Pete Linsley

Cycling Blogger Spotlight: Pete Linsley, road|Theory

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Cycling has a lot of benefits aside from keeping fit – road|Theory’s Pete Linsley has met rabbits and geese, cycling legends and some freak weather conditions along the way. He’s also racked up over six hundred blog posts about the subject he loves, and published a couple of books for good measure.

If you’re planning to get on your bike this weekend, check out Pete’s top places to cycle outside of self-isolation and some sartorial tips for what to wear while you’re out there…

How did you originally get started with writing about cycling?
I started the blog back in 2013 as a kind of creative outlet; I’d always fancied myself as a writer without ever having knuckled down to learn the craft.

When Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France in 2012 it felt like cycling here in the UK morphed from a niche weekend pastime into something more like a cultural movement, and I just saw stories everywhere. Every bike ride a mini-adventure, every pro race an epic, and loads of cool kit and personalities.

I started idly writing and here I am seven years later with six hundred blog posts to my name and a couple of books out there in the world.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
I love it all. I love developing my voice and pride myself on an ability to write 500 entertaining words about any cycling related topic you care to imagine.

If pushed, I guess it’s those unexpected occurrences that happen mid-ride and become blog posts that I really enjoy. I’ve had encounters with wildlife (peacocks, rabbits, geese), shared a random mid-ride cup of tea with British cycling legend (and Tour de Franc stage winner) Brian Robinson, and survived more weather-related adventures than I’d care to remember.

How have you had to change your approach to blogging during the COVID-19 crisis?
I’ve made a point of not getting preachy about how cyclists should or shouldn’t behave. The rules and guidance on social distancing are out there for all to follow, and I’m not sure people like me adding an extra layer of judgement is really necessary. I consider my website an escape from the grim realities of the pandemic as much as possible.

However, during then current crisis much of my subject matter has briefly disappeared. As I ride my bike alone through near deserted towns and villages the world has definitely become lighter on blog-worthy incident… and there has been no pro cycling to dissect.
It’s fair to say, like everyone else, I’ve been in reflective mood.

Pete Linsley 2

What kit/equipment would you recommend people put together and take with them when cycling while social-distancing?
Be prepared for the fact that nowhere is open: no mid-ride café, and few open shops for that emergency energy drink or ice-cream. I’ve even ridden with a thermos of freshly brewed espresso coffee tucked into my bottle cage on occasion, to recreate the on-the-road caffeine hit that so often keeps me going!

As for additional equipment – face masks, other hygiene products, for example. Cyclists are a self-reliant bunch and will make their own decisions. I think we each come to our conclusions about how to protect ourselves.

Do you think the Tour De France still be able to go ahead without any issues this year?
I’d say it’s hard to predict how le Tour will pan out. A ‘behind closed doors’ edition was mooted early on, which is immediately unworkable. You just can’t prevent people gathering roadside to watch the race roll by – it’s unenforceable.

Beyond the fans, the race is usually accompanied by an entire infrastructure of thousands of staff, journalists, TV people, and other logistics – how such an operation can operate safely in a pandemic context is, right now, impossible to imagine.

I think the Tour will go ahead in some form or other, but it might well be compromised.

Can you remember your first ever bike?
Of course. Raleigh Burner BMX, in red with yellow flames down the side! I even had trousers to match – flames ‘n’ all! My career as a cyclist peaked with that bike (and those pants!).

If you could cycle anywhere right now, where would it be?
The French Alps, maybe nipping across the border to Italy from time to time.

I love the adventure and commitment required to ride in the really big mountains – the landscape is just vast – and I am a sucker for riding on roads that form the myth and legend of pro cycling. In fact, one of the great things about the sport comes from sharing the terrain with, and judging yourself against, the superstars of the sport.

Riding up Alpe d’Huez or Mont Ventoux is the cycling equivalent of playing football at Anfield or Old Trafford. Given the chance I’d spend most of my life doing just that.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I’m open to all kinds of cycling related projects: promoting the cycling culture and experience within different areas and regions, reviewing and promoting kit and emerging technology within the industry, but most of all working with brands who have an ethos rooted in the positive impact cycling can have on individuals, and on society in general.

I love to do my bit to promote the utter joy of the bike!

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
An email approach will get a near-immediate response, and from there I’m always happy to chat/Skype/Zoom on whatever happens to be the preferred platform at a given moment!

Kit review and product promotion has become something of a staple on my site, and the more popular kit reviews are among my most visited all-time pages. In addition, I’m always happy to write more general ‘brand introduction’ type pieces where I feel there is an engaging back story.

My most memorable blogging experiences have involved travel and telling stories about cycling destinations and cultures; I am always open to the invited discovery of a hidden gem of the cycling world.

Ultimately, if a project is cycling related and I feel I can add my ‘voice’ in some creative way, then I’m all ears.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether cycling-related or not)?
For pro cycling, INRNG.com has no parallel. With its insight and knowledge, the site is a constant source of information and inspiration. For real life, day to day cycling, I’m a fan of thewashingmachinepost, which is quirky, eclectic, and original. Away from cycling, I’m hooked on The Red Hand Files by legendary Aussie musician and writer Nick Cave – a true artist.

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

Social (Media) Isolation – Influencer Marketing in the Time of Coronavirus

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Influencers’ audience numbers are up as lockdown forces people to spend more time online.

With bloggers, vloggers and Instagrammers still creating innovative and engaging content, is now the right time to increase your influencer marketing activity? And what’s the best way to work with influencers through lockdown and beyond?

In this webinar, Social (Media) Isolation: Influencer marketing in the time of coronavirus, we discuss the results of the Influencer Survey 2020 and collaboration best practice with Ciara Attwell, of My Fussy Eater; Elle Linton from Keep it simpElle; and Rosie Bennett, PR manager and Sarah McCann, content and community manager both from PDC Brands which includes Eylure, Dr Teal’s and Elegant Touch.

Watch the webinar to learn:

  • What your influencer marketing strategy should look like in lockdown
  • How to get the most out of collaborations
  • The best way to measure your influencer marketing success

 

Comms leaders recovery

PR and comms leaders prepare for recovery

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PR and comms leaders are increasingly focused on recovery in Q2 according to the Vuelio Barometer which analyses themes dominating the public posts of 897 heads of and directors.

The Vuelio Barometer of PR and Comms Leaders shows that ‘Recovery’, which includes the terms ‘return to work’, ‘learn from’ and ‘get back to’ among others, has become more important since the start of lockdown and most recently accounts for nearly two in five (36%) of all online discussions among PR and Communications Leaders. This was up from being the main topic of less than a quarter (23%) of conversations in Q1.

Social media debate among PR and Communications Leaders about ‘Action’, including the terms ‘we’ve decided’, ‘start’ and ‘we need’, in contrast has decreased over the same period. In Q4 2019, two thirds (67%) of all conversations were about action. This fell to less than half (45%) of all social media conversations among PR and Communications Leaders in Q2 2020.

Over the same period, non-COVID-19 topics focusing on the community and outreach – such as Charity, Employee Wellbeing, Green Business and Institutional Trust – declined. Trust fell from accounting for one in seven conversations (14%) in Q4 2019 to just one in 20 (6%) in Q2. Unsurprisingly, COVID-19 dominated, increasing from half (50%) in Q1 to accounting for two thirds (65%) of all social media conversations among PR and communications leaders by 20 May.

Analysing which recent PR campaigns had cut through to grab the attention of industry leaders, the Vuelio Barometer found the most successful was ‘Clap for Carers’ which throughout Q2 accounted for four in five (81%) campaign conversations. In contrast, the Government’s ‘Stay Alert’ campaign was referred to in just one in ten.

