Networx Brisbane

Creative briefs - it's all about the detail

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:03:00 +1000

Whether a creative brief is good or bad can make or break a job. As the instigator of the brief it is your job to set the direction for the project and provide your ‘creative’ with ALL the information they need to come up with a cracker concept. A brief should tell a creative everything they need to know about a brand even if they have never worked on it before.

Here are some quick tips for writing a good brief (they may seem obvious but you would be surprised how many people neglect the right detail):

Be clear on the objective of the project. This will set the limit and scope for the creative. If you have KPIs or sales targets etc to fulfil share them with the creative. Describe and know your audience well as this will help dictate the message. Be specific about the personality of the brand- what would or wouldn’t your brand say or do? How do you want your target market to perceive you? (this sets the tone for creative work and ensures you don’t end up with a concept completely ‘OFF’ brand). Ensure you are specific about timing and campaign deadlines.

By Trina McColl
Managing Director
LapePhelan Marketing Communications.

Top tips from Kelly Quinn, our promotional merchandise speaker at Networx's 'Cracking the Creative Brief' event

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:22:00 +1000

What does your business do?

What does your company do and what markets does it operate in? What is your company’s culture and approach when using merchandise? Have you used merchandise previously and has it been effective in achieving ROI? What are the goals? Why? What is the overall goal of your campaign and why use merchandise? What are you trying to communicate and why? What is your main message? Are you trying to sell more products or build awareness of your company/product/service? How do you plan to monitor the ROI on this campaign? Who is the target market? What are your target market’s demographics & psychographics? e.g. the age, gender, income, tastes, views, attitudes, employment, geography, lifestyle of those you want to reach/attract/influence Why do you think merchandise is the best route to influence your particular audience for this campaign? Tip: If you have multiple audiences, rank them in terms of importance. What is the budget and scope for this campaign? What is the overall budget for merchandise for the campaign you’re planning? What is the scope of the campaign overall and what other elements of the marketing mix are you planning?

By Kelly Quinn

Director
Superfox Merchandise
Phone 07 3899 8109
Email kelly@superfox.com.au

Networx Brisbane's 'Cracking the Creative Brief' event - 25 August 2009 at Zuri Bar & Dining.

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Top tips from Felicity Corbett, our marketing and graphic designer speaker at Networx's 'Cracking the Creative Brief' event

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:31:00 +1000

1. Know what you like
Having a few different examples of logos/websites/designs that you have come across that you do like can be a great guide for a designer to get a feel for your taste – though copying is never an option :)

2. Before you brief a consultant – brief your boss
It’s no good giving a really good, thorough brief to your design consultant and getting things started only to find out later in the process that the powers-that-be aren’t onboard with the concept. Getting signoff on a brief/concept before you get too far into a project can save you lots of money in unnecessary design hours.

3. Copy is key
Content is equally as important as the look and feel of a project so ensure if you’re going to spend time and money getting the design right that the copy is also spot on. Copywriters are cost effective and the better quality the writing is, the better hit rate you will get with the reader.

4. Unnecessary edits = unnecessary cost
Little things like pictures choices/finalizing copy 100% before you are too far into the design process can save you money in unnecessary edits down the track. If there are several copy changes or the amount of copy changes (either decreases/increases) it can affect the design and reworks mean more time being spent on a project which means increased costs.

By Felicity Corbett

Managing Director
Facet Marketing
Phone 0412 663 244
Email felicity@facetmarketing.com.au

Networx Brisbane's 'Cracking the Creative Brief' event - 25 August 2009 at Zuri Bar & Dining.

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Top tips from David Steel, our web design and development speaker at Networx's 'Cracking the Creative Brief' event

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:34:00 +1000

1. Have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Objectives and goals will dictate the direction of the project.

2. Be aware of who your target audience is and tailor the content and experience towards them.

3. Give the design agency as much information relating to your brand and business as you can - even if you think it might not be relevant.

4. Know your budget and timeframe for execution - both of these have a significant impact on the project.

5. Remember - spending time on developing a great brief will save you time and frustration in the long run.

By David Steel

Director - Creative
Vivo Group (@vivogroup)
Phone 07 3368 3860
Email david@vivogroup.com.au

Networx Brisbane's 'Cracking the Creative Brief' event - 25 August 2009 at Zuri Bar & Dining.

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

A few of my favourite online resources... by Madeline Egan

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:14:14 +1000

Madeline Egan was a guest panelist at the Networx 'Marketing on a Shoestring Budget' event, 28 October 2009 at The Melbourne Hotel. Here she shares some of her favourite online resources for low budget marketing:

http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog
(social networking guru)

http://sethgodin.typepad.com
(marketing guru)

www.blackbaud.com.au
(excellent free webinars)

http://socialmediatoday.com
(social media and web 2.0)

www.fundraising123.org
(Learning centre of Network for Good)

www.commoncraft.com
(explanations in plain English)

www.everydayhero.com.au

www.campaignmonitor.com

www.mailchimp.com

www.surveymonkey.com

By Madeline Egan
eCommunciations Manager
Mater Foundation

Mel Kettle's Top 12 Tips for Marketing on a Shoestring Budget

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:13:53 +1000

Mel Kettle was a guest panelist at the Networx 'Marketing on a Shoestring Budget' event, 28 October 2009 at The Melbourne Hotel. Here she shares 12 top tips for low budget marketing:

1. Have a marketing plan It doesn’t need to be sophisticated but should at least include:
- Marketing/business objectives
- Target market
- Key messages
- Communication tactics appropriate for your target market
- Budget
- Timeline
- Evaluation mechanisms Work out what marketing you want to do, and when you want to do it – have an action plan – it might only be one activity a month, but make sure your marketing is regular and consistent – this way you won’t be caught out during slower times. As a small business owner it is WAY too easy to get caught up in running the business and not thinking about where the next clients are coming from so you need to make sure your marketing is prioritised. Having a plan helps do this. Make sure you evaluate what you do so you can see what works and what doesn’t. If your marketing is not working then look at how you can change and improve it. 2. Know who your target market is Your target market is the main group of potential consumers you want to sell your product or service to. It can be defined using demography (e.g. gender, age, income, education etc), geography (where people live/work), lifestyle preferences (also known as psychographic), product use or buying behaviour. Saves you marketing $ as you are not wasting it on the wrong people who are less likely to be interested in your product Know WHO your target market is as well as where they go to get information, so you can more precisely deliver the messages to the consumer – no point advertising in a golfing magazine if you are selling cricket bats – for example. All marketing communication should be designed for a specific target market, created to achieve a specific objective and within a budget constraint. 3. Use your networks and contacts It's not who you know, it's not what you know, IT'S WHO KNOWS YOU! The more people who know what you do, the more likely they are to refer business to you – so get out there and talk to people. Networking not only has benefits for your CURRENT role or business, but it is also an investment in the future. The person you don’t meet today could be the person you need to know in a few months. There are lots of networking opportunities – from formal networking functions through to social activities. Take LOTS of business cards and USE them. Don’t be afraid to talk about what you do – just don’t ram it down people’s throats at social functions!! A referral generates 80% more results than a cold call. Approximately 70% of all jobs are found through Networking. Most people you meet have around 200 contacts. Get a contact book or use a database such as MS outlook, and keep the details of all the industry contacts that have helped you along the way. I include everyone in mine – from university lecturers to industry colleagues and associations to my sister-in-law’s family. Enter all new contacts in as you get cards or meet people and include a note that reminds you where you met. I write how I meet people on cards as I receive them in case I don’t have a chance to update it in my outlook for a week or two. I keep business cards in all my handbags, my wallet, car and my partner’s wallet and car. You never know when you might need one! Going to networking and industry events Network smart – target where you go as you can’t go to every event! If you are not comfortable going on your own then take a friend or a colleague. Once you have decided on who your target market is, then go to networking functions that they go to. Set some goals for networking so that you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for. Some meetings are based more on learning, making contacts, and/or volunteering rather than on strictly making business connections. Make sure you give each new contact one of your business cards and ask for one of theirs. Try to learn something about the individual – don’t get to an event and pass as many cards around and get as many in return. I hate it when I’m talking to someone who is clearly assessing who they can go and meet next. You are better off meeting five people and finding out something about them so that a relationship can be established, rather than meeting 15 people. Be genuine about who you are when you are talking to people and show interest in who they are and what they do. It’s not ALL about you! Follow up from that event by an e-mail, phone call, visit. Send them relevant information that is of interest to them. Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow. Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa. Express that you enjoyed meeting them, and ask if you could get together and share ideas. Be careful how much alcohol you drink when at a networking or industry function. It doesn’t take much to ruin a hard-earned reputation. 4. Go contra If you want something and can’t afford it, offer a contra deal. If you believe in what you have to offer, then it has a value that can be exchanged. Don’t be afraid to ask. The worst that can happen is the other person will say no. 5. It's cheaper to market to your existing customers than to get new ones Think about the work you are currently doing for your customers – now think about what else you can do for them. Can you work with them on a more permanent basis? Are there other people in their business you can work with? Can you develop a new product or service that will suit them? One of my clients was a solicitor in the property sector. A quick bit of client research (done by a market research company) showed that 30% of his clients didn’t know about any other services he provided, which included things everyone needed such as preparing wills, trusts, and a few less needed services such as performing due diligence on business purchases. He wrote to all his clients thanking them for their services and included a short flyer that outlined all the services he provided – which resulted in an increase in business from current clients, and new clients as the existing ones referred him to family and friends for simple services such as wills, trusts and residential conveyancing. Research into why businesses fail to keep customers shows that customers leave because:
- 1% die
- 3% move away
- 5% follow a friend or relative’s advice and switch to their recommended supplier
- 9% switch due to a better price or better product
- 14% switch due to product or service dissatisfaction.
- Whilst the first two may be out of your control, you should be able to do something about the other 28%.
- However, all of the reasons above still only account for a total of 32%. Why then do the other 68% of customers leave a business? Simply put, they leave because of the indifference of the business – they feel unappreciated, unimportant and taken for granted. Think about how you can make your current customers feel valued . 6. Word of mouth marketing – and asking your customers to work for you Word of mouth is possibly the BEST way to promote your business. If your customers are happy with the service you are providing, ASK them to recommend you – they may not act on it immediately, or even at all, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get! You could set up a formal reward or incentive program, but I find a quick phone call and sending a thank you card works equally well. Consider developing a customer retention and appreciation program, including frequent contact and communication. You don’t need to spend much – a phone call that is not business related, an email to say thanks for your business and to provide information about other services you offer, perhaps a small gift at relevant times of the year. Examples of items you could include in this program are a newsletter, greeting cards (Christmas and/or anniversary date your first meeting, or end of tax year), useful information (e.g. clipping of an interesting article or producing a special report) or small gifts. Remember, though, that this is a customer contact program. Do NOT make the mistake of sending lots of “sales pitches” and thinking these are your “customer touches”. Send information that value adds. Selling to a referred prospect is a lot easier than selling to a new prospect. The referral already knows that you do a great job for the person who gave you their name, plus he/she probably already has a need for your product or service. Go after those customers you have already lost or are losing. By tracking customer activity, you will be able to tell when a customer is not using your services. Ask them why they left or are leaving. You might not win them back, but you will learn why they left and hopefully put that information to good use so you don’t lose other clients for the same reason. 7. Email marketing I don’t have to tell you that sending an email is far cheaper than posting a letter – in terms of dollars and your time. It can also generates faster responses and results. Everyone should be using their email package to store email addresses for customers and prospects and using online communication wherever appropriate – for example a regular update email, newsletter, to promote an event or to share publicity about your business etc. Also don’t forget your website. Make sure you promote it on everything you send out – email signatures, letterhead, brochures, promotional collateral etc etc. If you have a bit of money to spend then think about promoting your website using Google AdWords – you can set a monthly budget and review it regularly, depending on how it is working for you. BE AWARE OF THE SPAM LEGISLATION. Find out more at www.acma.gov.au 8. Media and publicity Generating your own publicity doesn’t need to be hard. Work out your story – if it is newsworthy, journos will want to talk to you. Make sure you talk to the right person – don’t just send a release – ideally call first to pitch the story – if they are not interested then ask what would interest them. Make sure you send them the information they want. Don’t call them unless you have something interesting to pitch! And don’t harass them after you have spoken to them. Make sure you give them your contact details – mobile phone and email – so they can get back to you if they need more information. Don’t send a media release out unless you actually have something to say. Some newsworthy examples are:
- launching your company
- launching a new product or service
- you win an award
- you win a large contract or order
- you undertake an independent survey that has interesting results for customers or the business community
- you provide sponsorship or raise money for a charity in a unique way. Local and community newspapers/radio/tv are also always on the lookout for local interest stories – again, don’t be afraid to ask! Trade mags survive on unpaid contributors – think about a sector you want to target and think about how your business can benefit them. Pitch your ideas to the editor, and if they are interested then all you have to do is write the story. And, depending on what it is, it might work for a few different mags. 9. Say thank you! This is remarkably simple and quite common sense – but something many people don’t do. Be sure to thank your customers, thank the people who refer business to you and thank your suppliers. This is one time where an email isn’t the best measure – send a card, send flowers, send chocolates, take them out to lunch (obviously the method you use to say thank you will depend on the value of the business). Just make sure you do it – and regularly! You will be amazed at what you can get in return! 10. Social media Social media is a growing phenomenon that has been embraced by many. It can be defined as web-based or online content that can be easily created by anyone. Also known as user-generated content, it is a new way that people are finding out what is happening in their communities, across their spheres of influence and in the world at large. Social media includes blogging, micro-blogging (such as Twitter), social networking (such as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and Bebo), wikis, social bookmarking or tagging (such as StumbleUpon and Delicious), photo sharing (such as Flickr), video sharing (such as YouTube) and virtual worlds (such as Second Life). Blogging A blog is a website that is updated regularly with news, commentary, images, video and events. A typical blog incorporates images, text and links to other websites and blogs. Readers are typically able to leave comments on each blog post. It is estimated there are more than 200 million blogs and over 133 million indexed on www.technorati.com. Two of the more common blogging tools are WordPress.org or WordPress.com and Blogger. Both are free to use. Another type of blogging is micro-blogging, which uses very short posts. Twitter is a mico-blog. Twitter www.twitter.com Twitter is a free micro-blog that allows its users to send and receive updates, known as “tweets”, in real time and in posts of up to 140 characters. Users can send and receive tweets via www.twitter.com, SMS on mobile phones and a whole range of 3rd party applications such as tweetdeck, OpenBeak (formerly Twitterberry) or Ubertwitter – for Blackberry, twitterfeed, tweetie and twitterfon for iPhones and lots more. It has a lot of useful business applications as it can be used to share business tips (such as money tips), augment customer services, build you a community of followers, you can follow interesting people who might give you business ideas, you can share and discuss business ideas and useful information in your community, and it can show the human side of your business. Ideally your tweets will include a mixture of personal information, business information, replies to tweets and re-tweets of other people’s tweets. A good guide for tweeting is the 70/20/10 rule - 70% sharing, 20% connecting and corresponding, 10% chit chat. Standard taxonomy in tweets is important so people can find topics of interest. Using the # to prefix a word (eg #Networx) helps to create groupings on Twitter that can be easily followed by other twitterers. Twitter can also be used to share website links and photos. Should your business be on twitter? The conversation is happening whether you are there or not. Better to be part of it and manage any adverse reactions. Facebook www.facebook.com Facebook has traditionally been used by people to keep in touch with friends. However, many businesses are now using it another marketing tool to stay in touch with customers, and to generate awareness. It is also useful to: Increase your visibility Target your niche market – users provide a massive amount of information about themselves that can be readily accessed Find business contacts – with more than 250 million users worldwide Build relationships by engaging in conversations with current and prospective clients In July 2009 Facebook introduced the new vanity URL feature, which is of particularly use to business as it enables businesses (or anyone) to create a custom URL for their page. Perhaps the most common way for Facebook to be used as a business tool is by setting up a fan page. This will allow you to promote your business and share ideas with your fans. This can be done at http://www.facebook.com/advertising/#/advertising/?pages. Checkout the WarChild Australia fan page http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/War-Child-Australia/25033379207?ref=sgm for an example Like Twitter, Facebook is free to use (apart from the paid advertising). If used regularly it can be a useful marketing tool. LinkedIn www.linkedin.com LinkedIn has been also called Facebook for business. It currently has over 43 million members in over 200 countries. With LinkedIn you create a profile that summarises your professional experiences and achievements. Users create “connections” who are usually existing contacts, to form part of a network. A network typically includes your connections, your connections’ connections, which has the potential to link you to a huge number of other professionals. The advantages of LinkedIn include:
- It’s free to use
- You can find out who your connections know and gain an introduction to them
- It is a great tool for finding new business opportunities
- There are many business groups that can be joined – including many marketing groups.
- Share ideas with likeminded professionals in private groups Check out Mel Kettle’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/melkettle 11.Use the free resources available to you There is a massive amount of information on the web and in books that can help you improve your marketing and give you new ideas. Type cheap marketing ideas into google and you will get over 1.5 million sites to choose from!! Go to the library and check out marketing books. A few good ones are:
- Marketing by Philip Kotler – there is an Australian edition
- Anything else by Philip Kotler
- Introduction to Marketing by Susan and Stephen Dann – and they have a new book called Contemporary Internet Marketing that I think came out earlier this year
- Anything by Seth Godin All these can be borrowed from the library, bought from most good bookstores and are available at the Australian Institute of Management library – which is an excellent resource for any of you who are also a member there. Online resources that I find useful are:
- www.flyingsolo.com.au – free weekly e-newsletter for soloists and small business
- www.smh.com.au/small-business My Small Business section of Sydney Morning Herald
- www.womma.org – Word of Mouth Marketing Association
- www.sourcebottle.com.au – free subscription service that emails 'call outs' for sources from journalists and bloggers
- www.ragan.com – US corporate and internal comms site with a range of free e-newsletters 12.Partner up By partnering with complementary businesses you can expand your circle of influence. For example – an accounting firm could partnering up with a lawyer that specialises in trusts, or a financial planner or a stockbroker. All their clients need accountants, and presumable many of your clients can use their services at some stage. Things to remember No single marketing effort works all the time for every business, so rotate several marketing tactics and vary your approach Ask for help from friends and colleagues Don’t forget your current clients – it costs six times more to make a sale to a new customer than to an existing one?

