Onderhoud op RSG

Die filmspan het kom kuier op Moorreesburg en die Red Ribbon meisies het saam met haar gaan perdry voor die afspraak.

Wat ‘n voorreg om deel te wees van die opwinding!

Global Tech PR Group has partnered with Red Ribbon Communications, a Johannesburg and Cape Town based technology PR agency.  The Tech PR Group now features 11 partners and covers most of the globe. 

“Red Ribbon has been looking to partner with a global PR network for some time, and we are thrilled to now be part of the Global Tech PR Group,” says Ronelle Bester, owner of Red Ribbon Communications. “The African continent holds enormous growth opportunities for multi-national companies and we are perfectly positioned to offer PR services in South Africa and beyond,” adds Bester.

The Tech PR Group features the following world-class agencies:

• Profil Marketing (Germany, Austria and Switzerland)
• NewsEngine PR (Belgium, Netherlands)
• Réflexion Publique (France)
• Ranieri Communications (United Kingdom)
• CORYLUS PR (Italy)
• K2 (Scandinavia)
• NEKO PR (Spain and Portugal)
• Max Borges Agency (North, South & Central America)
• East Side Consulting (Eastern Europe)
• WordStorm PR (Australia)
• Red Ribbon Communications (South Africa)
               
ABOUT GLOBAL TECH PR GROUP
Founded in 2005, the Global Tech PR Group was founded to provide global public relations and social media services to multi-national organizations across the globe.  Since inception, the group has nearly quadrupled in size and features an exceptional client roster. Collectively the group has worked with some of the largest organizations in the world and continues to grow in terms of revenue, experience and geographical coverage areas.  For more information, please visit techprgroup.com.

ABOUT RED RIBBON COMMUNICATIONS
Red Ribbon is a leading boutique public relations agency focusing on the technology industry. We have offices in both Johannesburg and Cape Town and have been in operation for more than nine years. Our PR consultants are highly qualified professionals with extensive experience in the industry and we pride ourselves on a good reputation, personal client relationships and solid media relationships. For more information, please visit redribboncommunication.co.za.

Publicity for this announcement:
Red Ribbon Communications, Bizcommunity, Publicity UPDATE, the marketing site, The Media Online, Totally MAD.

In light of the recent Krugersdorp High School bullying attack, Dr Streicher shares his opinion in the Pretoria News, Star, Mercury and IOL on cyber bullying, the reason for the growing concern and the need for parents to protect their children.

In the latest edition of iWeek, BulkSMS.com’s MD explains that all SMS direct marketing contravenes the Consumer Protection Act and in the February edition of Your Business, Pieter explains how to keep the mobile conversation going with consumers the legal way. Lastly, he gives his opinion to Vanessa Clark, Bizcommunity on getting the push vs. pull marketing balance right.

Companies looking to further their corporate communications strategies serve to benefit greatly from appointing the correct public relations agency. PR is a long-term investment, so it’s vital that you make the right decisions when it comes to deciding whom to hire.
Take the following points into consideration:

What can PR do for your business?

Before setting out to appoint a PR agency, it is vital that you establish a thorough understanding of PR practices, and ensure that your business objectives can be most successfully met through the implementation of an effective PR strategy, rather than traditional advertising and below-the-line marketing campaigns.

Large vs. small?

In the world of PR, bigger is not always better. Whilst larger, more established agencies may provide you with a level of reassurance in terms of high level clients and resources, boutique agencies can end up being a better choice, particularly if your business falls within a specific industry sector.

PR campaigns can succeed and fail based on the strength of an agency’s media relationships, and specialist agencies tend to have more solid contacts within pertinent fields. Not only that, but they generally demonstrate a better understanding of the industry as a whole, and are able to more effectively identify key news angles and story pitches for your brand.

Large agencies also tend to allocate accounts to more junior members of staff, whilst smaller agencies usually have all hands on deck, with senior management playing a key role in the actual execution of PR campaigns.

What do journalists say?

Journalists are the key to the success of your PR campaign, and have the final say in terms of providing coverage for your brand. Whilst desktop research is likely to reveal a wide range of PR agencies, all boasting spotless track records and excellent results, you are likely to get the most accurate assessment of your prospective PR agency by speaking to journalists themselves.

Should they feel that the agency in question provides clear, pertinent communications and well-tailored story pitches, it’s fair to say that the chances of them executing a successful PR campaign are high.

Relationships are key

Ultimately, the PR agency you appoint will be acting as the public voice of your brand, and it’s imperative that you are mutually engaged and aligned towards a common goal. Good relationships are very important, and likely to yield more positive results, with agencies more prone to go the extra mile for clients they like on a personal level.

Management commitment

It is imperative that PR is a strategic management decision and that they are involved in the process. PR will not be effective if the agency has to deal with a junior person only as PR needs to be aligned with the business’ strategies.

PR is also a significant commitment for the chosen company spokesperson in terms of time spent to brief a copywriter, availability for interviews with the media and the effort to research topics and approve articles. Make sure beforehand that the spokesperson understands this and confirms his or her dedication to the process.

Expectation management

It’s important to ascertain what can be realistically achieved in terms of coverage for your brand, so you should be looking for proposals which take into account both the potential strengths and weaknesses of your brand.

Nothing is ever guaranteed in the world of media, and PR agencies that understand and acknowledge this are best equipped to become custodians of your brand.

Long vs. short term?

PR is a long-term investment, and it’s unlikely that you’ll start seeing its full value until at least three months down the line, taking into account magazine lead-times and campaign preparation. An ever-changing news agenda also means that the nature of your communications strategy is likely to adapt and evolve accordingly.

As such, it’s recommended that you do your homework thoroughly, and make a long-term investment in your agency of choice. It’s likely to pay off in the end!
This article was also published on BizCommunity.com.