Be honest for a moment: how often do you read an interesting press release? Yet that's where many companies' public relations start and end. The news that Wicked Widgets is proud to announce the opening of its new rhinoflexic depolarising plant in Doxey Marshes isn't, in all frankness, a story of earth shattering import.

The popular claim of a great many PR companies is a whole string of established relationships with all of the media. As a result, they say, they can persuade and cajole their cronies into publishing this type of crucial reportage.

We have to question this logic.

An interesting story requires remarkably little leverage to achieve publication. If you were in an industry that used rhinoflexic depolarising (whatever it is), you might be vaguely interested that it was now available from a factory in Doxey.

But an article in a trade magazine that explained how developments in rhinoflexic depolarisation can be employed to improve productivity and reduce production down-time would certainly catch your eye.

At Toad PR we rarely write press releases. But we write a whole lot of articles. Take a look at some of the examples from just one of our clients and you'll see how effective this can be. You'll see how a fashion industry ticket printer can become known as an expert in strengthening the retail supply chain.

But there's more to PR than that. A full PR service takes into account everything to do with your company's public face. From mystery shoppers to open days and customer surveys, you'll find that Toad PR brings a fresh look at a service that, used correctly, can be the most powerful weapon in your marketing armoury.

We're strong believers in the power of events. Our own seminar programme provides us with a healthy supply of new business and it positions us as experts in our field. The programme works because we give value to our audience - and that's a vital ingredient of a successful event. Providing value requires an understanding of what your audience wants from you and delivering it without strings or cheap advertising tags. At the same time, your selling message must be there or the whole thing becomes a piece of expensive philanthropy.

So a well-run, relevant event is a powerfully persuasive marketing tool. Getting it right requires two essential components: a big idea and dazzlingly efficient organisation.

We've never found the first component to be a major challenge. The big idea doesn't have to be a gimmick or novelty; sometimes it's a straightforward conference or seminar. The key lies in aligning it with your target audience and in understanding what you expect to get out of the event.

Then we come to dazzlingly effective organisation. Allow us to remind you of something: we're a creative company. Detailed organisation comes as naturally to us as quantum mechanics does to a sturgeon. So for events that produce real results, that stay within budget and that attract the right number of the right delegates, we enlist the specialist services of our partner company, Key2.

Key2 brings a new slant to event management and incentive schemes. They have a feast of ideas, a great attitude, an impressive track record, and our unreserved recommendation.