Is marketing at the heart of your business?

As marketers and PR professionals, we strongly believe that at the heart of any successful business is a clear, concise and well communicated marketing strategy.  This is why when we stumbled across the following on the social networking site LinkedIn, we thought this would fit quite nicely into our blog post for the week, even if it is a day or two late!

Richard Branson has highlighted 5 points to starting a successful business, and we see these 5 points as being as relevant for a successful marketing campaign as they are for a successful business venture, can you see the connection and put the following into practice?

1. Listen more than you talk

Richard Branson

We have two ears and one mouth, using them in proportion is not a bad idea! To be a good leader you have to be a great listener. Brilliant ideas can spring from the most unlikely places, so you should always keep your ears open for some shrewd advice. This can mean following online comments as closely as board meeting notes, or asking the frontline staff for their opinions as often as the CEOs. Get out there, listen to people, draw people out and learn from them.

Box PR

In order for our campaigns to be successful for our clients, we need to listen to them. We need to understand their business strategy, to make the marketing fit and adapt to the forces that are placed on the business even if they are not something the business can control.  Being PR professionals we clearly like to talk lots, so this one is a challenge, but when we put our minds to it we can do it!

2. Keep it simple

Richard Branson

You have to do something radically different to stand out in business. But nobody ever said different has to be complex. There are thousands of simple business solutions to problems out there, just waiting to be solved by the next big thing in business. Maintain a focus upon innovation, but don’t try to reinvent the wheel. A simple change for the better is far more effective than five complicated changes for the worse.

Box PR

Sometimes the simplest campaigns are the most successful.  We are always trying to help are clients stand out from their competition and do something different.  Copying someone else will not provide differentiation, however like RB says you do not have to go the extreme, simple tweak or adjustment on something that has worked successfully for someone else or for you in the past, might provide inspiration.  A little tip is, we sometimes look at what companies in other industries have done, and that is always good for opening new doors.

3. Take pride in your work

Richard Branson

Last week I enjoyed my favourite night of the year, the Virgin Stars of the Year Awards, where we celebrated some of those people who have gone the extra mile for us around the Virgin world. With so many different companies, nationalities and personalities represented under one roof, it was interesting to see what qualities they all have in common. One was pride in their work, and in the company they represent. Remember your staff are your biggest brand advocates, and focusing on helping them take pride will shine through in how they treat your customers.

Box PR

We can say that all we do we take pride in.  The work we do, not only reflects us but also our clients.  We cannot send out work or act in a way that does not reflect positively on all the companies we are associated with.  We work in a small niche industry and the relationships we have built up add value to our business, everything we do is about maintaining and building on those relationships.  Simply put, if we act in haste we will repent at leisure.

4. Have fun, success will follow

Richard Branson

If you aren’t having fun, you are doing it wrong. If you feel like getting up in the morning to work on your business is a chore, then it's time to try something else. If you are having a good time, there is a far greater chance a positive, innovative atmosphere will be nurtured and your business will flourish. A smile and a joke can go a long way, so be quick to see the lighter side of life.

Box PR

At Box PR we have fun.  Everyday is completely different from the day before.  We are constantly working on different projects as well as maintaining the status quo for our clients. We want to finish each day with the satisfaction of knowing we have achieved something positive for our clients and they are happy. We hope you can say that about your work? If our clients are not happy we have to work twice as hard to get them smiling and keeping them happy.

5. Rip it up and start again

Richard Branson

If you are an entrepreneur and your first venture isn’t a success, welcome to the club! Every successful businessperson has experienced a few failures along the way – the important thing is how you learn from them. Don’t allow yourself to get disheartened by a setback or two, instead dust yourself off and work out what went wrong. Then you can find the positives, analyse where you can improve, rip it up and start again.

Box PR

You should see our recycling pile…….! Mind mapping (brain storming) is the name of the game, the process is a long one, and the paper pile is high, but we don’t give up until we have a result.  The various ideas our customers see are only a small percentage of where we started.  One lesson we also learn is being diplomatic, and understanding criticism.  What we think is a good idea, our clients might not, and what our clients think is a good idea, might not sit right with us.  Either way, we work hard to make concepts come to life whilst maintaining good relationships with clients, our team and the media.  It’s a good balancing act, trust us!

To follow Richard Branson on LinkedIn see:  

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20121002115242-204068115-five-top-tips-to-starting-a-successful-business?trk=NUS_UNIU_PEOPLE_FOLLOW-megaphone

Let us know how you get on with applying the above to your business.

