Tag: Sydney

Branding Basics

Leave a comment

Recently we offered our tips on branding basics via our Instagram account

Here’s a breakdown of the tips we shared.

  1. Don’t paint yourself into a corner – choose a name and colour scheme that will allow you to grow!

    Research online and check if anyone has registered any of your shortlisted business names.
    Look at different colour schemes of other businesses online and see how it might work for your business.

  2. Do your research into branding and #ip (intellectual property) legal obligations. 📝
    Speak to industry experts about your obligations and rights in relation to branding. 🖊
    By taking these steps you’re well on the path to MAKING IT HAPPEN!
  3. EXPERIMENT! 🌈
    Hold a focus group with close family and friends.
    📝
    Get their thoughts on logos, tag-lines and your short list of brand names.
    🙏🏻
    Take the feedback into consideration and use this to move forward.
    If you’re able, try and ask potential customers.
  4. Whatever you decide for your branding, make sure there’s an obvious synergy between it and your business. 💬
    You don’t want to spend time explaining your branding name or choices when you could be working on securing new opportunities!
  5. Think of your brand as a person – Blonde 👱🏼‍♀️brunette or👨🏽 older👴🏻?? 👲🏾👳🏾👩🏻‍🎤👨🏼‍🍳
    Who would purchase from you?
    What’s their job title, their family situation? Additionally, think about the future and the implications of selling a business and handing your name over to someone else.
  6. Once you’ve chosen a name, colour scheme and have a #branding guideline document (if you don’t have one of these we have some fabulous contacts who can help!) you’re on the way to building your business! 🖊
    But where to next??
    🙋🏼
    That’s where a public relations campaign will help generate awareness of your business, your products and/or services. 📌
  7. Make sure your workspace reflects your values. 🖊
    Especially if you intend on hosting clients, make it a welcoming place. If you’re working from home choose a cafe or restaurant that sets the standard you want your business to reflect.
  8. Is your name readable? Choose a font that’s easy for people to understand and decipher. There are few things worse than trying to spell or explain your brand name to someone. 🖊
    Another reason why it’s important to get feedback on your final version of your logo.
  9. When you think about Sydney as a “brand” what do you think of?
    The harbour?
    The coat hanger – our iconic bridge?
    The Opera House?
    〰
    When you’re developing your business brand, consider the elements you want to be remembered. ➰
    Try and work these into your brand name, tagline, colour scheme! ⤵️
  10. Never underestimate the value of a professional!
    They’ll help define and “shape” your brand logo, any graphics and documents you require. 🖊
    We have a range of graphic designers that we call on for our own work and that of our clients. 🖊
    If you need a referral, let us know. We’re always happy to connect you with one of our fabulous service providers.

Contact us today to see how we can help your branding needs

Guest blog interview: Sandy Cummins

Leave a comment

Today’s Guest blog interview is with a past client of Pursuit’s – Sandy Cummins. We worked with Sandy and her team when they launched a business in the beautiful Daylesford region of Victoria, Australia.

We’ve stayed in contact over the years and I was thrilled to have Sandy’s contribution towards our guest blog series.

So, Sandy, tell me a bit about your new venture.

Sandy: We are floral artisans, embracing the perfect imperfections of nature to bring the scents, colours and wayward stems of naturally grown old-fashioned fragrant roses, herbs and foliage. With nearly 2000 rose bushes we supply cut roses to others and produce our own lavish arrangements.  Our arrangements tell a story through the secret language of flowers sourced, foraged and grown locally, ethically and sustainably on our picturesque property in Victoria’s pretty little country village of Trentham, in regional Victoria.

Oh my goodness, that sounds like the perfect way to tell a story! Can you tell me a bit more about the process?

Sandy: Our heritage roses are garden grown with minimal intervention with the help of bees, compost, sunshine and rain. Our full romantic blooms show the true colours of gentle natural agriculture and have heady scents, twisting stems and the occasional spot. As nature intended.

