New venture enables organisations to star in their own chat show

Motorsports commentator and presentation trainer Chris Dawes has launched a business helping commercial organisations elevate their communications – Visual PR.

Swindon-based Chris is Founder and Managing Director of public speaking and presentation skills training company Open Dawes Training. He’s also an award-winning motorsports commentator, which takes him to tracks all across Europe and the UK, and he regularly hosts award ceremonies.

Now the entrepreneur has launched Visual PR, which combines his skills as a trainer, commentator and awards host to bring a completely new communications offering.

Visual PR, which will run in tandem with Open Dawes Training, offers businesses interactive, live or ‘as-live’ conversational, chat show-style broadcasts, which can be hosted on their websites, YouTube, and social media platforms. They can also be turned into audio-only podcasts, dissected into short form clips to feed social media content, and provide evergreen links to distribute in correspondence relating to the videos’ content. The aim is for businesses to create regular programmes to build engagement with their audiences.

“Visual PR is a totally new way of reaching audiences, and complements existing PR and marketing communications and strategies,” said Chris. “By using this style of video and audio communications, businesses maximise integrity, authenticity and engagement, and can be in control of how their information is received and perceived.”

The interactive shows are broadcast and produced via Chris’s online virtual studio and can include interviews, conversations, announcements, meet the team, how-to demonstrations or discussions, and behind-the-scenes tours. Multiple guests can appear at the same time from wherever they are in the world and there is even a green room for those waiting to come on. Other video clips can be played as part of the overall show

The idea for Visual PR emerged from an initiative Chris launched during lockdown, called Castle Combe TV (CCTV), which is broadcast on YouTube and social media channels. To keep momentum going and the passion alive for racing fans, Chris – who is a Board member of Castle Combe Racing Club – began hosting motorsports shows for Castle Combe Circuit. He even invited special guests from the world of motorsports, including TV’s motor racing expert Tiff Needell, who made a guest appearance on the 50th show.

CCTV led on to multi-camera, live event broadcasting, such as a virtual awards ceremony and on-location shows, including from Castle Combe Circuit race events and media days where Chris was commentating, as well as live interview studios on site.

Now, Visual PR takes this chat show-style programme to the next level, offering commercial organisations the chance to use this technique as part of their visual and audio marketing communications strategy.

Chris can appear on the show alongside the client as the host and interviewer (much easier than simply presenting to camera) or he can be the sole presenter on behalf of the client. Alternatively, he can manage the production but not appear himself. For those who want or need help with, for example, overcoming nerves, speaking, or appearing on camera, Chris brings into play the skills training he offers through Open Dawes Training, which is available to groups or individuals, online, in person or on demand.

Chris added: “The programmes we make can be broadcast live, or the chat-show conversations recorded then sent out ‘as live’ via the clients’ own YouTube and social media platforms. We already have organisations excited by Visual PR, signing up for monthly, fortnightly, or weekly shows, because this is a totally new way of reaching audiences. In the crowded marketplace of digital communications, this makes it a gamechanger. The stats we have for viewing, retention, and listening figures speak for themselves.”

For more information about Visual-PR, click here.