A message from the PIC chair, Sharon Aschaiek

IABC/Toronto blog
PIC email: info@pictoronto.com

Past Chair: Donna Papacosta

by Sue Horner

If there's a narrow, geeky subject, you can bet there's a matching publication. According to Carl Friesen, that publication wants your content.

 

• Fear: Show that there's a real problem and how to solve it. (This is Carl's fave!)
• Greed: Show that there's an opportunity they are missing and how they can seize it.

• "newsjacking," where you take a developing news event and relate it to what your clients (or their clients) are thinking;
• trend content, or newsjacking in slow motion, where you outline how the client can avoid an emerging problem or gain a benefit;
• "how-to" pieces that show the steps to achieve a desired outcome, or a list of success factors (note thatthis should be a tangent to what you do, not giving away the secrets of what you do); and
• case studies that describe a situation in a story, steps taken to solve issues, lessons learned and the results. 

Thank you to the 58 independents who answered the 2014 PIC member survey. This is roughly a 36% response rate.

Watch for a full report soon. In the meantime, here's a quick look at some of the results:

• 26.8% of us have not yet raised our fees; the next most frequent response showed 23.2% of us last raised our rates in 2013.  
• The rates on which we base our fees range from $45 to $180, with a median of $100. 
• About 66% charge different rates for long-term clients, extended projects, working on a retainer or as a single-client contractor. 
• Our years as a consultant range from less than a year to 30, with a median of 10.
• We have a range of clients, from one major or long-term client to 20.

Last chance if you'd like to complete the survey!

PIC members are speaking at the conference

We're thrilled that a number of PIC members will be speaking at the conference. If you're going, look out for:

• Heath Applebaum, ABC, on reputation
• Karin Basaraba, ABC, on "story goes social"
• Eric Bergman, ABC, APR, on effective presentations
• Sue Johnston, ABC, on "personal Kanban"
• Cyrus Mavalwala, ABC, on online personal branding
• Donna Papacosta on content marketing
• Jane Wilcox, ABC, as part of the Undercover Bosses Canada general session. 

PIC member Bill Smith is proposing lunch on Sunday, June 8, for visitors and local members during the conference. You don't have to be attending the conference; simply meet up at 12 noon at Bar Hop, 391 King Street West, just east of Spadina. Salads, sandwiches, pub food and 36 craft beers on tap!

Just a reminder that PIC has crowdsourced a 2014 Toronto shopping guide for visitors to the city during the conference (or residents who would like suggestions on where to shop!). Grab your copy here.

A summery day (we hope)! Lunch on a patio! Join IABC/Toronto Westend members and friends for lunch on the sunny patio at Gabriel's Restaurant in Mississauga. The menu features a range of sandwiches (including salmon or grilled veggies) with salad, soup or fries. Separate bills means what you spend is up to you. Please book your spot by Monday, June 16 by email to Sue Horner. Don't worry if it rains; we'll be relocated inside.

Meet Yvonne Catty, ABC

Yvonne Catty, ABC, is principal at Vitamin-3 Communications. Yvonne has more than two decades of experience in regulatory affairs, crisis management and strategic communications in highly regulated industries. Contact her by email at yvonnecatty@sympatico.ca or 416-400-6428.

When did you launch your own business?
I've flirted with independent consulting on and off since graduating from the University of Toronto with a Master's of Science in Nutritional Sciences in 1990. After I graduated, I struggled with finding a full-time role that allowed me to use my education and skills in a meaningful way. I ended up teaching part-time at Ryerson, and cobbling together other interesting and relevant work. Then a maternity leave led to full-time corporate work, which lasted for seven years.

I went back to consulting in 1999. Dipping in and out of independent life allowed me to flex all my professional muscles and build my capabilities. I decided to be serious about being independent when my son was small. 

What do you enjoy most about being an independent?
I went independent for the flexibility. I also like the variety. Although I'm doing the same basic thing, I work for global companies, and every day is different.

What are some of the things you're working on right now?
I work with large, multinational corporations on things like corporate reputation, issues management, stakeholder engagement and crisis preparedness. I'm basically a scientist, very data-driven, so I take issues and deconstruct them for my clients and help them build plans to manage the issues. I do a lot of scenario mapping, working through "what if" situations, putting people through drills and mock crises that mirror the CEO's worst nightmare. Working backward from that helps companies focus and build on the basic communications needs. It's deep work, so I only take on a handful of clients at a time, working with a small virtual team of other independents.

How long have you been an IABC member? Have you found it helpful?
I've been an IABC member forever, and around the world -- Toronto, Hong Kong, Australia. I've enjoyed being part of PIC and try to get out to some of the meetings. I like the practical ones, like the LinkedIn session. I found it very helpful and used it to update my own profile. 

Do you have any advice for those who are new to independent life?
Whatever your reason -- whether you are choosing to be an independent or you have been downsized -- keep investing in yourself. Professional development is so important, which is where a group like IABC is invaluable.

I would also say that while independent life has lots of benefits, there are downsides. You need to work at beating the isolation of working alone, by staying involved in associations like IABC and keeping up your professional development. Even if you are an introvert, stay connected with others and consider being part of a virtual team. You don't necessarily have to be located on site! And indie life doesn't have to be "either/or" -- you can dip in and out, as I did.

IABC/Toronto is always looking for your ideas and opinions on communications:

1. Communicator is the member magazine [login required] IABC/Toronto publishes six times a year, and we need your help to provide readers with interesting, well-written, topical articles on communications and PR. You can volunteer as writer, editor, proofreader or even just an idea generator. If you have a story recommendation, would like to write an article, or are great at proofreading other people's work, then Communicator is looking for you!

2. Commversations is the IABC/Toronto blog. Got an opinion or idea on PR, current events or the latest marketing sensation? Don't keep it to yourself; submit your thoughts in a written post on Commversations! Visit often, share your insights with fellow communicators and get the conversation started.

The Buzz is PIC's e-newsletter, intended to inform independent communicators about our activities, share professional development tips from past meetings and keep us aware of what's going on. Connect with us on the web at pictoronto.com.

Director, Communications - PIC                              Copy editor