April 30, 2009
General Marketing
1 Comment
Another four day week for me! Monday saw me walking through Glencoe in Scotland. Wonderful scenery, breath-taking views and after a long day, aching legs!!
1. Recruitment is still alive & well with SMEs…
Mediacontact.ie is looking for an intern. They are looking for someone who as an interest in media and is looking for a start in the world. The job title is Media Researcher. Only very interested candidates need apply at jobs@mediacontact.ie
2. New Product Launched for Recruitment Industry
Ivan Stojanovic, author of Irish recruitment blog, Jobsblog.ie, launched a new product during the week. It’s called Recruitment Marketing Manager. Check it out at www.recruitmentmarketingmanager.com for more information.
3. Business Acquisition is still alive and well too…
Outsource Support Services acquired Dundalk based security firm Protec Security Services. Protec has is a long established security firm which provided manned guarding, mobile patrol and key-holding & alarm response security services in the North East of Ireland.
I spoke with Graham Hughes, Outsource MD at the Connect 4 Lunch event on Wednesday and he told me that OSS are on the road 24 hours a day, seven days a week serving the entire North East.
4. Independent Buying Agency & Ireland’s first Reverse Property Auction Launched
Home Brokers, the full service independent buying agency, officially launched this week. Paula ter Brake announced three new services, including The Source. This is Ireland’s First Reverse Property Auction site and is free for use for property buyers and for a limited time, property sellers. This is a place where property buyers and sellers can sell & buy property directly.
(I was invited to the launch so I’ll write a full blog about that later).
5. Achievements
@denisefay gave marketing presentation to over 50 people at Drogheda & District Chamber Connect 4 Lunch
@brightskills informed us of another good news site - www.goodnewsnetwork.org
@coldplay told us that Michael Eavis, who started and still organises Glastonbury is named one of TIMEs most influential people (anyone got spare tickets to Glasto?!!!)
@alanorourke of Spoiltchild is moving offices
@campbellscott has announced that Dr. Edward de Bono is to join the IGOpeople Board as a Non-Executive Director.
***Keep those GNT stories coming***
April 28, 2009
General Marketing, Marketing advice, Networking
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Today I gave a marketing talk to members and friends of the Drogheda & District Chamber. It was meant to be 20 mins but I talked for 40 mins on
- How to network properly
- Turn your customers into advocates
- 5 quick tips to action today (or no later than tomorrow)
Over 50 people were in attendance and it was great to see so many people writing and taking notes. I have to make a note again on the food provided by Bru. As I was the main speaker, I didn’t want to eat too much or too little - can you imagine hearing a rumbling tummy when you’re concentrating on how to set marketing goals?!
What I ate was just right and from what I could tell, there were some people who went for seconds!!
I’ll talk a bit more over the next couple of days on the advice that I gave out today - the feedback I got was good so why not share it with others?
A word of thanks to Patricia, Karen, Marian, Sarah and Cathal for their idea, organisation and marketing of the event. All I had to do was turn up and deliver my talk!
More to come……
April 28, 2009
Networking
1 Comment
I was one of the lucky few who had the opportunity to hear Brendan Murphy of Osborne Recruitment speak at last weeks Staying up in Down Times event, held at the Ballsbridge Court.
Brendan is a quiet spoken man and he is clearly devoted to his profession. He is clear, concise and has a real desire to help people find work.
The recruitment industry is like the car industry, it is going through the floor. Employment is declining and unemployment is rising. Murphy didn’t sugar coat his delivery. The recruitment industry has contracted about 60% over the past 6-9 months. That is incredibly scary stuff. I believe that in a city of 1.2million, there are about 9,000 jobs being advertised.
Those that know me are aware that maths is not my strong point but that is not a good number. If my maths is correct, then it’s around 0.75%. Dismal would be the word that I would describe it.
Brendan explained that these days, there are really only three positions that a person can find themself in:
1. Safe - Employed by the government
2. Not Safe - Plan what you’re going to do
3. Not Sure - Plan what you’re going to do
Recruitment Advice Tip No. 1 - Control the world rather than letting it control you. Plan ahead.
If you don’t have a CV, do one up.
If you do have a CV, then improve on it. It can always get better.
The top 10% of people who apply for jobs have CVs that are
- Complete
- Accurate
- Truthful
You should ask yourself the question: ‘ How are you going to differentiate yourself?’ The reality is that you may not be different to others going for the same job but as long as your CV is accurate & correct, then your CV and yourself will go a long way.
Recruitment Advice Tip No. 2 - Have a Truthful & Correct CV
He came down to the interview stage preparation. He gave four pieces of advice
1. What are your strengths?
You need to know what they are and you need to communicate them clearly at interview.
2. What are your weaknesses?
Okay - everyone has weaknesses. Admit them. Acknowledge them and tell them in a positive way.
3. Differentiate Yourself
Brendan told us the story about a supermarket chain who were hiring about 20 years ago in the UK, during the last recession. They were inundated with applications so they decided to have an open day. At one point, they got rid of people who had white socks. Yep! white socks.