Until next time

Box PR team

New Shoes

We all know the rules, it's quite simple, never wear a new pair of shoes straight to work, to an exhibition or on a client visit. No matter how comfortable they are in the shop that comfort will not last the marathon you are about to put them through.

Well both team members of Box PR fell at this hurdle on day 1 of the Monaco Yacht Show, thank goodness for the local pharmacy and opportunities to walk on some lovely silk carpets on board a superyachts to rest the feet.

The simple lesson here is we generally stick to what we know when it comes to comfort and getting the best out of ourselves and exhibitions are no different. Whilst companies attend a show to exhibit their new products, services and innovations, there is always that element of sticking to what you know. Here are a few examples of how familiarity helps:  

Location  
Companies tend to stick to a certain stand number and location so their regular visitors know where to find them.  

Branding
The look and feel of a stand generally remains the same (unless a new branding strategy has been released) so customers can easily spot you. 

Faces
Companies generally have they key employees at the show those who know the customers and do dealings with them.

So onto Monaco Yacht Show 2012

The 22^nd edition of the Monaco Yacht promised to deliver, and it certainly did.  There were vessel launches, product launches, new company launches, concept design launches, the list was endless.  However we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t mention what our clients were up to over the 4 days of the show from the 19^th through to 22^nd September.

Ocean Yacht Systems (OYS)

OYS were in Darse Sud QS17, their familiar base with the stand design concept we worked on for Monaco 2011.  There was new footage showing the projects they have covered over the last 12 months and they also released Ocean 09, their 2012/2013 newsletter.

RMK Marine

RMK Marine were exhibiting on stand QC4, and also on berth N19 was the stunning M/Y Karia.  The award winning Ron Holland design launched at the end of 2011 is up for sale and was at the show to give potential buyers and the journalists an opportunity to see the quality of the build and skill of this Turkish yard.  All who came onboard were amazed by what they saw, in fact one journalist went on to say that is the most beautiful boat they had seen this year.

Additional Clients

In addition to these companies exhibiting we also had meeting with our clients Inserve Yachts and Livewire Connections, who were both their visiting their customers.

For images from around the show, please visit our facebook group here

For now we are planning the Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) with our clients, which is in Amsterdam from the 13th - 15th November 2012.

Bye for now!

The new name in superyacht design

At the Monaco Yacht Show 2012 a bright, bubbly and young talented graduate was announced and formally introduced to the world of superyacht design. Her name which we are certain you will hear again is Maja Vujec.

Maja entered the Akzo Nobel’s Awlgrip Futures Interior Design Challenge which was created in association with Trimline Superyacht Interiors and The Superyacht Group. The competition itself was aimed at young designers from around the globe, to produce an innovative and stylish concept that utilises the new materials being released by Awlgrip.

Maja Vujec’s ‘Pocket Spa’ was born.

Here we ask Maja a few questions about how the concept came about and what her plans are for the future.

How have you found yourself in the world of design and the superyacht industry?

Art and design had interested me from a young age so I went to study architecture figuring it had the best challenges and opportunities. After I finished Architectural University, my partner worked at a Superyacht refit yard also in Croatia and they offered me a position supporting the interior fit-out design team.

How did you first hear about the challenge?

I first heard about the Awlgrip Challenge through a work colleague because at the time I was working on yacht interiors for a 120m refit project and he thought it would be of interest. One of the most interesting aspects was the size restrictions and that proved to be one of the most challenging parts of the competition.

How did the concept first come about?

As mentioned the size limit was the most challenging part. I went through every part of the interior of a yacht and wrote lists of what would fit in each area, I was very close to doing a transforming bar; however I decided on a Pocket Spa. 

Why do you think you won?

Every task as a designer does starts with a detailed brief.  It is how we use our skills and training in order to come up with a concept that will be adopted and be taken seriously.

I simply took that brief and developed the Pocket Spa on the information I was given.  The challenge was about incorporating Awlgrip’s materials in a stylish and innovative way.  I believe I did this and I am delighted the prestigious panel of judges declared the Pocket Spa a winner.

What are your plans for the future?

I would like to continue in the Superyacht world and learn as much as possible not just on interiors but also exteriors and the naval architectural aspects as they have such influence on the overall design. That said my first interest was the form and function of building design so I am still keeping my foot in the architectural world having just completed my first house commission.

The Pocket Spa will be on show at the Global Superyacht Forum in November in Amsterdam. I wonder if we have room for one in the Box PR office?!

Can you imagine the Olympics' coverage without Twitter?

