This post was guest-written by Isabella Perkins. Isabella graduated from the University of Westminster with a BA (Hons) degree in Television Production and her professional background has seen her work on shows such as The Pursuit of Love (BBC One), Portrait Artist of the Year (Sky Arts) and Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC One).
Whether you regard Television Production as a “real degree”, or not, you can’t deny the power that the TV industry holds in this day and age. From binge-watching a series on Netflix to enjoying the suspense of waiting for the next episode to be released on Amazon Prime or iPlayer, we are undeniably a nation of TV lovers.
Having worked in several different industries since graduating in 2018, I can personally vouch for the power of transferable skills. In no particular order, here is a list of skills that I believe are particularly useful and applicable to all industries:
Transferable Skills are something that everybody can take advantage of. Whether you’re looking to shift from one industry to another or simply want to learn new skills to strengthen your CV, I hope this article provides you with some inspiration or hope for your future career path.
If you would like to learn more about the broadcast industry, you can read this guest post from Jill Mission (radio broadcast expert).
Tone of voice (or TOV as it’s often referred to in these acronym centric times!) is important for brands and should be reflected across all their marketing copy. But for those that don’t have years of experience writing copy for different businesses, it can be daunting to know where to start. Fear not, help from your favourite copywriting service is here!
What is ‘tone of voice’?
If you think about the different tones of voice you use when talking to various people throughout the day, you are likely to use a different pitch, volume, speed, and perhaps even slightly different language depending on whether you’re at work, home, or out with friends. Even then, you’ll have different qualities that you use in different circumstances.
Depending on your tone, whoever is listening to you will interpret what you’re saying differently. Any managers or indeed parents reading this will know what I’m talking about immediately. A deepening of the voice and the use of more stern language means things are getting serious, while a softer pitch spoken more slowly gives the impression that all is well with the world.
The tone of voice of a brand works in a similar way. The things that you say and the way that you say it will help people to build their perception of you. When done well, your audience not only understands you, but they also want to work with you too.
How to achieve the right tone of voice for your brand
The first thing to say is the sooner you can give your TOV some thought the better as consistency is important. That’s not to say it’s too late if you’ve already been in business for a few years, but the quicker you can decide which tone of voice is right for your brand, the sooner all your audiences will have a clear picture of what you’re about.
Here are some tips to get you started.
Brand personality
When you start thinking about the right tone of voice for your brand, think about your brand’s personality and what you want people to feel when they see your name or your logo. Do you want them to feel comfortable, happy, relaxed, or serious? If you’re a solicitor you might want people to get a more serious professional feel from you, for example, while a marketing agency might want to present themselves as more fun and creative. There’s no right or wrong here, it depends on what type of business you have, the ethos of that business, and how you want to present yourself.
Organise your thoughts
Once you have spent time considering your brand personality and how you want your audience to feel, the next step is to organise these thoughts. It can be useful to list your different groups of audiences first – prospects, different groups of customers, competitors, suppliers, etc. Then write a few descriptive words about how you would like them to describe you in an ideal world. Really try and put yourself in their shoes. What do they want from your type of business, and how can your brand values deliver?
Once you have this list, you can use it to write out your brand’s tone of voice guidelines. If you have an expert marketer or copywriter on board this can be more in-depth, but even if you just come up with a few sentences that accurately represent you, it can be useful to keep all parties on the same TOV track.
Be consistent
Keeping everyone on the same track is important because if you want to give your brand a tone of voice, it needs to be consistent across all your marketing communications. That doesn’t mean you need one writer working on every piece of copy because different people have different areas of expertise, but with guidelines in place, all copy will sound consistent and like it’s from the same business.
So, your business blog should sound like it’s from the same company as your website content, physical brochures, social media, and press coverage. If all elements of your marketing campaigns are aligned, your audiences will learn what to expect from you and you will be easily recognisable.
Next steps for your brand’s tone of voice
Achieving the right tone of voice for your brand is a central piece of your marketing communications jigsaw. It’s the same as making sure all your marketing materials look the same with consistent brand design. If your website looks a bit different to your packaging, which looks a bit different to your social media pages, audiences won’t recognise you easily and may scroll past or walk on by. The same thing applies with the words you use and how you use them.
