SHAW PR is the press relations arm of Joslin Shaw. It provides a separate, though related, service.

There's a lot of bull spoken about PR, but you won't hear any from us.

We conduct business in plain English, without technobabble or marketing speak.

Believing, simply, in good stories and hard work. It's an approach that produces results. Getting your company's name - and products - editorial coverage. It's not about just getting your face in the paper, though profiling is crucial in differentiating the pawns from the players.

Whilst our network of key journalists, editors and freelance writers is considerable (our database of freelancers' home addresses runs to many hundreds), contacts are no substitute for a good story and strong copy.

The key is to know who is interested in what type of article, and in understanding a medium's editorial stance, plus the ability to tailor stories accordingly.

Many regard PR (wrongly) as free advertising. One, it's not free - our time doesn't come cheap, and neither does yours. Two, it serves a very different purpose to advertising. Although we don't have the same degree of control with editorial as we have with advertising, positive coverage is far more valuable than a paid-for advert can ever be.

News items can inform a potential buying audience of your latest products, whilst favorable, independent and impartial reviews - will sell them in great quantities.

Regular, prominent exposure helps generate that all important feel-good factor. People prefer to do business with a company they feel familiar with, rather than anonymous strangers.

Getting the coverage is just the beginning. Once attained it can then be made to work for you - whether using press quotes in your marketing literature or reprinting whole articles.

No wonder our clients see PR as a vital element of the marketing mix.