Free Webinar: Assert Yourself with Ease

Free Webinar: Assert Yourself with Ease!

Do you or someone you know, find it difficult to ask others for what you want or need, have trouble speaking up at work?

Is it impacting how you feel?  Do you feel it holds you back in your career or your business?  Join us and learn a few simple, yet effective tips for asserting yourself…

In this webinar, we will explore: – how to speak up and be heard – how to feel confident and strong, when asking for what you need or want. – using positive self-talk and i-messages to find your voice, even in a difficult situation.

Register for this Free Webinar: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/1f50f90e33100bc8cde7dc3c8da9331e   

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PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM TERROR

The face of terrorism has changed radically in the last few years.  Attacks are no longer planned years in advance and identifiable to law enforcement through chatter and trends, they are now carried out by lone wolves that give no precursors to the sinister events they are planning.

In the wake of the terrorist attack in Edmonton, here are a few tips to protect yourself and your loved one in the face of a similar attack:

1.   Protect your Family

Remember the fire drills and the lockdowns we did as kids in school?  Families have similar drills, just in case.  What would you do and where would you meet up if you found yourself in the middle of an active shooter scenario?  It’s scary, but it’s the reality your children are living in and they need to be prepared.  Talk it through in advance and answer all questions they may have. 

The best way to prepare kids for any terrorist attack is to utilize the LOOK AND LISTEN technique.  Teach your children to be aware of their surroundings by looking and listening, if something sounds different or looks out of place, that is their warning sign that something is wrong.  Practice with them on every day activities by asking them questions about what they are seeing and hearing, it will develop their sense of observation and fine tune their awareness instincts.

2. Invent a code word and shout it to help find your family members

Sit around the table with your family and choose a word that is unique, remember, in an attack, everyone will be shouting words such as names, mom, dad etc.  In the event of an attack, shout the word numerous time to find your loved one in the chaotic aftermath.

Always protect your senses

When you go out to events or just around the city in your normal daily activities, don’t wear sunglasses that obstruct your full view of your surroundings, or that compromise your depth perception.  Avoid wearing earphones blasting music so loud that you can’t hear the siren of a fire truck as you are crossing the street, or the screams of pedestrians who spot a moving vehicle barreling your way.  Always keep your senses sharp, they are after all your mechanism of identifying danger and let’s be honest, a second or two of warning can make the difference between life and death.

4.  Protect your access to escape

Note when you are in public, besides the front door, where are the emergency exits?  Like the flight attendants advise onboard a plane, sometimes, your closest exit is behind you.  This includes stairways and alleyways if you are outside.  If you are in a group, designate someone in your group to remain alert to activity in and around the exit routes.

5.  Read People

When we were kids, we were told to not look at people that were displaying odd behaviours, keep our heads down and keep walking fast.  That was the way we were taught to avoid conflict and any threat.  Today, reading people might be the best way to assess threats around us.  The experts say “If a terrorist is about to carry out an attack, they will be acting strangely.  They will be frightened and scared and sweating”.

Keep your eye out for little things, like if it’s a hot summer’s day and someone in the crowd has a thick jumper on, that should raise your concerns.

In the case of a vehicular terrorist attack, follow the next steps to stay safe.

6.  Face traffic when walking along the street

Vehicle attacks like the one that happened in Edmonton and the UK are not easily preventable.  Your best bet for survival is to see the attack coming as soon as possible and take evasive action.  If you are walking along the sidewalk with your back facing traffic, you can be run down very quickly from behind without much warning.  It’s better to face oncoming traffic.  That way, if a car hops the curb and starts barreling towards you,  there may be enough time to avoid it or run inside a building for protection.

7.  If you have a choice, always walk on the side of the street where there are parked cars or vehicle blockades

Some areas have vehicle blockages to prevent cars from driving onto the sidewalks.  Whenever possible, walk on the sidewalk that has those protective features.  If those aren’t available, use the next best thing, parked cars.  A street lined with parked vehicles will make it hard for a terrorist to get up on the sidewalk with his vehicle.

Always remember the following:

THINKPlan ahead and discuss strategy

ASSESS: Immediate options

ACT: Decisively: Take chances early

AWARE: Be aware of exit points and cover, of your surroundings and of people around you.

