Diary of an Insurance PR: Harrison Sadler's Alison Reeson

Monday

I usually wake up way before I want to, so make myself stay in bed until at least 6am, which is easier said than done in summer with the rooks making a racket outside. 

We have a tree at the front of the house which is home to a rookery. It’s not the most tuneful dawn chorus. I get the younger of our two miniature schnauzers (Ziggy) out for a fast walk mixed with a half-hearted jog. 

I am usually out for an hour on the south downs or around the village. It sets me up for a day at home sat in front of a screen (we all work remotely). I listen to Adam Buxton’s I Love You, Byee. 

We saw him being interviewed by Miranda Sawyer at the Charleston Festival in May – he was very funny.

Mondays are always hectic. We provide market intelligence reports to all our clients covering key developments the prior week so that’s an immediate focus. 

I then catch-up with my colleagues Clare and Matthew to discuss priorities for the week for each client. 

We’ve been drafting awards entries. The deadline is imminent on one of these. We also prepare for a weekly update call with one of our largest insurance clients. 

Keeping on top of emails is a constant challenge – not helped by zillions of google alerts, news updates etc. 

One email I do look forward to is The Knowledge. It’s a must read/scan midway through the day, offering a good mix of current affairs, humour and some great photography.

Tuesday

One of our clients has an annual customer event, which is today. 

I get an early train up from Lewes in East Sussex to London (but wear the wrong shoes for the walk from Victoria to the west end and arrive with blisters). 

Clare, Matt and I attend. It is a fantastic opportunity to connect with some of our key spokespeople and understand what’s coming down the line in terms of product initiatives. 

We leave buzzing with ideas for content, not just from the client hosted sessions but from the inspirational guest speakers too. 

One of these was the astrophotographer Jon Carmichael, best known for his iconic image of the 2017 total solar eclipse, taken from a commercial airliner at 39,000 feet. 

Leaving the venue, I hobble to Hollister on Regent’s Street and buy some flip flops for the walk back to Victoria (too hot for the tube). Oh the relief!

Back at base, we issue our first story for a new client in the London market.

Wednesday

On the cross trainer first thing this morning catching up with Your Friends and Neighbours. Not my husband’s cuppa so that’s my opportunity.

At the desk with a strong, black coffee by 8am. We have a podcast coming up tomorrow on telematics and young drivers so we’re updating briefing notes in preparation. 

We have also spotted an opportunity to provide a viewpoint for AI Week to Insurance Post so we flag this to relevant clients and come up with synopses for them to consider and weigh in with their views. 

I start work on some media messaging notes for the new client ahead of a series of media interviews we’re arranging. 

We have a session next week to put tricky questions to them in prep. I attend a call with the Chartered Insurance Institute and a client to discuss their involvement at the CII’s Shaping the Future of Insurance conference. This is quite a coup! 

I change quickly for a fusion wedding just up the road at Firle Place. It’s joyful. I do love a wedding! Back home by midnight – it’s a school night after all.

Thursday

Not such an early start. It’s a struggle to get out of bed but I do and Ziggy is grateful!

It’s the briefing session ahead of the podcast – though to be fair, the client knows the subject matter inside out and can articulate their points really well, so we simply cover off some new data that’s been released by one of the big insurers that would add weight to the discussion. 

The afternoon is spent scoping out a white paper for a client, looking at the data we’ve got to support it. 

I brief a design agency, start work on the press release and social media campaign. 

At 6pm I log off and half jog/fast walk with yoga mat under one arm to a pilates class in the village as my car battery is flat – again. I only tend to use it once or twice in the week.

Friday

I stopped working Fridays quite a long time ago when my father died so that I could spend more time with my mum, who has now also passed away. 

However, I do tend to work some of the day to keep on top of things. It’s the nature of the beast. This week, I attend a call to discuss an upcoming client report on trends in the insurance sector. 

After the call, I go through the document to ensure the way the data is presented would work for the media. I also start work on the press release to support the report and the wording for the website as timescales are tight. 

It’s warm, the garden is beckoning as is a glass of cold white wine. I head downstairs and slump on a chair in the garden with glass in hand. Ziggy looks at me with disdain – I really ought to take her for an evening walk.