PR and marketing

Starting any business can be challenging. Practical advice based on experience helps save time, energy and money and a free program that helps support a start-up is the cherry on the cake!

Catherine Eibner will share her tips and advice for entrepreneurs on starting a business.

Catherine runs the Microsoft BizSpark program in Australia. BizSpark is a free program specifically designed by Microsoft to help early stage technical companies really hit the ground running during the first three years of business - a time when resources are low, cash is strapped and challenges are plentiful.

Catherine will explain how BizSpark works and how she learnt her lessons the hard way and in turn hopefully she will save you from experiencing some of the stress, insanity, health issues and money losses she experienced!
 
Catherine Eibner - Developer Evangelist (Startups): Partner and Customer Innovation Team

Catherine is responsible for the Microsoft BizSpark program in Australia. BizSpark is designed to fast track the success of early stage technology companies by offering software, support and opportunities to increase visibility.

Catherine joined Microsoft in 2008 as a Dynamics Developer Evangelist to build the local Dynamics Developer Community. She is particularly passionate about supporting and encouraging other women in IT and is involved with the GeekGirlBlogs.com site.

Twitter: @ceibner
Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/ceibner

A not to be missed event - learn how to start a new business properly!

Register here for our July event.

Date:      Tuesday 12 July 2011
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)

Enter the draw to win LUCKY DOOR PRIZES simply by attending!

Meet amazing women as well as discussing the ever changing world of social media.

The open discussion about social media is one of the best parts of the event. So bring your social media questions for the group to answer.

Although I have lived in Sydney nearly half my life, I’m still a country girl at heart. At times when I am stuck in Sydney traffic I dream of living somewhere there aren’t any traffic lights (like where my parents live!). But last week, I was reminded how lucky I am to live here. Not only is Sydney beautiful, but we have access to so many great events.

I attended Vivid Creative Sydney, a series of free events about the future of creativity, technology and business. Industry leaders shared their experiences and discussed how to create innovative brands and products. One was an artist who creates ‘unseen sculptures’ using augmented reality. He placed a giant squid above the Opera House that could only be seen through your smart phone. Amazing!

On Sunday it was a beautiful clear winter’s morning and the CP Communications team joined hundreds of people on the MS Walk Fundraiser around the botanical gardens. The walk helped MS Australia raise funds to provide assistance to the 20,000 Australians living with Multiple Sclerosis. It’s not too late to help out a good cause and donate!

That afternoon I found myself sitting next to an Aboriginal woman artist from Tjanpi Desert Weavers who taught me how to weave in their unique way. They are a renowned group of indigenous women artists who work with grass fibres to make baskets and sculptures. They had travelled here from remote desert communities in central Australia for the amazing exhibition at Manly Gallery, KURU ALALA – eyes open. I was so thrilled, I couldn’t quite believe it!

Every event I went to last week was free, and they were all about community – creating, contributing and engaging. So have a think about how your business, brand or you as an individual can create and contribute to your community. The goodwill you create will be priceless.

I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter.
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What journalists are looking for and how to get their attention
Journalists work in a fast-pace, high-pressure environment every day and are only looking for stories which capture their attention right away. They constantly receive media releases, phone calls from PR consultants and emails about the latest and greatest product or business. So to make sure you are noticed there are a few things to keep in mind when contacting the media.

Make them want to know more. Whether you are sending them a media release or pitching an article over the phone, make sure to present the most interesting information first. The information may have to be tailored for different types of media.

Personalise your attempt. Research first and find out which journalist you may wish to speak to. Simply using someone’s name can get their attention and makes them feel like you have a put in a bit of effort.

Pick your time wisely. A bit of research and common sense can tell you when a media outlet's deadline is. Daily papers will obviously have a deadline each day, so get your information to a journalist earlier in the day. Monthly publications such as some magazines have long lead times so don’t call at the end of the month trying to get into the next month’s issue.

Don’t be afraid of journalists. They have good days and bad days and there are ones who will be nicer than others. But don’t be intimidated by them. If you have all your information at hand, know what you are talking about and are polite at all times you should be received well.
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TwitterCue: The new social media idea
In today’s world of 24 hour news cycles and social media channels that never sleep, people across the globe are constantly gaining access to large amounts of information on a daily basis.

It is particularly challenging when communicating via Twitter, when your clearly written and informative media release is reduced to a 140 character line.

How do you express essential and maybe even critically important information in only 140 characters? Enter ‘TwitterCue’ – a 140 character line written at the top or bottom of a media release which sums up the content and can be then spread through social media channels without losing any essential information.

Not only is TwitterCue a great addition to a social media optimised media release – distributed to bloggers, citizen journalists and through services such as PR Newswire – it will also be useful for time-pressed journalists.

