|
PIC Newsletter - July/August 2015
|
|
| Greetings! |
Hope you enjoy the latest edition of The Buzz!
|
|
|
|
|
A message from the PIC chair, Sharon Aschaiek
|
 When we're still in the thick of warm summer days, few of us like to think about fall. The good news is that the PIC executive is thinking about it so that you don't have to. And when September hits, you'll be welcomed by a shiny new executive ready to roll out a fresh and informative season of professional development and networking.
First, we're going to miss the two PIC members who will be departing our executive:
- As director of programming, Jane Langille made a tremendous contribution to our group. She came up with interesting and relevant seminars, attracted insightful and engaging speakers, and promoted audience participation.
- Director of social media Andrew Wright, meanwhile, helped keep PIC top of mind among our members and followers by sharing our events and news.
Thanks to both Jane and Andrew for helping keep PIC a valuable resource and network for the local independent communicator community.
I'm grateful that PIC will continue to benefit from the energy, expertise and ideas of Sohini Bhattacharya (membership), Sue Horner (communications) and Donna Papacosta (past chair), who will stay on for another year. And I'm excited to welcome the newest additions to our executive: Jacqui d'Eon will look after social media, while Susan Nakhle and Heather West will share the programming role. Finally, I'm personally looking forward to serving the group for another year as chair, and to collaborating with everyone on the executive to deliver a dynamic year of activities for our members.
In a few weeks, we'll be presenting our first evening seminar of the season, a timely presentation and discussion on current trends and podcasting by PIC's own Donna Papacosta. A go-to expert on podcasting, Donna launched one of Canada's first business-related podcasts in 2005, and regularly helps clients integrate podcasting into their communications.
See below for more details on this not-to-be-missed event, and watch for news of our first networking event of the season in October.
Continued success,
Sharon
|
|
 |
Newsletter archives
| Find back issues of The Buzz here.
|
We want your talents!
| Interested in writing, editing or contributing ideas for PIC's The Buzz or IABC/Toronto's Communicator? We'd love your help. Let us know!
|
PIC 2015-2016 Executive
| Contact any of us with questions, comments and ideas for speakers or topics:
Chair: Sharon AschaiekCommunications: Sue Horner
Membership & Events:
Sohini Bhattacharya
Programming: Susan Nakhle and
Social Media: Jacqui d'Eon |
|
|
|
September 8: Secrets of podcasting success
|
Tuesday, September 8, 2015, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Metro Hall, third floor, 55 John St., TorontoHave you ever thought of adding audio podcasts to your communications mix? If you're curious about podcasting, join us for the PIC meeting on Tuesday, September 8.
Find out from our speaker, Donna Papacosta: - What is a podcast, and why is podcasting enjoying a resurgence?
- How podcasting can become part of your marketing or communications program
- Why good sound separates you from the amateurs
- Why Google hates your podcast, and how to get around this limitation
- A quick podcasting workflow; how to get started
- Plus much more. Bring your questions!
During the talk, Donna will share some of the things she has learned and the mistakes she has made as a podcaster. There will also be a draw for a copy of Donna's new book, The Business of Podcasting, co-authored with Steve Lubetkin.
About our speaker: PIC member Donna Papacosta is principal of Trafalgar Communications. In September 2005 she launched one of the first business podcasts in Canada. Since then, she has produced countless podcast episodes for her own business and for clients, and has taught many people how to use audio, multimedia and social media effectively.Networking 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 pm Presentation: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Registration fees*: IABC members: $16 ($18.08 with HST) Non-members: $26 ($29.38 with HST) *Registration will be open soon; please hold the date and register and pay for this event in advance. Sorry, we can't accept payment at the door. Remember, to keep costs down, we no longer have refreshments at PIC meetings. To give you time for a quick snack before the meeting, registration and informal networking will start at 6:30 p.m. (half an hour later than previously), and the session begins at 7:00 p.m.
|
|
Summer socials were a hit at The Flight Deck
|
|
| | Irene Bakaric, Sohini Bhattacharya, Sharon Aschaiek and Elaine Smith at the PIC social in August. |
by Sue Horner
PIC had a flight plan this summer, and we stuck to it. Thus in June, July and August, PIC members and friends circled back to The Flight Deck, the delightful rooftop patio at The Pilot. We polled some of the attendees to find out what they enjoyed about our outings. Here are some of the answers: New member Chris Davies started her business in April, and attended her first PIC event July 8. "As a new independent, part of me misses the 'water cooler' chatter in a corporate environment, so it was fun to be around like-minded people," she says. "It was also a chance to practice my elevator speech and get answers to questions about building a new business pipeline." "It's always great to connect with other independent communicators and hear how they tackle challenges many of us encounter," agrees Leslie Hetherington. "The Pilot's rooftop was an ideal spot for a warm summer night social." John Bromley believes it's important for indies to get out and touch base with each other. He enjoys the relaxed, casual setting of PIC socials, which he finds "conducive to genial conversations." He adds, "I liked that people got up and moved around to mix up the conversations." Brian Baker met some new folks, and chatted about the industry and some of the current events in the sporting world. "It was great to gain insight into what people in the industry do, as I am currently transitioning from journalism into public relations." Karen Luttrell enjoyed "catching up with old friends, sharing experiences with senior communicators, and meeting some very savvy new young professionals with great energy. My only regret is there is never enough time to chat with everyone."
