Category Archives: Business & Careers

PR or Advertising: So What’s The Difference?

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What's the difference between PR and advertising?Jane Ellison-Bates of Manifest Marketing outlines the difference between PR and advertising – and why that matters

We all make assumptions that certain aspects of our businesses are as clear to others as they are to us.   Whatever trade you are in it’s probably the same; there are some areas of knowledge which are so fundamental that you may assume other people, especially your customers, know what you know. But maybe they don’t.

I have been amazed on a few occasions when business owners have confessed to me that they don’t really understand the difference between advertising and PR.  After more years than I care to reveal in the business, to me it was obvious, but I have come to realise that it’s always worth highlighting with a new client the differences between the two.

My favourite way to explain it is the ‘earned versus owned’ principle.

When you decide to book and pay a publication for space or airtime you therefore ‘own’ it.  Quite simply, this is advertising.  Its principal advantage is that because you are paying for it, within reason you can say what you like.  You get to choose how it looks, where it appears and when it appears.  You are completely in control.  If anything goes wrong or contravenes the T&Cs of your booking then you have the right to complain and seek some form of recompense.  You are essentially blowing your own trumpet, and if you do it well you will convince some, if not all, of the people who see, hear or watch your advert that they should buy your product or service.

PR is a whole different ball game.  This time you need to ‘earn’ your space or fifteen minutes of fame.  You can’t pay a TV station to be featured on the news, or a magazine to run a feature; you have to be offering something that an editor wants to share with the audience.  It’s much, much harder and as such commands a greater value.  This time someone else thinks you’re interesting and is prepared to publicise it over and above other contenders. As a result, as a basic rule of thumb in the marketing industry, PR coverage is valued at three times its advertising equivalent, so, for example, a full page valued at £1000 in the advertising media pack is worth £3000 as editorial.  And you don’t actually pay them for it.  Weird but true.

Editorial coverage for your product, service or story wins you kudos in your field and sets you apart. The downside might be that your story isn’t deemed interesting and doesn’t appear, or that it gets edited in a way you don’t like; possibly even erroneously.  It happens.  Unless it’s actually libellous you are likely to have no comeback.  Alternatively, you may not like the position of the piece; but don’t even think about complaining if you want to have any hope of getting future coverage from them.

And that’s where a PR company comes in handy. Let them get to know your business and they will winkle out the interesting stories, present them well to minimise editing and ‘earn’ you that coverage that you covet.

Investment Trusts by John Baron | Book Review

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investmenttrustsWhen I first saw the title of this book, ‘Investment Trusts’. I thought that it would be quite a dry read. I was very wrong. This is a well written and easy to read guide to investment trusts. A must read for investors and financial advisers.

John Baron presents an extremely compelling case for investing in investment trusts instead of the more common and traditional unit trusts/ mutual funds.

As a very basic overview.

Unit trusts are open ended (except  funds from new investors) and trade at their net asset value

Investment trusts trade like shares on an exchange. They are closed ended (don’t accept new investor funds) and can trade at a discount or premium to their actual net asset values.

The book does a much better job of explaining the differences and goes into a lot more detail. Baron examines the factors which explain why unit trusts/OEICs under perform investment trusts. He clearly presents the opportunities which many investors may be missing out on.

The book is well researched (Baron has worked in the industry for many years). It is clear easy to understand, jargon free and well structured. It is difficult to argue with any of the authors conclusions. The book also has extra tips for successful investing and information on how to construct and monitor a trust portfolio. This is a must read for any investor who currently only invests in mutual funds. I’m not surprised it has a flawless record of 5 star reviews on Amazon.

5/5

Financial Times Guide to Investment Trusts: Unlocking the City’s Best Kept Secret is available here.

 

 

AudaCity of Fashion launches coffee mornings offering free crowd funding advice

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Need money for your fashion business?

Then you need to book in to  “AudaCity Coffee Mornings” for a one-to-one free consultation to discuss how crowdfunding could be the solution to your funding issues

AudaCity of Fashion offers a revolutionary approach to the support of fashion creativity in London. As a reward based crowdfunding platform dedicated to fashion, AudaCity of Fashion allows designers to pre-sell their products and undertake market research. It fosters an early collaboration with the audience, who pledge and receive rewards in return of their contributions.