On sunday whilst travelling home from the sailing club, we were hoping to pick up some coverage on the radio of the Olympics, although hoping to follow Ben Anislie’s first race, in reality any sport would’ve done.  Our athletes have trained for years in order to earn their place at the Olympics and yet all the presenters could do was complain about the number of empty seats in the stadiums. So where next did we look in order to find out what was happening on the water in Weymouth and at the Olympic village in London, yep you guessed it Twitter!

What is Twitter
For those who are not familiar with Twitter, here is a brief overview:

• twitter is an online conversation between an twitter user and their followers through the use of tweets.
• a tweet is a short conversation that uses 140 characters that is sent to all of their followers.
• all users have a username starting with @ e.g. @boxpr_ltd

Talking the lingo

• tweet: this is the 140 characters the twitter user has to make a statement
• retweet: this is when one of your followers shares your tweet with their followers, it spreads your message to a wider audience = happy days! If you find something interesting (and relevant) then just click retweet, simples!
• # tag: this highlights a key word or interest that others can search to help find twitter users with a  similar interest.

Twitter was established in 2006, and since then has gone from strength to strength, it had 400,000 tweets posted per quarter in 2007, which grew to 100 million tweets posted per quarter in 2008. In February 2010, Twitter users were sending 50 million tweets per day and by March over 70,000 registered applications. According to Twitter, as of June 2010, about 65 million tweets were posted each day, equalling about 750 tweets sent each second. By March 2011, that was about 140 million tweets posted daily. It will be interesting to see how many tweets are sent during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Lou from Box PR successfully passed her MA in Marketing based around how social media was impacting the marine world, so at Box PR we knew we had to get to grips with what was going on with Twitter, learn the lingo and how it all works.  Even with this in mind, it was still a surprise to see how Twitter is impacting the coverage of the London Olympics 2012. 

London Olympics 2012 and Twitter

There are so many different portals we can follow the Olympics on, whether it be through the TV, online, on a mobile device through apps or the likes of social media including facebook and twitter. The commentators are on Twitter, as is the media, the athletes, the coaches and their families.  For those of us who are working whilst the Olympics are on, we really don’t have to miss a moment of coverage. Find out the latest results,  live updates from events as the action unfolds as well as the the best way to get to an event, when a specific event is on and what channel you can see it live on, listen to the athletes as they prepare for their events and their feelings afterwards. it really is a unquie portal in which you can be part of the Olympics in London 2012 if you are not able to be there in the stadium or by the river banks, or on the Nothe in Weymouth.

If you are not on twitter, now is the time to get involved and see for yourself the true power of this site. Here are a few tips to get you on your way with regards to the Olympics.

Use the hash tag infront of your favourite sport and other key words relating to the Olympics

• #sailing
• #ourgreatestteam
• #teamGB
• #london2012

This will then highlight key users who are using those hash tags who you can follow, you will find the @bbcsportUK, @bbcsport, @mrjakehumphrey, @andyhunt_TeamGB and @clarebalding1

Don’t miss a moment of Olympic action, sign up, get tweeting and show your support to your country (in our case @TeamGB!)!!

Let the medal counting continue

Box PR team

Getting back on track

Ooops, so it’s been nearly 2 months since we last posted on here. Our Marketing Monday’s have gone a little bit off the radar, but fear not, we are back and ready to update you with what we have been up to, where we have been hiding and make sure you are kept up to date with marketing and PR related issues in the future. If we fall out of line again please let us know!

It all started on Friday 18^th May, when we wore our lifejackets to work day as part of the MCA, “Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day,” here is a picture of the Box PR team posing for the camera.

The following week we were busy with a Seawork in Southampton.  Seawork is a commercial marine show and forum based Canary Islands Fruit Terminal in Southampton.  This gave us a chance to see all the hard planning we had put in come together for us and our clients. As a little reminder we ran a blog earlier in the year on the importance of planning, refresh your memory here http://boxpr.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/importance-of-planning.html.

Seawork was 3 days blessed with glorious sunshine, a perfect conditions for both and indoor and outdoor show, in fact thinking about it that is the last time I think we had glorious weather?  We had 4 clients exhibiting at the show;  propeller and stern gear manufacturer Clements Engineering, thrusters and hydraulics designers, Ocean Yacht Systems (OYS), commercial boat builder and repairer Mustang Marine and suppliers of marine gears and transmissions MIT were all exhibiting -  and what a packed 3 days it was!