Don’t be a binge marketer – plan what you will do and be constantly marketing your business. If we think of marketing as an engine, it needs to be ticking over steadily at all times. A quiet spell now often signals a lack of marketing six or nine months ago.

By Mel Kettle
Director, Mel Kettle Communications
Tel: 0404 600 889 | E: mel@melkettle.com.au | W: www.melkettle.com.au | Twitter: @melkettle

Read Mel Kettle's bio.

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Does creativity make a difference? (or The Wicked Sick Project)

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:37:00 +1000

Does creativity make a difference? The creative guys from George Patterson Y & R tested it out! Rob Hudson, national digital director of GPYR spoke about their 'The Wicked Sick Project' at the Interactive Minds' event I attended recently on 'Planning Your Digital Marketing Strategy for 2010'.

George Patterson Y & R's motto is 'Resist the Usual' © - love it.

Rob illustrated this perfectly by showing us 'The Wicked Sick Project' - made by the GPYR creative team.

So - does creativity make a difference?

These guys bought a BMX on ebay and relisted it with some creativity and it sold for 5 times the purchase price catching everyone's attention in the process.

Check out the 'The Wicked Sick Project' video here:

So next time you think about your marketing, don't forget to put a bit of creativity into it - and stand out!

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Networking with creativity at Networx's 'Memory & Memorability'

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:02:26 +1000

We've got our final Networx networking seminar 'Memory & Memorability' event coming up and we'll be showing Brisbane's business community how to network with some creative flair!

Our memory and memorability workshop facilitator is Jennifer Goddard, director of the Buzan Centre – Australia / New Zealand and co-founder of Mindwerx International is she's uniquely qualified to help people explore their memories and improve them on a practical level so that we all can be innovative, creative and memorable. She will also be sharing the secret to good memory and memorability.

We'll be doing our normal networking game at the start, and then Jennifer will take over and that's where the fun will start. For one of the networking activities, we'll be working with 'wine whirls'.

Wine whirls came about when Jennifer's company Mindwerx were doing their annual challenge of doing something different with the Christmas cards. They wanted to help their clients and supporters stimulate creativity and give something fun for them to do over the festive season. Wine whirls are coloured beads on a piece of wire (pictured below) and are made by the Vocational Class at St Vincent School for the Deaf in South Africa. You can read the full story of 'Creativity Wired' and St Vincent School for the Deaf.

'Creativity Wired' turned out to be a great exercise in creative marketing. They blogged about it on their Fuzz2buzz website and invited recipients to send in their photos of their most creative uses for the wine whirls:

Mindwerx International received a lot of positive feedback from this campaign overall and it certianly proved to be memorable.

All Networx attendees for 'Memory & Memorability' will receive one of these wine whirls for one of the networking activities. What you do with it after the event, is up to you!

Update after the Networx 'Memory and Memorability' networking event:

Here are a couple of photos from the networking with creativity activity:

More photos from the Networx 'Memory and Memorability' networking event.

What:   Networx Brisbane networking seminar event: “Memory and Memorability”
When:   Thursday 19th November, 2009
Time:    6.00pm – 8.00 pm
Where: Press Club, 339 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Memory & Memorability - the key to making a lasting impression and succeeding with others

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:46:00 +1000

Jennifer Goddard, dubbed the “Memory Maven” by Australian Anthill, at the recent Networx event – 'Memory & Memorability' held at Brisbane’s Press Club in November 2009 shared with Networx Brisbane attendees the secret to good memory and memorability.

Did you know that: Memory is a skill that can be taught Memory naturally is designed to improve with age The misconception of its decline with age is false Everyone has potentially a superb memory!

Everyone wants a better memory, but perhaps even more importantly everyone wants to be more memorable - particularly if it leads to greater success in life. In this fun and fast paced workshop you will learn to enhance your memory, using the same principles applied by Memory Olympians as well as ordinary people with extra-ordinary memories.

Building on the flip side of having a great memory you will also learn how to develop the quality or state of being memorable. Memorability is vital for success in almost everything you do.

Marketing and communication professionals, sales people, business owners, entrepreneurs, job candidates - everyone can achieve greater success by developing the ability to be positively memorable. Marketing campaigns, business promotions, presentations, in fact any event or organisation that applies memorability principles will be more successful.

Jennifer Goddard, Director of Buzan Centre - Australia/NZ covered: How your memory works The Twelve Memory Principles Mind maps - the perfect memory tool How to remember names with faces

The 12 Memory (and Creativity) Principles

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:46:00 +1000

Brisbane marketing and communciation professionals learnt the art of developing a better memory as well as being more memorable from Jennifer Goddard, Director of Buzan Centre: Australia/NZ at the final 'Memory & Memorability' event. One of the things we learnt was the 12 Memory (and Creativity) Principles.

The 12 Memory (and Creativity) Principles: Senses Movement Association Self Humour Imagination Numbers Symbols Colour Order Positive Exaggerate Mind Mapping

Jennifer Goddard also taught us we can take this and learn how to mind map.

So you can turn a boring list...

...into a work of art:

As Jennifer says, mind maps are the 'swiss army knife' for your brain and memory!

Links About the speaker: Jennifer Goddard www.fuzz2buzz.com www.mindwerx.com www.buzan.com.au www.mindgenius.com.au www.imindmap.com.au

How to Mind Map

Event details: 'Memory and Memorability'

Jennifer Goddard, Director, Buzan Centre: Australia & NZ's presentation notes for: 'Memory and Memorability'

Ignite PR 's blog post about Networx's 'Memory and Memorability' event

Networx blog post: Networking with Creativity at Networx's 'Memory and Memorability'

Networx blog post: Networx Brisbane to share secret to good memory and memorability

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Internet visions for 2010: marketing, media and PR

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:30:00 +1000

I went along to the final Interactive Minds event of the year, held at GPO Hotel last night. The panel discussion was about looking at how the internet is now an integral part of marketing, media and public relations, but due to it’s technological nature it is constantly changing and evolving. As 2009 draws to a close it is time to step away from day-to-day and think about future visions. Where is the internet heading, what are the latest trends and influences and what can we expect moving forward?

Interactive Minds looked at predictions from 2009 and gauged from the audience at how much of these have been achieved:

Social networks advertising becomes scalable Privacy continues to be a sensitive issue Internet advertising overtakes traditional advertising Open Source will continue to dominate The rise of Semantic Web Mobile Web expected to explode Growth of local search marketing + ad platforms Behaviour targeting more widespread Fear of recession shifts ad budgets to online Web and Politics

Panelists (left to right in photo above):
Panel Facilitator: Genevieve Robey, Editor, Wotnews.com.au (@genrobey) Jonathan Kerr, Associate Director ecommerce, A&G Insurance Services (@jonathankerr) Peta Ellis, Managing Director, City Publicity (@CITYPUBLICITY)
Lola Weller, Managing Director, Digicon (@digiconwebdev) David Smerdon, Managing Director Brisbane, McCann Worldgroup Dave Earley, Online News Editor, Seven News Queensland (@earleyedition) What we've learned (thought all the great tweets on the night summed it up!): IMBrisbane: Review & refer online is growing. Google & Bing are aggregrating content, people aren't going to visit your site. @jonathankerr
JenniferESt: @citypublicity: 2009 has been about educating clients about online & if/what social media is right for them JenniferESt: @citypublicity managing online reputation is now essential for any company marissatree: @CITYPUBLICITY: online reputations matter. Review sites will rank higher in '10 than a company's own website IMBrisbane: Marketers need to be able to get stats and optimize their website on the fly @digiconwebdev IMBrisbane: Web 3.0 is about connecting people to content. Conditional content campaigns. Dave Smerdon JenniferESt: Dave from Universal McCann echoes Lola - more segmentation, personlisation & hard data are essential moving forward marissatree: @earleyedition: I just listen to everyone else then implement what they say. Clever :) Joseph_Keller: @jonathankerr Google will soon display best deals for customers on its own page (eg flights), no need to visit qantas' website again JenniferESt: @EarleyEdition: media is driven by review & recommend behaviour JenniferESt: @EarleyEdition paying for content online will be a big issue in 2010 JenniferESt: @EarleyEdition - if NBN happens then media content will evolve to adapt to the broadband capacity IMBrisbane: Listen, personalise & segmentation, are ahead. Kinda obvious when summarized like that :) Perhaps technology has finally caught up?

JenniferESt: Dave from McCann: great snowdome theory :) don't get distracted by the new snowflakes in the confined space Joseph_Keller: @earleyedition predictions for 2010 mobile video content for mobile. Google phone anyone? JenniferESt: Dave from McCanns bad email marketing damages the brand; good email marketing is amazing & effective IMBrisbane: Make sure content is with the right custodian and the right channel. DaveS networxevents: http://twitpic.com/ry5et - @genrobey @jonathankerr @CITYPUBLICITY @digiconwebdev David Smerdon @earleyedition JenniferESt: Lola @digiconwebdev advises client to use email carefully not a blanket solution - segment & personalize is essential JenniferESt: @earleyedition The Internet provides greater insight into different views which is good for journalism as a whole; trad vs bloggers JenniferESt: @earleyedition media quality should not be reduced by the Internet; readers shouldn't pay, advertisers should pay @JenniferESt: Dave from McCanns; Individuals on Twitter can have a greater reach than channel 9 6pm news IMBrisbane: Community is the new brand. Less focus on logo guidelines. @Genrobey marissatree: Dave from McCanns: don't have a shit brand. Joseph_Keller: Dave from Mcanns on social media \ blogsphere: 'Make sure you don't have a shit brand and you should be OK'. Gold. Call of the night JenniferESt: @citypublicity encourages clients to do a lot more of their own pr & publicity; to step outside the logo and become more real IMBrisbane: Journalist relarionships are now public, but there is a protocol u need to know. Get assistance to get it right @citypublicity JenniferESt: @JonathanKerr don't do a lot in social media yet but some good stuff soon. Are using Google Wave for real time collaboration IMBrisbane: Magic from google wave was in real time brainstorming with colleagues across the country. @jonathankerr IMBrisbane: Google wave hasn't yet found the problem it's solving. It will come. If it was created by a no name, it would b dead @Jonathankerr JenniferESt: Lola @digiconwebdev not a good idea to follow staff & business colleagues on facebook; should they know what you did on the w/end JenniferESt: Lola @digiconwebdev how much you can learn about someone before they rock up to a job interview is both good & bad IMBrisbane: Remember your prospective employers are checking your social media. It shows what was always done but now everyone knows.
marissatree: Aussies spend 29% of their time online on Facebook. Average housewife spends 90mins a day on Facebook. IMBrisbane: A facebook page can be a good idea for small companies who don't have a website. @citypublicity. JenniferESt: @citypublicity small businesses can use facebook instead of having a website - like the local pizza place
IMBrisbane: Facebook advertising can work for some purposes like events & rsvps. @citypublicity IMBrisbane: Use facebook to get into peoples hearts & minds, not for commercial intent. DaveS

IMBrisbane: Mobile tools useful for journalists: record audio & video, allow live streams. Instaneous reactions@earleyedition

IMBrisbane: Tony Abbott joined Twitter yesterday. Hahaa

Joseph_Keller: Liberal leadership spill was a huge coup for Twitter. Live mobile news from the heart of the party room @earleyedition

IMBrisbane: Qik.com is a video mobile app if u r interested. @earleyedition

Joseph_Keller:Solid event winding up now. Great predictions for Web2010. Some doubts about Facebook advertising now however.

dee_atherton: Via @jonathankerr keep the process out of the way of online transactions. Make it easy for the customer to transact.

