CIPR Client Guide

A GUIDE TO SELECTING PR AGENCIES AND INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONERS

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS –

cipr.co.uk

Contents

Introduction About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) What services can PR professionals offer?

Case Studies 01 / Strategic Planning 02 / Project Management 03 / Media Relations 04 / Social Media Relations 05 / Internal or Employee Communication

06 / Special Events, Conferences and Meetings 07 / Community Relations 08 / Reputation Management 09 / Government Relations and Public Affairs 10 / Issues and Crisis Management

2 CIPR | A Guide to Selecting PR Agencies and Independent Practitioners

P3 P5 P6 P7 P10 P14 P17 P20 P23 P26 P30 P33 P36

Writing a brief that defines your needs Finding the right people to work with you What to ask people who respond to your brief Contracts What to do if things don’t work out Your feedback about this guide Thanks

P39 P40 P41 P42 P43 P44 P45

Introduction This guide is designed to help you find the right person or the best team to work with you on your public relations (PR) needs. If you have never procured PR services before you may not be sure where to start, but there are some ground rules that will help you. This guide will tell you: • what services PR professionals can offer; • how to define what you need; and • how to select the right advisers to work with.

Every organisation, no matter how large or small, ultimately depends on its reputation for survival, success and a competitive edge.

Customers, suppliers, employees, investors, journalists and regulators can have a powerful impact.

They all have an opinion about the organisations they come into contact with – whether good or bad, right or wrong. These perceptions will drive their decisions about whether they want to work with, shop with and support these organisations.

“Public relations helps businesses to communicate value, tell stories and manage their relationships with their stakeholders. A strategic approach to PR is crucial for businesses aiming to establish and strengthen their reputation and, as a result, finding the right public relations people to work with needs to be a considered process.

This CIPR Guide will be a welcome resource to businesses across the country. It simplifies the process of hiring PR support and showcases the value public relations can bring to businesses in all sectors.”

John Foster, CBI Director of Campaigns “It has never been a more relevant time for small businesses and the self-employed to put in place public relations (PR) plans.

Increasingly competitive markets, new export opportunities, diversification of audiences, fragmented and diverse channels of communication, as well as challenges posed by regulations and cyber crime all create an environment of both opportunity and threat. PR is needed to seize the former, and minimise the latter. Many small businesses can also increasingly be affected by consumer user generated content – from online reviews, to social media debate. This alone can make effective PR a must.

This guide gives a simple explanation of the different aspects of public relations strategies. It is a succinct and easily digestible guide that should help small business owners and the self-employed focus on their specific PR needs.”

Mike Cherry OBE, National Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)

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The CIPR defines PR in the following way:

PR is about reputation – the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.

PR is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics. Effective PR can help manage reputation by communicating and building good relationships with all organisational stakeholders.

CIPR Client Advisor Service Setting a clear budget is important if you are going to get the right support from an agency. PR consultants have a large toolbox of techniques they can employ and can be imaginative in meeting a large or small budget. CIPR members also commit to an ethical responsibility to be honest about their skills and to have an open and transparent conversation about the resources required for any project.

If you are planning on selecting your public relations services through a formal pitching process and have a budget of ÂŁ5,000 or more, the CIPR can provide you with a client advisor (see page 40) to help you prepare a brief for agencies, and help you select an agency which best meets your requirements.

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About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Founded in 1948, the CIPR is the Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK and overseas. The CIPR is the largest membership organisation for PR practitioners outside of North America and represents 10,000 members in more than 85 countries.

The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).

For more information visit www.cipr.co.uk

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The CIPR represents 10,000 members in more than 85 countries

What services can PR professionals offer?

PR professionals offer a wide range of services and it is important to choose someone who can offer the right solutions for you. You may need help only with a single publicity campaign, or you may want longerterm support and expertise as your needs change over time.

Some PR professionals have a broad portfolio of clients in different sectors, while others are specialised in fields such as education, technology, heritage, financial services, government communications or tourism. Some work exclusively with a cluster of local clients, while others serve clients across the country or internationally.

What follows are 10 core areas in which you can seek support from an independent PR practitioner or an agency. Each section describes the activity and then includes a case study demonstrating the role of a PR agency. Each of the case studies has won a CIPR award.

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01 / Strategic Planning 02 / Project Management 03 / Media Relations 04 / Social Media Relations 05 / Internal or Employee Communication 06 / Special Events, Conferences and Meetings 07 / Community Relations 08 / Reputation Management 09 / Government Relations and Public affairs 10 / Issues and Crisis Management

Category

01

Strategic Planning

Company Connect #ForAccessibleHomes

CASE STUDY: #ForAccessibleHomes

Strategic planning will ensure that a project which is dependent on good communications or successful change is developed on time and on budget.

A strategic plan differs from an action plan. The former allows actions to be aligned to the unforeseen events that can seldom be accounted for in an action plan.

A PR consultant can develop a strategic plan that will outline the resources and the approvals needed, the stakeholders that need to be brought on board, and the goals/objective that need to be reached.

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PR AGENCY: Connect CLIENT: Habinteg YEAR: 2016/17

Brief and objectives

There are 11.6 million disabled people in Britain and a society that is ageing rapidly, yet only 6% of homes provide basic accessibility features.

Habinteg gave Connect a brief to raise awareness of, and achieve policy and legislative change, to increase the number of lifetime homes and wheelchair standard homes that are built in the UK.

Research and Planning

A multi-audience strategy was developed – effective engagement with government, parliament, local government, tenants, the media and members of the public was going to be crucial for its success. It was recognised that there was a need to win hearts and minds by persuading people of the need and urgency to increase the number of these suitable homes. The core argument was that accessible housing is an issue for everyone. An audit of government guidance on accessible homes and research of parliamentary interest was undertaken.

Opportunities for legislative change that would have a maximum impact were identified and stakeholders who would be needed were scoped and targeted to achieve this. Case studies were used to tell positive stories about the impact of accessible housing by highlighting the economic advantages and social care savings of increasing the supply of accessible homes.

Strategy and Tactics

The strategic plan was multi-layered, engaging with a wide range of audiences simultaneously.

As well as direct engagement with Ministers and officials, which were secured early on, a wide range of other parliamentarians were engaged to build pressure with Habinteg positioned as an authority to successfully lobby for parliamentary inquiries.

In Parliament, the passage of the Neighbourhood Planning Bill was identified as the best opportunity to change the law in the short term. Working with MPs, particularly at Committee Stage, helped create draft amendments and the government was persuaded to introduce Neighbourhood Planning Bill Amendment 18, which stipulated that the Secretary of State must issue guidance for local planning authorities on how their local development documents should address housing needs that result from old age or disability. This amendment was passed.