Following on from Seawork, Louise from Box PR ventured up North to what is new territory for Box PR, the HillHead Show. This is a show based out of a quarry and was in support of our client MIT, who were displaying their gears, power take offs and transmissions.

With Louise in a quarry, Lou was involved in a drill scenario testing procedures in place for crisis management for a new client.  We will follow up more on this in the coming blogs as reactive PR is something that is not always talked about as much, but can in fact is vital in a crisis.

We are now into July and back to the show planning stages this time it is Southampton, Monaco and METS on the agenda, does the show season ever end?!

Until next time! 

Box PR Team

Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day

This coming Friday is “Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day”, an initiative we heard about through our clients Baltic Safety Products, who manufacture lifejackets, and is being headed up by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency MCA).

Although this is a bit of fun, the initiative itself has a far deeper meaning.  It is about saving lives through promoting the benefits of wearing correctly fitted, well maintained lifejacket with sprayhoods and crotch straps.

On 18 May 2012 we would love as many of you as possible, and those who own a lifejacket to take part in an event organised by the American National Safe Boating Council, called ‘Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day’. Along with the MCA, Box PR and Baltic Lifejackets will be joined by colleagues, peers and friends around the world in demonstrating how easy it is to wear a lifejacket – and so we are encouraging all who we know to get behind this event.   Photographs will be posted on the ‘Ready Set Wear It’ Facebook wall www.Facebook.com/ReadySetWearIt (Please send them to us too!).

So it’s quite simple, this coming Friday in addition to your normal attire you wear to work, don your lifejacket with pride and send us a picture! 

Spread the word, and get uploading.

Box PR 

www.facebook.com/boxpr 

Venturing into a new sector in your industry?

In times of recession – sorry to start on a gloomy note but as officially last week, the United Kingdom re-entered a recession this is surely more than a double dip now…..? Anyway we will leave that bit for the Government to battle out; this part is out of our control.  There are things we can do to work ourselves through a recession and come out the other side stronger than ever. We are talking about diversification and entering new sectors of an industry in which an organisation already operates.

At Box PR, we regularly work with clients who are successful in one sector of the marine industry (e.g. superyacht) and want to take their product to a different sector (e.g. commercial) without disrupting their day to day business organisation and with as little disruption and change to their production as possible.  As their PR and Marketing team, we look at what we can do and how we can help them break into a new sector.

We do not pretend to be business consultants, or experts in managing change; however we are a team who are experts in using its contacts, knowledge and expertise of promoting brand and company awareness and work with its clients to reach new audiences. And quite simply here is how:

Let’s go back to basics………at this point we are starting from the point at which you have a successful product/service that has a proven track record in at least one sector of the industry you are looking to target.

You need to make new contacts….right?

• Shows

• Exhibiting at the right shows, walking the floor at shows going round and physically meeting and introducing yourselves to the new sector you are looking to target

• Media

• Journalists are not all bad, honest! They love new material, news products and application stories to write about.  So if you are not in a position to have a PR company, make sure you find out the key magazines and get yourselves in front of them.

Your marketing material……make it targeted.

You may have experience within one sector of the industry, however make sure what you present and give out is applicable to this new sector.

Go back to basics

• Business cards that have all your correct details on
• Folders, inserts, brochures that show all the company offerings, remember you are a new company to this sector they may not have heard of you so want to know you can deliver the good you promise.
• Flyers. We are not talking about a cold calling flyer drop on all stands and in the post/email.  Make it targeted, personally deliver to stands at shows, to the media office or a targeted email with a contact name of who you have spoken to.
• Press Packs.  If you are at a show, make sure the media office knows you are there. Present good quality press packs for journalists to collect at their leisure.
• Website – people will check out your profile online so make sure your website and social media sites reflect the company as a whole not just the one sector you operate in.

Advertising

• Advertising is all very well, but if you are not known in anyway shape or form, then your ad will most likely fail to make any impact.  Get yourself known, build contacts and then look at branding and advertising.  Remember it can take up to 3 hits to be recognised either  – face to face meeting, piece of editorial and an advert.

Entering a new sector of a market should not be taken lightly.  You need to do your research and ensure you have the capabilities within or if necessary recruit to make sure you can target the sector successfully without the risk of damaging your existing market share.

So to summarise, you are entering a new sector to build on your existing database and product portfolio.  Establish your contacts and your media and work with these contacts to re-establish your company, brand and product.

So what sector are you next going to enter into, let us know how successful you are and what you did?

Enjoy the week!

Box PR Team 

www.twitter.com/boxpr_ltd