Welcome to our April newsletter.
March was a month of spinning plates - new client wins, Easter, and a fair bit of travel for the team and me.
While creating and scheduling International Women’s Day activity for our clients, I had a moment of realisation when the day itself arrived: we hadn’t created any content for ourselves.
My usual approach would be to stop everything and get it done.
But not this time.
It was just one social post, and in the grand scheme of things, it really didn’t matter.
The truth was simple: our all‑female team had been under pressure. Life challenges, family commitments, and the constant drive to do their best at work were all in play. That felt like a very valid reason not to rush to post for the sake of it, and a reminder that sometimes, not posting is the right call.
Social strategy is something we deliver for clients every day. I’ve never been a fan of posting for posting’s sake, quantity is far less important than meaning.
We always encourage clients to step back from the pressure to post x times per week and instead take a bird’s‑eye view:
Structured social media should be built around clear business pillars.
It can’t all be sales-led, content needs to build brand personality too. The best-performing social strategies focus on improvement and growth. Planning and structure provide the foundation, then it’s time for phase two.
We’re currently working with several new clients on social strategy, migrating channels and managing transitions. Time and again, we’re reminded just how complex and sticky this process can be.
In many organisations, social accounts were set up years ago. Whoever created them is long gone. Email addresses are no longer accessible. Verification codes are sent to phone numbers no one recognises. Sound familiar?
If this strikes a chord, take it as your reminder to check in on your own social accounts. It’s a task no one looks forward to, but when something goes wrong, dealing with Meta or other platforms can be incredibly challenging if the basics aren’t in place.
As the days get brighter, I’m always keen for the team to take time off, whether that’s a few days or a full week away from their desks. It’s about recharging before the rush of Q2 events.
This year, it was my turn to practise what I preach.
At the end of March, I took a four-day break with my parents to the World Superbikes in Portimão. With a busy period at RNN, stepping away wasn’t easy, it required plenty of preparation and organisation. But four days of engines, blue skies and shared experiences made it 100% worth it.
It was also a clear reminder that this is why we work hard…to create moments and memories with the people who matter most.
Always take the trip.
I love podcasts, and listen to at least four a week, maybe more. There’s so much high-quality, free content available now, and it suits my ‘on-the-go’ learning style.
Locally, the Irish News and others are producing brilliant listens. In Ireland, The Good Glow with Georgie Crawford is a firm favourite, as is The Entrepreneur Experiment with Gary Fox. For UK and global affairs, The News Agents is a daily go-to.
Podcasts are also an incredible opportunity for long‑form content, especially when it comes to building brand personality.
One of our standout recommendations is Trading Up, the Irish News podcast hosted by Jim Fitzpatrick. A particularly brilliant episode features Sandra Corkin, Executive Director of Oasis Travel, alongside her son Scott McCabe, Managing Director. It’s the perfect example of how a brand story can be told authentically, and how audiences get to know the people behind the business.
It’s well worth a listen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/49n0CzAJ22fS4SkBLRFugJ
We’re not ones to stand still. As I said recently to my colleague Astrid, there’s no growth in comfort. Earlier this year, we launched a new workshop: Communicating Impact: How to deliver on the communications requirements for funded projects.
The free, online session was designed for the community and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland, focusing on how organisations can meet funder requirements while clearly demonstrating the real impact of their work.
Would anyone show up? They did.
We welcomed 20 delegates to the session, and it turned out to be super. The engagement was genuine, the discussion was lively, and we even received 5‑star reviews 😊
Astrid has captured our reflections in her latest blog Communicating Impact in the Community and Voluntary Sector in Northern Ireland - rnn communications and we’re running the workshop again on Wednesday, 10 June. Keep an eye on our LinkedIn if you’d like to join us next time.
So off I go. The hustle continues.
Over and out!
Riki