Together, these inquiries raised the profile of accessible housing and engaged a wide range of organisations.

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THERE ARE 11.6 MILLION DISABLED PEOPLE IN BRITAIN...

ONLY 6% OF HOMES PROVIDE BASIC ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES

Implementation of tactics

Alongside government and parliamentary engagement, local government was an important stakeholder in affecting change, particularly as local plans and planning policies are finalised across the country. Through a major survey of councils, using Freedom of Information requests, it was revealed that only 3% outside of London have plans in place to deliver and monitor the number of accessible homes built in their area. As a call to action, an interactive map was created to clearly show the best and worst councils, and Connect sent all local authorities a local scrutiny toolkit to help them review and improve their policies.

Measurement and Evaluation

Raising the issue on the political agenda was crucial as the initial research revealed accessible housing cut across different departments and wasn’t ‘owned’ by a specific Minister. The Freedom of Information exercise gave the first national dataset looking at availability of accessible housing in the country and was key in enabling the ability to persuade government of the need for change. The local scrutiny toolkit enabled change at a local level and created ongoing pressure. An amendment to the Neighbourhood Planning Bill was a significant win for the campaign and allowed Habinteg to work closely with the government to help develop the guidance for local planning authorities.

public were mobilised to engage with the political process and make their voices heard through a national day of action for Habinteg tenants and members of the public to get engaged in the campaign. Social media activity increased the impact of the day through a thunderclap which got ‘#ForAccessibleHomes’ trending, used Instagram to tell the story of the day, and delivered the message 311,874 times. National, sector and local media coverage was secured, including using a letter co-signed by 15 highly influential organisations.

On the day Cabinet Ministers visited Habinteg tenants in their own homes and learned first-hand what accessible housing meant to a range of disabled people. Across the country other MPs were engaged in the lobby day and shared their own messages of support. All of this combined to achieve a change in the law and new guidance from the government.

Impact was recorded and demonstrated the level of media and social media coverage and the level of parliamentary interest, both in qualitative and quantitative terms. Contact information for stakeholders was captured using a shared database so that Habinteg could build and maintain relationships in the long term.

In six months the campaign allowed engagement directly with more than 50 target parliamentarians to raise awareness of the need for change and to build pressure on the government for action through ongoing relationships. Tenants and the

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IN SIX MONTHS THE CAMPAIGN ALLOWED ENGAGEMENT DIRECTLY WITH MORE THAN 50 TARGET PARLIAMENTARIANS

02

Project Management A PR professional can implement a strategic plan they devise or you may want to hire a specialist project manager.

Robust project management, aligned to business objectives, will help an organisation meets its goals, whatever your industry or service and wherever you operate in the world.

Research is the cornerstone of any plan. PR professionals, will be adept at stakeholder mapping, risk analysis, setting realistic aims and communication objectives, developing clear communication channels and identifying key deliverables. Timely deadlines, defined milestones and key performance indicators are all prerequisite to sound project management. An agreed budget is essential.

Whilst this requires an analytical approach, based on logic and insight, your PR professional also needs imagination and creativity to plan and implement the programme. They need to be flexible, agile and responsive to any unforeseen circumstances. People management skills are vital.

Lastly there is measurement and evaluation. It is not enough to measure outputs such as press cuttings or likes on social media. Outtakes and outcomes, which have benefited your organisation need to be established. These reveal whether the communication objectives have been achieved and how the plan might need adjustment.

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CASE STUDY: #JoinCwmTaf COMPANY: jamjar PR CLIENT: Cwm Taf University Health Board YEAR: 2017

Brief and objectives Recruitment of NHS staff is a UK wide problem with health boards competing to attract a limited workforce. In Cwm Taf there are challenges in recruiting medical staff, with particular difficulties within certain specialities.

Having previously relied on traditional recruitment methods which had been proving unsuccessful, Cwm Taf University Health Board required an innovative recruitment campaign. jamjar was tasked with: • Designing, developing and delivering a six month communications campaign, targeting medical staff in the UK and overseas (particularly Pakistan, India and Egypt)

Research and Planning

In order to get a better understanding of the target audience, jamjar: • researched the top ten universities for medical courses, distributing an online survey to graduates; • surveyed Cwm Taf staff to find out what they enjoy about working for the health board; • surveyed medical staff employed by other health boards to find out what attracted them to their current job, their perceptions and awareness of Cwm Taf, where they consume news etc; and • used previous insight from an HR focus group for overseas medical staff.

• Positioning Cwm Taf as an employer of choice with the aim of generating awareness and applications for hard to fill posts

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The insight revealed that when medical staff outside of Cwm Taf look for jobs it’s the role, career progression and location of the health board that is important to them. Cwm Taf staff identified that what they liked about working for the health board was the camaraderie amongst the team, the community spirit and career progression.

Reflecting the above, a campaign concept and strapline was developed that centred on the letter C: ‘C is for….Cwm Taf UHB. Care to join us?’

Messaging was developed with Cwm Taf’s workforce and communications teams focussing on Cwm Taf’s: • Camaraderie, caring and close-knit teams • Culture of supporting and empowering staff • Community spirit that is inherent of the South Wales valleys • Cutting-edge facilities

Strategy and Tactics

The research showed digital communications was going to be the most effective way to reach the target audience. Content was created for www. joincwmtaf.wales where all internet traffic was directed. This sold the benefits of working for Cwm Taf, listed vacancies and included a 360-degree video to give potential new recruits a chance to see what Cwm Taf has to offer; its health park, general and district hospitals. With panoramic views of Cardiff city centre, the Brecon Beacons and the Heritage Coast, the video also gives those looking for a career change the chance to visualise themselves living in south Wales and immerse themselves into life at Cwm Taf. Cwm Taf’s staff were used for additional content, with ‘champions’ in roles which are notoriously hard to fill chosen.

Overall 8 case study videos and an overarching campaign video ‘C is for….’ were created.

• Location close to the city, coast and countryside • Continuous professional development and career progression opportunities.

Research on best practice recruitment campaigns from outside the healthcare sector was undertaken to see what could be learned and potentially used at job fairs.

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Implementation of tactics

Following the launch of the microsite and video, together with a news release distribution, the campaign was further promoted via targeted advertising and social media activity including via; • YouTube – identified through research as the main channel for viewing medical related videos • Facebook and Twitter – identified as the main social channels used by the target audience • Sky Go – insight revealed that the target audience enjoy watching programmes on demand • Google display network remarketing and managed placement advertising – allowing full control in hand-picking which websites we wanted our ads to be displayed on • Regular blog content for the campaign microsite

Measurement and Evaluation

The campaign was viewed by over 6m people and the VR headsets were taken to 10 events with the 360 video viewed approximately 1,000 times.

