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Hannah Hargrave - Publicist

Chester, United Kingdom

I am an award winning publicist with a decade of experience managing debut and high-profile book campaigns - both fiction and non-fiction.

Overview

I am an award winning publicist, marketeer and event producer with a decade of experience managing challenging and high-profile media projects. After a decade of working in the book publishing and media industries, I decided to develop my own business. My clients have included the BBC, the British Council, Wild Things Publishing and the Space (founded by Arts Council England and the BBC).

Previously I worked as Publicity Manager for Little, Brown Book Group (part of the UK's leading publisher, Hachette), as well as for several independent publishing houses. I've had experience working with celebrity authors (including Sharon Osbourne and Goldie Hawn), and unknown writers. While I loved working on big national campaigns, it was the smaller projects with lesser known authors and books for which I feel most proud. For example, my social media campaign for the book From Notting Hill with Love…Actually generated a huge response from readers, and as a result it became one of the biggest selling debuts of the year.

I've also spent time working in the BBC press office. I was responsible for corporate communications and events with external stakeholders, from MPs to the leaders of national arts organisations. This role allowed me to develop my skills in event production and management, and I led on unique events for BBC Drama, BBC Radio 4 and Strictly Come Dancing.

Digital PR and marketing have always been at the heart of my campaigns too. I have been involved in creating distinctive and effective digital content for blogs, websites, newsletters, apps and social media.

Services

Press Coverage Blog Tour

Non-Fiction

Biographies & Memoirs Entertainment Health & wellbeing Home & Garden Sports & outdoor recreation Travel

Fiction

Crime & Mystery Historical Fiction Humor & Comedy Women's Fiction

Awards

Bookseller Award for Original Non-Fiction Campaign
Daily Mail Award for Paperback Original Fiction Campaign

Work experience

Director

Self-employed

January, 2016 – Present (over 1 year)

My clients include Wild Things Publishing, the BBC, the British Council and the Space (founded by Arts Council England and the BBC).

I managed all the publicity and marketing requirements for Wild Things Publishing - an independent book publishing company. Writing press releases and publicity strategies, producing marketing materials, and pitching original and eye-catching features ideas, I achieved press coverage across the national print and broadcast press. I was responsible for all social media feeds, creating digital content and devising promotional partnerships and competitions to increase sales and customer engagement.

I can:

Devise your overall promotional strategy for your brand, books or other products.
Define and execute PR and digital marketing strategies relevant to your brand, book or product.
Create eye-catching press releases and send them to key media contacts.
Manage your PR campaign, securing reviews, features and interviews in the national and regional
press, radio and television.
Support you in developing features for the press.
Plan and deliver compelling and highly shareable written and visual blog content for use on your
website, email newsletters, blog and social media channels. I can also help you to create and manage your online profile.
Identify and develop brand partnerships for your brand, book or product.
Provide author care and talent management.
Manage author events, publicity tours, press calls and festival visits.
Evaluate your current marketing materials and content, and offer feedback on how effective it is.
Look at your target audience, your tone of voice, your language and your branding and offer new ideas and solutions.
Develop bespoke and unique ideas for your event within budget.
Provide on the day production, coordination and event management.

Publicity and Digital Marketing Manager

Wild Things Publishing

December, 2014 – January, 2016 (about 1 year)

I managed all the publicity and marketing requirements for this independent book publishing company. Writing press releases and publicity strategies, producing marketing materials, and pitching original and eye-catching features ideas, I achieved press coverage across the national print and broadcast press. I was responsible for all social media feeds, creating digital content and devising promotional partnerships and competitions to increase sales and customer engagement. I left to pursue a freelance career.

External Affairs Coordinator

BBC

December, 2012 – December, 2014 (about 2 years)

Working as part of the BBC communications, marketing and public affairs departments, I was responsible for external communication and engagement across the north of England. I produced and managed launch events and edited several weekly newsletters in order to communicate BBC policy and promote BBC content to MPs, senior industry figures, columnists and commentators. I advised senior management on the BBC North corporate affairs strategy, producing briefing documents and drafting speeches.