If you are still feeling daunted by the prospect of establishing and implementing a tone of voice that suits your brand down to the ground, perhaps hiring a freelance copywriter that can take care of all of that for you is the way to go.
Originally posted to www.carnsight.com
The PR and media landscape is always changing, but the past few years have truly seen change like no other. From technology to culture to politics, there are endless factors that mean that the media landscape of today is almost unrecognisable from even just four or five years ago. Often, clients (prospective and otherwise) don’t quite understand these drastic changes. Their expectations can come from an understanding of the media that might not truly reflect reality today. And so I wanted to take the time to unpack some of the biggest shifts I’ve seen in the industry in recent years.
OK, so Covid has a lot to answer for when it comes to these huge changes, of course. I don’t think many industries came out of the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns quite the same as they went into them. Or people for that matter.
One of the biggest changes I’ve seen in the media landscape since 2020 came as a result of the pressure of the pandemic. Or rather, perhaps was accelerated by the pandemic.
Many publications had to shut down or shrink. Publications that once had a number of staff writers, now have small teams and/or work with freelance writers. Not to mention the pressure on journalists to write ‘click-worthy’ articles, and in ample quantities, is stronger than ever before.
Increasingly publications are having to diversify their income. There are pros and cons to this, of course. For one, more and more publications are running awards and round tables and other events which can be fantastic. This however also sometimes means a heavier focus on advertorial or paying for links which has certainly meant that a shift has been needed in the PR industry.
I still can’t bring myself to say X instead of Twitter. At best I’ve resorted to X/Twitter in written format. In 2022 Elon Musk bought Twitter, as I’m sure you’re all too aware. There were swift changes from then, paywalls being a biggy. Open DMs became premium features, and the algorithm was something different entirely. As a consequence, I’ve seen a lot of journalists leave Twitter. Or, at best, use it less.
#JournoRequest is still a great thing to keep an eye on, but it’s become much harder to form relationships with journalists over Twitter since Musk’s changes have come into effect. I’ve found that LinkedIn is becoming more popular for many journalists. And don’t even get me started on the whole Threads adventure. I mean, correct me if I’m wrong, but I certainly don’t know anyone who stuck on it longer than a few months.
I feel like the devoted users of Twitter are still working to find the new right platform for them. I’m certainly still working out how best to interact with the platform moving forward. It will be interesting to see how that pans out over the next few years. I’m curious in particular to see how PRs can use other platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram to connect with journalists and deliver them the content and comments they need.
You’d think we’d all be over that by now, but nope. I still end up speaking while muted on every Zoom/Teams meeting I join, and I’ve sort of reached a level of acceptance that it will always be the case.
Thanks to how quickly online meetings became the norm during Covid, the Zoom meeting very much seems here to stay. I’m having more meetings than ever and they’re almost always online. Online is the default now, in-person being the exception. And again, I think there are pros and cons to this.
Pros: saved travel expenses, accessibility, speed, ease.
Cons: so, so many meetings!
Believe it or not, I actually love a meeting. I like to be able to chat things through. It’s often much easier than going back and forth for hours over email. However, I do think we’re all guilty of having meetings that frankly could have just been a single email.
Not to mention, we’re not meeting up over coffee and cake anymore. And while that’s tragic because I simply love coffee and cake, it’s also meant more of a barrier when it comes to those journalist and client relationships I was talking about before.
I love hybrid working and I will defend it till the cows come home. I love that we can work from anywhere and that I’m not expected to drop everything for a whole day for the sake of an hour meeting in London anymore. But I do miss the face-to-face a bit. I miss being able to have a journalist’s (relatively) undivided attention for a little bit. (Selfish I know!) And of course, that’s not their fault. They’re under so much pressure. They often don’t have time to sit down with lots of different PRs and chat informally. And that’s a real shame, I think.
The term viral is being thrown around a lot these days, don’t you think? And as a consequence, there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding about what viral really means and how exactly you get there. There are ample agencies out there which will tell you the ‘formula’ for going viral…and absolutely there is one. A few even. But the best content on social media (especially platforms like TikTok) absolutely cannot scream forced.
Social media content needs to feel authentic and organic. It’s clear to see that the best PR and influencer campaigns have an air of relatability and approachability to them. The more corporate you make the content, the less likely it’s going to appeal to the people you’re trying to reach.