Natalie Orringe, chief marketing officer at Vuelio said: ‘Our analysis of the online conversations of PR and Communications leaders reveals since Q1 2020 a shift from debating what action has to be taken to, in Q2, discussing how recovery can be managed. It demonstrates how the industry is turning from responding to the implications of COVID-19 to focus on the proactive, sustainable strategies needed to enable businesses to recover. There can be no doubt COVID-19 has reshaped the industry and continues to account for nearly two thirds of all social media conversation among communication leaders.’

Based on this insight, Vuelio has developed a range of products designed specifically to support organisations as they move from crisis management to proactively managing reputation for recovery. Packages on the Vuelio Recovery Hub include ‘Get up and Grow’ to help small to mid-sized companies kick start their PR programme; ‘Re-start-up’ for mid-sized businesses to maximise the effectiveness of their communications; and ‘The Full Works’ for large, complex organisations that need to accelerate their communications.

A Lovely Planet

Travel Blogger Spotlight: Hayley Lewis, A Lovely Planet

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We head Sydney-way (symbolically, anyway) to catch up with travel blogger Hayley Lewis of A Lovely Planet. Hayley sees a challenging future for the travel industry and travel blogging following the COVID-19 lockdown, but potential growth in domestic journeying, day trips and weekend breaks later in the year. So, don’t book tickets quite yet, but do start daydreaming about where you’d like to go (for Hayley, a cabin in Lapland sounds good…).

How did you originally get started with writing about travel?
I’ve always loved to travel, and friends and family would often ask me for tips on places I had been, so in 2014, I started saving the emails I’d written and decided to publish them on a blog. A Lovely Planet has grown from there.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
I love putting together itineraries of trips I’ve taken. I spend A LOT of time researching before I take a trip, so I love sharing all the knowledge and experiences I’ve gained afterwards, and hopefully helping out other people who are looking to take a similar trip. I’m also a massive foodie, so love posting about food experiences, restaurants and different cuisines.

How have you had to change your approach to blogging during the COVID-19 crisis?
I’ve been focusing more on content in Australia (where I live) as domestic travel will start again much sooner than international. In some ways I’ve enjoyed having time to catch up on content that I have had on my to do list and completing tasks that I have wanted to do for a while, but the drop in traffic has been pretty disheartening and it’s challenging not knowing what the future will look like for travel and travel blogging.

A Lovely Planet 2

What kind of travel is your favourite?
I love a bit of variety. I do a lot of road trips, which generally feature some kind of adventure travel. I love being underwater, whether that’s free diving, snorkeling or scuba diving so many of the trips I take have an underwater element, but at the same time I absolutely adore city breaks. Especially when I lived in Europe and I could hop on a plane for a weekend to somewhere with completely different cuisines, a different language and culture. It feels like a lifetime ago.

How can the travel industry get back on its feet when the lockdown is over?
I think initially it will be about day trips and weekend breaks, domestically – helping the small operators and businesses. As we can travel more and as international travel starts reopening then I think people will be keen to get away, but at the same time many people have lost jobs or had a reduced income, so those trips may not be the extravagant once-in-a-lifetime trips.

If you could teleport to anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
That’s a difficult question. Considering the lock down and how bad COVID-19 is in many parts of the world, I’m drawn to somewhere remote. I’ve been thinking a lot about a cabin I stayed in in Finnish Lapland a few years ago. It was so cosy, with a fire and a sauna and a lake nearby. I would love to be somewhere like that.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I collaborate in a variety of ways. I often work with tourist boards on destination campaigns, with accommodation, and write reviews and posts about the places I stay. I also work with a few outdoor gear brands, like Osprey and Fjallraven, and create content featuring their products.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
It’s always great when PRs approach me – usually via email is the easiest. Then we can work out the best way to work together. It’s always good to meet face to face if possible, but as I often work with UK PRs, but live in Australia that isn’t always an option, (especially right now!)

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether travel-related or not)?
I like Along Dusty Roads – it was a great resource when I was travelling through Mexico.

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CIPR Greater London Group to host virtual conference to support PR practitioners during COVID-19 crisis

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Taking place on 9 and 16 June, CoronaCon is an online conference for CIPR members and PR practitioners across the sector. The speaker line-up consists of thought leaders in the world of PR and comms who will discuss how the industry has responded to the changing working environment in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim of the conference is to create a community, foster understanding and ultimately support those working across the PR industry, helping them to come to terms with how their profession has been impacted by this global crisis, and how they can prepare for the future.

Joining the speaker line up on 9 June is Vuelio’s CMO, Natalie Orringe. Natalie will discuss the findings of the Vuelio Barometer which analyses the themes, issues and behaviours dominating the public posts of 897 PR and Comms leaders during lockdown. Natalie’s session is at 5:25pm BST and tickets to CoronaCon part one are available here.

Other confirmed speakers and sessions include:

  • Jenni Field, CIPR President and Founder of Redefining Communications: How have PR agencies and industry responded to COVID-19?
  • Alex Myers, founder & CEO of Manifest Group and PR Week’s Global PR Professional 2020: How has COVID-19 accelerated and evolved the purpose economy and what is its lasting impact for purpose-driven consumer brands?
  • Tony Langham – Co-founder and Chief Executive of Lansons: It’s All About Reputation Now: Who’s Having A Good War, And Who Isn’t?
  • Ronke Lawal – Founder Ariatu PR: How future-facing consumer brands can ‘COVID-19 proof’ themselves using digital communications tools
  • Sarah Waddington – Founder of Astute.Work, former CIPR President What lessons can be learned by senior management from their response to COVID-19 and their crisis comms preparedness?

CIPR Greater London Group committee member and one of the event organisers, Darryl Sparey, said: ‘This event will give PR practitioners an opportunity to consider the impact of the current crisis on our industry, as well as contribute to charities that support those directly impacted by COVID-19. I’m confident that, by working together as a community and supporting each other through this difficult time, we can weather the storm and come out the other side even more resilient and creative than before.’

CIPR members can buy tickets for the conference for £10, while non-member tickets are available for £15. Funds raised by ticket sales will be donated to the CIPR’s Benevolent Fund iProvision and the Felix Project, which help PR practitioners affected by the crisis and feeds local communities in London by rescuing surplus food from the food industry respectively.

Brian Palmer

Cycling Blogger Spotlight: Brian Palmer, thewashingmachinepost

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‘I’ve heard it said that I can be quirky, though I don’t really see it myself. I’d like to think that any brands with which I work are gaining value. I assume that this is actually the case, since most of them still speak to me…’

Following a bit of a false start with bigging-up biking in his local paper, Brian moved to blogging and has found success among those wanting an entertaining read alongside the cycling know-how. Read on for what makes it well worth dropping by thewashingmachinepost.

How did you originally get started with writing about cycling?
When I moved to Islay over thirty years ago, nobody on the island cycled (quite literally). So I wrote an article for the local newspaper promoting the benefits and economies that could result from owning and riding a bike, to which nobody paid any attention. I wrote a few follow-up articles and discovered that many were reading for the entertainment factor, irrespective of any interest in cycling.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
Rather contradictorily, I really like writing book reviews, despite being them being easily the hardest thing to do. I don’t actually understand that, myself.

How have you had to change your approach to blogging during the COVID-19 crisis?
I’ve not really had to change anything. Because I live on an island with acres and acres of open spaces, I can still cycle as much as I ever did, and see no-one for hours. So, product reviews are still perfectly manageable, though there have been fewer of those, possibly due to manufacturers and distributors playing things a bit safer at present.

