Small Business Week 2018 in Springfield keeps us on our toes

It’s National Small Business Week and, like most small business owners around the world, no two days are the same. 

So when we got a call from the Governor’s office on Tuesday at midday to ask if we could help pull together a visit to Sangamon Reclaimed – and a roundtable with other small businesses in Springfield, Illinois, for #SmallBusinessWeek at 11am the next day - we jumped into action.

It was a rather whirlwind 24 hours, but a lot of fun. It was a great opportunity too, for Brian Frieze, Sangamon Reclaimed founder and owner, and his team, and other small local businesses such as Serious Lip Balm, Sensible Innovations, and Free Press Coffee to talk about the subject of small businesses - and their importance to the economy – and to gain exposure through local media. This was such a great public relations opportunity for our client and - as expected - everyone also shared out the occasion on social media.  

Here are some of our favorite photos from the day. You can see more on our Facebook page or Instagram.

PechaKucha!

On Thursday evening I took part in Springfield’s 20th volume of PechaKucha 20 x 20. PechaKucha involves a simple presentation format where you show 20 images, each for 20 seconds. 

It was created by two architects in Tokyo in 2003 because architects (according to the organizers) talk too much. The idea is, that if you give someone just 20 slides and 20 seconds to talk about each slide they will be forced to present in a comprehensive, but succinct fashion.

So, I had a go. My topics was, of course, Guernsey. In the US the easiest way to explain Guernsey’s location is ‘a British island, near France’ so that was the title of my presentation. 

Castle Cornet and a cruise Ship

I want to say a massive thank you to Guernsey photographer Chris George who supplied us with high resolution images and to my pal Zoe Ash of Visit Guernsey. I talked about our beautiful island, its rich history and the part it plays in the finance world. 

I’m telling you all this because wouldn't it be something to have a PechaKucha night in Guernsey or Jersey? It’s a great opportunity to promote your business or interests in front of a group of people from all walks of life. At Gem PR & Media we’re always looking for PR opportunities for our clients and we aim to lead by example. So, Guernsey, Jersey let us know if you would like more information about PechaKucha. 

Gemma discussing Guernsey Cows

A day in the life of Gem PR & Media

Part of what we do at the consultancy is write for and on behalf of our clients from columns to Q&As and features to news stories. A feature that often crops up amongst the business media is a version of ‘my 9 to 5’ or ‘all in a day’s work’. So, I thought I’d write my version in this week’s blog. 

What’s the first thing you do when you arrive at work? 

Well, I start work at 5am so the first thing I do is boil the kettle! While I’m waiting I logon to my computer and open my email, Facebook page and time sheets. More often than not I’ve already checked my emails and social media accounts on my cell, before I get to the computer. Once I’ve got my coffee I proceed with my tasks for the day, making my UK clients a priority, before those in the US reach their desks. 

Suit or casual?

Casual until I liaise with a client on Skype or I have a meeting, then it’s smart. 

Clear desk policy or scattered papers?

To be honest, we try to stay paperless, other than printing documents for clients, we stick to our white board, emails, Skype and the good old phone. My desk normally needs a tidy every so often though as I do have a weakness for post-its! 

Coffee or tea?

Always coffee, but I am trying to drink more water (my health industry clients would be proud)! 

Packed lunch, restaurant or gym? 

I tend to skip lunch because I ordinarily have a late breakfast between 9am and 11am

When are you at your most productive? 

I am definitely a morning person; I get the majority of my work done between 5am and 12noon. I try to arrange meetings on a single day or after 10am or 11am when my UK and Channel Islands clients have finished for the day. 

How many emails do you have in your inbox? 

 I don’t tend to file emails so I literally have 1,000s which have accumulated since day one on August 29 2013! 

What’s the last thing you do before you leave the office? 

I never really leave the office as I work from my laptop and phone often. In fact I think it’s important that my clients know they can get hold of me 365 days a year 24/7, I’d want that if I was entrusting my business’ reputation in someone else's hands.

A Trail Not a Trial

We have worked on a range of public relations campaigns since the launch of Gem PR & Media in 2013, but most recently we were involved in a congressional campaign in Illinois, USA. We learnt a lot during this campaign, from conception to completion; we helped create a strategy, messaging and managed media relations, but most importantly we developed a candidate. 

