Friday, 16 August 2013
The Changing Face of PR
Freestyle's Managing Director, Alan Boyden, recently contributed to a round table discussion for Midlands Business Insider magazine.
Alan and other PR professionals from around the region discussed the changing face of PR, including the use of outside agencies, social media and budget constraints.
When asked about social media and its potential to broadcast unauthorised information outside of the company's key marketing messages, Alan commented:
An overview of the round table can be found on the Midlands Business Insider Website and the full discussion is printed in the September issue of the magazine."That's the danger with treating social media as a separate channel. If anyone sent out a traditional press release without it being signed off there would be real anger. But that's exactly what you're doing with a blog or Twitter post created without guidelines."
Labels: Alan Boyden, Business, Business Insider, Freestyle, Freestyle Marketing, Managing Director, Midlands Business Insider, PR, Public Relations, Social Media
# posted by Freestyle PR : 15:53
Monday, 12 November 2012
The Ex Factor
Managing Director Alan Boyden shares his thoughts on business partnerships
"I
was reminded by an ex-colleague of a blog that I wrote back in June 2012, in
which I paralleled marriage to business partnerships. The irony of it was not
missed by him as I had recently announced my “divorce” in the business press.
So what of the Ex? The truth of the matter is that you have to move on. You’ll
never get anywhere if you’re constantly looking in the rear view mirror. I’m
pleased to say that I managed my business “divorce” (after eighteen years
together) without too much acrimony and the offspring seem to have come out of
it relatively un-scared too.
I've spoken to a number of entrepreneurs who have also sold their businesses
recently and the common factor seems to be not what happened leading up to or
during the deal, but what they did in the intervening period between selling
and starting up again. One of them referred to this as a period of “limbo”,
another was in a “commercial wilderness”.
Personally
it was a period of trepidation mixed with great excitement - an opportunity to
take time out to reflect on what you really want out of life. They all agreed
that at times during this “limbo” period you can easily slip into a negative
mind-set, over- reflecting and hankering after commercial stimulation.
So
what to do after this period of new found freedom? For me, it was obvious, I
wanted to stay in the same line of business, and for others there was nothing
more certain than they wanted a complete change. And most have done just that,
moving from a successful finance business to run a chain of restaurants.
Another from logistics to IT and another from property to sign manufacturing. Each
to his or her own I say. I've found my niche in marketing comms and “I’m
sticking to the knitting”.
I
was fortunate that an opportunity came my way to work with a fantastic team of
talented individuals here at Freestyle that I first met over 25 years ago. I
may have chosen to stick at what I know best, rather than spreading my entrepreneurial
wings like others, but it feels good to be back, and there’s certainly no
looking back. The only Ex factor in my business life now is the Excitement factor."
Labels: Alan Boyden, Business, Freestyle Marketing, Partnership
# posted by Freestyle PR : 09:36
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