Our world is changing fast and we need to adapt to the new threats we are facing in a proactive manner and not solely in a reactive one.

www.focusinvestigations.net

 

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How do you find your perfect Training Partner

How do you find your perfect Training Partner?

by Ken Kavanagh, Founder & CEO of Orion Learning

Ask training organizations these seven questions and you could find the training that fits your expectations and needs.

Finding the right training organization to help you achieve your learning and development goals is not easy. It’s more than just hiring someone who says they have the materials that meet your needs, you need to find out about them and their material. Here’s some questions that you should ask to make sure you’re hiring the right training organization and getting the right content for your training goals:

  1. Are you accredited? Would you sign up for an online degree course with a college you knew nothing about? Nor would I! By going to an Accredited Training Organization (ATO) you’ll go to a recognized organization, on a recognized course and get a recognized qualification. The accreditation process assesses the competence and reliability of training organizations and the knowledge and skills of the trainer.
  2. What’s your track record? When you’re investing good money in training, some timely research can help ensure it’s money well spent. Find out how long an ATO has been in business. Ask for pass rates, evidence of success, testimonials and for a client portfolio; that way you’ll be sure that it has the depth and breadth of experience to understand your business.
  3. What kind of expertise do your trainers have? Just as you’d do background checks on potential employees, so you should verify the quality of an ATO’s trainers. Check who trained them, check they haven’t just passed a training course themselves (yes, it happens!), check they’ve got real-world experience and make sure support tutors can answer questions (inexperienced trainers hate them!).
  4. What kind of learning experience can you offer? Let’s face it, training can be like going through a sausage machine. So pick ATOs offering learner-centred courses designed to help you retain training and deliver change in the workplace. Look for quality materials, newsletters, downloads, video tutors, full tutor support, exam simulations so you can assess progress, mobile games, forums, blogs, social networking through sites like Twitter and Facebook as well as the chance to try the course before you buy it. People live and work in a rich, multi-media technological world and ATOs should be able to reflect that in your learning experience.
  5. How flexible is your learning delivery? Geography, time and budget can limit an individual’s or a company’s ability to go or send people on classroom courses so it’s worth hunting around for the ATO that gets this and provides a choice of delivery methods to suit you. Classroom learning should be supplemented by blended, mobile, live virtual classroom, digital learning and social learning to optimise costs, time, and of course, learning. If you’re new to digital learning, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure that your training project goes to plan.
  6. How much is it going to cost and what do I get for my money? It’s the old story: you’re on a great course and then they hit you for things you thought were included in the price. A committed ATO will go that extra mile. Our service holds your hand through creating the right set of courses for digital learning so that you capitalize on the experience and maximize your Return on Investment. They’ll take care of everything from designing your programme, and tracking and reporting learner progress, to organizing exams.
  7. What development opportunities can you offer? People and organizations want opportunities to grow. They want to develop their skills, careers or the business. A good look at an ATO will tell you if it’s a one-trick pony or if it will stay the course and grow with you. Ask yourself if its programmes complement each other and if it develops new courses and services and ways to deliver and support them.

==============================================================

Orion Learning, a global leader in providing accredited internationally recognized learning solutions. Our learning solutions include a robust learning management system (LMS), thousands of hours of learning content covering 16 learning categories including certification courses and examinations such as Project Management, Change Management, Financial Management, Risk Management and Service Management.

Get Certified, Get Trained and Get Started with Orion. More information on Orion solutions can be found at www.orionelearning.com

 

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Free Webinar – Manage Your Calendar

A more holistic approach to time management and reducing day-to-day stress.

We know there is an art to time management.  How is it that some people get so much done every day, while others struggle with getting through even a few tasks each day.  Well, as the saying goes, how we do one thing is how we do everything.

In this webinar, we will touch on some of the key factors to managing your calendar, paying attention to ‘what makes you tick and more importantly, what allows time to tick away.

Register today!

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Planning a Software Development Project? You need to read this!

What can you do to ensure your software development projects are successful and avoid costly redesigns.

Part One in the Series: Software Development Guide for Business Leader.

