PR breeds PR: why Scala is different?

Everyone has a story to tell. Whether it’s your own or that of your clients, there is no greater way to do this than via a successful PR campaign. There is a huge range of media outlets including not only traditional TV, radio and press but also a

The importance of PR

PR should form an integral part of any marketing strategy. Not only does it help build brand recognition, but it helps boost your credibility and builds a relationship between you and your target audience, ensuring that you stand out from the rest. For most businesses, knowing which story to share and how to do this can prove a stumbling block. Very often it’s not the most obvious story that can attract media attention.  If you have a large team of people working across different specialisms it may seem like a daunting task pulling together an effective PR strategy.

How will Scala help us get coverage?

Identifying a credible story

At Scala, we take the time to get to know your business and the people that work in it. We work closely with management (to ensure PR mirrors your business strategy), teams (to help generate and share ideas) and individuals (to get to grips with the facts) to identify stories that are most likely to get coverage. This coverage can be on both a local or national level and we make sure that the stories chosen resonate with your target audience.

These can range from the latest good news story to affect your business, such as a merger or acquisition, or a significant case involving a client. Some of our most successful PR initiatives involve specific campaigns such as calling for a change in the law or highlighting an injustice. We help with research and technical writing, plus the legal background of our Managing Director, Natalie Rodgers, means we’re able to have in depth discussions with journalists to encourage or persuade them to cover a story.

Recent Example

Jack and Sarah Hawkins – baby Harriet, another baby that should have been born alive

Communication is key

By spending time with your firm, speaking with the teams and individuals, we also gain an insight into the ethos of the company and exactly what message it is that you’re aiming to get across. This is a vital part of the PR process as it enables us to write press releases in the right ‘tone’ and in a way which best reflects your brand and the story.

Once a story has been identified, we spend time building up a relationship with everyone. In many cases, the stories may be incredibly sensitive and putting everyone at ease whilst gathering as much information as possible is a priority for us at Scala. By understanding each case in detail, we are able to deliver the relevant headlines and key points to journalists, highlighting why your story is newsworthy.

We support not only our client, but their client(s) throughout the entire process, from an initial first meeting in person to attending and providing media coaching during the interview schedules and any follow up after the story has been covered – we will always be by your side.

Recent Example

Scala provides media liaison and interview coaching support to Switalskis Solicitors

PR for law firms

Our position within the legal sector means we keep abreast of recent developments, news stories, campaigns and awareness days which enables us to help you identify a relevant story worthy of coverage. Our expertise and experience make us the go-to company for law firm PR. Scala has established a reputation as being a trusted source within the legal and professional services sector and we are regularly contacted directly by journalists needing a legal comment on a particular subject. In one Huffington Post article, we had not one, not two, but three clients all featured!

We value these relationships, not only as a company who offer PR as a service, but also for the benefits it can hold for our clients.

Recent Example

Snow Day Work Policy And Other Rights Explained – Huffington Post

PR for the health sector

In January 2019 we were asked to handle the PR for the launch of a new obesity clinic – On Health – in Newcastle. Through our network of media contacts, we worked with editors at Sky News to devise and create a feature programme on the UK’s ‘obesity epidemic’ and orchestrate a ‘live’ broadcast from On Health’s clinic. We helped to source guests for the programme, prepared interview briefs for the presenters and was on-hand through the full 5-hour live broadcast to provide media liaison support. We ensured that key personnel from On Health were interviewed which positioned them at national experts from the outset of the launch of the business.

In addition to the national TV coverage, the opening of the clinic was also covered heavily by the press in Newcastle which resulted in people signing-up to the 12-week programme (a key objective of the client.)

Recent Example

New obesity clinic opens in Newcastle.

Give it heart

We are lucky to work with some incredible organisations, who provide an invaluable service to their clients and we love being able to showcase the work that they do. For STEPS Rehabilitation in Sheffield, we welcomed Sky News to the rehabilitation facility to film stroke survivor, David Noblet on his rehabilitation journey. This was broadcast during their Sky News Sunday morning programme, ‘Sunrise’.

We also set up and accompanied David on further interviews by BBC East Midlands, who visited David at his local gym and also at his University to share his remarkable journey to recovery and return to University, following a stroke at the age of just 27.

Recent Example

David Noblet | One year on from his stroke.

Scala’s little black book

We work tirelessly to ensure every story reaches the right people to guarantee maximum coverage.

Following years of successful stories and campaigns, we have built up a bespoke media contacts directory of over 600 people which spans print, radio and TV – locally and nationally. Based on your target audience and the nature of the story, we use this list to compile a unique mailing list for each media release.

Relationships

PR Breeds PR

This is one of our favourite sayings at Scala, and it really does ring true. Once you have had a case covered by the press this helps to establish you and firm as experts in your field. It is often the case that stories will be used again, or that you as a law firm or the lawyer involved in the case, will be approached for interviews to discuss the legal issues associated with the story. Plus, PR coverage provides superb, quality content for your website, YouTube channel and social media platforms.

Recent Example

Baby Harriet

We saw this happen following a successful PR campaign for Baby Harriet, a baby who died following a number of failings by the Nottingham University Hospital.

Following the national coverage of the failings by the hospital, which led to Harriet’s death, including the Victoria Derbyshire Show, Channel 4 News and Channel 5 News, journalists now regularly request to speak not only with Jack and Sarah Hawkins, but also with the lawyer who represented them on the issues relating to stillbirths and neonatal deaths. The firm were also contacted by other families with similar experiences of stillbirth and neo-natal deaths arising from clinical negligence.

 

If you require any help with a PR strategy or even a one-off piece of PR for your firm, please contact us on 0114 407 0159 or via email: office@scala.uk.com.