May 2014                         Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter View our videos on YouTube View our photos on flickr

 

The Top Five Reasons to Attend the Virtuoso Awards Gala

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Matthew Overall

As the deadline to purchase tickets for this year's Virtuoso Awards Gala approaches (May 29th) let us remind you why you marked June 5th in your calendars back in January. 

 

Here are the top five reasons why you must attend the 2014 Virtuoso Awards Gala:

 

5. The Return of the King - Last year's MC and Fresh FM Morning Show host, Dave Lawrence, is taking the reins again at this year's gala. His background in comedy and radio kept the mood light and the agenda moving at last year's ceremonies.  We're excited to welcome Dave back for a victory lap. If you missed him last year, don't make the same mistake twice.

 

4. Something for Everyone - The Virtuoso Awards Gala isn't just for winners.  The strength of the Creative Class is its diversity.  This year's gala promises to provide everyone a chance to network, learn and grow. If you enjoy good food, great drink, and even better company, you will fit right in.

 

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Measurement Matters 

By: Katrina Fortner

 If there's one practice I've seen grow leaps and bounds in recent years, it's that in communications, measurement matters.

 

I have (an admittedly peculiar) passion for tracking and analyzing the communication effectiveness of any organization I work with.  To me, this boils down to the three As: Awareness, Acceptance and Action. It's something I was taught way back in college, and it's a model I still use today.

 

Awareness is often a catch-all for a business' PR or marketing objectives. "I want you to increase our company's awareness," or "We need to make people know more about us," - sound familiar? In essence, though, Awareness is simply the foundation to move people through to Action.  It's a critical component to any campaign but it's also purely informational.  When you raise awareness, it's a one-way effort: you pushing out your message so that people learn about your company or product. You'll want to measure their understanding and comprehension of your efforts. For example, this can involve looking at how consistent your message is in the news. 

 

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We're Under Construction

 

A brand new website is underway for the London IABC Chapter. The Communications Committee has been hard at work to improve the overall structure, enhance navigation and ensure our new site is responsive on multiple devices. The site will also feature a dynamic events calendar, enhanced job board, social media integration and member resources area. 

 

We've set our sights on a Fall launch, so stay tuned.

 

Social Media "MAY"hem Brings Digital Marketing to Life

  

By: Rachel Macaulay

 

During IABC London's May professional development event, four London marketers gave popular social media platforms more than a dash of personality.  Each experienced professional grabbed the mic to debate which platform marketers must incorporate into their communication strategy.  Jessica de Lange fought for Facebook, Wayne Atkinson geared up as Google+, Melissa Cheater tackled Twitter and Andrew Schiestel took on YouTube.

 

Hot topics for debate included how to grow brand awareness, whether social media marketing is moot, and which platform should walk the digital plank. Pre-planned questions enabled the panelists to flex their marketing muscles, but the audience's surprise inquiries really kept them on their toes.

 

Biases were certainly not left at the scrumptious snack station.  Blood thirsty onlookers were not shy when applauding one platform's perks and pointing out another's pitfalls.  Google+ started out as the geeky underdog while Facebook was coined the "cool older sibling" in the room. Google+ may not have the numbers, but can marketers risk passing on a Google property?  Facebook wins the popularity contest, but can marketers spur conversions without struggling with the growing complexity of its ad platforms?

 

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Paying It Forward: Why I Enjoy Being a Mentor

Catherine Finlayson

  

"Is that five years' experience, or one year's experience repeated five times?"

 

I first saw those words many years ago during a presentation at IABC London by the legendary John Burke-Gaffney, then Director of Public Relations John Labatt Limited.  The message really hit home and led me to make an important career decision.

 

John was one of my first mentors.  When I started my career in corporate communications, IABC London was also taking its baby steps. I received a lot of support from John, Diny Dalby and other senior practitioners. John always encouraged me to pursue professional development opportunities, even when I felt I was busy enough starting my family.  And of course, he was right, as he was about so much.

 

I benefited enormously from the mentorship I received at IABC all those years ago. That's why I've taken the time to be a mentor throughout my career. In my early days on the executive at IABC I worked in membership development and with the IABC Canada District Two job listing service. Both roles put me in contact with people launching their careers and I found that I enjoyed helping them out.

 

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Catherine Finlayson is Executive Director, Fanshawe College Foundation, Advancement and Alumni.  She served as IABC London Chapter President from 1986-1987.

 

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About Connect
Connect is the monthly newsletter of IABC London.
Feedback and news ideas are always welcome. Please contact Jamie Gill (jamiegill4@gmail.com).

Editor: Mary-Ellen Willard, maryellen@adHOMEcreative.com

About IABC
IABC London is a chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. We are a volunteer-run, non-profit organization that fosters business communication excellence in southwestern Ontario by providing professional development, recognition, accreditation and networking opportunities through a local, national and international network of communications professionals.