As a travel writer, Mark Bibby Jackson has a good grasp of how the media works, but when it came to wanting to raise his own profile and drive traffic to his website he was at a bit of a loss as to how to go about it.
Promoting myself meant I had to look at things from a completely different angle. Although I had plenty of media and management experience, I couldn’t just call people up and tell them how wonderful I thought I was. It was obvious I needed to call in an expert.
I had never used a PR company for myself but the concept of how it works and the publicity it can generate wasn’t alien to me. I have always viewed PRs in a positive light, I think they are an integral part of the media process.
A friend introduced me to Chantal and I knew straight away that we were going to be a good fit. It was obvious that Chantal had loads of contacts – and I didn’t. It was as simple as that at the start. I knew she would be able to get my name out there and open doors that I never would have been able to do by myself.
Obviously because of the field I have worked in over the years, I can put together a fairly decent press release but that’s not enough on its own. It’s the reach that counts and Chantal was able to deliver for me on that.
The task she took on was not to be underestimated. If you haven’t got a product to sell, it’s not that easy to get people interested. Travel magazines and newspapers tend to use a lot of their own in-house staff and tried and tested freelancers, so they don’t tend to be that keen on promoting independents with perceived rival websites.
But the Panpathic team worked really hard at getting me coverage in publications including lots of regional magazines and websites. I was also interviewed on a couple of podcasts which I can honestly say would never have happened otherwise.
Panpathic did a great job for me. They achieved everything I hoped they would, they raised my profile in the industry and the traffic to my website has definitely increased. I am not back to pre-pandemic days yet, not many people are, but this year has so far been very positive and I put that down to all the coverage and exposure Panpathic got for me.
The more I worked with Chantal the more I admired how she ran her business. She has a great team and she doesn’t skirt around things. I love how direct and honest Chantal is. If you make a suggestion, she will tell you straight away if she thinks it will work or not. There is no confusion or grey areas. If Chantal thinks something is the wrong approach, that’s it, she is confident about where she wants things to go and that is very reassuring.
I trust her because she is very honest and I was more than happy to put my faith in her expertise which turned out for me to be a good move.
What I loved about working with Chantal and the team was the personal touch. They really made me feel like I was getting a bespoke service. I know a lot of travel PRs and I am not knocking them but there’s more of a feeling of being a wheel in a cog in that environment. I never felt like that with Panpathic. The level of commitment I got was second to none.
I always felt they had my interests at heart and Chantal was always prepared to go above and beyond her remit.
Cost was also a major factor. I think Chantal’s fees are more than reasonable, especially for what you get back and the fact she is very affordable made all the difference for me as to whether or not I could engage the services of a PR company or not. I think she is great value for money. No doubt about it.
Chantal is a true professional and I now also think of her as a friend. I’ve recommended her to others and we’re working together again on a new project. If anyone is thinking they need some PR help, even if they are, on paper, an unconventional client, as I was, I would definitely recommend they give Panpathic a call.
Mark Bibby Jackson is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers. He has been managing editor of Asian lifestyle magazines, Vietnam Pathfinder and AsiaLIFE Cambodia. In the UK he launched and edits the travel websites Travel Begins at 40 and London Begins at 40 and he is also an award-winning author of crime novels and shorts, To Cook A Spider Slow Death, and Peppered Justice as well as publishing an Asian cuisine book, Top Tables. He is passionate about responsible travel and has written several articles on sustainable tourism.
Web: travelbeginsat40.com
Twitter: @TravelBegins40
Facebook / Instagram: @TravelBeginsat40
LinkedIn: mark-bibby-jackson