It’s also worth thinking about if ‘going viral’ is actually what you need. It can be fantastic and provide a real boost, yes. But does virality equal long-term business success? Absolutely not.
It’s been so great to see more diversity in the media. I think there’s been a real shift. And while there’s still a really long way to go, I’m really pleased with the direction things are heading. More and more I’m seeing panels of diverse individuals; men and women from all sorts of backgrounds. People of various sexualities, ethnicities and gender identities. And when I don’t see that, I’m seeing those panels called out more often. I think that’s been a really positive change and I hope it continues.
It’s a personal gripe of mine that headlines are becoming more and more clickbait. But I get it. Completely! They work and in today’s world they’re necessary for journalists to reach wider audiences and make a fair wage for their hard work.
This being said, we’re having to help clients understand that the amount of control they have over the headline is limited. They might not agree with how the headline was handled, or prefer a different choice of phrasing, but as PRs we have to explain that unless there is factually incorrect information in an article or the headline, a journalist is under no obligation to make changes that you request of them.
PR isn’t about controlling every element of the piece. If you want ultimate control, then perhaps consider advertising. When it comes to PR, you have to put a bit of trust in the process.
So, there you have it. Just some of the changes that I’ve seen impact the industry in the past few years in a big way. Ultimately, change is inevitable. It can be exciting, even. The key is ensuring we as PRs know how to pivot with these changes and ensuring we’re securing great coverage no matter the situation.
What changes have you seen in your industry recently? What hopes do you have for the landscape in future?
Originally posted to www.carnsight.com
Everybody talks about attracting and retaining top talent. And of course, it’s more important than ever to do exactly that in today’s tough market. But what does that really mean? And how do you actually do it? Because you’re an amazing company to work for, you know it after all. You work with great clients, have fantastic employee benefits and a great company culture.
Thing is, that won’t go very far if nobody knows about it.
That’s where employer brand comes in.
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the term. Something about it feels a bit forced. But the reality is, employer brand is just about managing and promoting your reputation as an employer. And there’s nothing fake or forced about that if what you say actually aligns with what you offer and do.
Think of your employer brand as how you want potential and current employees to think about you. What words do you want associated with you as a business and as an employer?
But wait a moment. Let’s bring things back to reality. Before you start listing out how you WANT to be perceived, ask your employees how they ACTUALLY perceive you. Because you can go out there talking a big game, but your current employees need to be advocates for that and they’ll soon express their frustration if they feel like the employer brand you’re pushing is disingenuous.
Everyone thinks they know how their current employees feel. But do you, really? Have you given them the space and anonymity to feedback honestly? Have you created the physiological safety they need to feel like they can offer genuine critique? If yes, great! If no, perhaps think about how you can offer those things. I promise it will pay off in the long run.
Assuming you received the feedback form your employees that they do in fact feel that you offer them the things you say you do, you’re now in a great position to bring PR into the equation. PR is how you share your great employer offering with the world.
PR helps to shape the narrative surrounding a company, both internally and externally. By crafting compelling stories that highlight positive workplace culture, employee success stories, and corporate social responsibility initiatives, PR can influence how potential candidates (as well as existing employees) perceive the company.
When it comes to attracting top talent, a positive employer brand is crucial. PR can help showcase a company’s unique selling points, emphasising its commitment to employee development, diversity and inclusion, and a supportive work environment.
As I mentioned, it’s not just about attracting new staff. PR also has a huge role to play when it comes to employee retention and advocacy. Maintaining open communication channels and fostering a positive workplace culture can help keep employees engaged and turn them into brand advocates who share their positive experiences both internally and externally.
Involving your employees in PR efforts also allows them a chance to feel heard and valued. It can really encourage a feeling of pride in a workplace and demonstrate a tangible way in which each employee can make an individual difference to the overall success of the company. More on this in our ‘benefits of PR‘ blog.
PR serves as a powerful instrument by shaping perceptions, attracting top talent, retaining employees, and navigating challenges. As businesses strive to stay ahead in the competitive job market, you can’t just be a great employer, you have to make the effort to tell people about it. To show people, in fact.
Only then can you ensure you’ve got a skilled and dedicated team behind the business, and that the team will continue to grow!
