Affinity Magazine April 2014 Edition by 6StarDigital

MAGAZINE

Issue 17 - April 2014

AFFINITY

Our Newest Collaboration Affinity Alliance has teamed up with Dining Out & Entertainment Guide to bring members some fantastic offers… ASSOCIATION SPOTLIGHT

The International Association of Infant Massage - Get Behind it!

WHAT’S NEW AT AA! Check out our new organisations that have joined the AA Bandwagon…

What’s In store for you this month… Editors Letter

Association Spotlight

Find out why all of us should be supporting a great organisation like the International Association Of Infant Massage… Affinity PROFESSIONAL

Legal, HR/IR, Insurance, Foreign Exchange, Business Coaching, Safety In the Workplace… Affinity TRAVEL

Explore some of the greatest parts of the world through Affinity Travel where you will get discounts of up to 70% on accommodation and flights. Affinity COMMUNICATIONS

Affinity LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

Affinity NETWORKING

Affinity FUNDRAISING

Learn about the Hill Family Channel Swim Affinity HEALTH & WELLBEING Affinity SHOPPER

COMING SOON 36

Editors Letter ! Wow… Easter is upon us in a matter of days and needless to say I am less than prepared for not only the super long weekend (not complaining) but also the onslaught of egg hunts and countless calories that are going to find their merry way into my closet and sew up the seams of all my clothes so they no longer fit! I hate how that happens…. It seems just like yesterday I was sitting at my laptop on a beautiful Sunday morning contemplating the March Editorial and yet here it is again and I find myself in the same predicament, with so much to say and not having enough editorial space to say it- must have snuck up on me this time, as the month has simply vanished into thin air. So much has happened in the last four weeks that I don’t know where to begin, but I will give it my best shot.

April Promotion

I have to say it has been our biggest month ever with the hugely successful April Fools Promotion. We decided to get into the spirit of things and offer organisations the chance to enlist the services of Affinity Alliance whilst saving themselves a pretty penny. For every 1000 members that are signed on to the Member Benefits program, Affinity Alliance will give that organisation 100 Memberships for FREE. If you haven’t already, I suggest you get a move on to take advantage of this fabulous offer as you haven’t got much longer…

Dining Out & Entertainment

Another BIG item on the agenda is we have teamed up with the Dining Out & Entertainment Guide. This ultimately means that members will have even more decisions to make when it comes to eating out at their favourite

restaurant. Participating restaurants will be listed in the Affinity Alliance Dining Out & Entertainment Guide which will be an additional link in your current Members Directory. Which basically means you don’t have to do a thing but leisurely browse through all of your options. Member Directories are in the process of being updated as we speak so keep your eyes peeled for some fantastic offers on dining and wining.

• NuSkin • Wise Healthy Living Natural Therapies • Gurney Financial Services • Lakes Printers Thank you to all of our providers who have offered fantastic exclusive benefits for our members, we could not do it without you.

IMPORTANT Information

Be sure to check out our new sister website www.affinityallianceco.com.au and remember to LIKE us on Facebook. This is where the majority of our providers update their deals and send out special offers, so please encourage your members to take a few minutes of their time to jump on and click that button. It is well worth the effort.

! ! New Organisations

April has welcomed some fantastic new organisations on board and look forward to helping you grow. Congratulations to the following organisations for taking that leap and securing exclusive offers for their members through Affinity Alliance. • General Surgeons Australia • Joondalup Business Association • Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapy • Success Womens Network

New Providers • Lifestyle Australia

• Simply Wholesale • Alpha Car Rentals • Alpha Airport Parking • Alpha Finance • Your Corporate Lifestyle • Shell Fuel Card

Well that is it from me for now, so until the next issue of our fabulous EMAG, stay safe, stay well informed and most of all, stay YOU…Happy Easter every Bunny!

! Fiona McTaggart Editor In Chief AA Managing Director

If you would like to advertise your organisation or business with Affinity Alliance to offer our members even more value for money, please contact our head office on 1300 793 044 or email admin@affinityalliance.net.au for details.

www.affinityalliance.net.au www.affinityallianceco.com.au FREECALL 1300 793 044

ASSOCIATION SPOTLIGHT !

International Association of Infant Massage About IAIM The International Association of Infant Massage, Australia (IAIM) is a not-for-profit charity, and for 18 years has been the only organisation in Australia providing the The First Touch Program to parents and families all over the country.

workers, parents, subscribers and supporters in the Australian community; as well as with the tens of thousands of people and groups who are members of our sister organisations, in 51 other countries around the world.

Our work helps parents and families experience the many benefits and joys that come from using healthy touch, infant massage, and many other forms of communication with their babies. The IAIM program takes only a few hours to deliver, costs less that half the amount of a baby's first vaccination, yet has a life-long impact on a child's physical, emotional and social health.

Our Vision

Our Mission

IAIM Australia is a registered Health Promotion Charity. Our vision is that, one day, all parents and children will enjoy the lifelong benefits that come from having early relationships that are loving, healthy and secure.

We work toward our vision by promoting and supporting nurturing touch and communication through training, education and research so that parents, children and families are loved, valued and respected throughout the world community.

We share this vision with over 1000 members, Instructors, health

Our Values… Openness We b e l i e v e p a r e n t s a n d b a b i e s regardless of lifestyle, parenting styles, or choices - deserve to be welcomed with respect, tenderness, warmth and, above all else, a listening heart.