Joseph_Keller: @earleyedition: Online news is being tabloidised due to page impressions being the core advertising driver. Couldn't agree more! Thanks to Jen Storey (@JenniferESt) and Louisa Dahl (@loudah) of Interactive Minds for a great evening! Further Links: #IM0912 Twitter Search Results Interactive Minds (@IMBrisbane)

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Online and new media marketing: social media, mobile and blogging

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:49:00 +1000

Networx Brisbane held their sold out Online & New Media panel discussion at Eagle Street Conference Centre in February 2009 and Dale Rankine (Moket), Darren Sutton (XCCOM Media) and Yaro Starak (EntrepreneursJourney.com) share their tips on social media , mobile and blogging...

Dale Rankine, CEO & Founder, Moket (Flash Lite mobile content):

Make sure you check that your web site is mobile device friendly. Web sites using Flash can't be seen on many mobile devices (e.g. there is no Flash software on iPhones). For example, see how we created a site for www.clubmoket.com and then also www.clubmoket.com/iphone to target that particular device.
Consider branded mobile applications as a way to extend your brand onto a user’s device (e.g. event guides). Extend the reach of campaigns onto mobile by leveraging digital content that is already being created for the web.
User-generated content is what is driving Web 2.0 and social networks. Consider using products like Pikkoo (http://www.pikkoo.com) or Moket’s Mobi Screen Maker (http://moket.com/site/products_msm.cfm) technology to create user-generated mobile content that can further drive your brand. Dale has built a mobile application that is basically a guide to Moket’s products and services, so that he could distribute the application to potential clients and partners and demonstrate what they do at the same time.

Attached are two files here that will install this guide onto your phone, and each file is designed to be installed on different devices. Here’s the list of compatible phones for each of the files:

- MoketGuide.SIS - Nokia N96, N95, N95 8GB, N85, N82, N81, N81 GB, N79, N78, N76, E71, E66, E51, 6290, 6220, 6210, 6121, 6120, 6110, 5700, 5320 HTC Touch Diamond, Touch Pro

- MoketGuide.NFL – Nokia 7900, 7610 Supernova, 7500, 7390, 7310, 7210 Supernova, 6600 Slide, 6600 Fold, 6500 Slide, 6500 Classic, 6301, 6300i, 6300, 6267, 5610, 5310, 5220, 3660 Slide

Email support@moket.com if you have a question about installing these applications.

Click here to download a Dale Rankine's presentation in PDF.

Darren Sutton, Managing Director, XCOM Media:

What people are already saying about their brand, products or service and will continue to do across social media…

Millions are using it and its growing quickly:

It’s fast and cost efficient It is quickly becoming a part mainstream media / changing the traditional landscape It’s a vehicle for users to shout about what they are passionate about (and what they are not)

Though whilst an eye on the future is good - Don’t forget to look properly at what is happening NOW – using analytics and refine to improve on results – for ever – ongoing – your work is never done – there is always something that can be improved.

Check which browsers your users are coming from and make sure your web sites are cross browser compatible friendly (eg. Safari browsers=iphone check). Use Google Alerts (http://www.google.com/alerts) to receive email updates on the latest relevant Google results (web, news etc) about your company/brand.
Use YackTrack Chatter (http://www.yacktrack.com/chatter) to see who's talking about your company/brand across various social media platforms
Search for Dell HELL (social media zero to hero) now a well documented success story, they’ve moved from ignorance, learned to listen, conversed, and built conversations and communities.
Dell http://www.ideastorm.com
Example of how Dell now generates product development ideas from customers
Case Study: The Best Job In The World campaign:
Website: http://www.islandreefjob.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Queensland-Australia/26225930097
Twitter: http://twitter.com/queensland
Including social networking links in Contact Us web page: http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/contact-us.cfm Case Study: Southwest Air on Facebook: http://twitter.com/southwestair
Example of a brand really being very responsive and so human / fun and personable Case Study: Papa John's Pizza on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/ctkgmp papajohns did a great campaign facebook only promo where by being a fan you got a free pizza (well kind of) but they grew the fan base substantially in a really short time frame
Case Study: Melbourne, Australia on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/ate4bo
Example of a major brand missing the train that left the platform way before they even got a ticket! This is not the official tourism Vic site – but how can they possibly catch up with this following already in place? Update strategy tips. Do it regularly, update and tweak as you go – tech changes happen quickly @ least every 6 months.
Look at competitors and case studies – what works, what doesn’t? Sign up to free research available – twitter is amazing for this, marketing sherpa, emarketer etc. Learn from your own and others mistakes. Do something in social media – but work out your business or marketing goals first – then choose channels to suit those goals – a facebook page with 10,000 fans means nothing without engagement. Call XCOM to help you - its one of our services!

Yaro Starak, Entrepreneur & Professional Blogger, EntrepreneursJourney.com:

When looking for influencers in your marketplace you can use the following blog search tools
http://www.technorati.com
http://blogsearch.google.com

Also the top 100 Australian Twitter influencers: http://www.shiftedpixels.com.au/blog/2008/10/australias-top-50-twitter-influencers.html

And to search what people are saying about your industry in Twitter: http://search.twitter.com
To get started with blogging use WordPress.ORG
http://www.wordpress.org
And shameless self promotion - free videos to set your blog up at http://www.becomeablogger.com
For those who want to start blogging to earn a living, try these resources:
http://www.Problogger.com (Darren Rowse from Melbourne)
The archives of http://www.doshdosh.com are good Blog Profits Blueprint free report (http://www.blogmastermind.com) - this is my report
Case Study: www.CarAdvice.com.au Speakers' tips on negative comments on Blogs or Forums - 25 February 2009:

From Darren Sutton:

The lesson was be real! Learn and listen Engage certain responses responses outside medium - take it private Respond to positive and negative feedback - its all good. Act quickly – whilst topics are hot! Embrace - integrate into communications mix Start small and be cautious – crawl before walking, walk before running, run before sprinting! Subtle encouragement - soft launch, tweak before full launch Track and measure engagement and effectiveness, refine… ongoing You have to remember not to over control the conversation. You really have no control over what consumers have to say about your brand. To minimize more negative publicity, you should embrace both positive and negative comments. Good example is Dell trying to remove a post about employee sales tactics. Links Entrepreneurs-Journey.com (Yaro Starak): www.Entrepreneurs-Journey.com Blog Mastermind (Yaro Starak): www.blogmastermind.com Conversion Blogging (Yaro Starak): www.blogmastermind.com/video Dale Rankine's blog: www.dalerankine.com Moket (Dale Rankine): www.moket.com XCOM Media (Darren Sutton): www.xcommedia.com.au Follow Yaro Starak on Twitter: @yarostarak Follow Dale Rankine on Twitter: @dalerankine Follow Darren Sutton on Twitter: @darren_sutton Networx Marketers Meetings (Lisa Ma): @networxevents

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Rob Hudson, George Patterson Y & R's National Digital Director tips on digital marketing planning for 2010

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:19:12 +1000

I recently attended Interactive Minds' event 'Planning Your Digital Marketing Strategy for 2010' in Brisbane city. The first speaker was Rob Hudson, National Digital Director of George Patterson Y & R.

I really enjoyed Rob's entertaining and informative presentation.

I thought I'd share his 'Free Toy Box' that you can use for your digital marketing planning: Google Anayltics Google Insights W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) W3C Markup Validation Service Built With (website anaylsis and SEO optimisation) Alexa (free web traffic metrics, top sites lists, site demographics...)

You can check out Rob Hudson's full presentation on 'Digital Marketing Plan 2010'.

Rob also talked about how creativity can make a difference to your marketing project, and how the creative guys from GPYR tested it out!

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Yvette Adam of Creative Collective's digital marketing strategies for 2010

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:06:49 +1000

I saw Yvette Adams speak at the Interactive Minds event: 'Planning Your Digital Marketing Strategy for 2010' in Brisbane. Yvette Adams is the Director and Franchisor for Collective Creative and knows all about digital marketing strategy for her own business and her online community YummieMummie.com.au. She is based on the Sunshine Coast but loves travelling to speak at events or training sessions.

Yvette's presentation was titled 'Digital Marketing Strategies for 2010' and she gave us all tips on how to find the right balance of the marketing mix for your business. She looked at the relationship between digital marketing and offline marketing and she also discussed budget allocation.

Here are some of Yvette Adam's examples of business activities every business should be considering for 2010: Website - Have a website you are proud of and that you are confident works well for you. Be consistently working on it. Ensure it has good navigability and strong calls to action so users are in no doubt what it is you do, and what they should do once on your website. Write more - Am you a writer? Is somebody else in your office? Then continually generate content (content is still king). Submit blog posts, post regular content to your website, pr newswires or article directories. Ensure keyword density and anchor text is appropriate. Social media strategy - Establish a company social media strategy. Start with a company Facebook page and explore the capability of running demographically targeted ad campaigns through Facebook. Explore other social media realms and possibilities i.e. Twitter, You Tube, Linkedin etc. Media kit & media room - Get a media kit or update your existing one. Have a ‘media room’ on your website where you have this info readily available. Key messages - Make sure your marketing features your website and other social media community links ALWAYS and PROMINENTLY and Email signature - Make sure you and your staff have a good email signature with your current offer, social media links, awards etc. SEO - Ensure your website is optimized for words that are in demand, but not too competitive on a page by page basis. Manage your online profile - Set up Google Alerts so you are the first to know when mentions of your company, product or service are made online, be it good or bad coverage. Track competitors too. Have a bullet proof data capture system for all incoming inquiries be they walk ins, fax, phone, email or otherwise whereby you ask for their name, contact number, email and how they heard about you. Ensure you have a system in place that you follow them up systematically until they convert into a paying customer. Revive your de-activated clients – that is people who have not spent money with you in some time. Most businesses are sitting on a gold mine of information and ‘warm’ leads from people who have done business with them in the past, but who they have never since contacted to see if they can get an upsell or cross-sell from a re-contact or even a referral. Research - Conduct research to understand buying motives and barriers to sale. Mix up the medium - Communicate via a frequency and method that is helpful, not annoying and experiment with Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds and more. Get key company documents i.e. templates, forms, contacts, procedures and policies ONLINE utilizing technology such as wikis, Google Docs or otherwise where you can share and collaborate online and mobilize your business. If things are quieter than usual, there is no better time to get this key documentation for your business in place. Tracking - Know down to the lead and the last dollar what marketing activities out there are generating you in terms of inquiries and sales and stop or decrease all marketing activities that are not providing you with a good return on your investment. Yvette's 'homework' for attendees (you can do this too!): Learn how to understand your web stats and review them regularly - they should drive your business development Work out your cost per inquiry and cost per lead currently Re-allocate spend that is not working for 2010 Ensure tracking is in place and that you run it for a minimum of 3 months (speaking of Adwords) Develop a marketing plan, which includes your online marketing strategy and social media strategy Use BUDURL to track click throughs

Full presentation of 'Digital Marketing Strategies for 2010' by Yvette Adam from Creative Collective.

www.thecreativecollective.com.au
Phone 07 5454 1315
Follow on Twitter: @creativecollect

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Reload Media�s Top Ten Tips for Integrated Digital Strategy Success

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:22:00 +1000

Reload Media presented 'Integrated Digital Strategy - the Final Piece of the Marketing Puzzle' at Networx Brisbane - 24 February 2010. Here are Reload's Top 10 Tips for IDS Success:

Don’t make assumptions about your market, treat every customer as a one-on-one engagement Create a comprehensive marketing approach and implement a digital method of tracking each individual marketing effort’s effectiveness Ensure your marketing messages are consistent to reinforce TV, radio, print messages, slogans and offers Use social media (e.g. Facebook and Twitter) to harness primary marketing drivers, not the other way around If you’re using a radio / TV marketing medium, use easy to remember web and phone numbers (makes tracking easier) Put your TV ads on YouTube, upload your radio ads and billboards to the web If you’re using an outdoor marketing medium, use sharp, memorable web addresses and slogans that if searched, rank well in search engines Embed codes in all your email links to track which link has been clicked (your web designer can help out here) Make sure your online offers can be redeemed offline Install Google Analytics!

Links:

Networx event: 'Integrated Digital Strategy - the Final Piece of the Marketing Puzzle' Reload Media's presentation for 'Integrated Digital Strategy - The Final Piece of the Marketing Puzzle' #Networx search results on Twitter - updates from attendees Follow speakers, sponsors and attendees on Twitter: @networxevents @reloada @MBEStonesCorner @lifeatlucid @MissBlooms @VivoGroup @Reload_Media @ignitePR_ @Tangalooma @QAGGoMA @laundrycreative @tafastrack @kristindahlberg @fader @icodea @Franklin_Adam @teckrabbit @zarraffascoffee @brandrally @KDPRknows @lisama_ @jodieparker @sitemost @rissypm @goldcoastfc @thehangingspace @jason_rose @aliciajohncock @NickyAtDebut @goldyfrocks @LibbyJRobinson @rippleali Missed someone/change request?

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Pathway to Your Personal Brand

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:18:00 +1000

Australian superstar Kylie Minogue was once labeled the singing budgie; an image perhaps not too flattering. Fast forward to 2009 and Kylie, completely reinvented was voted the most powerful Australian personal brand. Next on the list was Elle Macpherson followed by Shane Warne, Dame Edna Everage, and Greg Norman. So what makes these people stand out from the crowd? Apart from the fact they are all very talented and good at what they do – how did they become memorable brands?

Branding is building a relationship between a product or service and the consumer. It is how we feel about that brand that will determine whether we as consumers want to have a relationship with it or not. So I believe that personal branding is the relationships an individual has with its public essentially personal public relations.

Effective relationships are built by communication. Personal branding is communicating the inner essence of you – your uniqueness, qualities, strengths, skills and passions. It is also about your visual communication. Not only your business communication collateral such as stationery and websites but how you appear through dress, style, personal presence and of course profile.

These people are all famous but they have built their brand and reputation in a variety of ways. Over the next few months through my newsletter we’ll explore some paths to help build your personal brand and make a positive impression. Who knows you might end up famous too.

Your Inner Personality

The first step to realising our personal brand is to understand ourselves better. What kind of personality do we have, what is the impression others have of us? To do this write out a list of words you think describe you. What adjectives would you choose if you were a journalist and writing a story about you? How would you describe that person?