Originally posted to www.carnsight.com
We’ve dedicated a whole blog to proofing your eBook because it really is that important. When it comes to publishing your eBook, you need to proof it, proof it, proof it and proof it again! We can’t stress this enough, especially if you are self-publishing and don’t have the traditional editing process to help with this. Always have someone else look over your eBook. Preferably before, during, and after typesetting. Ideally, ask multiple people to read and proof your book, and do so at multiple stages if possible. If proofing it cover to cover is too much, you can always ask them to just do a chapter or two as every bit helps.
There are many things to consider when proofreading your eBook. Here are three types of proofreading we used and what you might want to consider when approaching each one.
Does your content make sense to someone who doesn’t have the same frame of reference and context that you do? Do the sentences flow – is there a mix of short, medium, and long structures or do you tend to fall into the trap of relying on too many winding sentences and not enough truncated ones? Varying sentence lengths can affect rhythm and can have a surprising effect on comprehension and engagement. If you’re explaining something, are you clear and concise? Are there sections that go on for too long, do you over-explain or under-explain anything? These critiques can often be hard to make yourself, as someone familiar with the topic at hand and having likely written and read over the words many times. Hence, we highly recommend outsourcing this to one or two people who aren’t as familiar with the content to read it with these questions in mind.
This is your standard sort of proofreading where you’re going through the spelling, grammar and punctuation with a fine-tooth comb. Have you used words correctly, are there any errors? While a digital tool can be a great help with this, it’s important not to rely on automated systems like Grammarly and spellcheck because they don’t always get it right. They also don’t always account for nuances of human comprehension, so while the squiggly red and blue lines can be a great starting point, we’d recommend being cautious about blindly accepting automatic corrections. There is a lot to be said for going through your eBook with a human eye more than once, at multiple stages, and from multiple perspectives. It may take time and feel frustrating on the fifth read, but it’s worth it! The last thing you want in a published piece is a typo that undermines the professionalism of your work.
This is usually most important after the first round of typesetting. It includes layout and spacing, indents, font type and size, headings, and links. Confirm that all of these elements appear as they should on the page and that they flow seamlessly for the user. This might take a few rounds of corrections and amendments before the final typesetting is completed and ready for publishing. We also recommend opening the final file in the format with which your user will look at it. For example, if you use Amazon, this will be through the Kindle app or device. You can use Amazon’s Kindle previewer to view the epub correctly.
Powerfully Practical PR is currently available on Amazon. We’ve also shared the four things we think businesses should know before writing an eBook, and an example of how to promote it.
Originally published to www.carnsight.com
You may have noticed that we recently launched our eBook, Powerfully Practical PR.
After a long time in the making, it’s time to share our tips, tricks, and top learnings from the process. So, if you’re considering doing the same yourself or are simply curious, here’s a PR and Communication consultancy’s advice on how to write a Kindle Direct eBook for beginners.
1. Consider the content that you already have
The question “where do I begin?” is one that we’re all likely familiar with. This process can be daunting, and knowing where to start isn’t always obvious. We recommend taking stock of the content that you already have. Where have you already put pen to paper – or more likely, finger to keyboard?
Consider your existing knowledge banks, note down what you’ve already written about (perhaps in the form of blogs, newsletters, detailed emails, external talks and webinars or internal documents such as presentations) and think about how your content might be reworked to contribute to your eBook. You might be surprised at what you’ve already got saved.
2. Nailing the cover art
Embody your brand. Be cohesive. Consider font, colour and styling – how does it work with your logo? Your website graphics? Your social media visuals? Your visual brand is an important aspect of your overall brand cohesion and marketing. It should be recognisable as part of your business, and work to represent it cohesively without trying to do too much on one page. Be strategic with what you create because, on Amazon especially, your cover is a key tool for selling. It’s one of the first, things a potential customer will see and it can communicate a lot in a little time.
So, your cover needs to be effective for its purpose. Ideally, it should be a clear form of visual communication, but the purpose it fills may differ depending on your primary goal – it may need to entice, stir curiosity, convey credibility, or illustrate an idea. Think: what is the style of your content and how can you translate that visually? What is the type of information you’ve shared or what story is being told? Are there important symbols, graphics, or visual cues you should include? Does your audience associate certain things with the content that should be visible on the cover?
It’s also worth having a look at what’s already out there. Is there a theme or a certain set of colours or graphics that are used a lot already for similar eBooks? If you want to stand out amongst the competitors and capture attention, consider what your cover could do differently.
