It's now less than a month before I'm off the Bournemouth for the week for the Labour Party conference. Just going as a visitor this year, but in the passed I've worked it for clients. About three or four years ago I organised a reception for Yorkshire TV where we had a game of Celebrity Countdown with Richard Whitely and a panel of Ministers, MPs and MEPs. Great fun and good for YTV to get their messages across to delegates.

If any readers need any assistance at this year's conference then just let me know.

I've just had a friend ask me for a copy of a four year old press cutting of the time I appeared in Private Eye's Rotten Boroughs column. Normally this is quite damaging tittle tattle about local politicians but my appearance was actually OK. Here it is:

Today's the first of what it is to become a regular series of free public relations, campaigning and communications tips. The first is all about the importance of staying on message.

The golden rule once you've decided your key message or messages (but not too many) is to repeat it, repeat it and repeat it. You can say it a thousand times and the thousandth time will still be the first time that many of your audience will hear it. Those that hear it for a second or third time will be having the message reinforced.

You also need to ensure that everyone in the organisation is singing from the same hymn sheet. It's know good ensuring senior managers continually trumpeting it if the front line staff - be they receptionists, sales assistants or refuse collectors aren't saying and DOING the same thing.

That's why it is essential for every organisation to stay on message. It's not just for politicians.

Tomorrow, some tips on how to define your message.

Today's tip comes from my advanced PR 101.

What is the best way for an organisation or company to break some bad news - such as a local council with a critical report or a company making redundancies? One time-honoured technique is to 'fly a kite'. In advance of the official announcement you can leak a version that is even worse than the news you really need to release. This will get coverage but will still only be looked on as a rumour. Then when the actual bad news breaks it will seem a lot better than it could have been.

You can even present it that you played a part in saving jobs or turning a report around.

One of the staples of local radio is the phone-in where a topic is up for discusssion, perhaps with a guest, and listeners phone in to join the debate. Often the guest will be a local politician, or leader of a campaign group.

If you are the guest one important thing to remember is that local phone-ins don't always get a lot of calls. So make sure that your supporters and friends inundate the switchboard with 'friendly' questions.

To get even cleverer you can get them to ask aggressive questions, but from an angle where you've already prepared an answer. Usually questions are pre-screened before going on air in order to get a variety. If you've got in early you can head an aggressive question later. If the question comes from a genuine caller then watch out for the 'killer follow-up'. Be careful because often members of the public can ask far more difficult questions than a professional journalist because the questions can come from curious angles and be from the heart.

If you are appearing on radio you also need to remember the normal rules for broadcast interviews, but those are something I'll share with you on another day!