What about your passions? What is it you really love doing and what is the feeling you get from that? How do others see you? Can you get some feedback from your family, work colleagues and friends? Ask them to choose words to describe you and see what they come up with – good and bad! Did those words match up to your list? If so then you are getting close to your true personality.

Have you some hidden dreams, ambitions that are yet to be realised. Perhaps there’s some negativity or attitudes or behavior that needs to be modified. It can be hard to self-reflect but is invaluable to really understand yourself more.

Is there a characteristic or talent that sets you apart? For Elle Macpherson it was her amazing figure that launched her career. Kylie Minogue – her singing talent. They had those raw talents but needed to develop other skills, package themselves better and grow as businesswomen to really move on.

Once you have an understanding of your personality and your positive attributes, combine that with your skills and talents and work toward writing a personal brand statement that is just for you – your internal dialogue – then you can use that as a basis for external communication.

Here’s a tip from personal branding expert Lesley Everett from the UK company Walking Tall:

Why not try Wordle, an online website for generating “word clouds” from the text that your provide. It is is a fun way to visualise your personal brand. Simply enter all the words you have come up with such as personal values, strengths and motivators into the site at www.wordle.net. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can also tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes then print it out as a visual reminder of your personal brand.

More: About Sue Currie:
Sue Currie is a leading personal branding and impression management consultant, trainer and professional speaker. She is the managing director of Shine Communications an executive development training company providing successful solutions to corporations and independent professionals on enhancing image and brand.

Sue walks her talk. Prior to establishing her consultancy, she was an award-winning public relations consultant, entertainment publicist, former television newsreader and ex fashion model. She delivers keynotes and training on personal branding, corporate image and media communication strategies to shine for success.

Sue is a sought after media commentator, has many articles published and is co-author of 'Apprentice to Business Ace' – your inside-out guide to personal branding. Her clients range from major corporations to leading SMEs, associations and individuals. Sue has spent many years in the public eye, both on and off camera and with her experience certainly has an understanding of how help you define your brand.

Sue Currie's blog

Sue Currie presented 'Build Personal Brand and Buzz to Boost Business' at the Networx event on 24 March 2010.

Post by Sue Currie
Shine Communciations
Connect with Sue Currie on LinkedIn

Nursing Your Networking Nerves

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:48:44 +1000

We've all come across those inept networkers – pushing their business or themselves onto unsuspecting people in an attempt to meet their own needs. Unfortunately, these people have given networking a bad name, and turned many people off in the process.

If you find the concept of networking distasteful, take heart – you are not alone. Many people are hesitant to network, which is a shame, considering how powerful networking can be. If practiced effectively, networking can be an extremely valuable business, career, leadership and personal development tool. It can save you time, money, stress and make you more productive.

Over the past few years, and with the growth in particular of online networking (the likes of LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter spring to mind), networking is becoming more and more significant. But how can we take advantage of the opportunities that networking provides if we don't feel comfortable with it in the first place?

My intention in this article is to prove to you that you can significantly reduce your stress levels when networking, and as a result feel more confident and comfortable and achieve greater value from networking.

I will do this by:
1. Busting some of the common myths about networking which generate hesitancy to network,
2. Discussing how to build your networking skills to increase your confidence and chances of success.

1. Busting the Myths

Below are some of most common myths which I believe create networking hesitancy in many people. Bust these myths, and you will feel more confident when networking, and be able to develop the skills to be more successful.

Myth #1: Networking is selling.
Successful networkers know that the true nature of networking is developing and maintaining genuinely helpful relationships with others. They also know that the focus should be on finding ways to help others. People who focus on selling themselves or their services are taking a short term approach and do not understand the true nature of networking. They will receive negative reactions from those they network with.

Myth #2: You don’t need to build relationships because you are an expert.
Technical ability is the ticket to the game but it doesn‟t mean you will win. Be careful not to make assumptions about why people will buy your services. Don‟t assume that your technical ability speaks for itself and should be enough to get you business. Relationships are key to business success, and networking can help the work come in the door more easily!

Myth #3: It’s pointless to follow up unless there is actual business to discuss.
If you network well, you would have created an opportunity to follow up that is more focused on helping the other person rather than you. This makes it much easier, and less stressful, to follow up appropriately. It‟s also important to recognise that you don‟t always have to have a reason to catch up with people. People accept networking at face value, as long as they can see that you are genuinely interested in helping them.

Myth #4: Networking ability is innate, not learned.
Networking ability is not necessarily innate. Some of the best networkers I have ever met are highly introverted. Networking doesn‟t come naturally for everyone, and it is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice.

Myth #5: Networking is a waste of time – you never get results.
Accept that networking is a long term proposition. Attending networking events is only one avenue to build relationships, and it is what you do afterwards that makes up the majority of your networking effort. Take a strategic approach to networking, and you will find that you are more likely to attend the right things, network with the right people, and maintain contact with those people with ease.

Bust these myths in your own mind and you will find it will be easier to network effectively.
Your barriers to networking can be overcome if you are aware of them, and learn how to address them through learning the skills and techniques of networking, some of which are mentioned below.

2. Building the skills of good networkers

From my research and experience, I have noted that successful networkers effortlessly and confidently meet people, manage conversations, find ways to help people and follow up and maintain contact in an appropriate manner.

They seem to possess four core characteristics. They:
1. have a networking strategy, and keep effective records to track, monitor and maintain regular contact with the people in their network
2. focus on helping others, rather than themselves
3. are genuinely interested in other people and generate positive and memorable impressions
4. interact well with a wide range of people and develop warm and valuable relationships in a short space of time.

I have good news for you - these skills and characteristics can be learned through observation, awareness of techniques and tools, practice, and patience. They will also significantly reduce the amount of time you need to spend networking and selling your business, and the stress involved!

So how can you develop these characteristics? There are many tips and techniques covered in my book. However, here are a couple of tips to get you started (and they don't take a lot of time!):

a) Take a strategic approach. Many people network haphazardly, attending random events with the wrong people. This is a waste of your time, and adds to your burden. It is important to consider why you are networking, and what you hope to achieve from it. Build networking strategies into your business plan, so that you can be certain that you are networking in the right way, in the right places and with the right people to help you achieve your business goals.
You should be spreading your networking effort across a range of different activities with different people. Many people tend to focus their networking efforts on their existing clients – and whilst they are important it is critical you also network with prospective clients, referral sources, advisors and others.

There is so much more to networking than just attending events. This is an avenue to meet people or maintain relationships, however networking is so much more than that. Most of your time in networking should be spent keeping in contact, connecting people, and finding opportunities to help the people in your network.

b) Prepare well. Fortunately, much of your preparation can be delegated (reducing your burden!). Preparation can reduce your networking hesitancy as you will feel more confident and in control. Prepare by conducting some research before you go (for example on the event, the speaker, the people who will be there, current events, industry related information). You can then consider who you want to meet or catch up with, and have some conversation topics and questions to ask. Be prepared physically as well – if you don't look or feel ready to go, chances are you will not look like you really want to be there.

c) Get your Mindset right. If you think positively in any situation you increase your chances of success. As Martin Seligman points out in his book Learned Optimism, people can learn to think optimistically and reap the benefits (Seligman, 1991). Seligman's research showed that you can control your thinking to enhance optimism and reduce pessimism.

Seligman, and also the Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Minnesota YOUA) have found that people who are positive, optimistic and have a sense of humour, have healthier, longer and more successful personal and career lives. Interestingly they have fewer heart attacks, a boosted immune system, reduced pain and stress, they live up to 8-10 years longer than their pessimistic colleagues, and they perceive themselves to be happy (Seligman, 1991; Maruta, Colligan & Malinchoc et al, 2000).

When networking be aware of the thoughts that just pop into your head telling you that you “shouldn't go to this networking event because you are tired/overworked/don't feel like it”, or that “it will just be a waste of time” or “I'm not good at these things”.These inner voices often determine the outcome before you even head off to the event. If these voices take over, chances are you will unconsciously display your true thoughts and feelings through your energy and your demeanour.

In summary: Successful networking can maximize your success in your business, career, and personal life Many people are hesitant to network, or network inappropriately, due to common 'myths' about the nature of networking Networking is about building and maintaining genuinely helpful relationships with others You should not be selling when you are Networking Networking is a life skill as well as a business skill, and it is a skill which can be learned Networking should be approached in a strategic manner – you need to consider where you network and who with, and manage your network and keep in contact Focus on finding ways to help others There are a range of tips and techniques to make it easier.

References:
Maruta, T (MD), Colligan, R, Malinchoc, M, Offord K. Optimists vs pessimists: survival rate amoung medical patients over a 30-year period. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2000; 75:315-318.
Seligman, Martin. 1991, Learned Optimism, Simon and Schuster, New York

Post by Lisa Butler
Director, Paragon Associates Pty Ltd
Author, “Networking Exposed: Discover the secrets of business networking”
www.paragonassoc.com.au
www.networkingexposed.com.au

Where to begin in corporate community investment?

Tue, 04 May 2010 09:55:00 +1000

Corporate Australia is driving community investment because they want outcomes. Corporate Australia is on a journey to deliver more to the community but they’re not giving anything away, they’re investing.

Perspectives on investment Key points: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has paved the way for the more focused approach of community investment The starting point is not selecting a charity to support or hosting an event HSC & Company has developed an opportunity matrix to help organisations determine a suitable approach

The reality and opportunities linked to community investment for companies is clear. Where to begin is the challenge. Did anyone really understand what corporate social responsibility (CSR) meant when it appeared on the scene in the mid 1990s? Arguably it still remains a mystery to many executives today. The concept itself is not necessarily difficult to grasp.

The real difficulty for business leaders continues to be developing and practically implementing a CSR strategy. Although companies have embraced CSR to varying degrees, since its inception another trend has emerged from the philosophical and somewhat titanic CSR movement. The notion of community investment is practical, implementable and results oriented. When structured to complement a company’s commercial focus that delivers shareholder return, this concept helps companies tangibly demonstrate their social responsibility to shareholders, customers, the market and the community.

Get real about community investment

Paring away the altruistic intent of an organisation’s leadership or its people, community investment strategy can enhance reputation or help mitigate risk.

The term ‘investment’ correctly suggests a return - have you ever known a company to ‘give away’ anything? When determining an appropriate return on investment the solid starting point is social outcomes. Social outcomes vary but can mean improved education for marginalised children, finding cures for diseases, addressing environmental challenges or generally helping those less fortunate. It’s these outcomes, when woven into traditional marketing mechanisms and internal cultural initiatives, that enhances reputation (or helps manage risk).

The bottom line is that this adds value to a company, shareholders and the community.

The opportunity for companies is clear

Realising the benefits of this opportunity begins with identifying an organisation’s intent and the way in which its resources can be applied to enhance reputation using community investment. The starting point is not selecting a charity to support or hosting an event, these come later. These independent and tactical activities, in the absence of a strategy, usually result in resource-intensive outcomes and people questioning the ‘bang for buck’.

1. Thinking for smaller organisations

The community investment approach taken by these businesses relies on their appetite to explore new ways of leveraging resources to help enable social outcomes. A conservative approach should initially focus on determining the logical fit of core capabilities (e.g. IT, construction, finance, professional services) with social challenges.

The next steps involve introducing processes and systems needed to mobilise resources and coordinate the presentation of outcomes that comes from the investment in community programs.

Innovative small businesses also undertake activities of their conservative peers and can then look to partner organisations (i.e. inter-sector relationships, suppliers or even peers) for collaboration opportunities. Practically, this can mean agreeing to combine respective skill-sets to tackle specific issues one business cannot do alone.

Key advantages:
1. Experienced providers of systems and process (as noted above) are readily available in market.
2. The appetite of small business to join forces in addressing social issues is increasing.

2. Considerations for large organisations

The emphasis on aligning core capabilities with social challenges is amplified when dealing with larger organisational resources. Increasing size usually suggests geographic and/or cultural divides across the resource base which can lead to challenges associated with focusing effort.

To be successful, an organisation with a conservative approach to community investment should ensure that key strategy enablers are well established and operating effectively across the organisation. These enablers may include infrastructure like endorsed volunteer and probono programs, executive appointment programs1, workplace (payroll) giving, online collaborative project environments and coordinated fundraising campaigns. The backbone of these enablers is whole-oforganisation policy that helps guide, refine and communicate (internally and externally) the collective benefits.

Key advantage: Leveraging enablers helps large organisations focus effort and demonstrate community intent.

Larger organisations with a focus on innovation can begin exploring new ways of addressing social challenges. Companies operating in this territory usually have a deep and well articulated community engagement history - usually 10 years or more. With well established and supported key enablers (as noted above), these companies invest in identifying and finding ways to support social enterprises2 that bring a strong innovation focus as a means to solving social challenges.

A key differentiating factor for these large organisations is that they are often able to leverage or refine traditional systems to enable them to successful support the start up and survival of younger social enterprises.

Key advantage: Social innovation based community investment is a powerful platform to further enhance reputation.

References:

1 Placement of staff as directors on non profit organisation boards
2 Social enterprise - for profit or non-profit organisations that have a social mission

© HSC & Company - All rights reserved

By Phil Hayes St Clair
CEO,
HSC & Company

Learn More...

Phil Hayes St Clair will be presenting at Networx's 'Sponsorship & Community Investment - Both Side of the Coin' on Wednesday, 19 May. he will be discussing the following:

Corporate community investment - what does it mean and is it the same as Corporate Social Responsibility? The two key factors that influence organisations to invest in the community: Reputation and Social Impact 4 paths that organisations can take to create a compelling community investment strategy The 5 question fact pack every CEO should be armed with that describes their company's corporate community investment strategy

You will learn how to:

Do a quick audit and assess your organisations community investment program Manage unsolicited requests from non-profit organisations Tell the story of your organisations community investment activities (and their impact) to different stakeholders

Networx event: Sponsorship & Community Investment - Both Side of the Coin
Wednesday, 19 May 2010, 6.00pm-8.30pm | Event & Booking Information

Did you know it's more expensive to win a new customer than retain an existing customer?

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 09:54:01 +1000

Did you know that:

almost 90% of business decisions are based on gut feel; it is 20 times more expensive to win a new customer than retain the customer you already have; and 60-90% of your business is probably referral based.

Your clients can tell you everything you need to know – just ask them! Market research can appear to be a confusing array of academic methodologies but you can break it down to tools you can utilise in your business … it is really just about asking intelligent and timely questions.

By Sue Holz
Principal Analyst
Research By Design

Learn more:

Sue Holz will be presenting at Networx's 'Taking the Mystery out of Market Research' on Wednesday, 23 June. She will be discussing the following:

Is market research too complicated - or too expensive? This presentation will peel away the mystery of market research and give you an insight as to how easy it is to use market research and market information to your advantage.

Learn about the importance of talking to your customers and knowing what your competitors are doing.

