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Paper doesn’t refuse ink!

March 26, 2011
Sheep Advertising

Baaad or Good idea?!

Paper doesn’t refuse ink

A website won’t refuse content

A photograph won’t refuse what you put in front of the camera

This week a client reminded me of his photo shoot a few years back where we pushed him out of the “comfort” zone and we managed a photo that was not only quite different, but one that really communicated what he was all about. To this day he is amazed by how many people notice and comment positively on the photo, which he still uses to this day.

Be careful with your content, whatever it is – make sure it gets you noticed and that it tells the right story about you and your business!

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in Advertising, Graphic Design, Marketing, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

An Inspirational Woman – Henrietta Chevalier

March 8, 2011
Henrietta Chevalier - Hugh O'Flaherty

Henrietta Chevalier - Inspiration of World War 2

With all of this talk about inspirational women on International Women’s Day I wondered why it was just the women who were taking about the subject!

This is my nomination for the most inspirational woman – before that, first question.. have you heard of her?

Mrs Henrietta Chevalier was a young Maltese widow with six daughters and two sons, one of which was imprisoned as soon as Italy entered the war due to being a British subject. Her other son, Paul was a clerical officer with the Swiss Legation so his diplomatic papers protected his freedom.

Even though she lived in a small third floor apartment in Rome she played a huge role in the Rome Escape Organisation set up by Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty from Killarney throughout the war in providing shelter for escapees.

Mrs Chevalier showed tremendous courage as she constantly took these risks, which if found out would have resulted in execution for her family.

At one point in time she had four British soldiers staying with her and when asked by the Major about the risks here comment was:

“They are absolutely grand, these boys. They are just like my own children. It is all so marvellous”

O’Flaherty warned everyone lodging with her that in the event of any danger, her safety and that of her family had to come first.

Her flat was used as a depot for food and supplies, which was risky as the movement of black bags could easily arouse suspicion.

Eventually the Gestapo suspected the Chevalier household and had it watched around the clock as well as conducting a number of raids but each time the lodgers managed to escape on time due to a system of tip offs. The daughter Gemma, had a very narrow escape on one occasion while buying supplies, which she kept from her mother. (Gemma subsequently married one of the British Serviceman Sands that was sheltered by the family and the wedding was conducted by the Monsignor in Rome.)

Despite the close escapes and the warnings, she always wanted the lodgers back.

Mrs Chevalier, who also had some nursing experience used to venture out and provide medical assistance to various escapees around the city with Milko Scofic, a Yugoslavian.

Mrs Chevalier made everyone feel welcome:

“at Christmas she served brandy instead of tea, Christmas gifts were exchanged among the family and the three British lodgers”

Eventually it was felt that Mrs Chevalier and her family due to the close scrutiny should be evacuated and one by one they left and were brought to a farm on the outskirts of the city.

John Furman recalls of Mrs Chevalier:

“What can be said of this incredible woman, who I guessed to be in her early forties? I would not call her brave for it seemed to be she had no conception of fear. Her kindness and generosity were unparalleled, her maternal spirit and compassion boundless”

Mrs Henrietta Chevalier was awarded a British Empire Medal for her work and bravery.

The stress and strain of the war took its toll on Mrs Chevalier and she suffered from sickness later on in life as a result.

Isn’t she inspirational?

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in Ireland, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

Motivating the boss!

March 2, 2011
Give your boss a hug!

Give your boss a hug!

I was working on employee contracts lately, which I really hate because you get into this formal, “what happens when things go wrong” world.

You suddenly go from the niceties of the interview and the informal job offer to the “legal contract“, which at the end of the day is a vital legal document protecting you and your staff members in the event of any issues arising.

I know it has to be written in a particular way but I really try and keep it as “real” as possible capturing the essence of the agreement and the spirit of the working arrangement and our organisation. Even with our very best efforts the contracts still carry some of those awful formal bits.

Before I put the latest offer in the post I have one last glance over it and I realise that I have left something out that is really vital to me, I have actually quite carelessly left it out of all the contracts I have ever issued.