The challenge, however, is getting all the information needed into that 140 character line. To help you get the most out of writing a TwitterCue, here are some useful tips:

• Lose the fancy talk and get straight to the point – concentrate on facts only
• Always use a suitable hashtag
• Include a URL that links to the full media release
• Leave space for unedited re-tweeting – 120 characters should be your aim
• Channel the language of your Tweeps – use abbreviations e.g. to = 2; for = 4; you = u 

An example of a TwitterCue is one we did for our client Community Engine when we released their annual survey. We included the hashtag on all tweets:
The Nielsen-Community Engine 2011 Social Media Business Benchmarking Study released 2day http://t.co/6KoQiXt #B2Bsocialstudy
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Upcoming events
Here are some events coming up that we thought you might be interested in:

Social Media Women June: Learn about online business with Shoes of Prey
Social Media Women’s June event features inspirational creator of online business Shoes of Prey, Jodie Fox. Jodie will share how she built her incredible online business and some of the secrets to her success.
14 June 2011 – Sydney, NSW

Nice Girls Just Don’t Get It
Dr Lois Frankel is running a breakfast presentation about her book ‘Nice Girls Just Don’t Get It’. During the presentation Dr Frankel will teach women how get what they want in both professional and personal areas of their lives.
15 June 2011 – Brisbane, Qld

Web 3.0 and the Future of Social Media
New technologies collectively known as Web 3.0 are already providing a momentous opportunity to businesses and marketers.This conference will investigate the web and how it will transform marketing. Key areas to be discussed include the future direction for social networks and progressive social media marketing.
21 June 2011 – Sydney, NSW

PR and Media Releases That Get Results with Catriona Pollard
Catriona will teach you how to construct a PR strategy that gets results. By the end of this workshop you will understand how to come up with a media angle, write a pitch, media release, article, case study and editorial. You will also learn how to strategically use these tools to maximise your chance of achieving your PR objectives.
23 June 2011 – Sydney, NSW

Business in the Social Age
Simon Betschel (Sensis) and Brian Giesen (Ogilvy) will be speaking about the opportunities and challenges that are being presented to Australian businesses in the social age. They will aim to help business owners make more informed decisions about how to use and engage in social media for business.
7 July 2011 – Melbourne, Vic

Macquarie University’s Women, Management and Work Conference
Learn how to become an influential leader at Macquarie University’s 23rd annual Women, Management and Work Conference. This two day conference will inspire and inform women who are looking for insights and key tips to develop their leadership skills. Speakers include CEO of Medicare Lynelle Briggs, Board Director of CoSolve Anna Booth and Director in the Royal Australian Navy Captain Michele Miller.
28-29 July 2011 – Sydney, NSW

Love shoes? Come and hear entrepreneur, Jodie Fox, talk about her online business Shoes of Prey

Jodie Fox is the inspirational co-founder of Shoes of Prey, a website that allows women to design their own shoes - every aspect from toe shape, heel size and material.

The current range offers more than 3 trillion combinations and is constantly updated. This includes flats and heels from a comfy 2 inch heel to a truly glamazonian 4.5 inch heel.

To date campaigns run by Shoes of Prey have received global recognition from sources such as Wall Street Journal, Sky Business News, Business Insider and many more. Jodie has attended Parliament House to discuss opportunities for policy change to allow greater innovation in online retail in Australia.

Jodie is passionate about etiquette for brands in social spaces and finding more relevant ways of making connections.

With an average of over 150,000 unique visitors per month and close to 22,500 'likes' on Facebook, Jodie will share how she built such an incredible online business.

Register here for our June event.

Date:      Tuesday 14 June 2011
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)

Enter the draw to win LUCKY DOOR PRIZES, simply by attending!

Meet amazing women as well as discussing the ever changing world of social media.

The open discussion about social media is one of the best parts of the event. So bring your social media questions for the group to answer.

Just like keeping your elbows off the dinner table and letting pregnant women sit down on the bus, the online world has its own etiquette.

These are especially important to know - and follow - if you are a business with an online presence, as offending potential customers and/or clients is certainly not the right way to go.

When online always keep in mind the following rules:

Interesting content: Whether on Facebook, Twitter or blogging make sure you aren’t just posting for the sake of uploading content. The content should always be interesting and add value to your business or the conversation.

Listen to your followers, don’t just talk. Always follow up and reply to people who have made an effort. Whether they have asked you a question through Twitter or made a particularly interesting comment on your blog, people like it when they know the person on the other side of the computer screen is paying attention and not just posting things for them to read. Social media is a two-way conversation, just like in the real world.

Be professional: You are a business and aren’t gossiping with your buddies down at the local watering-hole. Before posting or replying ask yourself `Would you say these things in real life to a client or customer?’ Because if you wouldn’t say it to their face, do not say it online where it is out there for the world to see. While it can be tempting to become over-friendly with followers online, think about your type of business and how casual you want to come across.

