NORTHERN PLANNER

You can read the APG Awards shortlist here (they'll add them week by week).

Mother's PG Tips paper is a joy. Reminds me that there's no point just having the best strategy or actual work when it comes to pitching, presenting or even in your day to day. It's how you present it.

Which reminds me of a top tip for meetings (especially if you're shy). You're likely to be going with the account team – agree with them who will be saying what, make sure you have something to say, you know what it is and so does everything else.

There's many a planner who's done the thinking, written most of the deck (if you're doing one) but not agreed who's doing what bit, so on th day, the suits, verbose, charismatic people as they are, go through the whole thing, leaving planning person no chance to have any impact, unless they're equally brimming with chutzpah and effortless charm. Most of us are not.

So agree what you're going to say before hand. Make sure you have something to say.