11 Dec 2009

Festive greetings to you all!

Christmas isn’t far away now and I hope you’re all planning a bit of time off.

I just wanted to send you a little light reading for over the holidays!

First of all, thank you for your continued support throughout 2009. I know it has been a difficult year for many and your support is appreciated.

What have I been up to?

As well as keeping my nose to the grindstone, I’ve had the pleasure of becoming more involved with universities across the North for various reasons- as a mentor, consultant and also as a speaker.

I was invited to speak as an advisor at a major careers event at the University of Leeds in November and found myself rubbing shoulders with some of the top people from the media, marketing and communications sectors as well as meeting some hugely enthusiastic students. Not only was it a chance to share my experiences in the world of journalism and PR with the students, but I also got a chance to nip into the student bar and, as a former Leeds Uni student, it took me back but I did feel old!

In addition, I have been asked to be the PR and Media representative on a new Steering Group being established by Redcar and Cleveland Council to encourage and support more creative industries in the area. There are some top names involved from major organisation so I am very excited about working with the team in 2010.

Oh and if you’re stuck for something to do on Wednesday 30th December, I will be returning to my old haunt, BBC Tees, as a guest on their Breakfast Show. I must be a glutton for punishment at Christmas!

Services available from Anna Addison Associates

All of you are well aware that my core service is to provide PR and media support for you and your businesses.

However, some of you may not be aware that I also offer copywriting and proof-reading services- whether it’s for websites, brochures, corporate material, presentations, award entries- any type of marketing material- I can help. As a former journalist, I am sure you won’t be disappointed with the results and this has become an increasingly popular service throughout 2009.

If you’d like more information, please contact me.

News from my clients….

Moran Beverage Services – do you enjoy a good cup of coffee? Chances are, if you have ever supped a cup at a restaurant or café in the North East it will have been provided by Moran Beverage Services. They’re one of the UK’s largest suppliers of exclusively-blended coffee, from an Italian coffee bean roasting house, and are about to launch a new blend that they have spent many years perfecting. Watch this space! http://www.morbev.co.uk/

Howards – it is with huge pleasure that I can announce that Stokesley’s finest eatery is getting the recognition that it deserves. Howards has become one of the only restaurants in the region to have been included in one of the UK’s most important and influential guides. The Harden’s Restaurant Guide is published annually and features big names such as London restaurants The Wolseley, The Ivy and J Sheekey as well as well-known chains such as Pizza Express and Loch Fyne and famous chefs such as Heston Blumenthal, Jamie Oliver and Rick Stein. Howards is the only Tees Valley restaurant to be recommended by Harden’s, whose mission statement is to ‘tell it like it is’. It says, “Already busy, this recently-established bistro pleases all reporters with its superb mix of dishes; for nice days, there’s a sun trap terrace too.” Well done to the team at Howards http://www.howards-eatery.co.uk

Chadwicks Inn Maltby- staying with food and drink, and Chadwicks Inn Maltby has enjoyed huge success since Gary Gill and his wife, Helen, teamed up with well known chef, Dave Brownless, to open in August. They’ve just launched their snazzy new website and have some tasty menus for Christmas and New Year. http://www.chadwicksinnmaltby.co.uk

MC Ware- still got some Christmas shopping to do? How about doing it online? It’s what so many of us do these days as it’s often cheaper and quicker than braving the crowds. But be careful- there are fraudsters out there. Here are MC Ware’s tips for staying safe online: -

1 - Most importantly keep your anti virus software up to date as often viruses or malware (spyware) are embedded into common shopping sites.  If you have an up to date version of NOD32, available from www.mcware.co.uk, this will prevent infection and data loss.
 
2 - Have a credit card that is only for internet shopping and keep the credit limit relatively low to minimise your exposure to online theft.
 
3 - If you e-mail the site with a question, beware of tardy or badly-worded responses as this is often a hint of what’s to come. Expect poor service from a company such as this.
 
4 - If the price is too good to be true, it probably is.  Online thieves target the most popular items that people are desperate to get their hands on, last year it was the Wii, for example.
 
5 - It can be a pain, but do not use the same username and password for every site you visit.  You should also never use the password you use for your e-mail account as the password for the store you are shopping on. If you are worried about not remembering them all, try some software called Password Manager Pro.  A free trial is available in the Fraud Prevention section of their website http://www.mcware.co.uk

Simon Bailes Peugeot- congratulations to Simon Bailes Peugeot which is ending 2009 on a real high by celebrating 30 years as one of the most successful Peugeot dealerships in the UK and 30 years of working within and supporting its local community. Simon Bailes Peugeot supports many diverse community projects from grassroots sport to helping young people achieve their goals through education. Recent projects include a five year sponsorship deal of Romanby Juniors Golf Team and the provision of a community scholarship at Polam Hall School in Darlington, which has been running for a decade. http://www.simonbailes.co.uk/

Top Tips for 2010
As well as making sure your customers and potential customers know about you through your PR, make sure all your marketing materials are up-to-date, easy to read and full of relevant information. What’s the point of a great website that’s full of badly-worded text that’s irrelevant to your clients? Or a glitzy brochure that’s poorly-written and full of unnecessary jargon? Don’t forget my copywriting and proof-reading services!

And finally…

Don’t underestimate the power of social networking. As well as getting a train issue resolved (don’t ask!), I’ve had quite a lot of success on Facebook and Twitter promoting both myself and some clients.

Follow me on Twitter if you fancy an insight into my world! https://twitter.com/PRANNADDISON

Here’s to a successful 2010- best wishes.

Anna

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