Sue will cover:

How market research can benefit your business and your clients’ businesses The different research methodologies that you can utilise in your business or your clients’ businesses How to choose the right methodologies to give you the best outcomes Quick tips to maintain your market knowledge Sources that you can access on a regular basis to stay informed about your business sector

Networx event: Taking the Mystery out of Market Research
Wednesday, 23 June2010, 6.00pm-8.30pm | Event & Booking Information

Effective Viral Campaigns � Tips from Vivo Group

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 10:07:45 +1000

A viral campaign on a small budget

Regardless of the size of your budget a viral campaign MUST be entertaining.

Make people feel something.

Create an emotional response in people by ensuring your campaign is controversial, funny, sexy and so on. Be unpredictable… do something unexpected. Random/strange/off beat encourages conversation. Use social media to promote your campaign

Tweeting and posting comments on Facebook won’t cost a cent.

Leverage your own audience/friends/followers and provide them with something they find fun and engaging.

If you can’t create buzz, use someone else’s

Latch onto a current trend/or something topical and promote your product/service around this.
If you are part of a trend, or can spot a trend, think hard about how your audience might be influenced.

Avoid press releases

Get influential people to talk about your viral campaign

Bloggers Opinionated/well respected people Industry leaders Early adopters Get creative with promotion

Think about how you can promote your product through different channels.

Post on forums where you already have a presence, or where the forum is relevant to the product/service you want to promote Consider placing comments on news.com.au Download these tips as a PDF

View these 'Tips on Effective Viral Marketing' as PDF.

These slides were part of the presentation by David Steel, Creative Director, Vivo Group at the Networx Brisbane 'Effective Viral Marketing - Making it Work in Your Marketing Strategy' event.

By David Steel
Creative Director
Vivo Group - digital agency, website design & development

Creating a brand that people adore needs 3 key components across everything you do

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:40:00 +1000

We just had our Networx event on 30 March 2011 called 'Marketing with Love - creating brands that people adore' with our panellists:

Sarah Whyte, Digital Marketing Manager, Tourism Queensland (@tourismqld @whytebate) Karoline Cumming, Director, Clear Identity (@KarolineCumming) David Frangiosa, Marketing & Communications Manager, Variety Queensland (@varietyqld @frangii)

I have listened to past Networx speakers that your logo is NOT your brand. And I think Karoline Cumming's slide of the 'Brand Circle' illustrates this point really well:

Karoline says that a successful brand is made up of 3 key components:

Presentation (how you look) Communication (what you say) and Behaviour (what you do).

How does this fit into 'Marketing with Love - creating brands that people adore'?

You have to look across all of these areas to ensure that you're getting your brand's message and value across consistently.

Karoline Cumming's Blog Post: Marketing with Love - Creating brands that people adore: Networx Brisbane Wrap-Up Networx Event Details: Marketing with Love - creating brands that people adore Karoline Cumming's Blog Post: The Secret to a Successful Brand

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

My Top 10 Faves from Social Rabbit's '101 Facebook Page Posting Ideas'

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:10:25 +1000

Social Rabbit have released a fun resource for businesses out there who have a Facebook Page - '101 Facebook Page Posting Ideas'.
My Top 10 favourite ideas are:

Link to a YouTube video that will make your readers smile. (Idea #1) Interview an expert in your field, post the video on YouTube or Facebook and then link back to it from your page. (Idea #3) Use Facebook questions to do some market research on a product or service that you would like to add to your business. (Idea #13)

Start a photo album showing off your office or staff and write some interesting facts about them in the description section. (Idea #22)

Explain how to do something – everyone needs a helping hand every now and then! (Idea #34)

Tell people about the highlights from an event you’ve attended (Idea #43)

Write a Note and tag other Facebook pages in your industry so that your note shows up on their wall (Idea #54)

Create a photo album from a networking event you were at, explain the photos in the description section and then post to the wall (Idea #56)

Create a video response for any questions posted on your Facebook wall (Idea #58)

Link your Facebook page to your blog – so that every time you write a blog it shows up on the wall of your Facebook page. (Idea #59)

What's your favourite idea? Do you think there are any missing? Links for more information: To view the original full '101 Facebook Page Posting ideas' list from Social Rabbit: http://www.socialrabbit.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/101-Facebook-Posting-ideas.pdf About Social Rabbit: Social Rabbit guides businesses throught the world of social media. For more info: http://www.facebook.com/SocialRabbit

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
Networx Marketers Meetings - Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

'Blogging & Video Marketing for Business' Panel Event Wrap-up

Thu, 19 May 2011 03:31:00 +1000

We had a great panel discussion last night discussing 'Blogging and YouTube Marketing' with Yaro Starak, Gideon Shalwick and Craig Somerville. Cat Matson facillitated the panel discussion and brought out the 'juicy' conversations.

Here's a bit of an event wrap-up, via Twitter:

Regulars unable to attend sent their love... FoodStrategy: @sitemost tell @catmatson to be her usual entertaining self. What a cracker. #wishIwasThere#NXBris melkettle: @kerr_alexandra have fun! Love #nxBris Attendees got in the mood at the start of the event: IngenuityHost: XXXX Alehouse networking about to begin. Excited. #nxbris tootfest: #nxbris XXXX gold and digital marketing oh yeah catmatson: The networking Q last night at #NXBris was 'what's your current fave YouTube vid?" @rachelmclean gave us this http://ow.ly/4XS2N #monkey It then kicked off... catmatson: About to kick-off #NXBris ... Tonight we're talking about blogging, video blogging and how it fits in the marketing mix The lovely audience took notes during the panel discussion: 7cookka: #nxbris Craig Sommerville from @Reload_Media is speaking tonight on video blogging & the importance of a consistent overarching strategy. 7cookka: #nxbris video or text? How does your audience learn? Visually? Or through text? 7cookka: #nxbris using #SEM#SMM in conjunction with blogs and YouTube videos will give you more real-estate on Google! 7cookka: #nxbris connect with your consumers through blogs. Chances are- they'll Google you. Do a Google search and see where you rank? @Reload_Media 7cookka: #nxbris integrate your blogs/YouTube with social media channels such as FB & twitter. Have them 'shared' or 'retweeted'& you'll go viral! 7cookka: #nxbris when blogging- keep your business human. Take videos/photos of tour employees or headquarters & personalize your brand. 7cookka: #nxbris when blogging- keep your business human. Take videos/photos of tour employees or headquarters & personalize your brand. 7cookka: #nxbris your consumers will remember you for it! 7cookka: #nxbris anyone interested in the blog onscreen? Focus= tonight's main focus- 1 way vs. 2 way communication mediums. Google @Reload_Media sharmsdiddy: #nxbris YouTube blogging can be extremely effective. anyone watch Natalie Trans personal and lonely planet YouTube feeds? #communitychannel sitemost: Blended search creates opportunity for both vids & text #nxbris sitemost: Blog should always be self hosted for best seo results #nxbris sitemost: Content is king #nxbris sitemost: Vid production options - DIY with kodak Zi8 or cam. Cheap film students. Local pros for great quality or outsource #nxbris XMPieman: "Bloggging Is a human tool that connects with humans" - @yarostarak#NXBris XMPieman: To get first page on Google with Video - place keywords in title, description, tags & links. @reload_media#NXBris michaeljroach: Text blog or video blog? We are all conditioned by TV - Gideon S. Which ever method, we have tiny attention spans #NXBris michaeljroach: Presidential election debates are conducted on #youtube. There is little doubt the user demographic has changed #NXBris michaeljroach: #NXBris Not mentioned tonite: Youtube closed captioning. Fantastic technology to translate speech to subtitles michaeljroach: ...for marketers, the difference between text and video for SEO purposes will diminish in time #NXBris@NetworkEvents michaeljroach: Great question about getting your product/service to established (video)bloggeratti - you got to give to get #NXBris IngenuityHost: At the moment, not many peeps at #nxbris has a marketing blog or YouTube Chanel... yet IngenuityHost: Vids help connect with clients. Keep blogs/vids consistent with brand & keep relevant #nxbris IngenuityHost: Email marketing still effective at driving sales. Blogging far better for engagement & personal branding #nxbris IngenuityHost: Vids a lot easier now than ever before. Video or text? Possible #nxbris fight? IngenuityHost: Everyone is a bit of a voyer according to @GideonShalwick #nxbris IngenuityHost: @GideonShalwick wants you in his funnel & then the magic happens. Not sure if I'm interpreting this right ;P #nxbris IngenuityHost: Work towards your strengths. Put in the effort. If you don't have time outsource to the pros & be everywhere #nxbris IngenuityHost: Are comments good for seo? Yes & no. Most blogs are nofollow but can still create connections & exposure #nxbris IngenuityHost: If you're going to vide7oblog use YouTube. Scared? Just make them private #nxbris IngenuityHost: Can't get the YouTube vanity URL? @yarostarak says register a .tv domain - then you'll be 'on tv' badoom ching :) #nxbris IngenuityHost: Tv ads don't work on YouTube says @GideonShalwick (but it does the other way around) #nxbris IngenuityHost: Stuff too long for tv? Put it on YouTube (plus it's cheaper) #nxbris IngenuityHost: Two kinds of viral vids. Natural and engineered. But viral vids are just the tip of the YouTube iceberg #nxbris nick_mcintosh: Check out good to great by jim collins #nxbris says @gideonshalwick copycat21c: #nxbris Really curious to learn more about video blogging and marketing after tonight. Fascinating! copycat21c: #nxbris Like Gideon's comment: Benefits are long term. By analogy: a flywheel, viz. once you build up momentum, it takes off on its own. copycat21c: #nxbris Ooooh! Reserve your channel on YouTube! Business name, domain name. Even if you're not using it right now. copycat21c: #nxbris ...or reserve .tv domain extension if you've missed out on your name. Tonight's hot tip! kerr_alexandra: #nxBris "blogging must be consistent across the brand and overall strategy" - good advice from Craig at @reload_media kerr_alexandra: #nxBris "video marketing is a huge area you can take advantage of" kerr_alexandra: #nxBris everyone should be blogging. kerr_alexandra: #nxBris "Charlie bit my finger" 322 million viewers.... @catmatson was laughing. kerr_alexandra: #nxBris start with small players, and build relationships. Relationships are vital. What value can you provide
Some kind words were made after the panel discussion:

yarostarak: Thanks to all the #NXBris peeps last night, I had a good time talking blogs and video. I'm curious who is now following me after the event? 7cookka: @catmatson Thanks for anther wonderful night at @networxevents#nxbris - I think you're business cards are something kind of wonderful! lifeatlucid: Brilliant night at #NXBris, love being their official #photog.@xxxxalehouse was fab & crowd rocked as much as the speakers, well done guys! RachelMcLean: thanks to @catmatson@GideonShalwick@yarostarak@Reload_Media - broadening my blogging horizons - text and video! #NXBRIS IngenuityHost: Awesome presentation @yarostarak@GideonShalwick@Reload_Media & @catmatson. Educational. Interesting. Fun. #nxbris kerr_alexandra: Attended my first @NetworxEvents last night: http://elkewrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/blogging-and-video-marketing.html #nxbris HeatherSmithAU: @michaeljroach@sitemost@copycat21c@XMPieman@kerr_alexandra@7cookka@nick_mcintosh@RachelMcLean thxs for the #NxBris tweets guys :-) Ditto Heather! We even trended: TrendsBrisbane: #nxbris is now trending in #Brisbanehttp://trendsmap.com/au/brisbane Cool... An exciting announcement was made: networxevents: Exciting news: @RideFreeMedia have come on board as Networx's Video Marketing Partner #nxbrishttp://fb.me/12FGdT0Zl This means Networx Brisbane is getting a YouTube channel baby! The team at Ride Free Media took video footage throughout the evening and look forward to pulling together the final videos for your viewing pleasure. Sorry guys, we're not showing you the panel discussion from the start to finish... you still have to be there on the night to get the low-down ;o)... but for those who didn't attend OR did attend, you'll be able to check out fresh content. And if you haven't already, follow the speakers and above tweeps here:

http://bit.ly/NX0511

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
MC & Event Coordinator- Networx Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Reload Media's SEO tips for blogging and YouTube

Fri, 20 May 2011 03:57:00 +1000

Craig Somerville, General Manager for Reload Media was one of the panellists at Networx's 'Blogging and Video Marketing for Business' event on 18 May 2011.

He discussed the importance of videos coming up in blended search results and shared the following tips...

Tips for getting on the first page of a search result were:

For videos:

Use keywords in your video titles, description, tags and links.

For blogs:

Use keywords in your blog article headlines, internal links, tags, categories and tags.

To use blogs effectively:

Target 'conversational' or 'informational' search terms.

To convert your presence into sales:

Once a user has landed on your blog/video, you need to have some conversion elements on the page.

These are usually “softer” than an advertising landing page.

Download presentation slides:

View Craig Somerville, Reload Media's presentation slides PDF

For more info about the event:

http://bit.ly/NX0511

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
MC & Event Coordinator- Networx Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

Gideon Shalwick's tips for video production options

Fri, 20 May 2011 05:28:00 +1000

Gideon Shalwick was one of the panellists at Networx's 'Blogging and Video Marketing for Business' event on 18 May 2011.

Gideon gave us some interesting statistics to change our way of thinking that 'YouTube is only for teenagers who watch funny videos': 82% of the US online pop have watched a YouTube video Of those who visit YouTube, 72% visit at least once/week For Qualified Sample, Peaks At Ages 25-44 Year Olds For Daily Users, Peaks At 25-34 Year Olds Here are Gideon's tips for for video production options that we didn't get to cover on the night:

#1 The DIY Way:
Kodak Zi8 + Tripod + Lapel Mic + Lights
PC: Sony Vegas Studio HD, Mac: ScreenFlow

#2 The “On The Cheap” Local Way:
Film Students

#3 The Pro Local Way:
Expensive, But Easiest And Great Result

#4 The Pro Outsource Way:
Affordable, But A Little Bit Of Hassle

Here is an example of one of Gideon's video produced using video production option #4:

Great video to watch too!

More info from Gideon Shalwick:

Download your free copy of The Rapid Video Blogging Report at: http://www.rapidvideoblogging.com

Check out Gideon's blog: http://gideonshalwick.com.

View educational and informative videos by Gideon at his YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/GideonShalwick.

For more info about the event:

Event website: http://bit.ly/NX0511

Visit our YouTube channel for a post-event interview with Gideon: http://youtube.com/networxbrisbane

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
MC & Event Coordinator- Networx Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

VIDEO: Networx Panel Speakers Interview: Blogging & Video Marketing for Business

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:20:25 +1000

Networx TV sits with the Panel Speakers following the Networx Brisbane Event 'Blogging & Video Marketing for Business' Panel Discussion - 18 May 2011 at the XXXX Alehouse, Milton, Brisbane.

