Sophie Seddon PR

Sophie Seddon PR If your organisation does important work but struggles to explain it clearly, you’re not alone. Clear thinking. Calm delivery.
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Strategic PR + Copywriter | Project Management | Complex Industries | Crisis & Reputation | Brand Storytelling | Web Copy | Award Entries | Training & Mentoring | CIPR, NCTJ | Award Winning | Honley | Holmfirth | Huddersfield | Yorkshire Many growing organisations invest heavily in PR, marketing and content yet still find their message feels unclear, inconsistent or overly complicated. The result is missed opportunities, internal confusion and audiences who don’t quite ‘get it’. That’s where strategic communications support makes the difference. Sophie Seddon PR works with organisations operating in complex, technical and regulated environments to bring clarity, calm and credibility to their communications. You may be:

• Communicating specialist or technical services
• Managing reputation during growth, scrutiny or change
• Preparing for media interest or stakeholder engagement
• Needing senior-level communications thinking without hiring full-time

Support is grounded in journalism (NCTJ qualified), strategic PR (CIPR member) and senior crisis communications experience, including advising leadership teams in high-pressure, reputationally sensitive situations. The approach is simple:

• Ask the right questions
• Strip complexity back to what matters
• Translate it into clear, credible messages
• Apply it consistently across PR, websites, campaigns and content

Clients value having a calm, trusted external partner. Someone who can create space to think, handle sensitive information with discretion, and provide clear guidance when decisions matter. Typical work includes:

• Strategic PR and brand storytelling
• Explainer campaigns for complex industries
• Crisis and reputation communications
• Senior communications consultancy
• Training, workshops and mentoring

This support is particularly valuable in sectors where trust, accuracy and reputation are critical, including manufacturing, healthcare, innovation, professional services (such as legal and financial) and regulated industries. Alongside client work, training and mentoring is delivered through universities, councils and business growth programmes. As well as directly to founders and entrepreneurs to help leaders and teams build confidence in how they communicate. If you need communications that:

• Stand up to scrutiny
• Reduce risk rather than create it
• Reflect the real value of your work
• Feel human, considered and commercially grounded

Then a strategic conversation is a good place to start. Communications that work when it matters. Sophie Seddon PR - Your Words Said and Done - helping organisations be seen, heard, understood and remembered at the moments that matter most.

31/08/2026

A little thought from Zadar.

The Sea Organ makes music from the movement of the sea (turn up the volume to hear).

You don’t make it happen. You don’t force it. You listen.

It struck me that there’s something in that for PR.

We’re constantly told to speak up. Post more. Share more. Be visible. Have an opinion.

But good communication isn’t always about saying something.

Sometimes it’s about listening. Giving a story time to develop and knowing when to stay quiet.

I think we can do PR with a little less noise, more thought about what is actually worth saying, who needs to hear it and why.

That’s particularly relevant to me after taking a break from social media to cruise the Adriatic Sea. Coming back, I realised how much pressure there is to be constantly ‘on’. I don’t think business owners should have to live like that.

PR without the pressure to perform.

I’ve written a little more about this in my latest blog: PR Without 'The Ick'.

https://sophieseddonpr.co.uk/2026/09/01/pr-without-the-ick/

If you’re a business owner who wants to communicate what you do without feeling like you have to become a different person online, you might like it.

I haven’t posted in a while so let’s fix that with a good story.Last night Prab Riat invited me along to Murder Inc. - T...
06/08/2026

I haven’t posted in a while so let’s fix that with a good story.

Last night Prab Riat invited me along to Murder Inc. - The Improvised Murder Mystery’s improvised murder mystery at Seven Arts in Leeds.

Thank you Prab for the invitation, and to Marianne Smith from AD:VENTURE, for the introduction that started it all.

Plot twist: my client turned out to be the murderer. Acting, mostly. Thankfully only on stage, so no crisis comms required.

After several years in West Yorkshire Police communications, I’ve spent plenty of time around investigations. Watching a room solve a fictional crime for fun rather than writing the press release on a real one, was not lost on me.

What struck me most wasn’t the performance, though it was a good one. Improvisation isn’t about being the funniest person in the room or wanting to be on stage. It isn’t stand-up comedy. It’s the skillset behind it.

Listening properly, thinking on your feet, adapting when the unexpected happens, and having the confidence to keep going without a script.

