We often work with consumer magazines to help them find people to include in features they have planned. We’ve placed Australian royal memorabilia collectors, internet entrepreneurs, female long distance lorry drivers, mums to be and champagne specialists – all of whom had a positive angle on a client’s business.

But sometimes we get a request for a feature that fits better with one of our team than any of our clients – which is how I ended up sitting on the back of a silver sofa having my picture taken for Woman & Home Magazine last week.

The feature is about people who achieved something new in 2011. It’s for the January issue and it’s all about New Year resolutions. This time last year I signed up for a life drawing class at Leeds College of Art and I was only too happy to tell the magazine about it.

As a PR placing a case study, my role is always to balance the objectives of my client while ensuring that their customer or member of staff is happy with the process. It can be intimidating to be interviewed and photographed and we are always aware that we’re asking someone to put themselves in the spotlight. For a business owner that’s exactly what they want, but for a happy customer it’s quite a big ask. After the lovely day I spend with the Woman & Home team I can reassure my ‘victims’ that they have nothing to worry about (at least until I see the pictures).