Carol Miller will be giving the feature presentation this week (Tuesday 16th March) at the BNI Woking meeting
A former national news journalist and editor of the Waitrose internal publication, as well as wide ranging internal and external communications experience, CMM consultancy works in partnership with clients to promote and validate their brand developing a strategy to build achievable goals and maximum impact.
Carol has a special interest in sustainability and is looking to work with people who are passionate about their business, products and service, to use her knowledge and experience of media and communications from all sides to protect and promote their interests. Carol says:
“I bring specialist knowledge of the media, food & drink retail industry and travel & aviation, as well as employee engagement. I aim to build lasting relationships with clients and believe that public relations is the most powerful strategy any business can use to on its road to success.”
To find out more about Carol Miller media contact Carol directly on 01483 773172 or e-mail carol@carolmillermedia.com.
Even better, why not come along on Tuesday morning and hear for yourself?!
If you would like to attend (it’s free to visit!), just get in touch by visiting the BNI Woking website https://www.bniwoking.co.uk/ or e-mailing enquiries@wokingbni.co.uk – we’d love to see you.
So much clatter about political and economic uncertainty – it’s
become almost like white noise. Businesses like mine are just trying to get
through it all and a week off in #Morocco at the start of #October was so good,
but it’s meant playing catch-up since I got back.
I jumped in at the deep end for @WokingMeansBiz on 16
October. Organised by @WokingChamber, I’m closely involved as a member of its #BusinessDevelopment
Committee and in addition my clients @Woking_NewsMail, is one of its media
sponsors.
The long day started with a @WokingCouncil breakfast briefing – rammed to capacity with local business community. For this I took up my reporter’s pad again to do a write-up for the paper on the keynote presentation by CEO #RayMorgan. This was followed by a full day on the newspaper’s expo stand. Great to be connecting with old and new businesses in the area but being in the hall the whole day that makes you a little stir crazy. It was so good to get a good dose of fresh air with @ScorpionTrainingBootCamp in the evening – painful though it was at times!
Woking News & Mail MD Terry Tidbury and I welcome Cllr Beryl Hunswick the Mayor of Woking
A vibrant rural economy
My passion for the #FieldToFork, or cup and glass continues from my years as Editor of @waitrose internal publication covering farming and all aspects relating to #supermarket stakeholders. So there was lots to chat about on Tuesday 22 October with new colleagues in @SurreyHillsEnt when I had a chance to showcase my business at a members’ evening @denbiesvineyard.
Carol Miller Media showcase with associate Mike Daly of #GreatVideo
Carol and Marsha of @tigerlilybus
Listen and learn
There’s never a day that I don’t learn more – thank heavens!
So, on October 24th I was not disappointed when I turned up for a lunch briefing hosted by @roxhillmedia at the funky @WeWork location on Poultry St, #London. Thursday’s guest #RoxStar was #HelenDavies @TheSTHome #Editor who was really generous with her insight into the work and structure by #Home and #BricksAndMortar. A truly lovely down-to-earth person.
Sunday 1 September I was one of 15 from @ScorpionTrainingBootCamp
led by trainer @IanHarrison wading through over 100 obstacles of green mud in
@nustchallenge in the #SurreyHills countryside. That evening – battered bruised
and still a bit muddy despite a shower – I headed over to the studio at @BBCSurrey
to join Ian Jones @LLLHillHouse.
I had secured an interview for Ian with journalist/presenter @NickyPatrick1.
Together with his teenage son Dylan he gave a great insight on #FieldToFork and
the pork specialities he produces at his Dorking farm. It was a great showcase
for the #community in @SurreyHillsEnt.
2 September 2019
Speciality Food
Speciality Food
A day at @SpecialityFair @Olympia_London gave me a chance to meet new
food and drink producers and learn about new products reaching UK retailers. #Vegan-#Vegetarian
was the big story with options such as plant and nut based alternatives to
cream from Belgian #Pretexte, which was also one of the #freefrom solutions on
offer. @ShadiaAl_Hili was there with her vibrant family team for @cuzenabrand.
A joy to meet and their #Madamous dips, a Moroccan fava bean alternative to
houmous, were delicious – loved Fiery Chilli Fava Bean Dip!
Among other taste highlights was @Sisserourum rum and coconut
liqueur and amazing handpainted chocolate creations from sisters Yugna and
Deepa @thepaintedpeacockcompany, who I’ve come across before and who deserve a
lot more recognition. As a #chocoholic I also loved the fabulous ideas for
Christmas from @ChocolatChapon and who could resist a stocking filler such as
the cannabis flavour dark chocolate from #Mulaté – still I suggest a work in
progress on flavour but a great novelty and brilliant artwork.