What kit/equipment would you recommend people put together and take with them when cycling while social-distancing?
That’s a hard one. Taking into account my answer to the last question, I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask. However, I’d advise learning as much about the mechanical operation of your bike as possible. If you suffer a mechanical malfeasance en route, it’s hard to get mechanical assistance and remain two-metres apart.

Do you think the Tour De France still be able to go ahead without any issues this year?
I doubt the race will be issue free, particularly since it will be the guinea-pig for the Giro and La Vuelta.

Can you remember your first ever bike?
I was just talking about that the other day. It was a blue, single-speed steel-framed machine with handlebars that curved backwards that my parents bought me when I was nine. I loved it. That was replaced by a green Raleigh Twenty shopping bike, which gives you some idea of how cool I wasn’t as a teenager.

If you could cycle anywhere right now, where would it be?
I’ve always fancied riding through the Tuscan countryside, on a blue Bianchi, pretending to be Fausto Coppi. That still holds the same attraction as ever it did. One of these days…

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I like working with brands that understand they’re not always likely to get a cut-and-dried, cookie cutter review. I’ve heard it said that I can be quirky, though I don’t really see it myself. I’d like to think that any brands with which I work are gaining value from the collaboration, however brief. I must assume that this is actually the case, since most of them still speak to me.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
What I don’t want is pre-written content. I write thewashingmachinepost because I like writing thewashingmachinepost, and I’m assured I have a ‘style’ of doing so. Press releases are a means to an end, rather than an end in themselves. If it’s a product, I really need to try it myself; I’m not going to review anything based on the manufacturer’s opinion of their own stuff.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether cycling-related or not)?
I rarely ever read any other blogs, because then I start to second guess my own content, wondering if I ought to be more like the others. Everyone else’s blogs always seem so much more concise, professional and well-informed, and that would keep me awake at night, or spoil the weekend bike rides. I do, however, start my day with Gary Larson’s thefarside.com.

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Journalist as Author tips

6 tips for PRs from the ResponseSource Journalist as Authors series

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We’ve been gathering advice from journalists across different beats on how PRs can put together successful pitches in our How to pitch to series. Today we have more tips from writers recently interviewed for our sister company ResponseSource’s Journalist as Author series.

Featured writers in the series so far include those reporting on inequality issues, business, women’s health, lifestyle, politics and food. Here’s how they answered the question: ‘If I’m a PR professional with a story or opportunity for you, how should I get in touch?’…

1) ‘Email’s best, preferably with clear detail in the subject line so I know it’s relevant to my brief. Also anything addressed to ‘Mr Salman’ or ‘Dear Salman’ winds up in the trash (friendly tip: I know I’ve got an unusual name, but maybe check before assuming I’m a bloke?).’

Saba Salman, writer for The Guardian and author of Made Possible: Stories of success by people with learning disabilities – in their own words

2) ‘Email is best. I’m interested in fashion and beauty innovations, health angles and anything with a heavy focus on women. Just please don’t pitch me something I’ve already written; I won’t be writing it again or adding to the original piece.’

Lauren Sharkey is a journalist, author, presenter and speaker specialising in gender equality, women’s health and fashion criticism. Her first book is Resisters: 52 Young Women Making Herstory Right Now

3) ‘I can’t always guarantee responses but if it’s something that I am interested in and have time to do a proper pitch for, I’ll get back to you.’

Caroline Corcoran, freelance journalist covering lifestyle, TV and popular culture and author of Through the Wall

4) ‘You need to have something original. I get many lazy approaches from food brands claiming to be allergy friendly and just looking for publicity. Tell me what you’re doing that nobody else is doing. Tell me what gap in the market you’re filling. Show a genuine understanding of the allergic or food-sensitive consumer. Email me if you have a USP. Yet another gluten-free brownie launch isn’t going to cut it!’

Alex Gazzola, freelance writer, editor and author of books including Coeliac Disease: What You Need to Know, IBS: Dietary advice to calm your gut and 50 Mistakes Writers Make

5) ‘I don’t mean to be curt but my day-to-day work never, ever involves PRs; I have quite a small niche and even the best-intentioned PR pitches are always wide off the mark. And on the off chance that I do need PR help on something, I’ll definitely be in touch. Just please don’t email me!’

Marie Le Conte is a freelance political journalist who has worked at The Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Metro and Buzzfeed. She is the author of Haven’t You Heard?

6) ‘I have a distinct name, so type ‘Jon Card’ into Google to find me and I usually come up first. My namesakes are a Canadian punk drummer and a chap who works at the Imperial War Museum – I’m the one who runs Full Story Media.’

Jon Card has written about business for publications including The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and the Times and is the author of How to Make Your Company Famous

Want more on how to pitch effectively? Check out our How to pitch to… series.

Daisy pots

Gardening Blogger Spotlight: Alexandra Campbell, The Middle-Sized Garden

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While many bloggers are having to rethink their focus and content during lockdown, Alexandra Campbell is sticking to what she knows her significantly bigger than middle-sized readership base want at The Middle-Sized Garden – ‘I blog about gardens with flowers, not veg growing or allotments’.

In today’s spotlight with Alexandra, we talk colour profiles, getting a good gardening kit together and beautiful outdoor spaces well worth sighing over while you’re stuck inside.

How did you originally get started with writing about gardening?
I’m a journalist and author. I started on the trade press, then moved to women’s magazines, where I covered beauty and homes. I went freelance, writing for newspapers and became a novelist. My publishers suggested I start blogging, so I decided to start a blog. But I thought it would be interesting to choose a topic that I myself wanted to learn about, so that I could write about my voyage of discovery, with my mistakes as well as my successes. It really started as an experiment, and six years later, it is a career.

Alexandra Campbell

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
I love visiting someone’s garden to interview them about what they’ve done and why. A special bonus is when I can photograph it first thing in the morning, which in summer can be 4.30am!

How have you had to change your approach to blogging during the COVID-19 crisis?
As soon as the lockdown started, I could see that many people were pivoting their online activities, often very creatively. I thought very carefully about whether to do anything different, but decided that I should carry on with my weekly blog post and YouTube video. My aim was to put all the effort into making them the best they could be. This has paid off – I had nearly 200K page views in April and there is currently an even higher spike for May. I especially had to think about whether to do more about veg growing as people are so interested in it at the moment. I did one blog post and video. The blog post attracted a reasonable number of views, but the YouTube video didn’t. YouTube is a very focused medium – you have to be absolutely clear about who you are and what you offer. This clarified things for me hugely. Now I’ve decided – I blog about gardens with flowers, not veg growing or allotments.

What are some small things people can do to change up their gardens/balcony planters/windowsill flowers while on lockdown?
If you haven’t done much gardening before, choose easy-to-care-for, inexpensive flowers, such as petunias, surfinias or pelargoniums. But restrict your colour palette for pots and window boxes to a maximum of three. That includes the colour of any foliage! So, you might have purple and yellow petunias with plain green ivy (green/yellow/purple) or pots of pink pelargoniums with trailing silver-grey helichrysum (red/green/grey). Or just lots of one kind of plant, such as Marguerites (daisy-type flowers).

For those just getting into gardening, which essential tools do they need for their kit?
You need a hand fork, trowel, garden fork, spade and secateurs. Choose good quality brands because cheap tools break. Sneeboer, Burgon & Ball, The RHS, Niwaki, Felco, Fiskars, Kent & Stowe and Okatsune are some good brands. Never buy tools in a pretty gift set, unless you know the brand. A hoe and a rake are next on the list, followed by loppers and a garden kneeler, but you can probably do without in a small garden for a while.