They just had to differentiate people - rightly or wrongly.
You, however, should differentiate yourself for the right reasons. Know what makes you different.
4. Answer the question ‘Why you?’
So you’ve done the interviews and it’s down to you and someone else, equally qualified and equally experienced. What makes you different? It is related to point number 3 and essentially it comes down to personality. But you should know and prepare the answer.
Recruitment Advice Tip No. 3: Be fully prepared before interview. Know your strengths, weaknesses, your differentiators, your ‘why you?’ answer
He suggested that everyone should develop your skills - get new ones or upskill the ones that you have. That will always stand to you. Keep moving forward with your skill set.
Recruitment Advice Tip No. 4: Keep developing your skillset
Like any good presenter, he finished on a positive note. There are industries that are surviving and even thriving. They include
- Transport
- Education
- Alternative Health
- Insurance
- ICT (certain areas)
- Languages (and not necessarily academic posts)
- Niche sectors - farming, bio-sciences, etc
and dare I say death! Well, there will always be births, deaths and taxes!
Recruitment Advice Tip No. 5: Do your research as there are still sectors surviving
Brendan summarised with four simple points:
- Look at where you are
- Do your CV
- Do a balance sheet analysis of you
- Stay Positive
My Recruitment Advice Tip: Go to Osborne Recruitment if looking for a job. They offer real, practical advice.
April 28, 2009
Drogheda, Networking, Retail
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One thing for sure is that the Drogheda & District Chamber do not sit on their laurels. After organising a fantastic luncheon networking event, they are right on the button delivering events that their members need.
This time around, they are organising an information evening for all businesses that work in the retail sector.
Here are the details:
The Retail Committee of Drogheda and District Chamber in conjunction with An Garda Siochana are hosting an information evening on Security Measures and Fraud Prevention for Business on Tuesday 5th May. The event will take place at 7.00pm in the Boardroom at the Drogheda Chamber offices.
Speaking this week Chairman of the Retail Committee Jim Corcoran explained “This issue is particularly important for business. During times of economic downturn business are more susceptible to fraud and the risk of theft increases. This in turn threatens the viability of business and employment. This information evening should help business to take practical steps. We are delighted that An Garda Siochana are working closely with us on this event.”
The event is free to attend, but it is essential to register in advance by calling 041 9833544 or by e-mailing enquiries@droghedachamber.com. All are welcome.
So if you are in the Drogheda and it’s district area and you operate in the retail sector, this is an event not to be missed. You’ll get a chance to network with other businesses and learn a bit more about protecting your business.
April 24, 2009
Networking, Relationship Marketing
3 Comments
I attended the seminar run by PA-assist and Osborne Recruitment entitled ‘Staying up in down times’. Held in the Ballsbridge Court, I spent great 3 hours talking to many great people and learning how to stay positive in these times. And as you know, I’m a big believer in positive thinking - hence the Good News Thursday weekly blog. But everyone needs a little extra inspiration.
This seminar, which I hope they turn into a series, was really uplifting. I took over 5 pages of notes, on the three speakers that gave us food for thought and fuel for the soul. The speakers were
As I’m away for a long weekend, I will get down to telling you the advice that I and the 40 odd people in the room received. It is information that NEEDS to be shared. Information is power but it’s the way you use it. I plan on making everyone benefit from it as I think that is just what PA Assist and Osborne would like me to do!
Once I’m back on Tuesday, I’ll be writing up all my notes. Get ready to be inspired for the last week in April.
April 23, 2009
General Marketing
1 Comment
After an Easter hiatus, we’re back! Trying to burn the calories from all those Easter eggs but nothing that a few hills in Scotland won’t sort out for me!
1. Recruitment is still alive & well with SMEs…
FX3, a long established fitted furniture company based in Artane, Dublin 5 is looking for kitchen planners and sales staff. Contact Mark Ryan on 01 848 5744 or visit www.fx3.ie for more information.
2. 12,000 Jobs Planned for County Louth
AN ‘ambitious but achievable’ target of creating 12,000 additional jobs in Louth between now and 2015 has been set by a new economic study of the county.
The study, commissioned by Louth Local Authorities from Indecon International Economic Consultants, provides a blueprint for the newly-formed Louth Economic Forum chaired by Padraic White, former managing director of IDA Ireland.
For more information, visit the Drogheda Independent.
3. A Business First for Twitter….
In a possible first for Twitter in Ireland, Giftsandvouchers.ie welcomes a new business partner in the form of PrimaryPosition.com founder - David Quaid. David and Sian met through using Twitter and David has decided to invest in the popular and growing GiftsAndVouchers.ie website. The pair met through posting on twitter and are both said to be delighted with the move announced today from Giftsandvouchers headquarters in Drogheda and PrimaryPosition in the National Technology Park, Limerick.
4. 300 Jobs for Waterford
A collaborative project between the Waterford Institute of Technology and Wales’ Aberyswyth University will create up to 300 jobs in the south east region over the next three years. The €1.7 million European-funded project will see over 30 enterprises in the south east and a similar number in Wales participate in the partnership.