14 September 2019
Surrey Hills Food
Surrey Hills Food
I thought I’d potter over to Denbies Wine Estate outside Dorking
to see what was on offer at the Surrey Hills Food Festival. It was a far cry
from the world offering at Olympia but disappointing in the limited number of
local producer stands.
That said a demo by @BeaverbrookH chef #TaijiMaruyama preparing #sushi and #sashimi was amazing with
plenty of valuable insights – that said the big take-home were the #edibleants
he used as a garnish which it turns out is more expensive than caviar!
16 September 2019
Binary Botanical 0.5%
It was great to finally sit down for a chat with Danielle Bekker
of the #GoodLivingBrewCompany having bumped into her several events, including the
monthly market @RipleyFarmersM and just recently at @SpecialityFair.
Really hope she gets lots of support for her 0.5% option during @GoSoberUK as she’s offering to give a 10%
contribution to @macmillancancer throughout
the month. Both @BinaryBotanical the almost no alcohol and 4% beers are worth
trying – they’re described as a #beer for #winelovers or #prosecco beer – and
it’s all the above and more!
I can hardly believe that this incredibly talented woman lives in
the same village as me in #Woking. A veteran of the brewing industry she has
created a light refreshing beer that’s great with food, low in calories, is a
good alcohol strength for beer at 4% Vol, which of course is a lot less than
wine. Incredibly her 0.5% alternative is also very tasty! Though she only
launched 18 months ago she’s already available through @Ocado and
@HarveyNichols. Watch out for the feature I’m writing on her for our local
paper @Woking_NewsMail.
The first Saturday was a fabulous English summer’s day and perfect for BBQs but it made me appreciate how far I’ve come since setting my own business.
It can be a lonely experience starting up your own brand and even if you are prepared for the likelihood of ups and downs, it’s probably the ‘water cooler’ times with colleagues that you miss the most.
I’ve been fortunate that to have been able to work as a team with many of my clients but it’s my experience as a member of the @BNIWoking chapter that has given me the collegial experience: the downtime chats, the helpful advice and sometimes just the reassurance of shared experience in our weekly networking, 1-2-1s, training and social events.
As the Events and Social Coordinator I was delighted to bring the team together with their families and or partners at my place for a summer BBQ. A chance to have enjoy some silly competitiveness as well as reward winners of the summer games we had been running over the past few months just added to the fun and knowing we’re there for each other. Not so lonely after all!
Having been to my first football match EVER(!) in April this year, I guess you could say that I’m a #latestarter.
Certainly when @Wokingfc Manager Alan ‘Dowse’ Dowson suggested I go along to a match when we met through my clients @Woking_NewsMail, who sponsor the Woking FC, I thought it unlikely but if I did it would be out of courtesy. I say that because it’s been just over a year since Dowse has been managing #TheCards and he has completely transformed their fortunes. However, it’s probably the way he has given his support to the local community, personally and with his team, that has won respect in the local region.
So I find myself once more at the #LaithwaiteStadium, rooting for Woking. I’ve become totally hooked. I still have no idea what’s happening on the pitch some of the time but I am so into football! Today’s match at home against Solihull Moors was a 2-0 win and it was incredible. I can even see how the quality of the team has improved since my first visit. #COYC!
August is my birthday month which means lots of delicious meals that are made all the more appetising because I’ve shared them with the people I love.
As a #foodie, I’m a firmly believe that the best ingredient in food is good company and this month I indulged!
That said, a visit to @BeaverbrookHotel was a wonderful gift from my lovely daughter @pippa.millerjennings and son-in-law John. We had a perfect #summerlunch at #theGardenHouseRestaurant and the #incrediblecustomerservice was #considerate, #relaxed and #attentative.
It was another one of those – this is history in the making today – when I attended the installation of the new Master at Stationers’ Hall. Welcomed the company of my friend and colleague #MikeDaly of #GreatVideo who was responsible for getting me to join the guild.
12 July
The end of the second week in July and I’m still chasing my tail as I dashed across a good part of West Surrey to get to the #SurreyRuralEconomyConference organised by #SurreyHillsEnterprises at #CranleighSchool.
I was late but keen to attend as I believe the rural economy is going to be at the very heart of some of the key day-to-day aspects impacted by a looming no-deal Brexit and it was my first Surrey Hills event since become a member last month.