We know we promised answers and have included a lot of questions, but this is to help prompt you to think critically and creatively about your process and point you in the right direction. Grabbing a pen and paper or doing up a quick digital mind map can be a great way to help explore your thoughts here.
3. How to write a synopsis for a non–fiction book
The idea of KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) works well here. Distilling an entire eBook into something short, sweet, and to the point might seem hard at first. Where do you start, what’s the most important thing to include?
It’s a little like your elevator pitch, but in the case of non-fiction, it should be less creative and more to the point. Your readers won’t be standing in a bookshop and they’re unlikely to be browsing on a whim. They’ve likely sought a specific solution or knowledge gap and want to know quickly and succinctly if your book will be able to help them.
So, you need to be clear and concise and explain the value that this eBook provides to the target reader in simple but effective terms. Use a few sentences at most, but if you can keep it to just one or two that’s even better. Many people will quickly scan over big paragraphs of text and your words can easily get passed over. So, use your words wisely!
4. The long game
Remember, this sort of project is typically the kind that involves playing a long game. That is, you’re unlikely to make back what you invested in bringing it to life immediately. Writing and publishing an eBook is a long-term form of passive income.
You put in the effort and resources at the start, and over time the product generates income (and perhaps even leads) as it sits on the digital shelf, meaning that after publication it is incredibly low maintenance.
In saying that, we still recommend putting effort into promoting your eBook after you’ve done the majority of the work. Include a small visual in your email signature, have a page on your website and give a nod to the project in your LinkedIn bio. If you’re doing a speaking engagement, be sure to give a subtle (or not so subtle!) reference to your easy, accessible eBook.
It’s okay to shout about your achievements and be proud (so long as you are tasteful about it, being the general rule we apply) but do be thoughtful about when and how you do so. Your community don’t want to hear about it endlessly or feel constantly sold too, but that’s not to say they won’t want to celebrate and support you.
So, is writing an eBook worth it/a good idea?
We are biased, seeing as we’ve just embarked on this process ourselves. However, both pre- and post-completion, we can confidently say that if you have the scope, the resources, and something worth saying, then YES! Absolutely. Especially if you have a pre-existing knowledge bank to pull from.
If you work with a team, this is a great project for everyone to come together on and pool knowledge. It’s incredibly rewarding when you see the finished product. So, if you’re prepared to put in some overtime to get your product over the finish line, it can become a neat form of passive income and an achievement to be proud of.
Speaking of…our eBook, Practically Powerful PR, is currently available on Amazon. For more on our eBook, and an example of how to promote yours, check our recent blog. Our next blog will also deconstruct the proofing process because there’s more to this than you might first think!
Carnsight Communications, a boutique PR firm based near Bath, is launching its new eBook, ‘Powerfully Practical PR’, on Amazon on February 1. An accessible guide to the art of Public Relations, the book is aimed at helping small businesses take on the key business function of public relations with confidence.
Powerfully Practical PR retails for £5.99 and will be available on Kindle, through the free app on IOS and Android or on the Kindle device.
As a consultancy celebrating its 8th birthday and specialising in SME, agency, and founder-led PR, social media and communications, Carnsight is well placed to help get businesses noticed by the right audience, at the right time, as explained in its guide.
The guide can help businesses with a range of aims, whether they are concerned with business development, generating awareness or leads, or simply bolstering their media presence and profile.
Going back to basics, The Carnsight team take you through everything SMEs need to know to kick-start an effective PR strategy. From what Public Relations is and why you should do it, to content generation and social media management, Powerfully Practical PR has got you covered.
Business owner, Jessica Morgan, brings twenty years of industry experience to the pages of the book. In 2016, Jess made the decision to found her PR consultancy after working with numerous high-profile clients as director of PR agency Pumpkin.
Morgan comments, “Good PR can make a real difference for small businesses, but it’s not always accessible – it can be daunting and sometimes difficult to find the funds to invest in PR support early on. That’s where boutique consultancies like Carnsight and our eBook guide come in. It’s great to be able to share our learned experience and practical advice in a way that can empower businesses to take charge of their own PR. There are no silly questions – just lots of useful, practical advice.”
She adds, “This eBook was a real team effort and the brainchild of Leigh-Ann Hewer, so a big thank you to everyone who helped bring Practically Powerful PR to the market.”