Isn't that the truth! But we'll give it a try at our next social in October. Watch for details.
|
|
It's here! The Independent Life e-book
|
 If you're new to running your own business, or you'd like advice on certain aspects of it, get your hands on PIC's new e-book. The Independent Life combines the wisdom of PIC members with online resources to guide you through the steps in starting your own business, setting up your office, managing your finances, setting fees, marketing and more.
PIC began collecting resources from PIC members in 2007, with contributions and help from Sue Horner; Barb Sawyers; Gary Schlee, ABC, MC; Susanna Smith; Margaret Tanaszi; Lee Weisser; and Lynn Woods. The material lived on the PIC eXchange site, which IABC no longer supports and we can't update. So we've pulled the material from the site, updated it for 2015, checked all the links and added Donna Papacosta's new section on marketing with social media. Graphic designer Cathy Ledden, RGD, has taken the content and turned it into a handy guide that is available as a PDF download (viewable with Acrobat Reader) or as an e-publication for Kobo or iReader. Grab either from the special site built by Cathy's partner, Bill McLean. |
|
The PIC connection to IABC's 2014 annual report
|
Did you check out IABC's annual report this year? That's PIC member Deana De Ciccio's handiwork.
"As art director for ImageStudio Creative Communications, I design documents that use interactive icons to link to richer content such as blog posts, videos and photos," Deana explains. "This is exactly what IABC was looking for in their goal to be more transparent and better communicators in the digital age."
Outgoing IABC International Chair Russell Grossman, ABC, explained in a blog post, "The Annual Report is also designed to be a reference for non-members for some months afterwards. The challenge was to produce something where more people would read it than had written it; an instance which does not always visit corporate reports."
The interactive PDF was therefore kept short and sweet to be easily read on phones and tablets, while still showcasing new professional development and certification offerings. "This was the first annual report for members that IABC International has produced in many years," says Alix Edmiston, ABC, a member of the report's planning committee. "The objective was to share the strategic direction and highlight IABC's new brand. "Deana was chosen because she has worked with IABC at all levels on many projects and her work is exceptional. We wanted an interactive report that reflected the new contemporary brand, and Deana has deep experience in this area." Download the report here. |
|
Welcome new members!
|
Elena Beveridge
Beveridge Marketing
Toronto
Telephone: 416-323-4766
Website: www.beveridgemarketing.comElena helps entrepreneurs break away from the pack and take their business to the next level. Services include marketing, sales and PR strategy, and event management.
Chris Davies
switch strategic communications inc.
Toronto
Telephone: 647-298-8856
Email: chris@switchcomms.ca
Change is not only good but necessary for businesses to succeed. Chris's effective communications drive tangible change with expertise in internal and leadership communication strategy, messaging and execution, reputation management and change communications.
Susan Diaz Susan Diaz Writes Toronto
Telephone: 647-990-0875 Susan offers content marketing and social media management services, including community management. She is a skilled writer with over 10 years' experience in developing a range of B2B content, technology in particular.
Sheila Gregory
Promotion Notions
Newmarket
Telephone: 289-926-7069
Email: sheilagregory727@gmail.com
Website: Sensational Writers
Sheila is a communications professional providing digital marketing services to small businesses: Writing webpages, ghost blogging, email and social media marketing. Sheila also services non-profits, writing fundraising letters and developing community outreach programs.
|
|
Sept. 2: Tune in to PWAC chat on interviewing
|
Our colleagues in the Toronto chapter of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) have several Twitter chats coming up of interest to PIC members. The first, on September 2, will discuss how to effectively interview your sources. Before the chat, read Sharon Aschaiek's interview with Paul McLaughlin, an interviewing trainer for CBC radio and TV. Follow #PWACchat and @PWACToronto for more details. |
|
Sept. 25: Social media tune-up workshop
|
Friday, September 25, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Toronto Board of Trade, Rogers Room #1, 1 First Canadian Place, 77 Adelaide St. W., Toronto If you've been using social media tools like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook for a while, you're probably pretty comfortable with them. But are you getting the most out of them -- to build your personal brand, generate leads, or increase awareness of your nonprofit? In this workshop, Donna Papacosta will share advanced methods that can drive your social media usage and productivity: - Twitter best practices; using automation tools -- carefully
- LinkedIn: things you may not know about connecting and communicating
- Facebook brand pages: how to increase your visibility
- Why Instagram and Snapchat matter
- Deriving the greatest benefit from your blog
- Understanding the basics of Google Analytics
- Social media dashboards and monitoring tools you can get for free
- How social bookmarking can help you and your colleagues and clients
- Content marketing tips
- Curating content without stealing
- Finding and optimizing photos for your social media accounts
- And more!
