Three classic pitfalls of PR writing – and how to avoid them

Good PR writing requires a unique set of skills and is one of the most challenging bits of the job. Improve your content writing skills with these tips.

The 20 percent of life hacks that do 80 percent of the work

There's no end to the range of life hacks that you'll see being recommended online. You only need a small number of critical changes to make a big impact.

Seven rules for holding good meetings

Meetings can feel like a waste of time, soaking up hours and getting in the way of work. It doesn't have to be that way, writes Amy Gallo.

Time either flies or it crawls. Here's why

Do the first couple of hours of the day fly by? Different people can judge an extended period of time as lasting anything from a third to nearly triple its duration.

Is it ever a good idea to pitch by phone instead of email?

With email and social media beginning to take over as the preferred channels for contacting media, the telephone pitch is rapidly falling out of fashion. But pitching on the phone has some unique benefits, says Ann Wright.

Here's why perfectionism stops you from doing great work

To do great work you have to admit to your faults and vulnerabilities, argues Brené Brown, the author of Daring Greatly.

Working less might make you more productive

Do you question today's always-on, workaholic culture and what it's doing to our health and our productivity? Try working less to deliver more.

Getting inbound enquiries is like watching paint dry

Many people think PR consultants have journalists they can call on to place clients’ content, regardless of its quality. If only it were that simple. Good media relationships need time - just like a paint job.

Back to work: How to keep the holiday feeling at work and perform better

By now, most people are back at their desks after their holidays, and there’s that unmistakable cloud of gloom hanging in the air – but you don’t have to get caught under it. Keep the holiday feeling by continuing the habits you formed while you were away.

Why there's more to creative than metrics

There's an ever greater pressure to assign metrics to creative work, across marketing, media and advertising – but by driving out the element of human emotion it misses the point.

Deal with these issues to make remote working productive

Being able to connect with colleagues through instant messaging and collaborate on documents in the cloud has made remote working an option for more of us than ever, but we need to plan around the downsides to make it productive.

Why I love training - Guy Clapperton

The reason I became a part-time trainer, as well as a journalist in 2002, was very straightforward. I’d just had a bank statement and was therefore about to reach for the brandy and revolver (but realised I didn’t have either and couldn’t afford them). The phone went; it was Microsoft’s PR people, asking whether I offered media training
What's the worst four-letter word?

The worst four-letter word of all? It's 'v***'

When I’m reviewing a copywriter’s work, there’s often a particular word that leaps out at me as the most offensive expletive on the whole page: ‘very’. Expletives include more than swear words. They’re defined as words that add…

Neuroscience for learning - don't believe the neuro-hype

There’s a vast amount of information available right now about neuroscience in the world of learning and training. As trainers, coaches and development specialists, we’re all excited by how it might apply to us, but differentiating the ‘neuromyths’ and ‘neuro-hype’ from valuable information can be hard.

If a journalist rejects your pitch - is it worth another go?

Did you get a big fat no from a journalist when you pitched a story? If so, don't take it personally. It may not be a 'hard no'.
Writing resolutions

Don't just resolve this January, plan to achieve

What did you resolve to do at work this year? Something drastic like change careers? Or look for a new job?

Being a charity trustee - meaningful voluntary work that pays back

If you haven't volunteered because you don’t like the idea of stuffing envelopes or rattling collection boxes - you've got the wrong idea. Charitable organisations have sophisticated business needs with limited budgets to meet them.

The ten-minute persona-creator

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Creating audience/reader personas can take months, but we've got a tool (from our content marketing courses) that will help you make them in minutes.
SOSTAC Planning System

SOSTAC - a PR planning system

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SOSTAC is a simple and brilliant marketing plan structure that is easily adapted for PR.

Are you managing total Muppets?

If you think you're managing an "absolute Muppet", don't think you can't do anything about it.