Autumn Marketing & Events | Autumn Marketing & Events

January 26, 2012
by jan
0 comments

Let’s begin with Enchantment

Hands up if you like reading? Hands up if you never seem to have any time to read? Reading is maybe something you see yourself doing when you’ve “got more time” – when is that going to happen exactly??

If you’re like me, everything these days has to be intentional. If you are determined to do something you have to make time for it. There are so many other things viying for your time – work, family, kids, social media, sport, film and of course we all have the TV default.

If you feel like you can’t justify dedicating time to reading fiction, check out this article in theHarvard Business Review by Anne Kreamer who was the Executive Vice President, Worldwide Creative Director, for Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite. Who is basically saying researchers have gathered data indicating that “fiction-reading activates neuronal pathways in the brain that measurably help the reader better understand real human emotion — improving his or her overall social skillfulness.”

@michaelhyatt provides the solutions to your time issue with his perfectly timed blogpost ‘5 ways to make more time to read’

This year, my goal is to read 25 books. This is a hefty goal for me, as there have been whole years of my life when I have just about managed to make it through one book.

So this is my “reading list” so far:

Enchantment

Thank you Economy

Gaby Hinsliff : Half a wife: The Working Family’s guide to getting a life back

Fantastic Mr Fox (upon the suggestion of my 7yo who placed it by my bed with a note saying “you should read this mummy”)

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin – another suggestion – this time from @robin_sharma

I’m open to book suggestions – these are the suggestions of Stylist for sensational debut novels – some of which I’ve read – To Kill a Mockingbird, Sense and Sensibility, The Catcher in the Rye to name drop a few, the others not yet!

I’d be keen to know what your recommendations are? Post suggestions here..

December 31, 2011
by jan
0 comments

All set with your New Year’s Resolution?

I actually did it! Set myself a New Year’s Resolution for 2011 and I achieved it. Cross that one off. Tick. Done! It only took me all year..

A couple of spare hours this afternoon, on New Year’s Eve 2011 I sat and watched Sherlock: A game of shadows at the cinema. The 100th film of this year. It was utterly brilliant, Guy Ritchie seems to have found his niche, with clever shots and attention to detail – timely for an oscar nomination perhaps?

So what’s the plan for 2012? I’m still planning on watching films, as many as I possibly can. It’s time to expand my mind in reading. I’ve already picked up Guy Kawasaki’s Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions: How to Woo, Influence and Persuade and have got Gaby Hinsliff‘s Half a Wife: The Working Family’s Guide to Getting a Life Back on the hitlist

As well as these achievable targets I was struck last year by a list of 60 tips for a stunningly great life Robin Sharma wrote, some are small changes, some take a lot greater commitment but they’re all worth considering. Let me know if you manage to do even 10 of the 60 I’ll be impressed.

December 29, 2011
by jan
0 comments

Before you make a new year’s resolution – how’s last year’s resolution looking?

How many of us pledge to change, exercise more, eat less, see family, forgive, give to charity, travel more, read more, love more whilst we are in an inebriated state on new year’s eve, can actually sit down 365 days later and say “i did it!” Last year, my goal was to watch 100 films To many of you, 100 films in a a year certainly won’t seem like much. For someone who used to be the marketing manager for a cinema, i didn’t think it was a very high target. Especially as I could watch 20 films for free a week. This challenge (to watch a hundred films in a year) is the third year I have attempted it both previous times having reached 63 and 77.

This year 2011, no longer a marketing manager for the fabulous Picturehouses, I seriously had to go for it or forever remove the thought from my head that i was “into films”. By May I watched over 50 so I knew I was on target. As I write it’s 29th December and I’m sitting pretty on 98. With the Christmas holidays I’ve clocked up at lot of Christmas movies together with a few decent films released at the cinema – Arthur Christmas, Sherlock and Mission Impossible 4 (Ghost Protocol) I’m hoping to hit the 100.

image courtesy of Dale Mastin

So here are my top 10 of all the films I’ve watched this year:

Black Swan
The King’s Speech
Blindside
Date Night
Submarine
Hanna
Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Potiche
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
The Help

Humour from dvd winner Date Night predictable, but brilliant hollywood mainstream in Pirates & Bridesmaids, surprise French comedy in Potiche, a nod to the independant british scene in Submarine and of course oscar winning big guns The King’s Speech and Black Swan together with golden globe nominated The Help it is a good cross section I think.

I like to think when I watch a movie my life has changed. A message, a line, a theme from the movie has challenged, enlightened or connected with me so I change for the better. Sometimes it’s pure escapism (Bridesmaids) through laugher and i can forget about how my life is right now. Or sometimes it’s profound. Sandra Bullock’s 2009 oscar winning performance in Blindside hit home to me how one person can be so passionate, loyal, determined and loving, true to themselves and their beliefs in spite of what everyone else is saying. Inspirational to us all.

