A good press release encapsulates a story to gain media attention – a bit like a good mailshot in the recruitment sector. As with a mailshot it needs to be targeted, be relevant and [...]]]> A press release is the most basic and most important tool for communicating with the media. Why? Simply because journalists and editors have become used to them and know how to deal with them or, in the majority of cases, how to delete them from their inbox.

A good press release encapsulates a story to gain media attention – a bit like a good mailshot in the recruitment sector. As with a mailshot it needs to be targeted, be relevant and communicate quickly and clearly. Here’s an example of one we did for a client which ended up getting both domestic and international coverage over the course of a whole year:

Workplace diversity a “glorified PR stunt” according to UK accountants

Despite the proliferation of formal initiatives and policies to promote diversity in the workplace, only a minority of Britain’s accountants are convinced that they are anything more than what one described as a “glorified PR stunt.”

According to a survey carried out for the financial recruitment specialist, Hewitson Walker, only 35% of those questioned thought that formal diversity programmes were having a real effect on the companies they worked for.

“We’ve got a programme, which is supposed to ensure that we’re recruiting people from all different types of backgrounds and ethnic groups,” says one ACA, working for a major investment bank, “yet practically everyone at senior level is still white, middle class and male. Where’s the diversity in that?” A female part-qualified CIMA in another bank had a similar jaundiced view. “There’s supposed to be a level playing field here, but the only women who really get on are those who are willing to forego a family and commit completely to the bank,” she says. “There are a few at senior level with children but if they ever get to see them it must be a minor miracle.”

When asked why employers set up diversity programmes, 54% believed that it was to generate good PR and 73% thought that it was because they feared prosecution under discrimination laws. Only 29% believed that companies had a genuine commitment to creating a diverse workforce at all levels.

However, despite their apparent cynicism about progress towards it, the majority (85%) of the 170 accountants questioned thought it was a highly desirable aim.

“There’s obviously a degree of cynicism about how committed large companies are to diversity because power in these institutions often still resides in the hands of a markedly un-diverse group,” says Hewitson Walker’s Phillip Attenborough. “However anyone who thinks that they are not committed to changing this in the medium to long-term is kidding themselves. Organisations of this size and scope aren’t doing this for any fluffy, altruistic reasons. They know that there is a compelling business case for mirroring an increasingly varied customer-base. And they also know that if they want to recruit and retain the best people in the market they need to be fishing from the widest possible pool of talent.”

OK so why did it work so well?

•  It’s about a subject that is already widely discussed in the press so we already knew there was an appetite for this sort of material and that it was likely to keep up for some time if not indefinitely.
• It’s controversial – it doesn’t just tell you want you know already.
• It’s based on the views of a group rather than just one person or organisation so has extra ‘credibility’.
• Its headline grabs immediate attention.
• Each paragraph has something to say – always work on the basis that if a sentence or paragraph doesn’t tell you something or develop the story then strike it out.
• It has ‘human interest’ – you can read quotes from the real people behind the research telling you what they think.
• It’s short and to the point, but contains enough material for a journalist to build an article around it.

I was having lunch with an employment journalist recently and we were discussing recent press releases put out by the CIPD. She had just received the release outlining the results of the CIPD/KPMG Labour Market Outlook.  The opening lines of the release state that the report - and I quote : “.. indicates that private sector job creation will more than offset public sector job cuts in the final quarter of 2010.”  It also talks about a net [...]]]>

I was having lunch with an employment journalist recently and we were discussing recent press releases put out by the CIPD. She had just received the release outlining the results of the CIPD/KPMG Labour Market Outlook.  The opening lines of the release state that the report - and I quote : “.. indicates that private sector job creation will more than offset public sector job cuts in the final quarter of 2010.”  It also talks about a net positive balance of  +11 (the figure which measures the difference between the proportion of employers intending to increase staffing levels – and those intending to decrease staffing levels) Apparently, this is the third quarter in a row to record a positive balance rising from +2 in the summer survey.  And Dr Philpott, economic guru at the CIPD says that “signs of not only a sustained but also an increasing buoyancy in private sector job prospects is encouraging.”   All good stuff then?

Err apparently not because only two weeks previously there had been a grand old hoo hah about their press release which stated that cuts in public spending would result in the loss of almost £1.6 million jobs across the UK economy with the private sector hit harder than the public sector. These predictions, say the release, are based on ‘soundings from public sector managers  (whatever that means) and the CIPD were forced to swiftly defend their stance in a statement following criticism from the IOD.  The predictions, say the CIPD, were based on the analysis and detailed predictions of our 135,000 members – and on data from  the labour market outlook ( yes that really positive one I mentioned first).  So not public sector managers then?   As I said in my comments to a blog posted by Mervyn Dinnen on this subject, if it is based on 135,000 members then that probably ignores a large proportion of the SME community – who don’t have CIPD members on their staff – mine included. There was also an interesting blog on the subject from Andy Headworth which is worth a read.

But apart from all this, my point here really is about communication.  Going back to the journalist and our lunch, the main point she made was that she felt she had no real understanding of what the actual message was – there were so many conflicting statements, so many ifs  buts and maybes that the message – whatever it was trying to convey – was just lost.

I’ll leave you with their latest snappy headline:

“Private sector in pre-festive season jobs surge but more than 4 in 10 public sector organisations already making redundancies says CIPD/KPMG quarterly jobs survey”…….draws breath!

Come on CIPD – get on message!

It’s nearly Christmas. You know what that means – presents, turkey, carols, and apparently danger according to the many press releases about the festive season (sigh). I was wondering whether to blog about this or not – after all, it’s only a fellow PR person trying to do their job – even if they do send out the same ‘beware at the Christmas party’ release every year. But then I saw a press release today that convinced me that I should [...]]]>

It’s nearly Christmas. You know what that means – presents, turkey, carols, and apparently danger according to the many press releases about the festive season (sigh). I was wondering whether to blog about this or not – after all, it’s only a fellow PR person trying to do their job – even if they do send out the same ‘beware at the Christmas party’ release every year. But then I saw a press release today that convinced me that I should (see #1). Reading these, anyone would think that Christmas should just be cancelled as quite frankly it’s just too risky – surely Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without some over-indulgence?!

If these are the stories coming out of PR land, should we advise the PR world to give up and start their Christmas holiday early? Or are they doing their job well, seeing as though I am sat here writing about them? You decide: here are my top 5 festive press releases (AKA top 5 rubbish press releases of the month):

1. Santa promotes unhealthy lifestyle (no, I didn’t make this up)

2. Beware of popping corks

3. Festive feasting should carry a health warning

4. Managers should ensure they don’t do anything they would regret at the Christmas party

5. Beware unsafe holiday lights