Strategy Archives -

We’re back

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 17:56:32 +0000

Precision PR is once again accepting new projects

After a couple of years during which we had to scale back our activities, we’re now able to stat accepting new projects. We’re available for content creation, PR consultancy and sustainability programmes.

At some point soon, we’ll be available to take on new websites and full PR programmes again. Chris and Cary are both healthy again, and we’re rebuilding our team of associates and specialists. So if you’re looking for a specialist in digital imaging, medical imaging, services to dentistry, practice management software or sustainability, please get in contact. We’ll be happy to discuss your requirements and how we might held.

Please email chris@precisionpr.co.uk or call +447432 189149.

The post We’re back appeared first on .

One couple’s day out in Birmingham – at the BDIA Showcase

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 12:57:54 +0000

A review: BDIA Showcase, NEC, 17th-19th October

Apparently, people we know think we’re a bit weird. “What are you doing this weekend?” they ask. “We’re going to the BDIA Showcase at the NEC,” we reply. “Oh! Why?”

Why indeed? Including the trip to Colchester to drop our youngest son at his brother’s house for the day, the NEC is 156 miles from home. So it better be worthwhile as we’re investing a whole Saturday.

After Cary’s obligatory McDonald’s breakfast (amazing what she’ll agree to for one of these) and a stop off at the surprisingly pleasant M6 Corley services, we hit a bum note.

We arrived at the NEC as planned just after 11:00 am. And it seems that the entire UK caravan and motorhome community chose the self-same time to visit their trade show. A queue to get onto the site, queues for the carparks, queues for the transfer bus. Not a good start to the day.

We finally made it into the building just before noon, and dodged the bag search. NEC, please take note – Security didn’t have their A-team on duty. It was then an easy walk to Hall 3. The bus driver had announced Hall 5, but he wasn’t part of the A-team either.

Bags we collected at the BDIA Showcase (but NOT at the entrance). We think one is cool, one is ‘hot’, and the other we would be very happy to quote for new artwork.

First impressions

Registration was in the hall entrance. This is a good thing as you don’t have to wander around the atrium trying to work out how to register and get in. Note – the A-team weren’t issuing the passes, but it was such a simple process they couldn’t muck it up too badly.

Walking in, the walkways were clear, straight and wide, decorated with a pleasant cerise carpet. BUT no pre-made packs, no goody bags, and the show guides seemed hidden (we found ours on the way out!).

Plenty of space for the ‘crowds’

Crowds

‘Crowd’ might be a bit of an exaggeration. We spoke to several exhibitors who said Saturday was the busiest day, but it certainly wasn’t what you’d describe as crowded. One said he thought seriously about pulling out of Saturday as Thursday and Friday had been so quiet. Others thought Thursday had been acceptably busy, but that Friday was a write-off.

Halls 3 & 3a are not the biggest halls at the NEC, and it was difficult to see how much had been occupied by the show. There were several theatres which were large, and these made it difficult to see how much space was used. We certainly don’t think the halls were fully utilised. That said, the back of the exhibition was very close to the back doors.

Exciting new things!

Well, more like one exciting new thing. 3D-Printing is about to come of age in dentistry. We spoke to a couple of suppliers of 3D-Printing kit who told us that a number of processes and materials have been approved by the FDA for use in the United States. Certification is currently underway in Europe, and once complete, 3D-Printing will be available to both laboratories and dentists for making appliances such as dentures and clear aligners.

Beyond that, there wasn’t anything particularly exciting to shout about.

We only found Dentally, SFD & SOE out of the PMS suppliers

Things that were missing

Carestream! Not a sign of them. They were completely absent. So were all the practice management software vendors apart from Software of Excellence, Dentally and Systems for Dentists. If anyone else was there we couldn’t find them – which amounts to the same thing (only more expensive).

Several of the big kit suppliers were also missing, though several others were exhibiting (Planmecca, Durr, Belmont, Acteon, etc).

Nobody had ‘stupid’ attention-seeking stands either – certainly no scantily clad Santas or inexplicable ‘dwarfs’.

The MOD recruitment stand was empty too, which was a shame as we wanted to talk to them. Right at the back of the show, they probably gave up after the poor audience on Thursday and Friday.

SFD’s goody bag – we think they’ve read what we have to say about branding your exhibition investment

Conclusion

We went to the BDIA Showcase last year at the London Excel, and we thought that was a great show. This wasn’t. The audience was poor, and exhibitors were relatively thin on the ground.

Did we achieve our aims? Yes. We met the two organisations we had planned meetings with and our discussions will progress. The fact that the crowds were so thin on the ground probably helped. We also had a chat with a few other interesting organisations. But if we had been going for some other purpose I don’t know that we would have thought the show a success.

Shows rise and fall in a complex cycle. Each grows through investment, success and rinsing phases.

In the investment stage, the organiser goes above and beyond to create a ‘show brand’.
In the success phase, they deliver on their promises – audience, promotion, value.
In the rinsing stage, they believe the brand is self-supporting – pricing creeps up, promotion slows down and value plummets.

