And it’s thanks to this unique mix that Red Marlin has achieved some very notable successes for its clients.

Understanding how the media works, building key contacts and delivering newsworthy, well-constructed articles to gain the maximum exposure is what we’re good at. Just recently we helped one of our clients achieve prime time national television exposure in the UK and only last weekend we generated coverage for one client across three continents

However, let’s go back to basics. For many clients, their PR goal is to be seen and heard in a positive light, whether it’s to increase sales, generate leads or further a good cause. However, from a journalists view-point they need stories that are of interest to their readers and not just a blatant sales plug.

Red Marlin can help by marrying the two.

For an article to achieve the most coverage it needs to tick a number of boxes, but most importantly it must be newsworthy, or at least have a hook which will grab the attention and make the editor read more.

While there’s no substitute for well planned activity carried out by knowledgeable professionals, if you’re conducting your own PR activities, we’ve compiled a brief checklist to help you make the most of your efforts.

1. An attention grabbing headline can make all the difference. Journalists typically receive hundreds of press releases and pitches every day so you need your piece of news to stand out from the crowd.
2. Likewise, the introduction is vitally important as it needs to encapsulate the essence of the story. Try to include 5 key elements in the opening sentence – who, when, what, where & why.
3. Editors are most likely to crop your release from the bottom up so make sure all of your important items are contained early on.
4. With high work volumes, editors don’t have hours to rewrite what’s been sent to them. Well written, precise and accurate copy is what they want, so give it to them, and if you can’t enlist the help of someone who can.
5. A picture speaks a thousand words but editors don’t want their inbox filled with your images. By all means include a low-resolution thumbnail in your press release but make sure your contact details are clear so they can contact you for a high-resolution copy of the image. Alternatively, provide a link to an online press room where they can download the full image.

Clearly, these tips only scratch the surface of what you should be considering when developing press materials. To find out more or to discuss how your media relations could be more effective, why not give us a call on 01926 333245.

While not all may agree with his decision to go, there’s plenty to learn from him (and much to be missed!). Here’s five of them:

1. Timing – his decision to go also happened on the day when the news coverage had, until then, been all about Harry Redknapp. While his reasons were for leaving were for something else entirely, it must have helped that this was focussing the eyes of the football world at the same time. While it didn’t ‘relegate’ him from that day’s news, it did confuse matters. His timing was also great as it showed him as a master of his own destiny, not allowing things to fester with the FA and possibly turning the public against him.
2. Relationships – building a strong relationship with the media has helped Fabio greatly. His comments via an Italian broadcaster just before his departure showed he had an understanding of how the media works and that he was in control of the agenda.
3. You don’t have to win to win – Fabio will now be remembered for leaving for reasons of principle rather than footballing matters. While his record as England manager was respectable, apart from last year’s World Cup performance!, that will now be forgotten. He’s taken the moral high ground and earned respect from various quarters, some of which he might not have enjoyed before. Equally the FA appear to have emerged from this positively, proving there can be win-win situations, or at least a score draw.
4. Understand your market – Fabio hardly spoke a word of English when he was first unveiled as England manager. While it was obviously necessary for him to do so, the speed and willingness at which he did it was a real lesson in market understanding, quickly getting cynical England fans on board and making it easier for him to communicate his message with the media.
5. Preparation is key – while some may argue his England side was not always fully prepared, his PR approach always was. From quickly getting the backing of England fans, to leaving the position on a matter of principle, there’s much to be learnt from an Italian master.

Clearly the fallout from this episode is yet to be felt but is does demonstrate the importance of managing your reputation at all times. If your business needs help managing its reputation then why not give us a call. You won’t be scoring an own goal!

“Viezu are passionate about cars and delivering excellence for their customers, so for us, it’s a perfect match,” explains Danny Rughoobeer, managing director, Red Marlin. “Many motorists don’t understand or are misinformed about the considerable benefits of engine retuning so we’re really excited about helping Viezu overcome this challenge and help grow their business further.”

The account win is the second in a matter of weeks for Leamington-based Red Marlin, having also recently been selected by Silverstone Auctions, to manage their PR activities. The company is steadily gaining an enviable reputation for delivering effective, high profile PR campaigns for its automotive customers, having recently secured a major feature on BBC TV’s The One Show for one of its road safety clients.

Danny added: “Thanks to a combination of excellent contacts coupled with an expertise in our subject matter, we are delivering even more campaigns in an appropriate and successful manner, whether it be in print, broadcast or digital media. This all means that Red Marlin is looking forward to a very exciting year ahead.”

Services provided by the Leamington Spa agency include web content, newsletter compilation and production (digital and print), features, articles and press releases, as well as event and conference organisation. Other areas of expertise comprise social media and SEO enhancement.