When you do as much custom development as we do, we hear a lot about future-proofing in development. The average expected lifetime of software that our customers expect is between 5 and 7 years. When a system is designed to last that long, a considerable amount of effort should be invested into planning. For a business that plans on developing a custom application, it’s important to future-proof your project to avoid costly application redesigns and to improve application longevity. Future-proof through planning, honest reviews of your in-house skills and capabilities, striking a balance of in-house support and outsourced development, and by avoiding proprietary tools and frameworks.

Future-Proofing Checklist

  • What is the life expectancy of your final product?
  • Have you assigned a Project Manager?
  • Have you set realistic project goals, budgets and timelines?
  • Have you done an assessment of your in-house resources?
  • Does the project rely on proprietary tools?
  • Have you assigned a Project Manager?
  • Is your outsourced partner large enough
  • Do you have a software update plan?

The key issues this post addresses include:

  1. How to avoid painting your development project into a corner by using proprietary frameworks and tools.
  2. How to be in control of your application development, regardless of your in-house development skills.
  3. How to ensure long-term support for your application when resources fail, are replaced or become incapacitated.
  4. How to handle post development support and why it is crucially important – The work continues even after initial development is complete.
  5. How to create the ideal mix of outsourcing and internal support.

Future-Proofing a Project During the Planning Process

Future-proofing your project starts just after it’s been envisioned and is typically the domain of the Project Manager (PM). The PM will use planning tools and methods and determine what is best for the business and the project long before any development occurs. PM techniques and processes help avoid uncomfortable situations where developers are vying for the work based on their skills and capabilities.

The PM uses tools and processes along with their knowledge of organizational assets and history, resource capabilities and strengths, and weighs this information to determine the right mix of in-house work and outsourcing.

Without thinking about future-proofing during the planning process you may end up with a short-lived web-application with higher than expected costs to the business. This is why dedicated pre-development planning is so crucially important.

Avoiding Costly Application Redesigns

Your company can avoid costly application redesigns and redevelopments if you critically review internal resources at the beginning of the project and if you avoid, as much as possible, the use of proprietary technology.

Also, an effective way to prevent costly redesigns is to:

  • Use Project Management techniques and tools, (use a Project Manager).
  • Complete project scope and business requirements documentation at the beginning of the project.
  • Have sufficient budget to do the project right the first time.
  • Setting a realistic timeframe and make sure not to cut corners.

The Importance of Assessing In-house Skills and Capabilities

An evaluation of your in-house capabilities is critical to the success of your business and crucial to your application development’s longevity. Your PM should execute a Capabilities Matrix to understand where your organization’s weaknesses are. A great place to start is the TOGAF Architecture Skills Framework for processes and layouts of an IT Capabilities Matrix.

Be honest about the real capabilities of your organization. Do you have the capacity, knowledge, and resources in place to make this project a success? An honest assessment will help avoid any problems and mitigate risks in the future.

Avoiding Proprietary Tools and Frameworks

To effectively future-proof your development project, PM’s and development leaders should avoid proprietary tools and frameworks sourced from new, or untested sources. The terms, “open source,” “free,” or even low cost, should be approached with extreme caution and diligence during the evaluation and selection processes.

You can achieve some amazing designs and benefits through these programs but never be lenient about accepting unproven technology or partners; especially during the planning phase of your project.

The long-term viability of using development resources from smaller organizations must be evaluated and weighted against other factors. Smaller, less experienced teams may be exciting to work with, but their stability in the long-term may trigger a redesign in the short-term.

When in doubt, go for tried and true solutions, tools and frameworks. You’ll have an easier time finding resources in the IT community to help you and you’ll all but eliminate the risks associated with partnering with an immature organization.

It’s not always as exciting, but it will be significantly less risky, and if something does go wrong, you have more contingency options available.

Keeping Custom Applications Up-to-date

Developing a custom application may incur a significant up-front cost, but the work doesn’t stop when the app goes live. There are ongoing costs and time investments that must be made to maximize the life of your new tools. Just like the operating system on your computer, your application will require upgrades over its useful lifetime.

You will need upgrades on databases, frameworks, tools and operating systems and there will be new features, additions, and business opportunities too.

No matter the cause, it is important to factor the cost of keeping your new application up-to-date in your annual budgeting of time and dollars.

Outsourcing Application Development and Support

Outsourcing is the ultimate future-proofing of your development projects.

