Business in Glasgow

Business in Glasgow (BiG) are privileged to be working with two final year students undertaking an MA Business & Management Honours Degree at the University of Glasgow. Henri Debono Huskinson and Habibah Kamaluden are undertaking a three month research and consultancy project as part of their final year dissertation. The purpose of their research is:

• To establish BiG’s presence in the Glasgow Business Community
• The viability of expanding BiG to other parts of the city
• To help enhance our online presence and networking through social media networking such as LinkedIn.
• Identify potential sources of finance to create a permanent position to grow BiG’s service to businesses
• Review current marketing strategy and expand client base

Henri & Habibah joined us at our last BiG talk and here is what Henri said:

“Thank you very much for the invite and allowing myself and Habibah the opportunity to get a better insight into the events. To be honest we were more use to attending seminars where people sit in a line whilst someone talks until everyone falls asleep. Your event was a breath of fresh air from the more traditional approach. The whole setup was fantastic; people can talk & mingle, ask questions, listen to the speaker & also eat.”

Thank-you for making BiG the success it is, welcoming new people and for being part of all we do.

We would greatly appreciate if you would now take a few minutes to answer the short survey that has been put together by Henri & Habibah of behalf of BiG to help us develop our services.

Take the Survey!

We are delighted to be hosting former TV news presenter Jill Brown on our first talk of 2011. Jill will be sharing with us her wisdom & insight into managing the Media and how the media works. Jill spent six years working on STV’s news programme, ‘Scotland Today,’ as well as the social affairs, health and lifestyle series, ‘Scottish Action.’ She has also done some freelance reporting for the BBC’s ‘Radio Cafe,’ as well as producing documentaries. Jill spent two years managing PR for a Scottish charity and now runs Jill Brown Media, working with a range of clients who aim to change society for the better.

The media is undoubtedly a powerful force in society today and with so many voices vying for attention, how do you make sure you are heard? How can you get your story on the news agenda? Jill will also advise on how you push good news, as well as some tips for dealing with the bad.

Event Report

Jack Quinn

Jill introduced the topic by remarking on the fact that the average newsreader has 1 minute 25 seconds to get across their piece of news and to have 15 minutes to speak seemed like a huge luxury!

We initially brainstormed about the kind of things that caught our attention on the news and what that illustrated was sport, economics, celebrity, human interest stories; babies, children and animals, were issues that the media frequently reflected.

Jill went onto describe nine points of information that would help prepare anyone who wished to approach the media in order to get their story placed before the wider audience.
1. You have to familiarise yourself with the themes already being used in the media.
2. You need to be prepared to repackage what you have to say in order to interest people.
3. Be prepared to start from scratch in terms of what you have to say to the media.
4. You have to be a risk taker because it is risky talking to the media because they might present your material in a way you either do not expect or do not wish.
5. Be creative; find different ways to express your point of view that will attract attention.
6. You have to consume the publications and the websites, TV and radio programmes you wish to be on, so read the magazines, be up to date. Journalists will listen to someone who knows the material they produce.
7. The more you can do to help the journalist get your story taken up the better and once you get the journalists attention, make yourself available and be prepared to be called upon anytime, day or night if you want your story to be used.
8. The use of social media to get your story across is possible but you need to be consistent and almost need a dedicated team to update it regularly. Be careful of journalists trawling websites to find information that you might not necessarily want to be put on the media.
9. The best place to start is sometimes the simplest. Approach your local press who often are very hungry for items to fill their papers.

Jill then took a wide range of questions from the floor which illustrated the interest she had generated with her talk.