PR and marketing

PR Consultant

Catriona Pollard - Monday, February 06, 2012
* One of Sydney’s most respected PR Agencies
* Work on PR and social media.
* Get noticed in a small team!

The opportunity exists for a PR Consultant ideally with around 3 years PR experience. You will be doing both PR and social media for global and local brands.

Pioneers in PR and social media strategies, we’re one of Sydney’s most respected and innovative boutique PR agencies.

People who work with us describe us as “absolute professionals” who are “always on the lookout for new ideas and points of difference.” We work in a proactive way, so our clients can achieve the exposure that’s right for their business goals. Many have remained loyal for almost ten years.

We’re looking for an PR Consultant who will be a key team member and:
* Manage with PR and social media campaigns
* Manage client relationships
* Be responsible for media liaison and story ideas
* Writing so much more than just boring media releases!

You will have:
- Completed degree qualifications in Public Relations, Journalism, Business Marketing/Advertising, or a related field
- High level of written and verbal communication
- Be flexible, adaptable and ready to learn quickly

In return we can offer you a fun place to work with a team of like-minded professionals plus the creative stimulation that comes from working with one of the most highly regarded names in the business.

We are based in Crows Nest, 5 mins walk from St Leonard's train station and buses.

To find out more about what makes us tick read our blog www.PublicRelationsSydney.com.au and read our client testimonials at www.cpcommunications.com.au
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Social Media Women February

Catriona Pollard - Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Reputation matters- Klout, Kred, and the growth of the social recommendation economy with Kate Carruthers.

How do you measure reputation on social media? It’s so much more than the number of followers you have.

Both Klout and Kred measure influence based on your ability to drive action. The Klout Score uses data from social networks to measure true reach, amplification and network impact. Kred analyses billions of tweets from the last 1,000 days to calculate your Kred. Every interaction you have made in that time is part of your score. It measures Influence and Outreach level.

But are they accurate? Kate will explain the new social recommendation economy and why reputation matters. She will discuss how to make the new social recommendation economy work for you.

About Kate:

Kate Carruthers is an expert and forecaster in online collaboration, social media, digital integration, unified communication, email and search marketing.

With extensive experience in senior executive roles for diverse organisations such as GE, AMP, Westfield and State Government she currently works in business strategy and implementation roles. Kate has also lectured in postgraduate business at Macquarie University and taught TAFE level courses in business and management.

She is Co-Founder of Social Innovation Sydney and was a long standing member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers and is a Senior Member of the Australian Computer Society. She is on the Advisory Board for the Schools of Computer Science & Software Engineering and Information Systems & Technology at the University of Wollongong.

Kate is currently studying law part time as an external student with Queensland University of Technology.

Twitter: @kcarruthers 
Blog: http://katecarruthers.com/blog/

Please note: This month's Social Media Women is being held on the FIRST Tuesday of the month as the second Tuesday falls on Valentines Day.

A not to be missed event- learn about the new social recommendation economy and why reputation matters.

Register now for our February event at

http://socialmediawomenfebruary.eventbrite.com


Date: Tuesday 7 February 2012 (First week in February)
Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Venue: The Supper Club at the Oxford Hotel
,
134 Oxford st, Darlinghurst.

(Enter the Oxford St side of the hotel and walk up the stairs. Metered parking is a few steps away on Bourke St, $1.10 per hour)

 

 


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Media Release: Regional Australians unprepared for major effects of NBN

Catriona Pollard - Thursday, November 24, 2011

Rural and regional Australians are unprepared for the impact a faster internet service will have on their businesses and everyday lives when the National Broadband Network (NBN) is introduced – with many seeming confused about what the changes will mean for them.

These are the findings of a recent survey of 1030 rural and regional Australians conducted by FatCow.com.au, an online business directory servicing the Australian farming, agricultural and horticultural sectors. The survey revealed confusion over the NBN with contradictory opinions surfacing about whether any impact will even be noticeable, especially to their businesses.