SOE Piggy Banks – the cutest give-away we found

The BDIA showcase at the NEC is in serious danger of moving into the rinsing phase. I would recommend to the organisers (and to exhibitors) to ignore the NEC and focus on London Excel.

A note to all organisers

Dentists earn money by seeing patients. Some of them earn A LOT of money. If you want them to give up money to attend, better make it worth their while and tell them WHY they should be there. The same applies to persuading them to send their staff during the week. And also the staff themselves if you want them to attend on a Saturday.

Likewise, picking a date during a major religious festival (Diwali) celebrated by a significant part of your target audience is dim.

Some parts of the BDIA Showcase were busy

Are exhibitions in fashion?

Outside of the efforts of individual shows, exhibitions as a whole go through a success cycle.

We’re not entirely sure where they are in the UK. Some shows are succeeding, some aren’t. They are definitely doing well in consumer markets – B2B is more of a mixed bag.

On the continent, European mega-shows in Holland, Belgium and Germany look like they are maintaining their popularity and value.

But what do you do if you are focused on the UK market? If you’re not a European-wide brand, the pan-continental mega-shows are just too expensive, and the audience too disparate.

1st class (Hons) in Fine Art (ceramics and sculpture), but 4:58 to complete a child’s puzzle – Cary on the stand of of Morris & Co (specialist dental accountants)

Our advice

We continue to recommend that dental businesses exhibit. However, we would suggest that the London Dentistry Show and BDIA Showcase in London are better exhibitions than BDIA Showcase at the NEC.

The organisers of the Dentistry Show at the NEC during the spring have assured us that they are taking action to correct the deficiencies of this year’s show, and that may well make it a recommendable show next year.

But at the moment, we recommend using your exhibition budget to also create your own smaller events. More effort – possibly. More manpower needed – definitely. But success will be due to YOUR marketing efforts, and focus will be on YOU.

So what do you think?

If you attended or exhibited at the BDIA Showcase at the NEC, we would love to hear your views. Contact us at cary@precisionpr.co.uk or call Chris on 07432 189149.

The post One couple’s day out in Birmingham – at the BDIA Showcase appeared first on .

How to brand your practice

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 13:26:27 +0000

Which supermarket is your dental practice like?

We’ve been working in PR for the dental industry for two years now – you may have seen some of our work with brands such as Pearl Dental Software. During that time we’ve had the privilege to study many dental businesses and practices across the country.

It is fascinating how dental practices are perceived by professionals and patients. This perception derives to a very great extent from the efforts that owners to create ‘a brand’. It is true that all the clever marketing in the world won’t create a great ‘brand’ without any substance, but you can at least set the direction. After that, it’s up to you to create substance by living the values you have ascribed to your brand.

This article offers some ideas on how you might shape your practice brand.

The supermarket test

A simple example of how people think of your dental brand might be to consider which supermarket chain it is most like.

For example:

{my}dentist = Aldi. Low cost, high volume, limited range, no-nonsense and highly efficient
BUPA = Sainsbury’s. A little confused. A reputation for being expensive and luxurious while stacking it high and selling it cheap in places to compete with Aldi
Portman = Waitrose. No compromise, personal, classy and with the flexibility to meet the needs of the local market – so long as they are rich enough to go private
JDRM = Booths. Family owned and run, with great staff involvement and customer loyalty, but very definitely regional.

Open all Hours Arkwright (Ronnie Barker) and Granville (David Jason)

Unfortunately, there are also a lot of ‘Arkwrights’ out there. Open all hours, but providing a great experience for neither patients nor for poor little Granville.

So which one are you? And if you are an Arkwright, will you plod on in the same weary way until Granville grows a pair and sets up his own corner shop down the road?

Analysing the players in detail

{my}dentist

Even though the huge practice portfolio is made up of some very diverse properties, and even though practice sizes vary greatly, {my}dentist has done a fantastic job of creating a unified brand.

{my}dentist – excellent presentation and signage

Their practices are visually crisp. They have a well organised corporate back office and a rational practice/area management structure to take the admin load off clinical and nursing staff. They are efficient and friendly and effective. I will state now that I (Chris) attend a {my}dentist practice, and I drive an hour each way to do so.

However, they can be a little stingy on pay for some staff, and when they have a resource gap it all falls apart. And that is the weakness in their brand. It works better for patients than it does for staff, and they struggle to recruit in some regions as a result.

Our verdict: 8/10. Feels very efficient. Clever naming. Still working on improvements.

BUPA Dental – Camberwell

BUPA

Having built THE pre-eminent private healthcare brand in the UK, BUPA decided to go into dentistry by buying and extending the Oasis dental business. But we don’t think they realised how different dentistry is to their normal areas of operation. As a result, they are balancing too many diverse staff contracts, and therefore have a lot of unhappy staff – never good for great patient experience.