How very eco-friendly and what a great selling point!

For those who don’t know, how did you use PR for your previous business?

Sandy: In a prior floral business, we used PR for a product launch to create brand awareness.

So I’d love to hear, what do you believe are the benefits of PR?

Sandy: Integrated PR strategies provide both short and long-term opportunities.

I think this is so true, so many time, people are only aware of the results that come via securing media coverage, however deeper than this, is the relationships with media contacts and the long-term benefits of this relationship. Anything else? 

Sandy: Building brand/product awareness is crucial and takes time. The investment in PR v. traditional advertising provides much more value for money.

I agree Public Relations is one that takes time and is all about building brand awareness over time. 

If a mentee walked up to you and asked for your advice and you only had a few minutes to give ‘em your best tip, what would it be?

Always have an integrated strategy, continuously innovated and reinvent yourself and be true to your brand,  walk the talk – as authenticism is pivotal.

Define “Success”

The realisation of a dream which can be happily shared with others.

With “Success” in mind, what’s on your “work-plate” now?

A while ago, I stumbled upon an inspiring and informative book by investigative journalist Amy Stewart called Flower Confidential. It described the global floral industry today and the perils to both humanity and the land of the large-scale commercial flower industry.  Amy’s book was to floristry a little like what the film “Food Inc”  was to the food industry. So, in my mind, the seed was sown; a vision to establish a “slow” flower movement in Australia – local, seasonal, heritage varieties, grown collaboratively by local land-owners with a similar philosophy using sustainable practices. A flower farm consortium – was the ultimate dream!  “Consortium Botanicus” is now the reality. Consortium Botanicus encourages flower farmers, farmer-florists, and florist-designers right across Australia to join via their website www.consortiumbotanicus.com.au Membership is free and the momentum is building!

Well done! That sounds fab, lets hope others follow suit, do keep us updated!

Sandy, is there anything you’d like to share with us about upcoming projects (even a hint?)

Sandy: Our new bespoke accommodation launches very soon which provides guests with an immersive spa style experience combining our rose, herb and flower beds, local artisanal culinary delights and a level of comfort and style enabling true relaxation and rejuvenation.

Finally,  if you wouldn’t mind indulging us here, how did Pursuit Communications benefit your business?

Sandy: Pursuit Communications provided extensive media opportunities as well as assisted in the strategy and execution of a major launch event in regional Victoria. Compiling goody-bags, assisting with speeches and media relations – the activities Pursuit undertook assisted with the launch activity.

Thank you, Sandy, for your time and I’m thrilled that we’ve stayed in touch long after the campaign we worked on with you finished. 

Interested in finding out how Pursuit can assist your business in 2018?

Contact us TODAY.

We have FREE 20 minute consultations, where we’ll offer our insights and best recommendations for your business.

 

Guest Blog Interview: Sam Gardiner

Leave a comment

The second guest blog interview is from Sam Gardiner. I met Sam at University (almost 16 years ago!) and since then we’ve not only been great mates and we’ve championed each other’s endeavors.

In the interview below, we discuss success, changing career paths and the fact that there is no such thing as an “average day”.

B:  Okay Sam, give me your elevator pitch… “Who is Sam Gardiner?”
S: I’m a creative at heart,  even at an early age, I found myself playing around on computers, creating and designing different things.. logos, brands, publications, labels, websites… I’ve always had an appetite for creativity. So when I completed high school I went into a BA comms at UWS (where we met!) with the idea to break into the advertising industry in some way.

I had this desire to feed my creative urge, however, I saw advertising as a cut-throat business which discouraged me greatly.  During this time, I took over my brother’s homebrewing kit, and from that moment on the die was cast. I decided to pursue a career in brewing. Once I had completed my BA comms I did a two-year graduate diploma in brewing, and subsequently worked a decade in the brewing industry.  Eventually, I found myself specialising in the setup and commission of new micro-breweries around the world.