I’ve found fortune has a way of looking after us, if we’re prepared to meet it half way. Today a fellow late arriver was Professor Richard Murphy, whom I’d recently met with regarding the project I’m working on with the News & Mail. Amazing! We agreed to meet and chat in the break and then as we were given the nod to enter the conference I found myself taking a place in the seats reserved for press.
I fully intended to move in the break but then realised that Secretary for the Environment @MichaelGove MP for #SurreyHeath was saying some interesting things and certainly for the @Woking_NewsMail, especially its Chobham readers so I was back in reporter mode. Fortunately I’d come armed with my digital voice recorder and of course always have my shorthand. Cranleigh School’s a bit of a wifi dead zone it seems, so attempts to message the newsdesk for questions proved useless. Luckily @JackFiehn, whom I recognised from @BBCSurrey, let me know Gove was doing 1-2-1 interviews and I could pull out some of the touchpoints we’d been running in the paper to ask Gove a couple of questions as well – but pretty sure he realised I was pitching in the dark.
Great to touch base with some of the farmers I’ve either
worked with or connected with, #TimMetson, who I’d linked into work for a
catering client that has led to a field to plate write up in the showcase
magazine for the farmers’ union, @NFUCountryside. Also after many emails and
phone calls got to meet #BillBiddell who I sourced for reporter @NickyPatrick1,
who wanted an interview with someone who could talk around field to plate. Also
glad to say hello to #IanJones of @LLLHillHouse
who I’ve also introduced to Nicky and is now looking forward to doing an
interview with her in September.
19 July
Never, ever underestimate the skill of TV presenters! Talking to a camera is not an easy job and reading from autocue as if you’re talking off the top of your head is also a skill. #MikeDaly of #GreatVideo spent the morning at my office doing the final takes for my website – I mean it all morning! Imagine how cross I was with myself when I had finally got through a take without a hitch and was so relieved I pulled a victory face at the end – too soon for us to edit it out! Thought I’d include one of the unrehearsed, non-autocue takes we did alongside a photo shoot with @MattPereira.
It’s always satisfying when a client appreciates a good job
but today I felt like quoting Col ‘Hannibal’ Smith: “I love it when a plan
comes together.”
The client on this occasion was the Woking News & Mail, which I’ve been working for for over two years and helped it to increase the volume of its sales by 20%. I had persuaded the Terry Tidbury the paper’s Managing Director to consider a new project and though initially very interested and supportive, I knew he was a bit anxious about the plan which saw us this morning at the University of Surrey. It didn’t help that we couldn’t find the office we were meant to be meeting our hosts in but I had put in a lot of preparation work so I was confident.
Back in England and a train journey into Waterloo, London, surprised me because in comparison to my journey through the suburbs of Paris, I’m struck by how clean and pretty everything looks. Today I’ve been trying to do my bit as a Freeman of London by volunteering for my guild, Stationers’ Guild as it opened its courtyard garden on the City of London’s Open Garden Day.
Being a member of Stationers’ is a matter of great pride for
me. The day I was formally accepted and swore my allegiance I was asked to sign
its huge vellum registration book. At that moment I felt I had become a part of
history and each second felt timeless.
Yesterday I found myself heading off for a flight to Paris, just three days after returning from my daughter’s wedding in the south near Carcassonne. This time my destination was just outside Paris at St Germain-en-Laye.
I had a slight feeling of trepidation as it was the first time that I was meeting the communications team for YRSA Communications, part of the newly formed business established by my client of two years, Yves Romestan. So it helped that having had breakfast at the very civilised Fortnum & Mason’s champagne bar at Heathrow’s T5 my lovely waiter slipped me a truffle I’d been eyeing with my bill.
“Yet again Carol Miller’s support as our PR consultant has proved to be a worthwhile investment. Having ensured she understands the many facets of our business, she was able to combine that with her PR skills to evaluate the award criteria and then write entries that were relevant and made an impact. As a result we won the Best Big Business award and were shortlisted in the two other categories we entered.”
Congratulations to Carol Miller Media client Global Travel Management who won the 2016 Toast of Surrey Award for best business with a turnover above £5m. Knowing the company’s high quality service and incredible enthusiasm, motivated by the very dynamic leadership of @GlobalTravelMgt Managing Director Scott Pawley, I believe GTM’s success was well deserved. Entering business awards such as @TOSawards demands time and energy but they can bring high internal and external rewards, while the experience of winning is an incredible morale boost and has been a key part of the GTM PR programme. Scott says: “Winning the award shows that, as a company, what we have is something special because winning this accolade was a team effort. For me personally, it was the most rewarding night of my life. In addition, this year’s award success will be something of a kitemark on our business credentials within the trade as well as for stakeholders and clients.“
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