CRUNCH

Whether you're on a board or executive team, having a senior PR advisor by your side is a huge advantage when formulating business strategy, managing risk, working proactively to enhance reputation or tackling a crisis.

But what are the skills you should look for in that senior PR advisor?

In the conclusion of our two-part conversation with PR industry leader, Strahan Wallis of Wallis&Co, we talk about 5 essential skills and character traits the best PR advisors embody:

1. They are educated and trained in the communications professional and have proven experience in public relations.
2. They understand how reputation impacts your organisation's license to operate.
3. They are tuned into the wider environment - your industry, public perceptions, social trends, international impacts and more.
4. They are committed to ethical practice.
5. They are not driven by ego, are a good listener and willing to work on a team of skilled leaders to develop the best communications solution.

"What's a farm boy from Raglan, New Zealand, doing here?"

That's what PR industry leader Strahan Wallis has asked himself throughout his PR career as his PR roles took him around the world working in the UK, USA and New Zealand.

Over the years he’s found himself at a red carpet event where the Queen of England opened a James Bond movie; sitting in the members' lounge at Wimbledon watching the Nadal vs Federer final; sitting six rows from the stage at The Grammy Awards and more.

“These are all places my PR career has taken me and I’m so grateful for that!”

Strahan Wallis joins Heather and Nicola from the HMC team to talk about how the public relations profession has radically changed.

We discuss the specific skills PR professionals need to succeed in today's rapidly evolving industry and provide value to the organisations where they work.

This is PART ONE of a two-part conversation.

PART TWO:

In part two of this podcast interview, founding editor of BusinessDesk Pattrick Smellie continues his discussion with HMC. 

We talk about how the media is using artificial intelligence (AI) and adjusting for the rise of disinformation and misinformation.

Pattrick and HMC also provide some practical tips for how businesses must adjust their communications and media strategies to be successful in building trust and reputation through the media, in light of New Zealand’s changing media landscape.

PART ONE:

Pattrick Smellie, founding editor of BusinessDesk, joins us to discuss the changing face of NZ media and the impact these changes will have on how businesses work together with journalists.

He provides a behind-the-scenes look at how media are navigating these industry transformations and adapting.  Plus the HMC team provides a perspective on how businesses must also adjust communication strategies to suit.

During the first half of 2024, journalist redundancies were rife in the media industry with most of Newshub being axed by its owners, Warner Brothers Discovery. Plus, TVNZ and Stuff also announced job cuts and shrinking offerings. These are major changes that will transform the current media landscape.

As a business leader, learn how these changes affect you.

In this episode of CRUNCH, we unlock a few secrets of the world of influencers and content-creators and explore the power of third-party endorsement. This time-tested PR strategy has undergone a contemporary evolution over the past decade or so, and our panel of experts provide a few tips.

Our guest, Zoe Virtue, Head of Group Social at DDB Group in New Zealand, has a wealth of experience working with influencers and content creators. Joining her are HMC Managing Director Heather Claycomb and Digital PR Content Co-ordinator Jamie Batters.

In this episode, we unravel the evolving landscape of third-party endorsement and its pivotal role in the influencer era. Learn how influencers are reshaping PR dynamics and discover the invaluable lessons PR professionals can glean from the strategies employed through this strategy. From building authentic connections to leveraging online communities, our panel dissects the nuances of influencer PR, providing insights that can elevate your next PR strategy.

Even if the jury is out for you and you haven't used influencers before, this podcast delves into how influencers can teach PR professionals the art of mastering third-party endorsement.

Julien Leys, crisis management specialist, joins HMC director Heather Claycomb and HMC senior account manager Kate Webber on this information-rich episode.

These three senior PR advisors talk through several of the crises they've managed during their careers and provide essential crisis communications tips for any leader who is managing a crisis.

You'll walk away from this episode with a deeper understanding of the difference between a crisis and and issue. We talk through how to prepare for your next crisis and your next issue.

And we give tips for maintaining trust through a crisis and using these tough times as an opportunity to build relationships with staff, stakeholders and your community.

In today's competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is a challenge that companies face on a daily basis. To stand out in the crowd and become an employer of choice, an effective employer brand is essential. But how can you build and maintain such a brand that not only attracts the best talent but also retains them? A careful communications strategy one of the keys.

Join us in this CRUNCH episode as we delve into the role public relations plays in helping companies build a reputation as an employer of choice. We'll uncover the secrets of successful employer branding and how PR can be the catalyst to make your organisation a magnet for top-tier professionals.

Our guests include founder and executive recruiter at Everest Group, Senga Allen and business development manager at Perrin Ag, Michael Matthews.

Our guests, alongside HMC senior account manager Kate Webber, share their insights and experiences in leveraging public relations to create a positive company image, enhance your culture, and strengthen your talent pipeline.

Discover the role communications can play in helping your company differentiate itself in the competitive job market and become the go-to destination for top talent. Whether you're a small startup or an established corporation, this episode will provide you with actionable strategies to build a stellar reputation as an employer of choice.

Is your organisation considered to be a 'high trust' organisation? Why is it important to build trust? What are the benefits of purposefully building trust?

In this episode, we explore the idea of trust and the challenges of building trust, particularly in the current 'age of generative AI.'

We tackle tricky questions, such as: "Are communities ready for AI?" "Should you disclose if you are using generative AI?" "How do we bring communities along with us on our generative AI journey?"

Our guest on this episode is advertising industry executive, CEO of King St Chris Williams. Alongside HMC director Heather Claycomb and senior account manager Emma Letessier, we provide insights and tips on how to build trust with a community that has become mis-trustful of big corporates, governments and more.

Podcasting is a public relations dream - when done well.

This podcast about podcasts talks about the power of a quality podcast to help you build credibility and, over time, a 'leadership brand.'

We walk you through how to maximise the 'content' from one podcast episode and distribute through multiple channels. We also talk about the critical importance of putting a communications strategy and action plan alongside your podcast to gain subscribers and listens.

The HMC team is joined by Kane Power, the owner of Precision Podcasting. You'll gain insights from his deep knowledge of this specialised content platform. And he gives some tips to help ensure your foray into podcasting produces a quality result.

Join us in this episode as we delve into the dynamic world of TikTok and its transformation from a teenage playground to a business tool.

Insights from a leading CEO and Marketing Manager will help you discover how organisations are leveraging the TikTok platform to boost reputation and build relationships. This episode will help you determine if TikToking is a good PR tool for your business.

We break down what TikTok can achieve, and how to do it well by using a real success story from Hamilton Central Business Association (HCBA) - operating in New Zealand's fourth largest city of Hamilton.

You'll learn valuable insights from HMC's digital content expert Jamie Batters. You'll find out how to target your audience on TikTok, provide value to them, and create a plan for success.

Plus, we'll demystify the process of creating video content – all you need is a smartphone!