Here goes with the missing clause – In the course of your duties you must motivate the boss!

I can’t ever recall seeing something like this in an employee contract and I’m sure it would be a difficult issue to review if there were ever an issue or dispute but I do think it would be a great thing to put in there.

Like most bosses today I am juggling a million things and so many different roles. I work really hard, I try to make sure our team are motivated and happy (despite tax increases reducing their income), I make sure that our working conditions are comfortable, I make sure we stay up to date on all the latest trends and technology, I make sure that we bring in enough business to pay the bills, I make sure that we collect on time (or as best as possible) from our clients, I make sure that we pay our bills, I make sure that we pay our taxes and most of all I make sure that we deliver the magic that makes all of this happens; satisfied clients – we make sure together that we consistently deliver great results for them.

I don’t expect a medal or anything for the really long hours, effort, endurance and 24/7 focus but at times this can be really stressful and quite exhausting, particularly now when the rewards can be as simple as just staying in business, which I do fully appreciate. While I am normally really upbeat and will gladly take on the role of motivating the others at times I do slump a little – it’s at these times that I really need one of my crew to spot the “dip” and say those few words, give me a motivational pep talk, take me for a coffee or whatever it takes.

Thankfully my crew are good at spotting the dip and aren’t shy at offering a “lift” at the right time – that is one of the most valuable things they could do for me. Probably more valuable that all the other stuff that is required of them – After all there is no jurisdiction or hierarchy over motivation.

How about putting that clause in the contracts? Not so crazy after all ..

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications.

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Posted in HR, Personal development, Self Help, Staff training, Training, Uncategorized | 15 Comments »

Sniper Marketing

February 21, 2011

Online Marketing

Should your be more specific?

If you throw enough mud at a wall then eventually some will stick! – you have often heard that expression and when it comes to advertising and in particular at a time when most people are carefully watching their budgets. It can cause problems when it comes to justifying spend in this area.

Influenced by this very argument and also because it often makes total sense, where appropriate we encourage most of our clients to allocate some of their advertising budgets to on-line Pay Per Click advertising, or sniper marketing as we like to call it.

With some of the recent and new on-line tools it is now much easier to target your exact target audience for your product or service, just like a “sniper” would. Why advertise to everyone just to get the attention of a narrow more exact target audience?

With a combination of Google Advertising, Facebook Advertising, and even LinkedIn advertising it is possible to target your customers very specifically.

Most of these initiatives operate on a pay-per-click basis so you only pay for results, even though you can also achieve some visibility for free with those who do not click on your adverts. Just to replay that in simple terms – You only pay when someone has clicked on your advert and come to your website or facebook page. You do not pay every time your advert is shown.

To briefly explain how each of the platforms work:

Google Adwords – here you select (or bid on) keywords that when searched by a user will activate your advert. You can limit your adverts to a specific area or location. You can actually go further and specify which page on your website the user will land on when they click on your advert. Let them find exactly what they want as quickly as possible.

Facebook Advertising – This is quite different to how Google works. Here you target demographics – you can specify types of people in different areas and even with declared special interests. With adverts here you have a choice of bringing bring them to your website or your Facebook business page (this can be very effective in building followers on your page).

LinkedIn Advertising – Advertising here operates more like Facebook with the exception that the environment is much more corporate. You can target types of people, making choices about location, company size and even levels of seniority.

With all of the above options you can control your campaigns by setting daily budgets and also by limiting how much each click will cost. Google reporting in particular can provide you with very valuable information about your customers. (they are all relatively easy to set up but I would strongly advise seeking professional help setting up these campaigns as you can easily make expensive mistakes – they never refuse your money!)

To support this activity you might also consider email marketing – use an on-line email newsletter service (there are many good value options such as MailChimp and Constant Contact and for more sophisticated requirements you could try Newsweaver) to your database of contacts, reminding those who you have already developed a connection with of you and your services.

