'Are You A Photographer?'

'Are you a photographer?'

So began an somewhat curious conversation in Marlborough town centre earlier today. It was a fairly astute question from one of a pair of teenage girls who were stood near to my car as I wrestled with what was obviously a camera bag.

'Yes, amongst other things' I replied.

Somewhat warily as there was a distinct challenge in the girl's question. I had visions of becoming a news story when I was robbed at knifepoint by two teenage girls in rather affluent Marlborough!

'You should be ashamed' she practically spat before they stormed off.

Actually more of an angry flounce really.

Somewhat taken aback and looking around for the punchline I was reminded of a party I was at the day after Princess Diana died in Paris, and had to leave early after suffering the wrath of alcohol fuelled party people who had made the clumsy leap from 'Police Press Officer' as I was then, and 'Murdering Paparazzi Scum'. Actually it possibly had more to do with me pointing out that if people had not devoured publications who bought such photos there would not be an market for them.

Anyway, back to bewildered in Marlborough... it took a comment from a client I was visiting to bring everything into sharp focus and neatly explained my exposure to teenage wrath. It turns out that tabloid villain/darling and abundantly misunderstood drug addict/musician Pete Doherty is staying in the town and gigging at the local pub as he 'gets clean'.

I had a camera bag and was obviously therefore trying to pap Pete. I hasten to add I know lots of photographers and none of them would ever go to work suited and booted like I was!

What Bill & Hillary Clinton Can Teach Us...

Channel surfing late last night I found myself flicking between the US Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton chatting to Ellen DeGeneres and her husband and former US President Bill Clinton chatting with David Letterman. (Which always sounds like: “Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyvid Letterman” in my head after watching too many episodes in my youth).

American politics has fascinated me since I studied it many moons ago and this was only encouraged when called upon to explainer the finer constitutional points of The West Wing to bewildered friends. And few things are quite so entertaining as an election campaign the other side of the Atlantic. Okay, quite a few things are probably more entertaining, but bear with me.

The most fascinating thing about the Bill and Hillary Show was how ‘on message’ they were – but not in the clumsy way our politicians all parrot the same key phrases. It was much more subtle and so polished; using different words they told the same stories, answered questions with common answers and gave such a slick performance to almost be convincing. Okay, they are two very talented operators, but it was still impressive.

It made me think about how many companies fall down on the concept of being ‘on message’? Every day Morgan PR visits organisations and we often learn all about how they wish to be seen in order to carry out public relations projects; however, it is not uncommon to also meet staff who is unaware or indifferent to the messages we will be pushing out.

Makes you wonder if we actually can learn something from politicians!

New VIP Phone Service from Verbatim

Verbatim is well known in West Berkshire and beyond as The Phone Answering Service; it handles thousands of calls every day for companies large and small (including Morgan PR) so that no caller is faced with an engaged tone, endless ringing or hated answer phone.

Praised by customers for its professionalism, Verbatim is rolling out the red carpet with a new VIP service that adds a personal touch that has enhanced the service yet further.

I found out more when Morgan PR met with Joint MD at Verbatim, Graham Hill for a feature in the November edition of the Newbury Business News.

Essentially clients who provide Verbatim with the telephone numbers and other details of the clients, suppliers and even family and friends will benefit from a VIP service that recognises these callers and gives them the personal service you hope your own team would. Probably they'll do it better!

It would natural to assume such personal service comes at a price, but this is not the case, as Graham told me with a smile: “We were asked by some clients whether we would be charging a premium for this new service. However, we are most certainly not because we believe we should do our best for all of our clients no matter what they spend with us.”

For Morgan PR Verbatim has been one of our most powerful tools. Soon after we signed up we were contacted by a company in Andover looking for PR support; it turned out they had turned to Google to look for local public relations services, and Morgan PR was among the top three in Basingstoke, Andover and Newbury and the company called all three. Morgan PR was the only one who answered – or rather Verbatim handled the call for us. That one answered call led to initial business worth £2,000 and a lifetime value which will far exceed that. I know that without Verbatim that business would have been unwittingly lost.

Why Comment on Blogs?

With everything I have written about Action Coach recently it seems rather fortuitous that I stumbled across a request for information about them on an American Real Estate Network called Active Rain and more specifically the blog of Jason Romrell, an attorney in Boise, Idaho in America.

So it was good to be able to post a comment to answer his question and hopefully answer the same question for other people too! It is one of the best parts of the blogging community.

One disappointing aspect of the comments allowed on this blog is how they do not trackback, so had I not written my web address within the text – although that does not appear as a hyperlink – no-one reading my comment could had contacted me to find out more information. Nor does it especially add to the search engine optimisation of either blog. This entry on the other hand...

New Police Weapon - the Blunder Bus

No fewer than 17 people have rushed to email Morgan PR the above photo that must surely be causing some red faces at Hampshire Police? Is it an Advertising blunder?

That exhaust pipe! Did nobody sign off on this job? Or, is it acutally a very cunning bit of viral marketing, after all, who has looked at this and not noted the fact is shows a police officer with a police community support officer (I've not actually seen them together in real life). Or the force's website address?