Working within the busy BBC North press office gave me an acute awareness and understanding of reputation and crisis management. I was lucky enough to work with some incredible BBC brands and talent, including Dr Who and Strictly Come Dancing, and across BBC Drama, BBC Radio and on large live events across the country.

Publicity Manager

Ryland, Peters and Small

July, 2012 – December, 2012 (5 months)

I managed publicity campaigns for 60 new food, craft, MBS, interiors, humour and gift books, organising authors' press schedules and arranging launch parties. I devised and implemented press strategies across the national media and developed a wide range of contacts across both the broadcast and print media. I became confident at handling media enquiries and pitching ideas to journalists across the national and regional press, as demonstrated by the blanket coverage I achieved each month for my book campaigns. I organised blog tours for individual authors, including a viral video campaign, and edited twitter profiles for the company brand imprints. I also acted as a line manager to the department publicity assistant. In December 2012 I relocated to the north west of England.

Publicity Manager

Little, Brown Book Group

June, 2007 – June, 2012 (about 5 years)

I planned and executed publicity campaigns of a consistently high standard for this commercial book publisher. While I enjoyed working with several celebrity clients, including Goldie Hawn, Ewan McGregor and Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, it was the publicity campaigns with lesser known authors and books for which I feel most proud. For example, my social media campaign for the book From Notting Hill with Love…Actually generated a huge response from readers, and as a result it became one of the biggest selling debuts of the year.

I managed author interview schedules, events and promotional book tours across the UK with major retailers. Twice The Bookseller trade magazine highlighted my PR campaigns for generating the most press coverage across all book titles published nationally.

I held the department responsibility for online publicity. I created distinct and effective digital content for blogs, websites, newsletters, apps and social media. I was also involved in sales presentations and editorial pitches with authors and agents, creating publicity strategy for company documents. I left in order to take on the additional responsibility of managing a team at Ryland, Peters and Small, an independent book publisher.

Publicity Officer

Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd, London

September, 2005 – May, 2007 (over 1 year)

As publicity officer for this independent academic publishing company, it was my responsibility to create and implement publicity and marketing campaigns for 40 titles a year. This involved designing and placing adverts and producing marketing materials, including a re-design of the annual book catalogue in colour, which I also edited. I also created, edited and managed a new website, contributing to increased sales for the company. I implemented a national campaign for Hostage in Iraq by Norman Kember, which involved negotiating serial with a national newspaper. I also designed an illustrated advertisement which I placed on the London Underground. I was privileged to work closely on promotional campaigns for the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams. I left to pursue a career in commercial book publishing with Little, Brown Book Group.

Portfolio (22 selected works)

Wild Guide Scandinavia - Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Denmark

Ben Love

Bikepacking: Mountain Bike Camping Adventures on the Wild Trails of Britain

Laurence McJannet

Cycling journalist Laurence McJannet embarks on an off-roadadventure to bike and wild camp his way along some of Britain’s mostbeautiful off-road trails and ancient trackways, revealing:• 30 of the finest off-road r ides our island has to off er, from the Isleof Wight to the Scottish Highlands• Tips for picturesque camping, biking, packing and exploring• Ideas for family adventures• Engaging t... read more

Wild Guide Lake District and Yorkshire Dales: Hidden Places and Great Adventures - Including Bowland and South Pennines

Daniel Start

Wild Swimming Spain: Discover the Most Beautiful Rivers, Lakes and Waterfalls of Spain

John Weller, Lola Culsán

Discover over 150 magical places to swim and explore in Spain. With stunning photography this book reveals the best crystal mountain lakes, secluded lake-side beaches, and turquoise pools hidden deep in waterfall-filled gorges. With recommendations for places to camp and eat this is all you need to take you off the beaten track.