Leigh-Ann Hewer, Senior Account Manager, comments, “Small businesses often wear lots of different hats, and it can be tough to juggle all of them at once. We hope that Powerfully Practical PR will allow people to grow their capabilities and get started with PR on their own terms. It’s a great introduction for those who might not be ready to engage an agency, but are keen to grow their media presence.”
Powerfully Practical PR is currently available for pre-order here on Amazon, and will be officially released on the 1st of February 2024.
Businesses that successfully work with freelancers are reaping the benefits of having expertise in one or more areas on tap, without committing to a full time or even part time salary. But for every success story you hear, you’ll hear how another company has been let down by a freelancer who didn’t deliver. So how do you make sure you build a relationship that works?
Top tip no 1: Find the right fit
The first step to building a long-lasting relationship with a freelance copywriter is finding one that fits with your business. What to look for depends on what is important to you. For example, is it more important that you find the right personality type to work with you, or do you want more experience in the field.
A good copywriter should be able to work with all sorts of teams and personality types and be able to learn new industries or products, but if these things are important to you, it’s worth taking the time up front to find what works for you. It’s not fair on you or the freelancer if you have decided the relationship isn’t going to work before it has even begun.
Top tip no. 2: Bring them into your team
I can’t really stress how important this point is without using lots of capital letters, and I don’t want to start shouting at you, so please hear me when I say, this is one of the most important ways to make a relationship with a freelancer work!
A freelance copywriter can’t do their job without any input from the company they work for. If you want their expertise on tap for the long term, you need to treat them like part of your team. Give them access to the information they need, respond to their queries to help them stay on track, and employ a consultative approach to the work you have hired them to do so that you get the most from their expertise and they get the most from your insider knowledge.
Top tip no.3: Communication
This is a follow-on point from top tip no.2 because a freelance copywriter isn’t going to feel like part of your team if there is no communication between you. This doesn’t have to be time intensive, in fact after a detailed initial briefing, a good copywriter should be able to drive their project through independently. But there will always be questions that pop up, or feedback needed and so it’s important to keep the lines of communication open.
Some things to consider to ensure you achieve good communication are agreeing up front the best way for you to contact each other and clarifying who the main contact within the company will be. It’s bad enough when you work as an employee and internal business politics come into play but working as a freelancer with no day-to-day context, it becomes very difficult when different people are telling you to do different things and you’re not sure who to listen to.
Top tip no.4: Build a long-term relationship
Of course, not all copywriting projects require a freelance copywriter to be on your books for the long term. However, it might be worth making a list of all your copywriting needs to see how much you could delegate on a regular basis to free up more of your time to run the business or manage your busy marketing department, while at the same time building a worthwhile relationship with a copywriter.
If you have a business blog for example, that often gets forgotten when other deadlines hit, this could be handed over to a copywriter to manage, research and write. This would be a great way for an external copywriter to learn your business too.
Or, perhaps you would love to have more feature length articles in relevant trade magazines but you’re never quite sure how to get what you want to say onto the page, or you simply can’t dedicate the time to writing it yourself. If you are looking for a high impact campaign you could pay a copywriter to produce one article a month for you, or if that sounds like too much for you up front, you could commission 6 pieces a year and either pay on a bi-monthly basis or spread the cost in monthly installments. There are lots of options available if you open a dialogue with the right copywriter.
Working with a freelance copywriter
For some businesses working with freelancers is a no-brainer and something they have always done for maximum flexibility and to benefit from a broad range of expertise. For others it’s daunting because it’s the unknown, or they have suffered a bad experience. Hopefully this article will reassure businesses looking to invest in a vast freelance community, whether for copywriting, design, accountancy, or anything else, that there are steps you can take to make sure you get the most out of your freelance support.
Why is it, that when it comes to B2B communications, it seems like all the fun stuff goes out the window, and what’s left is often mind-numbingly boring and lacking in any personality or emotional connection?
But just because our subject matter may not be as glamorous as selling fashion or fragrances, it shouldn’t mean that all the life is automatically sucked out. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Sure, when you think B2B, you might picture a room full of serious suits discussing return on investment (ROI) and cost per acquisition (CPA). But guess what? Those suits are still humans, and humans have emotions. That’s right, even your stoney-faced CFO has a heart somewhere under that spreadsheet.
