When it comes to PR agencies, and for that matter holiday packing, small is definitely best

As a seasoned ‘hand luggage only’ traveller – to destinations as varied as Greenland and Australia and a few countries and continents in between – and an experienced PR practitioner with  a background in boutique agencies, keeping it small has always proved to be a very successful strategy.

With smaller agencies you get direct access to senior management and teams that know how to react quickly and who work on your business from the moment they pitch for it which means there’s a personal touch that forms the basis of your working relationship.  It also means that you benefit from having senior staff directly involved and hands on in your campaign.

Small PR agencies can also be more competitive on price.  They have less overheads, are often located in less expensive areas of town and are competing constantly with other agencies to win and retain clients.  Don’t forget a small budget to a global firm is usually a big budget to a boutique agency.

They are also more focused on creating really good results because they know they have to deliver or lose your business.   The quality of the work is the same as any of the bigger players, sometimes better, resulting from the fact that staff are often multi disciplined which means they can produce innovative and effective campaigns and implement them.

But enough of the agency chat – it’s August and it’s holiday season – and I’m off to be creative and focused about my packing for a well earned week away.  So here are some top hand luggage tips:

·         Pick the right bag – soft bags such as holdalls weigh less that solid cabin cases

·         Select a capsule wardrobe to pack and make sure you wear your heaviest clothes

·         Roll don’t fold

·         Take a tablet – iPad, Kindle, etc – it cuts down on heaving reading material, doubles up as an entertainment centre and lets you dip in and out of work

·         Don’t pack stuff that you can get when you arrive or that the hotel provides – shampoo, hairdryer, sun cream, etc

·         Shoes  (it’s a girl thing!) flip flops, close toed flats, evening sandals

• Accessories  – lightweight  (so no heavy chains or belt buckles) or foldable (eg handbag, hat