AudaCity of Fashion, Free fashion business advice

As this is a new concept to most young fashion brands, AudaCity of Fashion has launched a weekly coffee morning when fashion creative can pop in for a free one-to-one consultation to discuss how crowd funding could help their business. The sessions are available every Tuesday morning starting on October 1st from 10am – 1pm at Felicities Showroom, Shoreditch. To book an appointment call Josie on 0207 377 6030.

 

AudaCity of Fashion opens the door to creative funding. It allows fashion ideas, which do not fit the criteria required byconventional financiers to break through, get access to the market, and gain financial support from truly interested early supporters.

 

Open to everyone connected within the fashion industry including designers, photographers, illustrators, magazines, and bloggers, AudaCity of Fashion will engage with people to bring the energy, enthusiasm and resources to accomplish a positive change and build sustainable brands for the future.

 

AudaCity of Fashion which launched in July has already had two successful projects and has garnered support from key industry figures who will act as curators, catalysts and experts and be the visionary individuals willing to support the growth of inspirational fashion businesses.   Gemma Ebelis, Head of PR, British Fashion Council commented: “This exciting opportunity will enable designers to engage directly with their customers; a welcomed development in terms of communicating key messaging surrounding events or bespoke product.This successful technology is a move away from traditional funding models and has been instrumental in raising money within other industries. This September, we look forward to incorporating it into the UK’s fashion arena with activity planned for London Fashion Week”.

www.audacityoffashion.com   

 

4 Ways Mad Men’s Don Draper Would Use a Smartphone

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The technology of the ’60s was nothing compared to what we have today — I mean, they were just inventing the first answering machines — and Don Draper was not impressed. He called technology a glittering lure and hinted that they were mostly just for show.

Still, it’s interesting to see how Don Draper would use the technology of today for his life in the ’60s. Read on for the four ways in which Don Draper would use a smartphone’s convenience.

1. As a Normal Phone


Image via Flickr by Tim G. Photography

Okay, okay, I know this one isn’t groundbreaking. But let’s face it — Don Draper has never experienced the simple, taken-for-granted convenience of owning a cellular or portable phone. Just think, with a phone by his side, Draper could call a taxi instead of driving drunk. Countless lives could be saved.

2. As a Camera/Slideshow Viewer

Like in his carousel photo gallery presentation, Draper has to have an itch to go back, a yearning for the nostalgic, a longing to “travel the way a child travels.” He could store photos of his terrible parents for those moments where he wants to drink and forget, or he could keep stock in all the women in his life.

In between his multiple extramarital affairs, a smartphone would allow Draper to love his kids from afar. Just how he wants it.

3. As a Way to Work Without Going to Work


Image via Flickr by mezclaconfusa

Of course Don Draper loves his office — who wouldn’t? But he sometimes likes to venture out. He takes long breaks that have nothing to do with work and everything to do with mistresses, but maybe with a smartphone, he could stay focused and enjoy the flexibility he feels he deserves.

Working away from your office, or workshifting, is one of the great features of a series of newer smartphones. The new BlackBerry smartphones, for example, claim to reinvent the idea of enterprise mobility management. Draper could have the whole creative team from Sterling, Cooper & Partners working simultaneously.

Perhaps Draper can take advantage of this technology while sitting in a booth alone, sipping a lonely scotch, while getting some work done on his newest ad campaign.

4. As a Note/Idea Saver

The popular app, Evernote, is available on pretty much any platform of computer and smartphone. This app allows you to save ideas from most websites, as well as jot down notes of your own. After you save the notes, it’s extremely easy to access from any device, including smartphones. It’s all right there on the cloud.

With Evernote, Don would be able to capture those wild epiphanies he has in his everyday life — you know, the ones that usually result in a brilliant presentation that leaves the client (and the audience) in awe, thinking, “I want to be like that guy. Minus all the negative stuff.”

Don Draper could benefit from a smartphone, even if he would first try to resist the temptation. Just think of how much safer the roads would be after one of Draper’s many happy hours.

Five fresh ideas to boost your business IQ

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All professionals want to be cannier, more effective at work and always one step ahead of the competition, but that’s difficult to achieve if they are relying on outdated, incorrect or inefficient business principles.

To help sweep out the mental cobwebs, management writer and business consultant Antonio E. Weiss — author of new bite-size business guide 101 Business Ideas That Will Change The Way You Work (newly released by Financial Times Publishing) — provides five fresh and practical ideas guaranteed to boost your business IQ.