The Dignity of Parenthood We believe all parents love their babies and want their babies to have the chance to grow up happy, healthy and in peace. We believe all babies deserve for their parents to be supported in this fundamental, human hope.

Honouring Our First Relationships We understand all babies are born with an innate desire to feel close to, connected with, and a special part of their own families. We also understand the extent to which they experience this has a long-term impact on the social, emotional and physical development of each human being.

Making a Difference When It Matters Most For children to grow up healthy and happy, parents need good quality support – as early as possible – from people who they like and who respect them. Children also need to have healthy relationships with people of many ages and abilities. They also need to live in communities where people’s human rights are upheld. We focus our efforts, resources and willpower on getting these things happening today, rather than waiting until problems become overwhelming for families.

AFFINITY MAGAZINE

Our Programâ&#x20AC;Ś Our values and beliefs are deeply embedded in the work that IAIM Australia does in the Australian community. Our program is called The First Touch Program which is an evidence-supported and universal approach to supporting, promoting, protecting and restoring the very special relationship between parents and their babies during the first year of life.

Through the support and training offered by IAIM and our people, parents are given many practical skills, ideas and knowledge for nurturing their baby's language, social, cognitive, emotional and physical wellbeing.

IAIM Australia also trains health professionals, early childhood workers, volunteers and every-day community members how to deliver this unique program. Our people work with, and alongside, families who are thriving, as well as those who are experiencing early difficulties. We aim to ensure all parents have the opportunity to give their baby the best possible start in life.

Research shows attending a First Touch Program with an IAIM Instructor, and learning the skills taught in our program, improves cognitive, social, behavioural, educational and mental health outcomes for many years into the future. Our simple and effective program costs less than half of the amount needed to pay for a baby's first vaccination.

The IAIM program is delivered in 52 countries all over the world, and has successfully be used in literally hundreds of different cultural, socioeconomic and geographic contexts.

How We Go About It... IAIM Australia helps make change happen by offering training, information, research and program delivery. We do this in partnership with individuals, neighbourhoods, communities, governments, and human service organisations.

With good, local knowledge, the First Touch Program can be transferred to almost any situation - including statutory settings, place-based and long-term approaches to community building, emergency relief, disaster recovery, and social enterprises. We work in hospitals, neonatal intensive care units, community centres, parent's groups, churches, disability services, child care organisations, prisons, refugee services, mental health services, drug and alcohol centres, young parent programs, playgroups and private homes - and anywhere else where families are.

More Information About Usâ&#x20AC;Ś visit www.iaim.org.au and become a proud supporter of a truly worthy organisation.

Affinity PROFESSIONAL ! LEGAL NETWORK INSURANCE FINANCE HUMAN RESOURCES INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

AFFINITY MAGAZINE

Affinity LEGAL NETWORK When In Conflict, Be Careful About Making Assumptions! by John Campbell from Mediation Matters

Assumption As the old saying goes, if you assume something, you only make an ‘Ass’ out of ‘U’ and ‘Me’. The dangers of making assumptions have been discussed by many personal and business relationship advisors. Henry Winkler (the actor who played the famous “Fonzie” on the 70’s television show “Happy Days”) once said that “Assumptions are the termites of relationships”. Assumptions are really just thoughts that we have, based on limited evidence or indeed, no evidence at all. We tend to treat assumptions as a test of truths, rather than simply a set of beliefs. It could be seen as taking something for granted. Have you ever made an assumption about how something will be done or what will happen and then been surprised or frustrated about things turning out differently to what you expected? Or have you ever created meaning from what someone has done or said without checking the reality or facts? Shortcuts in understanding can lead to long roads of confusion and frustration! It is really easy to make an assumption because we assume that other people think like us and would do what we naturally think is logical. Unfortunately this isn’t the way the world works.

Mediation So why do we take thing for granted? Because we think we’ve been clear when we haven’t; because we think we’ve spelled things out when we haven’t; because we think we can get away with something or cutting corners when we’re busy, when we can’t. Employees have quite jobs, projects have suffered, children have been left waiting to be collected after school, relationships have ended, tasks have been done incorrectly, tasks have been duplicated, house moves have taken twice as long as they needed to, all because assumptions have been made. We make assumptions because we mistakenly assume that what is important to us, our values, and what we believe, is the same for other people, when it’s not. Examples abound where assumptions have been made and there have been disastrous results. In a recent workplace mediation that we conducted, it became very clear that a manager had given certain instructions to an employee. The manager had assumed that the employee was familiar with all of the terms used in the ‘brief’ (including the meaning of certain organisation-specific acronyms). It turned out that the employee was not familiar with some of

intentions or motivations of the other person or persons involved in the dispute and react accordingly. All too often however, the assumption was erroneous and therefore the response was inappropriate. Conflict in those circumstances simply escalates. Below are 5 tips that may help you in this area: 1.Ask open (who, what, when, where, how) questions to clarify assumptions e.g. How exactly are you proposing to do that? 2.In project/team meetings and when writing proposals, spell out any assumptions being made verbally and in writing. 3.Summarise what you think is being agreed to check understanding. 4.When delegating to someone else, get them to replay back to you their understanding of what they are going to do. This will highlight any assumptions they are making. 5.Get into the habit of having a ‘ what assumptions am I making?” self-check before winding yourself into a frenzy and letting your imagination get the better of you.