All participants will receive a copy of Donna's The Social Media Tune-up Workbook. Coffee and tea will be served. Register now Note: If you hear of a communication-related course or workshop we should share with PIC members, please let Sue Horner know. Thanks! |
|
PIC Personalities
| |
Meet Heather West
by Sue Horner
Heather West of Fresh Communications is a writer and communication consultant. She has more than 25 years of experience in business-to-consumer and business-to-business agencies as well as not-for-profit associations. Find Heather online or reach her at 416-884-5741, @westatfresh or hwest@freshcomms.ca.
What's your background?
My first two jobs were with boutique PR agencies. Then I moved to the marketing department at Retail Council of Canada. After seven years there, a former colleague hired me to manage marketing and communications for a new association, the Ontario Service Safety Alliance (OSSA). OSSA later combined with two other associations to become Workplace Safety & Prevention Services.
When did you launch your independent business?
I had always wanted to go on my own and did so in September 2012. I had invested a lot of myself in helping the organizations I worked with grow, and wanted to build something of my own. And I wanted some variety. I was fortunate that Workplace Safety was keen to keep working together, so I was able to start out with an anchor client.
What type of work are you doing now?
Many of my clients are associations, and I handle a variety of projects. For example, I've developed communication strategies and written strategic plans, annual reports, a communications handbook, articles and presentations for CEOs.
What do you enjoy most about being independent?
The variety and being able to blend work and home! I also like the challenge of learning new things when offered a project I haven't done before.
When I left the corporate world, people wondered how I would feel about the isolation, but that hasn't been an issue. I've met more people doing this than I would have working for one organization, and the connection is energizing.
What don't you like about being an indie?
Something I've found difficult is shifting from shining a light on other people's skills to doing so for myself. I haven't found my own voice as quickly as I hoped to.
At times I miss the support of a regular day-to-day team. However, I have a partnership arrangement with a long-time colleague who contracted me to work with her on a major client. I like the collaboration and support that I get working with her team. And the colleagues I've met through PIC have been great.
How long have you been a PIC member and what value do you get from your membership?
PIC's value is enormous. I began coming to PIC meetings in 2011, before making the leap. The professional development is great, and if you miss a meeting, there's always a full recap in the newsletter.
PIC members are generous with ideas and experience, and that's a huge benefit, too. It's great to be able to bounce ideas off others, or have another set of eyes review a document. It's interesting to read about what others are doing, and I've also found great suppliers through PIC members.
I jumped at the chance to participate in the PIC mentorship program and have been paired with Pat Davies. As a new entrepreneur, I love the idea of having someone to call on if I have questions or concerns. It's a wonderful opportunity, and the value of the relationship will continue to grow as we get to know one another better.
What advice would you give someone new to independent life?
Besides join PIC? Never underestimate the power of a cup of coffee! When I decided to go out on my own, I contacted friends and colleagues who had their own businesses. I asked if I could buy them a coffee and ask about what had worked for them. It was a great experience.
Don't be afraid to find other support, too. I worked with a branding coach (Rhonda Page) to help with the transition to my own business. She gave me some questions to ask my colleagues to help me define the value my business could provide. I also joined a coaching group with Ed Gandia.
We count more than 160 members in PIC, offering a range of talent from coaching and media relations to video production and writing. Do you know everyone? Our PIC Personalities feature introduces new members and randomly profiles existing members. Let Sue Horner know if you'd like to be profiled and she'll be in touch to set it up! You can find previous PIC Personalities in The Buzz archives and on IABC/Toronto's CommVersations blog.
|
|
Are you on the PIC member list?
|
As a member of PIC, you can promote yourself at no charge in the PIC directory, located on the IABC/Toronto website. Yes, it's f-r-e-e! Make sure you're taking advantage of this chance to share key details about your services.
If you want to add to your existing profile, or create a completely new one, email PIC's Director of Membership & Events, Sohini Bhattacharya. Sohini keeps a running list that she shares with IABC/Toronto every quarter. Send Sohini your name, company name, location, email address, telephone, website, blog and a brief description of your business (up to 35 words).
|
|
PIC is a special interest group of IABC/Toronto. PIC's mission is to support independent IABC/Toronto communicators through professional development, networking and marketing. 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.
As the largest chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, IABC/Toronto provides access to products, services, activities and networking opportunities in Toronto and around the world. IABC helps people and organizations achieve excellence in corporate communications, public relations, employee communication, marketing communication, public affairs and other forms of communication. For more information, visit the IABC website.
|
Director, Communications - PIC
|
|
|
|
|
|
