Unfortunately we did not win our category, but we thoroughly enjoyed the evening.  Publicity Heaven is very proud to have been shortlisted with other reputable companies in Northamptonshire. It has certainly made us want to be in more categories next year, and shine brighter than we already do!

The award that stood out the most to me was the winner of “The Team of the Year” sponsored by Stanair. The winners were Queen of Hearts Day nursery in Kettering. It was obvious with the response from their table just how much winning this award meant to them! What a huge responsibility it is to care for peoples children, and they obviously do a fantastic job.

Well done Queen of Hearts, and all the other winners and nominees at the event!

A great evening was had by all!

Well done to Dodmoor House who won the customer service category and a couple more awards too.

What a great night!

Paul and I were attending the same meeting on Monday evening, and in conversation learned that our different sat nav systems sent us different routes to the same location.

We decided to see who went the quickest route. It turned out that I did in fact go the quickest route.
It sometimes pays to compare your sat nav route with someone elses, it may just save you time or money!

Like VAT going down and income tax up for top earners.

Accountants and computer support companies can warn of potential chaos as small businesses struggle to implement the VAT changes on their computer systems (we have already issued this as a reaction release for a client).

Retailers could apply the VAT change a week early as an early Christmas present to customers.

Off licences could pass on the VAT reduction, despite it not applying to alcohol.

Accountants who advise top earners could issue top tips for execs to avoid the extra 5% tax.

Businesses seeking top end sales people could say their top people are threatening to move abroad!

How do these changes affect your business? And how would your target media use that as a story? Remember, with any reaction release, speed is everything.

We were told that the sponsor of the category we are in would contact us. After one week we made enquiries as they had not contacted us, we were told they would call the next day. A weekend by and we didn’t think we had been contacted, or had we…

We received an unusual enquiry over the telephone last week. Could this have been the sponsor pretending to be somebody else to test our customer service?

As we pride ourselves on fantastic customer service and customer communications we have nothing to worry about as to dealing with the call, but it just got me thinking what a great, innovative way of testing customer service of a business!

In last weekend’s Top Gear, Clarkson made a joke about lorry drivers murdering prostitutes, generating a lot of media coverage this week.

It took T-Enterprise just 24 hours to create a game called Run Clarkson Run, where truckers get to run him over and get their revenge!

And the media like it. We only sent it out last night, but have already tracked coverage in Metro, the Daily Telegraph, the Times, and Clarkson’s local paper the Banbury Guardian.

A terrific reminder that piggybacking a big story can be a smart PR move. Well done T-Enterprise.

Whilst reading up on the subject of stress, let’s face it, we all get stressed at some point! I came across a groovy little game where you can burst balloons to chill out. If you are the kind of person that enjoys popping the bubbles on bubble wrap you’ll love this. You can play it by clicking here.

The top ten stress busting tips from The International Stress Management Association I see the first tip is to smile! Apparently smiling releases feel good chemicals in our body, and it is very easy to do, unless you are The Grinch on Christmas Eve!

The next time you feel stress getting the better of you, think of something nice to smile about!

Why do businesses still get it so wrong? I have lost count in the number of companies I have emailed or called, and they do not reply or return my call the same day (and that is if they do reply at all!).
Also, I find it very off putting when the person serving you in a shop is not polite or does not even smile at you. Or worse; they continue talking to their colleague, whilst scanning your items and just holding out their hand for your money!

One of my earliest jobs was a receptionist. I made an effort to remember something about every regular visitor to the firm. It just took remembering the person was off on holiday after the last time they visited, and asking them if they had a nice time, for them to remember you; or better still comment to your boss what a nice girl you have on reception.

It is all the little things that count and help your business, and you stand out from the rest.

It’s hard to get media photographers to visit you these days. Outlets tend to have fewer of them than they used to, so if you do get one coming to visit you, look after them!

Give them tea and biscuits, and make it a fun experience. Your average press photographer has many many jobs to do in a day, and the more fun they have with you, the more time they are likely to take to generate really great photos.

That can only work in your favour.