LinkedIn is changing… So do you have a strategy prepared?

From the 14^th April, LinkedIn will be changing company pages and taking away a feature most of us have been avidly using.

The products and services tab will no longer exist and from right now you aren’t able to add new content to the pages.

While this may be sad news to us digital marketers don’t stress too much! There are still a couple of ways you can share content highlighting the products and services your company provides…

Firstly, you can still use company updates to broadcast information on your services and activity. This feature is a keeper as it allows you to share information with all of your company followers. It appears in their news feeds and it will be a static post on your company profile.

Secondly, you can start to use the showcase pages feature that not many people know about. Showcase pages create an entire page that focuses on one product line or service. It’s great if you have something unique and you want to share it. They’re simple to create as long as you’re the company page administrator.

So, be aware of the LinkedIn updates and make sure you have a strategy ready to implement as soon as April 14^th comes around.

 

 

Social Media… You don’t know when it will sneak up on you!

This week, a supreme court in Brisbane restricted the insurance payout to a 23 year old woman as her claims were contradictory to her social media posts. 

When the young woman was 17 she was in a car accident and last year she lodged a claim against her insurance company deeming that she had been unable to work and enjoy life due to ongoing physical, emotional and mental injuries sustained in the accident. 

While she was still awarded over A$100,000 in damages from the insurance company, she could have received much more if the court hadn’t found her social media posts to contradict these claims. 

Over the five years she had posted photos and status updates referring to parties, weddings, holidays, music festivals and varying employment. When she made the claim against the insurance company, they uncovered her social media history and successfully used it against her in the legal battle. 

This serves as a poignant lesson for us all. Don’t lie, or conversely, don’t make your whole life open to the public using social media… Discretion is advised! 

Do you think people over share on social media? Tell us in the comments below… 

Inspiring PR Pro of the month: Charissa Lauren, Pretty Living PR

This year on The Spot Blog, we’re going to be running a series highlighting some of the most inspiring women in the Public Relations space from around the globe. To kick it off, we’ve been lucky enough to interview one of the best names in fashion and lifestyle PR, Charissa Lauren, the co-owner of Pretty Living PR.

The Pittsburgh based business in the US is a full service public relations firm specialising in events, fashion, beauty and lifestyle clients. 

So, read on to hear Charissa’s story on why she loves working in PR and her tips and tricks to get into the industry and land you dream job!

 

1. Why did you want to be a PR professional?

I first decided to be a PR professional after years of working in fashion, event planning and journalism. I wanted a position that combined all of my talents and passions, of which PR allows. Public Relations is a career that enables me to dabble in many aspects including creation, envisioning, writing, and promoting fellow business owners.

 

2. What was your first job in the PR industry like?

When I decided to obtain a career in PR, I immediately created my own position and began my own business, Pretty Living PR. For years I was already assisting with company growth and exposure and perfected my skill with all necessary experiences. Owning a business was always my goal ultimately and I was fortunate to find my position of passion.

 

3. What is your current position?

I am the co-owner of Pretty Living PR, www.prettylivingpr.com. I am a publicist, PR Girl, writer, editor and visionary.

 

4. Why do you love your work?

I love my work because I was meant to build other people up. I am very sincere in doing everything in my power to see fellow businesses and individuals succeed and I love being able to offer further opportunities for career advancement, publicity and promotion. I like to be a business role model first and foremost.

 

5. What are your favourite work wear brands?

I am very loyal to independent and upcoming labels, especially those that I work with. I have a soft spot for fellow entrepreneurs and I know what it takes to develop a name in the fashion industry. I prefer to wear first and foremost Tidal Cool Creations (www.tidalcool.com), an independent label that designs all of the event dresses and work wear for the Pretty Living gals. I also like to support as many of my clients as possible. A lot of our brands are fashion, shoe and accessory labels.

 

6. Do you have a work wardrobe staple?

Currently, I cannot live without my Peoni Style (www.peonistyle.com) Cosmo Pink Tote bag, which is the ultimate PR Girl bag! It is really my second home as I’m usually all around. It fits all of my work necessities and then some! I also love the accessories by Vienna Victoria (www.viennavictoria.com) because they are luxurious and classy (as my style is) and also compact lip glams and glosses. (Clever, right?)