This sniper approach to marketing can work for all types of businesses as diverse as:

The Ballroom Dance teacher who can target engaged women in Cork with his adverts for dance lessons to get them ready for their first dance at their wedding (there are 1,210 of within a 20 km radius of Cork City!) – Facebook is perfect for this.

The Tax Consultant who wants to target senior executives in Ireland for specialist tax advice – this can be done by advertising on LinkedIn.

We find that on-line campaigns can work very effectively as part of an overall campaign for clients to achieve their objectives.

Could this be something that would form part of your Marketing Plan in 2011?

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in Business Start Ups, Facebook, Marketing, SEO, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web Marketing | Leave a Comment »

Have you met your “Other Self”?

February 15, 2011
Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

Napoleon Hill – Inspirational!

I came across this powerful extract in Napoleon Hill’s inspirational book, “Think and Grow Rich” published in 1937, and written with a backdrop of the Great Depression.

“You have been disappointed, you have undergone defeat during the depression, you have felt the great heart within you crushed until it bled. Take courage, for those experiences have tempered the spiritual metal of which you are made – they are assets of incomparable value.

Remember, too, that all who succeed in life get off to a bad start, and pass through many heartbreaking struggles before they “arrive”. The turning point in the lives of those who succeed, usually comes at the moment of some crisis, through which they are introduced to their “other selves”.”

Have you met your “other self”?

I know it is a terrible time for so many people but I would really urge them to dig deep (or even deeper as the case may be), try to look for the positives or the “unique” opportunities and eventually you will find a new and possible very rewarding and fulfilling path.

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in Irish Economy, Personal development, Self Help, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

The Candidates – David McCarthy, Independent (Cork South Central)

February 13, 2011
David McCarthy, Independent Candidate, Cork

David McCarthy - A Fresh approach?

As part of the election process I am going to do a “Ronseal” (what does their tin say about them) review of the political candidates literature that comes in through our letterbox and score them accordingly!!

Candidate: David McCarthy, Independent for Reform (Cork South Central)

David’s literature didn’t actually come through my letter box but he came across my activity on-line and asked me to review his material – I must say, I like this positive approach – well done David!

Design and Layout (5)
David has opted for a 3 panel DL format, which allows him plenty of space to build his arguments and allow the reader a chance to properly assess what he is all about. The flyer is well designed and has taken quite a fresh approach – score 5

Photo (10)
This is a really good photo of David – he looks smart but also looks friendly and open. The photo captures a young man and it conveys to me a candidate that would have fresh ideas and energy as well as warmth. He is wearing a dark pin stripe suit (personally I think he is a little bit young for the “regulation” suit)  with a white shirt and plain red tie – maybe he wants to balance youth with seriousness: I would have dressed a little younger David. Would you trust this man? I think definitely, the photo screams of youth and freshness. Well done! – score 9

Contact Details (5)
He includes both his email address and his personal phone number on his flyer, as well his facebook and twitter pages and a link to his website. That puts David is a very progressive box and gives everyone an opportunity to really find out more about what he is like and what he is up to – score 5

Background (10)
David tells us plenty about himself here and you do get a sense of his personality. He has a lot of work done in the political arena supporting other candidates, which shows he does understand the process. He works in Communications but personally I would like to know what he is qualified at – if he were to get our vote what expertise would he bring to the party? It is clear that David is good at “making things happen” – he demonstrates this with the work he has done on his dads projects. I can see energy and commitment and someone who would work hard for things he believes in – score 8

Sales Pitch (10)
David explains why he is running, that it is not a time for sitting on the fence and he wants to offer an alternative voice – he outlines some clear ideas and policies and then asks the reader to empathise with the difficulty of being an “independent” candidate. His closing pitch is to give him a chance but he reminded me too much of the difficulty of being an independent – score 7

Big Picture (10)
The big picture arguments are well documented. David outlines point by point his policies and ideas and has clearly put a lot of time and thought into this – the other candidates could well take a leaf from his book, instead of the “vote for us because FF have made a bags of it” approach. I’m not sure if all of this would work in practice but it does demonstrate someone who works with solutions instead of pointing out problems – score 9

Overall Score
I really like what David has done here. In summary he promises the reader a fresh approach, someone who understands the system and is solutions focused. My only real negative is that he points out too well how difficult it may be for an Independent candidate, maybe to the point that one might feel there is no point giving him their No.1 vote.