After 10 years I decided to settle back in Australia and take a change in direction – I went back to my initial passion around creativity and now I work in a small advertising agency, in Sydney. 

B: So what’s your job and how does an average day look for you?
S: I’m “officially” a Production & Video Manager, but often there’s more to it than that.

My day revolves around wearing a range of different hats. Working for a small agency, I have my fingers in many pies when it comes to projects.

B: Yes, I find the same thing. No two days are ever the same!

S: Exactly! One moment I am out shooting a video, the next I’m designing a mock-up for a  website and liaising with programmers to bring that mockup into reality, then I may be managing the production of a trade magazine, or analysing data from a recent MailChimp campaign, or editing and producing our latest months content for Hello Foodservice, in between meeting with clients.

B: I find when it’s like that, it’s often hard to keep track of what day it is, because usually you’re always forward planning /working and then remembering the actual date is not (for example) November it’s September!

S: Yes!  I do find especially with travel thrown into the mix that the days fly by (pardon the pun!) and some days I leave with a headache, others I leave with a smile, but on the whole, I love what I do.
 

SG Blog photo

Sam Gardiner, Production & Video Manager

B: I think that’s important to love what you do. On that vein of thinking, what advice would you give someone?  

 
S: Don’t doubt your abilities when you look at others. A lot of people bluff. If you can deliver, that’s what will lead you to success.

B: Speaking of #Success (Which you know is a hashtag we champion!) what does success mean to you?

S: Success is in the eye of the beholder. Only you can gauge what is a success and what is not due to your own set of principles. Some people gauge earning a million bucks as a success, others gauge having a loving family at their side as a success. It’s subjective.

One thing I would say is that even something you may consider a failure is a success in a way as you can learn from it for next time.
If you do experience a failure, never give up.

Learn from it.
Move on.
Try a different route.
Eventually, you will succeed.

 

***

I’d like to thank Sam for his time and friendship. There’s more guest blog interviews coming soon, so stay tuned. 

If you missed our first guest blog interview with Intern Lani then CLICK HERE.

 

Mother’s Day

Leave a comment

It’s not *too* late if you’ve left promoting your Mother’s Day products.

Below I’ve shared my top tips to get customers buying in the last-minute rush.

 

*Offer discounted or free express postage – and offer to send directly to “Mum” or “Nanna” rather than to the purchaser, and include gift-wrapping for a nominal fee.

*Use Social media – use Instagram Stories, Facebook LIVE to promote your products, show them in-situ and ask customers to send their images and share these!

*Offer gift-vouchers; they’re great for those “last-minute Larry’s” out there who inevitably leave shopping right until the last second.

*Reward customers with discount upon completion of purchase, this will get them coming back for more!

*Share your business posts on your personal pages; your friends and family are your greatest supporters, so get them to share too!

15929-happy-mothers-day-watercolor

Why *where* you meet is as important as who you’re meeting

Leave a comment

Most of us will have been in the situation where we’ve met someone, a potential client or colleague even family or friends at a location that just isn’t right.

Remember how that made you feel?

That’s why, whenever I ask to meet someone I always like to meet somewhere where the service is nothing short of A+, the variety of food and beverages can cater to whatever situation, so coffees in the morning that can extend to morning tea or even lunch if I need to spend longer with a client and the venue *must* be in a central location that’s easy to access for everyone.

Recently, I had a meeting in the city and told my followers via Instagram Stories that the location was one of my all time favourite locations to meet when I’m in the city.

Why is this location one of my favourites?

Beyond the reasons listed above; there’s a WOW factor, the subtle lounge music that’s playing softly in the background, the ease of parking or access via public transport and the fact that it’s in a location that’s easily recognisable, even if you aren’t overly familiar with the CBD, you can find this place in an instant!

Now, before you’ve even met with a potential client or whoever it is you’re meeting, remember you want them to feel at ease and confident they can reach the meeting destination without any difficulties.

So where you meet, is as important as who you’re meeting.

Tell me, where do you like to meet?