 

7. What is your favourite aspect of PR life and why?

The PR Life is never boring. It is a career that is a combination of many things. Especially as a business owner, I’ve found that Public Relations allows me to stay true to my journalism roots while providing me a creative outlet to focus on what will create and further a brand. Every day is different for me, and that’s what I love.

 

8. Do you have a favourite quote or saying that you apply to your work?

Currently, I just came across one of my new favorite quotes: “Walt Disney told his crew to ‘build the castle first’ when constructing Disney World, knowing that vision would continue to serve as motivation throughout the project. Oftentimes when people fail to achieve what they want in life, it’s because their vision isn’t strong enough.” – Gail Blanke

This quote really appealed to me because I truly believe if you focus on a vision and a goal, everything else will fall into line. Visions are half of the importance in a goal, the next importance is following through.

9. If you were hiring a PR intern, what are the top three skills or traits that you would look for?

My business partner Allyn Lewis and I discuss this all the time as we are always working with interns. We believe one of the most important aspects an intern can possess is the ability to pick up and learn things very quickly. PR is a very fast-paced industry, you are given something and you need to turn it into a magic show. Half the time you won’t have time to think, you need to be able to learn and act quickly and efficiently.

Other than being a fast learner, self-sufficiency is very important at our firm, along with multi-tasking and most importantly problem solving. If you have all of these traits, consider yourself hired!

 

10. What is the best advice you can give to anyone starting out in the PR industry?

Watch, learn and become best friends with every editor that you can.

 

The Spot Blog was lucky enough to be profiled on the Pretty Living PR Blog last year. To take a look, click here. 

New Years resolutions from The Spot Blog.

As we are on the verge of a New Year, it is tradition for us all to eat and drink beautiful foods, surround ourselves with our dearest friends and family and make promises to ourselves about the ways in which we intend to “be better” next year.

This year, I’m joining that bandwagon. The only thing is that I am making the promises not to myself, but to you, my fabulous readers.

In 2014, The Spot Blog is going to be better, in every way possible.

I promise to you, that there will be new posts live at least weekly.

I promise to you that we will feature inspiring public relations professionals for you to aspire to.

I promise that any question you ask will be answered.

I promise that the blog will (finally) get menus and the categories will be used.

I promise to you that you will love coming to The Spot Blog.

These are my 2014 New Years resolutions. My vision is that this blog will always be a plentiful source of PR professional and lifestyle inspiration for you. A place to feel enriched, passionate and inspired. Any thoughts, feedback or comments will always be welcome.

I wish you all the best for a great New Year. May 2014 be as fabulous as you are.

 

Jess. X

Avoid a cash crisis this Christmas so you’ve got more to spend on yourself

This post won’t be particularly exciting, but it is incredibly important! As we run around throughout the year, maybe taking a week long break here or there, we are working out tight little butts off to make some dosh to spend on our fabulous wardrobes and fabulous martinis.

But over Christmas when businesses close, the money stops, and we find ourselves in a little bit of a cash crisis. I mean – how can we hit the boxing day sales with serious ammunition after buying perfect Christmas presents for our friends and family?

Luckily you don’t need to stress! Even if you aren’t the best saver in the world, there are some easy things you can do to stay finance savvy over the Christmas period.

1. Budget. For every person you want to buy a Christmas present, set a budget and stick to it. Look for gifts that fit that price range. Most stores and brands have gift guides available so keep an eye out for those to get some great ideas.

2. Better yet – DIY. There are so many ways you can make beautiful gifts yourself for a third of the cost in store. Make a beautiful scented candle, a gorgeous chunky necklace, personalise an iPhone case or do some homemade cooking for your family and friends.

3. Eat in. Instead of going out for dinner and Christmas parties. Host one at home! There are so many ways to make this cost effective. If you’re having a BBQ make it bring your own meat and drinks. If it’s a large group, assign meals to each person so they can all bring a plate. If it is a casual dinner, tell everyone to bring $10 and combine it all. You can buy some amazing take-away thai or pizzas.

