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PIC Newsletter - February 2016
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Hope you enjoy the latest edition of The Buzz!
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A message from PIC chair Sharon Aschaiek
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 Over the past year, IKEA Canada's revenues grew by 10%, and the company says one reason is the highly effective communications efforts of its president, Stefan Sjöstrand. Since taking on the role in September 2014, Sjöstrand has implemented a communication strategy that has resulted in not only concrete financial growth for the company, but also increased engagement with employees, a higher public profile, and a better capacity for it to achieve its business as well as social responsibility goals. Those significant achievements are what led IABC/Toronto to choose Sjöstrand as its 2015 Communicator of the Year. |
| Stefan Sjostrand, president of and communication innovator at IKEA Canada, speaks at the 2015 Climate Summit
of the Americas. |
"The fact that he is a very hands-on leader in both internal and external communications really struck a chord with the judges," says Heather Glicksman, IABC/Toronto's senior director of chapter awards. "In his short time at the company, he has made quite an impact and achieved a lot of positive change for the organization."
Sjöstrand's communication methods offer useful insights that can help us better serve our clients. Here are some of the ways Sjöstrand uses communication to help IKEA excel: Interacting with employees through new media:
Sjöstrand prioritizes using communication to be a good company leader, and his approach involves using video messages and a blog he writes himself to communicate with staff. IKEA Canada reports that his blog is highly popular and is viewed 11,000 times per week. The company credits these employee-engagement activities with helping it make Mediacorp's 2015 list of Canada's leading Employers for Young People.
Conducting extensive media outreach:
Believing in being as open as possible about IKEA's vision and plans, Sjöstrand has been leading a significant media effort to update the public about the company's business activities. This has resulted in extensive media coverage during his time in charge, including more than 3,000 articles, 800 million media impressions and, according to the company,
$8.5 million in ad value.
Pursuing community engagement:
Sjöstrand regularly speaks publicly about IKEA's business achievements and its commitment to environmental sustainability. At last year's Climate Summit of the Americas, he urged business and political leaders to be bold in their commitments on climate action. As well, under his leadership, IKEA became the first private company in Canada to hold an event to disclose their fiscal results at a news conference at the Toronto Board of Trade. "Communications is a key component of success for any business, which is why I'm committed to embracing a culture of open and transparent communication with IKEA's co-workers, customers, stakeholders and media," said Sjöstrand upon learning of the award. From making the best use of new media, to creatively engaging with employees, to heavily investing in media relations, to sharing IKEA's key messages in atypical settings, Sjöstrand's approach has a lot of instructive insights that can help us be more effective independent communicators. He's going to share more details about how he uses communication to drive IKEA's success at IABC/Toronto's Communicator of the Year event on March 29. Learn more and find out how to register here. Continued success, |
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Newsletter archives
| Find back issues of The Buzz here.
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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!
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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 |
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March 10: Get known, get remembered, get business -- with social content
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Thursday, March 10, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Metro Hall, Room 304, 55 John St., Toronto (closest subway stop: St. Andrew station)
Social media is not a fad, and content marketing is not for other people. As independent communicators, we must learn to share meaningful content, and to connect with others using social media.
Come t o this PIC session on March 10 to learn how to:
- Develop a strategy before you tweet; think like a publisher
- Understand the value of content marketing; create and curate great content
- Link your content marketing and social media efforts
- Streamline your workflow so you don't spend all day on Twitter or Facebook.
Check out a preview of the session in this conversation between Donna and PIC's Heather West.
About our presenter: Donna Papacosta of Trafalgar Communications has been online since the mid-1990s and blogging since 2004. She has developed an expertise in social media, podcasting and content marketing, and helps people use these tools to communicate with clients, prospects and employees. Donna teaches digital strategy and social media at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.
Registration fees*: IABC members: $16 ($18.08 with HST) Non-members: $26 ($29.38 with HST) *Please 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 to grab a bite before the meeting, registration and informal networking start at 6:30 p.m., and the session begins at 7:00 p.m.
Register now
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March 5: How to polish your prose so editors love you
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Saturday, March 5, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre, 750 Spadina Ave., Toronto
How can you stand out as a professional writer, impress editors and earn more assignments? Learn to avoid common writing errors and turn in clean copy that editors love.
The Professional Writers Association of Canada Toronto Chapter presents a special weekend workshop on March 5. Panellists Franklin Carter, Karen Luttrell, Jaclyn Law and Krystyna Lagowski will share tips and tools to help you organize your material, proofread effectively and add more value to your work.
Cost: PWAC members $10; non-members $20
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Feb. 4: No time for pics at the PIC social
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At our PIC socials, we let the good times roll with relaxed networking at downtown pubs or patios. Typically held bimonthly, the socials provide a great opportunity to meet or catch up with other communicators, discuss business activities and celebrate the indie life. We were so busy networking at PIC's last social on February 4 that we completely forgot to take photos. Check out our Flickr account for snaps of previous events, and watch for details of our next one.
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Subcontract opportunity: Youth marketing collateral
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PIC member Kevin Hanson is the lead consultant working with a national trade association to develop and implement a marketing plan for a new online job match tool, expected to be launched within the relevant industry sector this spring. Presentation decks and other marketing materials are being developed to target both employer and job-seeker audiences. Timing is early March, likely a one-week turnaround.
Subcontracted assistance is required to adapt a presentation deck for use with audiences in the 16- to 19-year-old demographic (about 15 minutes in duration). The deck will provide an overview of and promote the use of the tool, while also providing some insights on the sector and employment opportunities within it. A draft deck and other background materials would be provided, which the sub-contractor would adapt into revised copy, while also providing recommendations for visuals (to be developed and sourced separately by the project designer).
