We caught up with the Founder of Cape PR and Media Training Luke Roberts, to hear about how they remain relevant in the changing face of communication in the 21st century.
Luke, you established Cape PR back in 2004 and have successfully led and grown the business for 14 years. Tell us about your business journey.
I had worked in large global PR firms in London for many years, threw it in, headed home to Australia and set up my own firm. We are a boutique consultancy working mostly for international brands. We do things a bit differently and are selective in who we work for. We specialise in European and Asian brands wanting a profile in Australia. We prefer referrals from our international connections and in industries that excite us. The team is spread across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane now and we often meet virtually, just as we do with our clients. Technologically has enabled this and allows me to live in Byron Bay and commute to Sydney and run the business in this way. The old bricks and mortar approach, where the entire team is under one roof all day I decided 10 years ago to ditch. It comes from a belief that professionals (your team) are self-motivating and it is about trusting them. Some clients get the way we are structured and they are the ones we like to work with. Others don’t and that’s fine.
Communication is a critical business skill. How do you remain relevant in the changing face of communication, and as the forms of conveying information constantly evolves?
Even though traditional media is going through a transformation and with the inclusion of social media into most of our campaigns, organisations still want the same thing – to influence and persuade their communities with ideas, products or services. So that hasn’t changed. We remain relevant by diligently examining each client’s vision and needs, and then designing measurable campaigns that work. The trick is to closely examine the campaign brief, question it thoroughly before you suggest PR solutions and to check that you are not just repeating yourself – to avoid falling into habit-type suggestions.
Cape PR has carved out a strong reputation for delivering straight-forward and powerful communication strategies, by a carefully selected team of PR gurus. How do you select your team and maintain a tight community within it? As a small team there is nowhere to hide and I’m sure this is the case for most businesses at The Office Space. Bit of a mixture. A PR consultant needs a broad range of skills. Paramount is an ability to write well and a rounded PR consultant also needs good client handling skills, to back themselves and most importantly to think clearly about what is in the best interest of the client. If that sometimes means giving fearless advice then we do. How did Spokesperson Media Training evolve into an integral part of your PR and Communications Business?
Media training now constitutes a good part of our operation and requires particular skills to do it well and at a high level. I decided to hive off the media training business as a separate service because in my view clients like the notion of buying from a specialist team. It is incredibly rewarding helping individuals improve their radio, TV and press/online media skills. By the end of a media training session you want the client to be amazed at their new-found confidence and ability. That drives us. We media-train folks from Government and industry and our team comprises ex-journalists, reporters and broadcast presenters. Some have worked on the team for more than a decade. We work all over Australia and parachute into organisations working intensely with their senior teams, usually for a day. It is about leaving the client with a legacy and as system that enables them to manage media interviews into the future.
You have been a long-term client of The Office Space, can you tell us why our Virtual Office package has worked so well for you?
We fell in love with The Office Space and loved the vibe when you walked in. That was more than a decade ago. Such a great energy and we like to hold client meetings with you because the team is professional and there are people around in full creation mode. It feels like a second home.
For Cape Public Relations and Cape Spokesperson Media Training, please get in touch with Luke: Website: http://www.capepublicrelations.com/ Phone: +61 (2) 8218 2190 Fax: +61 (2) 8588 1203 Email: info@capepublicrelations.com