However, I’m sorry David is not in my constituency ..  overall score 43 out of 50.

Best of luck in the elections David – for some reason I feel we will be hearing more from you !

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in General Election 2011, Graphic Design, Ireland, Irish Politics, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

The Candidates – Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael (Cork South Central)

February 13, 2011
Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael

Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael - tell us more Jerry

As part of the election process I am going to do a “Ronseal” (what does their tin say about them) review of the political candidates literature that comes in through our letterbox and score them accordingly!!

Candidate: Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael (Cork South Central)

This review is quite easy for me as it follows a standard format that some of the Fine Gael candidates are using – I have other candidates reviewed already so my job is easy – check out Derry Canty!

Design and Layout (5)
Jerry and his FG team opted for a really small flyer, A6 size, it’s tiny but it is printed on heavier paper than the other candidates so far. For some reason there is no mention of which constituency Jerry is running in prominently on the flyer  – score 3

Photo (10)
There is a only a fair photo of Jerry, looking just ok, giving no hint of his personality and with a slightly vacant look in his eyes. He is wearing a dark suit with a light blue shirt and red and blue striped blue tie – standard attire for a politician I guess! Would you trust this man? The photo doesn’t engage with me so I will give a neutral score here – score 5

Contact Details (5)
He includes both his email address and his personal phone number on his flyer, a nice “open” approach. As well as this he has his Facebook and twitter pages listed .. ok, that puts him in the progressive box and gives everyone an opportunity to really find out more about what he is like and what he is up to – score 5

Background (10)
There is absolutely nothing on the flyer about Jerry. When I say nothing I really mean nothing.. how can I be expected to vote for you if I know nothing about you, what you believe in, what you are qualified at, what you have achieved – score 0

Sales Pitch (10)
The sales pitch on the flyer is a generic Fine Gael pitch and not why we should vote for Jerry. To be fair it does give a point by point review of what they would do. It is a little generic though using terms such as “radical stimulus plan” and “radical reforms” , tell me more, I’d love to hear more about these radical changes .. – score 5

Big Picture (10)
The big picture argument was the same as the sales pitch and did attempt to explain how FG would make a difference. At least there is an attempt at explaining how the “big picture” might be different if we voted for them – score 8

Overall Score
This is a Fine Gael flyer with Jerry’s picture and contact details on it. As I suspected we will see exactly the same across the length and breadth of the country with other candidate’s names and pictures.

Jerry (or Derry as the case will be), people vote for people and you know this – your flyer is a wasted opportunity to get your message across to your voters. Lots of pressing the flesh is needed to show them you – check out Aine Collin’s (Fine Gael) flyer who goes some way to showing what she is like and why we should vote for  “her” – overall score 26 out of 50.

Best of luck in the elections Jerry or was it Derry!?

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in General Election 2011, Irish Economy, Irish Politics, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Flip a Coin

February 9, 2011
Sober Lane, Cork - Flip a Coin

The next round could be free - Heads or Tails

My poor son!

Well, not actually.. Brendan is a great kid and for the most part he has a pretty good time doing exactly what he wants in his life with his multi media course at CIT (he is in his last year), his new website, his films and comedy projects – the world is his oyster and he approaches it in such a positive way. I’m sure he will do great.

One of the things that goes against him is his birthday! He was born on the 4th January, 1989 so there is always a danger that Christmas presents can merge into birthday presents and the big problem now is that very few of us are able for the “birthday celebrations” on the 4th January, typically when we are going back to work for the first time in the new year.

