Ensuring you are building your reputation in 2020 - key actions for early January

My latest article on PR, which appeared recently in Elite Business Magazine, covers the opportunities for coverage for SME businesses in the national and business media.

Examples of the sorts of opportunities for SME businesses looking for national media coverage include:

• Being the expert.  There is a huge demand from business publications for advice to help readers (my article in Elite Business is a case in point).  

Google Ads are used by many businesses and can be a very cost-effective way of generating leads. 

However, others shy away from them - some are unsure of how to set them up, while others are convinced they won't work for their market (although in 9 out of 10 times such beliefs are generally unfounded in our experience!).

Because we felt more of our clients should be considering Google Ads for campaigns, we teamed up with Google Ads expert Dominic Renshaw of AdExtra who on our recent webinar gave an excellent explanation of what is involved and how to set up and maintain a successful campaign.

Today's reporting on the ongoing and unpleasant Carl Beech saga (the made up fantasies about a Westminster paedophile ring) revolves around the police statement at a now infamous press conference that Beech and his lies were "credible and true".

The problem for the police is that we now know what he said was not true and he was not very credible either.  The key question is at what point did the police realise he was not very credible either and why did they say his allegations were true... and why were they slow to correct this.

Thought leadership is all about having interesting and attention-grabbing insights on the big problems facing your customers.

You could be using these insights in interesting articles and blogs, well-argued reports and white papers, and also delivering them in videos, LinkedIn posts and of course face-to-face in meetings and when speaking at events.

But is there research out there showing it brings commercial benefits for B2B businesses?

Yes, there's plenty!

Do you usually read such emails when you get them?  Me neither!

They usually look really spammy.  It surprises me so many professional services firms still send these out when they would not dream of bothering to read such an email themselves.

We often have clients interviewed on TV and radio. Recently a request came through at particularly short notice and we looked for a good broadcast interview explainer video on YouTube to send to the interviewee to help them prepare. To our surprise we couldn't find anything suitable, so we've done one.

It is in four parts, the first one is about why being on CNBC is very powerful for building your reputation as an expert (should you need persuading!), and the second is all about the preparation you should do to give a really successful interview.

Award-winning PR agency Kelso Consulting is recruiting for a Public Relations Account Manager.

Public Relations agency Kelso Consulting is looking for a talented and ambitious PR professional to join our Thames Valley office in Newbury as a PR Account Manager.

Based in our Newbury HQ in Berkshire the main role is ensuring our clients get regular strong media coverage in national business publications and newspapers together with generally ensuring campaigns and accounts run smoothly and successfully.

Kelso Consulting's Tim Prizeman is quoted in a recent article for RBS's banking clients full of tips on getting your business off the ground... an area where we have plenty of experience from working with start-ups and scale-ups over the past 20 years.

As we all know, it is both what you know and who you know that matter, and being able to mobilise this for your benefit.  In it Tim advises: 

Kelso Consulting has a busy schedule of webinars to help businesses make 2019 a successful year despite the ominous economic backdrop.

Indeed, with caution currently widespread clearly and strongly communicating your credibility, value and distinctive proposition will be even more important for businesses looking to grow.

Many B2B firms miss out on one of the most effective sources of new leads.... the first page of Google when prospects are searching.

While some firms put in the effort and, as a result, generate a regular flow of suitable leads, many others either fail to make it a priority or are in denial about its benefits (which of course becomes a self-fulling prophecy).

Our recent webinar provided a 6-step process to help B2B businesses, especially professional, consultancy and tech firms, get to the top of Google for the keywords that matter for them.

Elements of being a thought leader include being knowledgeable and recognised for having interesting views and insights.

AiNED, the new professional association for independent non executive directors, has appointed Public Relations agency Kelso Consulting to help generate press coverage in the financial and business media ahead of its launch in Autumn 2018. 

Standing out as an expert on the important commercial problems facing your clients and prospects is a powerful position. 

Kelso Consulting's Thames Valley office in Newbury is recruiting!

Do you get a buzz from seeing your clients' names in the national press? Are you dedicated to hitting deadlines and also have a creative flair, or maybe you are able to turn complex stories into attention-grabbing ideas?   If so, we want to hire you!