The best things in life aren't always free...

I have to disagree with Coco Chanel - which is a tough thing to do -  but I have come across a couple of situations recently when people have asked for creative services for free. That's not cool!

First there was the Facebook post from a well-known local blogger who was on one-hand celebrating how she had grown her blog and YouTube followers to a stunning number (high five girl!) but on the other asking for a videographer to work with her to film more footage for said successful blog but 'ideally I would not want to pay so if you were up-and-coming and needed the exposure then great'. Erm no - not great, not cool.

Then there are the emails and calls I get now and again asking for a 'quick press release' or 'short list of journalists'... but oh by the way we don't actually have a budget so would you do it as a favour and we'll think of you when we next pitch, again very not cool. That's my bread and butter, my USP and my skill. Please don't devalue it or the role I do. The same can be said for all creative businesses - don't ask an illustrator for a quick sketch pro bono or tell a graphic designer it would be great for their portfolio.

We are skilled people who continually invest in our professional development. If you agree a skill swap or come to an agreement to shout someone lunch or a crate of beer and it is a collaborative decision then great go right ahead but don't put someone on the spot and suggest that if you don't have a skill to swap and it was an ask rather than a mutual decision.

Look at it this way; would you call a brick layer and ask them to just throw a wall up for free or would you ask a dentist to fix a filling to get experience? No? Sure? Then please don't ask it of creatives.

Another year over...

What a year huh.

I don't often comment on world events, it isn't what this blog is for. However as we get ready to shut the office for Christmas I can't help but wonder in years to come how this year will be documented in the history books. It feels quite momentous.

Sadly, unlike the John Lennon lyric and inspiration for the title of this blog the war isn't over and as a business owner I enter a new year wondering what 2017 will bring.

At a local level all is good, business is thriving and I am enjoying steering good ship You Say. I have ended the year feeling proud of what we achieved this year, who we have chosen to work with and in the last couple of months I have felt hugely energised and supported by fellow PRs both freelance and agencies. Bristol is building a fantastic high-quality PR service and I am honoured to be part of it.

I was in Italy on a food and research trip when the UK voted for Brexit and I am still saddened that the majority of my country felt so disenfranchised and switched-off to Europe or were using the vote to try and have a say about our country right now that they felt a connection with Brexit and would rather vote for something with no plan and no strategy than try and change something. As a small business owner I am concerned about what it means for taxes, opportunities to offer my services in Europe and for trade. But more than that I am saddened that we don't feel stronger, better connected and safer with our European neighbours.

So as 2016 draws to a close and 2017 is on the horizon with the ongoing saga on Brexit and the 30 day countdown to President Trump I am going to continue to look forward and find the silver lining.

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

The art of the conversation.

I'm slowly making my way along Wapping Wharf which is steadily opening up on the waterfront in Bristol. It is half way from my office and home and is ah-ma-zing. Think local, indi, well sourced, well done food and drink.

Wapping Wharf

Today I got to try Wokyko and some Bao with Gail as we caught up about the next couple of months. We were talking about 2017 (yeah it is only around the corner) and some good old Biz Dev and if our next contact with current and potential clients would be a PDF or a good old fashioned letter with a stamp on it.

Bao from WokyKo

After our brill brainstorm I pootled off to get the office pooch Woody and we headed out in the rain to meet my business mentor and friend Liz and her pooch Bailey. A good stomp in Leigh Woods was just what I needed, not just to walk off lunch.

As the dogs snuffled in all the beautiful autumn leaves we stumbled onto the conversation of how good it was to talk and how some businesses work in silo even marketing and sales teams supposedly working in the same direction. I commented that due to the now quite heavy rain we could have Skyped but actually nothing beats a face to face chat - something I do worry is a dying art in a world of deadlines and email.

So that new biz PDF may have just become a good old fashioned letter and an offer for a coffee. After all it's good to talk.