There is a real conflict between BUPA’s carefully crafted private health image the mix of dental services they offer. As a result, many NHS patients feel like second-class citizens. And we’re sure many potential new NHS patients assume that the BUPA brand means a private only practice.

On the plus side, they have done a good job on the visual elements of the brand and updated many practices with new imagery, decorations and furniture. And they do have that very well know private healthcare reputation to fall back on.

Our verdict: 6/10. The positioning of BUPA’s dental offering is very confused. The BUPA healthcare brand is both helpful to recognition and a hindrance to execution.

Portman Dental and Implant Clinic – Maidenhead

Portman

They are growing organically, and take on new practices after a very careful evaluation process. It’s not about acquisition price; it’s about potential and fit. As such, Portman’s brand is all about consistent high quality.

Portman has also eliminated the conflict that plagues BUPA – they don’t offer NHS treatments. That means they can be 100% focused on offering quality private treatments. And that focus results in happier staff and happier patients.

Our verdict: 7/10. Well thought through positioning reflected across the company’s operations, but not a very visible brand.

JDRM

JDRM recently won an NHS emergency treatment contract in Leicester, and the business has created an impact by keeping it local and concentrated.

They have a real focus on their services. However, because this focus is around a single service in a single area, they have been able to use it as a central point around which they can offer other services: it’s a concentric strategy, not a just a bunch of tangential ideas.

They have also invested sensibly in creating a strong visual image for their seven practices and implemented the latest software to help create a single, integrated business. The software enables them to make savings through shared back office services.

JDRM also take the trouble to exploit PR opportunities (such as case studies by suppliers) to tell professionals about what they do, and so make recruitment easier.

Our verdict: 8/10. Visually exciting. Feels fresh, but also personal and friendly.

So Arkwright, what about a new till?

In Arkwright’s case, a new till and a small van would have made Granville much happier. And in today’s competitive market for dental associates and nurses, having better equipment and systems might well give you an edge. But what can you do about patients?

What do you do to advertise your presence in the area? If patients and potential patients don’t know about you they won’t book appointments.

JDRM Dental Care – invested in creating a strong local presence

Visuals

And when they do come in, what is their first impression? What does your signage look like? Is it reflected in the way your practice is decorated or do you have random colours and mismatched chairs in the waiting room?

Do your documents look like they’ve been printed professionally or at least on a professional office printer, or do they look like they’ve been churned out on one of those Gestetner devices they used to make school teachers suffer?

Do you have a practice logo, and if you do, is it used consistently?

And talking of logos, does yours look like everyone else’s anthropomorphic molar, or is it a bit ‘different’?

Does your business name suggest ‘dentist’ or could it be equally applied to a greengrocer or funeral director?

Online

What does your online presence say about you? Do you know what websites list your practice, let alone what they say about you? Have you created social media channels and then forgotten about them? And when was the last time your own website was updated?

Patient interaction

How do your reception team deal with patients? Do they have the right tools to manage your book (and training in how to use those tools)? How do they sound on the ‘phone? How long do patients have to stand at the reception desk before someone deals with them? How do the reception team deal with the pre-treatment paperwork? And how well do they handle the tricky and uncomfortable process of taking payment?

How we can help

Every single one of these things shapes the perception of your brand, and every single one is in your direct control.

Chris Webb is an Accredited Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and director of Precision PR Limited with a background in digital imaging technology and all its applications. Cary Cray-Webb is a practising dental nurse with a degree in Fine Art. Our company, Precision PR, has been working in the dental industry since we started in 2017, writing, creating websites, developing social media, web and media strategies.

Chris has nearly 30-years experience in marketing, marcoms, PR and social media, and 35-years experience in IT. Opinions and analogies about the brands discussed are based entirely on our personal observation and experience since, in branding, the perception of others is everything.

We can help you define your brand, and execute your marketing communications plans. If you would like to discuss how, please get in contact by emailing chris@precisionpr.co.uk or calling 07432 189149.

So let me ask you again? Which supermarket chain is most like your dental business?

Note: All opinions in this article are those of the writers, and are based on nearly 30 years of PR practice and personal observations of the UK dental industry.

The post How to brand your practice appeared first on .

Case Study: Heditude 2019

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 14:02:10 +0000

Once upon a time in a rural Essex village …

Heditude is a community music festival. It’s the vision of a local man, Aaron Stevens. But it was brought to life by a small band of his friends – and Precision PR Limited. This is the story of how a bit of marketing discipline can turn a little dream into a successful music festival attracting 800 people and raising a four-figure sum for charities – even though it rained.

How Precision got involved

Facebook is the simple answer. When the organising team initially worked out what they needed to do, one thing that was obvious was a website. Precision PR was a brand new business at the time. As we are based in Sible Hedingham (the home of Heditude) we responded to a request for help.

Nothing much happened initially, and we thought we’d been lost in a wave of enthusiasm to get involved. But eventually, the organisers asked us to meet, agree on terms and define a brief for the site.

