PIC Newsletter - June 2016
 
Hope you enjoy the latest edition of The Buzz!
Summer reading, from chair Sharon Aschaiek

Summer is a time when my client work tends to slow down, which means my business development work ramps up. I look at my marketing, networking and prospecting activities and think about what I should do more of, do less of or start doing.

Part of that involves paying more attention to articles on being a better communicator or business person. Here's a roundup of a few of my best finds:

Using writing power tools: For those of us who do a lot of writing in our communications businesses, Francesca Nicasio highlights several web tools to help us do it better -- 30, to be precise. Her recent article on the Be a Freelance Writer website features everything from a headline analyzer to a blog topic generator to a story idea tracker to a real-time editing service. It also has suggestions for managing projects, editing images, being more productive and curating content. The first one I'll try is Hemingway, an app that reduces errors and jargon and tightens complex sentences to make your writing more bold, clear and concise.

Doing business the Branson way: It turns out that Richard Branson, the business magnate with the brilliant smile, is LinkedIn's most popular person, with almost 10 million followers. An article about Branson by business consultant Nathanial Bibby explores Branson's secrets to success, which include showing personality, being original, focusing on your brand, helping others, learning from mistakes and breaking the rules. Plus, Branson believes in always having fun, since it's a great two-for-one -- you enjoy your life and create an energy that attracts customers, collaborators and employees.

Making a better impression: For those of us without the magnetic personality of Richard Branson, there are relationship-building tips worth checking out from Harvard psychologist Amy Cuddy. She has found in her research that when we meet new people, the first question we ask ourselves about them is: Can I trust you? It's a good reminder that networking is all about relationship building, and showing we're trustworthy and likeable is more important at the start than talking about our skills and experience. Cuddy's tips for demonstrating those qualities include listening more than talking, giving people your full attention (leave your phone alone) and laughing at your foibles. You can read Jeff Haden's whole article on Inc.com.

Speaking of networking, I hope to see many of you at PIC's social networking event on July 13 on the patio at the Duke of York pub. Look for more details further down in the newsletter.  

Continued success, 
Sharon
In This Issue
A message from Sharon
June 9: Your money, your future
July 13: Party on the patio
MJ Martin a CPRS Fellow
PIC members win awards
Feedback + more congrats
Welcome new members
Meet Susan Diaz
Add your LI profile to the list
Join our LinkedIn group
The Buzz takes a break
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Find back issues of The Buzz here.
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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 Executive
Contact any of us with questions, comments and ideas for speakers or topics:
Chair: Sharon Aschaiek
Past Chair: Donna Papacosta
Communications: Sue Horner
Membership: 
Programming: Susan Nakhle and Social Media: Bill Smith 
June 9 recap: Mortgage and money tips

By Andrea Bassett

Mortgage agent Heather Keeling and financial advisor Janine Purves want entrepreneurs to be financially successful. At the June 9 PIC event, they talked about credit, mortgages, cash flow and money personalities. Keep reading for some of their practical tips.  
 
Mortgages and credit
To get a mortgage, Heather says you need four things: income, a good credit score, a down payment and closing costs (generally 3-4% of the purchase price). As a self-employed professional, you may need one more thing: a good mortgage broker.
 
Heather, known as "the mortgage barracuda," shared some information about credit scores and how to get the most favourable terms on a mortgage. She advised us to request our credit report from Equifax or TransUnion, opting for the paid version to get our credit score.

Heather suggests freelancers aim for very good or excellent scores according to the guidelines most lenders use:
  • 780+ = excellent
    PIC member Diane Fearn holds the financial book she won at the June meeting.
    "I'm glad I came to this session," she says. "It made me realize I was missing some key pieces of information in my business and I'm going to fill in those gaps."
     
  • 720 - 779 = very good
  • 680 - 719 = good
  • 620 - 679 = fair
These five factors determine your credit score:
  1. Making payments on time (weighting 35%)
  2. Using the credit (30%)
  3. Length of credit history (15%)
  4. New credit inquiries (10%)
  5. Credit mix (10%)
Here's how to be savvy in each of these areas:
  1. Always pay (at least) your minimum balance on time.
  2. Use only 30% of your available total credit. If your cards and line of credit add up to $100,000, don't use more than $30,000 of credit at a time. Heather says this is the biggest thing people miss when building their credit.
  3. Don't cancel those long-standing cards -- even if you don't need them -- because they are an important part of your credit history.
  4. When you check your own credit, it doesn't affect your credit score. But if multiple companies check your credit, it raises a red flag.
  5. Ideally, have two to four types of credit, but not those "no-money down" deals. They show up as "deferred payments" and are frowned upon by lenders.
Mortgages for the self-employed
It's harder to get a mortgage as a self-employed professional than as an employee. Make it easier by using a broker to guide you through the process. When you work with a mortgage professional:

