Ian Weightman Media Services Limited The Destination PR Specialists
Getting to the heart of your destination
The Cotswolds January 2010‐Present Publicity value: at least £850,000 Media examples: In Britain magazine, Abta magazine, The Times, The Guardian, Independent on Sunday, ITV’s This Morning,
Here to raise the profile of the areas, attractions and accommodations which we represent.
CHAT magazine, Heritage magazine, Reizen magazine in
Ian Weightman Media Services Ltd specialises
In addition, combined media lists for overseas
Holland, The Telegraph magazine,
exclusively in tourism and destination PR.
markets include The Netherlands, Belgium,
Good Housekeeping, Sunday
Utilising a background in journalism, we have
Germany, France, Scandinavia, the United States
Mirror, National Examiner mag.
provided press and PR support to tourist
of America, Canada, Japan, Australia, New
destinations,
Zealand and Ireland.
(USA), The Sunday Times.
attractions
and
nationwide
consortia for the past 20 years. Our team provides virtually round the clock press & PR support to a wide range of clients, several of which have retained our services continuously for more than 17 years. Our clients, and proven track record, provide us with an exceptionally high profile amongst the domestic and international media, most well known on a personal level, including travel editors of all major national dailies, as well as regional newspapers.
We also work closely with the VisitBritain and VisitEngland press offices in London and worldwide. As media specialists, we pride ourselves on tailoring
PR
campaigns
to
marketing
requirements and target markets of clients – while also ensuring that work carried out reflects changing
circumstances
opportunities that may arise.
and
any
new
Stoke on Trent
Our Approach
During 2009 Publicity value: £650,000. Media examples: In Britain, Women's Weekly, Best of British, Good Housekeeping, Heritage Magazine, Prima
Exclusively Tourism and Destination PR
Magazine, Independent on Sunday, Daily Telegraph. The Times, CCTV (China TV).
We believe in working closely with clients
All our clients benefit from media relations
beginning with initial visits and research
that feature the full mix of press and PR
meetings to create and build product knowledge
techniques.
in order that we identify and explore all
Our personal approach means we are very
opportunities fully.
proactive in organising regular briefing and
Our aim is to uncover strong news angles and stories that travel journalists will want to cover, and subsequently create a tailored plan to suit, a tailored plan that dovetails with any wider marketing campaign. We will then quickly deliver a structured programme of releases and social media activity targeted at the national and international travel media.
strategy sessions and maintaining regular contact with clients.
Securing Coverage
Hooking the Media Product Knowledge
What does it need to secure coverage?
We now receive daily enquiries from the
Something new; different; better; topical.
media, VisitEngland and VisitBritain, to
We undertake research of your
It needs to be something with universal
destination to generate new (and
appeal for a travel editor and with plenty
creative) story ideas, and to secure a
of fresh copy for a journalist.
comprehensive understanding of
We believe that a news‐led approach pays
the full history of the destination.
dividends and is one of the key factors
We are also keen to invite regional,
behind the extensive range of media
national and international media to
contacts and productive relationships
your
established with travel journalists.
destination
with
your
agreement, and will generate and help to organise and deliver media familiarisation trips.
contribute to upcoming features and national/regional/international round‐ups. Our
reactive
work
has
increased
dramatically. We also represent clients at key media events that we attend, including ‘World Travel Market’ and ‘Best of Britain and Ireland’, VisitBritain’s ‘PR Gatherings’, meetings of the new VisitEngland ‘Spin Crowd’, British Guild of Travel Writers’ Yearbook launch. We also stage an increasing number of ‘desk visits’ with key domestic travel editors, and writers. And we attend several media events overseas.
Shropshire
Our Presence
April 2010 – Jan 2011 Publicity value: at least £310,ooo Media examples: Walk; The Independent; Reizen
Making Your Destination Global
(Netherlands); Look magazine; Daily Telegraph; Nuvo magazine (Canada); Sunday Mirror; Weekly News; TV Gids (Netherland); Greentraveller.co.uk; Sunday Express; Camping and Caravanning; Best of British; Yorkshire Post; The Times.
Ian Weightman Media Services has embraced
A recent successful addition to this suite of
the latest Social Media phenomenon.
social media is the creation of a monthly E‐
We have recently launched a new generation Web 2.0 website (which is currently ranked number 1 under destination PR) embedded for blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube, Flickr, Tumblr, Scribd and Google Maps, offering a fully integrated suite of PR tools to maximise a range of social media channels and traditional PR opportunities. We also subscribe to TravMedia, providing even greater access to the worlds travel media and key contacts.
Newsletter that has quickly attracted a distribution list of over 100 international travel writers, freelance journalists, and travel editors from major newspapers and magazines.
Meet The Team
Stoke on Trent
Mark Hibbert has 18 years experience in local newspaper journalism and more than nine years in PR – including in‐house media manager for leading Destination Marketing
Partnership
Lincolnshire
Tourism where he established a PR department and from September 2004 to July 2005 managed regional PR for the newly formed East Midlands Tourism (EMT). Since April 2006, he has been running his own media relations business, primarily in destination PR, dealing with local, regional, national and international travel media.
Ian Weightman is the creator and managing director of Ian Weightman Media Services Ltd that represents some of the finest areas in the UK and Europe. Ian has become well known, as well as well respected, within the travel and tourism PR sector over the past 20 years. Privileged to promote some of the best destinations to travel journalists, Ian has built up good product knowledge and an excellent rapport with journalists. Ian is well placed to be a good source of information for any travel writer. Given the range of destinations he now represents, he can fulfill almost any enquiry. Knowing most of the UK's leading travel writers personally, he travels overseas to media events, and has been able to establish an excellent relationship with hundreds of travel writers in America, Canada, northern Europe, Japan and Australia.
Katie Macdonald, Virtually Does It Ltd, has over 10 years experience in executive personal
assistance
management,
and
providing
office
high‐class
business support to Directors and Chief Executives in both the public and private sectors. Katie’s range of experience has enabled her to not only gain a strong skills set in business administration, but also develop the personal skills to build strong and successful professional relationships. Katie has now set up her own company providing virtual PA assistance and business support partnerships.
Don’t Just Take Our Word For It….. “Ian knows just how to communicate his clients' news in a way that will fire an editor's imagination. He's also unfailingly quick, efficient and thorough when providing info and support. We've worked together on many projects over the past five years or so, all of which have resulted in successful features for me and great coverage for Ian's clients”. Kate Simon, travel editor, Independent on Sunday “If there were a PR Rock Star it would pretty much be you!” Jessica Ainlay, freelance travel journalist and editor of AngloFile
“The Club has now been working with Ian Weightman Media Services for almost 18 months and discovering Ian was our equivalent of striking gold! Ian's honest, pro‐active and extremely effective approach to travel and tourism PR coupled with his vast array of contacts, has helped boost The Club's profile within the mainstream media”. Jon Dale, PR Manager, Camping & Caravanning Club
What I particularly enjoy about working with Ian is the absence of 'mwah, mwah,' designer suits or a Porsche parked outside. Ian Weightman is a no‐nonsense, cost‐effective practical PR professional, the real deal. Journalists recognise that in him and so do I”. Chris Dee, Tourism Manager for The Cotswolds and Royal Forest of Dean
Ian Weightman Media Services Limited 5 Moss Lane Maer Newcastle‐under‐Lyme Staffordshire ST5 5EQ Tel: 01782 680963 Email: ian.iwms@virgin.net Web: www.ianweightman.co.uk Twitter: @WeightmanPR © Ian Weightman 2011 Photography: Ian Weightman
Created by Virtually Does It 2011 Artwork by Jack Barber Ltd.