[su_heading style=”default” size=”14″ align=”left” margin=”20″]TravelMedia.ie has been on the move! Niamh Waters has recently returned from Paris, where she was working with GroupExpression Agency for one week. This is part of a series of ‘staff swaps’ – an initiative created by the Travel Lifestyle Network. TravelMedia.ie is very proud to be members of this global network of travel and tourism PR’s. Here’s what Niamh thought of the experience…[/su_heading]
“As the first person from TLN to take part in a staff swap, it was hard to know what to expect from the experience. The staff swaps were created to share knowledge and learnings and to see how other PR agencies operate – I definitely got a taste of all of this during my week in Paris.
Every PR agency is different – different staff, different procedures and different areas of expertise. However, there is one aspect of a PR agency that remains the same the world over – the client. The client name may be different but the rule remains the same – the client comes first in everything you do. This rule was certainly evident during my week with GroupExpression in Paris. This busy agency is staffed by a team of driven and hard working women who are extremely dedicated to their clients.
Surprises on the Seine
On my first day I was introduced to everyone and learned more about their clients and about the different roles of the team members. It was reassuring to hear that the team had similar experiences to my colleagues and I when it came to workloads and time allocation for the different types of organisations that we represent.
That evening I attended a Dubai Tourist Board party on a yacht on the Seine. Having been to a number of Dubai Tourist Board events in Dublin, it was very interesting to see how the events differ in another country.
During the event I learned that Dubai is not as popular a holiday destination with French travellers as it is with Irish travellers. This came as a surprise to me as airlines Etihad and Emirates are doing exceptionally well in the Irish market.
Sharing my skills
Having English as a first language turned out to be beneficial for the team in Paris. During the week I assisted them with English language press releases, advising on corrections or changes when needed. I also undertook the task of updating and correcting the English language version of the agency website.
The main goal behind the TLN staff swaps is to share knowledge amongst the network. No matter how good an agency is, it is impossible for every agency to have the same level of skills in the same areas.
Social media is an area that I am very passionate about and something which I enjoy learning about. I am constantly reading about updates, improvements, changes and tips across the many social media platforms. Looking after some of our clients’ accounts and running advanced advertising campaigns for them means that I am learning as I go, every single day.
I was aware before my visit to GroupExpression that they were enthusiastic for me to share some of my social media skillsets with them. This for me was one of the highlights of my week as I like to be able to teach people things which they may not have known before.
Having gone through the agency’s social media platforms, we then sat down and I advised on what they needed to change, and what they needed to start doing in order to increase their followers and improve their social media presence.
This type of information exchange is something that cannot be done in a day, or a week. It is something which must be ongoing amongst the TLN network to ensure that our clients receive the best service possible.
The verdict
Having had such a great experience during my week in Paris, I would strongly encourage staff members in other agencies to avail of this initiative.
As a network it is important that we continue to grow and develop, this includes the growth of team members in agencies, and there is no better way to do this than to get out of your usual surroundings and spend time in another working environment.
And of course I am hoping that we can welcome someone to the TravelMedia.ie office in Dublin soon!”
Michelle Ryan will be the next TravelMedia.ie team member to take part in a staff swap. Michelle will travel to Chicago in July where she will spend time with Zapwater Communications.
Senior staff from TLN member agencies are eligible for staff swaps. Staff swaps consist of one week in a TLN member agency, with accommodation costs covered by the hosting agency and flight costs covered by the travelling staff members agency. Thank you to GroupExpression for covering Niamh’s accommodation costs for the week.
Do you require PR services in a country outside of Ireland? Contact us and we will be happy to recommend one of our Travel Lifestyle Network agencies.