  • Your credit gets checked once by the broker, not multiple times by multiple banks as you shop around.
  • It doesn't cost you anything (for residential services, a broker works for you for free).
  • You'll likely get better terms than working with the bank directly. These terms include interest rates, pre-payment privileges, a longer amortization period and better penalty rates for breaking the mortgage.
About financial planning
Janine started her part of the presentation with some sobering numbers: 50% of women fear becoming bag ladies, 50% of men fear not being in control of their money and 59% of Canadians retire with debt.

But it doesn't have to be that way.
 
Your behaviour is based on your inherited attitudes about money, what you've learned about finances and your "money personality." The three money personalities are:

  • Grasshoppers: They hop from fun thing to fun thing, believe money is for spending and have a hard time planning for the future.
  • Ants: They are good savers but it's never enough. They don't always enjoy the fruits of their labours.
  • Ostriches: They find money boring and complicated, forget to pay bills and fear they don't have the skills to manage their money.
You may not be able to change your personality, but you can change your attitude and knowledge.  Janine emphasized that money is a tool to create the life you want, whatever your money personality. Grasshoppers, ants and ostriches, improve your finances with these six tips:
  1. Create a cash flow plan that shows what actions to take to move towards your financial goals.
  2. Identify your current position by tallying up your assets, liabilities and net worth.
  3. Break down your large goals into smaller actions. For example, set an annual savings target and decide how you'll put that money away each month.
  4. Know the break-even number (your total monthly personal and business expenses) for your business.
  5. Keep your critical documents in a safe place and tell someone you trust where they are. These include your living will, personal and business insurance papers, power of attorney, business plan and a list of all the professionals you use to run your business.
  6. Use professionals to keep your finances on track. These could include an accountant, financial planner, business coach, etc.
What action did you resolve to take after the session? Hit "reply" and let us know. And check our LinkedIn group for more photos from the session.

July 13: Celebrate summer on the patio with PIC


Join us on July 13 at 6:30 pm for the last official PIC social networking event of the 2015-16 programming season.
We'll be meeting on the front patio at the Duke of York, located at 39 Prince Arthur Ave., east of Bedford Road, north of Bloor Street, and just steps from the St. George subway station.

PIC socials allow you to meet new people or get to know others better, bounce ideas off your fellow indies, practice your elevator speech or get answers to questions.

While it's pay-your-own way for drinks and snacks, the intriguing chats and friendly atmosphere are on the house. Please let us know you're coming so we can save your seat. RSVP by July 10 by email to Susan Nakhle, snakhle@dynamicpr.ca.
Maryjane Martin, APR, named CPRS Fellow

The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) established its College of Fellows to recognize CPRS members who have practiced public relations for at least 20 years and have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the field of public relations in Canada. The newest inductees to the College of Fellows include PIC's Maryjane Martin, APR. Congrats on being named a CPRS Fellow, MJ!

Congratulations to our PIC members winning Canadian Business Media Awards

The Canadian Business Media Awards go to writing, illustration and design work judged on style and creativity, content and impact. Congratulations to the 2016 winners, including these PIC members:
  • Georgie Binks, honourable mention for Best Profile of a Company, "Where There's Smoke's, There's Success" for Franchise Canada
  • Suzanne Bowness, honourable mention for Best Feature Article -- Professional for "Awakening to alt-ac careers" for University Affairs
  • Jane Langille, a silver award for Best How To Article or Series of How To Articles, "The Multitasking Myth" for CPA Magazine and honourable mention for Best Professional Article for "The Scare in Saskatoon" for Canadian Journal of Medical Laboratory Science.
Feedback (and more congrats!)