Most beautiful outside space/garden you’ve ever seen?
Gravetye Manor Hotel – the garden was originally designed in the late 19th century by William Robinson, whose gardening ideas still influence our domestic gardens today. It’s been brought up to date by head gardener Tom Coward – it is a really genuinely beautiful garden with excellent design ‘bones’ and superb, although often quite relaxed, planting.

Gravetye Manor

What are your thoughts on garden gnomes – cute, or creepy?
Neither. But not for me.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I’ve cut back on my collaborations because there still seems to be lack of consistency and clarity between agencies and bloggers over disclosure and paid follow links. Google and the Advertising Standards Authority are quite clear about their rules, and I abide by them. I also think it’s important to be honest with readers. But I think it’s mad that when a blogger reviews a book or product, they have to say they were sent it free while newspapers and magazines don’t. Every media outlet should be working to the same rules, and then there would be less pressure to break them. But I’m thinking about how I could do more product and book reviews within that framework.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
I prefer an email to start with, but if I’m interested I always reply with my phone number as it’s often much easier to talk. I would only work with products that I think readers of the blog will really like, and supports gardening responsibly in terms of the environment. So, no peat-based composts, for example.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether gardening-related or not)?
I like That’s Not My Age by Alyson Walsh because I love her style, Jen Stanbrook on Pinterest (jenstanbrook.com) always has great tips and I read all the other gardening blogs on the Vuelio top 10 list, plus quite a few more, generally when they pop up on Twitter. And I also follow some US blogs, such as The Impatient Gardener, who I ‘met’ on YouTube.

Life In The Saddle Featured Image

Cycling Blogger Spotlight: Tim Wiggins, Life In The Saddle

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Life In the Saddle started for Tim Wiggins during a ‘mini-Olympics’ back in 2011 and continues – with slightly different content – during the current lockdown. While cycling trips with groups is out, starting out on your own is in – read on for Tim’s advice on which kind of kit should be strapped to you or your cycle before you head out, and whether he thinks Tour De France is likely to go ahead this year…

How did you originally start writing about cycling?
I set up Life In The Saddle to document my campaign to race in the 2011 International Island Games (like a mini-Olympics for islands from all over the world). That then evolved, as in September of the same year I undertook my first big touring trip — 1,450 miles through Spain and France, on a £50 steel Peugeot road bike loaded to breaking point. That was when the adventure really started…

What is your favourite thing to post about and why?
Adventures and advice. I love inspiring people with stories of bike travel into the unknown, but then also providing them with helpful content to make their own adventure dream a reality.

How have you had to change your approach to blogging during the COVID-19 crisis?
Not so much, to be honest. Just a subtle twist on the content.

Life In The Saddle 1

What kit/equipment would you recommend people put together and take with them when cycling while social distancing?
Check out this post.

Do you think the Tour De France will still be able to go ahead without any issues this year?
Questionable. I am not sure it will be welcome by communities and participants, if it does.

Can you remember your first ever bike?
Yes — a ridiculously small white mountain bike. My first road bike was this one.

Life In The Saddle 2

If you could cycle anywhere right now, where would it be?
Honestly, at home on the Isle of Wight. Check out my recent Instagram shots – it is still my favourite place to ride in the world.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I write personal product reviews, and feature brands’ products in helpful advice posts — this is a subtle way to promote products, without it always being a review. I also author reports from events and have even done ‘behind the scenes’ visits to brand headquarters.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
I do not publish press releases, so sending generic emails about product launches etc. is not helpful. But I would be thrilled to do a personal review of a new product and take my own imagery, or visit a brand/destination in person and profile them, or take part in an event and write about it.

What other blogs or websites do you check out regularly (whether cycling-related or not)?
Cyclist.co.uk, Forbes, The Economist and Facebook Gravel/Adventure Groups.

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Working from home for the foreseeable

Working from home is working out for two-fifths of PR and communications leaders

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Fears of illness in the workplace, returns to busy commutes on public transport and disrupted working cultures – just some of the concerns causing 40% of leaders in PR and comms to continue with remote working for the foreseeable future, according to results from Carta Communications and The Pulse Business survey A Changed Industry: PR after Lockdown.

The findings of the survey, which polled 43 communications and PR leaders between 14 May and 18 May, likely echo the feelings of many currently working through the COVID-19 pandemic. 38% feared a second wave of colleagues catching the virus if offices are reopened too soon, 12% cited worries about using public transport, 24% shared concern regarding restoring their organisation’s work culture and 21% were worried that bringing teams back too soon with cause stress.

Beyond the two-thirds of respondents planning to stick with home working for the foreseeable, 36% plan a cautious return to the office, with agency respondents suggesting dates between June and September.

‘We shan’t move back to the office until ready, and we’re relaxed about that. It’s more important to protect our staff and continue to grow the business,’ said Sapience Communications director Chris Calland of plans to continue longer with remote working. ‘The main challenge will simply be ensuring we continue to win new clients as we have been doing during lockdown.’

That working from home can actually work out well for employees, results and returns is something Missive co-founder and managing partner Nicola Koronka has found during lockdown: ‘Social and mental health impact aside, our ability to deliver our work is unhindered by home working.’

Technology has helped teams keep in touch with their coworkers and clients during the lockdown, with video conferencing in particular making a marked difference (76% of respondents cited Zoom, Skype, and others as being invaluable, and 51% planning to invest further in related platforms post-lockdown).

50% believe that post-lockdown will find them in a better position to make long-term business improvements and innovations.

‘The challenges facing the industry due to COVID-19 run deeper than any that I’ve witnessed, and the industry must inevitably change as it recovers,’ said Carta Communications founder and director Matt Cartmell.

‘There may, however, be much good to come: fairer standards of remote working; stronger and more sustainable support for staff; and a more holistic engagement with technologies that will enable PR to flourish in unexpected ways.’

Read more from A Changed Industry: PR after Lockdown from Carta Communcations and The Pulse Business here.

Instagram testing new features

Instagram to test additional revenue streams

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Following rapid growth for its platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, Instagram has launched additional ways for its users to profit from the service including purchasable badges for viewers during Instagram Live videos and advertising on IGTV.

Trialing in the US next month with a small number of creators during the testing phase of the badges, plans are for these new features to be rolled out across additional markets including the UK, France, Mexico and Italy over the upcoming months.

Instagram is following in its parent company’s footsteps in adding ways for users to support creators, after the launch of Facebook Live’s Stars. Instagram’s badges will enable viewers to ‘stand out’ to creators in the comments section during live videos, encouraging closer interaction with fans.

According to the platform, video views for Instagram Live increased by 70% over the February – March period this year as people were asked to stay at home during the COVID-19 crisis.

The test 15-second ads for mobile during long-form IGTV videos will appear when viewers click to watch from previews in their feed, though the ability to skip these ads will also be tested. Revenue generated from the ads will be shared between the platform and the influencers.

‘Creators have different needs and ambitions’, said Instagram COO Justin Osofsky of the new launches. ‘Providing a variety of monetization tools is crucial in order to support all creators on Instagram, from emerging digital stars to established entertainers and everything in between.’

Interested in influencers across Instagram and other platforms? Download the 2020 Influencer Survey here.

The Blackberry Garden

Gardening Blogger Spotlight: Alison Levey, The Blackberry Garden

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‘What I enjoy most is writing about things in my garden that make me happy’ – if you’re lucky enough to have a garden to go to when you need some space, find out how to fill it with things that make you happy with The Blackberry Garden’s Alison Levey.

Grab a good pair of secateurs and read on for Alison’s gardening inspirations and some small things you can do at home to add colour to your own outside space – ‘I think, at the moment, we need the joy that colour can bring’.