Relieved I am so close to actually managing to fulfill a New Year’s Resolution I am determined to set more challenging resolutions on 31st December 2011. How about you?

Here’s the full list:

Love and Other Drugs, Letters to Juliet, Music & Lyrics, The Ugly Truth, What Happened in Vegas, Shopgirl, Grown Ups, Black Swan, Nowhere Boy, Where the heart is, A Good Year, Salt, The Tourist, Where the Wild Things Are, The Infidel, Junebug, The King’s Speech, The Painted Veil, The Kite Runner, The Adjustment Bureau, Seven Pounds, Blindside, The Ghost (writer), Date Night, Iron Man 2, SourceCode, The Joneses, 50 First Dates, Brokeback Mountain, Micmacs, Submarine, The Family Stone, Star Wars – Attack of the Clones, Hanna, Margot at the Wedding, Knight & Day, Pirates 4, Jane Austen Bookclub, The Breakup, The Town, Away we go, Run Fat Boy Run, Home Alone, Pirates 2, The Social Network, Unstoppable, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Blue Valentine, I am Love, Potiche, Heartbreaker, Bridesmaids, Bright Star, Wall St – Money never sleeps, Burlesque, Tree of Life, How to train your dragon, Kungfu Panda, Food Inc. Inception, Tangled,, Valentine’s Day, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Megamind, Catfish, Horrible Bosses, Cars2, Four Lions, Star Wars I, One Day, Gulliver’s Travels, Deja Vu, Midnight in Paris, You will meet a tall dark stranger, Star Wars – Revenge of the Sith, Harry Potter – The Philosopher’s Stone, The Help, Rango, The Rum Diary, Limitless, The Polar Express, Water for Elephants, Ever After, Unknown, Closer, Killing Bono, Christmas with the Kranks, Elf, New Year’s Eve, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Fred Claus, Larry Crowne, The Simpsons movie, Arthur Christmas, Ghost Protocol(Mission Impossible) Tamara Drew, Dorian Gray, Little White Lies, +2 more to go !

December 18, 2011
by jan
0 comments

Are mince pies overrated? Do you love ‘em or hate ‘em?

Christmas has well and truly arrived.

It’s the 18th December (just!) and there are 7 days to go, if you are a paranoid shopper there’s only 6 days left. For me it’s not the tacky decorations in the shops, nigella’s christmas featuring on the tv, kirsty’s homemade christmas or the delicious treats that arrive in The Hummingbird Bakery that lets me know it’s arrived – the true sign that Christmas has been ushered in is the baking of mince pies and I recall my “first of the season” with great excitement.

However mince pies have been done so badly – too much mincemeat, too much pastry, or too cold. I can understand why some people loathe them. So I intend to transform the world of mince pie baking with my humble recipe posted here.

I inherited this recipe from my flat mate at university, who i credit a lot of my cookery skills to. Her father, guest house owner and chef extraordinaire gave her this recipe which she kindly shared with me and I’ve been using it ever since.

Perfect Mince Pies

200g plain flour
50g icing sugar
125g unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon ice cold water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
mincemeat
egg yolk, caster sugar to decorate

You will need a small circular pastry cutter, various small shaped cutters – christmas tree, star, heart, snowman, angel whatever you have to hand.

Mix the flour and icing sugar together, put HALF this mixture in the kitchenaid with ALL of the butter
Mix the egg yolk, water & lemon juice together.
Add the egg yolk mixture to the flour/sugar/butter mixture
Mix together
Add remaining flour and sugar to the mix.
It will come together to form a dough.
Chill for 30minutes in the fridge.
Roll out pastry, cut out 24 circles and 24 tops.
Gently push the circular cut outs into two 12-cup baking trays. Add one teaspoon of mincemeat to each pastry case. Top with cut out christmas tree or star.
Brush egg yolk over the top and sprinkle with caster sugar
Cook at 180′c for 10-12minutes
Turn out and sprinkle with icing sugar – voila!
serve warm, with cream, ice cream or brandy butter.

Perfect mince pies, only made slightly more perfect by lifting up the top and slipping some brandy butter ontop of the warm mincemeat to melt and ooze out the sides, when you’ve replaced the lid!

mmm…

Give them a try and see if you might change your mind about mince pies. Let me know if still love ‘em or hate ‘em!

November 29, 2011
by jan
0 comments

Christmas – It’s all about giving right?

The old adage that “it’s better to give than receive”, everyone nods and agrees with, oh yes I definitely like giving presents better than getting them… really? honestly? do you?