Our initial task was to build a WordPress website. This had to carry all the public notices and a description of the event. We advised on the addition of a number of pages and built the initial site. We also advised that we should also create a blog page for announcements and news stories that could be distributed through social media, leading readers back to the website where they could also get supporting information.

What happened next?

With the site up and running we started building content, such as announcements about the bands as they were signed, and about things such as tickets. It quickly became apparent that many people wanted to buy their tickets online, particularly if they lived outside of Sible Hedingham.

The Outside Chancers – Heditude 2019

We looked at plug-ins so we could manage this on the site, but that was going to be too complicated on the available budget, so we instead recommended setting-up an account with Eventbrite. Whilst this meant that Eventbrite took a cut, managing online sales was incredibly simple, and all that was needed to promote these sales was a blog or Facebook post that included a link the Eventbrite page.

Another bright idea was the creation of a second stage for acoustic acts. This means that Heditude can allow the sound crew 30 minutes to turn-around the Main Stage. But the music never stops – it just gets a bit more gentle while the next group gets ready.

Were we successful?

Point Clear – Heditude 2019

Yes. We sold one-third of advance tickets through Eventbrite and helped get 700 people to Heditude 2018. We also caught the attention of the local press, generating a full double-page centre-spread in the Halstead Gazette and further stories about the bands before the event and about the charity donations afterwards. All told, Heditude 2018 was able to donate £1,100 to charities – the first year of Heditude.

And this year?

Heditude asked us back for Heditude 2019. We were asked to update and manage the website (www.heditude.org) and generate news coverage. We also ran the Eventbrite site again and added direct mailing to promote ticket sales to people that bought tickets for the 2018 event, contributing to the total of about 800 people who attended (more than 10% of the combined populations of Castle Hedingham and Sible Hedingham).

‘Missy Lou’ of Hargreaves at Heditude 2019

We worked with our partners at East West Design to redesign and refresh the website. We also created commercially usable copies of the Heditude logo (so it could be ‘multi-purposed’ and reproduced accurately). Finally, we created a series of posters and fliers, together with a matching programme for the event. We wrote, designed and laid-out the programme – and we even sold a bit of advertising space for it. And to cap it off, we’ve been running market research through a simple, low-cost Survey Monkey survey to find out all we can about why and how people bought their tickets.

What about the weather?

Tracey Ashmead, Heditude event secretary, said; “Initial figures suggest we have made a similar amount to last year, maybe slightly more. That would suggest ticket sales were higher as we weren’t charging in advance for U12’s this year, yet money taken is about the same. But we still have money and donations coming in. So all in all (bearing in mind the rainy weather) a very successful and enjoyable day.

Ska-Mite doing what they do best – the clue’s in the name!

“There’s no-doubt that Precision PR played a big part in ensuring Heditude was successful last year and that it grew this year, despite the weather.”

For 2019, Precision PR achieved a 5.1% uplift in Eventbrite sales (despite lower ticket prices), coverage by several ‘Festival’ websites, created multiple news stories in local papers, and once again (with the help of two of our regular local freelance photographers) had another centre-spread in The Halstead Gazette.

What does this mean for you?

One of the areas of PR in which we have much experience is communications around events. We’ve handled PR for dozens of organisations exhibiting at trade shows. We’ve also handled one-off technology showcases and press events, and now at community music festivals. So if you have an event or an exhibition for which you would like PR and marketing support, please call Chris on 07432 189149 or email cary@precisionpr.co.uk

The post Case Study: Heditude 2019 appeared first on .

Getting digital marketing right

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:10:05 +0000

Don’t shout – whisper

Digital PR and marketing apparently provide businesses with some distinct advantages over traditional methods. People will tell you that you can reach a bigger audience. Well, you sort of can, sometimes. But traditional media still has a massive reach.

They will also tell you that, you can more easily reach a better-targeted audience. Well, that’s true also true to an extent. But trade papers are by definition, read by people in the trade, and local papers by people who are local. So so don’t dismiss them as a targetted communications channel.

However, the biggest advantage of digital PR and marketing is ‘trackability’. They allow you to easily find out who you’ve reached and what effect your message has had. And this is the point.

Many people spend a great deal of time and money gathering data about who has seen their online marketing efforts. Some will then spend further time trying to work out what this means. However, the real key to success with digital marketing is continuously responding to the data to build your reputation and improve your marketing activities.

What to do

Tailoring your message to match the market is really difficult. It is too easy to believe that your vision is perfect and become so invested in it that you cannot make adjustments. You can have the best product in the world, but if your audience doesn’t understand what they will gain from buying it, then they won’t.

Success comes from cutting through the noise with a message that addresses the needs of the individual. So if your message doesn’t mean something to that individual it’s just part of the noise.

Let’s face it, you don’t really care if your competitor on the other side of town has a beautifully designed website. What you care about is getting more new customers or patients, and existing ones spending more money with you for premium services.

So work out what you need to do to let people know why they should trust you. In other words, what do they want to hear from you?