When a development project has internal support for infrastructure and project management but uses external resources for the development then greater levels of success can be achieved.

Some of the benefits of outsourcing that I’ve seen include higher levels of technical expertise, excellent project management, and time management to name a few. Others can include tighter budgets, less scope creep and avoidance of the long-term cost of people.

Conclusion

If you plan on developing a custom application, be sure to future-proof it and avoid costly application redesigns while improving its shelf-life.

Future-proof it by using a project manager and project management tools and techniques.

Plan on updates. If secondary systems require updates, they may also need you to update your custom applications. Plan and budget for updates, then perform them; doing so will improve application longevity.

Assess the skills of your in-house team, (if you intend to develop in-house) and use an assessment framework to get the best result. An honest evaluation of resources and skills will help you avoid important operational tools using old thinking and skillsets.

Outsource; the costs associated with in-house development teams are more than dollars. While it is true that your team will know the business better and can react quicker; it’s also true that they will cost you more, get outmoded and limit development to their capabilities and skillsets. Outsourced agencies often have a broader, more modern approach to development.

On your next project try a hybrid approach by deploying an internal PM to oversee and coordinate the project, and an external development team to apply the latest techniques and programming tools.

About CoreSolutions

The CoreSolutions team of experts, including developers, systems analysts and project managers, build web and mobile applications using the latest technology and tools and will assist you through all phases of the project including brainstorming, requirements planning and project management.

Connect with CoreSolutions today to start your project with a free estimate.

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Is it a good idea to add a “this RFx is non-binding” clause in our RFx template?

Is it a good idea to add a “this RFx is non-binding” clause in our RFx template?

by Lise Patry, ba sc (chem eng), llb, icd.d, Patry Law

Owners seeking shelter from the legal risks associated with Contract A are increasingly including a clause reading: “this RFx is non-binding and therefore does not create Contract A” into documents that otherwise have the elements of a binding RFx.

Is this a good idea? It certainly seems to be. At common law, no freestanding duty of fairness is owed to bidders in a non-binding RFx process. Seems like a no brainer – if you want to avoid Contract A, just make the RFx non-binding!

How to design a non-binding RFx

Although this strategy makes sense in many cases, keep in mind that whether an RFx is binding or non-binding is matter of substance and not form. Courts will look at a variety of factors to determine whether the parties intended to enter into a binding contract – Contract A – by the submission of a proposal. A statement that “no Contract A is created,” while important, is just one of the many factors courts examine.

The most comprehensive summary of factors courts consider when determining whether the parties intended the process to be binding is from the trial level decision Tercon Contractors v. BC 2006 BCSC 499, and presented as the following list in Topsail Shipping Company Limited v. Marine Atlantic 2013 NLTD 163 (upheld on appeal):

  1. The irrevocability of bids or proposals submitted; 
  2. The formality of the process; 
  3. Whether bids or proposals are solicited from selected parties; 
  4. Whether the identity of bidders or proponents is confidential;
  5. Whether there is a deadline for the submission of bids or proposals; 
  6. Whether a security deposit is required; 
  7. Whether bid or proposal selection or evaluation criteria are specified; 
  8. Whether there is a right to reject proposals; 
  9. Whether there was a statement that this was not a tender call; 
  10. Whether the work or service for which proposals are submitted will definitely proceed; 
  11. Whether compliance with specifications was a condition of bids or proposals; 
  12. Whether there is a duty to award contract ‘B’; 
  13. Whether contract ‘B’ had specific conditions not open to negotiation. 

Generally, the more formality there is in the process, the more it points to an intention to conduct a binding RFx. As we saw in the case of Topsail, even if many of the above criteria point to a non-binding process, courts will often strain to conclude a process was legally binding in order to hold an owner accountable for unfair conduct. Therefore, to successfully avoid Contract A, owners are advised to design a process that is clearly non-binding having regard to all of the above factors.  

Can a “this RFx is Non-Binding” statement, on its own, effectively negate Contract A?

