Suicide rates are higher than ever and mental health has become the number one health issue in Australia now, ahead of obesity. And that is really saying something, isn't it? When you consider two in three of us is either overweight or obese!

According to the Black Dog Institute one in five (20%) Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness in any year and on any given day, 6 Australians will commit suicide. Sobering facts when you consider the wealth and lifestyle that has become the signature of our nation.

The most common mental health problem is Anxiety, with a capital A. I don't know about you, but when I was a kid there was no such thing as Anxiety Disorder and sadly, it is the younger people who are suffering most.  It's hardly surprising when you consider the numerous culprits that all feed into one big nerve-quaking mess of a generation: Social anxiety fuelled by social media, political anxiety, work insecurity, the costs of living spiralling against the fact that we are working for less and even for free, in so many cases. You just have to look around the web to find just about anything you care to want to learn, just to discover that it's on offer for free. The very fact that so much is available; the overload of choices, the infinite knowledge, talks, podcasts, reports and information well, sends most of us into a continuous state of anxious overwhelm.

It's no wonder we have a host of health and wellness companies bound for our rescue, and I'm proud to say I am representing some of them. The 2017 wellness stage is set with businesses designed to reinstate calm, balance and wellbeing into our lives. Where a trip to the doctor once used to be a one-stop-fix-it cure, we are now challenging the boundaries of treatment, seeking out alternatives, holistic rituals, ancient medicine and natural therapies. 

During the past 5-10 years, meditation has stolen centre stage as a global movement as has it's close partner, Yoga. It is so heartening to see progressive workplaces providing options with the intention of motivating staff as well as keeping them healthy, while gyms are heaving after work and the supermarket aisles are being ever more scrutinised. You could say we are at the beginning of a wellness revolution, where we are measuring status by the condition of our health, both mental and physical, rather than the car we drive or the handbags we carry. 

Remember, beauty and health are the same, both feed into each other. Beauty cannot exist without good health first.

Have you noticed that whenever you turn your TV on there’s an Aussie athlete there? Anyone would think Australia is the number 1 nation dominating the entire event, thanks to the highly skewed coverage we are being delivered from Chanel 7.
 
There’s nothing wrong with this of course, since here we are in Australia and very proud of our country - and especially keen to cheer our fabulous athletes and teams on.
 
What this teaches us though in communications-land, is that we are 100% lead and influenced by the media that is fed to us. Sure we have choices, but if there’s one major source, as we have here with the Olympics, we are invariably at the mercy of their offerings.
 
Understanding your audience or the people you are trying to win over becomes key to any marketing efforts. Sadly, there are way too many brands out there with amazing products destined to a mystery user because the owner or manager hasn’t really researched his consumer.
 
Facebook has incredible tools that allow you to drill down on your target market right to where it matters. You can direct ads to people in a particular suburb, who eat a certain food and share the same religion if necessary. And that’s just Facebook.
 
Finding the core market of any campaign is where the results will eventuate, either via digital conversions or customers asking for your product in store.  Gone are the days where companies had to place ads randomly and hope they resonated with someone who shared the same tastes and value system.
 
So there’s no excuse. PR activity, marketing materials, content marketing and so on, can be more effective than ever before.  The talent lies in realising it’s a wasted effort, unless it reaches precisely the people it’s intended for. This is how and where a campaign succeeds.
 
Back to Rio and would you believe it - I’m watching the Beach Volleyball :) 

​Why all the fuss? Don’t we get enough in our inboxes everyday? As it is, we are bombarded with news, articles, information, podcasts, videos and social media posts – there’s no way we can ever open, let alone read, digest and act upon.
 
But we are told there’s a need for content marketing, advised that it’s an important part of the overall marketing mix, and we cannot afford to ignore it anymore.
 
So, in a nutshell.  The reasons why to implement content marketing into your plan.

• Branding – sending out interesting information gives your brand an identity, shapes your profile and builds awareness, reminding consumers you’re there.
  
  
• SEO and organic search – Google picks up on relevant content and rewards you with organic search results. The more you post relevant to your brand, the more your brand shows up in search results.
  
  
• Cross linking with other audiences – from website to twitter, you can reach multiple media platforms with just a few clicks.
  
  
• Increasing your voice in the market – interesting content gets shared. It’s the viral thing we are all after.
  
  
• Stay competitive – to carve out a slice in a cluttered market, content marketing allows you to develop your own voice of authority and targeted niche.

 
To succeed with content marketing, firstly you will need to create a strategy. Consider brand voice or tone, where to promote your content and which audience you are talking to. These are crucial to your campaign and should determine your strategy.
 
I suggest a creative session with the people you know and trust, who work with your brand, to come up with the essential elements of your strategy. This has worked best in my past experience.
 
There’s a lot of information out there on content marketing but it can be quite over-whelming if you don’t have the time or energy to allocate.  Trends are ever-changing with cut-through getting even harder. Video content is king right now and it’s worth specialising in your given topic in an interactive way if possible.

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3
 
We all know that the world of public relations and marketing changes by the day with the substance of influence, almost just as fickle.
 
Here’s what I’ve found most recently to get results, if you are looking to gain some media attention.

1. Slip into their shoes.  Try imaging you’re trading places (remember that movie?) with that editor and get a feel for what might make their workload lighter. Is it fresh content they want? Is it an exciting headline, or maybe a reference tool? It will of course depend on the publication and the product or service you are selling, but there is absolutely no point in doling out worthless information that does not relate to their audience. It might seem obvious, but still happens every day!
   
