M Power is a Melbourne based public relations company that believes communication empowers. Karen Morath is the founder and Managing Director of M Power. M Power provides consulting, training and communication services to organisations largely in the locality of Melbourne

This is m-news, M Power's monthly e-newsletter. It's in its fifth year and goes out each month to hundreds of people who work in or run organisations and understand the power of effective communication.

m-news includes information about related themes - four snippets about business, organisational and individual effectiveness, communication and public relations.

M Power is a public relations company which also runs a speakers' agency and a publishing service. It was founded on the belief that communication empowers.

Karen Morath, managing director, M Power

The ‘fast four’ for February are

1. Advertising agencies vs communication agencies
2. A quote we like
3. What about the customer?
4. M Power's tips for individual effectiveness

1. Advertising agencies vs communication agencies

If you take a communication issue (note it doesn't have to be a problem in need of a 'solution') to an advertising agency that makes ads - print, tv, radio, outdoor - to pay the rent, you will be offered a menu of print, tv, radio or outdoor ads. No?

2. A quote we like

In honour of St Valentine's Day and in recognition that we don't live in a sugar-coated world!

“Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love.”

Source - Charlie Brown

3. What about the customer?

A recent Accenture survey reveals there has been ‘little sign’ of a shift in management attitude toward the consumer. The acquisition of new customers is a top boardroom priority but increasing revenue from existing customers (aka building relationships with and meeting the needs of the people who have already ‘bought’ you) is rated fifth on a list of five key objectives.

The challenge is to draw on the horrible customer service experiences we all tolerate in our lives as consumers and use whatever influence we have in our workplaces to ensure our customers get treated better. That would be a start.

Source - Accenture research from brandchannel.com

4. M Power's tips for individual effectiveness

The M Power Four Ways to Be More Effective Starting Right Now

Eschew news media all week (quick summary so you don’t miss anything - Eddie rules the world, it is not a good idea to smuggle drugs, a major sporting event is about to be held in Melbourne) and free up some headspace for new thoughts
Tidy your desk every day (or twice a day) to really feel ‘on top’ of your workload
Work out the five things you need to do as a priority today/this week and do them in half the time you think it will take (then do whatever you feel like)
Find out what everyone else is doing and do the opposite (it won’t be nearly as crowded).

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