UKCRC is a coalition of key decision makers in the world of Clinical Research including the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries, the Wellcome Trust, the Departments of Health for the four nations, and the Association of Medical Research Charities.

In 2009 the partners commissioned Straight talking communications to market the controversial issue of using our health records to unlock the causes of disease, find solutions and improve healthcare services. UKCRC needed a marketing strategy to position the routine use of anonymous data, and communications to counter bad press about ‘the database state’ and recent misuse and loss of confidential data.

I got to the heart of the issue through extensive desk and stakeholder research, using the findings to develop key messages and FAQS. From there I was able to create a strategy for bringing research using patient records into the mainstream.

I provided UKCRC with a marketing communications plan which would inform and involve GPs and researchers and educate the public about health record research.

I talked to journalists about how the issue resonates in the media, and experts and patients alike about what we really need to know. I made sure that all the key communications routes were part of the plan, from the care environment, to NHS Direct, to Doctors.net.

I steered UKCRC towards information-based communications campaigns and commissioned patient and GP focus groups to explore attitudes to and awareness of the issue, and road test our approach.

I wrote and managed design of patient information which will hit doctors surgeries in England, Scotland and Wales in the autumn of 2011 and Northern Ireland in 2012.

St Christopher’s has been around since 1870, providing services, homes, foster care and supported housing for children, young people and vulnerable adults. It is working in a volatile and competitive market, bidding for significant public sector contracts to provide vital services. The charity was missing significant opportunities through poor communications. It had no clear communications strategy resulting in inconsistent messages and communications collateral. St Christopher’s needed to start again from scratch but could not do so without the full picture of its current communications. I helped them establish a starting point by conducting a full communications audit:-

• Explored organisational operations, values and future strategy – through interviews with internal and external stakeholders
• Assessed front line communications through staff focus groups
• Researched  and evaluated competitor communications
• Analysed all external communications  and internal communications systems
• Provided an extensive report containing collateral and competitor analyses – with clear recommendations for the future.

St Christopher’s is moving ahead slowly within the constraints of their budget. They’ve made an excellent start by improving their overview materials (top of page) and exhibition collateral (above). They’re also reviewing and improving staff engagement policy.

I could help you do the same……

National Asthma Campaign didn’t really know what it wanted to be. It funded research and supported those with asthma through publications, holidays for children with acute asthma and a much-needed telephone help line. This was all great stuff but there was no coherent brand pulling it together. Communications materials were inconsistent and could’ve been from anyone. There was no unifying tone of voice and the charity was hugely unconfident about its position as the asthma expert.

To address these issues, I led the re-brand of the charity from National Asthma Campaign to Asthma UK.

After getting buy-in from the Board and leadership, I conducted extensive internal and external stakeholder research and competitor analysis to inform the charity’s values, offer and positioning. I translated this into brand values, vision, mission and position as the asthma experts and developed brand communications strategy.

I worked with designers on visual identity and tested this with audience focus groups. All communications collateral was redeveloped to reflect the new tone of voice, look and feel and Asthma UK  is now in doctors surgeries, homes and information outlets throughout the UK.

I could do that for you…….

pfeg was a successful but tiny charity before funding from the Financial Services Authority enabled it to grow to a staff of 60 – in 5 regional offices throughout England.

It had no designated communications staff and had been doing its best to market its services with reactive media relations, an unwieldy website and basic corporate literature.

My initial communications audit and stakeholder research revealed that pfeg’s communications were not doing it justice and were holding it back in terms of marketing valuable and much-needed services.

After talking to pfeg’s key audiences I devised both national and regional communications strategies.

It now has everything in place to maintain an ongoing communications programme:-

• I devised key messages and a media strategy which enable pfeg to feel confident about talking to the right regional journalists and use pr agencies for national launches.
• I helped the charity audit and exploit the whole wealth of exhibitions and conferences in the market place to make its presence felt.
• I refreshed the charity’s brand, look and feel and tone of voice revising its collateral to give pfeg a modern, business-like image whilst maintaining its charitable ethos.

All pfeg’s materials now look and sound as if they belong to the same family, including pfeg’s website, where I’ve tamed the vast array of text to create a fresh, new site which works intuitively for its users.

To ensure consistency I’ve provided brand guidelines and house style to keep pfeg on track.

To help pfeg raise its game I’ve introduced new communications channels like corporate video and podcasts and the charity now has a fresh, modern and professional approach to communicating with its audiences.

I could do that for you……