Over a third of rural and regional business owners said they would not take advantage of the NBN to promote their business even though over half of all the business owners surveyed claim to be found by customers via the internet.

Commercial Manager for FatCow.com.au, Paul Ryan, said, “Regional and rural Australians don’t seem to understand the incredible potential of the NBN. Many business owners don’t believe their customer numbers will increase and the majority believes competition will stay the same, which shows a real lack of education about what the NBN can actually lead to.”

When business owners were asked about the NBN and possible increases in competition and customer numbers and orders:
· Almost 54 percent stated they did not think their business would be negatively impacted by customers buying products from overseas online stores.
· 71 percent did not believe the NBN would create more competition for their business.
· Over half believed the NBN would not help to deliver more customers or orders.

Although more than 70 per cent believe owning a business website is important and 85 per cent will continue to engage online, 60 per cent of regional and rural Australians are worried about the cost of the NBN.

“The NBN will bring fantastic opportunities for all regional and rural Australians. It will bring forth the potential for increased revenue in business, faster internet which will improve productivity and a much wider scope for business services. Yet many Australians are unwilling to pay for it,” said Mr Ryan.

While almost 96 per cent of non business owners believed the internet was a viable channel for buying and selling agricultural products online, 72 per cent would not consider starting a business regardless of faster internet access.

Rural and regional Australians were surveyed about the effects of major issues on their town including the economy, environmental issues and cost of resources.

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For more information please contact:
Lauren Milne
CP Communications
P: 02 9922 1063

About FatCow.com.au and the survey
FatCow.com.au is an online business directory servicing the Australian farming, agricultural and horticultural sectors. Owned and operated by Catch, an online division of Reed Business Information Australia, FatCow.com.au provides a comprehensive central online source containing the latest product, company and industry news updates.

The survey of 1030 rural and regional Australians over the age of 18 years was carried out over the months of August, September and beginning of October, covering all states and territories of Australia and representing all demographics.
 www.fatcow.com.au


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How to get the most out of radio

Catriona Pollard - Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Radio can be a tricky medium when you are preparing for a media interview. Unlike print or television, radio does not have visuals you can use to further emphasise a point or use as support for what you are saying.

However, radio is an extremely useful and powerful medium and a great way to target key audiences. Here are a few tips on how to prepare and get the most out of a radio interview.

Make the message clear
When taking part in a live or pre-recorded radio interview it is vital that, before the interview deadline, you make sure you understand what you are talking about and how you are going to get your message across in short, simple sentences.

Whatever you do, try not to waffle. Many people when they get nervous or feel as though there is too much silence will begin to waffle on about things that have no importance or bring no value to the interview.

Always remember that radio journalists will never create silence or ‘dead air’ on radio, so don’t be afraid to use short and to the point sentences – the journalist will more often than not have another question ready as soon as you finish speaking.

Talk to your audience - not at them
Radio creates the illusion of a one on one private conversation with the audience. It is much more intimate than television or print and therefore you must be careful about how you converse with your audience.

When you speak, pretend you are speaking to a friend rather than a group of people. Tailor your language so you are including the audience in the conversation rather than just blurting out what you have to say.

This not only shows that you care about your audience, but it also shows you are open to and welcome feedback and others’ opinions. You will also come across much friendlier and more genuine if you treat your audience as individuals rather than a mass of target audiences that you want to get your message out to.

Research the station and the journalist
It is great idea to research information about the radio station and journalist who will be interviewing you. Find out who the radio station targets – what are the demographics? Are they an AM station or FM? Talk back or commercial? Does the station have an area of interest e.g. education or lifestyle? Find out everything you can about the station or program before the interview.

Similarly, research the journalist who will be interviewing you. If you can find out what their opinions are on the topics they will be interviewing you on. How do they normally interview their guests? Do they ask controversial questions? What type of interviews have they done in the past?

