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The press releases, newsletters, brochures, websites, merchandising, advertising and trade shows that make up the marketing mix offer effective ways for water cooler companies to publicise their image and brand as well as products and services. cooler innovation Deputy Editor Medina Bailey talks to a business to business public relations (PR) expert, branded uniform specialist and cooler firms to assess the impact that good publicity can have on business.

When soft drinks giant Pepsi changed the colour of its can from red to electric blue in 1996, it needed a campaign that would create impact. Adorning a Concorde jet with its new blue logo, tinting the usually red Daily Mirror newspaper front page in a blue hue and asking Mir cosmonauts to pose with a giant inflatable Pepsi can as part of its renowned Blue campaign certainly seemed to do the trick. Not only did the marketing stunts receive international press coverage, but they also made Pepsi rivals Coca-Cola and Virgin sit up and take notice.

Campaigns of this kind might be financially inaccessible for smaller businesses, but they do demonstrate how effective marketing can be when different mediums are used to deliver a message to a specific target audience and reach out to a new one.

A properly organised publicity strategy that is continuous, flexible and makes use of as many marketing methods as possible, will bring about various advantages, says PR expert and founder of UK based agency, AGM Publicity, Alan Godfrey.

"It should reach people likely to buy your products or services and increase enquiries, as well as help sales people to be recognised by company or brand name and build and maintain the long term image of the firm," he said. "Your investment over time will give ongoing, cost effective rewards." Despite these apparent benefits, Godfreyís experiences in the two decades, that AGM has been dealing with small to medium manufacturers and suppliers, have shown that although water cooler companies will have put a business plan in place from day one, their marketing plans are often neglected or even non-existent.

Bottom of the pile

Cooler firms design, manufacture and supply superb products, but often only rely on advertising and exhibitions plus, of course, their sales people to fulfil their sales lead generation needs, he explained. Many do not understand PR or have the time to deal with it - therefore it stays bottom of the pile.

Firms also work under the assumption that if a product or service is good enough, it will sell itself by recommendation. "Oh really?" questions Godfrey, who has also trained as a photojournalist and worked as an Advertisement Manager and Publisher. Is that why Rolls Royce and other huge names spend millions on advertising? They generally market the brand rather than the product.

"That said, in our business, industry people do want information on actual products. But many still believe that readers of trade magazines only want technical information and fail to think about the long term promotion of the companyís image too. It is very important to give confidence to buy, and mention expertise, service, quality and supply.

Do it yourself

An understanding of how marketing works is essential to positive publicity, but Godfrey insists that it is not necessary for all firms to approach a PR agency to perform their duties. His recently published book, "How to Handle Your Company Publicity - The Guide", outlines how companies can achieve results by working on their own marketing inhouse using methods such as PR, advertising, direct mail and newsletters. In compiling the practical, no nonsense handbook, which involved speaking to Editors, he found that even PR firms and large companies can sometimes get it wrong.

"I have proved many times that firms can do the job themselves, but they need to be organised and have someone to carry out the day to day tasks of publicity," he said. This could be a Secretary or Personal Assistant with reasonable writing and organisational abilities or someone specifically employed for the role, with the main criteria being that they will remain with the company for a long period of time and really get to know its products, markets and ideals.

Working closely alongside the Sales and Marketing Manager, the right person should surround themselves with good suppliers, such as photographers, graphic designers, printers and technical writers and ensure that they have an office for arranging meetings. Daily tasks could include setting up and maintaining a media mailing list, talking to advertising and editorial personnel, arranging exhibitions, producing graphics, brochures and advertising material, writing and issuing press releases, updating web pages and arranging photography sessions.

Phew! It all sounds too much - but if it is organised, just a short time every day can see you through. Publicity is a serious function, and playing with it can be a disaster - just ask Gerald Ratner! It must be seen as a continuous day to day job showing people within the company and outsiders the positive attitude that is being taken.

Press releases

One of the most important daily duties is providing relevant publications with press releases and material for features. According to Godfrey, the main mistake that companies make is either sending out too many releases or none at all. "Some get their priorities wrong, for instance, they make a huge fuss about their new website and forget about their new product that will be making its dÈbut at an exhibition that has cost thousands and many years to develop.

Releases should also only be sent when companies actually have something to say. Do not worry too much that you are not a trained journalist. Just write about what you know in some sort of order of importance and donít mention your company in every other line. Think about the reader - do they want to know how many offices you have or what the Managing Director thinks?

