The million pound press release
A single press release we produced helped a manufacturing business to win new orders worth over seven figures and counting. So, what was the secret behind achieving such a powerful result?
Flexpak is a Barnsley-based manufacturing company that produces specialist packaging products, primarily for the food industry. With an innovative new product in development, the company secured grant funding from our client Enterprising Barnsley to bring their ideas to fruition.
The press release we devised focussed on the innovative work Flexpak had delivered to launch a new recyclable film – a result of grant funding secured through Enterprising Barnsley. With many of its own clients facing increased cost pressures as a result of global economic uncertainty, the company challenged itself to bring a new ultra-thin, durable product to market.
The film produced was nothing short of remarkable: at just 25 microns thick, the equivalent thickness of a human skin cell, it was capable of holding up to 10 kilograms of potatoes.
Central to the development of the product was the lab facility that had been created as a direct result of the funding received.
Forming part of a broader PR initiative, our primary objective for the campaign was to showcase the success Flexpak had enjoyed due to the grant funding.
PR approach
From a media perspective, we set ourselves three challenges: firstly, to secure media coverage within the local and regional business – this approach focused upon showcasing the impact of the grant funding on Flexpak, and reflected the primary PR objectives for the broader Enterprising Barnsley campaign – to signpost other potential beneficiaries of the grant scheme to the help and support available.
Secondly, we also wanted to showcase and highlight the innovative work being delivered in South Yorkshire to a potentially national media audience, encouraging inward investment into the local economy.
Finally, we used the press releases as a means of connecting the businesses featured with their target audiences. In the case, we worked with Flexpak to identify media channels that would help to showcase their work to their potential client base – namely the packaging and food manufacturing sectors.
The media coverage we secured didn’t just help to increase the number of enquiries for the Enterprising Barnsley grant scheme, but significantly, Flexpak also received a number of new business enquiries, perhaps most notably from two major international supermarket chains.
So, did the press release really generate a million pounds worth of sales for that company? From spotting the initial story, Flexpak successfully transformed one of those initial enquiries into a trusted and valued repeat customer.
The results
And the result? Orders worth more than seven figures placed to date… and counting.
It should be noted that the ability to convert the order and transform the initial enquiry into a regular, repeat customer, is testament to Flexpak’s own sales process and the relationship it builds with its clients. However, Without the story being seen in the right place at the right time by the right person, it’s unlikely that the initial enquiry would have materialised.
The reason this approach worked was based upon:
- Creating and developing a genuinely newsworthy story, relevant to its target audience.
- Understanding the needs of the business and the impact of the investment.
- Researching and understanding the needs of the publications and websites where the story featured.
Tom Rich, UK Operations Manager, Flexpak UK, said:
“Beyond the immediate results, what truly set Cannon PR apart was their proactive approach and genuine commitment to our success. The team understood our business and the industry in which we operate it. Nothing was too much trouble and the results, both in terms of media coverage generated at the time and subsequent orders placed, speak for themselves.
The orders we secured following the publication of the story were significant, and some of those initial enquiries have quickly become regular and valued customers.”
Cannon PR provides a comprehensive range of communications support services to help businesses realise their growth ambitions.
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