Interested? Reply to kevin@kevinhanson.ca, no later than March 2, 2016. Please include a brief indication of your expertise and previous experience in youth marketing, along with an hourly rate for the work and a preliminary indication of your anticipated hours.
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From cheering to advising, a mentor can make a huge difference
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| | Lisa Goller, left, and Donna Papacosta. |
by Sue Horner
When Lisa Goller joined PIC's mentorship program in February 2015, she had been a freelance writer and editor for just two years. She had expected to return to the corporate world after an extended maternity leave, but quickly realized the flexibility of working from home was a dream come true.
Although she had more than 14 years in marketing and communications, Lisa admits she didn't enjoy selling herself. Then she was matched with Donna Papacosta.
The mentorship with Donna was loosely shaped, and after meeting in person, the two had biweekly phone calls for a few months. "The ball is always in her court when she needs help," Donna explains.
The consistent schedule tapered off following Lisa's marketing refresh last summer. "I'm grateful to say Donna's suggestions worked so well that I was booked all autumn," Lisa says.
Although Donna modestly says "I don't know how much help I have been to Lisa, honestly," Lisa sings her praises.
"Donna reinvigorated my freelance business. By sharing her personal experience from over three decades of freelancing, Donna suggested proven processes that have helped me, too. Her recommendations on how to negotiate with clients -- including knowing when to move on -- made me more profitable, and saved me time and headaches." Most importantly, Lisa adds, "Donna cheered me on when I took big risks, which have paid off. I couldn't have been as bold in marketing without her warm encouragement. Now I actually love marketing myself and feel proud of my portfolio." Donna has enjoyed her interactions with Lisa, and says, "She's very thoughtful and puts a lot more energy into being strategic than I ever did early in my own career. I admire the way she is building her business." "I encourage other PIC members to learn from successful freelancing trailblazers like Donna," Lisa says. "Why reinvent the wheel all alone when we can learn from the best!?"
Could you use a mentor to help you build your business? Do you have expertise and insights you can share with a more junior indie? Let Sharon Aschaiek know you'd like to participate and she'll try to match you with another PIC member. Contact Sharon at sharon@cocoamedia.ca.Resources: Hubspot shares 12 ways to be an amazing mentor, including "be open to sharing your own mistakes."
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PIC Personalities
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Meet Susan Nakhle
by Heather West
Susan Nakhle, Chief Strategist of Dynamic Public Relations, is an award-winning senior public relations and communications professional. She specializes in strategy development, stakeholder engagement, facilitation and communications training. Reach Susan at 289-992-8555, on LinkedIn
When did you launch your independent business?
I launched my business two years ago. It was something I'd always wanted to do, and when the opportunity presented itself, I decided to go for it.
What's your background?
I've been in the communications and public relations field for over 20 years and have worked with both the private and not-for-profit sectors. Primarily my background has been in mental health care, media, education and transportation. I've also supported companies with organizational reviews, strategic planning, vision, values and mission development.
What type of work are you doing these days?
I work with senior leaders and organizations from a variety of industries. I develop communications strategies and offer expertise in engaging key internal and external stakeholders. I also offer coaching and training workshops to individuals and groups who want to communicate more effectively.
What do you enjoy most about being an indie?
There are so many things I enjoy about it. I love the diversity of the work and the ability to pursue projects and sectors that I'm really passionate about. I also enjoy the flexibility that comes with being an independent. I like that I can balance work and home life, and carve out time to re-energize between deadlines.
What don't you like about being an indie?
I don't particularly enjoy some of the administrative functions that are necessary when managing your own business. But as the saying goes, it comes with the territory!
What advice would you give someone new to independent life?
Make sure you have a strong business plan that you revisit often, with clear marketing and financial goals. Network, network, network! Manage your time wisely so you allocate enough time for both business development and the work you've committed to do for clients. I would also say it's important to stay on top of trends and invest in professional development.
How long have you been a PIC member?
I have been an IABC member for many years, and I joined PIC when I went out on my own two years ago.
What value do you get from your PIC membership?
I get a lot of value out of my PIC membership and through my volunteer role on the executive team. PIC offers an open environment for professional development, sharing and networking. Members bring different skills and expertise to the table and we learn a lot from each other. When I first started my business and before I became involved with PIC, I reached out to a couple of members for advice. They were extremely supportive and ready to talk about their experiences.
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.
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Get your LinkedIn profile link on the PIC member list
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You may not have a website to include in your profile in the PIC Member List on the IABC/Toronto website, but you do have a LinkedIn profile, don't you? Send the link to PIC's Director of Membership & Events, Sohini Bhattacharya. Sohini keeps a running list that she updates with IABC/Toronto every quarter.
Not on the list yet? What are you waiting for? As a member of PIC, you can promote yourself at no charge in the directory. Simply send Sohini your name, company name, location, email address, telephone, website, blog and a brief description of your business (up to 35 words).
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Be sure to join PIC's LinkedIn group
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Speaking of LinkedIn, we're working hard to make our LinkedIn group -- IABC Toronto Professional Independent Communicators (login required) -- the place for PIC members to get information about upcoming PIC events and share useful information about building and managing a small communications business. If you want to be in the know, join the Linked In group and set your notifications to at least weekly to keep up with the latest developments. We'll post PIC events to the group, and members are welcome to post articles or ask questions that will help other members grow and manage their businesses. Jacqui d'Eon moderates the group and is our 2015-16 Social Media Director.
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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 and LinkedIn.
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.
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Editor and Director, Communications - PIC
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