Traditionally, marketers have had this idea that emotions only matter in the B2C world. After all, it’s easy to see how a heart-warming commercial can make you reach for your wallet and buy your nan her favourite chocolate, or how the ‘cool couple’ in the advert could influence you to indulge your mid-life crisis and buy that new convertible you can’t afford. But when it comes to B2B, the prevailing sentiment is that we’re all about logic, facts and figures. Emotion? No time for that!
Now just for clarity, we’re not advocating some badly-judged attempt at humour when announcing mass redundancies. The tone should always be appropriate for the audience and subject matter. But what we are saying is, don’t be scared to inject a little personality into your communications, connect on a more human, emotional level and you’ll see an improvement in engagement.
So, let’s dive into why emotions matter, how to appeal to different personalities, and why buying stages can turn even the most rational buyer into an emotional rollercoaster.
B2B buyers have hearts too
It’s true that B2B buyers often have different priorities than your average consumer.
They’re focused on solving business problems, increasing efficiency and often, cutting costs. They’re also less likely to make an impulse buy on the spur of the moment. But they’re still people, and people are swayed by emotions, whether they admit it or not.
Even in the most rational B2B decisions, emotions are lurking in the background, pulling the strings. Maybe it’s the fear of making a costly mistake, the excitement of a potential breakthrough, or the trust you feel towards a particular supplier. Emotions play a part in every decision, whether we like it or not.
Appealing to different personalities
Now, here’s where things get interesting. With B2B audiences one approach most definitely does not fit all. Just like in the B2C world, different personalities are at play, and understanding these personalities can help you craft marketing and PR campaigns that hit the bullseye.
The Analytical Thinker: These people are all about data and logic. They want facts, figures and hard evidence to back up your claims. But guess what? Even they have emotions! Appeal to their desire to make the right decisions by showcasing case studies, whitepapers, and testimonials that demonstrate the rational benefits of your product or service and make them feel comfortable that it’s the right decision to work with you.
The Relationship Builder: These are the characters who value trust and long-term partnerships. Building an emotional connection with them can be a game-changer. Showcasing your company’s values, commitment to quality, and the human faces behind the brand can go a long way in winning them over.
The Innovator: Innovators are driven by curiosity and a thirst for the new. They crave excitement and the promise of something ground-breaking. Tap into their emotions by highlighting the innovation and forward-thinking nature of your product or service and make them feel like they’re on the cutting edge.
The Sceptic: Sceptics are the hardest nut to crack. They question everything and trust nothing. But guess what? Their scepticism often comes from a place of fear – fear of making the wrong decision. Address their fears head-on, provide reassurance, and offer guarantees or trials to ease their anxiety.
The Pragmatist: Pragmatists are all about getting the job done efficiently. They want practical solutions and minimal fuss. Appeal to their emotions by showing how your product or service can save them time, money and prevent headaches.
How buying stages make a difference
Now, let’s talk about the buying stage. As your B2B audience moves through the buyer’s journey, their emotions can fluctuate like a heart rate monitor during a horror movie. Here’s how it breaks down:
Awareness Stage: At the beginning, your audience may not even know they have a problem. Here, you can use emotions to raise awareness and make them realise they need a solution. Appeal to their sense of curiosity or concern about the future.
Consideration Stage: As they dig deeper into possible solutions, emotions like hope, excitement, and anxiety come into play. They’re looking for the best fit, and emotions will guide them toward the right choice. Make them feel like you understand their pain points and can provide the perfect remedy.
Decision Stage: Here, emotions like trust, fear, and even relief can dominate. They’re about to make a commitment, and they want to be sure it’s the right one. Use testimonials, case studies, and guarantees to ease their minds and make them feel confident in their decision.
Of course, that information is fairly useless unless you’ve been through the exercise of defining your buyer stages and are tailoring your communication and channels accordingly.
So, why is it crucial to embrace emotions in B2B PR and communications?