On a lighter note, check out the following links: This clip (of “Ameriquest” TV advertisements) is some 2.5 minutes long and encourages viewers not to ‘judge too quickly’ based on what they have seen. Judging too quickly almost always involves making assumptions about what is going on (when, as in all cases in the advertisements, it is not as it seems).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzzMir7zbN4

This 37 second clip from the 70’s TV show “The Odd Couple” demonstrates the old saying about making an ass out of you and me (when people assume things).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfvTwv5o1Qs

! !

those terms and the resulting work was substandard. There was a dispute arise over both the sufficiency of the instructions given and the quality of the work performed and each of the manager and the employee ‘pointed the finger’ at the other. Both however, had made assumptions about the work and each other – some of which was erroneous. Once people are in dispute, the making of assumptions can be even more dangerous. With no or limited evidence, people often assume the

AFFINITY MAGAZINE

YELLOW BRICK ROAD ARTICLE - MR. MARK BOURIS

Education costs money, but so does ignorance. And unfortunately there’s no adequate replacement for education when it comes to making good financial decisions. This is an important topic for Australians because we are all investors and financial planners now, thanks to compulsory superannuation. And that’s before we get into mortgages, credit cards, insurance, managed funds and store finance. We live in a financial context and the quality of our education informs the quality of our decisions.

Submissions to the federal government’s Financial System Inquiry are now in and the government will sift through thousands of ideas and requests to se if any can be used to improve our current system.

! !

One of the key issues that the inquiry should look at is introducing financial literacy into the national education curriculum. An informed and educated population is crucial to the operation of a good financial system. If we expect Australians to build sufficient wealth to retire comfortably in their own home, then we have to ensure that people know how to make enough good decisions to get them there. We start by acknowledging that a healthy system is a three-way conversation between consumers, government and the financial services industry.

Government regulation plays a role in setting standards and protecting consumers from deceptive and unfair conduct. But Governments can not – and should not – do everything. Building wealth and providing for a secure future is a job best done by private resources and personal decisions. You can’t abdicate financial responsibility to the Government or to your parents or spouse. Bad luck and misadventure aside, there’s only one person who can control your financial destiny and that’s you.

That’s why I advocate better financial literacy via a national education curriculum. The earlier we teach finance as a life skill, the better. But let’s not put all of the burden on schools. There’s a role for self-education and the need to be informed by reading books and articles. When your kids see you reading the business pages, they’ll learn the habit and recognise the importance of being informed. We can also encourage adults to invest in high-quality financial advice where needed.

So far, I’ve referred to only two of the participants in this conversation: the individual and the government. The financial services sector also needs to step up and commit to doing a better job of educating Australians.

I’m not talking about more advertising and clever marketing. Financial services companies must embrace the following commitments: • Use language and concepts that are easy to understand, and remove barriers to people learning; • Stop confusing consumers by advertising low interest rates that may only apply for a short period before reverting to a high rate; • Stop treating people as if they’re not smart enough to learn. People should understand what they are investing in, where their money is going and why; • Provide the best advice to help people achieve their financial dreams; and • Foster real competition in the market. People benefit from real competition by paying lower rates and this must be encouraged.

Finally, this is no longer a society where you can wait for the government or an employer to provide for your future. It falls to every individual to make enough good decisions to build a secure financial future.

! !

All I ask is that governments and financial services companies help consumers make this a reality. VISIT www.ybr.com.au for further information and members remember to show your Affinity Alliance member card or quote member number upon application.

AFFINITY MAGAZINE

Debt Fix Survey Staggering Results Revealed on Household Budgets by Nick Bregozzo from Debt Solutions Recently Debt Fix conducted a Debt Survey which revealed some extremely interesting results about how people feel about their finances and their debt. The majority of the people surveyed were women aged between 20 and 40 earning incomes under $50k per annum. More than half the respondents were paying off a mortgage and more than half of the people surveyed owed more than $80k in debt, including credit cards, personal loans, car loans and money owing to friends and family. The survey dug deeper to reveal peoples various attitudes towards debt and spending, uncovering the drivers underpinning the various decisions people make. For instance, it was interesting to note that (of the people surveyed)

nearly 50% of people cited “convenience” as the primary driver for actions or decisions when it comes to credit. In other words, it appears that people are motivated to spend (or accrue debt) if there is a perception that things will become easier by virtue of such spending. This noting is not unfamiliar to marketeers who have been calling upon the “ease” motivator for decades. It all too common to hear the catch phrase “in just 3 easy steps” or “it’s easy” or “just 3 easy payments” when it comes to advertises promoting their products. When it comes to financial products, debt consolidation is heavily marketed as an “easier way” to manage debts, promoting its popularity as an effective way to better manage debt.

In contrast, almost the same percentage of respondents agreed that they are genuinely concerned about the security of their financial future. Supporting these concerns, more than 70% of respondents felt that their financial security today is “fair” or “poor” and only half of all those who completed the survey set aside money for the future. Added, the respondents advised they are worse off today financially than they were five years ago perhaps reflecting the broader conditions impacting the real economy. With the reduced confidence surrounding the respondents and their finances today, one would expect to see an increased focus on budgeting; however this was not the case.