When determining whether an RFx is binding, courts will strive to respect the parties’ intention and will look at the express and implied terms of the RFx in the context of the above list of factors. The insertion of a “this is a non-binding RFx and no Contract A is created” clause, as highlighted above, will help support an argument that the RFx was intended to be non-binding, but is not in itself determinative. As we have seen with privilege and disclaimer clauses, even in the face of clear RFx provisions protecting the owner, courts may refuse to enforce the clauses when to do so would compromise the integrity of the tendering process. Since a non-binding RFx provision is really just another type of disclaimer clause, judges will likely subject them to the same judicial scrutiny and uncertainty, particularly if it’s the only factor pointing to a non-binding process.

Owners seeking to protect themselves by using a ‘non-binding RFx’ clause in an otherwise binding RFx should therefore not derive too much comfort from the protection it can offer as courts may, under certain circumstances, refuse to enforce it.

A good idea but not a perfect solution

Given the above, is it a good idea to include a “this RFx is non-binding” in your standard RFx document to avoid Contract A duties? In our view, yes. Like liability disclaimers and privilege clauses, these provisions could provide strategic leverage in negotiations with disgruntled bidders and may be legally enforceable under certain circumstances. In deciding to use these clauses, however, owners should be aware that, while they may be a good idea, if put to the test in court they may not act as a perfect solution to the Contract A problem.

Rather than simply inserting a ‘non-binding’ clause in your standard RFx template, a more effective approach is to work with your legal and other advisors to create a template that is specifically and thoroughly designed to be non-binding with regard to all of the above factors. You can then decide when and how that instrument is to be used, keeping in mind that in some cases Contract A might be the most efficient way to proceed.

Lise Patry, an instructor with NECI, is a lawyer and former business executive with a strong background in technology and more than 20 years of business and legal experience in the public and private sectors. As principal of Patry Law, in addition to general law, she offers virtual counsel services and specialized expertise in contracts, licensing, government procurement and corporate governance. She can be reached in Ottawa at (613) 730-5959 or [email protected].

Readers are cautioned not to rely upon this article as legal advice nor as an exhaustive discussion of the topic or case. For any particular legal problem, seek advice directly from your lawyer or in-house counsel. All dates, contact information and website addresses were current at the time of original publication.

National Education Consulting Inc.

Phone: (250) 370-0041     Toll Free: (888) 990-7267

[email protected]

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Canada Free Trade Agreement Implications

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CFTA Implications

by Lise Patry, B.A.Sc., LLB, ICD.D

Will the Canadian Free Trade Agreement that came into effect July 1 impact my ability to engage with GPOs?

Thanks for this interesting question. It will come as good news to many that in fact the CFTA provisions clarify rules around the use of buying groups

Under the AIT, we only see a reference to buying groups in the Annexes applicable to Crown corporations and MASH sector entities. Covered entities wishing to purchase through buying groups must ensure the activities of the buying groups are carried out in a “manner consistent with this Annex”.

In the CFTA, the buying group provisions apply to all covered entities and additional rules have been added. Covered entities purchasing through buying groups:

  • no longer have to ensure the procurement is consistent with the CFTA if they have little or no control over the procurement process; and
  • must publish a notice of participation with the buying group at least annually on their tendering website. The notice must direct potential suppliers to the buying group tender notices website if it is different than the tendering website used by the covered entity.

Lise Patry, an instructor with NECI, is a lawyer and former business executive with a strong background in technology and more than 20 years of business and legal experience in the public and private sectors. As principal of Patry Law, in addition to general law, she offers virtual counsel services and specialized expertise in contracts, licensing, government procurement and corporate governance. She can be reached in Ottawa at (613) 730-5959 or [email protected]. This article originally appeared as a series of blog posts in September 2016 at patrylaw.ca. It has been adapted and is used by permission.

Readers are cautioned not to rely upon this article as legal advice nor as an exhaustive discussion of the topic or case. For any particular legal problem, seek advice directly from your lawyer or in-house counsel. All dates, contact information and website addresses were current at the time of original publication.

National Education Consulting Inc.

Phone: (250) 370-0041     Toll Free: (888) 990-7267

[email protected]

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BC AGLG Flags Management of Vendor Performance

The Auditor General for Local Government in BC has published a series of booklets designed to help improve government performance and complement its performance audit reports.   Although specifically targeted to local government in BC, these booklets provide a wealth of information, templates and suggestions that can help guide any Canadian public sector organization.