4. Drink punch. Make a big batch of punch between you and your friends to drink at parties and catch-ups. Combine some delicious juice, fruit, champagne and vodka and it becomes a great, cost-effective way of having a good time.

5. Wrap creatively. Use old newspaper or magazine pages to wrap your gifts. Make it look chic by tying a beautiful bright red, silver or gold ribbon around the gifts afterwards. You can get beautiful ribbon from craft stores for reasonable prices.

6. Send E-Cards. The price of beautiful Christmas cards is enough to make you trip over your Louboutins. Add the price of postage (which keeps increasing!) and you have one very expensive activity. Send an E-Card to your friends and family by downloading a free Christmas vector and writing your message in an email. If you want to time save, create a mail chimp account and you can send in batches with personalised name fields.

The biggest thing to remember is to think about what you are spending! If you turn a blind eye to your bank balance, your digits will drop and next thing you know you’ll be in Kookai feasting on the sales and your card wont work.

Happy shopping! I’d love to know what your favourite Christmas saving tips are! 

 

Your on-the-go work essential tool kit

Working as a travelling consultant and online community manager means I am CONSTANTLY sitting somewhere other than my desk. Most of the time I am running all over the city from meeting to meeting working in client offices and cafes… I guess this is why I never have a messy desk!

There are some things I have learnt that make work on-the-go a whole lot easier. Things like, always bringing your laptop charger, keep multiple lipsticks of the same colour everywhere and keeping spare money out of your wallet but in your bag are a given. But the most important part has been knowing the tools of the trade.

Here are my top five picks for your working on-the-go tool kit: 

 

 

1. A good quality, big, leather bag. Oroton is my favourite Australian accessories brand. Beautiful, clean and chic this Oroton Metropolis tote will not only fit EVERYTHING in it, but it will keep you looking professional and stylish as you go. Note: Must be big enough to fit your laptop in it or it fails the tote test. 

2. A beautiful notebook. This leather bound notebook from Kikki K is perfect because it keeps your notes away from harm like spilt coffee or leaking makeup. Even though we live in a digital age, sometimes writing down notes as you go is a great way to really connect with your thoughts.

3. Sensible, but stylish, shoes for walking. When you are on the go sometimes wearing heels just isn’t an option. Having two minutes to get six blocks away is not an easy task in the new season Alexander Wang heels. These beautiful Oliver & Co. ballet flats are so comfortable and they looks cute too!

4. An umbrella. No matter how annoying, you need to have an umbrella handy. Building awnings and annexes in the city just don’t go out far enough to guarantee your dry-keeping. This gorgeous Oroton mini is perfect to keep tucked away in your bag.

5. A professional compendium. Keep all of your notes, cards and on-the-go files together in the one place… And make that place as stylish as possible. This Oroton Metropolis compendium is perfect for that professional look and it even matches the tote!

So, stay beautiful, professional and prepared on-the-go with this essential tool kit!

Is there anything you always keep on you when you’re out of the office? 

Networking: how to maximise your outcomes fabulously!

Networking is a critical PR tool that leads to solid business development, but like most things, there is a serious strategic aspect to it. If you barely have time to change your undies and have your nails done, or your calendar looks something like this: 

Then this brief guide will help you to chose the best events and maximise the impact of your networking to make sure your BD really is fabulous! 

1. Choose your events wisely
You want to make sure the events you go to are filled with key members of your target audience. Networking with other professionals in your space is important to help maintain knowledge of your competitors, but if you want to get more clients in the door and really spread awareness in your key markets then make sure you attend their events. 

2. Always carry business cards or other marketing collateral
You want to splash your brand out there like no tomorrow! Make sure you have business cards, brochures, information packs or online details available and ready to hand out to everyone you meet. Try to exchange them rather than just give them so you can expand your database of key contacts. 

3. Add them to your CRM
Make surge you enter all business cards/information received into your CRM, mailing list or contact database. This way, you can ensure they receive your updates, newsletter or blog posts and you can manage staying front of mind. 