However, it’s important, particularly with the tough economic climate, to ensure that your efforts are sustained throughout the year and not just a fleeting New Year resolution. So here are some quick tips to help you thrive in 2012.

1. Communicate better – If you’ve something to say then shout it from the rooftops. When there’s so much doom and gloom, positive news is welcomed by the media and it will enhance your reputation with existing and prospective customers. What’s more, it will also give your own employees an important morale boost
2. Shop around – With money tight, budgets are under scrutiny more than ever, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting the best value for money. However, when reviewing important strategic investments such as your PR agency, make sure you focus on your return on investment or the agency’s contribution to your overall strategy rather than just cost alone otherwise such short-sighted focus could prove to be a costly mistake.
3. Get switched on – If you’re not online or harnessing areas such as social media, then you could be missing out on valuable business opportunities. What’s more, 2012 is likely to see a continued growth of online transactions and interactions. Whether you provide goods, services or simply trade in ideas, then your online presence is critical to not only your reputation, but also your bottom-line success. With extensive experience SEO enhancement and reputation management, Red Marlin can provide expert advice in this area.
4. Forward thinking – Those best placed to do well are those innovating, not reacting. Remain focused your long term objectives while keeping an eye on the day to day.
5. Enjoy yourself – We’re all passionate about our work, but remember to keep a sensible perspective on matters and above all, enjoy yourself. Remember that apart from rarely producing the best or most creative results, working yourself into the ground is a quick way to an early grave.

Created in early 2011, Silverstone Auctions has already made a significant impact on the classic car auction scene. Its most recent sale included exquisite cars such as a Le Mans Class winning Morgan which sold for £125,000 and a rare AC428 coupe which fetched £136,400. However, with the help of Red Marlin, the company is looking to drive further forward with a bumper year in 2012.

“As one of the newest classic car auction houses in the UK, it’s important for us to get ourselves known among buyers and sellers alike,” explains Nick Whale, managing director, Silverstone Auctions. “Like us, the team at Red Marlin have great passion and enthusiasm for everything automotive related along with some excellent experience and contacts, so I’m confident that the partnership will be very fruitful. What’s more, choosing a local Leamington agency makes it much easier for us to work closely together.”

While Silverstone Auctions holds the exclusive rights to hold sales in Silverstone circuit’s new £27 million ‘Wing’ building, the company’s administrative offices are located at the heart of the Midland’s motor industry at Gaydon.

“We’re delighted to have been selected to work on such a prestigious and high-profile account as Silverstone Auctions,” comments Danny Rughoobeer, managing director, Red Marlin. “Some of the cars being brought to auction by Nick’s team are potential headline grabbers on a global scale, so it’s fantastic news that a Leamington-based agency can play a major part in this.”

Red Marlin was established in 2009 and is located in Leamington’s Althorpe Enterprise Hub. Its team have extensive experience working for car manufacturers and dealers, international motorsport teams, automotive component suppliers and car servicing businesses. As well as managing the PR activities of Silverstone Auctions it also looks after several other automotive-based businesses including TyreSafe, the UK’s tyre industry’s awareness organisation, who recently featured on BBC TV’s The One Show.

Silverstone Auctions next sale will be held at the Race Retro show at Stoneleigh Park on Saturday 25^th February.

Chris Box will work alongside managing director Danny Rughoobeer on some of Red Marlin’s key accounts.  He brings with him ten years’ experience in journalism and public relations, many of them in the automotive sector with some the world’s most famous car manufacturers.

“I’m very excited to be joining Red Marlin which has established itself as a forward-thinking communications agency, committed to delivering excellent results for its clients. With a focus on automotive markets, I am looking forward to helping our customers raise their profiles as well as expanding Red Marlin’s portfolio,” said Chris.

Red Marlin was established in 2009 and is located in Leamington Spa’s Althorpe Enterprise Hub. Its team has extensive experience working for car manufacturers and dealers, international motorsport teams, automotive component suppliers and car servicing businesses. The company provides a range of high-quality marketing and PR services to businesses including strategic communications consultancy, social media, press releases and media relations.

In recent months not only Red Marlin’s clients have benefitted from coverage in a number of national newspapers, magazines and online publications, but they also appeared in a major feature on BBC TV’s The One Show.

Danny Rughoobeer added: “It’s great news to welcome Chris to Red Marlin. He has a wealth of relevant experience, great enthusiasm and strong communication skills which will prove to be a real asset for our clients. What’s more, our expansion is also good news for Leamington and proves that despite the wider economic challenges, with the right approach businesses can still thrive and expand.”