In a January 2016 publication the AGLG highlights vendor performance management as one of three topics to improve achieving value for money in operational procurement. It discusses key elements of a vendor performance management framework, best practices in managing vendor performance and includes a number of templates that can be adapted for use by any organization. The full document can be accessed at https://www.aglg.ca/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/04/Perspectives-T1-T1-PDF.pdf.

This important report complements PSPP 203 – Managing and Evaluating Contract Performance – and augments many of the examples and templates we cover in that course. As an organization that works with public sector right across the country, we see repeated examples of major procurement and contract mishaps related to incomplete or inadequate vendor performance evaluation. Users and business clients become frustrated when the procurement department ‘continues to engage the poor performers’. Yet the procurement department is not provided with enough (or any) information about performance issues to solve this problem. Outstanding vendors see the less than stellar performers continue to be awarded contracts, so they are de-motivated to keep up their own performance standards. All contract performance then slips to the lowest common denominator, further frustrating the users and eroding value for money from government spending. And as we know, terminating a contractor without adequate performance documentation can lead to expensive and protracted lawsuits, unwanted publicity and consumption of valuable resources that could best be directed elsewhere.

If any of this is starting to sound familiar, you or your staff may want to join us online, starting June 26, for a cross-country cohort in <PSPP 203>. (link to 203 reg for june 26 session)   Spanning four weeks, this course takes approximately 3 hours of time per week, and delves into many detailed examples, illustrations and best practices related to this important aspect of the procurement and contract management cycle. The analogy that we often use is that if the RFX process is the ‘wedding’, then the contract management process is the ‘marriage’ – that’s where the hard work really takes place! Determining how performance will be measured and managed must be thought about in the planning stage, carefully described in the RFX and resulting contract, and then implemented as contract performance unfolds.

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Managing Gossip in Your Workplace

By: Monika B. Jensen

Gossip is widespread in the workplace. At times, it appears as if employees have nothing better to do than gossip about each other. They chat about their organization, their coworkers, and their bosses. They often take a half truth and flip it into an entire hypothetical reality. Speculating on the team’s future, who will let go, who is seeing who and what employees are doing in their personal lives.
Employees are capable about gossiping about everything, and they do in a workplace that fails to bring about a stop to the chatting employees.

A certain amount of gossip is likely to occur in any place of work; employees are curious to know what is going on and like to chat about work matters. The essential point is to determine when the gossip is inappropriate. In which case, if it is not addressed, it may lead to low employee morale or a toxic work environment.

As a manager, the need to stop the gossiping occurs when it becomes disrupting to the workplace and the business of work, it is hurting employees’ feelings, it is damaging interpersonal relationships, or injuring employee motivation and morale.
Since research shows that gossip is disruptive in the workplace, what can we do to address it? Let us look at a few different approaches as a team and as an individual to addressing gossiping in the workplace.

When you deal with gossip as a team considers putting a ban on gossiping. Some workplaces have adopted an official ban on workplace gossip by having employees sign a pledge. Although extreme it may be effective. To discourage gossiping encourage employees to speak to each other about issues that are causing them problems before they bring it to their supervisors or other parties’ attention.

In the age of social media, it becomes easier to spread rumours and gossip about others. This can cause tremendous harm to the culture of the workplace. Organizations, today need to deal with social media and keep an eye on emails, personal blogs and Facebook discussions among employees. Finally confront rumours promptly. Providing factual information about layoffs, problematic situations or surplus of employees serve them better than to leave them speculating on their own. It is important to discuss the impact that gossip may have in the workplace. Talking openly the differences between active communication and gossip. In today’s workplace, verbal harassment has legal ramifications. Employers have a duty to take action against verbal harassment when they become aware of it.

So in dealing with gossip as an individual, always share information.

Be generous with the non-confidential material. This has proven to put a check on the gossip mill. Interestingly closed doors can set off alarms even if the intent is innocent.

Let people know that you may be interrupted at any time unless in a private meeting. Be sensitive about appearances.

Often rumours and gossip form around cliques in the workplace. Try to avoid forming groups and reach out to new people to keep the loop open. If all else fails, walk away. Gossip loses its momentum when there is no audience.

Find a way to tactfully suggest a more efficient channel for complaining or remove yourself from the discussion. If you start to focus on the positive qualities of your colleagues, you will automatically have nice things to say about each other.