This year we had the same dilemma – Brendan was 22 on the 4th of January and as always we wanted to celebrate his day. The problem was the 4th was the Tuesday that we were all heading to work for the first time in the new year – not practical.

The solution was a gathering of Brendan’s friends and a few of us “older fogies” on the Sunday night before that and we left the choice of venue to him. Sober Lane in Cork was his choice, a place he is always raving about. I must admit that at the very tail end of Christmas a night out wasn’t something I felt like and I know Brendan was worried that most of his buddies would be in the same boat – for them it would be a case of  no “bobs”!

In we headed on the Sunday night and I was really surprised to see a packed Sober Lane pub with a great buzz – my god, what was going on here that wasn’t going on everywhere else? Brendan’s buddies arrived in and he ended up having a great night but on top of this the pub was hopping.

The Marketing Guru’s (I’m taking some licence here – why not!) sense of curiosity was working overtime trying to figure out why this pub, which to be honest didn’t seem to be anything really exceptional was so busy.

Up I went to the bar to buy the first round for the thirsty troop – no surprise it was a large order that came in at about €30 – I was nervous.. this birthday was going to clean me out! After settling up with the cheery bar man he asked me did I want to “flip a coin“?

Excuse me? Again he asked me did I want to “flip a coin”. Two guys perched at the bar supping on their pints quickly jumped in and clarified the matter “Go on will ya, heads or tails – if you get it right you get the same round free next time“. My suspicious mind started looking around for the cameras or I wondered what the big catch was about this – ok, heads it is. The barman flipped the coin and surprisingly enough heads it was!

With no real expression one way or the other the barman handed me a receipt for the drinks that I had just bought, he signed his name to it and explained that when I was ready I could bring the receipt to the bar and I would get the exact round free!! Speechless .. (where is the camera?)

Wow – I went back to our troop and told them of my great “win” – “Oh yeah” they do that here every Sunday night, I was told.

The night rolled on, I won another few rounds, there was great crack with everyone in the bar with a constant murmur of “Did you win?“. When I went to the bar the two guys still perched there were having great banter with me “You lucky xxxxxxx” … you can imagine what they were saying.

Not only did we get great value, but there was a great sense of fun and the place was packed. I noticed a funny thing as well – any time I won I felt obligated to stay and buy another round, not to try and win again but to give them something back – very few people seemed to be leaving – brilliant!

Eventually we wandered home leaving the “young guns” to do their thing – on the way to the car we passed a few pubs, which were all pretty much empty.

What the pub was doing was incredible – I can imagine when the crazy idea was first suggested it would have been shot down straight away. The accountants without a doubt had heart attacks, the managers would have argued about how it could be controlled, What about stock control? What about barmen giving free second drinks to their buddies? What about recording the free stock? What about the margins? (its actually not that bad as on average people will only win every second time – and besides you can’t pay your staff with a better percentage) What about the tax man? What about our Profits?

On top of that the Vintners organisations would have tut tutted this “stupid” idea. This crew made it work, the place was packed – and whatever the drawbacks were they still went for it and enjoy a busy pub every Sunday night when others are empty (Sober Lane is busy the whole time – as you can imagine it’s not the only creative thing they do).

When someone comes up with a crazy promotional idea in your business, look past the problems and the issues and give it a chance – you might actually gain more than you lose ..

Ok, heads or tails? – the next years services could be free!

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in Entertainment, Marketing, Recession, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

Would you text “Flirt” to 57333?

January 30, 2011
Text flirt

Who would text "flirt"?

Past 11 at night you will come across so many of these adverts, you know the ones, “text flirt to 57333, for friends, friendly chats or maybe more” .. and they promise even more.. “girls in your area are waiting to talk to you“!

Do we really think that you could be fooled by these adverts? Would you really call that number and expect to actually chat with someone genuine (if that has happened to anyone, I’d love to hear about it). You know without a doubt if you called that number you would end up chatting with someone programmed with standard chat up lines and a “put on” sexy voice at a huge cost (probably after waiting at least two minutes, pressing this button and that, eating up valuable time)?