The next most cost effective marketing tool is the mailing, which should be well presented, sent to a named person with a specific job title, offer something that the recipient will need and give them an incentive to respond immediately.

Further methods are exhibiting at events and advertising. As exhibitions can prove costly, Godfrey recommends that they are planned carefully and 'worked' to ensure that they are capitalised on. Invitations should be sent out to potential and existing customers, as well as the media, particularly if a new product is being launched at the show. Attendees should be persuaded to visit tands with the offer of a small gift as an incentive and advertising should be placed in magazines covering the exhibition a month before the show.

"Advertising is an excellent tool in marketing," said Godfrey, "but of course it can be expensive. You should change the message regularly but keep to your corporate image. Make sure that you choose the right publication for you and not necessarily the cheapest. A small advert, such as a quarter or half page spread over two or three editions is usually better than just one big page, especially for small firms."

Branding it

Another area that is also sometimes overlooked within the cooler industry is branding, as Godfrey explains: "Branding is very important. People buy brands not manufacturers. Brands are usually trusted over a long period of time. I believe that all products should have the brand name clearly on them, even if they are out of sight, such as a filter or pump."

"Whether people drink water from a bottle or use a machine to dispense it - I think we all feel more comfortable with a known good brand."

A company that knows a thing or two about branding is uniform manufacturer Simon Jersey. Responsible for designing workwear clothing for delivery personnel that is practical, fit for purpose and carries positive messages about the company being represented, the firm has experience across a broad spectrum of industries, from office and medical to food preparation.

"Branding is about creating the right visual impression," commented Manager of Bespoke Design for the company, David Sprakes. "Whether rightly or wrongly, your organisation is judged on first impressions, many of which involve your staff. Our customers come to us for this reason."

Various solutions are offered according to the environment that workers operate in, as well as the company type. Clothing, such as the polo shirt or tunic, can be given a bespoke touch by applying sewn-in logos, labels, embroidery, heat applied transfers or even reflective 3D material.

With a blue chip client base that includes Emirates Airlines, P&O Cruises and Avis, the firm works closely alongside its clients in order to gain ideas and feedback from the wearers themselves.

"We come into contact with the full range, from those who just know they need something, to those who have sketches of what they are looking for. It doesn't matter to us what stage they are at, we can join in at any point. As long as they are receptive to the idea that first impressions can be crucial, then we are working with the right type of client," he continued. "We talk to those at the top level who know about budget constraints and company image, and we talk to those out there on a daily basis to see what it is they are asking for."

Cooler couture

According to Sprakes, the same rules apply in the water cooler world when personnel are making water cooler and bottle deliveries and carrying out installation and sanitisation visits.

"Impressions here are enormously vital. This is an industry where hygiene is critical, and if you are a supplier then your customers need absolute faith in your ability to be hygienic. Companies will question: ëIf they canít be bothered with their appearance, do they cut corners anywhere else, and is this a risk we should be taking?"

Further aspects, such as employees visiting homes and weather conditions also come into play. "People donít like answering their doors to strangers, so a fully branded uniform can help prove legitimacy. A lot of companies need their clothing to work for them. We produce fleeces, waterproofs and high visibility garments for those out there battling the conditions. We also have a composite alternative to steel toe capped shoes, which makes it easier to pass through security systems with metal detectors. Unifom truly is a head-to-toe investment."

As he works closely with Simon Jersey's design department, Sprakes also revealed what fashion trends will influence workwear over the coming months. His predictions for 2008 include chocolate and oatmeal colours, comfortable but smart trousers and polo shirts.

Publicity in practice

A cooler manufacturer and distributor share their views about marketing within the industry and give an insight into their strategies.

Do you think that cooler companies are good at PR and marketing generally?

Ebac Marketing Director Scott Meikle Ebac (*SM*): "Compared to other industries, I would say that the cooler industry has a significant opportunity to use marketing and PR to drive business forward. On an individual basis, businesses can win more market share through appropriate marketing and on a broader level grow the market and get more coolers out there. That said, many of the smaller distributors are quite entrepreneurial and do very well."