Show people that you are the expert in your field. That doesn’t mean just telling them – it means giving them reasons to believe. In other words, tell them something they will find useful.

Show them that you care passionately about your industry and profession. Let them see that you have pride in your work. In other words, demonstrate meaningful innovation and understanding of new developments.

Show them that you care about them. Focus on their needs and look at your business from their perspective. In other words, think how you would react to your message if they were sent to you by a competitor.

Show them others who you have carried out work for. Let them identify with those people and see that you are the right choice for them as well. In other words, put emphasis on testimonials and case studies that explain what you deliver.

And above all, don’t ‘sell’ to them. Digital marketing lets you cut to the sale so easily. But resist the temptation – give them space and time to ‘buy’ from you. In other words, people will only become happy customers or patients if they see real value in the products and services you offer.

In a world of shouting, the clearest sound is sometimes a whisper.

The post Getting digital marketing right appeared first on .

Have you ever heard of Rehab4Addiction?

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 08:50:02 +0000

Advice for those seeking recovery from addiction

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from a gentleman. He was asking me to provide a link to his website from the website of my band. Normally I consign such emails to the ‘blocked sender’ list. But this one caught my interest because of the song he mentioned, namely our recording of ‘When all you have is a hammer’ by Gretchen Peters.

For those unfamiliar with the song, it’s about a military veteran who deals with trauma he suffered by hitting the bottle.

So, I read his email again, called him and had a chat. I politely declined his initial request, and instead offered to write this blog post. Because, frankly, the song, his choice of it, and his backstory all resonated with events in the lives of people I know – including family.

So, what’s the score?

The gentleman’s name is Oliver Clark, and he helped set-up Rehab 4 Addiction to provide advice for people seeking drug and alcohol rehab clinics in the UK. Oliver told me that he got involved in the charity because of his own personal experiences.

Being a bit unthinking sometimes, I used to have an unsympathetic attitude towards addiction and alcoholism. But recently, I’ve realised how much damage was done to some of my family members by a crime committed against them. That’s led to a couple of them showing serious addictive tendencies. And then I thought about my wider family and realised that several others have had mental health problems and issues with alcohol, again in reaction to things that have happened to them through none of their own fault.

In fact, berievements and being on the receiving end of a serious crime has damaged several people I know, leaving mental scars such as depression and anxiety. And while I’m not aware of any family member having a drugs habit as a result, I do know a couple who consume more than a sensible amount of beer and whiskey. Others have had relationships collapse, trouble holding on to jobs and difficulties with education as a result of trauma.

I’m a fairly ordinary sort of person from an ordinary sort of family. So I have little doubt that my family’s experience of addiction and mental illness is nothing unusual.

So I thought I’d find out a bit more about Oliver’s charity, and help raise awareness (and SEO scores) by writing this blog post.

What does Rehab 4 Addiction do?

In a nutshell, Rehab 4 Addiction offers a free hotline dedicated to helping those suffering from drug, alcohol and mental health problems. Rehab 4 Addiction was founded in 2011 by people who overcame drug and alcohol addiction themselves. You can contact Rehab 4 Addiction on 0800 140 4690.

The charity facilitates admissions into over forty rehab clinics across the United Kingdom and internationally. Its advisors have extensive knowledge of a huge selection of alcohol rehab and drug rehab services throughout the UK and abroad. They create rehab programmes which cater to specific needs.

Mental health awareness

At the time I’m writing this it seems everybody (or at least every media outlet) is talking about mental health. Yet it still seems to be a taboo subject – somebody else’s problem. Well, I don’t think it is.

I’ve suffered anxiety and depression, so have several other members of my extended family, and some have resorted to alcohol to help forget the things that torment them. And I’m sure if you look around you’ll see people you know who have or are suffering mental health issues (major or minor). I think organisations such as Rehab 4 Addiction offer a very important source of help for those who can no longer cope with (or hide) their problems.

I’d like to thank Oliver Clark for contacting me. I hope my blog post helps to raise attention to Rehab 4 Addiction for both those who need its work and those who might like to support the charity.

If you would like to comment on the work of this charity and others performing a similar role, please contact me.

The post Have you ever heard of Rehab4Addiction? appeared first on .

Cyber-security Basics

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 09:39:36 +0000

Simple ways to protect your business

David Bailey’s iconic image of the Kray brothers

50-something years ago, protecting your new business in London often meant paying money to the Kray Brothers or the Richardson Gang. These days the threats faced by new businesses are less likely to involve physical violence and more likely to involve data theft.

So what should you do to protect an e-business start-up from modern-day gangsters and criminals?

Cyber-security isn’t an optional extra

Cyber-security is a business essential. No-one can afford to ignore it, and it’s even more important for digital businesses. Not only is your core asset at risk, data management and security is now covered by a stack of legislation and regulation. Get it wrong and there can be serious consequences.

It’s a good idea to make sure you’re insured, but insurance companies are understandably keen to make sure you do everything in you can to protect yourself.