All of this information will help you prepare for your interview and will help in how you deliver your answers and decide what key messages will be most effective.

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Social Media Women October: Stepping into the spotlight using PR & social media – how to build your profile and position yourself as an expert

Catriona Pollard - Tuesday, September 20, 2011

We often think about using PR and social media to build a company’s profile – and that it only benefits the company as a whole.
 
But what about your profile and your reputation?
 
If you work within a company, or run your own business, you can use PR and social media tactics to build your reputation and increase your profile. It will enhance your chances of landing a position on a board, help with your next career move or assist in sales for your business.
 
Often as women, we think we have to be amazing experts to even talk or write about a topic. But the more you accept that you are an expert, the more everybody else will accept it too.
 
So, it’s time to step into the spotlight. It’s time you acknowledge your experience and do what women do so well – share it!
 
At this October Social Media Women event, Catriona Pollard will share with you her secrets on how she built up her profile and positioned herself as an expert in her field through the use of PR and social media, and how you can as well.
 
About Catriona Pollard:
Catriona Pollard is an expert in public relations and social media with more than 18 years experience in developing and managing PR and marketing programs.
 
Catriona is the Director and owner of CP Communications, a public relations and social media agency and is a co-founder of Social Media Women.
 
Catriona was one of the early adopters of social media in the Australian PR industry and is an advocate of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and blogs.
 
She writes the popular blog Public Relations Sydney that led to her being labelled as a leading public relations blogger. Catriona is also listed as one of the top 100 PR people worldwide to follow on Twitter.
 
Catriona is regularly approached by the media to provide expert comment on public relations and social media and teaches a course she designed called PR and media releases that get results at the Sydney Writers’ Centre.

A not to be missed event - learn how build your profile and increase your reputation through the use of PR and social media.

Register now for our October event at http://socialmediawomen.eventbrite.com


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CP Communications PR Tips & News

Catriona Pollard - Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Recently I went off the grid. While I do have hippy tendencies, I don’t mean going solar! I went off the social media grid for a week.

For anyone who knows me, I’m pretty addicted to social media. It’s a part of my everyday life, both professionally and personally. For the week I didn’t tweet, Facebook, blog, LinkedIn or Instagram. I didn’t make a phone call, send or check emails or turn on a computer.

I didn’t take a photo on my phone and instantly share it (a photo is so much better shared don’t you think?). I didn’t even turn on my iPhone!

Did I start twitching nervously wondering if I would miss important conversations? Did I have withdrawals?

No. A very big NO. I loved it. It was great to truly have a break from the world.

Funnily enough, I found myself on an island in Fiji on a yoga retreat, teaching the resort owner how to do social media! They now have an up to date YouTube Channel and a Flickr page. Hilarious. I can’t get away from it, even when I try to!

Speaking this month: I am a panelist on the NSW Government’s Small Business September: PR & Social Media - winning strategies for business success on 16 September. I hope you can join me!

I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter.

________________________________________
What's the real difference between marketing and PR?
As PR professionals we are often asked how public relations differs from marketing. Here are some useful analogies:

1. Activities/tactics: Marketing generally covers promotional, direct marketing and advertising which seeks to return direct sales; whereas PR is focused on reputation management through generating positive media coverage and stakeholder communication.

2. Target audiences: Marketing aims to reach current and potential customers, whereas public relations is all about maintaining positive relationships with anyone who has an interest in the organisation or brand. This covers a broader audience across customers and media, to employees and shareholders.

3. Two separate goals: The goals for marketing teams are to reach consumers and make them think, believe or do some kind of sales focused action. Essentially it is about selling the product or service. Public relations is about selling the company or brand through positively managing the communication channels between a company and its stakeholders.

4. Legitimacy of messages: Messages delivered through PR channels such as articles, conference speakers or reputable bloggers are subconsciously regarded by consumers as more legitimate than those presented through marketing tactics. Generally, people can clearly recognise that advertising and marketing are driven by a company’s desire to increase sales.