A staggering 41.5% of those surveyed did not prepare a monthly budget. The next part of the survey looked at the debt collection practices of creditors. The survey revealed that 70% of all respondents had (at some stage) been contacted by a professional debt collector. Of this group, the overwhelming majority found the debt collectors to be rude and threatening, irritating and uncaring or forceful and intimidating. Only 12% of respondents thought the debt collectors were helpful and understanding. Clearly, the debt collectors do not believe in the adage “you catch more flies with honey” and perhaps there remain some remnants from those bad old days when debt collectors were unregulated. Supporting this hypothesis is the evidence collected citing 20% of debtors who had been contacted

by professional debt collectors were contacted more than 3 times in a week – a clear breach of the ACCC/ASIC guideline. Grant O’Donnell, CEO of Debt Fix says “…the result delivered some interesting conclusions and insights in the way people view their

personal finances and attitude towards debt management…” He went on to say, “…With changes to the way Credit reputations are reported, it appears at first glance that some attitudes towards debt

and personal finance will need to be overhauled – it’s a pity that there hasn’t been much information circulated about these changes (by government and regulators) in the same way as there was with the demise of the analogue television signal. This survey revealed a need for increased financial literacy and education as much as anything else….” With the new credit reporting regime upon us, Grant O’Donnell commented “… the issue we have at Debt Fix is about how debtor’s currently approach debt management and their present day awareness of new credit scoring…”If you are struggling to pay debts, contact Debt Fix for a no obligation, free assessment on 1300 332 834 or www.debtfix.com.au.

Affinity HR/IR Legislative Changes to Workplace Bullying in 2014 by Sharon Collitt from Employment Tool Kits

There has been a lot of talk among business owners not to mention anticipation, since the announcement of revised bullying laws earlier this year. So what does this really mean for employers?

Top: It is important to firstly understand what the legal definition of bullying is… “Bullying is repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers that creates risk of health and safety

Top:As a result of legislative changes, employees now have the option of lodging an application of bullying directly with the FWC.

It is important to firstly understand what the legal definition of bullying is. Bullying is “repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers that creates risk of health and safety.” With the most common form for bullying being around verbal abuse including shouting, swearing, malicious sarcasm and intimidating behaviour and 70 per cent of perpetrators deemed to be managers, it is critical that business owners remain vigilant of their workplace culture and practices. In around 50% of cases, the bullying behaviour has been going on for more than a year. Therefore it is essential to ensure that workplaces have mechanisms in place to stamp out unhealthy behaviour whilst training and educating all workers on what is acceptable and not acceptable in the workplace. As a result of the legislative changes, employees now have the option of lodging an application of bullying directly with the Fair Work Commission (FWC). This means that the FWC has the obligation of responding to the complaint within 14 days, as well as the authority to deal with such complaints by ordering the alleged bully or bullies to stop the disputed behaviour. This of course may only occur if the FWC is satisfied that a worker has been bullied at work and that there is risk the worker will continue to be bullied at work. When In order for employers to ensure they are set up to effectively deal with and respond to claims of bullying there are 3 key steps that business owners should take to prevent unwanted bullying claims. 1.Ensure that existing policies are updated to reflect the new workplace bullying

provisions. This should include the definition of the term ‘bullying’ and what to do in the event bullying is identified in the workplace. 2.Conduct workplace training for both managers and employees focusing on the

company’s code of conduct and company policies. 3.Implement a procedure available to workers for resolving grievances, complaints or disputes within the workplace.

For more information on this topic, contact Sharon Collitt - Employment Tool Kits on 1300 123 678

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WANT TO ADVERTISE IN OUR MONTHLY EMAGAZINE? CALL 1300 793 044 OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR A MEDIA KIT

by Jonathon Eaton from Safety in the Workplace I would say the most enjoyable part of what I do is saving society from a safety disaster. Does it sound like I am over-reaching? Well, with over 30,000 serious workplace injuries every year in Qld, the enormous cost and burden on society and the local community is lessened each time a business places safety as a top priority. If we could simply halve the number of workplace injuries next year, then imagine the $$Billions (yes, Billions) of tax dollars saved. the $$Billions of dollars of increased productivity (again Billions) and of course the number of hospital beds that become available without spending another cent; the hospital system fixed so easily? And then there are the damaged lives and families that won’t fall into the spiral of desperation, depression or worse. So yes, I do have a bit of a hero complex. But that is because I believe that Safety is a Community Charity. I was recently asked what my business strategy was for 2014. It did not take me long to answer because I am a big believer in charity. How is charity part of my business strategy? Simply - Safety is Charity. My wife and I are supporters of community, national and international charity but I have a deeper conviction that goes to the heart of my business model and should also be a part of your business model. Once you understand the true cost of workplace injuries, it isn’t hard to see how the safety of your workers

and yourself is a local community issue. With over 30,000 serious injuries in Queensland alone, the medical costs to the taxpayers blow out into the billions of dollars. This is a HUGE drain on public services. What if we could simply halve the amount of unnecessary injuries? Imagine how the burden on our hospital system would be eased. Would surgery wait times be dramatically reduced? Would the savings of billions of dollars in medical costs and even more billions of dollars in lost productivity immensely increase the public services and quality of living for Queenslanders? And now consider the personal cost of injury. I was consulting for an engineering workshop and one young man had recently returned for light duties after a workplace injury some weeks earlier. I asked him how he had occupied his time to which he responded, “I took up drinking alcohol.” Unfortunately this is not uncommon. Injuries deeply affect and strain emotions and can lead to downward spiralling, loss of social connections and can eventually lead to depression or worse. If you can simply choose this year to place safety a little bit closer to the top of your priority list then you have just saved the community a cost it can no longer afford to bare. Safety is charity. You might be thinking, “that’s lovely but what does this have to do with me? It’s not my problem”. Well, sorry to say, but it is…