So what do insurance companies expect, and what do you need to do to protect your fledgeling e-business?

Data security

Never overlook the need for regular data backups – they should form the basis of every data security policy. If you have an IT failure they are often the only way you can recover your work, your own data, and data owned by customers. It also makes sense to regularly check the quality of your back-ups and how well your recovery procedures work.

Back-up has been a central plank of computer operations and data security from the earliest days – and for good reason

Back-ups are also a required to comply with many regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), Payment Card Industry (PCI), Data Security Standards (DSS) and the ISO 271001 standard.

These regulations and standards insist you create policies for internet and email usage, and data protection. Make sure your whole team understands and follows these policies. That way things are less likely to go wrong and are easier to fix if they do.

Keeping the bad guys out

Make hiring a trained specialist a priority, to take responsibility for your IT security. In fact, you will probably find some insurance companies insist on it. You also need to nominate a Data Protection Officer to comply with GDPR.

But even before your business grows to that point you can take some simple steps to stop unauthorised access to your computer systems.

Hackers come in all shapes and sizes, and with an equally diverse range of motivations

Try to use private certificate-based authentication, 2-step verification or passwords which are changed at least every two months. Also, make sure wireless networks are secured and use firewalls to protect external network gateways.

Install (and use) anti-virus and anti-spyware on all your computers. Many people don’t do this, yet it’s surprisingly easy to infect a computer without this simple step.

Less obvious is the need to apply updates and security patches to operating systems. Most successful cyber attacks exploit weaknesses in old versions of Windows and similar products. Never use a version that the author no-longer supports, and make sure all desktops automatically download updates. Yes, it can be a time-consuming annoyance, but it’s not as time-consuming as dealing with the effects of a security breach.

It’s also very important to stop terminated employees from accessing your systems. If they have been fired they will have a grudge. If they’ve moved to a competitor they have no loyalty to you. So while it may feel harsh to treat a former co-worker like this, it prevents a serious security risk.

There are security products available to fit every use and every budget

Looking after the crown jewels

If you process or store financial or sensitive data, you need to take extra steps to protect it. Make sure that all financial or sensitive data on your system is encrypted. It’s easy to do, with many apps now available and options in various common online or desktop systems. Make sure you also encrypt removable media like portable hard drives or USB memory devices. The same applies to laptops and other devices you might take out of the office.

It’s also a good idea have a system that manages and records how and when financial and sensitive data is used, and by whom.

Another vulnerable area that is often forgotten is your waste bin. When you throw away or recycle financial or sensitive data – including information on printed reports, CD’s and old hard drives – make sure you do it securely.

Do you know if it works?

Creating policies and installing software is one thing, but how do you know it works?
Make sure you check the reports generated by your security software and other systems monitoring access to your data and network. If something unexpected has happened, investigate it properly. You will need to make changes to stop it happening again, but you may also need to report breaches to the authorities, customers and your insurer.

Don’t forget to test your data and cyber security on a regular basis. You can do this yourself, but a specialist consultant will also look for a ‘way in’ that you’ve never even thought of.

Even for the tech-savvy, preventing cyber-crime can be baffling. However, taking these few simple steps will help make sure today’s virtual ‘Reggie and Ronnie’ are a lot less likely to ‘pay you a visit.’

The post Cyber-security Basics appeared first on .

So put your money where your mouth is

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Fri, 08 Jun 2018 14:09:57 +0000

Our first advert

“Well Mr Client, chasing earned media and working with Social Media is only half the battle.”

We admit it – we’ve said it many times. No one route to an audience is seen by everyone you’d like, so the more (properly chosen and co-ordinated) routes you have the more people will read your message.

Precision PR Advert in Modern Dentist Magazine

So now we’ve taken our own advice and started advertising!

Subtle changes

Yes, we certainly have taken our own advice. And used our own resources to design the advert which first appeared in the latest issue of Modern Dentist (on the inside back cover).

And that starts with an advertising campaign using the strapline; “In a world of shouting, sometimes the clearest sound you’ll hear is a whisper.”

You might have also noticed a few little changes to our website. When we started our business we expected to appeal to US (and other international) companies planning to move into the UK market.

Instead, we’ve found a greater demand for our specialist skills in dentistry and digital imaging. At the same time, ‘Brexit’ (or rather the uncertain it’s created) has negatively impacted on the type of marketing investments we have been involved with in the past. So we’ve refined our messaging to reflect this.

Communications campaign planning

We are currently managing coordinated marketing communications campaigns for multiple clients. So if you are looking for ideas to help you say the right thing to the right person at the right time, call us: +447432 189 149.

The post So put your money where your mouth is appeared first on .

What do you think of the show so far?

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Wed, 30 May 2018 17:03:39 +0000

Confessions of an NEC virgin

(by Cary Cray-Webb)

A couple of weeks ago, my husband frog-marched me to the car and then drove me at speed towards Birmingham. While I’m growing very familiar with the western stretches of the A14, I’ve always managed to stop short of the M6 (except for one family trip to Dudley – a different story, and I slept most of the trip so it doesn’t count). On this occasion, our destination was the National Exhibition Centre.