Originally posted to www.carnsight.com
We experienced both happy beginnings and bittersweet endings this year. We welcomed Alexandra in April and farewelled Georgia in May. In July, we hosted Ruby for a week as she completed her work experience placement and learnt first-hand about the wide and wonderful world of PR. Our website underwent an exciting redesign spearheaded by Son of Jesse, and we also launched the very first edition of our Carnsight Communicates newsletter on LinkedIn! As the year ends, we’ve just entered double digits, sharing over 20 newsletters with you all. The amazing Jen Allen worked on a fresh brand photoshoot to complement our new digital look, and our What Do You Call This Series was a hit on Instagram, reaching new audiences and sharing our laughter over differences in Cornish, Welsh, and Aussie slang.
In another exciting milestone achievement, we once again secured over 1,000 pieces of coverage for clients in 2023. Together, we made national headlines in publications like The Telegraph, The Guardian, and The Independent. We reached international audiences in Spain, France, Australia, The USA, and beyond. We placed pieces in coveted industry press and trade titles like Campaign and The Drum. We secured appearances for clients on television screens, radio waves, podcasts, magazines, and print and digital publications. ITV, Times Radio and the BBC were among the opportunities secured. We worked across a range of industries, including consumer goods, hospitality, construction, education, technology, property, social care, and B2B/agency.
We had the pleasure of working with some new platforms and partners to deliver educational content and podcasts. Some highlights included:
Earlier this year we took part in Dorothy House Hospice Care’s Women’s Midnight Walk around Bath. In June, our team walked in the memory of loved ones lost and also in support of the amazing people and organisations delivering end-of-life and hospice care. Together, we raised £245 for the cause and had many meaningful conversations with friends, family, and strangers about the life-touching work of palliative care. Thank you to everyone who donated to the cause and all those involved, we are so grateful to have had this opportunity to support and connect with this inspiring community.
Circus Starr is another of the organisations we’re proud to have supported this year. Circus Starr brings the fun and festivities of a family day out to children with additional needs or families in difficult circumstances. This inclusive and inviting initiative has a special impact on each local community it travels to. According to the organisation, for many who are able to attend, the joy of a trip to the circus can encourage creativity, bring people closer, and allow them to grow stronger and more confident. A great way that businesses like us can support this lovely initiative is by donating tickets for those in need. We’ve shared a link here for more information if you’re interested in learning more about what the organisation does or the various ways to support it.
On behalf of our clients and Carnsight community, we ended the year with a donation to the British Red Cross to support people in crisis and humanitarian aid. The British Red Cross aim to get the right aid to the right place as quickly as possible, helping those in need whoever and wherever they are.
We wrote award entries for both ourselves and our clients, earning spots on shortlists and bringing home an AFI win for Wyatt and Sons Fencing. Carnsight was shortlisted for the South West Business Masters’ and Wyatt and Sons earned a place in the running for Business Leader’s Family Business of the Year. We celebrated The Coconut Tree’s Negroni of The Year win from Dine Out Magazine, and saw the Bournemouth restaurant place first in the SME Awards.
“Carnsight have supported us on three award entries to date – including winning ones! We know we have the results but their support is invaluable to present our data in a way which really speaks to the judges and their criteria. With this winning formula we’ll definitely be working together on more in the future.” – Victoria Hockely, Loom Digital
Carnsight treated us to two delightful trips to Lucknam Park to celebrate our hard work and achievements, once earlier in summer and now, just in time for the new year. Taking time to rest, relax and reset was a wonderful treat for us all. Thank you Carnsight!
Our social media manager, Yasmin, breaks down the future of social media in last week’s blog post here, covering the rise of raw content, the need for verification, and the use of platforms as search engines. As for our predictive insights into what may be in store for PR in 2024, here’s a quick recap:
To wrap up our wrap up, we’re finally letting you in on a Carnsight secret (well, sort of). We’ve been working on a project this year, and it’s going live in January! Stay tuned for more on this over the next month – we’re taking a page out of Hansel and Gretel’s book and setting out a few breadcrumbs for you to follow as we get closer to the full reveal.
We’re also bringing back our Spotlight Challenge from 2021 on Instagram, which is a great chance for our local community of small businesses to shine a spotlight on their achievements guilt-free. It will be running from Jan 22nd to the 28th, and we’ll be sharing more details on @carnsightcomms in the coming weeks.
To our clients and our Carnsight community, we want to say thank you. Your support and kindness throughout the year is greatly appreciated. May you all have a fabulous festive season – enjoy yourselves when and where you can, and have the happiest of new years. Happy holidays folks, we’ll see you in 2024.
All our best wishes,
Team Carnsight
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