PR and marketing

Almost 73 per cent of Australian workers in the mining, industrial and construction sectors have expressed their concern about the widening gap between the two-speed economy.

These are the findings of a recent survey of 1,030 Australians, working in the mining, industrial and manufacturing sectors, conducted by Ferret.com.au – an online business directory servicing the Australian mining, industrial and manufacturing sectors.

The survey revealed growing concerns of economic pressures caused by the weaknesses in the manufacturing, construction and retail industries in opposition to the mining boom.

Dom Weatherhead, Account manager for Ferret.com.au said, “This was one of the most significant responses when it came to addressing concerns and issues regarding the mining, industrial and manufacturing sectors. It shows that confidence really isn’t all that high at the moment.”

In addition to growing concerns about the Australian two-speed economy, was the belief that the mining boom is causing a skills shortage in Australian businesses that are outside of the mining sector. However, those surveyed also expressed concern about a skills shortage in the mining sector, with just over 50 per cent believing the shortage does exist.

“Just over 51 per cent of those surveyed expressed concern for skills shortages occurring in sectors like manufacturing and retail due to the mining boom, but almost the same amount of those surveyed expressed concerns about a shortage of skills in the mining sector as well,” said Mr Weatherhead.

In response to the skills shortage, 54 percent of the Australian workers in the mining sector indicated they believe automation is needed and only 10 per cent indicated they don’t.

“Automation is slowly increasing in the mining sector, with many companies implementing automated machinery in remote areas and places they find difficult to employ workers for,” said Mr Weatherhead.

“Although there are some negative aspects to automation, these results indicate that these workers are worried about the skills shortage and believe automation may be the answer.”

Business owners, managers and employees of the mining, industrial and manufacturing sectors were surveyed about the major issues of their sector including economic, environmental issues, and cost and effectiveness of resources.

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For further information or interviews please contact:
Lauren Milne
CP Communications
Phone: 02 9460 9200

About the survey
The survey of 1,030 business owners, managers and employees of the mining, industrial and manufacturing sectors over the age of 18 years was carried out over the months of March and April 2012 covering all states and territories of Australia and representing all demographics.

About Ferret.com.au
Ferret.com.au is an online business directory servicing the Australian Manufacturing, Industrial and Mining industries. Owned and operated by Catch, an online division of Reed Business Information Australia, Ferret.com.au provides a comprehensive central online source containing the latest product, company and industry news updates. www.ferret.com.au

Want to know how to create a healthy work environment? Listen to Catriona's interview with Mindfood Radio as she shares her top five tips for creating a healthy office. Listen to the podcast here!

 

Next Digital has relaunched their brand to reflect their growth as one of the Asia Pacific’s largest full service digital agencies.

As a once traditional digital solution based agency, the rebrand represents Next Digital’s focus on customer and social media engagement through ideas based digital campaigns.

Along with their original target market they will also be focusing on those clients that wish to use digital as a key channel in their overall strategies.

Creative Director, Hayden Peters said, “This rebranding of Next Digital encompasses our expansion into Asia and aligns itself with our focus on becoming a creative leader in Australia and the wider region.”

In accompaniment of the social led nature of their recent expansion into South East Asia, Next Digital has relaunched its brand to provide a direct view of the key services provided: creative, marketing, strategy and technology.

“Our traditional brand was not reflecting where Next Digital is, and what we provide, as a company. We needed to externally showcase what we can offer as a strategic and marketing led agency,” Mr Peters said.

“When we deconstructed the original brand, we had a look at what digital was in regards to what we offer and then looked at other agencies and how they reflect and engage. We found many agencies to be quite insular in how they communicate and we wanted to be different,” said Mr Peters.

Next Digital has created a global voice including a platform for their employees to discuss, in all honesty, their opinions about their brand.

“Next Digital’s voice is the voice of a global collection of people speaking through the brand. We even have a mascot – MicroChip – a little robot that represents the fun persona of the brand,” said Mr Peters.

The success of the relaunch will be measured through online analytics including the amount of engagement Next Digital receives from their Facebook campaign ‘Love digital like us’.

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For further information or interviews please contact:
Lauren Milne
CP Communications
Phone: 02 9460 9200 


About Next Digital
Next Digital is a leader in creating successful digital strategies for clients throughout the Asia Pacific region. They combine exceptional marketing thinking, regional understanding and technical firepower to develop and deliver broad digital programs.