There was a 53% increase in applications for hard to fill jobs that were previously listed several times prior to the campaign – 56% of applications from UK-based medical staff, 44% from overseas.

To date Cwm Taf has successfully filled 16 hard to reach posts, including one job which had been advertised 6 times.

The campaign was designed to have longevity and to be expanded on for future workforce development needs. Due to this, and its initial success, additional budget has been secured to develop the campaign to target therapists and radiographers.

The research also showed prospective medical staff get alerted to job opportunities through word of mouth referrals from current staff, so a number of employee engagement events were held.

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THE CAMPAIGN WAS VIEWED BY OVER 6 MILLION PEOPLE

03

Media Relations

CASE STUDY: Pulling Power – Giving Advanced Driving Courses Sex Appeal PR AGENCY: Tin Man

Media relations is the traditional core skill of PR professionals and is still the main focus of work for many people in the industry. The purpose of media relations is to ensure that your news and information is made available to journalists who will use it in their publications.

A PR professional will understand how to match your content with interested journalists and give it the best possible chance of being picked up and used. They will also know how to communicate your story on different social media platforms, and how to respond when it attracts interest. This is sometimes called ‘earned content’ because, unlike advertising, no money changes hands – the PR professional has to convince a journalist that the story has genuine news value or would make a feature piece of interest to the publication’s audience.

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CLIENT: IAM (The Institute of Advanced Motoring) Roadsmart YEAR: 2016

Brief and objectives

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) faced the challenge of attracting new audiences – in particular 25-34 year olds. The main hurdle was that the majority of younger drivers don’t think they need to improve their driving skills. Tin Man was briefed to increase sign-ups to free driving assessments and position the organisation as relevant to this new younger audience.

Strategy and Tactics

Tin Man devised ‘’Pulling Power’’, a campaign proving that bad driving is a ‘three-point turn-off’ when it comes to dating – and that better drivers are more attractive.

Research and Planning

The traditional messaging about ‘skilling up’ wouldn’t work – 80% of young male drivers already think they are highly skilled behind the wheel.

A younger audience was asked to reveal their top 10 dating turn-offs. Half of the worst ‘pulling’ offences take place in the car, with road rage among the top five. One in 10 even cited good driving as more attractive than having a nice car and a good sense of humour, encouraging the audience to consider improving their skills and thus increasing their ‘pulling power’.

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80% OF YOUNG MALE DRIVERS THINK THEY ARE ALREADY HIGHLY SKILLED BEHIND THE WHEEL

Implementation of tactics

The agency created films of male and female models driving both well and badly and ran a live experiment with TV psychologist, Jo Hemmings, to test how attractive 50 people found them and their driving. The results were clear – bad driving reduced male attractiveness by 50%, with four in five women physically repulsed by terrible driving. For men, bad parking and selfies at the wheel were the biggest turn-offs.

The story was packaged up for news, lifestyle, relationship and dating media. This approach allowed extended coverage across two months.

On the day of the live experiment, people’s reactions were filmed and seeded the content out to media, accompanied by the research results and spokesperson comment. Key media were invited to take part in the experiment – and received their own results to write up as part of the story. The campaign drove traffic to the IAM website where people could sign up for a free driving assessment, improving their driving skills and thus their pulling potential.

Measurement and Evaluation

• 1,500 sign ups to free driving assessments – 15 times more than target. A 50% conversion rate of sign ups to sales of driving courses, delivering a return of investment of nearly three times the PR campaign budget.

• Independent, post-campaign research showed that, as a result of the coverage, 51% of young drivers in the UK (18-35) would now consider taking an advanced driving course (5% uplift from pre-campaign).

• There were 153 pieces of national, regional, online and broadcast press coverage including 12 nationals and youth-targeted outlets such as Mail Online, Radio 1, The Sun, MaleXtra and BuzzFeed – creating 32 million opportunities to see.

• The campaign inspired a 10 minute segment on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show which was broadcast to 1.2 million listeners. The accompanying video has had 60,000 views and been tweeted to 5.1million followers.

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51% OF YOUNG DRIVERS IN THE UK (18-35) WOULD NOW CONSIDER TAKING AN ADVANCED DRIVING COURSE

04

Social Media Relations Social media channels have opened up a myriad of new ways to engage with target audiences in a creative and direct way, but as with any method of communication, opportunities carry risk. A PR professional can help develop and manage social media strategies, bringing the rigour of traditional communications planning to these digital channels. They will maximise the effectiveness of online engagement by targeting resources creatively and managing risk in the fast-paced and ever-changing atmosphere of social media. They can also advise on how social media activity can be combined with other methods of engagement such as traditional media relations to achieve the best outcome.

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CASE STUDY: reimagiNATION Challenge PR AGENCY: Cirkle CLIENT: Energizer YEAR: 2016

Brief and objectives

To develop a strong, creative and imaginative social media campaign that drives online interaction and engagement for Energizer’s new EcoAdvanced batteries, particularly amongst 25-45 year old mums. The campaign looked to drive awareness and contribute to the growth of Energizer’s market share, create momentum around Energizer’s position as an innovative brand and increase Energizer’s Facebook engagement levels by 10% and reach of page posts by 25%. By engaging online influencers with the launch the aim was to achieve a reach of 100,000 and a minimum of 300 blog post engagements.

Research and Planning

Batteries are viewed as a functional purchase with low brand loyalty and with sales that are often driven by in-store promotional offers. Energizer’s new technological breakthrough was a world first: Energizer EcoAdvanced – a battery made from recycled batteries.

Strategy and Tactics

These insights changed Energizer EcoAdvanced’s proposition from ”taking worn out things and making them better” into “re-imagination”.

A two-phased approach was created to firstly create a blogger programme to generate a groundswell of advocacy amongst online influencers and, secondly, to galvanise Facebook users to engage consumers and inspire them to showcase their creativity with Energizer EcoAdvanced.

This led to the reimagiNATION challenge being born. Online bloggers and Energizer’s Facebook audience were set a reimagiNATION challenge in which they had to take everyday household items and reimagine them into something new and, where possible, to do this with their children.

The strategic starting point was to take a disruptive approach to the battery category. Cirkle undertook market market research with parents and interviewed influential parenting bloggers to find out what is important to them. The agency identified that fuelling imagination was an important factor to them in their children’s development.