Speakers who shared their industry knowledge on the night were: Yaro Starak, Founder & Professional Blogger, Entrepreneurs-Journey.com @YaroStarak Gideon Shalwick, Founder, GideonShalwick.com @GideonShalwick Craig Somerville, General Manager, Reload Media @reload_media

Panel Facilitator and Interviewer: Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson

The panellists were asked questions that weren't asked on during the panel discussion on the night.

Interview Breakdown - Gideon Shalwick of gideonshalwick.com:

00:27 - What is the value of having a branded YouTube channel versus just uploading YouTube videos to my own account?
01:24 - So for somebody who is new to YouTubing and particularly to getting their own channel your advice would be don't spend a whole lot of time getting the branding spot on, just start getting video out there?
01:54 - So your top tips would be, get started, and subscribe to others in your niche. So you can see what's going on?

Interview Breakdown - Craig Somerville of Reload Media:

02:35 - I've noticed that Reload, now your not video bloggers however you have recently transitioned from using amateur do it yourself video marketing posts, to professional ones. Why did you move to professional?
03:19 - Are you seeing an improvement in the level of engagement that your getting from your followers now that you have switched to professionally produced videos?
03:48 - I guess my final question then would be, we have talked a lot tonight about how important it is to have your videos obviously on YouTube, that is where you put them, but it is also about putting them everywhere else and embedding them into your other sites, not just linking to them?

Interview Breakdown - Yaro Starak of Entrepreneurs-Journey.com:

04:36 - One thing that we didn't get to talk about tonight was how do we choose a topic? And particularly how do you choose a topic that is going to work in a blog?
05:32 - If its, if for example there is a lot of magazines on a subject, lots of magazines for men's sports, or for fishing and stuff does that mean its going to translate well to an online/blog online?
06:25 - Okay cool, is there a rule of thumb in terms of how often you have to write your topic in order to build a decent amount of traffic?
07:02 - Okay cool, so the key take-aways there are do your research and find a topic that people are going to actually come too and then build as much content as you possibly can?

For more info about the event:

Event website: http://bit.ly/NX0511

Visit our YouTube Channel for more event videos: http://youtube.com/networxbrisbane

'Why Direct Marketing is Still the Best' Panel Event Wrap-up

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:09:26 +1000

We had a great panel of speakers last night discussing 'Why Direct is Still the Best'. Our panellists included:

Neil Jorgensen, Direct Marketing Manager, Signet @SignetAustralia Nick Pritchard, Creative Director, Decoder Matthew Johnson, EDM Specialist, Vision6 @Vision6

with Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson facillitating the discussion.

A couple of things that I picked up where: If you have a Facebook Page, make sure you have an email subscription form on it. Direct can be across all channels - not just email and direct mail Personalise, personalise, personalise! Make the recipient feel something. My fellow attendee, Rachel McLean, Account Executive for TwoCents, shared with me that she learnt the following: Personalise your message: the more you show your target market you care, the more likely they are to receive your information, understand it and act upon it. Direct marketing is all about creating a moment, having a direct conversation and opening a two-way dialogue. It's not just me thinking "noreply" email addresses are rude! - If you value the relationship, commit to it and put a contact name on the email. EDM is all about engagement. Put thought into enhancing consumer experience, stirr emotions and you will get a response. Great direct campaigns are single-minded in focus, simple and relevant. Every DM opportunity should answer a business objective - Agencies (like TwoCents) should sit down, identify a business issue and look at how DM can achieve that. Here's a bit of an event wrap-up, via Twitter: Tweeps were getting excited before the event: rapidbrand Rapidbrand Can't wait for the Networx event tonight - "Why Direct is Still the Best" #NXBris RachelMcLean Rachel McLean looking forward to tonight's #NXBRIS with speakers @Vision6@SignetAustralia and @catmatson - Why Direct Is Still The Best catmatson Cat Matson Sooo looking forward to #NXBris tonight ... who will I see there? Our panel of speakers made their way to the stage: XMPieman Jeff Polley Matthew Johnson (@vision6), Nick Pritchard from Decoder and Neil Jorgensen (@signetaustralia) are the panelists at #NXBris tonight. NetworxEvents Networx Brisbane Photo: Direct Marketing panel @catmatson@vision6 Decoder @SignetAustralia#nxbris http://twitpic.com/5f3v9n RachelMcLean Rachel McLean At #NXBRIS sinking our teeth into juicy conversation: Why Direct Is Still The Best! With @catmatson@vision6@Signetaustralia vision6 Vision6 @matthew_jj from @vision6 takes the stage at #NXBris yfrog.com/kfw8eyrj Speakers made some good points:

XMPieman Jeff Polley

"The more you show your target audience you give a shit, the better the relationship over time." - Nick Pritchard NXBris Direct marketing is only as good as the database your marketing to. Having a name is not enough. #NXBris penelopefrench Penny French - AFLQ @vision6: No right time to send an email for direct marketing. Nick Pritchard: Paper is sexy @signetaustralia: speak to gatekeeper #NXBris Some nice things were said about the event: ProfHospitality Emily Griffiths #NXBris beautiful venue thelanding @ dockside. Great food and wine! #NXBris very successful night so far. Thank you for a great event andrew_frahm Andrew Frahm Have already met a lot of interesting people at tonight's @NetworxEvents event - Why direct is still the best! #nxbris penelopefrench Penny French - AFLQ @Superfox_ love your squishy heart at@NetworxEvents #NXBris #cantstopsqueezingit @signetaustralia Neil, love all the @Richmond_FC collateral :-) #NXBris And here's me signing off... LisaMa_ Lisa Ma Really enjoyed the Direct Marketing panel event tonight! Can't wait for the photos @lifeatlucid & video @ridefreemedia! #nxbris

If you haven't already, follow the speakers and above tweeps here:

http://bit.ly/NX0611

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
MC & Event Coordinator- Networx Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

VIDEO: Networx Panel Speakers Interview: Why Direct is Still the Best

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:32:13 +1000

Networx TV (http://networxevents.com.au) sits with the Panel Speakers following the Networx Brisbane 'Why Direct is Still the Best' Panel Event Discussion - 22 June 2011 at The Landing at Dockside, Kangaroo Point.

Speakers interviewed were: Neil Jorgensen, Direct Marketing Manager, Signet @SignetAustralia Nick Pritchard, Creative Director, Decoder Matthew Johnson, EDM Specialist, Vision6 @Vision6

Panel Facilitator: Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson

View the interview video:

During the one-on-one interviews, each of the panellists were asked questions that weren't asked during the panel discussion on the night.

Interview Breakdown - Matthew Johnson of Vision6:

00:26 - How do you build and collect more data with EDM's?
01:40 - Can platforms like vision 6 continue to integrate information and data collection so that you can provide customized campaigns?

Interview Breakdown - Nick Pritchard of Decoder:

02:37 - You said that paper was sexy in a direct marketing campaign, can you tell us more?
03:22 - Are you saying that direct mail, as in snail mail, is a more effective communication channel these days?

Interview Breakdown - Neil Jorgensen of Signet:

04:59 - In a direct traditional market, how are you making sure that your message is going viral?
06:07 - How are you promoting sharing with direct mail?

For more info about the event:

Event website: http://bit.ly/NX0611

View this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/7Rlzyl26nGQ

Visit our YouTube channel for more event videos: http://youtube.com/networxbrisbane

VIDEO: Networx Panel Speakers Interview: Loyalty, Location & Likes

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:45:00 +1000

Networx TV (http://networxevents.com.au) sits with the Panel Speakers following the Networx Brisbane 'Loyalty, Location & Likes' Panel Event Discussion - 20 July 2011 at Summit Events Centre, Paddington.

Speakers interviewed were: Mark James, Managing Director, GJI @GJIData Nathan Bush, Head of Interactive Strategy, BCM Partnership @bcmpartnership @nathbush Rachel McLean, Account Executive, TwoCents @OurTwoCents @RachelMcLean

Panel Facilitator: Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson

During the one-on-one interviews, each of the panellists were asked questions that weren't asked during the panel discussion on the night.

For more info about the event:

Event website: http://bit.ly/NX0711

View this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/g-Y4pTFiiMs

Visit our YouTube channel for more event videos: http://youtube.com/networxbrisbane

'Maximise the Media' Panel Event Wrap-up

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 01:07:27 +1000

We had a great panel of speakers last night discussing tips on how to 'Maximise the Media'. Our panellists included:

Rob Hazel, Senior Journalist, Network Ten @tennewsqld Elizabeth Liscombe, Commercial Director - Sponsorships, Southern Cross Austereo @B105Brisbane @TripleMBrisbane Dave Earley @earleyedition, Online News Editor, Quest Community Newspapers @QuestNewspapers

with Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson facillitating the discussion.

Here's a bit of an event wrap-up, via Twitter: simoneandevents Simone Givney Meet the panel at #NXBris @earleyedition @B105Brisbane @TripleMBrisbane's Liz Liscombe & @tennewsqld's Rob Hazel yfrog.com/kislfgdj annastreater Anna Streater To those who think the media release is dead, Rob Hazel from @tennewsqld says they form a huge part of every news day #nxbris GrandBrands Grand Brands Short, sharp and simple is key to getting your press release to cut through #nxbris simoneandevents Simone Givney Keep press releases simple, effective, short... They all have limited time. Be prepared for the next step... Visual, verbal... #NXBris ClaireMT Claire Taylor #NXbris blanket emails drive me crazy, it's not a cut and paste job - woo me properly and personalise! GrandBrands Grand Brands Perfectly said - PR success is about "partnering with their brand". So, deliver PR that is relevant to that brand's target audience #nxbris simoneandevents Simone Givney Commercial v's public benefit.... Both important in the community - sell it right! #NXBris HeatherSmithAU Heather Smith Contact me on twitter @earleyedition but not directly ! I don't write stories !! #nxbris GrandBrands Grand Brands We uploaded a media release for a client onto a related Facebook page and were picked up by Channel 10 #nxbris ClaireMT Claire Taylor #NXbris don't be afraid to hit editors up with everything you've got, don't give up ClaireMT Claire Taylor #NXbris last words: know your assets, know how to spin it within relevance, target to your media and their market! novellamartin Novella Martin People love accountability - I agree Elizabeth Liscombe! @b105brisbane @ triplembrisbane @NetworxEvents #nxbris You can find out more about the event here:

http://bit.ly/NX0811

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
MC & Event Coordinator- Networx Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

VIDEO: Networx Panel Speakers Interview: Maximising the Media

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:55:35 +1000

Networx TV (http://networxevents.com.au) sits with the Panel Speakers following the Networx Brisbane 'Maximise the Media' event on the 24 August 2011 at Cloudland in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. This event explored the effectiveness of the Press Release, and how best to get your story into Print, Radio and Television media.

Speakers interviewed were: Dave Earley,@earleyedition, Online News Editor, Quest Community Newspapers @QuestNewspapers
Elizabeth Liscombe, Commercial Director - Sponsorships, Southern Cross Austereo @B105Brisbane @TripleMBrisbane @lizzliscombe
Rob Hazel, Senior Journalist, Network Ten @tennewsqld @robbiehazel

Panel Facilitator: Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson

During the one-on-one interviews, each of the panellists were asked questions that weren't asked during the panel discussion on the night.

View the interview video:

Interview Breakdown - Dave Earley, Online News Editor, Quest Community Newspapers:

00:33: How can we give you a press release that gives you everything you need to know without filling up your inbox?
01:18: Is it worth building up a relationship with an editor through social media?

Interview Breakdown - Elizabeth Liscombe, Commercial Director - Sponsorships, Southern Cross Austereo:

02:27: How can small businesses and not for profits utilise radio to leverage and extend their reach?
03:20: Can I get on the radio with little to no budget?
04:00: Can I come to you with an idea and let you guys do the rest?

Interview Breakdown - Rob Hazel, Senior Journalist, Network Ten:

04:42: How can small businesses and not for profits use your angle to get exposure in a sports break?
05:28: What can I do to prepare my event so that I get the most out of my TV exposure?
06:16: If there is a risk of my event being overshadowed by a high profile individual or celebrity how can I make sure I still get my point across?

For more info about the event:

Event website: http://bit.ly/NX0811

View this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/iCROQvwMrU8

Visit our YouTube channel for more event videos: http://youtube.com/networxbrisbane

'The Shift to Inbound Marketing' Panel Event Wrap-up

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 01:18:51 +1000

We had a great panel of speakers last night, 21 September 2011, at the Brisbane Powerhouse discussing 'The Shift to Inbound Marketing'.

Our panellists included:

Llew Jury, Managing Director, Reload Media @Reload_Media @reloada Anna Streater, Director, Marketing & Public Relations, Grand Brands @GrandBrands @annastreater Vanja Stace, Blogger, VanjaStace.com @vanjastace

with Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson facillitating the discussion.

