Pressman PR

I have just returned from a fantastic meeting at the all new, very plush Wembley Stadium. It was great fun, our meeting was in one of the corporate boxes and we pushed back the doors and strolled outside to have a look at the guys setting up the stage for the Foo Fighters concerts this weekend.

My meeting was with Mike Pink - Wembley’s head of commercial. The reason I was there is because my client King Sturge are to auction off the famous goal line from the 1966 World Cup Final.

It’s a fascinating story. The 1966 World Cup is, of course, sacred to all Englishmen (and women too) because it is the only time in our history that English hands have lifted aloft a major trophy. The goal line is of particular interest because one of Sir Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick goals that day famously bounced on the line. The Germans claim to this day that it shouldn’t have been allowed - but the Swiss ref, Gottfried Dienst, and the Russian linesman Tofik Bakhramov, said “Goal” so it stood. These were the days when other countries liked us. How things have changed - just ask Andy Abrahams.

The famous goal line was dug up when Wembley was re-turfed in 1968 and a TV producer called Bob Gardam got to take it home. He planted it in his back garden where it has remained ever since.

Now though the new owner of the home has asked King Sturge to dispose of it. Part of the line will be donated to Wembley and the National Football Museum while the rest will be sold at an online auction with some of the proceeds going to charity - possibly to the Bobby Moore Foundation.

Today’s meeting was to explore the possibility of launching the sale with a press call at Wembley - hopefully involved Sir Geoff Hurst. It turns out Wembley still have the crossbar from the 1966 final while the National Football Museum has the ball - it would be fantastic if we can reunite all four - Sir Geoff, crossbar, ball and goal line.

It was fascinating to see inside the stadium. I was told that Wembley is in debt to the tune of £780m, and there are only 16 sporting events planned for this year, plus two concerts (the aforementioned Foo Fighters and Madonna) so I’m guessing it will take some time before that debt is repaid.

This sale will be the latest in a series of high profile sporting auctions which King Sturge have overseen. Most notably they disposed of much of Aresnal’s old Highbury Stadium including embossed bathroom tiles, the pitch centre spot and even George Graham’s old desk.

Such sales make great opportunities for PR and I am confident I can get substantial TV and newspaper coverage for this. I’m really looking forward to it as it’s a fun story to tell. There is even talk about us doing the press call at England’s game against the Czech Republic later this year. That really would be something special.

Pressman Success Stories

The past week has been amazing with features in the Sunday Express for Patients Talking (double page spread) and a great piece in the fashion pages of the Daily Mirror for Bagnificent along with a page five lead piece with pic also for Bagnificent in Business 7. Gerry Campbell, the founder of Bagnificent has emailed me to say hits on her site have gone “through the roof” so that’s very gratifying and shows the incredible power of PR in action.

I also had page leads in the Nottingham Evening Post, The Leicester Mercury and The Derby Evening Telegraph. I have also had verbal agreement on pieces for other clients in The Sun and The Daily Mail. Once they’ve been published I’ll put up full details here on the blog. It’s a very exciting time at the moment and I seem to be on fire with everything I touch turning to gold right now (hey, it’s no good being modest when you’re running your own business!)

Free Money

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Inspiring Entrepreneurs

I now have my own bookshop - in association with Amazon. It is stocked with all my favourite business books and all the books which have inspired me over the years. Click here to visit the Pressman Bookshop.

SEO Tips

My top two tips for search engine optimisation are so simple - if you haven’t done them yet what is stopping you? Tip 1: Google Maps - creating a Google Map listing for your business is free and takes about five minutes. You’ll instantly leap up the Page Rank.

Tip 2: Use the link at the top of this page - right under where it says Pressman Public Relations - to join Touch Local. You can join for free to create a simple listing - which will help - but I recommend creating a full listing which will allow you to include your website url. You’ll find the phone calls and emails soon start flooding in with new inquires. There are some great SEO books in my bookshop.

Pressman Seminars

If you would like to find out how to slash your advertising spend yet gain lots of great publicity for your company, how to plan your PR strategy, how to find an angle about you and your company that the press will love, and how to craft punchy press releases that journalists won’t be able to resist, then come to one of the Pressman seminars.

Seminars run from 10am to 4pm and cost only £295 per person with lunch included in the price. I will take you through exactly what the press need and want and help you identify what aspects of your company, products and services, are PR-able.

I will work with you on an individual basis to help you create a perfect press release to kick start your campaign. You are guaranteed a marketable release – if it isn’t finished on the day I will complete it for you later and email it to you within a couple of days. If you would like more details email me at steve@pressmanpr.co.uk with “seminar” in the subject box.