Their love for all things digital has been going strong for more than 16 years. That journey has helped them hone their delivery and engagement approach, and has shaped how they innovate and keep in front of a fast changing digital space.

Next Digital is a true full service digital agency with over 170 talented digital specialists working throughout offices in Brisbane, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney. www.nextdigital.com

Last week I was interviewed about mentoring. I was asked about the reasons why we need a mentor. Over my career I have mentored numerous business people and graduates and I see this as part of my contribution to the business community.

Here are the reasons why I believe mentoring is important:

Create a learning culture in your life – I think we’re responsible for our own learning. By seeking a mentor you are creating an opportunity to grow, which is what you need if you really want to be successful.

A source of support and advice – recently I had to deal with a difficult situation with a ex-business associate. The first place I went to for advice was my group of business friends. Informal mentoring is very invaluable so seek out people you trust and admire to provide you with support and advice.

Formal goal setting – mentoring is a great way to help you set a clear career path and set goals for yourself. It also makes you accountable for your own career goals.

Inspiration and a different perspective – spending time with a mentor that you admire can assist with your own perspective and can lead to better decision making.

Expanding your network – I can’t stress how important networking is for your career and business. A mentor can open up new networks with people outside your own sphere of influence. This can lead to new career opportunities you otherwise wouldn’t have access to.

Million Paws Walk – We are participating in the Million Paws Walk 2012 to help raise money for the RSPCA. We hope that by participating in the Million Paws Walk we can raise money and awareness to help neglected animals, but we need your help.

Please support our team and the RSPCA by donating to our CP Communications fundraising page. Help us achieve our (very achievable) fundraising target of $250!

Learn how to do your own PR – My next one day workshop – PR and Media Releases that get Results – is on 24 May. Learn how to construct a PR strategy including how to develop media angles, pitches, media releases, articles, case studies and editorials. You will also learn how to strategically use these tools to maximise your chance of achieving your PR objectives. This event is held at the Sydney Writers’ Centre. Register here.

I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter.
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How to write great content for the internet

Studies have shown that most people only spend 10 – 20 seconds viewing individual websites, which is hardly any time at all. So how do you get people to spend more time on your website and actually read your content?

The answer is to write valuable content that will appeal to your target audience and is presented in a clear format.

The way that we read internet content is different to how we read print text. People read slower on the internet and tend to scan the page, skimming over large chunks of content and focusing on subheadings and summaries. This means that you need to adapt your content for the internet to make it easier for people to read content on a computer screen.

• Make it brief: Cut down your print content by half .
• Break up the text: Small paragraphs of 40 – 70 words in length. Use subheadings, bullet points and empty space.
• Use links: Use hyperlinks to draw your reader’s attention to other articles that support your research or main points.
• Use inclusive language: Write content that will engage your reader by using the word ‘you’ instead of impersonal words such as ‘users’ or ‘consumers’.
• Create a catchy headline: Write a headline that will grab the reader’s attention and quickly convey the articles main point.

Read the full article on the CP Communications website.
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What you need to know before joining social media

Before you dive into social media there are a few things to consider.

Where is your target audience? Before you join a social media platform stop and think about where your target audience is. What social media sites are they using and which ones are they avoiding?

Which platforms suits your business? You don’t have to join all the social media platforms at once. Start by choosing the top two platforms that are right for your business.

Who will manage your social media accounts? Social media can be very time consuming. You need to consider who will manage your social media accounts and who is able to devote enough time to each site.

How will you use social media? You need to develop a strategy about how your business will use social media. This strategy should include what information you will post, how often it will be posted, how your brand will be represented and how you respond to positive and negative comments.

Are you prepared for a long relationship with social media? Social media is not just a onetime thing. It takes a long time to build a following on social media and to position your business as a valuable member of an online community.