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THE AGENCY IDENTIFIED THAT FUELLING IMAGINATION WAS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR TO PARENTS IN THEIR CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENT

Implementation of tactics The UK´s most influential parenting bloggers were selected and set the reimagiNATION challenge.

The bloggers were supplied with prop boxes of materials otherwise destined for the bin and they were tasked with upcycling the worn out items and transforming them into something new. These were shared through live social media updates and blogs.

Space stations, battery-powered fairylight paintbrush holders and even a decorative seat were created.

A judging panel selected the winners who won family sleepovers at the Science Museum, further demonstrating Energizer’s passion for innovation.

Energizer’s Facebook community of mums was galvanised as the reimagiNATION competition on Energizer’s page was launched to engage its 133,000 fans with the campaign. The blogger’s creative examples were uploaded to encourage fans to join in and share their upcycled creations. Entries from children up and down the country poured in, including an upcycled playground, a recreated version of the Forth Road suspension bridge and a pirate ship. Winners were selected by bloggers to join them at the Science Museum armed with GoPro cameras to share their adventures.

Measurement and Evaluation Energizer’s market share increased by +3.4% as the brand leader’s share declined by -0.9%. proving it possible to unleash creativity to benefit a historically low-engagement category and galvanise consumer and influencer participation.

Blog posts reached more than 146,000 consumers, landing key EcoAdvanced brand messages (46% higher than the 100,000 KPI). The blog post engagement KPIs were beaten by +200% with one blog post alone receiving 7,700 views and 200+ comments.

The Facebook page posts saw a +149% in the daily organic reach of reimagiNATION posts (vs KPI of 25%), 48%+ in post engagement (vs KPI of 10%) and +54%+ in the number of shares (vs KPI of 25%).

60 re-imagined objects were created and submitted into the competition. The wider campaign saw 300,000 shares on social media.

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THE WIDER CAMPAIGN SAW 300,000 SHARES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

05

Internal and Employee Communications Internal Communications is a specialism within PR and can sometimes sit within HR or Marketing.

When working with a PR agency you should ask whether they have specialist knowledge of internal communication as the skills and processes can differ from other areas of PR. There are many definitions of internal communication and the broadness of the role will often mean that one size doesn’t fit all. The key is to determine what you want to do. Are you trying to engage your workforce around a change? Build a culture around the organisation’s purpose and want to take employees on a journey? Struggling to reach offline employees and need to look at the channels to ensure they are fit for purpose?

Understanding the organisational culture, the ways people communicate across the business and the content that they need and want to know are the building blocks for any internal communications function. Using evidence-based research to inform these decisions is best practice.

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CASE STUDY: The Big Koru Conversation PR AGENCY: scarlettabbott CLIENT: Aviva YEAR: 2016/17

Brief and objectives

With around 30,000 employees across the globe, and following a period of significant organisational change, the Aviva internal communications team recognised the need to reconnect colleagues with the direction of the business and its global strategy.

Employee trust and motivation was down and there was a need for staff feel a sense of pride in the company and their work. A simple, translatable and adaptable approach was needed to reach and engage employees.

Research and Planning

Strategy and Tactics

Recognising their challenge, Aviva adopted a multi-media and multi-lingual approach and gave managers the tools to take ownership of what they called their ‘Big Koru conversations’ with their teams, tailoring it to their specific needs.

The vision was to make conversation an integral part of Aviva and staff were encouraged to share their stories. Simple manager guides and table talkers supported by leadership tools and videos were translated into six languages – all tied together with a consistent look and feel.

Scarlettabbot was commissioned to help design a new approach to strategic communication.

The aims were to:

¡MUCHAS

• drive up understanding of strategy; • increase leadership visibility; • make time to recognise the contribution of individuals and teams;

di

gracias!

2436_1_Big Koru Thank You Postcard_Spanish 2016_V3.indd 1

• power conversations; and • bring back the customer focus.

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19/05/2016 16:21

Grazie

CUORE!

2436_1_Big Koru Thank You Postcard_Italian 2016_V3.indd 1

31/05/2016 12:23

2436_1_Big Koru Thank You Postcard_English 2016_V5.indd 1

02/06/2016 16:21

THE VISION WAS TO MAKE CONVERSATION AN INTEGRAL PART OF AVIVA AND STAFF WERE ENCOURAGED TO SHARE THEIR STORIES

Implementation of tactics

To set the tone, recognition played a key part and managers were encouraged to tailor the conversation, making the Big Koru relevant to the team and what they do.

The campaign took place in every country and market in which Aviva operates, with almost all 30,000 employees taking part through: • turning the story upside down by telling it through the lens of ‘me, my team and my customer’ – rather than business-first; • making recognition front and centre through thank you cards; • harnessing social media and user generated content by asking teams to post selfies when they had completed their Big Koru Conversation; and • making a ‘give something get something’ charitable donation for every team selfie posted on the intranet.

The

BIG

More than 900 staff completed a feedback survey and the results showed: • 86% found the conversation a valuable use of their time; • 86% scored ‘I understand what our 2015 business priorities mean to me’ at 3/5 or higher; • 75% had a good conversation about our local plans; • 8% had a clearer view of how their team contributes to overall Aviva strategy; and • 75% made a personal connection to Aviva’s strategy.

The Big Koru conversation continues to go from strength to strength as staff are encouraged to understand the value behind holding these conversations. Focus groups are continually held as are interviews post-Koru to aid with future development that meets staff needs.

The

Big

Koru

Koru

CUSTOMER

Conversation

Conversation A guide for leaders

BIG Koru 2016

Please read before your session

Manager Guide

Manager guide for mid year Big Koru conversations

Guide for leaders

BIG Koru 2016

Measurement and Evaluation

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THE CAMPAIGN TOOK PLACE IN EVERY COUNTRY AND MARKET IN WHICH AVIVA OPERATES WITH ALMOST ALL 30,000 EMPLOYEES TAKING PART

06

Special Events, Conferences and Meetings PR practitioners are well placed to devise and organise special events and conferences because at the heart of these activities lies a core purpose – to engage with a specific audience around a specific subject.

PRÂ professionals can develop the event concept from knowing the audience and what they want from an event/ conference therefore devising a relevant programme, informed by the audience it seeks to attract and engage.

PR professionals can then add further value by knowing how to target the audience and have them sign up to attend the event through an awareness campaign.