Angel Springs Managing Director John Dundon (*JD*): "Bottled cooler companies have traditionally not had to deal with PR, while marketing has sent out mixed messages. The media challenges created by the environmental issue and the 'POU only' industry have not been dealt with effectively. Some of the negative and misleading marketing produced by 'POU only' companies do not help the image of the cooler industry as a whole; it is often negative and totally inaccurate. Eventually, the cooler industry will mature and market a cohesive, consistent message and image that will withstand media and consumer scrutiny."

Why do you think some cooler companies fail to invest in their marketing?

*SM*: "In terms of the larger operators, I think they do invest and they do reasonably well. The smaller distributors donít do as much, but remember they are running a business day to day and are very busy. At Ebac, we are working on marketing tools that can help our customers, with a minimum amount of effort on their part, to grow their business. We hope this will help them from a time and cost perspective and encourage them to be more proactive in this area."

*JD*: "The market has shown phenomenal growth over the past 15 years as consumers have become more aware of health issues and the government has chipped in with legislation on providing drinking water at the workplace etc. In such a bullish market, cooler companies only needed to be rudimentary and basic in their marketing as a ëone message catches allí approach was used."

"However, times change and we now need to be much more sophisticated in our marketing unless we want to be left behind. Looking to other industries can be useful; their niche targeting is something we can learn from. For many cooler firms, making the change to rifle marketing as opposed to shotgun, requires a change of mindset and culture, which is challenging, but vital nonetheless."

"Also, coolers are not seen by the consumer as a brand - bottled coolers are seen as a service, while POU coolers are seen as a machine rental business, with neither having a strong brand identity. We need to build on the service ethic as an industry."

How important are marketing and branding to your company? What rewards do they bring?

*SM*: "Marketing is at the heart of what Ebac does - listening to customers, understanding their needs, learning about markets and channelling all of this into products that our customers will value. We believe that high quality brands are created through their performance - rather than a clever marketing slogan. We invest a great deal in both online and offline promotion, ensuring that our message gets out there and people understand what Ebac is all about."

*JD*: "In our opinion, branding has a limited return, however, convincing the potential customer of a full service option cooler facility (POU and bottled) with excellent backup has real value and will give good returns. If anything, the name and image of the company need to be synonymous with great service. Angelís marketing is consistent in image and message; it is about high quality service and a comprehensive range."

How would you briefly sum up your marketing strategy? Do you think it is proving successful?

*SM*: "For coolers our strategy is to match our products with the right markets and the right players within the market. We have a series of patented features on our products, such as the WaterTrail or the vacuum sealed hot tank that deliver excellent benefits and return on investment for our customers. Using these, along with our 37% market share in Western Europe, we are rightly seen as the leader in the market."

*JD*: "Angel's marketing strategy has been phenomenally successful - not only has the company grown significantly ahead of the market, but we have been able to improve our margins at the same time. Profitability has increased by 140% in three years - that is proof of a successful marketing strategy!"

How would you want your company "brand" to be perceived?

*SM*: "We want the Ebac brand to be perceived as a leader in the market that delivers quality products at reasonable prices. We help businesses become successful through our innovation, but our sound commercial offering also makes buying Ebac coolers commerciallysound."

*JD*: "We see the company as the brand and vice versa. The brand offering is that of a total cooler service provider - offering POU and bottled, flexibility and outstanding service."

Which of the following do you dedicate resources to: website, press releases, mailouts, newsletters, advertising, exhibiting at trade shows?

*SM*: "We use all elements of the marketing mix to ensure that our message gets across. The web, even in this relatively small market, is becoming increasingly important. We advertise, we use PR, we use trade shows. We have a full gamut of activity."

*JD*: "Our website is critical to Angel. Press releases, mailouts, newsletters and advertising have limited impact in our experience, however, trade shows are a good source of business and give us the opportunity to meet and talk to potential customers about the products and service offering."

Which do you find the most effective?

*SM*: "We receive a return from all of our activities - to varying degrees. Pound for pound, it is very hard to beat the website."

*JD*: "The website."

How would you describe your latest series of adverts in terms of what they say about your company?

*SM*: "Aesthetics play an important part in everything we do; we are naturally drawn to attractive things and the photography we are now using reflects the quality of the products and attention to detail we put into it. We also try to keep things lively, use interesting headlines to grab the attention of the reader and have a sense of humour, so that comes across too. But primarily our adverts are about detailing the incredible range of features and benefits our coolers offer - that is our strength and what our customers benefit from. We don't try to make the ads too clever."

