploring themes. No more than a few minutes of time but some great insights and ideas raised. Added to survey results, these give some flavour and life to the numbers, helping us work with the client to frame an action plan. It's not the first time we've done these. It can be hard getting opinions from front line workers whose priority is service delivery on tight schedules and with limited resources. So, it's important we take time to design measurement approaches that fit their world rather than demand they fit into ours. Just goes to show, research and insight can be done even when operating circumstances may make it seem difficult. It's always worth asking the question "what do you think about...". #internalcommunications #research #engagement #measurement #channels

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I always knew that Employee Ownership was the right move for us as an agency. But after two immersive days with 858 other delegates at the eoa annual conference this week, I realised how special it is to be 'EO', and how it will benefit all my colleagues today, and those in the future. ➡️ It's a unique club. There is something like 5.5 Million companies in the UK but only 2,000 are Employee Owned. ➡️ It's a real community. Whether you're the Founders, like Charlie Raincock and I, or those considering it, or those into their second generation of succession, it is a genuine community of like-minded, hugely supportive people. ➡️ It's a bit of a cult. I'll admit I was a little sceptical....conferences are not my 'thing'...but I left on Cloud 9 and a firm believer in the 'cult of EO....of People Powered Businesses'. I must also congratulate the team at EOA for truly inspirational keynotes from cultural architect Javier Bajer, customer experience guru Jonathan Winchester and the incredibly humbling story of Páramo Directional Clothing (please look up their story....when businesses talk about purpose....look at what they've achieved). And for anyone considering Employee Ownership, or just wanting to understand what it actually is....get in touch with us. We're only at the start of our journey in reality but always happy to share the experiences and learnings to date. #employeeownership #entrepreneurship #innovation #agencylife #EO #purpose

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A lot of great people from a lot of great agencies have added their voice to this piece from Siobhan Holt in PRWeek UK, so naturally I’m keen to chip in my two pennies too.    Let me start by saying this: pitches are great. I love that collective agency energy when you’re working on a big response and how they push us to challenge our thinking. Obvs I love them less when we don’t win, but: life. They can be brilliantly run and terribly run, and while I think a pitching code of conduct is a lovely idea, it’s one that perhaps feels a tad lofty in ambition, needing buy-in from, well, everyone - agencies and brands - to work. Until such a time that we enter PR utopia, I think agencies need to figure out what their hard lines are and stand their ground more. There are also plenty of great clients out there who run brilliant pitch processes, and even when we don’t win, we feel valued and respected. Be more like them.   Adding to the list, some of my personal pitching red and green flags include:   🚩 No budget? No thanks. Giving a budget, even a ballpark, is essential because we want to shape our response to fit what the brand has to spend. Otherwise we might come up with a corker of an idea the client can’t afford and that will make them sad 💚 People who give the gift of time. We work quickly but obviously we will deliver a better and more in-depth response when we have been given a decent chuck of time to respond   🚩 8+ agencies on a pitch list. Brands should feel empowered to be braver and only choose the top 3-4 agencies they really want to see 💚 Client teams who equally invest a significant amount of their own time into the process and who who make themselves available outside official check-in moments for clarification and sense checking. Big fan    🚩 “Submit your pitch online and we’ll shortlist the ones who will get to present.” *Shudders*. Time investment from the agency aside, I guarantee we will bring our ideas to life better than you reading them ever will (even if you have a vivid imagination) 💚 Proper post pitch feedback for the ones you don't win - it's hugely appreciated when clients show respect for the effort, the agency and the work that went into the response, and we want to hear where we fell short. Tell us, ideally on a call   🚩 Key decision makers not being involved in each stage of the process. From the Q&A to the tissue to the presentation, everyone has a different point of view, different motivations and different objectives – and we want to hear them! That collective thinking helps us shape the best, most considered response    These are fair questions and challenges to ask from the outset of a pitch, but there will always be some processes you enter which will take you close to your hard lines. Then it’s up to you whether or not you choose to step over them. #pitching #newbusiness #pr #comms