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COMPANY: Taylor Herring CLIENT: Kwik Fit CAMPAIGN: Fit Kwik YEAR: 2016

Brief and objectives

Car servicing giant Kwik Fit tasked Taylor Herring with injecting some personality and wit back into the brand. They wanted to build resonance with customers, hero the technicians, drive footfall to their centres and traffic to their website. This earned media campaign would need to amplify and bring to life Kwik Fit’s core mantra: ‘It’s all about the service’.

Research and Planning

Inspiration came from Kwik Fit’s technicians, who had noticed that lifting hefty tyres on a daily basis had led to improved strength and fitness. Seeking to capitalise on the annual January health frenzy, the idea was to launch a no-nonsense fitness regime – an antidote to faddy diets, expensive gym membership contracts and celebrity workout DVDs. It would be in line with the company’s servicefocused, no-nonsense, straight talking brand values.

Kwik Fit is in the tyre business – so they would help customers lose their January spare tyres… with Kwik Fit’s spare tyres. Free weekend work-out classes were launched for customers using only tyres – which were of course in plentiful supply.

Strategy and Tactics

Fitness coach Mikah Simpson was brought in to develop the ‘Fit Kwik’ workout regime. The stripped down, no-frills exercise regime launched in London at Kwik Fit’s New Kent Road centre – each session would last 30 minutes and run on weekends throughout January before rolling-out across the nation using local trainers. A newsworthy package of assets were created that would grab the attention of editors, alongside plenty of sharable content for use on social media. This included a witty campaign video bemoaning faddy workout plans, protein shakes and hysteria around ‘superfoods’.

Tackling the post-Christmas fitness agenda with a smart and witty campaign would help customers and also generate fame and brand love. As well as having the client’s key product as a central element, the idea would also have centres, staff and customers at its heart.

While local gyms were marketing their costly annual memberships, these classes would be provided free of charge.

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FREE WEEKEND WORK-OUT CLASSES WERE LAUNCHED FOR CUSTOMERS USING ONLY TYRES

Implementation of tactics

Plucky technicians participated in a bare-chested photoshoot in homage to the iconic Herb Ritts portrait “Fred with Tyres.” A microsite was created as a hub for the programme where customers could sign-up for classes. This was extended so people could join in from home through the creation of workout videos and downloadable charts (made available via social media channels) demonstrating the different exercises.

Measurement and Evaluation

Within hours of announcing Fit Kwik, all the London classes were fully booked and they were inundated with media requests from journalists keen to try out the class. Following high demand for the sessions, Fit Kwik was launched in Edinburgh and Birmingham – landing front page coverage in local newspapers as excitement spread across the country. Local centres became gyms, technicians became stars of promotional materials and grateful customers saw the health rewards, burning up to 1,200 calories at each session. The campaign massively exceeded all expectations, attracting 2.2 million Twitter

WITHIN HOURS OF ANNOUNCING FIT KWIK, ALL THE LONDON CLASSES WERE FULLY BOOKED AND THEY WERE INUNDATED WITH MEDIA REQUESTS FROM JOURNALISTS KEEN TO TRY OUT THE CLASS

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impressions, 1.5 million video views and 50 pieces of major media coverage. Traffic surged on KwikFit. com and positive brand sentiment towards the company increased by over 20% during the campaign (source: KwikFit brand tracker). Kwik Fit’s Twitter and Facebook feeds were buzzing with messages from grateful customers. At centres up and down the country – and even head office – technicians and staff can be found starting their day with the new exercise routine.

07

Community Relations Most organisations want to be seen as a good neighbour or partner with their local communities. Good community relations is a planned activity intended to build and maintain relationships over time. Without proper engagement and dialogue between your business and community groups, led by one or more skilled PR professionals, local people may gain an inaccurate impression of your organisation, its people and activities.

Community relations is also an investment. It creates goodwill. Having a strong reputation and good local relationships means you are more likely to find advocates and supporters in your community if a crisis or issue arises.

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CASE STUDY: Beauty is in the eye of the gasholder PR AGENCY: Copper Consultancy CLIENT: National Grid Property (NGP) YEAR: 2017

Brief and objectives

People are passionate about infrastructure and there is a particular fondness for gasholders among people who live near them as community landmarks that evoke memories of the past. As part of its national strategy to remediate and release land for reuse, NGP planned to dismantle a gasholder in Bury St Edmunds. As a national land and asset owner, NGP manages its remediation programme responsibly, recognising the impact of its industrial past on local people and landscapes while also playing a role in supporting the economy, its future infrastructure and housing needs. For this site it wanted to reinforce this and protect its reputation by highlighting the benefits for local people and the economy of releasing it for new development opportunities. For neighbours, the aim was to minimise disruption and inconvenience during the clearance and dismantling of the gasholder.

Copper’s brief was to develop and implement a community engagement strategy for the site to meet NGP’s local and national objectives.

Research and Planning

Copper carried out stakeholder mapping and visited the area to understand the context of the site within the town, its previous role as an employer and the demographic profile of the community. A political and issues audit showed what was important to local people. The research showed the gasholder and the site had been an important landmark to the community. A strategy for three audience groups were identified: those directly affected; those with an emotional connection; and those with influence.

The emotional connection people had to the gasholder was recognised. Copper and NGP decided to celebrate people’s memories of the past and to capture those recollections in a way for future generations to understand and enjoy. This encouraged the community to be excited about a new chapter in the life of the derelict site.

THERE IS A PARTICULAR FONDNESS FOR GASHOLDERS AMONG PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR THEM AS COMMUNITY LANDMARKS

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Strategy and Tactics

A community engagement strategy was developed to: • develop a narrative for the site – visual materials and the spoken/written word; • encourage audience groups to get involved in telling the story of the site via direct mail, local media and the local online community; • produce a permanent reminder of personal memories in a heritage booklet with photographs and memorabilia provided by local people and video footage; • maintain interest in the site by generating positive media coverage; • manage and respond to direct enquiries via an 0800 number and project email address; • keep neighbours, ward councillors and the wider community informed of forthcoming work and how they might be affected to minimise disruption and inconvenience via letter and email; and • celebrate the site once complete by sharing and promoting the heritage booklet and video.

Implementation of tactics

Before the site was dismantled, the community was engaged to tell the story of the site with local sentiment captured. Following the heritage event, where people had come together to share memories, which were captured on film, the local community provided photographs and memorabilia for inclusion in a booklet and film. Local media were sent a press release to explain the heritage event and encourage future participation.

During and post dismantling the approach taken was to support the community – particularly those with a strong attachment to the site – via a helpline, to talk to local residents and groups, and gather information and intelligence.

When the gasholder was dismantled residents and councillors were kept updated, including concerns regarding smell or noise. An interview with the site manager and behind the scenes filming on-site of the dismantling of the gasholder were arranged.