5. Over 50 Attendees Network on Baggot Street
I mentioned in GNT, four weeks ago, about an innovative idea by Baggot Street based Marketing Network to bring together Baggot Street businesses to network with each other in Larry Murphy’s. A great crowd turned out, over 50 I would guess. I’ll let you know more next week about the connections made.
7. Staying Up in Down Times - A Success
Over 40 people attended the motivational & networking event - ‘Staying Up in Down Times’ organised by PA Assist and Osbourne Recruitment. Attendees were motivated by James Sweetman, Brendan Murphy of Osbourne Recruitment and Krishna De.
8. Achievements
@denisefay and @alanorourke - Did their civic duties and gave a pint of blood.
@giftsandvouchers & @primaryposition - became business partners (see above)
@krishnade brought 10 bloggers together to blog about the Osbourne Recruitment & PA Assist event (see above)
***Until next week - keep those good news stories coming***
April 21, 2009
General Marketing
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Last Wednesday saw over 60 women attend the Network Dublin monthly event at the Herbert Park Hotel.
Michael Comyn was the guest speaker and he spoke about the recession, why some of us will fly and thrive while others will merely survive.
Michael spent time speaking about Stress, the causes and effects on people living and working in modern Ireland. I know that I certainly was struck when he said that most Irish people are sleep deprived. Most get 4-5 hours of sleep. 7 and a half hours is still the recommended sleep duration. (I get that maybe once or twice a week!)
On top of our sleep deprivation, he told us that:
- Depression is on the rise
- The amount of prescription pills for depression and anxiety are on the increase
- Balanced eating is not common
Comyn said that there is a difference between the type of stress that motivates and inspires and that which fatigues and immobilizes. Professional competence, talent and excellence are no guarantee of immunity against stress. The increasing pace of change in business can bring tougher competition, failed communications and the real risk of redundancy.
These pressures require careful readjustment and rebalancing to maintain well-being and performance.
Many incidences of “executive” stress are due to accumulating factors, principally exhausting years of long working hours that have not been adequately balanced. Success can come with unintended consequences. Mastering the capacity to rebalance, can profoundly alter how you feel now and for the future. Greater fulfilment and well-being are accessible realities.
Comyn has a five point process to which we can harden ourselves against the stress that is forced upon us and the stress that we force upon ourselves.
He was entertaining, positive and engaging. There was a chance to network after his speech while we all helped him celebrate his birthday.
So once everyone had their fill of canapes and wine, they went home to ensure they got their 7 1/2 hours of sleep .
April 21, 2009
Networking
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There are just a few places left on this seminar, taking place tomorrow evening, April 22nd at 5.30pm in the Ballsbridge Court Hotel.
This seminar is being hosted by Osborne Recruitment & PA Assist and promises to be a fantastic event. Previous events run by PA Assist have proved to be productive and fun.
As a result of attending this evening seminar you will:
- Learn practical strategies for boosting your motivation and self confidence at a time when we need it most.
- Discover ways of coping with fear when we are pushed outside our comfort zones
- Get clear as to how you can ‘fuel’ your positivity and become a source of inspiration for yourself and others
- Know how to move from reactive to proactive by taking ownership of what is within your control -
- Discover practical tips to manage your career through networking online and making the most of new media to recession proof your career.
The agenda is as follows:
17.30 - Registration
18.00 - Welcome and Introductions
19.15 - Questions & Answers
19.45 - Networking Reception
20.30 - Finish
The fee is a very reasonable €40.00 per person and the price goes down to €30 each when there are 3 people or more from the same company/organisation attending.
To Book Your Place, go to PA Assist - www.pa-assist.ie/event2009.asp
April 14, 2009
General Marketing, Internet Marketing
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Last week I posted about the 100 articles in 100 days challenge. Easter got in the way aswell as writing my home study course on Pay per Click home study course. But I’m back on track and will start numbers 2-5 this evening.
I’m delighted to say that number one article - 3 Ways to Promote Your Business at No Cost - was accepted onto ezinearticles website.
Check it out - http://ezinearticles.com/?id=2198835
I’ll keep you updated with my continuing challenge.
April 14, 2009
Awards, Internet Marketing
2 Comments
I turned on Twitter late today as I was deep in Internet marketing work today. Trying to do two days work into one! Don’t you love the bank holidays?!!
The first thing I noticed was the list of short-listed entries for the Net Visionaries. I’m delighted to see some of my favourite net people on the list.
Well done to everyone but in particular to:
- Damien Mulley & Mary Rose Lyons in the Best Business Blogger section. I’ve got you guys on RSS feed.
- Krishna De in the Best Podcast & Social Media Category. Krishna - this means another coffee!!
- My new friend, James Kennedy in the Internet Entrepreneur category for piehole.ie
- Adrian Weckler, John Collins and Niall Kitson in Journalist award
I have voted, have you? Make your voice heard at http://www.iia.ie/net-visionary/vote/
I put forward Derek Hardiman of RocketJobs for an award. Next year, Derek - you’ll be there. You’re a winner in my eyes.
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