"I just wanted to say thank you for sending around the Media Relations opportunity with Du Vernet, Stewart Barristers and Solicitors. I got the job! The media relations project was a complete success and now Christopher is a regular client! PIC has been a wonderful network for me, for meeting and networking with like-minded entrepreneurs, and for new business and collaborative opportunities. Thank you for all you do!" 
-- Elena Beveridge 

Welcome new members

Andrea Bassett
Red Sail Writers
647-502-3187
Web: www.redsailwriters.com/
Email: andrea@redsailwriters.com
LinkedIn
Twitter: @RedSailWriters
Andrea's business specializes in writing case studies and client success stories. She also likes helping businesses 'de-jargonize' so she teaches plain language workshops...and makes them fun. 

John Bromley, ABC
647-526-6201
Twitter: @jbromcom
John is a senior-level accredited communications professional with skills in public affairs, multi-channel media strategies and community relations. John has over 15 years of experience within the health-care sector building sustainable public advocacy through social and traditional engagement strategies.

Michelle Caddey Maclean
Whisk Marketing Communications
Whisk builds trust and credibility, supports business development and effects change for corporate and government clients through marketing communications, responsive website development, proposals and RFP responses, corporate communications, and technical writing and editing. Create a stir with Whisk!

PIC Personalities
Meet Susan Diaz

By Heather West
 
Susan Diaz is a Toronto-based content marketer and social media manager who plans, creates, curates, manages and measures the impact of internal communication content, like newsletters, and external social media, including corporate blog posts, channel feeds and more. You can reach Susan at 647-990-0875 or Carrots and Peace.
 
What's your background?
I started in advertising as a copywriter and branched out into planning and client management. I moved into PR and corporate communications and gradually began focusing on digital work.

When did you launch your independent business?
I wanted more flexibility, so I started taking on projects while I was on maternity leave five years ago. I formally set up on my own three years ago, and I became incorporated last year.

What type of work are you doing these days?
I help clients build their brands on social media. I focus on tech and health care, typically mid-sized enterprises and larger consultants. I do a lot of content development, primarily writing articles and blog posts. A lot of it is gated content that allows my clients to build their target lists. I write for a variety of media, and have recently started creating more visual content like infographics and videos.

I set myself apart as someone who is digitally savvy, who also brings a wealth of strategic experience to the work I do. People get to know me and see that the value I bring is not only that I speak 'digital' but that I speak it with a clear understanding of what content and social media can do for their business goals. A frequent misconception is that social media is always handled by young people. The truth is it depends on your business. I've handed projects off to people in their 20s when that was what the brand needed, but I've also taken projects over from people far younger than me, where the need was relooking at strategy and building accountability.
 
What do you enjoy most about being an indie?
I enjoy the flexibility. I have a young child. I am able to get her after school, hang out, and then go back to work. I can shape my day the way I want to. I also like that the buck stops with me. I've learned that I don't like having a boss, although I guess you could say I have a lot of bosses now!

I believe if you can truly commit to it, the indie life is the best life.
 
What don't you like about being an indie?
With that flexibility, there is also a feeling that you never really stop. I am constantly on the go.
 
I do love the seamlessness between work and home, but at the same time, the lack of boundaries can make you feel tired, cranky and overworked.

What advice would you give someone new to independent life?
You need to have the stomach for it. There will always be months that don't go so great. It won't be easy if you're used to a salary and feel more secure in a job. You need to have an entrepreneurial spirit and seriously believe in yourself. And, I think all communicators need to understand how to work with digital media.

How long have you been a PIC member?
I joined IABC and PIC last year. The first session I attended was the pricing panel discussion.

What value do you get from your PIC membership?
PIC events give you an idea of what else is happening out there. They give you a feel for the market. It's like having a workplace. You might not have an office, but you have a 'tribe'!

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.

Link your LinkedIn profile to the PIC member list

Remember to let us know the link your LinkedIn profile so we can include it on the PIC Member List on the IABC/Toronto website. We keep a running list and update it 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 us your name, company name, location, email address, telephone number, website URL and a brief description of your business (up to 35 words).

Find extra value in PIC's LinkedIn group
You'll find useful information about building and managing a small communications business when you visit PIC's LinkedIn group: IABC Toronto Professional Independent Communicators (login required). You are welcome to post articles or ask questions that will help other members grow and manage their businesses. Recent posts have included links to advice on pricing, content marketing and more, along with notices about upcoming PIC events.
 
The Buzz takes a break
Our usual monthly production schedule skips a month for the summer. We'll be back with a combined July/August issue in time to alert you to our September meeting, and of course we'll be in touch in between with any job leads or other urgent news. Enjoy your summer!
 

 
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.
Sue Horner                                                           
Editor and Director, Communications - PIC