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I've compiled what I hope is pretty much the complete guide to Chartered Institute of Public Relations qualifications. Every week I speak to lots of practitioners who are thinking about getting #CIPRQualified and I hope this guide over on PR Academy Ltd Insights answers many of the common questions. In it I talk about the qualifications available, the different levels and how to pick the right one for you, the benefits of a qualification and much more. If you know someone who is thinking about studying please do share it with them! #pr #internalcomms

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📰 The Future of News: A Two-Tier Media Landscape? A stark warning from parliament.uk: without action, we risk a fractured news ecosystem, with informed citizens on one side and disengaged communities on the other. 💡 “Having informed citizens with a shared understanding of facts isn’t guaranteed—and may not endure.” The UK’s media has defied the odds these past 15 years, with exciting new formats and diverse perspectives. But it’s not all good news… 📉💔 🔎 Trust in journalism is falling 🙈 News avoidance is rising 💸 Revenue streams are drying up 🤖 And AI? It’s shaking up EVERYTHING The risk? A “two-tier” system where some stay informed while others fall into news deserts or questionable online sources. So, what’s next? Tax breaks for local news 🏡, smarter AI policies 🤝, and more innovation💡 could help us steer away from the cliff edge. We are doing our bit at Contribly by trying to innovate the audience engagement side of the news, by getting real people’s voices included and heard in a safe way that social media doesn’t provide. The aim is to build trust and relevance! Let’s keep the news serving everyone, not just the privileged few. 🌍💪 What’s your take on this? Let’s chat! 👇🗣️ https://lnkd.in/enjesFrY

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Some of the benefits of a retained monthly PR programme vs a short burst below. In summary, it’s having the time and team allocation to… ✅ Take a deep dive into your competitive landscape ✅ Perform a media audit on you and your competitors ✅ Spend time building (and building on) a detailed media list of journalist contacts ✅ Spend time pitching these journalists, building up new assets to pitch them, and scouring the internet for opportunities to pitch If you can, it’s always beneficial to take a longer term approach to PR. What else would you add?

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Is business development currently your biggest headache? Certainly, two recent surveys suggest this is the case for Agency Leaders. According to a report in PRmoment, research from The Pulse Business Ltd states that 63% of PR & Comms Agency CEOs are grappling with new ways to grow their businesses. And the recent BenchPress State of the Agency Nation Report (for agencies over £1m) highlights that 40% of Agency Leaders cite winning new business as their biggest challenge. Would you like to take a quick but effective diagnostic that will help you better understand how to treat this headache? My business development scorecard has been specifically designed to help agencies better understand their level of fitness when it comes to sales. By asking searching questions around: 1️⃣ Positioning 2️⃣ Process 3️⃣ Planning 4️⃣ Pitching You'll identify where your strengths and weaknesses lie across the agency. Test it on your senior team to establish if there is alignment (you might be surprised - often times there isn't!). And if it throws up suprises, I'd be happy to hop on a no-obligation call to discuss the findings. Let me know how you get on. 👇 https://lnkd.in/eZKF99kp

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Great commentary to be included in by Fine Lines formidable senior consultant Emma Padden It's a tough one this. As Emma says we as an industry have historically allowed us to be 'always on' and even more so when you're a founder. I always have a bit of panic around August quiet time but it's a great time to step back and reflect on your business. We are running workshops this month for many agencies wanting to use this time to get on the front foot for 2025. Hit Emma or I up if you want to chat #pr #comms #management #consultancy

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Lumen is a change communications consultancy designed to help businesses like yours manage their changes in the most effective way possible. Clear communications ensure that changes are implemented in a way that is effective and respectful of the people affected by them, whilst keeping your business moving forward in the process. Book a discovery call with me to get started: https://lnkd.in/eDG3Brnk #ChangeCommunication #InternalCommunication #ChangeManagement #OrganisationalChange

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