1. IF YOU FEAR LOSING, YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO LOSE OUT

Loss aversion is the idea that people prefer to avoid losses than gain profits. In human decision-making, ‘losses loom larger than gains.’ For example, in the business world many investors sell stocks too soon, because they fear losing what they have gained. To mitigate the effects of loss aversion, you need to look out for your internal biases and those of your colleagues or customers. When evaluating any options, check whether you are overvaluing a potential loss and undervaluing the possible gains at stake. Also be sensitive to the loss aversion that others exhibit. When presenting options to an audience, for example, always bear in mind how loss aversion will affect how they perceive what you present – use fear of loss aversion to your benefit. Once you are aware of loss aversion there are ways of managing it and using it to your advantage. For example, consider trialling your goods with potential customers as once your service becomes part of their daily routine it is more difficult for them part with them – they fear losing what they’ve gained.

 

2. WHY EXPERTS GET IT WRONG

Although expert opinion carries much weight, often experts are no better at predicting events than the rest of the population. There is no accountability of many experts, such as television pundits. If they make predictions that do not come true, no-one is likely to call them up on it. They also tend to add increased variables to their predictions and overvalue certain variables, therefore distorting the normal paths of probability. Often the media drives these predictions to focus on one idea and the certainty of that happening. Therefore remember that although expert opinion comes from those in the field, that does not guarantee that prediction will come true.

 

3. FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BEAUTIFUL

Although this is a well-known belief, there is factual evidence to support this statement. Physically attractive people earn more, find it easy to get loans and even receive lighter prison sentences! Figures show that a less attractive American male can earn up to $230,000 less than his more attractive peers. That is even after adjusting for education and other factors. Therefore it is something to be aware of when selecting colleagues and employees. To discriminate positively or negatively about somebody because of their looks is a dangerous path to take. You would not discriminate against them because of their gender or race.

 

4. WHEN YOU CAN SKIP THAT MEETING

There is a widely held belief that face-to-face meetings are always better than those conducted over e-mail, instant messaging or even the telephone. However this is not always the case. Studies carried out by INSEAD and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University show that when business people have not met or are still in the early stages of a business relationship, there are benefits to meeting in person. However once a relationship has been established those benefits are not as strong and if the relations are strained a face-to-face meeting can actually increase tensions. Therefore in a business age where the diary is dominated by meetings and the travel to and from can be longer than the meeting itself, it is important to consider not only the benefits of attending but also the method or platform used to attend.

 

5. WHEN TO TRUST YOUR GUT INSTINCT

If you have confidence that your gut instincts are going to be right, they are more likely to be so. A study from Columbia University and the University of Pittsburgh showed that candidates with a high level of trust in their gut instincts were consistently better at predicting future events than those with a low level. This has been dubbed the ’emotional oracle effect’. It can be explained by how people dive into their conscious and subconscious memory. If people have confidence in their gut feelings then they are stimulated into accessing the memory’s ‘privileged window’, which contains vast amounts of knowledge learnt over time. By recalling this information, they are able to accurately use it to make informed predictions about the future. Those with lower confidence in their predicting skills, however, lack the internal confidence to reach into their recollections and look into the ‘crystal ball’. The lesson: in business, if you know something about a subject, try to stimulate yourself into a high level of trust in your gut feelings (by remembering when you were recently right about something, for instance) and then make your forecast based on your recalled previous knowledge. It’s likely to be a pretty good prediction.

For more clever business insights, check out 101 Business Ideas That Will Change The Way You Work by Antonio E. Weiss (Pearson) — available now, priced £12.99, from Amazon & all good book shops.

 

Inbound Marketing And SEO: Insights From The Moz Blog | Book Review

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Inbound Marketing & SEO: Insights From The Moz Blog , Rand Fishkin ,Thomas Høgenhaven, book, book review, SEO, I am sure some readers will have no idea what this book is about. Nor even care. But for those with blogs, online magazines, websites or digital companies, Inbound Marketing and SEO: Insights from the Moz Blog By Rand Fishkin and Thomas Høgenhaven is essential reading.

This excellent book didn’t only teach me a lot of stuff I didn’t know, it also taught me stuff I didn’t know that I didn’t know. That is not to say it made my head hurt with esoteric talk, as well as being knowledgeable it is also easy to read and the knowledge sinks in. I love the graphs too.

If you are in the digital media business I think you should buy this book, read it as quickly as possible and then reevaluate your business. Great business advice in a humourous and enjoyably written book. Brilliant stuff.