A structured, well-planned and forward-thinking PR strategy can help to keep you in the news and create interest in your business when competitors are still finishing off the turkey left-overs.

Ensure you start 2012 with a bang by taking time to plan and implement a programme that can start either before the Christmas holidays or can be actioned with the minimum of hassle in the New Year.

One thing is certain, online browsing will remain busy during the holidays, whether people are at work or home. Indeed, it may even reach a peak as people try out their new shiny tablets and laptops left by Santa and his helpers.

With our social media and SEO enhancement expertise, Red Marlin can help you take advantage of the opportunities that the web offers.

We can enhance your on-line presence by writing relevant, timely and stimulating articles, all helping to start conversations, provoke reactions and keep your business front of mind.

However, it’s important not to forget other forms of media coverage as well. Whether it’s in print, on the radio or TV, traditional coverage still has great weight and the holiday period is often a slow news time when publications are crying out for stories to fill their pages.

With significant experience in delivering timely, interesting and newsworthy content for its clients, resulting in high levels of media exposure, Red Marlin could be the answer to some of your festive challenges. If you’d like us to help you take the strain this year so
that you can relax and enjoy some festive spirits, why not give us a call on 01926 333245.

It’s true that seeing your name (personal or company) in the media spotlight can provide an immediate pay back and a lovely ego massage, but what’s the end result when the buzz and excitement has subsided? Possibly an expensive cheque with little to show for it other than a few press cuttings and no contribution to your overall business plan.

Clear thinking is often clouded in the rush for results.

The goal for many companies embarking on a PR campaign is to raise awareness about a new brand, product or service, increase sales or help to change perceptions in the mind of your target customers.

Quite rightly, metrics play an important role, if only for providing hard data as to who’s seen what, where, how many times etc. But effective measurement should be deeper than this. Simple AVE calculations or circulation figures do little to measure the positive or negative impact of press coverage, nor do they measure contribution to your wider business plan.

When planning any campaign or activity, don’t forget to consider some metrics which take account of these important wider strategic issues. Think about how you can measure the campaign’s contribution to new markets or sectors, what doors have
been opened or what relationships have been strengthened.

It may take a little more time to create a metric or measurement tool for these indicators, but by doing so, you will be much better equipped to evaluate the real contribution of your campaign.

With our wider strategic approach, Red Marlin has an enviable reputation in delivering real business benefits for its clients. At the start, we discuss and fully understand their wider aims and agree campaign goals and objectives in line with these. Without this, who’s to say if it’s been a success or not?

But remember, that a softly, softly approach can be just effective as a big bang. Both have their parts to play, but not at the expense of the other. To learn more about how Red Marlin can give your PR and marketing a more strategic and measurable approach, call us on 01926 333245.

The show is BBC One’s flagship magazine programme, broadcasting to an audience of around 5 million viewers every week day evening, providing significant prime-time exposure for those featured.

“We’re delighted to have achieved such a fantastic positive piece of coverage for one of our valued clients,” comments Danny Rughoobeer, managing director, Red Marlin. “Not only will the broadcast give our client’s campaign a significant boost but it is also an excellent demonstration of our capability and creativity. Bearing in mind the objectives we set at the start of this campaign, we couldn’t have hoped for a better result.”

To help deliver the feature, Red Marlin worked closely with The One Show’s production team in Manchester, sourcing suitable filming locations, providing extensive expertise, advice and input into the feature’s creative development.

If your business could benefit from similar high-profile exposure, call Red Marlin on 01926 333245 to discuss your needs.

The campaign is being supported by hundreds of automotive businesses around the UK, who are all joining forces to educate drivers and improve their car-care habits in order to improve their safety on the road.

“It’s fantastic to be involved in such a meaningful project,” explains Danny Rughoobeer, managing director, Red Marlin. “It’s quite a responsibility to not only make sure we deliver high levels of exposure for our client, but also that drivers engage with the campaign so that we actually make a difference and improve standards on our roads. However, with our extensive automotive experience and some headline-grabbing initiatives, I’m sure the campaign will be a great success.”

To achieve high levels of awareness and participation, Red Marlin has helped to deliver a fully-integrated campaign, embracing online, broadcast and print media. It has utilised its network of industry, government and media contacts to develop a range of high-impact news stories, features and case studies that will generate considerable awareness, helping its client achieve their strategic objectives.

“We pride ourselves on delivering fresh, innovative and relevant work for clients and this campaign is no exception. We’ve embraced many online and social media tools as well as traditional print and broadcast media to deliver a fully-integrated approach. I look forward to seeing the fruits of our labour and will also take enormous satisfaction knowing that now only have we delivered some great work, but we’ve also helped to save lives,” concludes Rughoobeer.