I was training the workers and management at a four storey business complex recently and politely asked if anyone was familiar with the work safety laws. The room was full of empty expressions. Now I don’t want to bore you with copious amounts of legal jargon and I completely understand that legislation is often in the “too hard basket”, but the “new” safety laws are getting older and older and really need to be understood by workers and management alike. It has been more than two years since they made their debut in Queensland. In legislation, two years is a long time ago. The new safety legislation gives the “Worker” a HUGE responsibility to take care of themselves and others by what they do and by what they choose not to do. So ignoring the hazards and risks is a big “NO NO”. It comes with significant fines and even imprisonment - yes, for the worker (which often includes volunteers). So wouldn’t that be good for you to know? The Work Health Safety Act 2011 also gives management, the “officers” personal responsibility to stay up-to-date with any legislation and what is required to be done such as audiometric testing, health monitoring, fire training etc. So when I see a room of empty expressions, I know that the management also need some encouragement to get involved. It does take some effort, but with such heavy consequences, noone can afford to ignore it.

And let’s not forget the PCBU. What is a PCBU? That’s a very good question and I am glad you asked. Up until 1 January 2013, the legislation referred to the duties of the “Employer” and the “Employee” concerning safety and other such matters. Whilst this sounds like the usual standard of business operation, what we ended up with though, was a large number of businesses using contractors or subcontractors or even labour hire workers to relinquish some responsibilities. i.e. “NOT MY PROBLEM”. This has now all changed. Welcome to the PCBU. A PCBU is any entity which is conducting a Business or undertaking whether or NOT it is conducted for profit or any gain at all (including a person who engages work, or is a sole trader, self employed or in a partnership). This then includes home businesses, or MLM distributors and possibly some “hobbyists”. Sounds scary but a Business generally attempts to make a profit and has a system of organisation whilst an undertaking is usually no profit making or commercial in nature - a PCBU does either. This Legislation is far reaching outside the confines of a business place (includes households) but does not include the casual engagement of repair people or babysitters unless an individual householder engages a regular worker, such as a babysitter/ nanny, to care for children in the householders home. While the householder is not employing the worker as part of a business, these agreed upon duties at the home IS regarded as an “Undertaking” Consequently, the householder has a duty of care as a PCBU and the person engaged by the householder has the workers duty of care under the WHS Act 2011 (but does not include Foster Parenting). Imagine if the laws apply to babysitters, how would it relate to your business? Time to get to know the legislation. Heavy fines or imprisonment are a real danger for ignorance.

So now you know why you MUST have safety management including Fire Training but there is an added and most enjoyable benefit to safety. It was only a few days ago over a relaxed lunch that a Director in a very large Australian Company told me, point blank to my face, that he thought safety was just another cost with no real ROI (Return On Investment). He is not a client (yet) so I shrugged off the generalised insult and calmly explained that I have never had a client who did not get a ROI for implementing safety.

$50,000, then it must sell $500,000.00 worth of product just to cover the costs and so forth. How much effort, advertising and general business activity is required to increase sales by $10,000.00 or even $500,000.00 to cover this one injury? It can be a nightmare if the injury or illness involves more than one worker. Now that’s expensive! Whilst safety management may seem like money down the drain, paying for injury and illness costs

Actually, I would suggest that it would be true for almost every Safety Adviser who has implemented a working safety management plan. How can I be so bold? Even the ILO (International Labour Organisation) and the UN (United Nations) have clearly stated and documented that safety management in workplaces throughout the world has resulted in increased productivity and profitability. In some cases the results have been breathtaking. It really is simple mathematics. Without including the hassle and costs of replacing staff who are on sick leave and the managerial lost time for investigation and reporting, or the increased stress and lowered work morale of other workers, or the lost productivity of a closed shop during the fallout, there is a deeper cost that goes all the way to the company’s bottom line. Let me explain in simple terms; if a small business is making a net profit of 10%, then it would need to sell $1000.00 worth of product to make $100 profit. A large business might only be making 6% or even less. So in this regard, if a worker is injured and costs the company $1000.00 in premiums, lost time and productivity (and it would usually cost a lot more than that) then the company needs to sell $10,000.00 worth of product just to cover its costs - that’s a lot of hard work. If the worker has a serious injury which costs the company

(short term or long term) that could have been easily avoided, is the biggest waste of business resources and money. Which clearly means that there is a real ROI for every injury or illness prevented.

Don’t wait any longer to be compliant and to enjoy the benefits of a safe workplace. Feel free to contact me directly on 0466 726 965 for a no obligation discussion.