A full-colour booklet was produced, including written memories and stills, as well as a short film incorporating vox pop footage recounting memories and life stories about the gasholder by local people.

A press release with these were sent to local media for their use.

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THE LOCAL COMMUNITY PROVIDED PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORABILIA FOR INCLUSION IN A BOOKLET AND FILM

Measurement and Evaluation

The campaign brought together the community and put people in touch with others whose relatives had worked there. One woman whose father had worked at the site for 46 years was gifted a piece of the structure which she converted into three steps in her garden.

58 residents contacted the helpline to share their memories and an additional 22 people who attended the event shared their experiences, stories and memorabilia. All were extremely supportive and a handful took the time to follow up by email and letter. The site works were completed on time without any issues or challenges being raised by the community and stakeholders.

Media coverage was 100% positive. There was a piece on local ITV News – viewership 290,000 – and two printed articles in the local paper – readership 25,000. Both media channels matched the audience groups geographically. The coverage encouraged people to share their memories and celebrated completion of the heritage booklet and film. It was informative about NGP as a considerate neighbour and talked up the potential post-dismantling benefits of developing the brownfield site.

The booklet and film are now lodged in the NGP’s archives. The campaign is used by NGP as an example of best practice and to demonstrate its credentials with expert bodies like Historic England.

60 copies of the booklet and film were distributed to interested residents, ward councillors and community groups. The materials were also used by the local history website.

THE CAMPAIGN BROUGHT TOGETHER THE COMMUNITY AND PUT PEOPLE IN TOUCH WITH OTHERS WHOSE RELATIVES HAD WORKED THERE

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08

Reputation Management Reputation should be viewed as integral to the success of any organisation; it’s comparable to financial performance, intellectual property and employees. A PR professional will take responsibility for reputation management, developing a strategy to protect and enhance reputation in line with the organisational goals. Reputation management should be continual, and should not only be considered during a crisis, when the company’s reputation is at risk.

AÂ PR professional will identify potential risks to reputation, monitor them and also point to areas where it could be improved. Reputation management includes operating in an open and honest manner, and a PR professional will manage this by creating a clear narrative for the organisation to multiple stakeholders.

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CASE STUDY: Cider House Rules?

PR AGENCY: Inside Media CLIENT: Aston Manor Cider (AMC) YEAR: 2017

Brief and objectives

Aston Manor Cider (AMC) is the UK’s largest independent cider maker – producing a range of ciders, from value to premium brands. They are also the largest producer of ‘white cider’ – a tiny proportion of the total market though represented by strong, value products that can attract considerable criticism. As a growing and ambitious business AMC asked Inside Media to help secure the reputation they merited based on product and operational quality, while ensuring that they participated in the public debate on alcohol misuse and challenged misinformation promoted by critics of the industry and of AMC. Other audiences which might support AMC’s merited reputation, such as employees, business partners and customers, needed to be considered.

Research and Planning

Inside Media first established whether it was credible for AMC to claim they merited a better reputation. It was clear they did; considerable investment afforded them outstanding production and logistics facilities – rated in independent audits as better than any other drinks producers. Their product portfolio was good and very broad, yet industry critics focused on their value and strong ciders. The research also included an analysis of the composition of the cider and wider drinks markets, critics of those markets and available evidence around misuse. It was important to determine how robust the business might be in challenging its critics.

To become proactive in the public debate around misuse AMC was asked to invest in original independent research in the form of an anonymous survey of the attitudes of relevant professionals working with people struggling with substance misuse. Anecdotal conversations with professionals in drug and alcohol services supported the view that action on a specific substance being misused merely displaced the problem and effective approaches were focused on the people and not the substances being misused. Market analysis also identified that white cider accounts for just 0.27% of total alcohol consumption and in long-term decline.

Strategy and Tactics

The strategy involved:

• identifying themes around quality, capability and good practice that would consistently be applied to a pipeline of positive storylines developed for regional and trade media; • creating opportunities to win third-party endorsement of AMC’s quality by researching relevant awards and supporting the submissions; • developing robust material to be used reactively to counter any misinformation; and • being proactive in terms of the public debate on alcohol misuse.

Together Inside Media and AMC identified activities that supported the claims of quality and capability that would populate the pipeline of positive news storylines.

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IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DETERMINE HOW ROBUST THE BUSINESS MIGHT BE IN CHALLENGING ITS CRITICS

Time was spent understanding the composition, scale and context of the market to counter misinformation disseminated by critics of the business. This meant studying the considerable volume of market research that AMC invests in – including qualitative data on white cider consumers.

AMC’s senior management and marketing team were briefed to formulate their stance on various issues. By getting close to the business Inside Media was able to identify instances that would support different awards – be they for product quality, innovation, marketing design, operations or total business performance.

Implementation of tactics

The research and insight resulted in a number of instances where journalists intended to write a negative story only to recognise that the information presented to them was flawed or inaccurate after speaking with Inside Media about AMC. This knowledge and effective communication also minimised the reputational impact of an Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) complaint via a clear submission, accurately reflecting the context of a single instance and pointed to remedial action to improve internal processes. As a result, the ASA was satisfied that a full judgement and publication was not merited. Investing in original independent research supported how criticism is countered and resulted in increased proactivity. This has been central to the engagement AMC has with Government – for instance in a submission in June 2017 to HM Treasury on duty. The quality of material and arguments assembled also positively informed and influenced the submission made by the cider industry body.

Measurement and Evaluation

The research gave AMC robust, reactive statements and positive opportunities to generate a better informed public debate for long term use. In terms of awards and coverage: • AMC won 16 awards in 2016 for product quality, innovation, business and environmental performance. Nine awards were won in 2017 (at time of award entry submission); • there were 139 instances of coverage prompted by proactive work all on agreed themes – 122 positive in tone, 17 neutral, none negative; and • there were 27 instances of coverage prompted by reactive response after and inquiry was received – 26 neutral when published, one negative in tone.

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AMC WON 16 AWARDS IN 2016 FOR PRODUCT QUALITY, INNOVATION, BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE

09

Government Relations and Public Affairs You may want help to influence policy and make the case that laws or regulations need to be made, unmade or amended. A public affairs professional will help you frame your case effectively, identify key political stakeholders and deliver your messages to decision makers in the most appropriate and timely format. They will also help you connect with potential supporters and respond to those who object to your proposals. Lobbying of ministers and some senior civil servants is a regulated activity in Westminster and in Scotland. To find specialist professionals who work in this field, use the UK Lobbying Register.