Workplaces that have the highest levels of gossip seem to be the ones where employees are not engaging in work duties. Stay busy. If your day is full of tasks which you find thought-provoking and rewarding you will be less likely to get distracted by trivial activities.

We spend long hours at our job, make a point of cultivating relationships and activities outside your workplace. Having strong relationships outside the office provides sources of emotional support and objective advice often.

Unfortunately lurking at the extreme end of the gossip spectrum is workplace bullying. What may seem harmless rumors to some, may amount to intimidation and harassment for the targeted employees. Complications of physical and meth health issues arise and need to be addressed in the proper forum.

Finally become a role model. Do not indulge in any gossip yourself. Become a leader in this area. Do not feel the need to chat to feel connected, liked or to be informed about your team. Taking a stand to prevent random gossiping creates a better workplace for everyone.

Monika B. Jensen

Principal, Aviary Group

905-683-9953

[email protected]

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Content is Still King for Getting Attention for your Business

As you know, keeping your business top of mind with your ideal customer will help you be their first choice when they’re in the market for what you offer.

But cutting through the noise to reach your ideal customers and grabbing their attention is getting tougher than ever. The ways consumers find information have changed.

Enter the Power of Content

What type of content you produce and where you distribute it will be uniquely specific to your brand. You can’t just put a piece of content up on your website and hope people will find it.

Writing articles through the use of a blog is one of the most common and powerful types of content marketing – and having the ability to publish articles to a community blog focussed directly on your target audience is even better!

Doing so helps you build visibility with your customers and potential customers while at the same time engaging them and strengthening the reputability of your brand.

Your content gives you the power to become an influencer and the voice of authority in your field of expertise.

If you’re like me though, because the heavy traffic on the social media channels available for content marketing is constantly growing, I’m finding that my content posted on various social media sites, is like publishing into the abyss. You might get some “likes” and “comments” but it’s hard for most of us who are “technologically impaired” to determine if it actually reached our target audience.

To make content marketing work best, not only does it need to be good and relevant to your customers, you must also consider effective distribution of it and getting it in the right places.

“The most essential issue in Content Marketing, as cited by more than half of in-house respondents, is “Effective Distribution and Getting Content in the Right Places.” [1]

Getting Started

  • Identify your core audience (i.e. for our professional members, it’s the municipalities)
  • Determine their pain points and write custom content that helps – tell stories from your experience, provide information that prompts them to ask questions and contact you.
  • Then publish it where they will see it – “in the right places” (i.e – our “muniBLOG”)

Remember – one article alone won’t be the primary source of conversions so you’ll want to think creatively about what types of content you need to produce. Keep your articles closely related or neatly categorized so, as people start connecting with your content, they’re inclined to read more and more.

Content No-No’s:

  • Too much self-promotion – a bit is ok but your articles can’t be a sales pitch. Keep it mostly educational or informational and follow the 80/20 rule. (80% information/20% promotion)
  • Misspellings & Poor Grammar – if you’re not comfortable writing your own content consider getting someone to write your content for you
  • Not including a strong call to action – if someone is reading your blog, they need to be able to reach out to you – otherwise, what’s the point. Tell them what you want them to do next and provide your contact information.

Now here’s my 20% Rule in action.

Are you leveraging muniSERV’s Content Marketing potential?

According to the Incite Group’s 2017 Marketing Trends, “Personalization” is the next big thing.

muniSERV is ahead of its time and we already offer our members a component of personalization, in that we take your content and target it directly to municipalities for you.

As a muniSERV member, did you know your content on our blog has the potential to reach every Canadian municipality and it will be delivered directly to the inboxes of our 750 subscribed municipal decision-members?

So be sure you’re taking advantage of the power of publishing your content to our muniBLOG so you can leverage the strength of our subscribed municipal members. I cannot stress enough, the power in getting the right content to the right people at the right time.

Finally, if content writing is just not your thing and you need help – contact me. We can help you with that too.

By the way – we’re working hard on taking “personalization” to the next level for our members by developing personalization that will provide segmented targeting to help you reach exactly who you want to reach – so stay tuned!

Susan Shannon, Founder & Principal

muniSERV.ca

[email protected]

855.477.5095

[1] Incite Group – 2017 Digital Marketing Trends

 

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