In the traditionally male-dominated property and construction industry, highlighting the efforts of the growing female segment of the workforce can often fall by the wayside amidst a business’ busy day-to-day operations.  

Worse still, if not done correctly, a good faith attempt to promote the women within a business can feel like a slap-dash activity to ensure the business ‘passes’ the scrutiny of International Women’s Day or other female-focused days. 

Some may argue that we should be beyond the point of having to focus specific energies on gender-centric marketing and comms activities, but the truth is that the industry still has some way to go. If what our clients are telling us is right, more opportunities to promote all walks of life, including the outstanding women that they employ, are greatly needed.  

So how can you make sure that the women in the team are represented authentically?  

Strategically placed media opportunities  

Your clients will be able to see what’s authentic and what isn‘t right from the ‘get go’, and many can quickly spot content that has been hastily thrown together versus something that comes from a place of recognition and empowerment. But importantly, seeing women commentators is crucial.  

This isn’t about shouting about the fact that there are women in your organisation, but rather giving them a platform to talk about what they are a total expert at.   

For example, there are plenty of high-quality publications that are crying out to hear from more women and placing expert thought-leadership articles on topics they’re knowledgeable and passionate about is a great starting point.  

There are specialist media slots, columns and media moments that provide the perfect platform to showcase the very best female talent you have. 

Pearl picks: 

We regularly place profile enhancing, female-focused thought leadership in leading publications. Here are a few: 

• PBC Today welcome female focused profile pieces. Topics we’ve covered include women in construction, gender inequality advice in the industry and more.  
• Property Week covers high profile women in the industry who have a lot to say. Recent work includes expert profiling piece about historic and forward-looking property trends, including diverse representation.  
• Construction News are always great at telling you what articles are really flying, and we focus a lot of our work on profiling female experts on topics of their choosing.  

These are just a few examples, but there are plenty more that want to hear from our female leaders.  

Highlight achievements 

Entering awards can be a love-hate activity, but by carefully selecting the right ones, a fantastic opportunity to showcase great expertise and achievements can be created.  

We regularly curate bespoke annual lists of strategic awards to enter for each client specialism, and this includes honouring the female leaders within the workforce.  

Pearl picks:  

Examples of recent female-focused property awards we’ve supported include: 

• Women in Modern Methods of Construction Awards – where our female clients were shortlisted and won the category.  
• Women in Green Business awards – focusing on women in sustainable companies. 
• IoD Awards – showcasing women in leadership roles and their contribution. 
• It’s not all about entering – securing opportunities on the judging panel is a perfect way to not only elevate your female leaders, but to have your finger on the pulse of what others are doing too. Most recently we secured on of our clients on the judging panel of Property Week’s Inspiring Women in Property Awards 2024. 

With over 10 award shortlistings achieved so far this year for homes, property and construction clients, we know the impact an award can have on both individuals and a business.  

There are a plethora of female-focussed submissions to choose from as well – for example, Inside Housing’s Women in Housing award is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in June, showing that there are established opportunities around every corner and within specific industry niches. 

Build up to broadcast – it’s all about confidence 

Creating a truly supportive environment means ensuring your experts are fully prepared for all kinds of media interaction – and this is where media training comes in. 

We regularly train our clients for media opportunities and provide virtual and face-to-face sessions that cover a range of interview types, from telephone to studio. These sessions cover everything from how to present yourself to how to remain on message under intense scrutiny.  

Not only this, but we work with our clients to identify ways to improve their comms efforts by seeking a 50:50 male:female split when it comes to securing media opportunities where possible. 

This often involves specialist training for sectors or to go alongside campaigns.  

Pearl picks:  

Recently, we have undertaken training with long-term client ahead of the launch of their landmark housing report. This involved: 

• A series of 3 virtual training sessions delivered via Zoom (including follow up sessions to build on lessons learned) 

• 3-hour workshops of practical tips and practice scenarios 

These sessions are designed to build the confidence of the attendees and included topics such as how to prepare for broadcast, considering their personal brand and how they would wish to come across and how to deal with ‘killer’ questions. 

Levelling up your PR strategy 

Securing alternative opportunities is competitive and can be a challenge, but this is where great connections and bags of tenacity comes in.  

Securing speaker slots, profiling opportunities and keynotes is a great way to raise profiles. From events to podcasts and roundtable contributions, the options are plentiful and seeing more women take on these opportunities is essential for awareness.  

Pearl picks:  

Podcasts – We have the know-how to get our clients in front of the audiences that matter most and have recently arranged for one of our high-profile female clients to join a well-known property podcast.  

Videos – When it comes to getting your female colleagues noticed, you don’t have to wait for the outside world to come to you. For example, we’ve used our inhouse digital and video skills to create visual content for clients to showcase their top female talent on International Women’s Day.  

Importantly, this should be the cherry on top of the cake and not a one-off. To gain and maintain true authenticity, businesses should work to promote their female talent year-round, opening the pathways for future female leaders. 

Wondering how we can highlight the exceptional women in your business? Contact our property PR specialists today.