Our job was to guide him through the political maze, which includes the electorate and the media. It was one of the most challenging public relations campaigns we have ever worked on, but also one of the most rewarding. In a congressional campaign where the district covers numerous counties there’s plenty of travel involved, the media is widespread and so are the many meetings, rallies and parades. 

In a political campaign, a key to success is fundraising. Fundraising events are crucial, but also one of our favorite aspects because the support the candidate receives from friends, family, colleagues and proponents encourages them - it reminds them why they are doing this in the first place. 

We had the opportunity to work with intelligent, well-informed and passionate individuals including, people working on the campaign, supporters and journalists. We are excited about Gem PR & Media’s next political adventure. Watch this space.

Select a cause that resonates with the people in your organization

I've often told clients that corporate social responsibility (CSR) should be an important part in their public relations strategy. Giving back to the communities in which they operate portrays a sense of belonging, understanding of the needs of their employees and a willingness to provide support through funding or volunteering. What's important is that your CSR activity, is not only part of your PR strategy, but also aligns with your business objectives. What I mean by that is to choose a charity, organization, school or non-profit that can successfully utilize the skills and expertise of you and your employees. 

These days writing a check simply isn't enough. You need to select a cause that resonates with the people in your organization and one that fits the ethos of your business. We have supported Young People Guernsey and the Youth Commission in their public and media relations in Guernsey by gaining YPG exposure in The Guernsey Press and by providing PR strategy advice to the YC. More recently we’ve joined the Junior Chamber of Commerce, Jaycees, in Springfield, IL, USA. This is an international organization, with community links around the world. The Jaycees also provides the US-based directors of Gem PR & Media the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals in the city. We have volunteered at events in Springfield and Peoria. We also manage the Springfield Jaycees social media accounts; a true specialism of our business with a growing number of clients in the US, UK, Guernsey and Jersey. 

We also  support a number of charities through our international press service. We often approach publications with story ideas, which are focussed on organizations that we feel passionate about. Since launching the consultancy, almost two years ago we have negotiated coverage and written articles for The Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation, The Saumarez Park Playground Appeal and the Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation to name a few. 

Flexibility Through Outsourcing

Today the need for pro-active and strategic specialists is paramount whether in public relations, human resources or information technology, for example.

The biggest advantage to outsourcing certain areas of your business is the ability to flex your resources, dependent on what you need and how pro-active you want to be. You may have an internal HR, PR or IT team for example, but also need additional support to assist at peek times, to cover leave or manage a project from concept to completion. Often, with all three disciplines above, there is also a need for crisis support - whether down to human or technical error, business changes or economic developments.

Katie Bellingham Non-Executive Director Gem PR & Media Ltd. and Director of The Focus Group Ltd.

If you are just starting up then you may need guidance and support to help get you on the right track. Consultancy provides a cost effective approach, by engaging expertise in their field at a critical time, you’ll save money in the long run, and paying only for the support you need, when you need it. This is true for a number of outsourcing services. If you have policies, plans and procedures in place from the start, you will have a better idea of where you are now and where you want to go in the future. Not only will you be better prepared for the expansion of your business, you will also be better placed to avoid any mishaps that could serve to compromise all your hard work.

In our role as HR consultants we provide our clients with the chance to pro-actively manage employee relations. We often find that in small businesses, where there aren’t individual departments for IT, HR or PR, rely on the managing director, the financial director, or the office manager to pick up the critical business matters in addition to their day job. However, if you truly want to be cost effective and grow your business, it’s best to seek the help of experts as managing a hazardous HR issue, updating technology, and media relations can all lead to problems for your business if not handled correctly.

If you are uncertain about outsourcing, but know you do not have the staff or knowledge to do all of your HR or PR in-house, you could start by considering outsourcing certain parts. Whatever you decide is the right thing for you and your business; it won’t harm to consult an experienced practitioner about the best course of action. 

-Katie Bellingham is the Non-executive Director of Gem PR & Media Limited, Guernsey. She is also the co-founder and co-director of HR and business consultancy, The Focus Group. Katie excels at problem solving, within small businesses, independent organizations and large corporations. Her key skill is in business sustainability; advising on marketing strategies, employee incentive plans, resourcing needs and finance. Visit focushrs.com for Katie’s full bio.