4. Follow up 
Within 48 hours, send your new found contacts an email, ping them an article of relevance, exchange information over social media sites. Make surge you reaffirm the relationship which will make it easier to call upon them and pitch to them as a potential client further down the track. 

Make sure you make the most of your networking and watch your business development skyrocket! X

7 ways to create a simple, beautiful and inspiring workspace!

Your workspace is one of the most important spaces in your life. It is likely that you spend most of your available time sitting at your work desk but you have done very little to make it the most enjoyable and inspiring place.

Luckily for you, there are easy and simple tricks you can do to make your workspace a beautiful area where you actually want to be! Here are 7 simple things you can do to learn to love your workspace.

1. Desk. Getting a desk of the right size with the right extensions is critical. Simplicity is always best and consider the size of the space. A large desk in a small space will feel heavy and cluttered.

2. Writing Equipment. You ideas, notes and dreams should be kept somewhere that does them justice! Find a beautiful notebook or day planner to stylishly keep you organised.

3. Candle. Find a scented cande that is either calming or invigorating to heighten your senses and draw out your creativity. Beautiful scents are an instant mood lifter!

4. Flowers. Real or fake it doesn’t matter! Beautiful, colourful flowers will brighten your space and make it a beautiful place to be.

5. Printed Quote. Everyone has that one phrase that speaks to them and helps them to be their best. Have yours printed onto a canvas and mounted on your wall for your daily dose of motivation.

6. Lighting. Good lighting is essential. There is nothing worse than stark, artificial lighting. Having your workspace in an airy environment near a window is best, but if not, a beautiful lamp with a natural glow will do perfectly.

7. iPhone Dock. It is much easier to have a cradle or dock for your iPhone. You can gently play music, you always know where the iPhone is and best of all, no messy cords for charging!

Make your workspace a place you want to be and then your work will become that little bit more enjoyable!

And we’re back online! Happy Tuesday X

“Chipped Nails do not equate to Shabby Chic” and other rules for achieving perfect workplace nails.

There are some things in the business world that people can’t ignore; Men who drink too much coffee and stain their teeth, women who try to squeeze a size 14 lower half into a size 10 pencil skirt, and my pet hate, both men and women who don’t have well groomed nails.

In the workplace, it is simply not acceptable to have poorly kept nails. You shake hands, you point to screens, you gesture in presentations and what this all has in common is that your nails are on display.

For men, keeping nails appropriate is easy. Keep them trimmed, filed and clean. Simple! The brain boggles at how this may be too difficult for some to understand, however it says a lot about male competency in general… I promise I won’t delve any further into that argument!

For women, appropriate nails are a little more difficult to gauge and therefore there are some rules that should be adhered to for workplace standards.

1. Length

Nails should not be so long they have the ability to make someone fear you. A few millimeters of white tip is appropriate, anything longer and people will think you are boycotting the hole puncher.

2. Shape

A classic square or round shape is workplace appropriate. The interesting and somewhat crazy nail shapes such as those filed to a sharp point or like half a hexagon are N.S.F.W. (Not Safe for Work) No one wants to scare off that new client by brandishing a weapon at your next meeting.

3. Nail Art/Nail Deco

Under no circumstances is nail art or decoration appropriate for the workplace. That hello kitty sticker or jeweled tip is not going to impress your CEO and may actually encourage them to question your maturity. Steer very clear of anything “kitsch”.

4. Colour

There is a range of colours suitable for the workplace. The main colouring rule is to stick clear of the glitter or fluro polish and opt for something demure and classy. It is OK to experiment with a little colour but keep the brights to toes only.

Below are my top 5 work appropriate nail polish colours. Remember: If you’re going to wear colours, make sure you maintain them regularly. Chipped nails DO NOT equate to shabby chic!

1. Dior, Dior Vernis “Charnelle”. The perfect nude!

2. Dior, Dior Vernis “Perfecto”. Dark and conservative.

3. OPI, “Makes Men Blush”. A subtle beige.

4. Chanel, Le Vernis “565 Beige”.  A beautiful, subtle, creamy colour.

5. Chanel, Le Vernis “461 Blue Satin”.  A deep navy colour with a hint of shine.