Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of chatting with the dynamic duo behind Lights4fun’s PR and marketing strategy: Becky Tasker and Emily Kelsey. During our conversation, we picked their brains about everything from how they got started in the industry, what makes for effective press outreach and influencer collaborations to how to craft compelling social media content and what goes into hosting a memorable press event.
Here’s a short snippet of our chat:
Q: Let’s start with how you got into your careers as PRs.
Becky Tasker: Absolutely. From my point of view, I have been with Lights4fun for what feels like my entire adult life. I actually started as a freelance photographer before joining Lights4fun, which focused me on visual storytelling. I joined Lights4fun seven years ago, starting in our customer service department to get to grips with the product and the brand, then moved into PR as a junior assistant. I was fortunate to train under our co-founder Joe Norton, who was our PR director at the time. I’ve since moved up within the team and now head the PR and social media teams, overseeing PR strategy and social media activities.
Emily Kelsey: I began my journey into PR by studying it at undergraduate level at Sheffield Hallam University, graduating with a first-class degree. I started working at a marketing agency before deciding I preferred to work in-house. That’s when I joined Lights4fun as a PR assistant. I handle our day-to-day PR activities and have progressed to PR Executive, where I am involved in photo shoots, campaigns, PR events, and charity partnerships.
Q: What role does PR play at Lights4fun?
Becky Tasker: PR is vital to Lights4fun’s marketing strategy. It’s about building brand awareness and product credibility. Our marketing and PR teams work closely together, allowing for early insights and content sharing. We use data from Pressloft and feedback from journalists to influence our marketing strategy. This collaboration is key to our success.
Q: Let’s talk about press outreach. How do you go about it?
Emily Kelsey: Press outreach is our number one priority. We put a lot of work into our press releases and have built strong relationships over the years. We respond quickly and informatively to requests and check in with journalists who download our images from Press Loft. Our press releases include new images, expert commentary, and relevant information for the season.
Q: Do you do much sampling?
Emily Kelsey: Definitely. We love sending press loans to journalists and stylists for magazine shoots, TV shows, and product testing. Seeing our products styled in different ways and receiving positive feedback, like from Indie Best, is a great testament to our products.
Q: What are your favourite titles to appear in?
Becky Tasker: It’s tough to choose, but Good Housekeeping and Ideal Home are among our top favourites. Our recording room is filled with features, showing our pride in the coverage we receive.
Q: Let’s talk about imagery. How do you come up with such beautiful shoots?
Becky Tasker: We owe a lot to our Photography Manager, Lucy. Our shoots are a full-time job, and we focus on storytelling to immerse our customers. We provide options with our images, ensuring they work for both digital and print media. Negative space is important for press images, allowing for text and headlines. We also create detailed DIYs and place settings to build a full, rich story for journalists.
Q: How long do your shoots take?
Emily Kelsey: For big shoots, it typically takes a full working week. We plan our photography calendar around PR deadlines to ensure journalists have images in time. We categorise images on Press Loft and compress high-resolution images for easy access by journalists.
Q: How important is influencer marketing for Lights4fun?
Becky Tasker: Influencer marketing is crucial. We work with a range of influencers, from micro-influencers to larger names, to reach different segments of our audience. Influencers help us to showcase our products in real-life settings and provide authentic endorsements.
Emily Kelsey: We focus on building long-term relationships with influencers. This way, they become true advocates for our brand rather than just one-time partners. We also ensure that their style aligns with our brand to maintain authenticity.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Click the link to watch the full webinar to hear even more of their valuable insights and find out how you can implement some their strategies to drive your own PR success.
