For Jessica Wong, every business has a unique story worth telling. Securing media coverage, monitoring audience behaviours and acquiring backlines are just a few of the skills in her arsenal. As Executive Director at Joint PR, Jessica spoke with Telum to share how her team has helped brands tell those stories worth telling.

⁠With the ever-evolving landscape of digital media and communication platforms, how can you ensure that PR strategies remain effective, relevant and tailored to your clients and their needs?
PR strategies should revolve around adaptability and agility and recognise the power and evolution of social media. Our team stays up to date with new and changing platforms and evolving trends so that our approach remains innovative and tailored to our clients' needs. This involves continuously monitoring audience behaviours and leveraging data analytics.

It is by maintaining open communication channels and conducting regular evaluations that we can ensure the effectiveness and relevance of our campaigns. Additionally, my team prioritises a deep understanding of social media dynamics, including algorithm changes, emerging features and shifting user behaviours. By integrating social media insights into our approach, we help clients remain visible in a competitive and expanding digital ecosystem, thus amplifying the reach and significance of our PR efforts.

In your work with Joint PR and more, you've built up a portfolio ranging from family offices to sports to youth academies and more. Which sector has been the most challenging yet rewarding learning curve?
Each sector presents its own set of challenges and rewards, but working with family offices has been particularly enlightening. About five years ago, our team started working with a pan-Asian multi-family office. At that time, the family office industry in Asia was very new, and the first thing people associated with it was inheritance conflict, which is not the case.

Since then, it has been incredible to witness how the industry has grown rapidly with the support of government initiatives, the establishment of various associations and the emergence of other multi-family offices across the region. Their PR needs have become more sophisticated, and my team is glad to have witnessed and partaken in this growth.

Along the way, we've learned that the intricate dynamics and diverse interests within these entities demand a nuanced approach. Understanding their needs, while navigating confidentiality concerns, has deepened our expertise and helped build trust in this sector.

Ensuring a deep understanding of family office clients has allowed us to anticipate challenges, enabling the team to be proactive and prepare mitigation strategies. By maintaining consistent, transparent and open communication, we've cultivated collaborative partnerships with clients to align goals and respond to evolving needs. This approach has not only strengthened our client relationships but also enhanced the effectiveness and agility of our PR strategies, resulting in measurable impact and sustainable success.

⁠Crisis management is an integral part of PR. Could you share lessons that you've learned from your experience in crisis communications?
Effective crisis management involves clear and consistent messaging across all communication channels, combined with proactive engagement with all stakeholders. These strategies are crucial for rebuilding trust and minimising any long-term negative impact. These issues also highlight the importance of having a well-prepared crisis management plan and maintaining an updated Issues Playbook for immediate reference.

Authenticity and prompt responses are also vital during a crisis. Communications should emphasise sincerity and empathy, while acknowledging concerns and simultaneously offering reassurance and solutions.

Furthermore, the significance of social media in crisis communications should not be overlooked. Implementing rapid monitoring and engagement on social platforms helps in addressing misinformation promptly and maintaining transparency with stakeholders.

You're a long-time advocate of and participant in pro bono PR work. How can communicators go about doing pro bono work to create genuine and sustainable value?
Pro bono work is something that I, along with the rest of the Joint PR team, are deeply passionate about, and we recognise the immense impact effective communication plans can have on social causes. Giving back is not only a responsibility, but also a privilege, and we believe in using our expertise to make a difference.

I've witnessed how our partnership with Time Auction exemplifies this commitment. By volunteering our time and experience to benefit NGOs, the team has actively contributed to positive change in our community. Seeing the transformative outcomes of our pro bono work has reinforced my belief in the power of communication to drive meaningful social change. Through such endeavours, I feel that we've not only fulfilled our duty as responsible corporate citizens, but also created a culture of empathy, collaboration and collective action.

To create genuine and sustainable value, communicators can start by identifying causes aligned with their expertise and passion, and work with organisations such as Time Auction to help facilitate these meaningful opportunities.

How do you approach measuring the impact of your PR and communications efforts, and what metrics do you find most valuable in demonstrating ROI to clients?
Measuring the impact of PR and communications efforts requires a comprehensive approach, encompassing both qualitative and quantitative metrics. While traditional metrics such as media coverage and reach achieved provide valuable insights, I'm also part of a team that prioritises deeper analytics to gauge effectiveness.

From my experience and current practice, metrics such as acquiring backlinks, particularly those with high domain authority, serve as a barometer of outreach success. Total circulation figures and coverage in top-tier media, as well as relevant trade publications, provide a snapshot of our reach and resonance within our target audiences. Additionally, our team will also analyse social media metrics, including reach and engagement, to assess online visibility and audience interaction.

Furthermore, I've found that sentiment analysis has allowed us to better understand the impact of our messaging. By aligning these metrics with clients' overarching goals and KPIs, we've been able to demonstrate tangible ROI and identify areas for optimisation. Regular reporting and data-driven insights have further enabled us to continuously refine our strategies, ensuring continued effectiveness while demonstrating the tangible value of our efforts.