How did you originally get started with writing about gardening?
I have always enjoyed writing, from when I was very young. I started writing my blog nine years ago as I was starting to really develop the garden where I live now and also reading a lot of blogs through social media. One thing led to another…

Alison Levey

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
I only ever write about things I enjoy, but probably what I enjoy most is writing about things in my garden that make me happy.

Have you had to change your approach to blogging during the COVID-19 crisis?
No not really, though of course I am not attending any shows or visiting any gardens for the foreseeable future. I am talking about the COVID-19 crisis and the impact it has had on my gardening and on me, but otherwise it is important to keep on keeping on.

What are some small things people can do to change up their gardens/balcony planters/windowsill flowers while on lockdown?
I would say add colour. This could be as simple as a flowering house plant or sowing some nasturtium seeds. I think, at the moment, we need colour and the joy that it can bring.

For those just getting into gardening, which essential tools do they need for their kit?
A pair of good secateurs and a trowel are essential. I also use a Japanese weeding knife called a hori-hori which is one of the best multipurpose tools I have ever had. Add a watering can, spade and wheelbarrow and then you can do most things.

Most beautiful outside space/garden you’ve ever seen?
That is a very difficult one. My favourite outside space is the Gwyllt at Portmeirion. The most beautiful garden is too close to call. I am incredibly fond of Ulting Wick in Essex, Coton Manor in Northamptonshire and Great Dixter in East Sussex.

What are your thoughts on garden gnomes – cute, or creepy?
I like a good gnome.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I have a good working relationship with several brands. I have a very positive approach to the work I do and so brands that provide good service and high-quality products are a natural fit for me.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
Email is usually best and there is also a contact form on the blog. I enjoy visiting new places and garden shows. I also like reviewing garden related products and books. It does have to have some link to gardening, but I am not precious on how tenuous the link may be. I do not accept third party content as I write the content for my blog.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether gardening-related or not)?
I read quite a few blogs. Jack Wallington and The Cynical Gardener always have good content. I also dabble in dressmaking, so I read dressmaking blogs as well.

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Changing consumer trends

‘Unconsumed’ trend taking on new force during the pandemic

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This is a guest post from Rose Allerston, senior account director at Smoking Gun.

At the beginning of the year, the team at Smoking Gun sat down to carefully analyse the global consumer trends that would be impacting us and our clients in 2020. As we hand-picked those shaping the marketing and comms space and brought together our guide to the ‘stuff that hasn’t happened yet’, nobody’s crystal ball could ever have predicted the COVID-19 pandemic that was about to shake our world.

While some trends shifted shape entirely, the events of the past few weeks have clicked others into even sharper focus and relevance. One such example of the latter is a trend we call ‘Unconsumed’.

Humans have always been status-seeking creatures, but a change is happening in how we accrue and define status. In an era where sustainability and inequality are high on the agenda, consumers are seeking more enlightened modes of consumption that re-imagine, or even invert, old attitudes and priorities.

You only have to look at the explosion of people publishing on TikTok, taking up fundraising fitness challenges, running side hustles and even mastering cleaner beauty regimes to see that this trend has been propelled to new heights.

In 2019 as the ‘Unconsumed’ trend began to emerge through early adopters, we saw luxury fashion brand Ganni launch a clothing rental platform to reduce waste, flipping the status of ‘I never wear the same outfit twice’ to ‘My outfit? It’s upcycled!’. We saw Instagram trial hiding ‘likes’ in the US, and UK-based Gomi Designs enticing those usually first in line at the latest Apple launch with its audio speaker made from non-recyclable plastic bags.

Fast forward to today and we see 99-year-old Captain Tom Moore championed in every British newspaper and honoured with a Pride Of Britain Award and knighthood, as he raises over £30million for the NHS. He is one of many to become unexpected influencers in these times, as celebrities posing in designer loungewear in their lockdown mansions quickly fell out of favour.

Brands too have found status among consumers and received a media hat-tip for playing their part in the crisis effort. Dunelm has retooled a curtain factory to make medical gowns for the NHS, Rolls-Royce has made ventilators for hospitals and Strix, the world leader in kettle controls, has turned production lines over to making protective visors. Only few like Boohoo have fallen foul of the moment, with its ill-judged launch of ‘quarantine queen’ face masks, which were slammed by an NHS nurse for making a mockery of PPE.

Lockdown has certainly forced a ‘back to basics’ movement. The stuff we planned to buy on payday now seems suddenly unimportant and trivial, while any time, physical or virtual, that we can spend with those we love has taken on new value.

The ‘Unconsumed’ trend is set to soar and take on further forms still as we move through the months ahead. Embracing more meaningful forms of status has to be a good thing. The lens through which we analyse what’s important has been irreversibly altered. And as we all continue to champion the NHS, we must all hope our carers retain their rightful status as heroes for many years to come.

For more trends and insights, you can download Smoking Gun’s Trends Report 2020 here.

Are you caught in the PR software loyalty trap?

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We’re creatures of habit, so changing the tools we use to be effective at our jobs seems like a big hassle when we’re under increasing pressure to deliver on a daily basis.

Much like bank accounts, we end up sticking with what we already use even if we know we’d be better off switching.

The benefits of reviewing alternatives to your current PR software provider include getting more value out of your investment, more accurate and reliable data, and saving precious time on day to day tasks.

At Vuelio, we understand how challenging this can be so we do everything we can to make it easy for you to switch to us from your existing media monitoring provider.

Move all your contacts and lists
We work with you to map your existing data into Vuelio wherever possible so you can import your contacts and lists.

For your monitoring, we’ll find ways to improve your brief and keywords to get even better coverage results.

We take the pain out of learning a new platform
It might seem like a challenge to get your team up and running on a new platform, but we’re with you every step of the way with a dedicated implementation consultant and online screenshare session to get you set up and all of your users can hit the ground running.

You can also join our regular online Vuelio Masterclasses for a deep dive into each module.

Help portal and live chat
We provide self-service support with guides and faqs on all parts of Vuelio, plus live chat support when you need an extra helping hand.

Support team
Contact our support team via live chat, phone or email during office hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm) for a swift response.

Vuelio’s research team are on hand to answer any data queries for you, whether you want to double check a detail on a contact or need some extra information, you’ll get a response the same working day.

All Vuelio Political clients are assigned a dedicated policy researcher who specialises in your policy area. They conduct in-depth research and keep you up to date with any news and changes in major policy areas including health, education, environment and transport.

Valuable content:
As well as dedicated support and advice, our clients have access to our full range of valuable content. From thought leadership pieces to best practice advice, we’ll keep you on top of your game:

• Daily Covid-19 briefing
• Monday PR club
• PR Pulse
• Media Bulletin – journalist moves and media news
• Regular journalist and influencer interviews and pitching tips
• Point of Order Newsletter
• White papers
• Webinars
• Events (virtual and, hopefully soon, live)
• Yoga every week

Ready to check out how we can help you deliver on your comms strategy effectively? Get in touch for a demo.

Guest-post-Nigel-Sarbutts

Generating fees from clients who have paused activity

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This is a guest post from Nigel Sarbutts, founder of freelance PR matchmaking service The PR Cavalry.

Clients slamming the brakes on communication doesn’t have to mean that work stops completely. Volatility is opportunity and there is a tonne of high value strategy work to understand and adapt to the emerging shape of your client’s category. If you are waiting to hear what the new plan looks like, you might not be part of it.

The critical first step to help your client shape their future is to organise your own thoughts. The comms agenda needs to focus on four buckets of thinking. They will ebb and flow in importance and sometimes overlap but without a structure, you and your client will waste time and opportunities.

