| Issue 16, October 2003 |
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This is m-news, M Power's monthly e-newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading it. M Power is a communication, consulting and training company. m-news includes information about related themes - six quick snippets about business, organisational and individual effectiveness, communication and public relations. Communication empowers. Karen Morath, managing director, M Power The ‘quick six’ for October are
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1. Electronic versus print communication Here's an issue you wouldn't expect to see discussed in an electronic newsletter without being sure that electronic would come out on top. But this is a topic M Power is often asked to consult on and an area that interests us tremendously. M Power produces two newsletters for itself - one of each - so clearly we believe both types have their place. Following is a brief appraisal of electronic versus printed communication.
Electronic - 'pro's It's spectacularly cheaper than print to produce and distribute. Electronic - 'con's It doesn't easily capture people's imagination.
It creates an impression - we call it 'the land'. You can read it in bed, at the traffic lights.....
Expensive to produce.
Once, marketers had to compete with other advertising messages to 'cut through' the clutter and have their ads seen and heard. In an era of information-overload, the challenge is to cut through other organisation's newletters and promotional materials and add value to your target reader.
We think electronic newsletters have their place if they deliver short, punchy information but nothing competes with the impact of well designed, professionally written and appropriately distributed (it's important they go to the right people) printed newsletters when you have a story to tell or hope that people will take the time to read what you have written.
The parallels with advertising are strong. Is what you have to communicate better suited to a 30 second electronic message or a double page spread in a magazine or newspaper?
Whichever
way you go, it's important to keep communicating with the people you
wish to understand your organisation. Communication empowers.
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| 2. A quote we like | |
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“What if the hokey pokey really is what it’s all about?”
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| 3. New consultant at M Power | |
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M Power is pleased to welcome Jayne Howley to its consulting team.
Jayne has a BA in politics and history with a special interest in archaeology.
She has worked in communication and media roles in federal, state and local government.
We look forward to introducing Jayne to our clients and friends. | |
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| 4. Consumers hate advertising | |
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According to Matthew Walker of NEXT Insight, there are three things that are known about consumers -
1. Most consumers hate the intrusion of advertising and marketing.
2. They find 90 per cent of it 'more than annoying'.
3. They find the remaining 10 per cent entertaining but mostly 'irrelevant'.
This augurs well for the more subtle approach of public relations.
Source - Marketing Magazine, November 2003 | |
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| 5. Of power and influence | |
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The Australian Financial Review magazine (October 2003) recently published its list of most powerful people in Australia. Despite breaking the list into spheres of power such as sport and cultural power, Eddie McGuire - the fabled Eddie Everywhere - did not make any of the lists. I found this more than surprising given his prominence in television, radio and newspapers, sport, politics and the workings of Melbourne. If you need something done, I reckon Eddie can make it happen and for me that's power.
Kjell Nordstrom, Swedish academic and author of the irreverent management book 'Funky Business', was in Australia recently and described Britney Spears as "more important as a tribal leader than the country of Belgium". That's the kind of power Eddie has.
Perhaps the AFR magazine needs to think a little funkier?
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| 6. This month's book review |
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This month’s book review is actually a website (http://www.communicationempowers.com/) and also this edition of m-news' 'gratuitous plug for M Power'. We just launched our own website and I thought I'd talk you through some of the things we think you will like about it.
1. It is a great source of information - quotes, tips on communication and leadership, reviews of the latest and best business books by way of the more than a year's issues of m-news which are archived.
2. It provides a picture and profile of each of our consultants to provide a snapshot of individual backgrounds and areas of expertise.
3. It explains our four operating areas - consulting, organisation development, publishing and introduces our new speakers' agency - which scopes the type of work we do for our clients.
4. It is easy to navigate and was inexpensive to produce. We think both of these things are important as it is communication that empowers not flash and cash.
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