The Moz blog is the go-to place for the latest thinking on Search Engine Optimization, and Inbound Marketing and SEO: Insights From The Moz Blog is an anthology of some of the finest writing on this topic.

Search engine optimization (SEO) has been a growing area for many years but industry professionals now recognise that they require a broader set of competencies. In order for SEO to be successful, a wide range of marketing channels need to be covered. In response, Inbound Marketing and SEO is split into sections encapsulating: Channels of Online Marketing; Search Engine Optimization; Content Marketing; Social Media; Outreach; Conversion Rate Optimization; and Analytics.

Aimed at both new and experienced marketers within each of these six sub-disciplines, it primarily focuses on leveraging existing products such as Google, Bing, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn as marketing platforms. While most of the book does not require advanced technical knowledge, it also contains articles which look at SEO from a more technical point of view – for example, focusing on how to implement schematic data in HTML or setting up advanced segments in Google Analytics.

Updating the The Moz blog’s most popular articles on the key SEO disciplines, this new title compiles them with brand new, purpose-written articles which are unavailable elsewhere.

Inbound Marketing & SEO: Insights From The Moz Blog is available here, Waterstones, WH Smith and wherever books and e-books are sold.

Lynne Franks Announces Autumn 2013 Programme For Bloom Retreats

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One of Frost’s favourite people and all-round inspirational person, Lynne Franks, author, entrepreneur and women’s empowerment champion, is launching a brand-new series of signature retreats for women at her beautiful home in Deia, Mallorca. BLOOM Retreats offer unique creative and wellbeing experiences in a deeply relaxing atmosphere surrounded by the exquisite local, natural beauty of the Mediterranean coastline.

 lynnefrankshouse lynnefranksretreat

The retreats take place at Lynne Franks’ beautiful property, part of an old monastery, with stunning views overlooking the Mediterranean and the Tramuntana mountains. The site is walking distance of the ancient village of Deia, which has been a hub for many artists, writers and creatives.

 

“I am delighted to be hosting these intimate retreats for women to heal, grow and connect with each other in such a nurturing, feminine space. There has been a tremendous response following each of my BLOOM Retreats over the last few years and it is clearly time to expand our offering and bring in other teachers and specialists,” says Lynne.

 

The BLOOM Detox & Wellness Retreat

16th – 20th September 2013

From €1,125

 

Led by Reiki Master Monika Evans together with 5-Elements nutritionist Ursula Peer, this retreat takes a holistic approach, designed to harmonize body, mind and spirit in a deeply relaxing atmosphere and surrounded by great natural beauty.

 

Your day starts with an (optional) morning meditation followed by a gentle yoga class or mountain walk and a warm breakfast based on 5-Elements Traditional Chinese Medicine Nutrition. During the day sessions are offered to inspire your inner Goddess with exercises and tools you can apply in your busy day-to-day lives for a sense of peace and wellbeing.

 

And there is also plenty of time for rest, relaxing by the pool, soaking in the hot tub, going for walks to the nearby beach and enjoying the magical island of Mallorca. A Reiki healing session, a personalised 5-Elements Nutrition Consultation tailored for your body type and a spa treatment are included in the package. Extra options such as massage and craniosacral therapy can be arranged upon request.

 

The BLOOM Fitness Retreat

22nd – 27th September 2013

From €1,325

 

Renowned fitness consultant and ambassador for Reebok Sarah Maxwell, together with BLOOM Retreats, have created an exclusive women-only 5-day retreat aimed to make you look and feel amazing.

 

During your stay you’ll tone up, lose weight and learn how to access your own inner resources for a calm life while enjoying wonderful food and great natural beauty in a nurturing and supportive environment.

 

Apart from Sarah’s signature fitness group activities we offer private sessions to develop an exercise, relaxation and nutritional programme tailored to your needs and lifestyle. Our delicious, healthy meals are prepared using local, organic ingredients wherever possible to boost flavour and nutritional value.

 

The BLOOM Creative Writing & Nature Walks Retreat

29th September – 4th October

From €950

Discover your true inner voice through a series of exploratory life writing and creative writing sessions and guided walks under the gentle guidance of professional writer, journalist and writing mentor Elaine Kingett.

 

This retreat is not so much about technique, academic ability or previous writing experience, more about delight in the written recording and expression of our individual existence. Each day, after relaxing Mindfulness Mediation, you will take part in a guided walk to fire up your imagination and to discover the supernatural beauty of northern Mallorca, which has inspired writers such as Robert Graves and Anaïs Nin.

