I have been working for Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce on a contract basis for over five years, handling their Press & Policy functions.  Publicity is a key part of the Chamber's strategy to grow its membership.  You can't be the Voice of Business without a strong understanding of the needs and aspirations of entrepreneurs and how local, national and international conditions affect their ability to succeed.  So to be a spokesperson and manage a communications programme you need to be well informed, up to speed, and cultivate a wide network of contacts to develop the respect that gets your views heard.  The success of this contract is borne out by over four hundred interviews in the last twelve months (that's nearly two per working day) and a growth in membership of 9% over that period.  You can check out a selection of issues and coverage here.