5. Business ROI: Marketing is generally defined as a business investment – paid branding and promotional activities with new customers being the ROI. Whereas PR is classified as free exposure for increasing credibility around a company’s image.

6. Longevity: Marketing is a relatively short term activity, whereas PR reaps its benefits over a longer period of time. While marketing seeks to drive instant, tangible sales success, the benefits of a PR program can be viewed as a long term investment that a company would recognise for future achievements.

Read the full article on the Public Relations Sydney blog.

________________________________________
How to be a good ghost tweeter
Ghost tweeters are teams or individuals who are outsourced by companies to tweet on their behalf. It sounds like a simple concept, and in many ways it is, but tweeting for a client is very different to tweeting for your own company or for yourself.

If you are considering becoming a ghost tweeter for someone, or if you already are a ghost tweeter, here are some tips on how to make sure you do it well:

Get to know their topics of interest
Your client’s online presence on Twitter relies on consistency, as social media is all about connecting and engaging with a target audience. When tweeting for your client it is crucial you understand the topics that they wish to be tweeting about. Find out how they want to be perceived, research their areas of interest and stick to it.

Learn their language
When it comes to tweeting for your client you’ve got to know how to talk the talk...or tweet the tweet in this case! Learn the language of your clients. Read articles written by them, listen to them speak and take into account what industry they are in and who their target audience is.

Don’t do anything they wouldn’t do
It can be easy to forget at times that you are not tweeting for yourself. Before you reply, comment or re-tweet anything always ask yourself: “Would my client want to be associated with that person, company or comment?”

Although you may find the tweet funny, interesting or re-tweet worthy, your client may not – it may even be damaging to their reputation. From the very beginning you should learn what conversations your client can be engaged in and what conversations to avoid.

Read the full article on CP Communications News.

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Upcoming events
Here are some events coming up that we thought you might be interested in:

Brand engagement in a multi-channel environment
It is more important than ever to understand the customer journey across channels and create a brand strategy for the connected customer. At this forum you will gain advice from retailers who will showcase case studies, and hear research conducted with 100 Australians on their route from search to purchase.
7 September – Sydney

Social media applications for business
This two-day intensive workshop introduces participants to the context of social media use for business, strategies for social media application and a practical introduction to the most common and useful social media tools for business.
7-8 September – Perth

Social Media Women September: Learn how to make your real life presence compliment and match your online presence
Today everyone is, in one way or another, digitally branded. Whether it is through Facebook, Twitter, a blog or LinkedIn, your personality and your brand are online for all to see. Mariette Rups-Donnelly will share with you some tips and techniques to make sure that when you meet your contacts in real life you compliment and match your digital personality.
13 September – Sydney

Future of Digital Publishing
Tablets are promising to breathe new life into the publishing industry, with more than 1.5 million tablet devices estimated to be sold in Australia in 2011. At this half day seminar, speakers from the magazine, news and web publishing sectors will discuss how they are preparing for the future of print and publishing.
21 September – Melbourne

Online Retailer Conference & E-commerce Expo
A four-day conference with guests discussing problem-solving solutions and career networking. Learn how to acquire new customers, optimise retail website performance, boost conversions, foster loyalty, improve marketing ROI and maximise business operations and profits.
26-29 September – Sydney
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How to be a good ghost tweeter

Catriona Pollard - Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Ghost tweeters are teams or individuals who are outsourced by companies to tweet on their behalf. It sounds like a simple concept, and in many ways it is but tweeting for a client is very different to tweeting for your own company or for yourself.

If you are considering becoming a ghost tweeter for someone, or if you already are a ghost tweeter, here are some tips on how to make sure you do it well:

Get to know their topics of interest
Your client’s online presence on Twitter relies on consistency, as social media is all about connecting and engaging with a target audience. When tweeting for your client it is crucial you understand the topics that they wish to be tweeting about. Find out how they want to be perceived, research their areas of interest and stick to it.