*JD*: "They reiterate that Angel is a total service provider, not bottled, not POU, just coolers, as well as the need for hydration in the workplace and our flexible solutions."

Are you looking to make improvements to your marketing in the future?

*SM*: "We are always looking to make improvements. Look out for a new website early in 2008, which we hope will be the best in the industry."

*JD*: "Yes, we need to be much more proactive in educating and consulting with existing and potential customers regarding carbon footprints, the environment and the way we affect it as a total solutions provider, and the benefits derived from staying hydrated in the workplace and the improvement that it can have on staff wellbeing."

Are there any general marketing campaigns that you admire and would aspire to? * SM*: "There are many fantastic advertising campaigns, many of which I enjoy, but that's as someone who works in the industry. For Ebac however, it's not about showcasing our creative talent in advertising, it's about being a good company that our customers want to continue to work with, delivering high quality products and great service."

*JD*: "Innocent Smoothies - their message is simple, consistent and based on objectivity, which gives long term credibility. It has raised their market position from bit part player to the number one smoothie brand inside eight years, growing from three employees to 240 and taking 72% of the market share." * Godfrey's top five marketing tips*

1. Make a publicity plan for the year. Using a spreadsheet, record the dates of new launches, look at publications, feature lists and, if appropriate, send your release or story two months ahead. You can also send information about new contracts, personnel recruitment, case studies, exhibitions, new websites and brochures.

2. Now plan your advertising around the publicity plan.

3. Ensure that your website is bang up to date and user friendly.

4. Don't advertise or send out press releases if you cannot provide enquirers with literature immediately. Enquiries should be followed up fast with a phone call.

5. Try to do it yourself - you could save thousands financially.

6. Bonus tip - Get to know the Editor and Advertisement Manager of the trade publications relevant to your industry. You could invite them to important new launches or hold a press function at a specially thought out venue. By the way:

7. they don't have time to spend four hours at lunch anymore

8. unlike the typical journalists of the past who mainly worked in Fleet Street in London. Advertisement personnel are usually well informed on industry matters too and are worth the odd pint or two!

* The greatest gaffe?*

Entrepreneur Gerald Ratner created a publicity storm in 1991 when he was quoted as saying that his high street jewellery chain Ratners sold crap and its earrings that were cheaper than a prawn sandwich from Marks & Spencer probably wouldn't last as long.

After the media pounced on the notorious comments, which were made in a speech to the Institute of Directors, Ratnersí value dropped by £500 million and the Chief Executive was forced to part company with the firm a year later.

He has since resumed his jewellery trade ambitions by launching an online store and is believed to be looking to acquire a high street chain, possibly signifying that even the worst public gaffes will eventually be forgiven, even if it could take well over a decade.

How to find a PR firm

If you decide to hand over your publicity to a PR firm, be aware that finding a good one that understands your products and markets is not easy and some can be insulting with their prices, warns Godfrey.

An effective firm should be actively looking for publicity opportunities in the media and have a good relationship with the Editors of the main trade publications. "The first question you should ask them when they are pitching for your business is: 'Who is the Editor of...?' If they cannot answer that, you could be onto a loser. Also ask if you will be dealing with a main principal at the agency and not a school leaver.

"If they ask for fees up front or a long term contract, tell them to take a long trip on Eurostar - one way!" Fees for the average company requiring one or two press releases per month, for example, should not really amount to more than £500 or £800 retainer per month. This should include most items and a management time fee should not be charged on top of this. However, you should expect a small charge to cover travel costs and if you want them to be present at exhibitions or special launches that will take up a lot of their time, be prepared to negotiate an extra fee.

Useful UK sources

'<1>' by Alan Godfrey. Normally priced at £30, this PR guide is available to cooler innovation readers for £28, including postage and package. [ Opportunities for Editorial]<1> A handy two page reference guide that summarises Godfrey's book into an easy to follow chart. Complimentary copies are available from AGM. [ The Chartered Institute of Public Relations]<2> If you can afford to employ a specific PR person, this institute might be able to point you in the right direction.

<3> <4> These organisations offer helpful advice about how to produce well presented mailings.

<1>: http://www.agmpublicity.co.uk <2>: http://www.ipr.org.uk <3>: http://www.dma.org.uk <4>: http://www.royalmail.co.uk