The specialist automotive PR and marketing communications agency has been based at Leamington Spa’s Althorpe Enterprise Hub for nearly two years but recent account wins means its team is growing along with the need for more space.

“To ensure we deliver the very highest levels of service for our valued clients we’re adding to our team so we need bigger offices to fit us all in,” explains Danny Rughoobeer, managing director, Red Marlin.

“The plan was always to stay in the Leamington area as it’s a great location but also because of the local talent available with appropriate automotive experience. So it made even more sense to remain in the same building as it has everything we need.”

Red Marlin’s new offices have double the space of its previous suite, offering plenty of scope for even further expansion. The main reason for the move is to make space for a new PR administrator to handle the day-to-day administrative responsibilities of the agency.

“Of course, there’s the added bonus that we don’t have to call in a removal firm, plus the change to our stationery is minimal, while our telephone number stays the same. Not only this, we also know that we get on well with our neighbours,” added Rughoobeer.

Preparation is everything when it comes to press interviews. At Warwickshire-based specialist PR agency Red Marlin, we’ve helped dozens of automotive clients prepare for their time in the spotlight so before your next 15 minutes of fame, take a look at our interview tips to help you prepare and make the most of the opportunity.

Before to the interview:

• Research the publication, its audience, the article and the interviewer
• Be clear about your objective
• Have answers prepared both for questions you and wouldn’t like to be asked
• Develop more than one message

During the interview:

• Have a positive attitude – offer solutions
• Have evidence to support your answers
• Be concise
• Don’t say anything you don’t want published – nothing is off the record
• Don’t guess – if you don’t know the answer say so, refer to a colleague or offer to go back with the information

After the interview:

• Avoid asking to see the article before publication as the journalist will feel you’re questioning their integrity
• Tell the journalist if you like what’s been written as they will be more likely to deal with you again
• If you don’t like what’s been written then don’t overreact. Concentrate on ways of ensuring the right message is delivered next time

If you’d like a little more advice before your next moment of fame, then why not give us a call on 01926 333245, email hellow@redmarlin.co.uk or send a Tweet to @RedMarlinUK. We’d be happy to help!

To help, consider this:

Day of the week – according to the research findings,  Tweets get the most attention towards the end of the week and at weekends, so ignore Friday, Saturday and Sunday at your peril!

On the subject of tweeting, UK research also suggests that Twitter is fast becoming the most popular channel for journalists, the one they would prefer to maintain a profile in for professional purposes.

It is also the channel they would prefer to be contacted on, making it the obvious choice for the most successful PR pitches.

Red Marlin has particular expertise in social media and is involved in several successful Twitter campaigns on behalf of its clients.

If your business needs a social media boost, why not give us a call on 01926 333245, email hello@redmarlin.co.uk or send a Tweet to @RedMarlinUK to see how we can help.

So we thought there’s no chickening out and filled our latest blog with some hot-cross puns, although you might think some are really hare today, gone tomorrow.

Indeed, it’s no yolk to say it was a little bit harder than we first thought so it may not be all that it’s cracked up to be. On the bright side we didn’t have to shell out on anything and we were egged-on to do it.

We hope ewe don’t think we’ve put all our eggs in one basket with this blog and we could rabbit on but let’s finish here as we don’t want to make you hopping mad.

However, if you can think of anymore egg-celent puns then come out of your shell, spring into action and let us know.

What’s also guaranteed to get a wide grin is some positive PR, so while others are basking in the sun, why not generate some interest in your business with some news that is ‘hot’ off the press!

Think about what’s newsworthy, something that will generally interest the wider public. Perhaps it’s a new product launch, a business anniversary or milestone, the recruitment of new staff – anything that portrays your company in a positive light.

Turn it around and ask yourself what you finding interesting to read, what makes you want to know more?

To help, Red Marlin has comprised a short list of PR pitfalls for you to avoid:

1. Don’t trash the competition. Instead highlight the positives about yourself.
2. Avoid industry jargon. When in doubt, keep it simple.
3. Avoid sending your press release to more than one reporter in the same office. It smacks of a lack of homework.
4. Resist the temptation to overhype. If it’s not life changing then don’t pretend it is.
5. Is it newsworthy? Journalists will quickly spot an advert dressed up as a news story.

If you need help developing some hot news, then why not give us a call on 01926 333245 or email hello@redmarlin.co.uk

Key attributes needed are drive, enthusiasm and creativity, while skills should include a high attention to detail, excellent PC abilities, social media and online know-how.

Previous public relations and marketing experience, along with a knowledge or interest in the automotive industry, is desirable.

Day-to-day responsibilities will include the distribution of press releases, monitoring of media coverage, research for projects and the production of cuttings reports for clients.

However, the input of new ideas and innovative ways of helping clients, are also key so that Red Marlin continues to provide the very best level of service to its clientele.

In return, the job comes with a competitive salary and is within walking distance of the town centre. Red Marlin also prides itself on its professional approach, where good work is recognised and there is the opportunity to grow alongside the business.

Anyone interested in applying for the role, which will either be full-time or part-time depending on the successful applicant, should
email their CV to danny@redmarlin.co.uk

As experts in digital and social media, Warwickshire-based Red Marlin totally appreciates the speed at which news is digested by switched on consumers. What might be relevant and interesting now, can be totally out-of-date in just a matter of hours.

However, it’s not just on-line where being the hare and not the tortoise is important. Even traditional press releases, although distributed electronically, stand a much better chance of coverage if they are topical and can tie in with what is also going on in the world around them.

For example, Red Marlin has many clients in the automotive sector and the recent, and on-going, record diesel and petrol prices is an area which has provided much ‘fuel for thought’ and opportunities for them to comment on.

There are also events that we know are going to happen and provide opportunities for observation, such as today’s Budget, so be prepared.

Here are a few suggestions as to how to keep up to pace in a fast moving world!

1. If you have an event provide live Twitter feeds as things unfold.
2. Keep up-to-date with the news, whether it’s buying a daily newspaper, taking time to browse the internet, or setting up live feeds to your laptop, mobile or tablet.
3. Know your market. Industry events, often planned well in advance, can provide a goldmine of opportunity to comment and being the first to react will stand you in good stead.

If you need help in taking advantage of such opportunities, then why not gives us a call on 01926 333245 to discuss your needs.

Aimed at providing practical PR advice for local SMEs in and around Warwickshire, the event will be take place at Althorpe Enterprise Hub and be hosted by Danny Rughoobeer, managing director of the specialist automotive communications agency.

Those attending will learn about how PR has evolved to encompass new technologies to communicate, perhaps most importantly through social media. Danny will offer a variety of tips and pointers that he has gleaned in his 15 year career in automotive marketing and communications.

“Successful PR practitioners need to be more versatile and accomplished than ever before. Gone are days of long lunches spent schmoozing journalists, shotgun-style press releases and the simple hope that your PR works,” comments Danny. “By giving some tips and pointers to other local businesses hopefully they can benefit in a practical way from our own experience.”

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!