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5 Social Media Tricks to Boost Your Business Social media offers diverse benefits for business owners. The evolution of different social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn means that you need to be aware of general as well as channel-specific hacks to fulfill your social media marketing objectives.Here are five social media hacks that will enable you to save time and gain wider exposure, more followers, higher conversion rates and better engagement. 1. Know what’s hot. If you can post information that is current and relevant to your niche and most importantly your customer, you’ll give your audience a reason to read your posts on social media and from there visit your website. One really great search tool is uvrx.com. Powered by Google custom search, it throws up results for Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn and other platforms. Social-searcher.com is another search tool designed to allow users to check out how their chosen keywords are being treated by social media networks. It offers analytics data, revealing other folks you can follow online, sentiments associated with keywords, and the types of posts that are doing well. 2. Social media is speaking a new language. And the language is one of images, videos and infographics. These types of media are generating excellent engagement numbers for businesses that have made it standard practice to employ them in a pertinent and creative manner. Vine, the video sharing app for Twitter; Instagram; and Flipboard for iTunes are just some of the apps that enhance the appeal of your posts and make them stand out on your followers’ pages or timelines. Creative calls to action used with such media can help bridge the gap between entertainment,

information and lead generation. 3. Grow your base. Reaching followers, subscribers and "friends" is central to creating a successful and enjoyable social media campaign. One way to find new customers is to run paid ads on Facebook or Twitter as a way to increase "likes" and followers, promote blogs or make other offers; another is to tap the LinkedIn premium subscription that allows you the opportunity to reach out to potential prospects or partners via InMail. A fairly basic but often overlooked hack to attract more subscribers for your Facebook page is to immediately direct message the link to new followers on Twitter. Similar creative, crossfertilizing techniques should be employed on all social media platforms to capture the interest of members of your audience when you’re already on their radar. 4. Save time. Whether you’re running a one-man show or an enterprise-level social media operation with data being fed into customer-relationship management systems, you need to automate certain processes. If you don’t, then these will tend to become chores that you may begin to avoid, thereby decreasing your effectiveness. Some activities that you can place on auto mode include posting updates across platforms, sending email and SMS updates on favorite topics, and uploading social media content to remote storage. If This Then That offers handy solutions. 5. Embrace change and be in the know. When a social media platform changes its guidelines, you have two options. You can take the change in stride and adapt -- or give up. When you opt for the former approach, you give yourself an opportunity to occupy the space left vacant by those who gave up the fight. For example,

a recent Facebook update prohibited informing contest winners of results through Facebook; this restriction has since been relaxed, however. Last month, LinkedIn introduced enhancements such as the ability to block profiles and unwanted messages. These have clear benefits for popular LinkedIn groups that have had to deal with a lot of spam until now. It pays to be in the know.While most social media hacks are little more than common sense activities, the ones that may surprise you with their effectiveness are those that you come up with through

observation and learning. Entrepreneurs can become busy and can easily forget to allow time each week for creative thinking. Do some strategic thinking on a regular basis and keep coming up with ways to extract better results from your social media marketing. by Brett Relander - Digital Marketing Consultant

Affinity LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT !

Affinity DINING Choose from over 6000 Restaurants across Australia & New Zealand….

Some exciting news… The exciting news is only the beginning, with the continued growth of our Dining & Wining Directory, Affinity Alliance is certainly expanding in leaps and bounds.

Adding up to 6000 more restaurants to our Dining Directory Thanks to our dedicated team members and the collaboration with Dining Out & Entertainment Guide, Affinity Alliance has been able to offer our members more value for money than we could ever imagine. The new Dining & Wining Directory will be available in your Generic Member Directory or to view online as of May 2014. With so many additions, it has been a work in progress,but we know you’re going to love it!

About the Dining Directory Restaurants, Cafes and Bistros from all over Australia & NZ have become involved in what we can only describe as colossal. It has been a huge work in progress but

we can now start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Members will be able to show their Affinity Alliance Membership Card or Virtual card at participating restaurants and venues to receive their discounted offer. The online directory will make it easier for members to search state by state and dine at their favourite little bistro, cafe or fine dining venue.

Become Involved If you own a restaurant or venue and you feel that this is an opportunity not to be missed, then you would be right. The Affinity Alliance team is awaiting your

We will even set up your webpage and directory page if required. Not only will you receive a full page in the AA Dining & Wining Directory, you will also receive a full page on all three of our websites www.affinityalliance.net.au www.affinityallianceco.com.au and regular monthly advertisements in our Affinity EMAG and infinite exposure to our 400,000 strong member database. This is a FREE offer and one that is too good to refuse, so best you get in early as submissions will be closing at the end of April 2014.

“Add your Restaurant to our Dining Directory and get more exposure” submission. The requirements are simple and the return is great. There is no cost involved. All that we ask is that you can offer an exclusive discount/benefit or service to our members upon dining at your venue. It really is that simple.

For more information on how you can become a part of the Affinity Alliance Dining & Wining Directory, contact our head office on

1300 793 044 or email your request to admin@affinityalliance.net.au and we will email you the requirements.

Affinity NETWORKING !