 

During the rest of your day, Elaine will lead you through various writing exercises and you’ll also spend time on memoir and autobiographical writing, journaling and letter writing. In the evening you are encouraged to share your work with supportive, like-minded women to learn and grow as a writer.

 

The BLOOM Yoga & Ayurvedic Cooking Retreat

12th – 17th October 2013

From €950 

 

Yoga & Ayurveda are two ancient healing arts with profound wisdom and insight into our human nature, revering life as a sacred system to which every living thing in the universe belongs. Both help us to develop awareness about our bodies and lifestyles guiding us towards balance, strength and wellbeing.

 

You will start the day with meditation and a gentle yoga practice. The postures have a beneficial impact on the whole body, toning muscles, ligaments, joints and nerves, stimulating circulation and helping to release stress and toxins from the body.

 

During the morning there are sessions presenting the principles of ayurveda and how to apply them in your daily life learning what your body needs to bring it back into balance.

 

Cooking is a very grounding practice, connecting us directly with the earth. There will be opportunities for hands on cooking, to learn and enjoy delicious recipes and share our experiences in the kitchen.

 

The BLOOM Inner Artist Retreat

4th – 8th November 2013

From €820

 

Join Frances Baxter and Mariana Alzamora, two renowned artists from Mallorca’s thriving creative community to explore and develop your own inner artist.

 

The retreat combines expert instruction in clay molding, drawing and painting with Lynne’s unique SEED coaching tools to help you lead a creative, abundant and purposeful life. International artists Frances Baxter and Mariana Alzamora will be your guides as you explore how to make clay goddess figures, draw your own self-portrait and paint through the magic of nature. You will get in-depth feedback about your work from Mariana and Frances and be able to share your experience and creative output with the other participants in a safe and nurturing environment.

 

The BLOOM Women’s Creative Leadership Retreat with Lynne Franks

14th-19th November 2013

From €1,690

 

After twenty years of business success, and ten years of developing programmes for women in leadership, Lynne has designed a unique process for the realisation of ones highest potential. In this retreat, she integrates spiritual values with professional insights and personal fulfilment techniques, to create a holistic blueprint for a healthy and successful life.

 

Alongside the enjoyable programme of transformation and change, Lynne will work with each member of the retreat on a one-to-one basis, coaching them personally and professionally to achieve their dreams. She will focus on all areas of life relevant to a modern woman including relationships, career, emotional wealth and physical well-being.

 

Have You Got What It Takes To Be a Top Model?

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– Have you ever dreamt of being plucked from obscurity and becoming a professional model?

 

(From C, clockwise) British model Lily DAre you ready to become a professional model? StarNow the UK’s number one casting website and the world’s leading site for online auditions and jobs – is working with three of the world’s top model agencies to find up-and-coming models, and you could be the face that they’ve been looking for. The StarNow Global Model Search begins on the 4th September 2013, offering the chance for every day girls and guys to step into the world of modelling and change their lives forever! Could this be your year? To find out more go to www.starnow.com/globalmodelsearch2013.

 

Now in its second year, the Global Model Search has already provided the perfect platform for one of last year’s winners, Rebeca Marcos, who recently fronted a campaign for Topshop, beating over 3000 other model entrants “Being part of StarNow’s Global Model Search has been a fantastic experience for me and a whirlwind journey. It’s one of those things that I never really thought I could win, but StarNow have created an amazing campaign that is also supported by Models1, LA Models and Vivien’s Model Management, who all have great global reputations. This model search really does provide the perfect opportunity for young models to take their first steps into the industry”  

 

Jasmine Taggart from StarNow “We have a very strong track record of helping and supporting talent across the globe and the Global Model Search is a great chance for us to work with our partners (Models 1, LA Models & Vivien’s Model Management) and discover aspiring models in different countries. Rebeca has been a great ambassador for us and shows that talent can be discovered anywhere and at anytime.

 

This year’s winner could end up working with a major fashion brand, as Rebeca has done, or even be the face of a cosmetics giant – the opportunities are endless”

 

The StarNow Global Model Search is free to enter and is open to anyone from around the world aged 14 to 21. The competition runs from 4th September 2013 to 2nd October 2013, just go to – www.starnow.com/globalmodelsearch2013 to register!