"My boss has the PR acumen of Gerald Ratner and doesn't understand the first thing about marketing. Do you know of any good courses we can send him on before he ruins the business?"
Kerry Hallard, managing director, Buffalo Communications says:
Any boss that lets his mouth run away with him at inopportune moments is a potential liability. A course in media training might be the answer.
Courses tend to focus on press or broadcast media and the interview experience, but they are also great for rehearsing message delivery to external audiences. Training companies run courses but often, freelance journalists offer more tailored services that suit the smaller business.
It is advisable to book a one-on-one session that covers both what the press is looking for, and how to maximise communications opportunities. The session should focus on identifying key company messages and advice on what not to say. A good tutor should bring examples of good and bad press comment to illustrate the consequences of ill-considered answers.
A more generic course may be the answer if there is a complete lack of PR and marketing understanding. There are several organisations – the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Communication Skills Europe, The Henshall Centre – offering courses in the specifics of PR, such as how to write a press release. For a more general introduction, a communications course covering what marketing can achieve for a company's bottom line may be more suitable.
Any company that decides to appoint a PR consultancy should always:
A confident consultancy will be willing to work on a payment on results basis. A professional PR consultancy should be able to provide meaningful evaluation as well as tangible results.
COLD CALLING
"Our accountants have advised us that from June 25 small businesses that cold call companies will have to check a database listing businesses that have registered not to be called. Telemarketing companies that fail to comply will be liable for a £5000 fine. Is this true and if so, how can we access this database and how much does it cost?"
Tessa Kelly, director of compliance operations at the Direct Marketing Association DMA says:
Sole traders and (except in Scotland) partnerships have been able to register their wish not to receive unsolicited sales and marketing calls with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) since May 1999. European legislation now extends this protection to corporate subscribers.
The DTI decided to extend coverage of the TPS following consultation with business organisations including the British Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Small Business. Many firms, especially small businesses, felt they did not have the resources to cope with high volumes of cold calls.
If a company is making unsolicited sales calls to corporate subscribers they must now ensure they screen their marketing lists, in the same way that they are already doing if they are contacting sole traders and partnerships.
Of course, if a company has permission to call, that will override any TPS registration.
There are many ways that companies can screen their lists. They can either receive the list of registered numbers from the TPS or use one of the many screening services available.
The cost of the receiving the corporate TPS file depends on the volume and frequency of the data taken. Full details of costs are available on the TPS website, tpsonline.org.uk .
The website also contains information on TPS's list screening services which have been developed to help small companies comply with the legislation.
The legislation is enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office (OIC). Breaching an enforcement notice from the OIC can lead to a maximum fine of £5,000 per offence in a magistrate's court.
PRODUCT LIABILITY INSURANCE
"We are a two-man, start up partnership, trying to launch a new product we have developed. It is a simple plastic hook to keep children in seat harnesses.
We outsource the manufacturing of the product so we don't have a plant or employees. We would like to get product liability insurance but our business falls into none of the categories for standard liability insurance and we don't know where to start. Any advice would be gratefully accepted."
Tim Lazenby, a director Folgate Warren Hill Risk Solutions says:
There are three main reasons why the partnership are having difficulty finding a company willing to insure them:
To stand any chance of obtaining product liability cover, the expertise of an insurance broker is vital.
The broker will need to demonstrate that the true exposure to risk has been assessed and that the partnership is managing the risk effectively.
Careful presentations to relevant insurance markets will be essential.
As the product is designed for children the broker will need to demonstrate that sufficient research and development work has taken place. We suggest that crash dummies are used when considering 'destructive testing'.
As the product is deemed 'safety critical' the broker would need to demonstrate the positive features of the outsourced manufacturer. Hopefully the partnership can demonstrate that their manufacturer has a good track record and has great experience in this field. Further details regarding health and safety and essential processes will help to create confidence that the exposure to risk is manageable.
As the partnership is a 'start-up' it would be extremely beneficial if they could provide a broker with details of their experience in this field.
In summary, it is important for the partnership to employ a professional broker and provide sufficient and accurate information to that broker so he can attract an underwriter willing to assess the risk and quote a premium that the business can afford.
All advice offered here is of a general nature and is intended for guidance only. It is offered without any legal responsibility. You should always consult your own professional advisers on the specific requirements of your business.
