Diary of an Insurance PR: Spotlight Consulting's SJ Wrigley

Monday

I’m up at 7am.  I’ve recently moved to Dorset, so I usually wake to the sound of glorious bird song coming from the river at the back of our house. 

My morning proceeds in the same way as lots of parents with young children, although I would like to send a little gratitude my husband’s way, as he takes on the daily school run and a lot of other childcare duties besides. I literally could not run my business as well without his unwavering support every day.

With a cup of  tea in hand, my first task of the week is getting organised.  Reviewing emails, prioritising work for the week and catching up with colleagues to explore how we can both deliver the biggest impact for our clients. Spotlight takes a very strategic approach to everything we do; our clients value the effort we put into strategic planning.  

They know exactly what we’re working towards and why, and we deliver week in, week out. This also means they trust us implicitly. So with that in mind, the weekly planning schedule is vital. After a quick lunchtime dog walk, I move on to task two.

I’m catching up with a journalist in the US about upcoming news for an international launch. I make sure whenever I meet with a journalist I go with a goal in mind, whether that be securing a feature, arranging a profile interview or giving them an exclusive. This time I’ve secured the client a ‘state of the market’ interview, positioning them as a thought leader on a hot topic.

After catching up on emails and then supervising school homework for my daughter (it’s maths tonight – urrgh, I much prefer English) I join an online Pilates class before bed to help me unwind before getting a much-needed early night.

Tuesday

It was surprisingly sunny this morning, so I took the opportunity to have breakfast in the garden, before issuing a press release on a key senior appointment.

This morning is all about awards. I have two submissions to draft for two different clients. 

The afternoon is spent on a series of client meetings and finalising the arrangements for my day in London tomorrow.  As the weather is still nice, we all head down to the river in the evening for an incredibly refreshing wild swim.

Wednesday

I’m up early for the train journey into London. I love a train journey – hours of uninterrupted time to ‘get stuff done’, and strangely I find it a really creative space.  

When I get to the City, first up is a face-to-face lunch meeting with an MGA client and a journalist. As always, we’ve come armed with plenty of news and blog/feature ideas. I aim to leave every meeting like this having secured coverage that delivers true value to both my client and the publication.

Mission accomplished; I then have a quick catch-up with an editor about an upcoming charity event. We’ve given the publication an exclusive on this one, so it’s a case of finalising what they need in terms of access to senior people, planning coverage and making sure the right interviews happen at the right time.

Before heading home, I drop into a client’s office in Leadenhall for a staff get-together. Post-Covid they work remotely most of the time like a lot of firms now, so getting all staff together for an event once in a while is vital cultural glue.  

I’m always honoured to be included on these invites even though we’re not theoretically staff. We pride ourselves on being part of their team and most clients see us the same way. Afterwards, I jump on the train back to Dorset.

Days in London are all about connecting; video calls are undoubtedly an efficient way of working but there’s so much value in meeting face to face too. I get home just in time to read my daughter a bedtime story.

Thursday

Today I am off to the Midlands for the first meeting with a new client. It’s early days in the relationship, so I invest lots of time in getting to know the whole team, brainstorming messaging, positioning and strategising.  

All of this will feed into a detailed 12-month pipeline of activity, a strategic approach that ensures our client will always consistently get the biggest bang for their buck.

On the journey home, I fill the team in on everything discussed so they can also start thinking about how best to position the client – what activities we need to prioritise and so on.  

Spotlight is an incredibly collaborative team of women, always pitching in to support each other both professionally and personally. No idea is a bad idea, all of us feel free to speak up and make suggestions and we all know what is happening with every client at any given moment. It works, because this year is the 20th anniversary of Spotlight.

Once back in Dorset, I catch up on emails, make a couple of calls to clients, finalise a press release planned for issue on Monday and put together a feature pitch – this time for publication in the Cayman Islands.

It’s been an incredibly long but highly productive day. I spend some time with my daughter and enjoy story time. We’re reading Black Beauty.

Friday

I’m up with the lark, not just because there’s lots to do, but because I’m excited about a new venture. 

I’ve signed up to The Girls Network, a charity that aims to inspire and empower girls from disadvantaged backgrounds by partnering them with a professional mentor.  

Today I have an online seminar that will get me one step closer to meeting my first mentee. I’m looking forward to sharing everything I’ve learned so far. I’ve had strong role models in my life and was brought up to grab every opportunity, so I cannot wait to give an opportunity to another girl that’s ambitious and eager to learn.

Buzzing from learning more about the impact of mentoring, the afternoon is a whirlwind of activity. I draft a blog, get a brief for another press release and check in on approval of those two award entries.

I end the week with a glass of wine in the garden and some vocal practice – I’ve just joined the local choir and we’re singing Mendelsohn next week.  

I then pack up a picnic, wetsuits and beach kit for tomorrow. There’s a beach for every day of the week in Dorset and tomorrow we’re meeting some friends and heading off to explore another one.