After a couple of minor dramas (like getting caught in a traffic jam while the trip computer threatened instant doom in the shape of an empty petrol tank), we arrived at the NEC. The ‘helpful’ multi-coloured traffic management system sent us round most of the site before we found a car park that seemed to be full of vans, each occupying four spaces. Eventually, we found a couple of free spaces that were the perfect size for my Ford Fiesta. Unfortunately, Chris, my husband, drives a Mercedes; so getting the car in the space was a struggle followed by a performance that can only be described as a sot of Limbo Dance.

Off we go …

After a brisk walk across the car park and a short stop to pay £12 for the privilege of forced contortions and the expectation of dinged paintwork, we joined the queue for the shuttle bus. Things started getting better. We managed to time our arrival for late morning, and there was only one person waiting. When we got on board there were only two other people already there, so we chose a comfortable seat near the exit door.

The bus then performed a slightly weird dance of its own while the air suspension levelled things out, and then we were off toward the exhibition halls, largely retracing the route we had followed in the car as we drove in.

I don’t often use buses. Not because I’m posh, but because we live in the country and the bus service near home can only be described as crap. But I have to say that the NEC’s shuttle buses are very comfortable and sensibly driven.

Upon arrival …

Arriving at the exhibition halls I was met by a security guard who wanted to search my bag. I wasn’t really prepared for this. However, the guard didn’t seem to find the contents of my bag either too threatening or too amusing, so it wasn’t too much of an embarrassment.

A quick comfort break before entering The Dentistry Show (we were there on business) revealed a major shortfall of the NEC. There are equal numbers of gents and ladies loos. However, the internal layout of ladies loos vs gents means that they have less ‘capacity’, meaning they always seem to form a queue. Additionally, the gents and ladies are not sited next to each other. So while my husband found a loo right next to the exhibition entrance, mine was miles away, near the Baby Show, so the queue was enormous.

It turns out that the problem was exacerbated because the loos inside the exhibition halls themselves did not have facilities for disposal of sanitary ware. This mean ‘ladies’ were dumping their used items on the floor, which was pretty disgusting even by 11:30, and that in turn meant one visit was enough to send you walking around the central concourse and joining the 50 or so expectant mums outside a loo there.

Note to the NEC – YUK!

The Dentistry Show

The Dentistry Show 2018 offered plenty of verifiable CPD

Once I’d eventually rejoined my husband, we produced our tickets (sent prior to the show) picked-up our show guides and lanyards, and had our badges scanned at the entrance. All very straight forward. We walked through the door and bang! 400 stands and exhibits covering every aspect of dentistry.

The immediate impression wasn’t good – it looked a bit like a marketplace in some areas, with stands basically ‘flogging’ probes and mirrors, mostly staffed by what appeared to be bored looking Chinese people who seemed confused that no-one was buying handfuls of the shiny treasures.

Pushing through the bazaar, things started to take shape and became more recognisable. Brands and suppliers, prospective customers and trade organisations became discernable, and we started to make sense of the floor plan. As we were there for two days we decided to use day one for looking and day two for talking. So we wandered around, looked at what was on offer, picked up some freebies and brochures and learned new things.

I had no idea of what to expect. As I wrote above, I’ve never been to the NEC, and I’ve never been to trade show of this scale. My husband (who has been to lots) told me that it was not the biggest in terms of floor space, but it was probably the busiest he’s been to.

What did Cary do next?

Very simply, I discovered why Chris is always grumpy and knackered whenever he comes back from working at a trade show (he doesn’t usually visit – he works the stands or the press office). It is so tiring.

We stayed in central Birmingham. Finding our hotel was a performance enhanced by an out of date satnav and Birmingham City Council’s decision to pour every drop of EU development funds they could get hold of into digging up the city centre. However, we eventually arrived at the Hyatt Regency, and this turned out to be a very comfortable hotel.

Chris’ plan had been to show me around Brindley Place, and the pubs and restaurants by the canals. They were teaming with happy people, but frankly, I was too tired to enjoy them. Instead, we found a very nice Indian restaurant next to our hotel called ‘Gateway to India’ and had a fantastic meal, followed by a drink in the hotel bar and bed.

Saturday is a work day

After a very nice breakfast and some more of Chris’s dreadful navigation, we arrived back at the NEC to queue (this time) for a carpark. The queue was long and slow-moving, though oddly, there were loads of full-sized, easy to access spaces once we eventually got into the car park.

On this morning, because we were there a bit earlier, there was a proper queue for the shuttle buses. However, Chris has a shuttle bus trick. When he gets near the front of the queue, he lets other more eager people on ahead of him and catches the next bus (told you he goes to lots of these things). As that next bus was sat behind this first bus, we didn’t exactly have long to wait, but we had the first choice of the seats. We sat in comfort while others jammed themselves into every possible piece of floor space. Meanwhile, a third bus sat empty behind.

