Download - BIDS Communication Workshop

©Liddell Thomson / Graven Images November 2011

BIDS CPD - Communication Workshop 23 November 2011

Learning about your place


Learn to explore your place…

• Adopting a learning process enables everyone (agencies, residents, businesses and visitors) to ask and answer key questions that will help you to market your place

- why do I live here?- why do I work here?- why did I locate my business here?- why do I invest in this place?- why do I visit this place?


Find ways to engage people / tell stories…

• Spin the bottle• When it stops the person it is facing must briefly answer 3 key

questions:- where do you live?- describe your neighbourhood?- does it feel like home? why / why not?

• Spin the bottle as many times as possible in 5 minutes


Selling your place

• What’s the best thing about your place?• What is it known for?• What are the people like?• Tell us an interesting / little known fact about your place?• What does your place contribute at a national level?


Using the process to create a strong brand

• By telling stories people will:- better understand what their place has to offer - be better equipped to organise its assets - build understanding about the dynamics of their place and how to use its economic capability, capacity and capital- be able to offer ideas, generate activity- identify local champions- be able to link the past with the future- galvanise communities, groups and individuals


If we don’t understand our place…

• …we will be unable to:- see what’s good about it – or what could be better- tell meaningful stories about it to others- plan strategically- sell or market it- attract business or investment- persuade people they have a future in it


People power plus!

• Locate your place – make sure people can find you / local authorities don’t “own” places / wayfinding signage

• Identify your place – rediscover its roots / memory is generational – the past obscures the present and the present can obscure the past

• Organise your place – how will I know when I get there? Manage information and expectations – use different channels for different audiences – invest in entrances / thresholds / place and interpretative signage / maps and trails

• “Own” your place – plan strategically and implement your plans / ensure expectation meets reality / generate and support networks with targeted information / create a positive welcome


Stoke-on-TrentThe city of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and the surrounding area, are home to some of the world’s leading luxury brands and successful creative industries.Recognised as the world capital of the ceramics industry, its design capabilities, attractive development opportunities, central location and commitment to sustainability make the area an astute choice for leading-edge businesses.Its population of 500,000 people enjoy access to two highly-rated universities and an abundance of outdoor space. The area includes; Stoke-on-Trent, one of the UK’s greenest cities; thriving market towns such as Newcastle-under-Lyme and Leek; beautiful villages; the historic Trent & Mersey Canal; spectacular gardens and the dramatic Staffordshire Peak District.


Hitting the headlines


21st Century communicationAll this….• AGMs / meetings / briefings• annual reports – printed• advertising – print and

broadcast media• newsletters / leaflets• letters / fax / direct mail• lobbying – face-to-face• public meetings• presentations / exhibitions /

road shows• video / DVD• print / broadcast media• terrestrial TV / film• petitions / campaigns

…plus!!!• internet / intranet• customer / consumer polling• mobile phones / iPhones /

Blackberry etc• text / sms• print / broadcast + on-line

media• Skype / video conferencing• citizen reporters / blogs• Twitter• YouTube• facebook /Linked-in• satellite TV• Wikipedia…


http://www.facebook.com/

http://www.myspace.com/

http://www.bebo.com/

http://www.gumtree.com/

http://www.livejournal.com/

http://blogsearch.google.com/

http://www.yahoo.com/

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/welcomeback/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_O4UlTpm3k

http://www.surveymonkey.com/

http://boards.fool.co.uk/Messages.asp?bid=50574

https://www.linkedin.com/

http://www.vimeo.com/

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/


73% of UK households have internet access (19.2m households)30.1m adults in the UK access the internet most daysthere are over 500 million members on Facebookthere are 190 million users on Twitterall the major political parties have Twitter accountsyou can search trending topics on Twitter to see what customers think about your products, brand and customer service

Did you know?





What makes a story succeed?

• Subject• Content• Timing• Meeting needs• Follow-up / Briefing


Why contact the press / media?

• New product / service / launch / opening / event / appointment• Raise profile• Good news / bad news• Should it be a press release?• Briefings• Picture stories


Who do you want to reach?

• News desks• Business desks• Broadcast media• Online media• Trade press• Customers• Suppliers• Staff


Writing your story • Style• Vocabulary• Balance• Headline• Who? What? When? Where?

Why?• Intro• Good picture

• Quotes• Length• Bulletpoints• Formatting• Notes to editors• Contact details• Attachments


Getting it right

• Email / Twitter / Facebook• PDF v Word v body copy• Timing• Topicality• Embargoes• Follow-up


Michael Hirschorn, The Web 2.0 Bubble, The Atlantic Monthly, April 2007

“In the Web hype-o-sphere, things matter hugely until very suddenly, they don’t matter at all.”

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200704/social-networking


http://www.myspace.com/

http://www.gumtree.com/

http://www.livejournal.com/

http://blogsearch.google.com/

http://www.yahoo.com/

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/welcomeback/


http://boards.fool.co.uk/Messages.asp?bid=50574


http://www.vimeo.com/

http://www.surveymonkey.com/

http://www.bebo.com/


Contact