Read the full article on our Public Relations Sydney blog.
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Upcoming events
Here are some events coming up that we thought you might be interested in:

The business of blogging – made easy!
Blogging is an essential social media tool for any business because it allows clients to get to know your business. It also demonstrates your business’s expertise and improves your search engine rank on Google. At this event you will learn about the type of content that your readers are looking for. You will also gather ideas for your first 10 blog posts.
3 May – North Ryde

How to write a business book with Valerie Khoo
This Sydney Writers' Centre seminar shows you how to turn your expertise into a best-selling business book. You will gain practical advice on how to position yourself as an expert and gain instant credibility by authoring a best-selling book. You will learn about how to how to keep your reader interested, the basics of publicity, how to structure your book and how to use it as a lead generation tool.
4 May – Sydney

Women in Banking and Finance Business Series Luncheon – Ita Buttrose and Oroton Group CEO Sally MacDonald
This event will host a lively discussion between Ita Buttrose and Sally MacDonald about their careers and the future of women in leadership positions. They will also explore the strategies that worked for them to achieve successful careers. Ita Buttrose is a businesswomen, media editor and bestselling author. Sally MacDonald is the CEO and Managing Director of Oroton Group.
9 May – Sydney

LinkedIn: How to build great personal and professional profiles
This She Inspires event will discuss how to use LinkedIn to promote your personal brand and your business. You will learn how to integrate LinkedIn into your social media strategy and how to complete your online profile. Friends of CP Communications (that's you!) receive 25% off when they book with this code CP05lisb
16 May – Sydney

Professional development program: Magnetic writing
This course will teach you how to improve your text, sharpen your writing skills and keep your readers engaged with your writing. You will be shown how to grab and hold an audience’s attention while communicating your message clearly and simply. You will be given skills to make composition easier, no matter what level of writing you are at.
16 May – Perth

Leaders with a life conference
This annual business event will provide attendees with the energy, ideas and inspiration to take their leadership style from good to great. National and international speakers will provide their tips and personal leadership experiences. This conference is perfect for anyone who dares or dreams of taking the lead.
21 – 22 May – Adelaide

A new online comparison company launched today, Split It, will dramatically increase transparency in the online comparison industry by paying Australians to compare and purchase private health insurance online.

The health insurance comparison service will split previously hidden broker commission payments with customers – delivering on average $200 cash back with each private health insurance policy purchased.

Split It was created by former NAB banker Tim Andrew and former KPMG health consultant David Ingram in response to the insurance, utilities and mortgage comparison sites that don’t provide Australians with a complete choice, instead listing only those suppliers who pay generous commissions.

As well as providing a full range of health insurance policies to compare, the Split It model will disclose every broker fee paid to the site. Split It will then share with the customer at least 50 per cent of each broker commission earned.

Mr Andrew said, “Research shows on average we spend $20,000 per household on needs like insurance, energy and banking so we want to give Australian consumers better value for their money.”

“Consumers don’t know that $100 million of hidden fees are being paid to health insurance comparison sites annually because commissions received from brokers haven’t been disclosed. Split It provides a fairer alternative that shares profits with Australians.”

“Customers told us that in order to get the right insurance they want to compare a full range of policies, not just the few that pay the most commission.”

For the first time customers can be assured that the product they are recommended is based on their needs and not on some hidden commission being paid to the comparison site.

Visit www.splitit.com.au for details.

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For an interview or more information please contact:
Lauren Milne
CP Communications
Ph: 02 9460 9200

About Split It
Split It provides a simple way for people to compare a wide range of possible health insurance policies online. Their first site compares private health insurance options and later sites will include online comparison of other insurance, finance, telecommunications and utilities products online. Split It are the only online comparison service that helps customers choose the best cover for the best price and also displays and pays customers at least half of the commission earned after they purchase. www.splitit.com.au  

Shashen Jewels has launched their new Motherlove collection, containing elegant birthstones for mothers and their children, just in time for Mother’s Day.

The collection contains a pendant with one large and one small birthstone from the range of twelve birthstones available.

Owner and founder of Shashen, Eilish Bouchier said “There is no greater love than a mother's love. This collection celebrates the beautiful connection that exists between a mother and her child in an elegant and simple way.”

“The gemstones are hand selected, hand cut and handset in sterling silver. Each part of the process reflects the gentle care that every mother takes with her child,” said Ms Bouchier.

The Motherlove collection is designed for mothers to wear a pendant containing two of their child’s birthstones. The small stone (8mm) represents the child while the large stone (12mm) represents the mother’s love and nurturing.

Mothers can then pass on one of the stones to their children when they get older. This stone will carry the mother’s energy and remind the child of their love, wisdom and care. The mother can keep the other stone as a symbol of their enduring connection.

There is an option for mothers with more than one child to buy a set of stones for each of their children or chose their own configuration of stones.

Mothers can also purchase their own birthstone and their husband’s birthstone to add to the collection.

The Motherlove collection is $180 for a two stone pendant comprising one large birthstone and one small birthstone set in sterling silver and placed on an 18” sterling silver curb chain.

