PR and marketing

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.
________________________________________

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.
________________________________________

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.
________________________________________

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

Website & Ecommerce - Set-up and beyond: tips, trends and ideas with Nancy Georges "The Retail Miss Fix-it"

Most Australian households now have the internet, which means Australian retailers have an easy path into their customers’ homes.

Online presence, e-commerce and social media are now necessary in every retailer’s marketing strategy. Websites and online stores are no longer optional extras – they are a vital necessity.

Technology is driving business more than ever. Nancy will give you the information to get you started in the world that we are now operating in.

Websites and online stores are essential for EVERY business. There are so many options and decisions to be made, which makes it harder to get started. Once you have the cart, you need to ensure it is future proof.

Your online store needs to be an extension of your existing fabulous customer service, so what questions do you need to ask yourself? Shopping cart format sorted? What about the payment gateways and options available to you? What is the best one for your needs? Integrating your website into your social media & offline activity? (which is as important as the site itself!) - what are the "do's & don'ts"?

Nancy will discuss her own experiences with a wide range of products and services.

About Nancy Georges:
Nancy, "The Retail Miss Fix-it", is a Retail Strategist and owner of Magnolia Solutions, offering retail marketing consultancy, strategy and solutions.

She has over 20 years industry experience; in-store management, customer service, product development, manufacturing, wholesaling and marketing. Evolving from a wholesaling business - Paper Magnolia - she moved to marketing support & consulting.

She has built her own websites and online stores, as well as publishing her first printed book and e-book. Her knowledge and references are all from her own first hand experiences.

Working with retailers, wholesalers, brands & manufacturers to navigate the ‘new world’; Nancy strategically integrates and implements sound retail practices with websites, e-commerce and social media. Nancy is one of the Social Media Women founders.

Nancy contributes insightful retail and marketing articles to trade magazines and websites, and is often asked to provide comment for newspapers and radio.

Nancy has just released her new book “7 Powerful Ways to Boost Retail Profits in Any Economic Climate” to help retailers identify the foundation they need to ensure a profitable retail store and business in today’s economic climate. Retailers need the information and support so that they can adapt and navigate the new retail climate.

Nancy is a speaker at industry conferences and events as well as holding seminars focused on retail and the transition actions needed to navigate the ‘new world’.

Follow her on Twitter: @NancyGeorges

A not to be missed event - learn the ins and outs of websites, online stores and offline integration.

Register now for our March event here.

Date: Tuesday 13 March 2012
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)

Director of CP Communications, Catriona Pollard, featured in this month's edition of My Business. In her article she discusses how you can improve your website ranking by publishing good quality articles.