Joao Fernandes, CEO and founder of Buzzstreets
Joao Fernandes didn’t even think about going down the traditional advertising route when he launched an indoor navigation App for shopping centres, airports and hospitals.
The CEO and founder of Buzzstreets was already a big fan of using PR as a tool for getting maximum exposure for his brand having worked with PR firms back in his native Portugal.
So, when he was ready to introduce the App to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, in London, he knew the most effective response was going to be through a good PR campaign.
I had been introduced to Panpathic a few years ago through a crowd-funding project and had been impressed then, so I was very confident this was the right company for my new venture.
For me, PR is a complimentary asset to any company. Some might say it’s not crucial but I have learned through my business that it is a great promotional tool and Panpathic has proved to be a great example of that.
I would never consider advertising any more, I think those days are long gone now, a good PR firm is going to bring in far bigger rewards.
It’s pointless thinking you can do it yourself. These days the press can be very noisy and it’s hard to get your head around where to go and where to invest your energy.
Chantal and her team took all the stress and pressure of that away. They selected and targeted media outlets that were going to give me the best results. I was confident they knew what they were doing, they are absolute professionals.
Sometimes it’s hard to measure results on a project like this and I can see why people might be nervous if they can’t quantify the return.
But I can’t say anything other than Panpathic has been brilliant for Buzzstreets. There is no doubt that Chantal and her team have helped to build my brand. Since they have been on board, I have had more readers and listeners than ever before. Even if you don’t get a definitive return immediately as a result of an article, just getting your name out there can go into the subconscious mind only to pop back up when needed.
Buzzstreets has been featured in many of the niche healthcare publications. The targeting has been so precise and we have had coverage exactly where it mattered. We have also featured on podcasts which is something that probably wouldn’t have happened without Panpathic. All our podcasts have come through them.
I am trying to build my brand from scratch, so for me, each and every time there is an article published about us, I know we are growing. That’s my priority. At this stage in the business, credibility is far more important than sales, so every bit of exposure counts.
Chantal really takes the time to find out the aim of the business and the expectations. I feel she really gets us and understands exactly what we need. The way she gets under the skin of her clients I believe is her strength. It’s that personal touch that really sets her apart. She and her team are just phenomenal at feeding the press. She’s always checking out articles for me and keeps me completely up-to-date with the coverage we get.
The best thing about working with Chantal is I can throw out a ball park idea in her direction and she will pick it up and run with it and turn it into exactly what I was thinking.
I know some PR firms can sometimes take the view that the more press releases they send out to as many publications as possible, the chances are something will get picked up.
But what Buzzstreets does is a very specific product and that approach just wouldn’t work for us.
Chantal absolutely knows and understands the media. She is completely switched on to the market and it’s that level of professionalism that gets the results. I can’t stress enough how good she is at targeting the right publications and platforms for the right individual brands.
I am very happy with everything Panpathic has done for my company and I will keep going back to them every time I have a new project or campaign. Panpathic has been more than value for money for Buzzstreets. Chantal and her team go well and above expectations.
Joao Fernandez is the CEO and founder of Buzzstreets, an award-winning navigation platform for shopping centres, airports and hospitals. The App helps to increase and control the flow of people inside institutions and the ethos of the company is that no-one should get lost or frustrated trying to find their way around large indoor locations. The App has recently been launched at the 430-bed Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London.
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