As leaders and business owners, we've all experienced those moments. Presenting to a room. Pitching for work. Walking into a difficult conversation. Battling imposter syndrome while trying not to let it show. Most of us are winging it somewhere, hoping nobody notices.

Those aren't acting skills. They're business skills. Skills that are rarely taught but everyone needs.

It’s exactly what Prab, a chartered civil engineer who’s quite literally used to bridging gaps, has built Think Fast Collective around. Giving technical teams and leaders the tools to think on their feet when it matters.

It’s a privilege supporting that story, and it’s why I’ve loved working with Prab on the communication strategy. Not a one-off brief, but something that’s growing alongside the business, a phase two about to be built on what we learned in phase one.

Because a comms strategy isn’t a document you hand over and walk away from. It’s something that must move as the business does, and that only works if someone stays close enough to see where the shifts are coming. Counsel on the journey, rather than a name that disappears after the deliverable lands.

Thank you for having me, Prab. There are some exciting projects ahead, and I can’t wait to help tell those stories too.

Sometimes the best PR starts by helping people find the confidence to tell their own.

* Full credit to the Murder Inc cast for a brilliantly plotted evening. I'm still not sure how they read the room and stayed one step ahead of us the whole way through.

A lovely morning at the Eaton Smith Solicitors Business of the Year Awards.A brilliant atmosphere, lots of familiar face...
26/06/2026

A lovely morning at the Eaton Smith Solicitors Business of the Year Awards.

A brilliant atmosphere, lots of familiar faces and a fantastic celebration of the amazing businesses we have across our region.

Huge thanks to Danny Martin and the Eaton Smith Solicitors team for putting on such a great event. And congratulations to Deanhouse Group on winning Business of the Year 2026.

What made this year's event extra special for me was having my eldest daughter there. Ellie's been on work experience with the family law department at Eaton Smith Solicitors this week and they've been absolutely brilliant with her.

They made her feel so welcome, gave her lots to get involved with and she's come away buzzing with new knowledge, confidence and some lovely new friendships along the way.

Seeing her have that opportunity made me reflect on those who give young people a chance and the impact that can have. Would I be where I am today without the editor of a local newspaper giving me the opportunity to learn, ask questions and find my feet at the start of my career? Probably not.

Sometimes it just takes someone to open a door, offer a bit of encouragement and believe in someone’s potential.

So an extra big thank you to everyone at Eaton Smith for giving my daughter such a positive experience. It’s something she’ll remember for a long time.

Most businesses are sitting on a goldmine of stories. They just haven’t found the right words to dig them out yet.That w...
12/05/2026

Most businesses are sitting on a goldmine of stories. They just haven’t found the right words to dig them out yet.

That was the focus of last week’s online 𝑃𝑅 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑝 I delivered for AD:VENTURE, covering everything from campaigns, events, branding and storytelling through to strategic communication, crisis communication and internal vs external communications.

Two hours. Lots of discussion. Plenty of practical tips.

PR can sometimes feel overwhelming, but at its heart, it’s about people, trust and communicating clearly and confidently.

A big thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to such a great session, including Stephanie Galij, Chris Mitchell and Marianne Smith of AD:VENTURE.

Find out more: https://sophieseddonpr.co.uk/2026/05/12/helping-businesses-find-their-story/

Most cyber security and data protection risks don’t come from complex systems.They come from busy days, quick decisions ...
07/05/2026

Most cyber security and data protection risks don’t come from complex systems.

They come from busy days, quick decisions and things slipping through the cracks.

Working in police communications taught me to handle sensitive and personal information with care.

A big part of the work was responding to issues, but the real learning was always around prevention, awareness and stopping problems before they became a crisis (getting ahead of issues early).

More recently, I’ve been delivering workshops on cyber security and data protection for small businesses through WE ARE UMi, as part of the Digital Knowledge Exchange programme.

It’s the small everyday habits that make the biggest difference. My approach isn’t technical or legal. It’s rooted in communication and awareness.

I’ve shared a few reflections on this here:

https://sophieseddonpr.co.uk/2026/05/07/why-businesses-dont-always-need-more-tech-to-stay-safe-just-better-habits/

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆Lovely bank holiday weekend. Very easy to let things slip, overthink and not post.Which f...
05/05/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆

Lovely bank holiday weekend. Very easy to let things slip, overthink and not post.