   
2. A word on press releases.  They still do have a place and are more than ever, a crucial introduction to your piece. Ensure that you tell your story in the first paragraph. People no longer read. No one has the time to sift through passages of beautifully written text. Just give it to them up-font. This is sometime a hurdle with the client, as they often like to keep their ‘promise’ secret. That strategy is very last century!
   
   
3. Quality over quantity. Avoid the scattergun approach with a generalised cover email and forwarding the release to anyone covering your chosen beat. Copy + paste relevant information and personalise your message, paying attention to the format and font. I cannot emphasise this enough. How many times have you been sent a pitch of some sort that has been pasted together from different sources?  How did that make you feel?

 
Follow these guidelines and you’re well on the way to cutting through a busy inbox. Just copy and paste onto a sticky and keep on your desktop:
 
STAY RELEVANT - SHORT + FOCUSED - TAKE AIM ON CHOSEN TARGET
 
 
 
If you need any assistance I’m here ready to help.






If you are struggling with the frustrations this crazy, challenging weather has been throwing up at us lately, consider the following. A lot can be accomplished without the need to rush around from meeting to meeting, not to mention getting drenched in the process. How lucky are we to have access to the world in the comfort of our homes or offices? Power permitting, of course!





DO

1. Rethink your target end user. Who really is buying or wants to buy your product? So often we filter this knowledge with our own value system, so maybe it’s a good time to look at your customer with fresh, objective eyes.
2. Follow up all leads and outstanding messages. Let no prospect remain unanswered. 
3.  Clear the inbox, get rid of flagged items, file important messages and empty the trash. You will feel so much better after a good clean out.
4.  Promote from your desk. Get inspired! Send out a newsletter, blog, post, tweet – whatever your customer gets turned on by. Just do it!
5. A few sets of push ups to keep warm and get the blood pumping.
   

 
DON’T

1. Keep visiting the fridge.
   
2. Divert to a sneaky episode of Game of Thrones or funny YouTube you have been meaning to watch (unless it’s lunchtime and you deserve a break).
3. Get stuck on social media, spending unnecessary hours, liking pictures of people’s dogs.
4. Hanker for a better day. Carpe Diem! Now is the time, use it wisely and enjoy the luxury of more time to do, what really needs doing.
   
5. Take a nap.
   

I get asked all the time "so what is it you actually do"?  HaHa!

PR has certainly been given a fluffy name over the past 30 years from Eddie Monsoon of Ab Fab to Samantha in Sex And The City.  If only it were that easy or fun!

I just found this article from PR Daily which de-mystifies the industry entirely. Times have changed since the '80's and I cannot put it in much easier, succinct terms, so have a read and finally understand how we can help your business, in a professional, serious and effective manner.  

No expensive or lavish parties, No celebs, No Moet or air kissing required!!

Let me know if this helped!

I just was listening to a webinar during my lunch break, given by Jeff Goins, blogger extraordinaire, who effectively deciphered the art of the written word, as relevant to marketing platforms today.

I’m defined to be an Enneagram type 7, so the act of listening actually presents a bit of a challenge to me, and I find it hard to stay focused.

However, one little gem that did resonate with me was his descriptive phrase “Cut the Fluff”. To add some context in the PR world, and simply put – we would all benefit from making every word count.

Story pitching, press release writing and PR content have a particular writing style and only too often do I meet with clients and are handed read press releases that have been ‘lifted’ from overseas press kits or marketing manuals. It might seem like a great way to save time and money, but if no one reads these vital documents or the message is confused, certainly the end results will invariably, be compromised.

These days, it’s more important than ever to cut through with a clear message, given the over-cluttered content explosion we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Yes, pictures speak volumes but words just seem to stick.  It is the words that journalists need, the words relay the message and if the words are irrelevant, the editor either becomes confused or loses interest.

So, it remains true to say, the humble press release continues to reign high in the communication stakes. Seemingly simple, a good press release can open or slam doors. You just need the right words. 

We recently ran a media event for beauty journalists, bloggers and digital sites, in order to launch a new product to the Australian beauty market. Here is a list of findings that might surprise you.

• Media are more time-poor than ever, more than often working on 2 or more titles or working an extra job on the side
  
  
• Venue is key. It needs to be central but can’t please all, as most work from home these days.
  
  
• Offer multiple hooks to entice your guests. These can include entertainment, goodies bags or an original experience. A new product is not enough to get them there!
  
  
• Timing is really tricky. Most journalists do not like early starts, so breakfasts can be hit and miss. Lunch is positively old school - gone are the days for these girls to have the luxury of a few hours off, in the middle of a day. So cocktails or late afternoon tea seems to be the go. Remember though, you are intruding on their “private” time, so be modest with your demands.
  
  
• Dropouts. Factor in about a 10% drop out rate on the day, and a few cancellations before that. If an editor gets a better offer she will take it.
  
  
• Even if you manage to book a seemingly free date, beware of last minute events that seem to spring up from nowhere. Sydney has often anywhere between 5 and 10 media events going on each night, depending on time of the year.
  
  
• Keep the message short and clear. Do not bore guests with lengthy PowerPoint – oh-so-nineties – presentations. They will only take home 1 or 2 messages from your talk anyway.
  

On a last note, it might be worth considering other options for new product introductions. The less time-consuming, more original and memorable a launch is, the better. Effective PR and publicity is gaining maximum coverage while keeping the investment as low as possible. Remember to weigh up the possible ROI and study alternatives, before locking into what can be an expensive exercise.