Of course you wouldn’t , don’t be silly, who would? I am 45 and have never done this , nor do I know of anyone who has. At a stretch maybe a few lads larking around on their parents phone having the crack? Beyond that and applying my sense of logic and experience I can’t imagine anyone using the “flirt” service.

The conclusion is that no one really calls these numbers. Right?

While these adverts are not shown on prime TV, they are shown off peak with huge frequency and on the newspapers. They aren’t free and someone is writing cheques on a regular basis for them. Are they really stupid and foolish or just trying to get rid of money on an idea that will never work? I doubt it ..

Conclusion? Never assume you know about the marketplace, there is money in the niches, you just need to find them!!

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in Entertainment, Marketing, Uncategorized | 14 Comments »

The Pitch – Did Donald Draper really find it that easy!

January 19, 2011
Donald Draper - Mad Men

Did Donald Draper really find it that easy?

In the beginning it starts with a briefing meeting, the client outlines their requirements and you listen, gently probing for information, what kind of a business is it? What are their challenges and objectives ? What activity have they tried in the past? What are the dynamics of their industry and what kind of people are they? What are they looking for from you? You commit to coming back with a plan and you set a date for the follow up meeting..

Ok, you’ve put the toe in the water and now you’ve started on the roller coaster journey of “The Pitch”.

With one maybe two weeks of a gap to the presentation date you start that process of thinking, researching, discussing, brainstorming and even dreaming about this possible new client. It’s after slipping into your bloodstream and you are well and truly on the way.

Then the crew up the pace and start working on the plan with roles assigned to each of the team. We chat over coffee, we chat over lunch, the late phone calls, the good ideas. What do you think of this idea ..?

Now you start to become the actual business owner, you start investing emotionally in the challenge and finding the best solutions that will achieve “your” business objectives, your heart and mind are totally committed.

Two days to go, where is everyone? A quick review meeting to make sure the team is on track. The final proposal is starting to take shape.

One day to go and the visuals are other final material is produced, review, review and review again. There is no point being half committed, to have a chance you have to go the extra mile, which always means late nights and short weekends ..

Good suit today! Who is going to present which parts? Rehearse and rehearse and the final pitch is finally ready to present, Oh.. Last minute ideas .. what about it? Ok, go for it, make those last minute adjustments and then final print, burn CDs and off we go.

The nervous excitement and adrenaline take the team through the presentation to the prospective client. The team plays their part, fielding the questions, adding our nuggets of wisdom and experience, taking extra notes and then it is over.

“Thanks a million, that was great, we will review your plan and come back to you” and then the inevitable post mortem starts.

What did they think of us? Did I say the right thing? What did he mean by that comment? When do you think they will give us feedback? .. The million questions roll around in your head, could we have done better and most importantly, will they go with us?

Then comes the crash.. you have been so fired up and caught up in the roller coaster of the process that you now are totally exhausted when it is all over.

You’ve played your part, given it your best shot and now it is time to detach yourself emotionally from the process. When you commit 110% it can be tough .

Before I used be on “tender hooks” waiting for the result, which normally doesn’t really happen me any more. Now when the presentation is over, that is it for me. We’ll wait to hear and if enough time passes and we haven’t heard I will push for feedback (it’s amazing how often you never get feedback, which I am convinced is an Irish thing – one crew actually admitted to me that they were just looking for new ideas!!) and that is it.

When we win it is fabulous and when we lose then try not to take it too personally, it could be for one 1,000 different reasons.. At least always give yourself the best chance of winning and learn what you can, so you can be better the next time.

Today we made a great pitch (at least that’s what we thought!), which we put an incredible amount of time, effort and ourselves into. We went through the whole emotional rush and now we are in that “after” place – totally exhausted!

Will we win the account? Who knows.. but I reckon we have a good chance! The great news is that we have another pitch to start into tomorrow!

Donald Draper from Mad Men made it look too easy!

Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion Communications

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Posted in Graphic Design, Marketing, PR, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

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