Which feels slightly ironic, given this conversation is all about imposter syndrome.

It’s been a while since Louise Wilkinson of Culture Minds invited me into the She Who Dares Wins podcast studio.

If I’m honest, part of me doesn’t want to listen back (I don’t think I’m alone in that).

But a promise is a promise.

So here I am, sharing my conversation on Culture Minds’ 𝘙𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 podcast.

We talked about something I see time and time again in leaders. Holding back from being visible, even when they’re more than ready.

That internal voice questioning whether we’re credible enough, experienced enough, ready enough.

Lately, I’ve been leaning into that space. Normalising it, rather than fighting it.

As Susan Jeffers said, "Feel the fear and do it anyway".

Louise and I explored how the environments and networks around us shape that confidence, and how important it is to create spaces where people can genuinely be themselves, without fear of getting it wrong.

Because mistakes will happen, it’s what we do with them that counts.

Credit to Culture Minds for creating space for these conversations and challenging the status quo around leadership, culture, and visibility.

If you’d like to listen, you can here: https://youtu.be/lhUui-cDu9A?si=2Fpx8phmV9tYY8RQ.

And if it resonates, I’d really encourage you to explore the other conversations on the podcast.

01/05/2026

So many stories in one room …

Conversation starter games, unexpected belly laughs and very well-behaved four-legged guests (no Jenga bricks were harmed).

Thank you to everyone at Business Expo who stopped for a chat, a laugh, or to find out more.

A few special mentions …
w.moore
Paveley HR for bringing the best-behaved guests of the day
for the mint and liquorice tea (lifesaver). I enjoyed our lunch together under the blossom tree
The Mount School’s fabulous double-decker bus (even better in the spring sunshine)
for the unexpected entertainment
Did anyone visit the stand? If you saw it … you know 🤭
, still can’t believe I won bowling tickets for six, thank you kindly.

And a big thank you to the fabulous Sam Hartley for organising (and squeezing me in).

Life is so much better when we connect in person.

If your brand were a movie or song, what would it be?I put the question to people at the SAM Networking Expo last Friday...
30/04/2026

If your brand were a movie or song, what would it be?

I put the question to people at the SAM Networking Expo last Friday, and their answers blew me away. No scripts, no overthinking, just conversation starters doing what they do best.

It’s no coincidence that ‘storyteller’ is now one of the hottest corporate job titles with salaries reportedly up to $274,000.

Not bad for something we’ve been doing since cavemen.

I’ve enjoyed 25-plus years working with people’s stories.

Through crisis comms to helping businesses find their voice, here’s what I know:

Words are easy, but meaning is harder. It’s a huge responsibility to get it right.

‘Storytelling’ isn’t a new trend. It’s one of the oldest and most valuable skills we have.

And yes, I’m still considering that plane ticket. You can find out why here:

https://sophieseddonpr.co.uk/2026/04/30/storyteller-the-hottest-job-youve-always-had/

Thanks to SAM Networking Expo 2026 and everyone who got involved. I loved hearing your stories.

𝗔 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆Ruddi’s Rockstars, your words have been ‘𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦’, on page six of the Yorkshi...
27/04/2026

𝗔 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆

Ruddi’s Rockstars, your words have been ‘𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦’, on page six of the Yorkshire Post today.

Brilliant to see this message getting the space it deserves.

Because good PR is about making sure you’re seen and understood.

Over the last 15 years, Ruddi's Retreat has supported more than 5,000 families.

Now, Ruddi’s Rockstars is giving businesses and individuals a simple way to be part of this impact:

• Ruddi’s Rockstars, for businesses, £300 per year funds a family holiday
• Ruddi’s Roadies, for individuals, £50 per year
• Ruddi’s Royalty Rockstar, £1,000 per year sponsors a caravan for the year

With family consent, supporters will receive photos showing the impact of their contribution.

Proud to support work like this.

Thanks to Steve Teale at the Yorkshire Post, and the Ruddi’s Retreat and Ruddi’s café team, plus everyone who’s already signed up.

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙙?

For more information on Ruddi’s Retreat visit, https://youtu.be/FszDkJvIn8o?si=eTyPwhXATJgq8t4n

To sign up, email ‘Ruddi’s Rockstars’ at [email protected]

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