Wild Swimming Walks Dartmoor and South Devon: 28 Lake, River and Beach Days Out in South West England

Sophie Pierce, Matt Newbury

Wild Swimming Walks Devon and Dartmoor: 28 lake, river and beach days out in south west England

Wild Garden Weekends: Explore the Secret Gardens, Wild Meadows and Kitchen Garden Cafes of Britain

Tania Pascoe

This stunning and original British travel guide charts lesser known gardens, spectacular meadows, the best kitchen garden food, plus wild places to camp and stay. From traditional cottage gardens and walled-gardens, to newly designed gardens planted for bees and nature, this is a timely book which will appeal to garden-lovers, foodies and nature-lovers of all ages. Includes Best For: Organic &... read more

Seductive Interiors

Sera Hersham-Loftus

Explore the fabled beauty of Sera Hersham-Loftus's renowned interior decorations. The innovator of the seductive boudoir trend, Sera shows us the best of her design style adapted to a wide range of settings, including her own home, which has become one of the most popular locations for fashion, celebrity and interiors photo shoots.

The Art of Handmade Living: Crafting a beautiful home

Willow Crossley

CICO BOOKS-The Art of Handmade Living Crafting A Beautiful Home. Willow Crossley believes that everything in the home, however mundane, can be beautiful. This book shows her ideas for turning the most basic objects into original life enhancers. Willow casts her crafting style all around the house and beyond, making things you will wants to keep for yourself or reluctantly give away as presents... read more

Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Interiors: My rooms, treasures and trinkets

Rachel Ashwell

Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Interiors

Retro Cakes and Cookies: Over 25 sweet treats from times gone by

Wendy Sweetser

The Little Book of Wellbeing: 60 ways to look good and feel great

Nikki Page

The Little Book of Wellbeing is a must for men and women of all ages - a simple little guide to a much better life. Nikki Page is the picture of wellbeing. Having faced serious health problems, Nikki underwent her own personal journey to discover how to improve her health and be more active. A happy side-effect of being forced to develop a healthy lifestyle is that Nikki looks much younger tha... read more

10 Mindful Minutes: Giving our children - and ourselves - the skills to reduce stress and anxiety for healthier, happier lives

Goldie Hawn, Wendy Holden

HAND Signed By Goldie hawn during a book signing at waterstones London when the book was published. has waterstones 'signed by author' label on front

Long Way Down

Charley Boorman, Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman travel down through Africa in a fascinating new biking adventure

By Any Means: His Brand New Adventure From Wicklow to Wollongong

Charley Boorman

The fantastic follow up adventure from Long Way Down, where Where Charlie Boorman uses any means necessary to travel across 3 continents, over 20,000 miles through 25 countries. A superb read. (bio)

Revenge

Sharon Osbourne

* In the mega-bestselling tradition of Jilly Cooper and Jackie Collins - Sharon Osbourne's brilliant debut novel

Survivor: My Story - The Next Chapter

Sharon Osbourne

Vintage Sharon... fiery and full of passion... great fun and brutally honest and revealing.

Trust Me, I'm Dr Ozzy

Ozzy Osbourne

Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy, hardcover, Fine, as new

The Armstrong And Miller Book

Alexander Armstrong, Ben Miller

The Armstrong and Miller Book is the brilliantly funny new book from Armstrong (and, indeed, Miller). This hilarious compendium of entirely original material is packed with favourites such as the street-talking World War II pilots (starring in their very own comic strip); musical maestros Brabbins & Fyffe and accident-prone historian Dennis Lincoln-Park. There are also some fantastic, brand-ne... read more

Run Fat Bitch Run (Grit Doctor)

Ruth Field

Is there a large arse-shaped dent in your sofa? Unwatched workout DVDs gathering dust on your shelves? An eye-wateringly expensive (and rarely used) gym membership burning a hole in your bank account? Does the sight of your wobbly thighs leave you cowering under the duvet? Then it's time you faced the truth: the only option is to lace up and hit the ground running. Straight-talking, funny and ... read more

Rush of Blood

Mark Billingham

Rush of Blood Perfect strangers. A perfect holiday. The perfect murder...Three couples meet around the pool on their Florida holiday and become fast friends. But on their last night, their perfect holiday takes a tragic twist: the teenage daughter of another holidaymaker goes missing, and her body is later found floating in the mangroves. When the shocked couples return home, they remain in co... read more