Never bad-mouth anyone or anything. Talking about another business or a customer/client in a negative way online will alienate people and it just looks petty. Like your parents told you, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

If you do happen to make a mistake online remember to be gracious and admit to it. Nobody likes a sore loser and sometimes a simple apology will suffice to get you back into the good books of whoever you offended.

Always keep in mind whatever you put online is there for the world to see.

So you want to start up a social media campaign for your business but don’t know where to start.

Have you ever thought of calling in the professionals? While it all may seem relatively easy with most kindergarten students showing their parents how to connect online, the world of social networking for businesses can be a confusing one.

There are many different types of social media from Facebook to Twitter to Foursquare and blogs. Knowing how to use each one, getting the best results and keeping up with your ROI can be a full-time job in itself. Not to mention keeping up to date with continual, interesting content that your target audience want to connect with.

Experienced social media PR companies will be able to do all the research for you and have you up and running in no time. You will have to accommodate for the cost but you will be able to clearly see what the campaign is doing to boost your business.

Using experts will also mean you will be keeping up to date with the latest in social media, so while your competitors are still playing around with last year’s fad, you’ll be looking to the future and wowing customers or clients with your forward-thinking.

Another point of difference is social media campaign companies will have experienced writers on staff who can utilise their skills for the different platforms from writing 140 character tweets to 1000 word technical blogs.

Social media campaigns aren’t just for big businesses either, all companies from one-man (or woman!) operations right up to international conglomerates can benefit from a well-thought out social media campaign.

Tips for working with an outsourced company:

Do your research before picking a company. Different companies work within different sectors, such as lifestyle and retail, and can be experts in different fields.

Set targets: Know what you want out of the social media campaign and set realistic targets. This can be a certain amount of followers on Twitter, comments on a blog or number of customers taking up an offer from a social media site.

Communicate with the company to make sure you are both on the same page. Social media is an ongoing, probably daily activity and you want to make sure you both have the same idea when it comes to the message and public persona you want to showcase.

Catriona Pollard comments on the issue of "Twitterjacking" and other social media issues:

Beware the Twitterjackers

The good news for most average Joes is that Twitter squatters are more likely to have big corporations and celebrities in their crosshairs.

''I think [squatting] is an issue for celebrities but I don't think it's an issue for general users of Twitter,'' Catriona Pollard, a Sydney social media specialist, said.

She advised general users to take care not to follow a Twitterjacked celebrity.

Twitter has introduced a verification system, which gives a blue tick to bona fide celebrity and corporate accounts. Julia Gillard has one. So does Shane Warne.

Surprisingly, model Megan Gale doesn't but her @MeganKGale account is the real deal.

''If they're a celebrity and they don't have a tick it's probably best not to follow them,'' Ms Pollard said. ''It only needs to be available to celebrities because the general public doesn't have masses of followers.''

To read the full article on SMH.com.au, click here.

Join Director of CP Communications, Catriona Pollard on a webinar on social media and the power of word of mouth marketing run by The Australian Businesswomen’s Network.

It's easy to underestimate how powerful word of mouth is to your business. And with nine million Australians using social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to spread the word online about brands they like, understanding the buzz around social media is fast becoming a must for any savvy business owner.

This webinar will teach you how to implement successful Word of Mouth marketing campaigns through the use of social media.

We will cover:

• What is Word of Mouth marketing and how does it work?
• How to spread the word about your business (and have others spread it too) using Social Media and Word of Mouth marketing
• How to use Word of Mouth advertising to promote your business
• Manage quality, costs, time and risk
• Examples of successful Word of Mouth messages
• Hot tips for using social media to build buzz amongst your customers and prospects

Event Details:
Social media and the power of word of mouth marketing
Date: Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Times: 10.15am for 10.30am - 12.00pm AEST
(Check your timezone.)

Venue: Webinar - Your home or office.
Price: FREE

Register here.

Director of CP Communications, Catriona Pollard was interviewed by Lorna Brett from ConnectedWomen on the social media behaviour and etiquette.

Whether you tweet, like, follow or comment; social media is the space every businesswoman should be part of if she wants to establish and sustain mutually beneficial relationships with industry contacts and potential clients. Just like the real world, the digital world has its own codes of behaviour and etiquette – which are too often ignored to the detriment of the user, according to Social Media Women co-founder Catriona Pollard.

Pollard is one half of the team behind formal networking group Social Media Women, which encourages and assists women to participate more prominently in social media. Pollard, also the owner of Catriona Pollard Communications and a self-confessed Twitter and Facebook devotee who uses her iPhone, PC and laptop to stay constantly connected to her social media accounts, has seen her fair share of less than perfect behaviour online.

“I always suggest people treat Twitter in the same manner they would a conversation in real life. You’ve got to treat people as you’d like to be treated, whether you’re online or offline,” she told www.connectedwomen.net.au.

Pollard said its best women approach Twitter after having given thought to their strategy, and suggests they only tweet and retweet interesting posts relevant to their overall business message.

Read the full article here.