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CASE STUDY: Drop the Duty PR AGENCY: MHP CLIENT: Wine and Spirit Trade Association & Scotch Whisky Association YEAR: 2016

Brief and objectives:

Strategy and Tactics

The objective was to make the case for a 2% cut to wine and spirits duty ahead of the 2015 March Budget. Alcohol duty in the UK is amongst the highest in Europe, which is why the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) partnered with the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) to run the campaign.

These two groups represent over 400 companies producing, importing, transporting and selling wines and spirits and called for this ambitious change against a tough regulatory environment and at a time of political uncertainty.

The months leading up to a Budget are crowded, so a launch to ensure the campaign stood out was required. A launch event was designed to generate media activity, notifying politicians, journalists and the general public of what the campaign was calling for. Turning a London pub into ‘George’s World’, a visual ‘alternative world’ where George Osborne was the landlord and controlled the drinks prices, was created. This caught the attention of key political stakeholders and set the scene for an engaging and publicly-focused political campaign.

The campaign aimed to build on the success of the previous year’s ‘Call Time on Duty’ campaign, which resulted in the duty escalator on wine and spirits being scrapped in the 2014 Budget – by engaging with MPs, policy makers, advisers, Ministers and the Chancellor himself – in order to raise awareness of the unequal levels of alcohol tax in the UK.

The political campaign combined high-level direct lobbying with relevant Ministers and Treasury officials and with a grass roots activation that inspired the public to write to their local MPs.

Research and Planning

With the EY report, a variety of hooks were used to maintain a regular and impactful presence in national broadsheets, as well as developing factsheets for political stakeholders.

The success of the campaign depended on high levels of awareness among politicians, policymakers and consumers. In order to influence the Treasury, support among the public and parliamentarians would need to grow. Given the consumer-centric nature of the subject matter, a creative strategy was devised that would reach decision-makers through the media, direct lobbying and public pressure.

An EY report into the contribution of the drinks sector to the wider UK economy was commissioned, providing the evidence base to inform the audience and convince policymakers of the importance of the industry.

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A LONDON PUB WAS TURNED INTO ‘GEORGE’S WORLD’ WHERE GEORGE OSBORNE WAS THE LANDLORD CONTROLLING THE DRINKS PRICES

Implementation of tactics

The launch was successful in generating awareness and support for the campaign from its inception.

After that, appropriate phasing was brought in to ensure that all audiences were reached in order to secure buy-in.

A campaign website drove support by creating a consistent hub for consumers to visit and to urge members of the public to email their MP. Support for the campaign was swiftly converted into messages to parliamentarians, who were then able to lobby the Treasury.

Through media coverage, direct lobbying and public pressure MHP presented the arguments for a cut consistently over three months.

150 pieces of print and media coverage were secured in the four months leading up to the Budget. Of the coverage secured, 28% were in national print and online media, 13% in regional press and 59% in the trade media. Broadcast media represented an opportunity to speak to the wider, overarching audience and a total of 155 pieces of broadcast coverage were secured, including a profile on Daily Politics and an interview on Nick Ferrari’s show on LBC. Having achieved such an excellent result at the Budget, it is estimated that the industry stood to benefit by £100m from the change. Following years of above inflation hikes, this was a significant boost for the industry and its best result in 18 years.

Measurement and evaluation

The campaign’s dedicated Drop the Duty website empowered the industry to do exactly that, and to great effect. Quick and easy to use, it enabled members from across the wine and spirit industry to send almost 4,000 emails to approaching 90% of MPs (93% Conservative; 91% Lib Dem) with a simple ask: please write to the Chancellor and urge him to cut duty by a modest 2%.

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THE CAMPAIGN’S DEDICATED DROP THE DUTY WEBSITE EMPOWERED THE INDUSTRY TO DO EXACTLY THAT, AND TO GREAT EFFECT

10

Issues and Crisis Management PR is about managing reputations and never more so when an incident happens or a crisis occurs. The type of crisis can vary greatly, from a situation developing as a result of someone’s actions – such as an accident – to the way an organisation responds to an industry-wide issue – such as Brexit, the fall in the stock market or the spread of a disease. A PR professional can track issues, monitor the corporate culture of an organisation, develop plans to have in place if a situation happens, and undertake table top exercises to actually managing a situation/incident by ensuring all stakeholders are communicated with appropriately. This then helps to manage reputation, present a person/organisation within the best light possible, to finally repositioning organisations after a crisis, if required. The work is 24/7, immediate and the way a PR professional responds is key to how that organisation will be viewed for many years to come.

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CASE STUDY: Ebola outbreak PR AGENCY: The McOnie Agency CLIENT: Arco, Experts in Safety YEAR: 2014

Brief and objectives

In October 2014 the Ebola crisis engulfed Sierra Leone. Arco was asked to advise on and supply protective clothing and equipment for medical and ancillary staff working in 30°C, high-risk conditions.

Research and Planning

There is no guarantee of safety from Ebola and planning had to include what to do if any UK healthcare worker was infected.

The agency developed Arco’s media statement about the scale of the UK response and Arco’s role, emphasising the choice of a UK business with the expertise and logistical capability to fulfil the requirements.

Strategy and Tactics

The Department for International Development (DfID) invited media to the Gloucestershire UK Aid warehouse to see the first shipments of protective clothing leaving for Freetown and Arco’s Managing Director took part in media interviews on site. They provided an endorsing statement from Justine Greening, Minister for International Development.

Journalists from major TV news channels and national and local press were invited to a briefing at Arco’s Hull National Distribution Centre (NDC). They had a chance to wear the suits, masks and visors, to see what it was like treating patients while wearing head-to-foot protection. They were shown how infection spreads, why visors are safer than goggles, how taped seams repel infected fluids, how thin, breathable fabric keeps workers as cool as possible, and how healthcare workers needed three days of training to safely don and doff kit. Arco experts were media-trained and fully briefed.

JOURNALISTS HAD A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TREATING PATIENTS WHILE WEARING HEAD-TO-FOOT PROTECTION

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Implementation of tactics

The agency fielded media enquiries, followed up national broadcast media and produced an interview requests timetable. It prepared Arco’s spokespeople, provided briefing notes, identified filming locations and choreographed movements of branded goods for TV footage. UK media interviews were completed that day with international press, including CNN News and AFP press agency, having interviews in the following week.