Here's a bit of an event wrap-up, via Twitter: NetworxEvents Networx Brisbane: Networx Pic: Inbound marketing panel: @catmatson @vanjastace @reloada @annastreater #nxbris yfrog.com/j2c16xaj Pic: Lovely Networx audience at @Bris_Powerhouse for 'inbound marketing' #nxbris

ClaireMT Claire Taylor:

#NXbris outbound marketing is fishing, inbound is leaving a little trail of bread crumbs @annastreater #NXbris drip marketing involves nuturing a relationship and being top of mind through useful info #NXbris present you and your brand to manage expectations, establish yourself as a thought leader, find your value @vanjastace #NXbris there has been a move to 'content is king' but now there is a weighting towards external social media links @Reload_Media #NXbris if you want your customer to share, know what they want - the better you track them, the better the engagement #NXbris build your customer relationships online and offline, be bold online and lure them to your physical store #NXbris keep your message consistent, keep on brand and plan your strategy objectives no matter what medium #NXbris have an offer for everyone, don't just direct everything to your website, diversify and widen your reach! #NXbris Landing pages are key to driving qualified and measured leads, then you need to put on your salesmans jacket and close the deal! #NXbris look at your analytics: hootsuite, blogs, social sites and make sure you're there. Interact, be social, anticipate & deeply engage!! #NXbris outbound is yelling and hoping the right person hears, inbound is targeting and appropriating for an audience @vanjastace #NXbris the ultimate outcome is the sale and loyalty, add the viral aspect and your customer base automatically grows #NXbris inbound channels like google ad words are becoming expensive but there are other affordable ways with select key words through SEO JacquieMync Jacquie Mync: Appropriate content to meet audience so they are interested in the brand and what the brand is about #nxbris Must have clear call to action on website to interest users #nxbris Google loves Facebook & Twitter & blog posting #nxbris Content is king in terms of getting the conversation started and interacting-which allows google to eat it up #nxbris Building and maintaining relationships online and offline drives the inbound flow of interest in brands and companies #nxbris #nxbris you still have to have an integrated strategy but more so including integrated digital strategy @reloada #nxbris In the next 6 months we will see a lot happening with Google+ @reloada #nxbris have a fast loading website & stand out from the crowd with Adwords and other content optimisation strategies @reloada #nxbris you must have the right attitude to speak the right messages to your target market @vanjastace #nxbris Compelling content is very important to maintain to ensure interactivity and engagement with your audience @vanjastace #nxbris if u r a business u should be using business pages on FB, not personal profile. Not just for the capabilities, but for the stats #nxbris Don't put 'Find us on Facebook' on ur biz card, just put ur biz page link @annastreater #nxbris Depending on your message, you should tailor you message for each medium whether it be FB, Twitter, Blogs etc. #nxbris Make sure you incorporate keywords into your social media messages #nxbris Cost Per Lead is less expensive for companies who spend more on inbound marketing @annastreater creativepassion Creative Passion: #nxbris the beauty of inbound prospects is that they're already qualified. @annastreater #nxbris A blog can drive inbound marketing. Content needs to work for users and seo #nxbris sharing can lift your status @vanjastace #nxbris YouTube probably ranks well In Google because it's owned by Google #nxbris you need to try, research and test different media @reloada #nxbris take into account Australia's aging population re: social media @annastreater #nxbris you have to fish where the fish are @annastreater #nxbris once you have inbound marketing you need good old fashioned service @annastreater #nxbris it's important to know your audience to make it relevant and compelling @annastreater #nxbris If you want to turn off audiences then give sales messages @vanjastace #nxbris you need to include keywords in social media @reloada #nxbris the ultimate result of inbound marketing is sale to person and then the viral aspect @reloada #nxbris cost per lead (cpl) for inbound marketing is cheaper and more targeted @annastreater #nxbris key to inbound media is producing quality content regularly @vanjastace SolarGoz Solar Buzz: 'We've gone from - Selling what we can make - making what we can sell.' @annastreater Great Line!! #nxbris Inbound & outbound. Use each piece of these marketing wedges for your marketing mix. #nxbris It's one thing to get real visitors & another to get bucket loads of tyre kickers. Build your content right. Do things differently. #nxbris It's about being found. Your brand having a relationship with people you've never met. #nxbris 'People are going outside to interact before they engage with the company' @reloada #nxbris Growing idea - Facebook on your business cards - But not 'Find Us on Facebook'. Be more specific. #nxbris #nxbris - 'Adwords getting more expensive. Prices are being pushed up' I hear that - Solar industry Adwords is crazy. IngenuityHost Ingenuity Hosting: Inbound marketing is about remarkable content @reloada #nxbris Inbound marketing isn't just shouting at your clients. It's more about relevancy @vanjastace #nxbris Qualify your target audience & build content specifically for them & drip feed it #nxbris Contrary to @reloada, I don't think the goog & the book are mates #nxbris Great content is driven by knowing what your clients want. Then engage with them #nxbris Google promote their own property @reloada #nxbris Have a strategy for all markets. Some have no internets, some have slow internets & some don't know how to email #nxbris Landing pages with calls to action, offers & great content is essential for a successful adwords campaign #nxbris VEvents Vicki Dwyer: #Nxbris @reloada external sites such as blogs and social media are important for search engines #nxbris checkout digitalbuzzblog.com #Nxbris the ultimate outcome of inbound marketing is to gain loyal long-term customers whn refer friends #Nxbris integrate by always on brand. Everything needs to have same message @vanjastace LizBogdani Elizabeth Bogdanovic: inbound marketing = leaving a trail of bread crumbs for customers to find & engage with u #nxbris research research research + call to actions. So simple yet sometimes easily forgotten #nxbris blogs - create content ppl can connect with + optimise to be found early. Then the masses will love u! #nxbris rissypm Marissa Pavia: #nxbris inbound = qualified leads rather than outbound shouting and hoping it appeals to your market #nxbris @vanjastace drip marketing / nurture campaigns is about engaging with relevant content #nxbris @vanjastace great tip websitegrader.com for free tools on your inbound links #nxbris loving tonight's panel learnt so much my head is buzzing!! MYFB_Andrew Andrew Frahm: #nxbris 'be seen as a thought leader' @vanjastace #nxbris give your readers what they want! 7cookka Kate Cook: #nxbris "drip marketing" nurturing brand customer relationships by positioning your brand through email marketing and social media. #nxbris Don't create a FB profile for a brand. Create a page. You can now migrate your FB friends into followers ClaireLKelly Claire Kelly: Get onto Google plus @reloada top tip #NXBris @Bris_Powerhouse #NXBris @Bris_Powerhouse top tips continued @annastreater @GrandBrands variety of mediums crucial @vanjastace #NXBris top tip . anticipate and answer any consumer issues before they ask.online free shipping or incentives @Bris_Powerhouse @NetworxEvents #NXBris CPL lower in leads #SocialMedia #inboundmarketing benmkelly Ben Kelly: Creating engaging content for your customers will increase the likelihood of positive interaction with your brand #nxbris jaggedsteel Jake Steele: #marketingquotables From @reloada "Google Loves Facebook" Shhh.. No one tell Google+ #nxbris #nxbris Paraphrasing @reloada 'If people aren't buying from you, it's because they don't have enough friends' Befriend a Nigel Campaign FTW melkettle Mel Kettle: and at point of sale #petpeeve RT @VEvents: #Nxbris don't put 'find us on facebook' put the url on your business card

Tick of approval from our panellist for everyone's awesome tweets:

vanjastace Vanja Stace

Thanks to everyone and their busy little hands, the tweets from #nxbris tonight were fantastic! A+ for great content :) You can find out more about the event here: http://bit.ly/NX0911

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
MC & Event Coordinator- Networx Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

VIDEO: The Shift to Inbound Marketing - Panelist Debrief

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:47:19 +1000

Networx TV (http://networxevents.com.au) sits with the Panel Speakers following the Networx Brisbane 'The Shift to Inbound Marketing' event on the 21 September 2011 at Brisbane Powerhouse in New Farm.

This event gave insight into the world of Inbound Marketing, the current market trends and how best to implement Inbound Marketing into your marketing mix.

Our panelists were:

Vanja Stace, Blogger, VanjaStace.com @vanjastace Anna Streater, Director, Marketing & Public Relations, Grand Brands @GrandBrands @annastreater Llew Jury, Managing Director, Reload Media @Reload_Media @reloada

And as always our Panel Facilitator was the lovely Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson.

During the one-on-one interviews, each of the panellists were asked questions that weren't asked during the panel discussion on the night.

View the interview video:

Interview Breakdown: Vanja Stace, Blogger, VanjaStace.com:

00:25 How do we measure the effectiveness of our blog posts?
01:32 Is it important to encourage conversations to happen on your blog site or can they happen elsewhere on other sites such as Facebook?

Anna Streater, Director, Marketing & Public Relations, Grand Brands:

03:09 Is Inbound purely an online platform?
03:55 How do you integrate a direct mail piece into an Inbound Strategy?
04:35 What are your thoughts on traditional channels such as Yellow Pages being used as an Inbound source?

Llew Jury, Managing Director, Reload Media:

05:20 Is Inbound Marketing really that new?
07:03 Why do you think Inbound Marketing is such a new phrase?

For more info about the event:

Event website: http://bit.ly/NX0911

View this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/jhzqlJJ_yNU

Visit our YouTube channel for more event videos: http://youtube.com/networxbrisbane

'Mobile Marketing in the Mix' Panel Event Wrap-up

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:53:21 +1000

We had a great panel of speakers last night, 26 October 2011, at The Exchange Hotel discussing 'Mobile Marketing in the Mix'.

Our panellists included:

Dale Rankine, Head of Mobile and Devices, Speedwell eBusiness Solutions @dalerankine Chris Daley, Product Development Manager, Mnet Group @mnetgroup Mikey Hallman, Technology Director, Misfit Mobile @misfitmobile

with Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson facillitating the discussion.

Here's a bit of an event wrap-up, via Twitter: NetworxEvents Networx Brisbane Follow tonight's #nxbris mobile panellists: @dalerankine @mnetgroup @misfitmobile @catmatson bit.ly/NX1011 'Mobile marketing' panel: @catmatson @misfitmobile @dalerankine @mnetgroup #nxbris Thanks for coming peeps & all the tweets! #nxbris JacquieMync Jacquie Mync Listening to a great panel of speakers regarding marketing via mobile channel #nxbris #networx Using mobile is a great way to communicate brand messages in a personal way #networx #nxbris Using mobile is a great way to communicate brand messages in a personal way #networx #nxbris Near field communication (NFC) is a growing technical aspect of mobile technology @MnetGroup #networx #nxbris Mobile marketing is so important today because of increased penetration of the population who have & use mobiles #nxbris #networx Mobiles are the most important interface for communication. People can't live with out them #networx #nxbris @MnetGroup SMSs are a great way to communicate with a large, extended database #networx #nxbris Smart phones=web in your pocket! Why use anything else? #networx #nxbris @MisfitMobile QR codes are exciting. It's like opening a box or a present #networx #nxbris jaggedsteel Jake Steele Commonwealth Bank's Newest App? 'KaChing'. Ballsy. 'Crazy People' for the real world. <3 Honesty in Marketing #nxbris Push Notifications are an easy-access pass to customer's pockets where you have an app that allows for it. Auto-OptIn = Awesome! #nxbris Getting Schooled. #nxbris 'A cutdown website on a mobile phone is not a mobile strategy'. Damn. Drawing board, here I come. QRcode - Gimmick = Google Search. To make it profitable, you need a reward. I.e : Reward + Gimmick = QRcode. #nxbris Mobile marketing on a shoestring: Google Places listing. Click to Call. Flame trees... Wait, one of those might be overheard outside #nxbris For those after QR apps: http://createQRcode.appspot.com (free) or awe.sm (paid, customized URL shortener & analytics) #nxbris Click to call code? Easy. text Where 'x' is your phone number. #nxbris Dani__Nash Dani Nash Evening about to start #nxbris #nxbris NFC = near field communication (think Go Card) RFID is the underlying technology. #nxbris Research shows mobile is the most important emerging customer interface, esp for teen market (over TV & online). #nxbris Mobile marketing = going to where your customers already #nxbris 90% of SMS are opened, compared to 22% of emails. #nxbris Stats of social check-ins are much less than check-ins for apps that provide useful, location-based functionality. #nxbris Lots of debate on QR Codes and their benefits. (I'm not convinced.) “@ShanzDay: Yay! I won a prize at #NXBris thanks @NetworxEvents” <== And me! Thank you. :) Mobile users are hunters not browsers. #nxbris
MktingResults Marketing Results Great evening at #nxbris ... Enjoyable networking a first! #nxbris Mobile users are hunters not browsers! @benmkelly from 1 to 1200! :) #nxbris ShanzDay Shannon Smart phones are now mainstream & need to be part of yr marketing @misfitmobile @MnetGroup @DaleRankine talk about mobile marketing #NXBris Yay! I won a prize at #NXBris thanks @NetworxEvents #NXBris Is it too late for QR Codes? You really need to reward people well. 'they look so ugly' says @catmatson 7cookka Kate Cook #nxbris @catmatson is hosting tonight's event! I missed that amazing lady.. Always has plenty of knowledge bleeding questions.. #nxbris ensure you maintain customer engagement after leading them through a touch point (banners/apps/QRcodes/MobileSites) @JonaPeck JonaPeck Jona Peck Customer engagement is always key #nxbris #nxbris There is so much opportunity in the mobile marketing 'market' of Australia. Preach it Dale! #nxbris Tips for mobile marketing... 1 Understand your customer. 2. Understand your customer. 3. Understand your freaking customer!! benmkelly Ben Kelly winning prizes @NetworxEvents should be a great panel discussion on mobile marketing #nxbris Mobile marketing and "touch points" all about meaningful engagement with your consumer @dalerankine #nxbris Understanding the communication context for your customers is key to successful mobile strategy @dalerankine #nxbris Use of QR codes grew 1200% in the US in the past year @ MnetGroup #nxbris QR codes have a specific purpose for marketers. Campaigns need to be user friendly and reward users for their effort #nxbris @dalerankine lifeatlucid Clare Smith Apart from missing dynamic insights into mobile marketing, if you're not at #nxbris Networx Event, you missed how HOT @CatMatson shoes are! 10JIL Giuliana Bonel What is mobile marketing? #NXBris Guest speakers @DaleRankie @MnetGroup @MisfitMobile Is there still a place for SMS mkt? Yes! 90% of ppl will open an SMS vs 22% of emails #NXBris Mobile users are hunters not browsers. They want access information quickly & easily. #NXBris Lauren_RedPR Lauren Faulkner With @Danni_RedPR at the mobile marketing in the mix #NXBris event... Very interesting! bec_1972 Rebecca Harvey #nxbris Networx events - always food for thought. gdebever Guillaume Debever Last advice on mobile marketing: just don't be scared and do something! if you don't try you can't fail but you can't succeed either #nxbris SophAp Sophie Paulin Mobile marketing in the mix...looks like the year of mobile slipped past us, and is way ahead #nxbris dalerankine Dale Rankine Thank you @catmatson and @NetworxEvents for a great night of mobile and marketing, drinks and laughs! #nxbris TrendsBrisbane Trendsmap Brisbane #nxbris is now trending in #Brisbane trendsmap.com/au/brisbane LisaMa_ Lisa Ma At the 'Mobile Marketing in the Mix' networking panel event #nxbris (@ The Exchange Hotel w/ @catmatson) [pic]: 4sq.com/tPq7wf I use Qrafter.com as my free QR code generator (for all the #nxbris codes) bit.ly/vDan4e About the event:

You can find out more about the event here: http://bit.ly/NX1011

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
MC & Event Coordinator- Networx Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

VIDEO: Mobile Marketing in the Mix - Panelist Debrief

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 01:37:00 +1000

Networx TV (http://networxevents.com.au) sits with the panel speakers following the Networx Brisbane 'Mobile Marketing in the Mix' event on the 26 October 2011 at The Exchange Hotel in Brisbane CBD.

Mobile has meant a whole new range of options are now available to the savvy marketers. In this video the panelist's discuss how businesses can make the most of Mobile Websites, Apps and QR codes.

Our panelists were:

And as always our Panel Facilitator was the lovely Cat Matson @catmatson

View the interview video:

Interview breakdown: Mikey Hallman, Technology Director, Misfit Mobile:

00:15 Can you tell us how to make QR codes work effectively in our marketing?
01:34 Can you give us an example of how you've seen a QR code used effectively?

Chris Daley, Product Development Manager, Mnet Group:

02:25 What are the distinctions between a Mobile Site and a traditional Website?
04:11 What is an example of a company using the both a Website and a Mobile Site effectively?