AFFINITY MAGAZINE

Affinity NETWORKING 8 Steps to Build Relationships After A Networking Event by Danielle Mayes from the Virtual Card Company Headed to a Networking Event? Keep these tips in mind… We spend considerable time networking in person because we know it’s still the most important way to build relationships with colleagues, peers and potential new customers. We pick the events we want to go to and we prepare. For bigger conferences, we spend even more time preparing for the sessions and events we want to attend, people we want to meet and build in time for random hook ups. When you return from a conference you had been planning for, sorting it all out in an organized, timely process is the key to beginning the conversion from connection to relationship. I talk a lot about the importance of blending in-person networking with social media. The importance of Integrating your personal marketing and branding activities to build reach and impact. There is the planning to go, being there and the follow up, probably the most important way to leverage your RON: return on networking. There are three important things to consider after going to any inperson event but especially bigger conferences. • Prioritize contacts • Customize follow-up messages • Timeliness

Here are eight steps for converting the information and connections into actionable relationships after a big conference.

should be followed up on first. Qualify why, and be specific about what you will follow up with them about.

1. Sort Through Your Cards And The People You Met

6. Draft A Customized Follow-Up Letter To Each Group

Hopefully, every card you got was a person you owned a moment with, or had a meaningful exchange with. I like to write a word or two or note on the card to remind me of what we exchanged.

Divide your connections into groups and customize a follow-up letter to them, that makes sense and is appropriate for why you should continue. Being thoughtful about this to them will make a big difference.

2. Review All The Sessions You Attended

7. Invite Them To follow Up On Social Media

Take the program and review all the sessions you attended and what was presented. Add notes to the notes you actually took during the session while reviewing it.

This is the bridge that can help you get into people’s communities, stream, conversations and get you started in building commonality. Use LinkedIn as a starting point, add Twitter and then if appropriate Facebook. Comment on their blog, or invite them to yours.

3. Review All The Notes You Took Go through all your notes and highlight the key ideas from the speakers and that you wrote down. 4. Review The Handouts And Information You Got Take the time to review all the handouts, leave behinds, worksheets, post cards you took home with you. Take advantage of any incentives offered to you by the speakers and conference presenters. 5. Prioritize And Define Who To Follow Up With And Why Although we gather cards at these events, prioritizing the warm connections and ones that make the most sense to follow up on

8. Create A 30-Day Follow-Up Plan Make a 30-day plan for each person or group of contacts that you would like to develop a relationship with. Be consistent, and interact as regularly as possible. Show up and be a part of the conversation. Work through these 8 steps immediately. The timeliness of follow-up is critical. You will want to get back to people while you are still fresh in each others minds. Relationships don’t happen in a week!

Affinity FUNDRAISING !

Some exciting news… Luke, Tania and Paul Hill will be attempting the challenge of a lifetime this August when they swim solo crossings of the English Channel. This will be a world first for three siblings in the same year, and will be a part of their fundraising efforts for Cancer Council NSW. The trio aim to raise as much as possible for the cause, which has impacted directly on the family after losing their mother, Roma Gai, at a young age.“We are extremely excited about this swim, which covers around 41 kilometres. The thought of having to battle the elements such as jellyfish, hypothermia, seasickness not tomention the hundreds of commercial ships that pass through the channel daily is daunting,but we are determined to do it for Mum .” Luke Hill stated.The team members are all accomplished swimmers and have competed at a national level in their youth. They are currently following a rigorous training regime, which includes many 4am starts and chilly laps in local ocean baths amounting to around 40km’s each week per swimmer. By the time Luke hits the water in England he will have swam around 4651km

during training. With fewer people having successfully swum the English Channel then having climbed Mount Everest, all this training is vital. The trio see this swim as an opportunity to help other families like theirs who have been greatly affected by Cancer. They were surprised to find out that Cancer Council NSW is a completely independent charity which receives no government funding and so are hoping that along with the generosity of the Australian community they can help make a big difference. They have raised over $27,000 so far through many events such as a 12 hour swim in a swim spa by Luke in Martin Place,central Sydney and a community Channel Swim Relay held at The Entrance, where 989 laps where completed! If you wish to know more about The Hill Family Channel Swim, please follow their story. Written by Luke Hill Affinity Alliance is a proud sponsor or the Hill Family Channel Swim. Show your support and assist in raising valuable funds for Cancer Council.

www.facebook.com/ Hillfamilychannelswim http://hillfamilychannelswim.com

AFFINITY MAGAZINE

AFFINITY FUNDRAISING Help Planning Your Event Events are a key portion of almost every fundraising plan. Great events can add a significant boost to your non-profit organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bottom-line. Fundraising even ts are hard work, though, and can involve a significant outlay of money to secure a location,send out invitations, etc. This guide will walk you through the steps of holding great fundraising events that raise considerable sums to support your mission.

Why Planning Is Important When fundraising events work, they can be a real boon to your development efforts. When they fail, however, your organization might see a significant amount of time and money go right down the drain. The best way to ensure the success of your fundraising event is to plan ahead. Every six-figure and higher fundraising event I have ever worked on has had a written, detailed event plan. Successful small events have written plans as well. Figure out the specifics of our event and write out a short event plan before you send out your first invitation, and you will be well on your way to holding a great event.

Choosing What Type of Event to Host Every type of event takes the same amount of preparation, planning, and hard work. It is up to each event host to decide what type of gathering would appeal to their own supporters. Choose what type of event you want to have based on your prospective attendees â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the type of event would be most appealing to them? Remember, the two goals of a fundraising event are to raise money and to have fun doing so. In order to accomplish both goals, you will need to get people excited about attending.

AFFINITY MAGAZINE

Top: Leave it up to the Fundraising Superheros to get the job done.