The Here and Now – Triaging what is being disrupted in the business and category, adapting messaging and changing when and how the business communicates with stakeholders – particularly internal ones

The Start of Recovery – Pulling in market intelligence, finding the insight for scenario planning and the creation of comms and stakeholder risk registers to map probability versus impact

Imagining Leadership – Crisis is a leveller and category leadership can emerge from anywhere, allowing smaller operators to punch above their weight in comms

New Everything – Routes to market, supply chains, product and services, industry alliances, regulations. It might be easier to list what hasn’t changed. Each one of these will, in time, require its own comms strategy and tactics. Your goal is to write them.

It’s easy to think that clients have some higher level of understanding that is handed down via the brief but in a crisis, expertise and clear thinking often become separated.

The value of asking better questions has never been higher. Get across the 360-degree business impacts now. If you don’t fully grasp how changes to distribution or supply chain (which is likely to include talent or access to finance as well as goods and services) will affect your client’s ability to operate, your input to plans will be correspondingly limited.

Your capability scorecard – Be honest, no-one has faced this kind of crisis before and even a substantial agency is unlikely to have all the skills required to guide clients through every challenge they face. You need to score yourself and have a way to strengthen where you are weak.

Active listening and scoping – Have you got your listening stack up and running? This might be formal research, paid-for tools or free insight like Google Trends, plus daily news and social searches for comment from industry players.

Corporate stance – As the fog clears, does your client stand for something they can defend under scrutiny if the leadership team turn to you for help?

Innovation and challenge – Crisis makes people defensive. Do you have the skills to create a thinking space where the client and you can shut out the noise to be creative and see opportunity? Can you credibly lead the development of a 360-degree strategy and be known for flawless execution of tactics?

Broader skills – Crisis may produce business model change, M&A or rapid restructuring, which requires niche comms skills. Do you have a trusted partner (perhaps a talented freelancer) to bring in to support you?

This is an unbelievably testing time for all businesses, PR advisers included, be they agency staff or PR freelancers with the pain of rapid, forced change. There is no single route to survive and thrive but the winners in a crisis are rarely the biggest, but the most adaptable.

Pitching to finance journalists

How to pitch to finance journalists

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If you work in finance PR or have clients in the sector, ensuring you’re a useful asset to journalists is a worthwhile investment.

Whether personal finance, private equity, corporate tax, insurance or the continuing impact of COVID-19 on consumers is your bag, check out the following advice from financial journalists at the BBC, Daily Express, woman & home and other national and regional titles to make sure what you’re sharing is valuable.

1) Make your key facts clear for the journalist
‘Minimise jargon. And for those of us who are general business journalists, you could give a useful reminder at the bottom of a release of what the key jargon means (I’ll need to be reminded why I should care about MiFID II).

‘If you’re pitching with an eye-catching survey result, save me some time and tell me about your methodology: size of sample, was it self-selecting, when, in which parts of the country, carried out by…?’

Douglas Fraser, business and economy editor for BBC Scotland

2) COVID-19 continues to be a hot button topic
‘It’s very hard for any subject that isn’t about COVID-19 to get a hearing right now. Almost every article I write has coronavirus as a backdrop. Fluffy consumer press releases get short shrift. Unless, of course, they are examining consumer attitudes to you-know-what, such as how people are spending (or not spending) during the crisis.

‘Of course, there is the danger of overkill, and at some point the topic will become less urgent (I hope), but that’s how things stand for now.
‘I feel the key role of a personal finance journalist right now is to explain the practical impact the crisis is having on readers’ pensions, savings, incomes, insurance, mortgages and so on. Reactive comment to Government rule changes as we move into easing will also come in handy, helping us to pass on advice from the experts.

‘Smart press releases with expert comment that are more than a company plug (I don’t do product news) are welcome at any time.’

Harvey Jones, personal finance editor at the Daily Express

3) Practical stats will be more valuable than theoreticals
‘I would always rather use data on what people have actually done, rather than what they might be willing to do in future e.g. 30% have stopped pension payments rather than 30% are considering paying less into their pensions this year.

‘Practical comments, explaining what people should do, are always more helpful than spokespeople saying “I agree with government plans to…”

‘Finally, I prefer releases/info/commentary relevant to the content and audiences I cover, so do think about targeting your content. I specialise in personal finance, including a monthly column of money-saving tips for Woman&Home magazine and my blog, Much More With Less. I’m never going to cover the far reaches of cryptocurrency, CBD oil, plastic surgery and luxury yachts (just a few examples of releases I’ve received recently!). However, I’d be delighted to receive angles on money matters relevant to 50+ women.’

Faith Archer, financial columnist at woman & home

4) Target the right data to the right journalist
‘A good press release should look like a news article. Subject line should get straight to the point and be clear what the story is. Ideally, the email will have a couple of bullet points up top summing up the main topics in the release. If the PR has the data, tailoring these for sector journalists will likely yield more results.

‘On the negative side, I really don’t like the new trend for clickbait subject lines to try and trick you into opening the mail. What’s more, following up on an email with a phone call or another email (unless it’s being sent again after embargo) really just takes up people’s time. I appreciate some agencies have targets on the number of journalists they need to contact, but it just sours the relationship.’

Damian Clarkson, editor of loveMONEY

5) If your pitch is relevant, the journalist will consider it
‘I have no problem being sent finance-related content but I don’t always have the time or opportunity to respond. I often feel quite guilty about this as I understand what goes in to making a decent pitch.

‘However, provided an email appears relevant, then I’ll always read it and if I believe we can do something with it, will get in touch. Conversely, if the subject matter starts to include all manner of topics, I’m less likely to open it – and future emails, too.

‘As I’ve run my own business for several decades, I’m always interested in speaking with people looking to expand their presence in the personal finance sphere, especially in print. In my experience, this is often a productive aspect (for both parties) of relevant pitches.’

Peter Sharkey, finance columnist for the Eastern Daily Press (EDP)

6) Save the features list (and details of what you’re offering)
‘Have an idea of the publication you are pitching a story to. What do they cover? Just look at their website and do some homework. Some look at our editorial calendar and offer comments for our stories, since we do not accept bylined articles unless specifically assigned to our writers. Some homework is necessary.

‘Finally, if you pitch an event, a Zoom conference call or something similar, make sure we understand who you and your organisation are. Do not take it for granted! The new pitches landscape is filled with 20 hours a day of potential webinars, webcasts and so on. We choose some, just a few, based on content, quality of speakers and the organisation sponsoring it.’

Andrea Fiano, editor of Global Finance

7) Offer a greater breadth of data (geography, gender, etc.)
‘Always ask for the feature subject list and, armed with that, offer relevant stats/products/quotes.

‘Work up case studies and pics. They really help to create a feature. Make the case studies as geographically spread as possible and ensure at least half are female (as finance tends to be such a male-orientated subject).

‘Where possible, have some interesting non-UK info to place the UK in context, particularly the G7 and EU.’

Conal R Gregory MW, personal finance editor for the Yorkshire Post

Do your research to pitch the right content to the right contacts with the Vuelio Media Database.

Cate St Hill

Interiors Blogger Spotlight: Cate St Hill

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‘I really believe there’s a strong connection between our wellbeing and our surroundings,’ says interiors blogger Cate St Hill. If your surroundings aren’t quite right for your wellbeing right now, read on for some advice on changing things up from one of the top ten interior design bloggers in the UK.

