Christmas is a time for family and friends, for reflecting on the year that has passed and for winding down. For businesses, it is also a great time to offer a little extra to surprise and excite clients. Creative initiatives during this period can go a long way towards securing loyalty and attracting new business.
So this Christmas, while others are adding tinsel to their trees and buying gifts, why not add some sparkle to your marketing and communications strategy? Here are some ideas you might want to consider:
It’s that time of year when most of us are winding down from work and looking forward to a well-deserved break. December 25 means spending time with family and friends, and gathering around a Christmas roast. In New Zealand, the end of the year might mean a longer break than usual over the summer period. Some of us might be staying home, going camping or cycling, discovering new places around the country or revisiting familiar spots. Others might be getting on a plane, exploring new cities and continents.
Being slow off the mark is a recipe for being ignored or criticised, especially as far as the media is concerned, so it’s no surprise that everyone wants to be ahead of the game.
Immediacy and timing are critical to successful public relations. But basing communications solely on timing without proper fact checking can lead to embarrassing mistakes and damage to reputation, as demonstrated by the Republican Party and media organisation Newsweek in the recent US election campaign.
Good communications is about finding the right words to tell a story. But in a world of information overload, one has to consider the singular power of images.
Each day, we are bombarded with news. Articles, blogs, and editorials flood the Internet. Everyone is commenting on everything, whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter or on various websites where commentary is welcome, encouraged. We are continually assaulted with words. How much do we process, and remember?
I am in search of an ambiguous news headline.
Not just any ambiguous news headline, such as "Missing woman remains found", "Red tape holds up new bridge" or "Squad helps dog bite victim", but an ambiguous news headline where all meanings are actually correct.
I find myself drawn to ambiguity in creative writing, particularly in poetry. It can allow for subtlety in writing, and there’s something about knowing your readers can interpret your message in their own different ways.
However, in journalistic writing, ambiguity can be dangerous.
In order to be a good communicator, you need words. But the words mean nothing without the people who inform them, who read and respond to them.
As a communications professional, you might find yourself writing a press release, editing an annual report, penning a feature article, or drafting a submission. It’s often a versatile role that tests your writing skills in a variety of ways.
I found my legs in writing for social media at my first job, working for the marketing department of a major publishing house. In 2009 social media was an established marketing tool, but one that many businesses were still wary of and unsure how to utilise.
I didn’t have much in the way of experience, but I gained a huge amount of satisfaction from teaching myself the basics. I learned by trial and error what worked, and what didn’t. I discovered the thrill of creating the perfect post that resonated with people, rather than just pushing a product and telling them to buy it.
I must be getting old. I get very grouchy when I see so many glaring grammatical mistakes.
My pet hate is the misused apostrophe. Almost daily I will see someone writing “photo’s”. Why would you write “photo’s” when you wouldn’t ever write “chocolate’s”…or “house’s”…or “bottle’s of wine”?
Here’s the problem: some of us have jobs which rely on our ability to write. We can’t just wait until our writing block passes. We could be waiting days, weeks or even months, and our employers might not be that patient.
This is why it is wise, or even crucial, to have a ‘Plan B’ – some ideas you can turn to, to get the words flowing again in times of need.
So, how do you conquer the dreaded writer’s block? I’m glad you asked.
Whether you were one of those children who put pen to paper before you could walk, or you had an uh-huh moment later in high school – chances are if you are reading this blog, you decided for one reason or another to work in the media industry.
First of all, congratulations! As I am sure you know already, you made a wise and wonderful choice.