While there are an infinite number of event types you could host, some of the more popular categories include: • Informal Dinners • Formal Dinners • Receptions • Barbecues • Breakfasts This is just a small sampling of the types of events you may choose to hold. Remember to keep in mind the fundraising goal for the event, the people that you are inviting, and the facilities that are available when choosing the type of event you are planning to host. Choose a method that fits your audience, your budget, and your fundraising goals.

Setting Up An Event Host Committee As you begin planning your event, you may want to recruit some close contacts or friends to serve as your host committee. You may think that you won’t need to appoint a host committee, but as your event planning develops, the host committee can help share work planning and setting up the event, inviting guests, and raising money.

AFFINITY MAGAZINE

Host Committee Goals The first and most important role of the host committee is to sell tickets / get donations for the event. Each host committee member should be given a specific goal – a certain number of tickets that they are pledging to sell (or contacts that they are promising to bring to the event) . Host committee memoers are usually asked to buy a ticket themselves as well as sell anywhere from 3-10 other tickets, depending on the cost of the ticket and on the committee members’ sales abilities. When recruiting a host committee, try to find members who have a large network of possible contributors to whom they would be willing to sell tickets. If you can, fill your committee with people who move in different social circles, work in different professions, and live in different geographical areas. Because selling tickets is one of the most important tasks of your host committee, you want them to be connected to as many different people and groups as possible.

Making Sure Your Committee Meets Its Goals No matter how many tickets you are asking the members of your committee to sell, it is best to set a specific goal and ask each member to meet that goal. Hosts sometimes simply ask committee members to “sell some tickets.” This usually does not work well. In order to be successful, ask each host committee member to pledge to sell a set number of tickets. As the event draws closer, stay in regular contact with your host committee to make sure the members are on track to meet their goal. Keep your committee motivated by giving them regular updates on your progress, contacting them to offer support and guidance, and gently reminding each member of their individual fundraising goal and how close they are to meeting that goal… The second part of this article will be published in the May Edition of the Affinity Alliance EMAG

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> The latest technology available for a simple low monthly repayment > 36 month payment term available > Allowing you to be fitted with the latest hearing technology of a higher value that might otherwise have been out of reach. > At the end of the term simply return your devices with no further obligation and get connected with the latest hearing technology.

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Affinity Alliance remains dedicated to its members in providing the best there is in exclusive benefits and services across a wide range of Industries. If you feel that your business or company can offer our members an exclusive benefit and you want to be added to our long list of professionals and receive FREE advertising to our complete database, contact our HEAD OFFICE today 1300 793 044 Building our Provider List Our capability to deliver high quality, tailored and customised benefit programs with dedicated and personalised service, sets us apart. We appreciate that organisations today need to be flexible, innovative and affordable without compromising quality and value.

Who do we serve? Affinity Alliances has been built on strong values of innovation and integrity. We pride ourselves on delivering the highest levels of service for our people. We work hard to establish strong relationships with our clients and members by undertaking regular surveys and feedback reviews. Our member base is made up of professionals across a wide range of industries such as Architecture & Engineering, Medical and Dental, Finance, Information Technology, to name just a few.

What are the Benefits of an AA Provider

• Affinity Alliance invests in the marketing of your service via an integrated communications and marketing strategy. To maintain our quality standards and to deliver sustainable benefits, we enter into supplier Agreements will all of our partners. If you would like a copy of our Partner Agreement, please contact Head office on 1300 793 044 or email admin@affinityalliance.net.au

This Agreement outlines a differentiated offer (must be national and preferably in New Zealand too); which represents a genuine benefit for our members when compared with an equivalent public offer, and any other service, marketing or management information. Click on the link below to view the requirements of becoming an Affinity Alliance provider. CLICK HERE TO VIEW

• Expose your brand to our market • Increased traffic to your business through Affinity Alliance channels • Introduce your business to our stakeholder network • Access our fast growing member base • Your product information is promoted and marketed on Affinity Alliance’s website - saving you time and money • Increased number of sales, and in turn, revenue for your business • Brand recognition by association with our existing partners

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Affinity SHOPPER !

AFFINITY MAGAZINE

AFFINITY SHOPPER Big Brands, Low Prices… As you are all abundantly aware, Affinity Shopper is going gangbusters with traffic and sales. Our members are shopping up an absolute storm on a host of everyday and specialty items. The best part about it is everything is up to 70% off! Non-members can shop as well, so don’t be shy to visit our site, but in addition to the great savings, members get to enjoy additional rewards points which go towards their next spend, so there is even more to celebrate. So dust off that wallet, prepare your credit card and go shopping. If you missed it, the new site is of course aptly named www.affinityshopper.net.au and as previously mentioned, will save you bucket loads on everyday items as well as specialty goods. Take a trip down Affinity Shopping Lane today and see what bargains you can grab. Don’t forget to LIKE us on Facebook so you can keep updated on daily specials…

Save up to 70% on well known brands and retailers across a huge range of categories including: • Fashion • Health & Beauty • Home & Outdoor • Pet Products • Printer Cartridges • Technology • Toys • Wine & Drink Accessories

START SHOPPING NOW www.affinityshopper.net.au

PHONE 1300 793 044 shopper@affinityalliance.net.au

Affinity Alliance â&#x20AC;&#x153;Membership that Mattersâ&#x20AC;?

Phone 1300 793 044 www.affinityalliance.net.au