Soaring Communications

Posts Tagged ‘Downturn’

Tip-ex 2010, which took place from 27^th-29^th May was a great success for the organisers and demonstrated how as a town Harrogate can pull together and generate long term reward for a huge range of businesses.

HIC’s director, Stuart Quin “Economic changes over the last two years have impacted businesses of all sizes.  Where a town like Harrogate can work together to help a business facing tough times it is in our best interest to provide support and we look forward to welcoming Tip-ex back next year.”

Tip-ex, which is the UK’s only exhibition dedicated to the tipping industry was scheduled for 2009 but cancelled due to the recession.  Rather than impose heavy cancellation fees on an already beleaguered exhibition, HIC agreed to postpone the event, preserving long term revenues and ensuring the event’s success.

Despite the downturn in the economy and the cancellation of the 2009 show, more than 2,000 visitors attended, using a variety of the town’s business and leisure facilities, including hotels, restaurants and pubs.

One key factor of the event was the use of the Crescent Gardens – the council car park – for the spectacular display of several brand new tipper trucks.  Images of this have been and will continue to be used throughout the tipping industry, increasing regard for Harrogate as a world leading business tourism destination.

Quin continues: “Events like Tip-ex have a huge economic impact on Harrogate, providing revenues for businesses of all sizes.  Harrogate is a beautiful destination and the use of an outdoor space such as Crescent Gardens adds to the town’s superb business events infrastructure through the use of unusual spaces.  It has become more crucial than ever that the town works together to secure and keep these valuable business events – the ability to provide this, and other, outdoor space is an important element in the offering.”

Barbican head of corporate sales, Anthony Hyde has recruited Samme Allen  to his team in the role of Business Development Manager.  This new appointment coincides with the arrival of Inga Kamantauskaite as sales & marketing manager within Searcy, the Barbican’s on-site catering supplier.
 
Samme Allen will focus on corporate accounts, associations, event organisers and proactive sales within the conference and event markets.  She will also be heavily involved in the Barbican’s Olympic sales strategy whilst overseeing the Centre’s leadership of the EC Collective.  Samme will work closely with the Searcy sales team including Inga, in her new role.
 
Samme Allen joins the Barbican  from Real Recruitment; she is also MPI UK and Ireland’s vice president of partnerships and business opportunities.  She brings a wealth of industry contacts and in-depth knowledge of the industry to the Barbican corporate sales team.
 
Head of corporate sales, Anthony Hyde : “Throughout the financial downturn, the Barbican has remained positive and forward thinking in our attitude to sales.  Where competitors have discounted rates, decreased marketing spend and reduced head count we have held steady.  This longer term approach has ensured a strong order book, excellent sales and a full diary.  Samme will be instrumental in our continuing growth, bringing a unique set of skills and experience to the team.”

What a week!  Just three days after Obama  is sworn in as President, which the world media proclaims one of the greatest moments in history, official figures are released in the UK announcing the fact that we are in recession – as if we had all missed the last few months of negative press about the economy!

Personally, I don’t plan to have a recession! As the saying goes (and please forgive me for not quoting the source) – we plan for the worst, whilst hoping for the best!  I have decided to be 100% optimistic…  Why?

People need PR now more than ever!  Companies that increase their profile during a recession  achieve two things:

Firstly, they position themselves perfectly to win any business available during the downturn.  Companies hiding or running away from marketing opportunities stagnate and fall behind – fatal mistake in troubled times.  There is still plenty of business out there in almost all industry sectors; the market just becomes more competitive. 

PR provides great credibility, it is third party endorsement so those people achieving coverage and cuttings are cementing their position as experts and thought leaders.  The cowboys  will be uncovered and fall by the wayside.

Secondly, by positioning a business as an industry leader you are front of mind and best placed during the inevitable recovery.  When budgets and currency start to flow once more, which they will, companies with high profiles will be first in line for new customers.

Why is PR so powerful in a recession?  Because the right campaign  creates your voice, crafts your message and positions you just where you need to be.    And lets not forget – as more companies hold back on budgets and freeze their PR activity, those continuing will benefit from less competition for space in the media – whether it be web, print or broadcast.