How did you originally get started with writing about interior design?
I was working as a journalist for an architecture and design magazine and could see the tide turning towards the digital world. The print world was shrinking and I couldn’t see much progression for me. I wanted to create an online space that was completely my own, where I could write about my own passions for interior design and share a more personal insight into the house I was slowly transforming into a cosy home.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
I really enjoy writing about the little DIY projects and changes I make in my own home. My home is where I’m most creative and where I can express myself – I really believe there’s a strong connection between our wellbeing and our surroundings. That doesn’t mean I’m constantly changing things up according to the latest trend, I prefer to take a slower, more considered approach, so that my home can evolve with my mood or the seasons. I want to show that it doesn’t take much to make a calm sanctuary – good design should be accessible to all.

How have you had to change your approach to blogging during the COVID-19 crisis?
It hasn’t changed too much really. As people are spending more time in their homes, I hope that they might turn to blogs like mine for inspiration on how to make the most of their surroundings. I’ve been focusing on creating uplifting content for those slow moments at home, for instance, with soothing playlists and a design quiz.

What are some small things people can do to change up their interior decor while on lockdown?
I think it’s a great opportunity to have a declutter and get organised. I’ve been cleaning out my kitchen cupboards and reconsidering the things in my wardrobe – it doesn’t take much, but it feels so good once it’s done and everything is in its place. Reassess how items and objects make you feel, and think about how a space could be refreshed to work better for you – it might be as simple as moving the furniture around slightly or restyling your bookshelves. When a big project like redecorating a whole room feels overwhelming, it’s good to start with the little things.

What have been some of your favourite interior design shows?
I was obsessed with Changing Rooms and Grand Designs when I was younger, I think that’s probably where my love of interiors first developed as a young teenager! Now I’m probably more likely to be following people’s renovations on Instagram than watching TV.

Any particular houses/rooms/furniture from film/TV/real-life that you covet?
The house in I Am Love, a film set in Milan by Luca Guadagnino starring Tilda Swinton. It’s a real house called Villa Necchi Campiglio and it’s normally open to the public for visits. It has this beautiful, botanical glass room with a curvaceous green sofa and a perfect little swimming pool outside.

Which home décor trends from the past do you hope will make a comeback?
I keep an eye on trends but I don’t tend to adhere to them too closely, I prefer to create spaces that are timeless and can stand the test of time. I think you’ve got to think carefully about what will work for you, not just what looks good in a magazine.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I collaborate with brands to create inspiring content in the simple setting of my own home. I like to show how a product can fit into a pared-back, minimalist home and share styling tips that my followers can apply in their own home. I love working with like-minded brands who value sustainability and design built to last.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
A friendly email introducing themselves and the brand in clear, simple terms is always a good start. It’s easy to miss an Instagram message. I prefer building up long-term relationships with brands that I really connect with. This might be a series of blog posts or Instagram posts over a period of months or even years. It helps build an element of trust between both the blogger and the brand, and the blogger and their audience. For instance, I’ve been working with IKEA for the past three or so years, they’re always really open to ideas and happy for me to take the creative lead.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether interiors-related or not)?
I’ve recently discovered The Good Trade, which is focused on sustainable living. I also like Jessica Rose Williams for minimalist tips, The Frugality for affordable style and frugal living, Coco Lapine Design for dreamy interiors, Hannah Bullivant for styling tips and floral inspiration and Canadian blogger Lee Vosburgh of Style Bee for simple outfit inspo.

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Returning to the workplace

11 ways to mentally prepare for an eventual return to in-office working

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Whether working from home is working for you, or you’re desperate to the return to the pace of office life, the prospect of an eventual move back to your workplace desk post-lockdown is going to take planning and support. The mental impact of working through the COVID-19 crisis – the isolation, economic uncertainty and change to work patterns – will have ramifications for everyone.

While lockdown largely continues and the day for returning to your commute, pen pots and watercooler chats is still uncertain, we’ve gathered advice from mental health professionals, psychologists and PRs working in the sector for how to start preparing and be ready for an eventual/potential return to in-office working. Get ready for safely distanced reconnections with colleagues, short fuses, mental rehearsals and emergency chocolate…

1) Start rehearsing your return
‘Take ten minutes every day in a quiet solitude to mentally rehearse positive outcomes imagining how you like to look, sound and feel when back at work. Use this wellbeing exercise to make intense mental pictures going quickly from Monday to Friday in your minds’ eye addressing previous good memories; basically including in your mental picture any memory that infused you with positive emotions. You may want to note these memories down before you start your mental film if that’s easier, and anchor them to your daily self-hypnosis.’

Zana Busby, consumer & business psychologist and director of Retail Reflections

2) Prepare to have a shorter fuse than before…
‘There may be some short-term conflict and toxicity as we all relearn to rub along together. Social distancing may remove personal space issues, but we need time to readjust to team-working, increase motivation and rebuild trust and cooperation within and across teams.

Awareness is important in preparing for the return to the busy office. If you are feeling stressed or anxious about your return, it’s good to share your concerns as you won’t be the only one. You can also set up support groups or ‘conversation cafes’ where you can rant and sound-off in a safe and non-judgemental space. This is a great way of blowing off steam with other people. Rules of confidentiality must apply in these groups so that everyone feels supported and knows that we are all in it together.

We are incredibly resilient, and we’ll slowly come to terms with our new norm – patience, kindness and maybe a quieter and less frenetic workplace!’

Jivan Dempsey, business psychologist and coach

3) Be kind
‘The mental health and psychological impact is worth bearing in mind. Some people will have been ill or are bereaving a member of their family or a friend. The work culture should be inclusive, so that every employee feels they are returning to a supportive and caring environment. Be kind. The power of kindness cannot be overstated.’

Dr Tim Cantopher, consultant psychiatrist at Dr Morton’s

4) Reconnect with your team
‘Where possible and appropriate, make an effort to see one another in person. Just make sure you stick to all the necessary precautions to protect one another! Say hello, share thoughts and experiences, even a cuppa (but not mugs!). Make sure everyone has a clear understanding of any new guidelines that must be adhered to. We are naturally social beings and we don’t cope well with isolation.’

Sandra De Monte, integrative psychotherapist and founder of digital mental health platform MindBerry

5) Keep going with eating and sleeping well
‘Taking good care of our physical and mental fitness is more important than ever. By working towards the best version of ourselves we can be better placed to care for and support our family, friends, community and colleagues. A good sleep routine, a careful set of boundaries between when we work and when we don’t work. Nutrition to be kind to our minds such as blueberries, fatty fish, dark chocolate and broccoli. Regular bite size doses of whatever works for you as an individual to relax such as gardening, reading, yoga and meditation.’

Daryl Woodhouse regularly works with c-suite executives on employee wellbeing, productivity and leadership and is the founder of ABP.

6) Indulge (a little bit) in the things that make you happy
Be aware of all the instinctive strategies you might use to ‘escape’ from the stress you are feeling that you know would actually end up tying you down more e.g. staying on your phone binge-watching Netflix or scrolling on social media late into the night, or speaking to friends or colleagues who will ramp up your anxiety, rather than to people who will offer practical solutions.

Use the little things that make a massive difference to your ability to be resilient e.g. listening to favourite music; getting enough sleep, reading a favourite book, speaking to a trusted friend, helping someone else (this instantly helps us), wearing clothes that make you feel good, choosing healthy favourite food, etc.’

Cat Williams, executive coach, helpingreachpotential.co.uk

7) Make the most of the resources and skills already available to you as a PR
‘For PR employers, now is the time to ensure you have a Wellness Action Plan (WAP). This will help you provide clear guidance to your employees before, during and after their return to the office. MIND has a really useful guide which you can download for free to help you to create your own WAP specific to your organisation. It’s also worth looking at the Global Wellness Institute who regularly post useful research and guidance around wellness. What you do have to remember is that wellbeing is personal to the individual so while some employees may breeze back in happily, others will need closer attention. This is where our role as communication experts comes in. Our priority on reopening is clear communication with our teams without whom, our businesses wouldn’t be possible.’

