Sarah Thompson’s PR and Communications Support for Black Country Chamber of Commerce

During her five-year tenure at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, Sarah Thompson played a pivotal role in enhancing the organisation’s public relations and communications strategy.

Her approach was multi-faceted, focusing on elevating the Chamber’s profile, engaging with stakeholders, and driving awareness of its activities across a range of media channels.

Raising the Profile of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce

One of Sarah’s key priorities, as the first communications professional in the Chamber's 160-year old history, was to raise the visibility of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce within the business community and wider public. She implemented a strategic PR campaign that amplified the Chamber’s voice and highlighted its importance to local businesses in the Black Country region.

• Media Relations & Press Coverage: Sarah actively worked on securing media coverage for the Chamber, including press releases, features, and interviews in local and regional media outlets. This led to the Chamber being frequently featured in newspapers, trade publications, and business magazines, helping to position the Chamber as an authoritative voice for businesses in the region.
• Positioning the Chamber as a Thought Leader: Sarah took steps to position the Chamber as an expert in business advocacy and economic development within the region. She worked with Chamber leaders to draft opinion pieces, thought leadership articles, and industry commentaries that showcased the Chamber’s involvement in key business issues.

Chamber CEO Corin Crane discusses Covid restrictions and lobbying for business support - Sky News Economics Show with Ian King

Building Relationships with Local and National Media

Sarah leveraged her extensive media network to build strong relationships with journalists, editors, and industry influencers. This enabled the Chamber to secure both regional and national coverage for its initiatives, achievements, and events.

• Strategic Media Outreach: Sarah created compelling story pitches that communicated the Chamber’s role in supporting local businesses, organising business events, and advocating for policy change in the Black Country. She worked to ensure that the Chamber’s voice was included in important media discussions surrounding business trends, economic development, and public policy.

Promoting Chamber Events & Initiatives

Sarah played an instrumental role in promoting Chamber events, such as networking sessions, business awards, and regional initiatives. She ensured that these events received maximum exposure through both press coverage and social media campaigns.

• Event PR & Publicity: Sarah was directly involved in securing media coverage for key Chamber events.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Sarah was instrumental in ensuring that key stakeholders were kept informed and engaged throughout various initiatives. Whether it was through newsletters, press events, or social media updates, she ensured that both businesses and local government officials were kept up to date with the Chamber’s activities.

Managing Media Partnerships

Sarah worked with various media outlets to develop partnerships that benefited the Chamber and its members. She helped broker sponsorship opportunities and collaborations with both regional publications and national business media.

• Media Partnerships: These partnerships helped increase the Chamber’s profile and raised awareness of its activities to a broader audience. For example, Sarah worked to secure sponsorship deals for Chamber events, increasing funding and support from local businesses.
• Member Benefits: Through media partnerships, Sarah ensured that Chamber members had access to increased visibility and media coverage, helping them grow their businesses and raise their profile within the local economy.

Advocacy & Policy Communications

During her time with the Chamber, Sarah also played a role in advocacy efforts, working with policymakers to represent the interests of the region’s businesses.

• Communicating Policy Issues: She worked to raise awareness of key policy issues that affected local businesses and communicated these concerns through press releases, public statements, and industry meetings. This helped strengthen the Chamber’s role as an advocate for business interests at the local, regional, and national levels.
• Government Relations: She also worked with local government representatives to ensure that the Chamber’s initiatives were aligned with regional economic strategies and business development plans. This enhanced the Chamber’s influence in shaping policies that supported business growth.

Sarah Thompson's Role in Overseeing the Relaunch and Promotion of Prosper Magazine

As the former Editor of Prosper Magazine at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, Sarah also played an instrumental role in relaunching the publication in 2019, and driving its success for the five years she oversaw its publication.

Prosper Magazine, as the region’s long-standing membership business publication, required a fresh and innovative approach to reflect the evolving needs of its audience.

Sarah’s leadership helped shape the magazine into the leading business publication for the region, trusted by senior leaders, decision makers, MPs, and influencers across the Black Country and beyond.

Community and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Communications

• During her time at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, Sarah also worked on promoting the Chamber’s community engagement and CSR efforts, highlighting the positive impact the Chamber was having on both businesses and local communities.‍
• Highlighting CSR Initiatives: Sarah helped raise awareness of the Chamber’s community initiatives, such as supporting local charities, promoting sustainable business practices, and facilitating training programmes for local businesses. These efforts were often covered by regional media outlets, helping to showcase the Chamber as a socially responsible organisation.

• Business-to-Business (B2B) Relationships: She also worked on strengthening the B2B communications within the region. This included supporting the Chamber’s partnerships with local businesses and ensuring that these partnerships were highlighted in relevant media and business circles.

Results & Impact

During Sarah's time at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, her PR and communications efforts significantly enhanced the organisation’s visibility, strengthened its relationships with local businesses, and fostered a positive public image. Her strategic media outreach, successful event promotion, and focus on both business and community engagement helped the Chamber become a leading voice in supporting businesses in the Black Country region.

Sarah’s work not only elevated the Chamber’s profile but also contributed to the success of numerous business initiatives, helping to drive positive change and create meaningful connections within the region. Her proactive approach to PR continues to be felt long after her time at the Chamber.

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