Measurement and Evaluation

By showing how infection spreads and why the equipment was chosen, the agency mitigated the potential negative effect of healthcare workers contracting Ebola. It monitored Ebola reporting in news and social media channels and advised Arco how to respond, preparing spokespeople for difficult questions. All publicity received was positive: • There was continuous, live coverage for 24 hours as the first shipments went to Freetown, resulting in 16 pieces of national and regional radio and TV coverage including all primetime news programmes (Sky, ITV, BBC1, Channel 4 and BBC regional TV and radio stations); • follow-on live interviews were broadcast on Radio 4’s Today programme, the BBC World Service, CNN and AFP; and • there was coverage in national and local press, as well as online, including on the Daily Mail and Guardian websites.

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THE AGENCY MONITORED EBOLA REPORTING IN NEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND ADVISED ARCO HOW TO RESPOND

Writing a brief that defines your needs Write it down It is important that you have a clear, written statement of what objectives you are trying to achieve. You should follow this up with a written agreement about how they are to be achieved.

Without that clarity, you have no protection if the PR professional fails to deliver what you want.

Objectives Are you launching a new product? Crowdfunding half a million pounds? Launching an Initial Public Offering? Raising awareness of cycling hazards?

Encouraging older people to have their flu jab?

Try to think in terms of what you want to achieve for your organisation, rather than what activities you want a PR consultant or agency to undertake for you. Ensure your brief identifies your business or other objectives. Avoid being prescriptive about what you want done and how you want it done – a good PR firm will be able to respond imaginatively to the brief and suggest ways of meeting it.

You will generally get the best value from PR by involving a trained professional at an early stage in planning and development, even if most of the PR activity does not take place until later in the project.

If you leave the PR element until late in your plans,

you may find that you are not starting off in the right place and are not giving your professional advisors the scope they need to deliver the best results for you.

Budgets and fees Be as clear as you can about how much money you have to spend, and whether your budget is for professional fees only (with campaign costs additional) or whether it includes both fees and costs. Some clients agree a monthly retainer with their agency for ongoing work at an agreed average number of hours; work above this threshold is billed at an agreed rate. Other clients set a fixed fee for a project or campaign, and the agency delivers an agreed plan of work for that fee.

Fees vary widely across the sector. Generally larger agencies are more expensive than smaller ones, and those in London are more expensive than those in other parts of the country. The best agency for you will depend on the nature and scope of the work you need done, the target publics, and the tactics involved.

Time constraints You should include any time constraints in the brief you prepare. If you try to get more done in less

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time, you will get less value from your PR work even though you’ll pay more for it. PR is generally more effective when it has plenty of time to make an impact and influence your stakeholders.

Finding the right people to work with you The PR Finder online service is free to use.

It provides contact details and key information for Chartered or Accredited PR practitioners.

For larger or more complex briefs, the CIPR offers a fixed-fee Client Advisor service. To make use of the service, you need to draft a brief and then contact a client adviser from the CIPR list. The client adviser will support you for up to one hour by phone or email to help finalise your brief. If you would like the Client Adviser to meet face to face or take part in panel selections they will do this, if they are available. For more information please visit our website or contact Mazedab@cipr.co.uk If you are having a one-stage selection process with presentations, don’t invite more than three agencies to pitch or you’ll waste a lot of people’s time. If you are doing a two-stage process (written pitch plus presentation), don’t invite more than six agencies to respond and be ready to provide responses to questions and clarifications during the tender period. If possible, offer a time slot well before the deadline so agencies can come in, meet you and ask you questions. The more they understand you, the better their pitch will be. Provide the same information to all those pitching so as to make the process free and fair and to ensure you find the

agency or practitioner that is best suited to you and the project.

Have no more than four people on the panel choosing your agency. It is good to have someone external work with you at this stage, with the right expertise to really probe what the pitching agencies are capable of. A CIPR Client Adviser can do this by arrangement as stated above.

Ask for references, and follow them up.

Be prepared for agencies pitching creative ideas wishing to discuss the protection of these in advance. This may include only the basic ideas being presented during an initial pitching process due to concerns about these, or similar ideas, being used even if they are not hired. Some may protect these ideas by presenting a briefing document or requesting a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) be signed in advance of the pitch.

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What to ask people who respond to your brief 1

What are the biggest risks with the approach you’ve suggested, and how would you manage them?

2

What are the best ways of measuring the value of the activities you’re proposing?

3

Do you have the capacity and skills to deliver the work on your own or will you need to bring in associates to work with you? If so, how will you choose them?

4

What do you, the agency or practitioner, require from us in order to deliver your best?

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Contracts 1

Discuss with your chosen agency how you are going to measure their performance. Please do not require your appointed agency to provide you with Advertising Value Equivalent measurements (AVEs) to show the value of media coverage. This is a junk metric which the CIPR regards as unethical and requires its members not to offer. Different measures are relevant to different mixes of PR activity, and your agency will be able to propose suitable alternatives for the work you commission.

2

Many PR professionals have their own standard contractual of forms of agreement. Members of the CIPR may make use of the model contracts provided by the CIPR (with variant versions for England & Wales and for Scotland).

3

If you decide not to use a contract, you should at least have a letter of engagement setting out your objectives, the work and timeframe agreed, and the basis on which fees are to be paid.

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What to do if things don’t work out If you are not happy with the work your PR professional is doing, you need to let them know.

If things don’t improve, you may need to terminate the contract you have with them.

You may feel that the person working for you is not operating in the spirit of the CIPR’s Code of Conduct. If so, you may wish to raise a complaint about them. To do this, please refer to our website here.

The CIPR is only able to hear complaints against people who are its members, either currently or previously.

Please note that the CIPR does not particularly recommend any of the agencies referenced in this guide. There are a range of agencies and independent practitioners with a range of experiences and skills that may better suit your needs.

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Your feedback about this guide We want the information in this guide to be as useful as possible for clients of PR. After you’ve used it, we’d appreciate any thoughts or suggestions for improvement you may have at info@cipr.co.uk

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THANKS The CIPR would like to thank the organisations and agencies for agreeing to be featured in this Guide and the following staff and practitioners for their support in its creation: Michael Blowers, MCIPR FAMEC Paul Beckford, Msc MCIPR Jenni Field, FCIPR Jon Gerlis MCIPR, CIPR Senior Policy Officer Elisabeth Lewis-Jones, CIPR President 2008 Eva Maclaine, Chart PR, FCIPR Alastair McCapra, CIPR Chief Executive Gary McKeown, DipCIPR FCIPR Ella Minty, FInstLM Found.Chart.Pr MCIPR MIoD Steven Shepperson-Smith, Chart.PR FCIPR Laura Sutherland, Chart.PR FCIPR Paul Wilkinson, BA PhD DipPR FCIPR

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