Tracey Stapleton, MD of wellbeing PR specialists The Spa PR Company

8) Use the opportunity to advocate for improvements
‘Leaders would do well to organise opportunities for the employees in the office to get together to reflect on the pros and cons of the time away from the office, working from home, and how they feel about their return to the office. Staff need to be given a voice and an opportunity to express their thoughts, share their bright ideas and any concerns. Doing this will raise morale and help to create a positive atmosphere during this transition phase. Teams might create a buddy system for colleagues to feel that they can communicate and help one another in their reflections on what has been and the days to come.

‘Clear, concise, compelling and compassionate communication is key in all of this. Leaders need to show the right example and demonstrate that they are accessible and authentically engaged with all employees. Silos need to be broken down, virtual communication opportunities need to be embraced and concerns need to be given real attention.’

Jan P. de Jonge, business psychologist at People Business Psychology Ltd

9) Consider if working from home a little longer might work for you
‘Fear is to be expected, as home working has been comfortable for those who found their cocooned working-from-home-life ideal for them. It may also have provided a sense of much needed safety, while we deal with the ongoing COVID-19 threat.

If home working is something you feel you wish to continue for your wellbeing, both mentally and physically, now is the perfect time to raise this with your employer and see if this is something that could work for you both.’

Jayne Cox, life coach, stress management/trauma consultant and co-founder of Fusion Spaces. Check out her tool kit for calm here.

10) Remember that any anxiety you feel is natural
‘Human beings like order: plans, routines and habits. The crisis has thrown all of that up in the air and created even higher levels of anxiety. We human beings have been arch adapters since cave times, so we will cope.
‘The key is to be okay with your anxiety: it’s normal, we’re supposed to get it; it is telling us to change something. As you go back to the office, make a conscious effort to adapt and develop a new routine and give yourself extra time to commute and settle in.

‘It is worth taking time out once or twice a day to sit with your feelings. Take five minutes out to sit in a chair and just “be”. To begin with, focus on your breathing. Then do a bit of self-reflection and check in with how you feel emotionally and physically. Remind yourself it’s okay to be anxious: it’s your system working normally.

‘In fact, even when you’ve adapted to your new routine, it’s a practice worth keeping up: it takes us out of permanent sprint adrenalin mode and allows our whole system to slow down and rebalance. And that’s all it takes: five minutes.’

Mark Newey, psychotherapist and founder of Headucate, which has self-help resources here.

11) What you learned about yourself while WFH will always be useful
‘As professionals, you will have faced many stressful challenges over the past few weeks, as home-life and work-life merged into one. Sometimes our most stressful experiences can be our greatest teachers. Reflect on what you have learnt during this time and whether there are things you want to take back into the workplace with you. Perhaps you have learnt how to care for yourself better or indeed that you may need to do more self-care. Perhaps you discovered some inner strength and resolve that you weren’t aware you had. Maybe you have learnt something about others that you didn’t know before or you realised how often we take for granted the things that are really important. By re-positioning the situation as a learning experience, we can see things in a more positive way.’

Jill Mead, co-founder and managing director of TalkOut

PRCA

PRCA Global Ethics Council launches

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The PRCA has launched its Global Ethics Council to uphold ethical standards across the public relations and communications industry.

Omnicom international president (and former PRCA chairman and ICCO president) David Gallagher is the inaugural chairman of the PRCA GEC, which is comprised of expert members and respected practitioners including Firefly Communications Group CEO Claire Walker, Golin CEO Matt Neale, Ketchum regional director Latin America Gustavo Averbuj and Fletcher Marketing PR senior strategist Mary Beth West.

The GEC’s remit includes providing advice to associations on their Codes with suggestions for improvement and creating an international forum for the debate of common ethical issues, with the creation of a global annual ethics month, council-member-hosted Twitter chats and the publication of a monthly global ethics newsletter.

Meetings will be held at least twice a year (at the PRCA International Summit and ICCO Summit) with additional regional and remote events expected.

‘The creation of this global body will help us to set and then to raise even higher global standards of ethical behaviour,’ said PRCA director general Francis Ingham of the launch. ‘The seniority of the Council‘s membership is unparalleled, and we are grateful that such an esteemed figure as David Gallagher has agreed to be its Chairman.’

‘As a professional community we have spoken for decades about the need to set and maintain higher ethical standards in communications around the world,’ added chairman David Gallagher. ‘Now the time has come to act.’

Read more about the aims of the Global Ethics Council on the PRCA website.

Harvard: Life After COVID-19

5 stats from Harvard’s Life After COVID-19 report

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To better understand how the changes that have come in the wake of the coronavirus crisis will impact business leaders across the UK in the long term, Harvard comms partnered with research house Coleman Parkes for its study Life After COVID-19: How the crisis changed tech and what to do next.

Here are five quick takeaways from the survey of 450 UK C-suite professionals working across tech, telecoms, manufacturing, health, financial services and professional services…

1) Since the pandemic, 48% of those surveyed admit their perception of tech companies has become more positive
Unsurprisingly, a reliance on technology has become unavoidable for business to continue during the pandemic, with teams moving to home working on digital platforms, video networking and cloud-based projects. As a result, C-suite professionals are looking upon the companies providing these services with a kinder eye – 48% also plan to increase their investment in hardware over the next 12 months and 43% to invest more in software over the same period.

2) 58% said planned digital transformations at their businesses were accelerated by three years or more
With no time for catering to office politics or employer/employee resistance to big change, planned innovations have been implemented faster during the pandemic. 42% of business leaders reported that digital transformations that would typically take years to roll out were made possible in weeks.

3) 40% agreed that their employees’ view of them as an employer would be impacted by their experience of technology
The importance of in-office friendships, work/life balance and perks for employee retention has given way to technological experience; what good is an emotionally supportive team if you can’t keep in touch with them – or your clients – because of connectivity issues? Working from home can only truly be a boon for employee satisfaction if the technology provided for them works – 48% believe employees’ tech experience will impact retention when ‘regular’ business resumes post-lockdown.

4) 47% of businesses expect to increasingly rely on Government
Particularly for those in the financial services sector (58%), businesses anticipate an increased reliance on Government in future. Aims for sustainability and local-over-global focuses have sparked trends for domestic sourcing.

5) Political unrest – not COVID-19 – is the number one environmental concern for businesses over the next few months
While it may feel as though all aspects of work and day-to-day life have narrowed down to coronavirus-related concerns, they aren’t the be-all and end-all for business. Considerations of political unrest (53%), cyber security (53%) and Brexit (50%) will all come before COVID-19 (49%) over the upcoming 12 months for the companies surveyed. The current crisis is a critical issue, but not the only factor to navigate over the next year.

While continuing to challenge, the COVID-19 crisis has forced business leaders to adapt quickly and be flexible with their business models and ways of working. For Coleman Parkes Research director Stephen Saw, the survey shows a positive future for resilient teams working through times that are difficult to plan for:

‘Even the darkest cloud has a silver lining – UK business leaders are utilising technology to adapt and respond to the market disruption caused by COVID-19 with unprecedented speed.

‘This survey has helped us understand how their transformation efforts are paving the way to the ‘new normal’ way of working, for now and, likely, well into the future.’

Read the full ‘Life After COVID-19: How the crisis changed tech and what to do next’ report from Harvard and Coleman Parkes here.