Dale Rankine, Head of Mobile and Devices, Speedwell eBusiness Solutions:

06:22 How can Apps be used effectively to enrich the customer experience?
07:24 So is it important to define what your strategic objectives are?

For more info about the event:

Event website: http://bit.ly/NX1011

View this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/0MVfvB1VvJE

Visit our YouTube channel for more event videos: http://youtube.com/networxbrisbane

'Social Media Optimisation' Panel Event Wrap-up

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:12:33 +1000

It was a fantastic, sold-out event, on 22 February 2012 at Central Eagle Street Conference Venue, Brisbane City. Our panel of speakers discussed 'Social Media Optimisation: Integrating social media and search strategy'.

Our panellists for the evening:

Llew Jury, Managing Director, Reload Media, @reloada @reload_media Edmund Pelgen, Director of Search Engine Optimisation, Traffika @edmundpelgen @traffika Scott Esdaile, Digital Strategist, XCOM Media @scottesdaile @xcommedia

with Cat Matson, Business CATalyst @catmatson facillitating the discussion.

Here's a bit of an event wrap-up, via Twitter: Networx Brisbane ‏ @NetworxEvents Follow tomorrow's #nxbris @reloada @scottesdaile @edmundpelgen @catmatson @central_group & fellow attendees here ow.ly/9bLO3
#nxbris SMO panel: @catmatson @edmundpelgen @scottesdaile @reloada pic.twitter.com/f2VAYsff #nxbris audience... Good looking bunch! pic.twitter.com/RdlUbs8L @ridefreemedia in action with the #nxbris video interviews w @catmatson @reloada pic.twitter.com/aoOiT6I2

Tweeps looking forward to the evening...

Cat Matson ‏ @catmatson 2morrow's #nxbris guests: a funk jazz muso, an online mkting aficionado & gin connoisseur: @scottesdaile @edmundpelgen @reloada #lovemyjob reloada ‏ @reloada Looking forward to speaking at this event tomorrow night! 'Social Media Optimisation' bit.ly/yBnRLN #nxbris Sophie Paulin ‏ @SophAp @GeriNapier - it will be great to catch up! Should be a great night, #nxbris put on a good do... Tynan Stanyer ‏ @TynanStanyer Going to my first networking event tonight @networxevents little bit excited little bit nervous #nxbris Nathan Bush ‏ @nathbush Looking forward to #NXBris tonight with @reloada @scottesdaile & @catmatson. Can't say I'm looking forward to @scottesdaile's jokes though. Amber Dermoudy ‏ @ambrdextrous Looking forward to tonight's event on social media optimisation #nxbris #firstone

And then we get into it...

Alexandra Kerr ‏ @kerr_alexandra "Anything you're doing online needs to integrate perfectly with what you're doing offline" #nxbris Smeg = social media expert/guru #nxbris Only google can impact on google organic rankings, not twitter or facebook. #nxbris Would pinterest only be strong for visually attractive products? Thoughts... #nxbris @scottesdaile's jokes are great, @nathbush! #nxbris "Lightweight interactions over time." - the key technique to social media success #nxbris @edmundpelgen "Be interesting. Be relevant. Have insight" @Scottesdaile talking about how to stand out on YouTube. #nxbris Neeeeeeever!! “@PEllender: YouTube is cluttered by too many cats #NXBris” Take a problem offline....and then make sure you post back that the issue was resolved. #nxbris "Put the Google + button on everything you do." @reloada #nxbris Tips from @edmundpelgen: "Get knowledgeable about Google +." #nxbris @Scottesdaile: "Go in, be nimble." @reloada:"Strategy!" Melissa Hoedel ‏ @TaybianDesign #NXBris pic.twitter.com/X2ekemBT Social media and seo are both about ultimately converting the customer @edmunpelgen #NXBris Only Googleplus is going to impact organic google rankings @Edmundesdaile #NXBris Are we loving pinterest? Hell yes! #NXBris Is pinterest driving more traffic than all other social media? Stats are strong whilst it's in it's infancy, time will tell. #NXBris "lightweight interactions over time". Makes sense, stay in it for the long haul, creative content for Ur target market #NXBris Fantastic content and speakers tonight!!! #NXBris Planning and preparation is paramount to a successful strategy for online social media #NXBris Engage trolls in social media. A successfully recovered customer can be come Ur most loyal. @TaybianDesign #NXBris Straddle and hedge Ur best across all platforms @catmatson #NXBris Strategy, strategy, strategy... And keep playing to keep up to date! #NXBris Sally Gardner ‏ @sal_star1 me 2 !! RT @eat247au: #nxbris loving it so far Panel discussion with @catmatson @EdmundPelgen @Traffika @ScottEsdaile @XCOMmmedia @Reloada @Reload_Media #optimization #acronymcity #NXBris new acronym in #acronymcity #SMEG Social Media Engagement Guru #NXBris the *ahhh moment when you understand the WHY to Google plus brand pages RT @TaybianDesign: Is there a Google sunami coming? @Edmund #NXBris Why more women are signed up = 'Pinterest is like Scrapbooking for twitter' #NXBris It is about engagement in SM not just fans and likes #lifeisnotaFBbutton #NXBris if negative comments or trolls advice is to #playitcool for a bit and #dontfeedthetrolls plan your reactions and #whatifs in advance #NXBris Use an integrated Google plus button and key words to optimize search results for your brand #NXBris Kym O'Gorman ‏ @MsKymOG You have to look at social media from a strategic perspective - not just a marketing outcome. @EdmundPelgen #NXBris Anything you're doing online needs to integrate with anything you're doing offline "in the real world". @ScottEsdaile #NXBris Googles not indexing Twitter or Facebook mentions @LlewJury #NXBris Social, SEO ultimately have the same goal - to turn a prospect into a customer @EdmundPelgen #NXBris Social media impact on rankings and traffic #nxbris People find e-commerce transactions through search more than social @EdmundPelgen #NXBris Will Facebook get into search and "reverse the search"? @LlewJury #NXBris The key to success is to have lightweight interactions over a period of time. @EdmundPelgen #NXBris Immediate imperative is to understand Google + @EdmundPelgen #NXBris

Tessa M ‏ @SolarGoz

All media can be social media. #nxbris Wrapping it up early in the night. Anything you do online needs to integrate with what your doing in the real world #nxbris Take your complaints off line. Engage away from the spotlight. Companies need solutions before problems #nxbris Equiverlates - is that the relationship between the equivalent that relates? #nxbris The Google + tsunami is coming. Do you have your plus button? #nxbris #getready Don't just have a page or presence - It needs to be used, optimised and worked into everything. #nxbris Facebook turning into Bingbook? It's that the only way forward for organic rankings? Maybe. #nxbris It still comes down to one thing - know your target market!! If you don't know that you don't know how to even develop a strategy. #nxbris Elizabeth Bogdanovic ‏ @LizBogdani is all media social media? It's getting that way, agreed for ads & promo activities #nxbris google + has 90 million users. Holyyyy. Marketers take note it's the only social channel integrated into search results #nxbris fyi if u hadn't already heard tweeps google + is going to start influencing ur search results #nxbris starting to think i need to create a corporate pinterest of sexy cooking equipment... #nxbris don't talk about yourself too much - corporate social media rules #nxbris Amber Dermoudy ‏ @ambrdextrous Ensure integration between offline and online marketing activities. Key point made by @scottesdaile #nxbris Is there a Google tsunami coming?? What are your thoughts? #nxbris "Social and SEO have the same goal. Turning a prospect into a customer" - too true @Edmundpelgen #nxbris #talkingintegration I'm seeing "pin it" social shares everywhere. I'm hoping one of the panelists will discuss Pinterest's role in the future of social #nxbris How to handle a troll on social media.. Not sure I agree with Scott re play it cool. #nxbris I say identify, investigate and address #nxbris how is Facebook going to take on Google+ ? Answer = Bing? A thought from @edmundpelgen How to stay ahead in Social/Search? 1. Get into Google + 2. Be nimble as marketers 3. Strategy. Do your market research. #nxbris

BWH Communication ‏ @BWH_Comm

#NXBris Important to integrate online & offline activities. #socmedia can't exist in a silo #PR #marketing RT @OgilvyPRAus: Pinterested? New blog post from @melanievaz http://bit.ly/AyqoMV Hot topic at last night's #NXBris #PR

(zero)seven ‏ @zeroseven

#nxbris We have been hearing for awhile that google+ will have a large impact on search, great to hear the experts confirm! Damien ‏ @sharmsdiddy #NXBris Google plus is not dead! Has great potential moving forward as part of search strategy #nxbris "the key to success in social media is to have lightweight interactions over time" #nxbris agrees with Llew, the key to social media is creative strategy. Evaluation -> discovery, then take it from there #nxbris important to set up Google plus now in the mindset of business ready for any potential Australian roll outs next 6-12 months James Johnson ‏ @jimbojohnson Social isn‘t just a marketing opportunity. Integrate into strategic channels. #NXBris Sophie Paulin ‏ @SophAp Social Media "sells the product", Search allows us to "find the product". You need both in your strategy! @edmundpelgen #NXBris

Rachael Hedges ‏ @Rachael_09

@NetworxEvents I must say I'm not sold on Google+ however I don't want to miss the visibility in Google searches either.. #NoChoice #NXBris Pinterest 'Digital Crack for Women' http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/addicted-to-a-web-site-called-pinterest-digital-crack-for-women/2012/02/20/gIQAP3wAQR_story.html #SoTrue watch this space attract more males with sports boards perhaps? #NXBris I need a Jeremy Lin! 91,000 subscribers in 3 days to FB page & 500% increase to Knicks page! #LinSocial #linsanity #NXBris Jill Brennan ‏ @harbren
Pinterest is for bower birds - most suited to strong images. Great opportunity for new brand to get exposure. #NXbris Alaryse Johnston ‏ @Alaryse Don't start a fight, cool it on social media in crisis situations. Be prepared and don't act on 'the fly' #nxbris Facebook brands can message individuals, who knew? #nxbris #nxbris actively promote google + button on everything you do. #nxbris Facebook builds fans first, google + targets business first to bring their community across, vital to organic rankings #nxbris know your audience, be transparent, have a great strategy. Marketing Results ‏ @MktingResults
Social Media/Search strategy TIP: Twitter & Facebook drive referral traffic, Google+ drives organic traffic @edmundpelgen #NXBris #NXBris "Start with Google+ now. Get ur head around it" (before the G+ Tsunami hits Aus). Top tip from @edmundpelgen Trendsmap Brisbane ‏ @TrendsBrisbane
#nxbris, 'hawker', 'windsor' & #tennews are now trending in #Brisbane trendsmap.com/au/brisbane

The next day...

reloada ‏ @reloada @scottesdaile @LisaMa_ @catmatson @edmundpelgen great panel at #nxbris and should do it again soon... edmundpelgen ‏ @edmundpelgen For #nxbris participants 45 Resources on Google Plus Search your world ow.ly/9et8l RT @vivogroup: @edmundpelgen Bing Book comes to life http://ow.ly/9er0A #nxbris (nice find guys)

Scott Esdaile ‏ @scottesdaile

Thanks! Hopefully you enjoyed the content too! RT @kerr_alexandra: @scottesdaile's jokes are great, @nathbush! #nxbris Our collective rugged good looks? No? ;) RT @Gibbled: #nxbris I wonder why experts are all men on the panel and the audience mostly women? Cat Matson ‏ @catmatson I *heart* the #NXBris interactions I'm seeing in my twitter stream right now. #loveyourwork @edmundpelgen @scottesdaile @reloada... Alexandra Kerr ‏ @kerr_alexandra
@NetworxEvents YAY!!! Thank you!! Was such a great night and I learnt so much! Yay! #nxbris Networx Brisbane ‏ @NetworxEvents Shout out to the awesome #nxbris panel last nite: @catmatson @edmundpelgen @scottesdaile @reloada, you guys rock! Shout out to our great #nxbris sponsors: @RideFreeMedia @lifeatlucid @vivogroup @reload_media @edibleblooms @central_group Fairchild, DPMA #NXBRIS TEASER VIDEO: @CatMatson invites you to our 'Building Brand Equity' event on 21 March! fb.me/1sVhxkguU More about the event:

You can find out more about the event here: http://bit.ly/NX0212

Post by Lisa Ma (@lisama_)
MC & Event Coordinator- Networx Brisbane
Follow on Twitter: @networxevents

VIDEO: Social Media Optimisation - Panel Debrief

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:01:00 +1000

Networx TV (http://networxevents.com.au) sits with the Panel Speakers following the Networx Brisbane 'Social Media Optimisation' event on the 22 February 2012 at Central Eagle Street Conference Venue in Brisbane.

Social Media has exploded over the last couple of years and with new social media channels popping up weekly, it is becoming incredibly hard for businesses to not only stay up to date, but also to optimise and effectively market through these channels. In this video the panelist's discuss how businesses can make the most of Social Media Networks and the rise of Google Plus.

Our panelists were:

And as always our Panel Facilitator was the lovely Cat Matson, Business CATalyst, Alito @catmatson.

View the video interview:

Interview breakdown: Llew Jury, Reload Media

00:20 If you were advising Kyle Sandilands, what would had been your advice?
01:00 If our brands got into similar trouble, how can we control what is being said online?

Edmund Pelgen, Traffika

01:37 Why is Google Plus so important?
02:25 Will the results that I see through organic search be impacted by my Google Plus circles and influence?

Scott Esdaile, XCOM

02:50 How do we stand out in an increasingly cluttered social media space?
03:44 What is the distinction between social and all other media?

For more info about the event:

Event website: http://bit.ly/NX0212

View this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Nhnk8ambw

Visit our YouTube channel for more event videos: http://youtube.com/networxbrisbane

VIDEO: Building Brand Equity - Panel Debrief

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:14:00 +1000

Networx TV (http://networxevents.com.au) sits with the Panel Speakers following the Networx Brisbane 'Building Brand Equity' event on the 21 March 2012 at Iceworks in Brisbane.

The panelists discussed how a brand is more than just a logo and how business can start building a culture to develop brand equity.

Our panelists were:

Jack Perlinski, Director, DAIS @brandjack01 Nick Pritchard, Creative Director, Decoder @decoderideas

And as always our Panel Facilitator was the lovely Cat Matson, Business CATalyst @catmatson

View the interview video:

Interview Breakdown: Jack Perlinski, DAIS

00:24 Why is it important to have brand valued in the balance sheet?

Nick Pritchard, Decoder

02:11 How do you build a brand and culture for a small business?

For more info about the event:

Event website: http://bit.ly/NX0312

View this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp3MEJFFnmk

Visit our YouTube channel for more event videos: http://youtube.com/networxbrisbane