Do you want to know my preferred meeting places?  

Fill in the form below and I’ll email you my list of top places to meet in Australia.

La La Land & Public Relations

1 Comment

n the 2016 film La La Land, one of the first songs is “Someone in the Crowd”. If you haven’t seen the film or heard the song, do yourself a favour, and have a quick listen. (Note: link opens Spotify)

While listening to the song on my way to a meeting, I found some very clear comparisons between the song and public relations and it’s not hard to see some of the connections.
You got the invitation You got the right address
If you’re on the guest list, you’re well on your way to connecting with those who will help you get to where you want. You may think at that particular point “what am I doing here?”, you never know, in the future, you may just thank your “past self”!

A little chance encounter
Could be the one you’ve waited for

We’ve all been at events where we meet that one person, who is exactly who we needed to meet. Whether it’s someone who can connect you with someone else or indeed the person you’ve tried to track down, that “Someone in the crowd” could be at that party, business event or even at your local coffee shop!

Tonight we’re on a mission
Tonight’s the casting call
If this is the real audition
Oh, God, help us all

Everyone has a goal at every event they attend. It might be as simple as having a good time, however in the business world, attending an event usually has a purpose. If you’re there to network, catch-up with some business associates or to introduce a new contact to some of your contacts, there’s a goal to meet and it’s always “the real audition” so it’s vital you present your best self!

You make the right impression
Then everybody knows your name
We’re in the fast lane

This is relatively easy to “translate”. If you present your best self, the word of mouth recommendations will “speak for themselves”. (sorry bad pun!) Once you’ve made that great first impression, you’ll be on your way to success.

Someone in the crowd could be the one you need to know
The one to finally lift you off the ground
Someone in the crowd could take you where you wanna go

Finally, that someone in the crowd could be the person you’ve been looking to meet. If you see someone standing on their own at an event, go and talk to them, you never know how they might be able to help you in taking you to where you want to go!

Key takeaway points:

*GO to that event, you may not feel like, but you never know who you’ll meet and how they might be able to help.

*Always present your BEST self. Just because you may be seeing some of the same faces, it’s no excuse to slack off in your appearance.

*Don’t forget the incredible value of word-of-mouth referrals. You make the right impression one, that one person has the potential to increase your business ten-fold. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals or indeed a recommendation on LinkedIn.

If you’re thinking about GROWING your profile look at my “Grow with PR” session  it could be the next best step you make for your business. 

 

Sharing the love

Leave a comment

Ahhh Valentine’s Day. There’s no escaping it, if like us you believe everyday should be Valentine’s Day, why not do something romantic every week of the year? (It may sound like a lot of work, but trust us on this one!)

Here’s how… Leave a note in your loved one’s pocket or send them a text with I LOVE YOU in a different language. 

Find the best way to share the language of love here.

While we’re talking all things love, don’t forget that we’re sharing the love with our FREE PR advice opportunity.  

You just have to tell us what areas of marketing, PR and social media your business needs improving.

Then we’ll be in touch with our recommendations. It’s that easy. 

 Have a LOVELY day!

The Ed Sheeran effect

Leave a comment

Unless you’ve been under a rock, it’s hard not have seen or heard one of the two new songs from hitmaker Ed Sheeran.

Ed’s currently on a promotional tour of Australia and it appears to be doing great things for him, with his two newly released songs placed at one and two on the ARIA charts

So, what lesson can we take from Ed?

Well, there’s many but the one I’d like to focus on today is that simplicity wins, always.

Ed takes to stage, television and radio studios with just a guitar and that sublime voice of his. Now, that is a skill in itself there’s no taking away from that.

But there’s no bells and whistles, just as there shouldn’t be when it comes to promoting your business.

Simple messages, without fluff will always stand a better chance of cut-through than those with unnecessary words.

I’d like to take the opportunity to remind our readers that we’re still offering FREE PR advice – click here to answer two simple questions and I’ll get back to you with feedback.