VOLUME 25, NUMBER 1, 0834-20X
JANUARY 2010
Introducing the 2010 Chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade IN THIS ISSUE:
•Big thinking for your brand •Working with a marketing budget •Communicating in crisis
Selling requires conversation. And engaging in conversation with tactics like an every-so-often radio ad,
a once-in-a-while print ad
or a one-time whacky YouTube video
is like throwing pennies at your customer’s window while they sleep,
then running away. You aren’t there when they wake up.
A consistent, integrated approach across different media gets results.
So keep your pennies. Let’s use them to chase the dollars out there.
sparkmarketing.ca
Contents IN THIS ISSUE Business News is a monthly publication of the St. John’s Board of Trade. Reproduction of any material contained in Business News is permitted provided written approval from the St. John’s Board of Trade.
CHAIR’S MESSAGE
Articles and criticisms are invited, but opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily represent those of the St. John’s Board of Trade. We encourage you to support the business leaders whose names and products you see advertised in this issue as well as throughout our entire membership. The Board reserves the right to edit submissions.
FEATURES
Editor:
Krista Penney
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KEEPING CURRENT MEMBERSHIP
Printed by: British Group of Companies Impress Print Solutions
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ST. JOHN’S BOARD OF TRADE EXECUTIVE Derek Sullivan Jo Mark Zurel Steve Power Janet Peddigrew Bruce Templeton Sherri Walsh
Chair Senior Vice-Chair First Vice-Chair Second Vice-Chair Immediate Past Chair Treasurer
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dennis Dillon Kelly Finlay Jerry Kirkland Paul Lannon Denis Mahoney Mark McCarthy Margot Bruce O’Connell Celina Stoyles
STAFF Nancy Healey Jennifer Chaytor Lori Coleman Margie Davis Craig Ennis Wanda Palmer Krista Penney Sherry Ryan
Chief Executive Officer Manager, Finance & Compliance Business Affairs Manager Sales Manager Manager of Policy Event Marketer Manager of Member Communications Member Relations Administrator
St. John’s Board of Trade 34 Harvey Road P.O. Box 5127 St. John’s, NL A1C 5V5 Canada Tel: (709) 726-2961 Fax: (709) 726-2003 E-mail: mail@bot.nf.ca Website: www.bot.nf.ca Cover photo by Shane Kelly of The Studio/Shane Kelly Photography.
Business News
January 2010
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Chair’s Message introducing new chair It is a great pleasure to communicate with you for the first time as Chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade
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t is a privilege to work with the Board, committees and staff to undertake the work you, as members, expect the Board to lead on your behalf. I look forward to a year that is as full with success as 2009 was, under my predecessor Bruce Templeton. Before I introduce myself, I would like to take a moment to thank Bruce for his leadership, energy and efforts throughout 2009. It was a pleasure and a great learning experience for me to work with Bruce and he has left the Board in excellent shape. As Chair for 2010, I hope to build this great organization even further. For the past 15 years, I have been based in the Newfoundland and Labrador IT (software and consulting) sector. Today I am the General Manager of Atlantic DataSystems, part of zedIT group of companies and a firm specializing in business solutions such as accounting/ ERP software and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. During my career, I have been fortunate to work with a diverse base of clients, from local companies of all sizes to international work with firms in California, as well as large Canadian Government accounts in Ottawa. Over this time I have been continually impressed by the quality of the work being done by companies here in Newfoundland and Labrador and competing globally. There truly are no barriers we cannot overcome when we commit to succeeding here in our beautiful home province. I hope in the coming 12 months that the Board of Trade can play a small part in each of your successes. The journey to the position of Chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade is one that I have enjoyed at all stages, whether at networking events and luncheons or when engaged in my true passion-- policy and advocacy. In fact, I would like to talk about
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Chair Derek Sullivan some of the Board’s advocacy priorities for 2010. Late last year, the directors and policy committees came together for a facilitated brainstorm that was guided by your survey results. In 2010, the Board will be advocating for such things as enhanced provincial competitiveness, a provincial debt reduction strategy, a city vision as part of the re-vamped municipal plan, and strategic spending at City Hall. There are other key areas that we will act on for you,
“I like to believe that strong business builds strong communities…that is what the Board is here to do” our members, but these are areas where we will concentrate our efforts as we look to continually improve the local business climate. I like to believe that strong business builds strong communities. Really, that is what the Board is here to do. On one side we have our advocacy efforts where we present your challenges and solutions to governments and work to have them make decisions that support
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the business community. And, on the other side, we have affinity programs to save you money, various events to help you build your contact list and learn from successful people, and many other opportunities to make you and your business more visible to potential partners. It all comes down to creating value for you. You don’t have to be a member of the St. John’s Board of Trade, it is a choice. We do what we can each day to make sure that it’s an easy choice. It can be a challenging task at times but one that every person involved with the Board of Trade is committed to. I am pleased to play a role in leading that effort. But let me be clear that it is very much a group effort. We have dedicated volunteers who spend time doing advocacy work, who aim to enhance our communication with our valued members, who organize networking and special events all aimed to support your success. Teamwork and dedication are hallmarks of the St. John’s Board of Trade. I encourage you to be involved in these efforts this year, as we all get more from this great organization when we put more into it. Our skill sets, experiences and industries may be different, but we have a common goal of building St. John’s into a more vibrant, higher achieving and progressive business community. On behalf of the Board of Directors and all of our volunteers and staff, let me wish you well for 2010 and thank you for your valued support of the St. John’s Board of Trade. This is your local business organization and I thank you for allowing me to lead it forward. Sincerely, Derek Sullivan
Business News