The collection contains twelve birthstones each representing a different meaning. For example the birthstone for January is garnet whose qualities are protection and passion.

You can purchase the Motherlove collection at the Shashen website or at participating stockists.

You can purchase a pendant to be worn on a chain as a bracelet or necklace.

Shashen Jewels creates unique and organic jewellery with gemstones that are chosen for their beauty and their vibrational energies.

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For further information, interviews, samples of the collection or images please contact:

Rebecca Parry
CP Communications
P: 02 9460 9200
E: rebecca@cpcommunications.com.au

Eilish Bouchier
Shashen Jewels
P: 0409 99 6488
E: eilish@shashenjewels.com

For more information visit the Shashen website: http://www.shashenjewels.com/women-jewellery/necklaces.html?p=2

About Shãshen
Shãshen is the perfect blend of making something happen in the masculine action oriented business world whilst retaining all those softer feminine values of love, nurturing, beauty, seduction and sharing. The name comes from the male (shen) and female (shã) tantric energies to form the perfect balance of giving and receiving. An important aspect of the business is the concept of circular giving. While you give/receive a beautiful piece of jewelry, you also benefit from the vibrational energies of the stones and 20% of Shashen’s profits are donated to the education of children in India.

About Eilish Bouchier
Eilish's personal journey began as a child in Ireland before travelling and gathering experiences living among the cities of Europe, USA and Australia. She considers herself as a curious visitor rather than a tourist and seeks to discover each country and its people. This curiosity has led her to meditate in central Brazil, barbeque in the jungle in South India and bicycle in a snowy Amsterdam. She has worked as a designer and brand consultant in New York, London, and Sydney for clients such as Apple, Vodafone, HarperCollins and Network Associates.

In a competitive market for website development, Next Digital has identified that there are customers looking to partner with experienced agencies who can help them take their existing Sitecore website to the next level. In response to this, Next Digital have launched the ’Next Digital Sitecore Service Package’.

Next Digital Solution Architect and Sitecore MVP, Alistair Deneys, said, “Through our experience with Sitecore, we began to see a niche that was yet to be filled. We found, through developing this package, we could help add value to Sitecore clients who either had no further support by their website developer or no ongoing support program from their current provider.”

The Next Digital Sitecore Service Package consists of two parts. The first is an audit to assess the code base and configuration of an existing Sitecore website, the second is an ongoing ‘Maintenance Package’, which provides access to a dedicated team of certified Sitecore developers.

The audit is designed to assess the health, stability and performance of an existing Sitecore website. With over eight years experience and more than 100 Sitecore websites under their belt, Next Digital believes they are in a unique position to provide this service to the market. As part of the audit, Next Digital provides a report which details the audit findings and recommendations to achieve optimum performance.

“This package allows our Sitecore technical team to sit with the client and discuss issues and ideas around building on their current system. This will be of great value to clients who have an issue and don’t know how to fix it or just aren’t getting enough support from their current provider,” said Mr Deneys.

The ongoing ‘Maintenance Package’ provides the client with access to a dedicated team of certified Sitecore developers, capable of providing assistance and support for the long term.

“We aren’t just targeting clients who want to redevelop their website, we are also providing assistance and support to those Sitecore users who are looking to grow their business through this system and build a long term relationship with a trusted partner.” said Mr Deneys.

Next Digital has been a Sitecore partner since 2004 and within that time has helped build over 100 Sitecore websites for more than 30 clients. Next Digital’s Solution Architect, Alistair Deneys, is the only Sitecore MVP that has been awarded twice in Australia and is one of only 57 worldwide.

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For further information or interviews please contact:
Lauren Milne
CP Communications
Phone: 02 9460 9200
Email: lauren@cpcommunications.com.au

About Next Digital
Next Digital is a leader in creating successful digital strategies for clients throughout the Asia Pacific region. They combine exceptional marketing thinking, regional understanding and technical firepower to develop and deliver broad digital programs.

Their love for all things digital has been going strong for more than 16 years. That journey has helped them hone their delivery and engagement approach, and has shaped how they innovate and keep in front of a fast changing digital space.

Next Digital is a true full service digital agency with over 170 talented digital specialists working throughout offices in Brisbane, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney.
www.nextdigital.com  

Our Director Catriona Pollard was featured in a radio interview for mybusinesshelp.com.au discussing PR tips for small business. Learn about how small business owners can get themselves into the media. Listen here.