7 minute read
Spotlight on Community
Multi Award Winning Building Company
with a Big Heart
Canberra’s local, grass roots community services rely heavily on community and corporate support.
Karinya House is one such not-for-profit organisation. As the only residential and outreach service specifically for pregnant and parenting women in Canberra and its surrounding regional areas, they have provided more than 5,500 support periods to thousands of women and their families over the past two decades.
Their work includes providing supported accommodation, transitional housing and outreach services to vulnerable and at risk pregnant and parenting women and their families who are in crisis.
Monarch Building Solutions won a competitive tender to construct a new, purpose-built Karinya House. The new facility consists five buildings used for supported and independent accommodation, plus a dedicated administration facility, including quarters for 24 hour staff accommodation if required. The new Karinya House was handed over in mid-2016 and was awarded a Judges’ Commendation at the 2017 MBA ACT Awards. During construction Monarch began to appreciate and see the difference Karinya’s new home was going to make to so many. From that, the relationship between builder and client grew, and saw Monarch contribute in ways well beyond their building contract.
Some examples include Monarch becoming an official corporate partner of Karinya, staff donating their time for ongoing improvements and minor additions. The most recent contribution has been the creation of Home Starter packs, which are given to mums who are leaving Karinya and beginning a new life of independent living.
“We continue to provide support to Karinya House on many levels,” says Joe Pratezina from Monarch Building Solutions, “and the Home Starter Packs are a practical way for us to help young mums.”
“I’m so grateful for the whitegoods and I wouldn’t have any of these things without this assistance. Also I wouldn’t have been able to move into my new house as quickly!” Said the Mum receiving the first starter kit
Monarch, in partnership with Harvey Norman Commercial, puts together these starter packs of key whitegoods and appliances to help women and children establish their new homes when they move on from Karinya House.
The difference this makes cannot be underestimated. The first life-changing Home Starter Pack was delivered with much excitement just in time for Christmas last year, and the mum receiving the goods was overcome with emotional gratitude.
“We hope to gift around one starter pack every month,” Joe says. “The work Karinya does for women in crisis is incredibly important for our community and we hope this initiative will greatly assist those in need.”
Executive Director of Karinya House, Marie-Louise Corkhill has stated “Monarch Building Solutions are valued corporate sponsors of Karinya House for Mothers and Babies for both their professional competence, experience and dedication in building our new purpose-built facility, as well as their continued generosity and example in corporate citizenship and care for some of the most vulnerable women and children in our community. Karinya House relies on the Canberra community, who through Corporate and Community Partnerships as well as individual donations, contribute to almost 50% of the annual operating costs of the services provided by Karinya House.”
Karinya House photo supplied by HCreations
Harvey Norman delivering a Home Starter Pack
Joe Pratezina from Monarch Building Solutions handing over the MBA Judges’ Commendation certificate for the Karinya House project, to Marie-Louise Corkhill, Executive Director Karinya.
How to Market Your Business
after Winning Awards
Adrenalin is pumping after the awards are announced. It all becomes a bit of a blur; the acceptance speech is usually filled with nervous excitement followed by countless pats on the back and dozens of handshakes from peers, clients and suppliers. Then comes the strategic placement of the award in your workplace.
What next?
The real power of the award or awards you have won are yet to be fully unleashed. It’s fantastic that your story is being told to those who enter your office. But it’s time to tell the broader community!
It’s important to invest the time in promoting your award, after all you only win awards if your work stands out. It’s important for future business that your name is remembered for quality.
PLAN A POST-WIN CELEBRATION
Post-win social events provide the perfect backdrop (and excuse) for media coverage. Invite local press as well as public dignitaries, investors, board members, mentors, employees, peers and other area leaders to attend a reception to help celebrate your win or recognition.
Boosting the morale of your employees will have an impact. Let them know that without them the award would not have been possible. They will be proud to be part of an award winning team. They too will spread the news.
Few awards are won without the input of staff, peers, mentors, customers and other followers. At this reception and throughout your post-win marketing activities, be generous in acknowledging people who played a part in your win whether big or small.
ISSUE YOUR OWN PERSONALISED PRESS RELEASE
Why should you do this, you ask, if the MBA is doing their own press release?
Creating your own press release allows you to describe your business and include a quote from the owner, Director or CEO which helps increase your brand awareness and the award’s significance to your company.
The MBA can assist in providing you with a list of media who you can send the media release to. PUSH THE INFORMATION OUT TO YOUR FOLLOWERS
To get maximum marketing return on investment (ROI) from winning a Master Builders Building Excellence Award, you need to push the information out to your followers – preferably in such a way that they will feel almost as though your win is their win, too. Make sure that you use inclusive language and let customers and other stakeholders know that you couldn’t have done it without them, with announcements made via: > website page/s and award badge or logo > blog article/s and award badge or logo > email announcement > social network updates > social profile page updates > direct mail announcement > displays and signage within your business premises > phone system on-hold announcements > Email signatures with award medallions > Ads in local magazines like Canberra Weekly or
The City News > “ask me about” buttons, badges or shirts for staff-wear > Staff-wear to include award medallions > correspondence with board members or investors > employee newsletter, bulletin board and other announcement vehicle
Pursue a Repeat Performance (Entries are now open in the Master Builders Building Excellence Awards 2018)
And finally adding “award winning” to all company descriptions will add authority and relevance. It’s your award so make it count!
A win isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. How will you plan to follow up one win with another? Make sure you have a plan to leverage the excitement of your staff, board and clients into pursuit of the next milestone you want to achieve, whether that is a repeat win (or dynasty-building succession of wins), a move up to the next level or an introduction of the next big thing for your business.
Entries close 16 March 2018 Enter via mba.org.au/events
We are National Capital Toyota
I
ONLY IN TUGGERANONG
In January 2016, National Capital Toyota was born, opening an all new state of the art dealership in Tuggeranong. National Capital Motors has been a familiar name in Canberra for over 30 years and we are proud to have been representing Toyota in the local market place for the last two years.
In an area that has historically only ever been managed by one dealer, we are honoured to provide the Canberra and Queanbeyan area with a new, fresh alternative.
As the only independent, local and family owned Toyota dealer in Canberra, National Capital Toyota have now established a community based business that consistently supports the local community, sporting clubs and local charities.
MBA Members Are Eligible For Our Gold Fleet Discount!
We pride ourselves on customer experience and we hope your experience with us meets and exceeds your expectations.
Best Regards,
Duncan Brede | Dealer Principal
Michael Hanrahan | General Manager
National Capital Toyota
211 Scollay Street, Greenway, ACT, 2900 T 02 6173 6100 E info@nationalcapitaltoyota.com.au nationalcapitaltoyota.com.au
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