Even fully loaded on Saturday, the bus was just as super smooth as it was when empty on Friday.

Arriving at the exhibition halls, I avoided the bag search as I was instead sniffed by a Cocker Spaniel wearing HiViz. One woman asked the dog handler if she could ‘stroke the puppy’. His response was that she wouldn’t like it if he asked to stroke her puppies when she was working – which I think made a good point in a slightly questionable way.

More goodies on the way in, badges scanned, this was a day for focus and hard work.

We had a list. The editor of The Probe, four of our client’s competitors (for various reasons), a pre-arranged prospect meeting, trying to get meetings with other prospective prospects, hand-shakes with people who had contributed to articles. We also had to have discussions with the exhibition organisers and publishers about exhibitions and adverts. Our list had twenty stands to visit, and we got to most of them in the next few hours, as well as some interesting discussions with a couple of others.

That’s enough …

Eventually, I couldn’t do anymore. I was shattered and went looking for food while Chris finished the last few ‘must do’ meetings. When he found me, he too was pretty much done, so we ate our crisps and sandwiches, picked our moment to join the bus queue, and went back to the car.

By some miracle (previous evidence suggests it wasn’t Chris’s navigations skills) we were on the motorway and heading for home about 10 minutes after retrieving the car. The A14 was kind to us or a change, and we were back home again in a couple of hours.

So, what did I learn?

That the NEC is BIG is probably the first thing I would say. Truly big. This is something you really need to understand and to think about, whether you are exhibiting or just attending.

The National Exhibition Centre is truly BIG.

It’s also expensive. £12 per day for parking (and shuttle bus) and £16 for lunch (two sandwiches, two packets of crisps and two bootles of waters) also needs factoring into your visit. And the loos can be a bit ‘3rd-world’.

Of The Dentistry Show itself, I was mightily impressed. Because of our involvement with one of the main Practice Management Software vendors, that was our focus. Only one of the top six that wasn’t there. We were also keen to see CEREC and Imaging systems, and again, just about all of the manufacturers you’d want to see (including Carestream, Sirona, Fona and Vatech) all had stands. I was also impressed by a number of more niché application providers such as Dengro’s CRM and VPM’s data compliance system.

Then there were the proper ‘suppliers’ – the people selling cement and composites and implant componenets and gloves and autoclaves and an endless list of things you can buy from a catalogue. And the catalogue companies such as Henry Schein and Dental Directory.

There were also quite a few services companies, such as specialist accountants and lawyers, training companies and of course, labs. But there were two types of service company that really caught my eye.

The first was the Compliance companies, several of which were riding the ubiquitous and confusing GDPR wave.

The second group was the various ‘agency’ companies that make their living through buying and selling practices. It had never before registered with me just how frequently practices change hand, or why these transactions happen. Dentistry is, after all, a business just like any other, and businesses change hands all the time.

And what do I think of the show so far?

It wasn’t what I expected. Some aspects of it and the venue were better than I anticipated, some were worse.

Will I go again? YES – but I’ll go the day before, make sure I rest, and try to take advantage of Brindley Place or the Birmingham Rep Theatre during my visit.

Morcombe and Wise (with Glenda Jackson) – What do you think of the show so far?

Would I recommend that clients exhibit at the Dentistry Show? They certainly need to think about it. The organiser’s efforts to secure a very comprehensive schedule of verifiable CPD definitely drew in the crowds. Those stands where exhibitors had made efforts before the show to reach out to potential buyers were very busy. Those stands where exhibitors turned-up and hoped were less so.

Should dentists and nurses attend? Yes. You have the chance to hear some excellent presentations (with free, verifiable CPD points), to learn new things, and to refresh your enthusiasm for dentistry. In our case, to also meet people face-to-face who we have worked with over the ‘phone and email.

So while ‘Morcombe and Wise’ might have thought the show to be ‘Rubbish!’ I for one am very pleased that my husband twisted my arm to go and see the Dentistry Show. I look forward to my next trip to Birmingham with a far better appreciation of what that city has to offer.

The post What do you think of the show so far? appeared first on .

New website launched – Heditude 2018

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 15:55:20 +0000

Heditude 2018 – website by Precision PR

Heditude 2018

We were recently asked to create a website for Heditude 2018, a local community music festival.

The site took us just over a week from approval of our initial design to launch. This includes managing approvals by the volunteers who run the festival in their spare time.

Pearl Dental Software

We’ve now built three websites (as well as our own) that have each driven sales inquiries for their respective owners. We can produce simply structured text-driven websites, post-driven news based sites, or more complicated brand-critical sites for national organisations, and we’ve also written text for other marcoms agencies for use in their own customer projects.

If you have a website requirement, please get in contact. We will write, project manage or design and build the site you need.

For more information please get in contact.

The post New website launched – Heditude 2018 appeared first on .