Photography by Marinco Kojdanovski

Surely we all LOVE getting presents? I certainly do.

I think there are two types of giving – SMUG GIVING and NO STRINGS GIVING.

SMUG giving really needs no introduction, we all know how self-righteous we feel when we drop some money in a bucket, an envelope or donate some unwanted clothes to charity. This smugness likes to tell everyone how GOOD we are and it wants to be repaid – with moral highgound.

NO STRINGS GIVING is exactly what it says, giving unconditionally, with no strings, no repayment required, no favours owed. This is when we really tap into a higher realm of living.

Recently our washing machine broke, when you have a number of kids, as I do, washing machines become fairly essential to life. I moaned to a few people in the office, told a few friends, it’s not just the unexpected expense, it’s the hassle – get someone to fix it, remove it, replace it and then there’s the waiting in for tradesmen. Later that same day I received an unexpected text message, a generous couple offering to buy us a washing machine, in fact not just the make and model we were looking at, but a better one, and they’d even done the research for us too.

I was overwhelmed. Here was giving in its purest form. Unconditional. No strings.

Challenge yourself, watch this incredibly honest TED talk from Jessica Jackley, hear what she has to say about microfinance, people in the developing world wanting to provide for their families, their children through their own businesses.

Try Kiva, it’s a way of starting at SMUG giving – it’s pretty much risk-free, you invest, your money is used to benefit men and women all over the world who are trying to start and develop their businesses, and over time you get your money back. You can progress to NO STRINGS giving just re-invest. Again. And Again. And again. Repeat until fade. This JoinFITE youtube clip explains in exactly 1m 47s how it works.

Click here for your own personal invitation

November 15, 2011
by jan
0 comments

12 days of autumn Top Tips for event organising and marketing

A few weeks ago I posted the 12 days of autumn on my facebook page, some top tips for event organising, social media nand marketing. Top tips, insights to help, and a competition. Here are the 12 complete days in one easy to read blog post. Connect with me on facebook, twitter, google+ I’d love to find out what you think…

First day of autumn, was apparently on Friday 23 September .

It’s kindof felt like autumn for 4 weeks in the UK until the week it actually turns autumn and it feels a lot more like summer again! It still amazes me how the seasons fascinate, like the tide, and a crackling fire, ever-changing and enchanting. Autumn is a new season, it’s hard work, it’s back to school and everyone is fo…cused. It all feels a new, even though some of us have been doing this for many years.

Autumn Marketing & Events, is hardwork, it’s focused and it still feels new. What follows this post is 12 days of autumn.

Day 2: top tip for e-newsletters

The visual impact of your newsletter will speak far more than the words of your newsletter.

Use strong interesting images that draw the reader in to find out more. Keep it simple.

Don’t bombard people with e-communication, assume they signed up because they want to be updated, but they don’t want to know what you had for breakfast…

Make sure you include a call to action – what is the purpose of your newsletter and what would you like the reader to do. Check back for more tips tomorrow!

Top tip number 3: networking

I went to a fab little networking event this lunchtime at Hard Days Night Hotel, it was organised by Kirwan’s solicitors and it was focused on Mums who are in business. Goodness me there’s always something to talk about. I made a couple of good connections, but how to remember people?

Repeat their name back to them and keep dropping it into the conversation – they will correct you if you are wrong and it will help you to remember them after you’ve walked away to pick up another drink. It’s always handy if their name is the company name – just like Amy! From Amy’s Cupcake Design!

Top tip number 4: managing speakers

Remember you are glad they are speaking at your event- you did book them after all..however they need some gentle managing. As well as chasing, reminding and generally badgering for info, profiles, pics and presentations.

Set deadlines well in advance of your conference for this kind of information, if they’re any good (and we’re presuming they are or you wouldn’t have booked them) they will be insanely busy. Always get presentations in advance and always run-through them to check they work, links are correct and so on…I’ve learnt this one the hard way

Top Tip number 5 : managing caterers

Always go with someone who’s been recommended to you (if possible) and always get three quotes. It’s an invaluable relationship to have a great caterer who you can rely on and you know is always going to deliver. Make sure you check “hidden costs: linen, glassware and staffing. This is one of the best bits about hiring CATERERS: the tasting – even if it’s just canapés – there will be dishes that sound nice, but don’t work as well in reality. Make sure you cut through the frivolity of the menu, slow roasted haricot beans with fresh tomato compote is really just baked beans!

Top Tip number 6: facebook marketing

There’s lots of resource available for this online Social Media Branding with Kim Garst has got loads of resources and is super helpful, so rather than repeat her wisdom – just go have a look.