Learn their language
When it comes to tweeting for your client you’ve got to know how to talk the talk...or tweet the tweet in this case! Learn the language of your clients. Read articles written by them, listen to them speak and take into account what industry they are in and who their target audience is.

Don’t do anything they wouldn’t do
It can be easy to forget at times that you are not tweeting for yourself. Before you reply, comment or re-tweet anything always ask yourself: “Would my client want to be associated with that person, company or comment?”

Although you may find the tweet funny, interesting or re-tweet worthy, your client may not – it may even be damaging to their reputation. From the very beginning you should learn what conversation your client can be engaged in and what conversation to avoid.

Don’t let trouble brew
As a ghost tweeter you may be on the lookout for negative comments of feedback about your clients. Make sure, if this happens, to respond in a professional and timely manner.

If, however, your response does not seem to work and the problem is lingering, or if it seems to be escalating, contact your client and make sure they are aware of the problem. In any case do not keep quiet and assume it will all blow over.

The best way to be a successful ghost tweeter is to communicate with your client and make sure you completely understand what they want to achieve. A tailored social media strategy will always be more successful and gain far better results than a general plan used across all clients.

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Media Release: Aprimo adds innovative new features for greater marketing performance

Catriona Pollard - Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Aprimo®, a global leader in cloud-based integrated marketing software, has launched enhancements to its Integrated Marketing Management solutions. These additions combine the capabilities of Teradata and Aprimo and provide innovative Marketing Operations, Multi-Channel Campaign Management and Marketing Performance Measurement capabilities.

Aprimo added a new offering to its Integrated Marketing Management suite,
Aprimo Real-Time Interaction Manager, an inbound marketing and offer management solution that analyses all customer interactions to ensure the best offer for each customer is delivered in real-time. These new capabilities help Aprimo clients drive more effective marketing performance.

President of Aprimo, Bill Godfrey said, “When Teradata acquired Aprimo, we promised our customers that we’d capitalise quickly on the synergies and deliver rapid innovation to continue to lead the Integrated Marketing Management market.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased with our progress, which includes a new inbound marketing solution and enhanced, integrated versions of our Integrated Marketing Management solutions. We will continue to deliver leading solutions that help our customers optimise marketing processes and performance to drive growth in their business,” said Mr Godrey.

Aprimo has also released new versions of two of its Integrated Marketing Management solutions, Aprimo Marketing Studio and Aprimo Relationship Manager. This is the first new product addition and product release for both solutions since Aprimo was acquired by Teradata, and showcases the accelerated pace of innovation across Aprimo’s Integrated Marketing Management suite.

The latest version of Aprimo Marketing Studio includes new features designed to streamline processes and enhance access to campaign data and approvals, including mobile access to marketing materials, enhanced online help and integration with relationship management campaigns.

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About Aprimo
Aprimo, a Teradata company, is a leading global provider of marketing software and services that enhance the productivity and performance of marketing organisations. Through the use of Aprimo’s Integrated Marketing Management (IMM) software for B2B and B2C, marketers can integrate their organisations, get control of budget and spends, eliminate internal silos with streamlined workflows, and execute innovative multi-channel campaigns to drive measurable return on investment. Hundreds of thousands of marketers trust Aprimo to revolutionise their marketing. Aprimo customers include over one third of Fortune 100 companies, and nearly one quarter of Global 100 companies. Founded in 1998, Aprimo is headquartered in Indianapolis with offices worldwide. For more information, call +61 (0) 2 8404 4154 or visit www.aprimo.com.

Teradata Corporation (NYSE: TDC), Aprimo’s parent company, is the world's leader in data warehousing and integrated marketing management through its database software, enterprise data warehousing, data warehouse appliances, and enterprise analytics. Teradata acquired Aprimo in January 2011. For more information, visit www.teradata.com.


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