However my personal top tip is: be lovely. If people can take their precious time to go onto your Facebook page, like you and then type their thoughts on your page, please have the politeness to respond to them and be lovely! Cost to you: zero! Value to customer: MASSIVE

Top Tip number 7: how to get fantastic press coverage for your event – project or launch: simple:

get a pr company – there are lots of good ones out there: Agent Marketing Active Profile, Think PR, PRs are the gatekeepers, they know exactly the right person to talk to, they do it all the time, it’s all about relationship, which they are experienced at cultivating and they have time (it is their job after all ) to talk to the journos.

Top tip number 8 : twitter

Everyone has got a lot to say about twitter and the best way to use twitter and I do not proclaim to be an expert, but I do know when someone knows what they are talking about and I think @renee_warren has written 27 great points on how to engage with twitter. You can read the whole list here, my personal favourite is: promote others – value people, value relationships and show other people you care about them, their story and their brand by promoting the things you think are great about them. Promoting others builds relationship. Go on give it a go.

Top Tip number 9 : impressing and maintaining clients

Be thoughtful: ask them about their latest venture/family/football team

Listen: people love to talk about themselves..this is why we have so many blogs in the world..but listening is a very powerful tool

Be Memorable: bake a tasty treat,

buy a small gift your client may have commented on

Be personable – people want to work with people they like so be likeable!

Top tip number 10: organising tip

We all have to organise an event at some point in our life. A birthday celebration, stag or hen doo. wedding, anniversary, the list is pretty endless. Some people are good at it and some people stress over it. The major difference between these two groups of people is the planning. Planning takes most of the stress out of events.

If you get a strategy and you know where you are going, what your goal is how you want the event to be, it’ll help you to focus on what’s important. The plan needs to have consistent deadlines over a period of time that are ‘just about’ achievable. It needs to be fluid and will adapt over time. A great plan = a great event. Take time over your plan it will always pay off.

Top tip number 11: Get passionate about a cause

What is it that motivates you, makes you feel alive? Moves you to tears because it strikes a chord? resonates with who you are?

This is just what JoinFITE does for me, I’m unable to watch the JoinFITE clip on youtube without shedding a tear or two.Helping other people, do business, provide for themselves, helping women, who in turn help… communities and their children. It’s so simple. Yet so powerful.

Jessica Jackley, at her Ted.com talk last year is totally inspiring as the co-founder of Kiva talks about her relationship with poverty, money and love.

Get your customers, friends, followers and circles to engage with the things you’re passionate about. It will change the way they think about you. Get a cause. Get a higher goal. It’s contagious.

Top Tip number 12:Run a competition, giveaway or free offer.

It builds your brand, it opens dialogue and builds relationship with your customers, and shows your customers you’re prepared to invest in them. The competition I created for one of my fab clients www.jerseybeautycompany.co.uk closed last month. So checkout Dermalogica, who who in conjunction with The Help Movie are offering the chance to win a trip to new york

Which top tip could you put into practice right now?

July 18, 2011
by jan
0 comments

You’re Hired! Lord Sugar’s new business partner

Who would have thought it?

My prediction was right and Tom actually won the apprentice! I’m so pleased for him, obviously we don’t know the candidates personally, but when you watch every episode (bbc iplayer good for catching up) you feel like they’re your friends and part of your life. I really was rooting for Tom, he really is such a good guy, not only that though his business skills (and his notebook!) were exceptional.

As the interview process progressed last night on the Apprentice I felt more and more like Susan was going to win and we know Lord Sugar has always wanted in on the cosmetic industry. It was a disappointment Helen didn’t present the cake/bakery business plan – I’m sure if she pursues this she will be a total success though. Karren Brady was really rooting for her & Tom – maybe ‘mypy’ was the perfect combo! Need to find something else to do with my Wednesday evenings – maybe it will become my blognight!

Do you have a specific time/day when you blog? What helps you get in the flow?

July 13, 2011
by jan
0 comments

The battle for Lord Sugar’s business partner goes on

Lord Sugar – I’m still reading his book What you see is What you get (i started in January!)

A lot of the technical details did bore me, but I liked getting to know what he thought about people and what he thought was important and now i have more impetus to read it as I do LOVE watching the Apprentice and set myself a goal to finish the book before the series finished!

Now this series is coming to an end and I always think there are many great candidates at the start but then realise that a lot of them don’t have much business or life experience and they quickly unravel. This year I’m rooting for Tom, he is so observant, insightful, creative and credible. He’s also already been running a business which has got to prove to Lord Sugar that he’s got the potential. I think the partnership would work as Tom complements Lord Sugar’s business acumen. There’s a double episode on Sunday. Can’t wait.

Who’s your favourite to Win? Helen, Jim, Susan or Tom