Gardiner Centre Connects modern communications Communicating WITH customers in an Internet world
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arketing communications this term has been bandied about for many years but many organizations have been focused more on the marketing element than on the communications. Typically communications have been one directional, focusing on getting the organizations message across to their customers. Everything focused around the organization. As any marriage counselor will tell you, when only one party is talking, there is not much communicating occurring, and the relationship will suffer. In this respect, business relationships are no different from personal relationships. If you are ‘talking at’ your customers rather than ‘communicating with’ them, you are in danger of damaging the relationship and eventually they will stop listening and move on. The first step to move from ‘talking at’ your customers to true communication begins with listening. Fortunately many businesses have already started doing this with varying degrees of success through customer surveys and customer complaints responses. The rapidly growing world of social media and the Internet means that in order to be successful in building deeper relationships and greater loyalty with your customers, it is not enough just to listen to them but you need to be willing and able to engage your customers in interactive communication. Through social networks, customers are engaging with each other and recent statistics suggest that over half of social network users want to interact with business in their networks. The emergence of the “Social Web” which is dominated by social networks like Facebook, online blogs, Twitter, and sharing sites like Flickr and YouTube provides both an opportunity and a challenge for organizations today. For
Business News
Prof. Lyle R. Wetsch, Faculty of Business Administration those that are able to utilize these resources effectively, they can provide a wealth of information, insight and connectivity to your customer base. Those that are unable to manage this change will find themselves left out of the conversations that will take place within these mediums; your customers communicating with each other, or worse, your competitors communicating with your customers! The expectation of consumers today is that you care enough about them that you are monitoring what is being said on the Internet. The tools are there through free programs like Google Alerts. Take a look at a complaint made on a blog today, and when several customers have shared similar circumstances, a comment that is usually made is, “I guess that ‘xyz’ company really does not care, otherwise they would have responded by now.” This increased expectation means that it is no longer enough to respond to the customers that complain to you directly, but you need to be prepared to respond to those who are also complaining publically. In order to do so, you need to be part of the conversation. So, if you are not already engaging in
January 2010
conversations ‘with’ your customers, there is no better time to begin. Through the use of social media like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube, you have the opportunity to become engaged with your customers through effective communication. You also have the ability to listen to the conversations that are going on ‘between’ your customers to provide you with critical insight on how to provide more effective customer service. The outcome will be value for both your business and your customers, and the potential for deeper ongoing relationships. Start communicating ‘with’ your customers today. Connect with the Gardiner Centre and the Faculty of Business Administration at gardinercentre@mun.ca to find out how to communicate more effectively with social media or to let us know how your business is communicating with its customers. Lyle R. Wetsch is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Memorial University’s Faculty of Business Administration. His teaching, research, speaking, and consulting interests are in e-marketing and consumer behaviour, specifically in the area of social media.
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Feature recruiting newcomers Online recruitment of international professionals in Newfoundland & Labrador
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y the year 2020, the labour shortage in Canada is expected to reach 950,000 workers. According to Statistics Canada, “If current immigration rates continue, it is possible that immigration could account for virtually all labour force growth by 2011� (Statistics Canada, 2006 census). The number of immigrants selecting Newfoundland and Labrador as their destination of choice is increasing on an annual basis. AXIS Career Services, a division of the Association for New Canadians, is actively promoting the talents and skills of newcomers in Newfoundland and Labrador. As the only full service immigrant settlement agency in the province, AXIS Career Services is dedicated to providing comprehensive client-centered programs and services to assist newcomers with successful labour market attachment. As part of the national Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) initiative, funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), AXIS Career Services recently unveiled an innovative online recruitment tool for employers interested in hiring internationally educated professionals and diversifying the workplace. AXIScareers.net is a skills matching database populated by clients of the Association for New Canadians who have completed pre-employment readiness training at AXIS Career Services. The online recruitment tool provides employers with an opportunity to post job openings and search a resume database by skill level, the first of its kind in the province. AXIScareers.net is exclusive to clients of the Association for New Canadians, and provides businesses with a direct way of tapping into the growing pool of talented immigrants already living in Newfoundland and Labrador. This interactive website also outlines a variety of Bridge to Work programs and services designed to provide newcomers with 4
Carla Foote labour market information, occupationspecific language training, mentoring, career training placements, internships, workplace orientation, job readiness workshops and licensure exam preparation. The AXIS approach is integrative and customized to meet the clients’ specific needs and the needs of the employer. AXIS Career Services continues to develop strategic partnerships with public and private sector employers,
January 2010
as well as community and professional organizations, to promote a talented pool of internationally educated professionals and trades persons to the Newfoundland and Labrador labour market. Through AXIScareers.net, partners of AXIS Career Services can avail of resources to support employable, internationally educated workers. Attracting a diverse, skilled labour force increases access to global markets, as having in-house knowledge of doing business in other countries is invaluable. Growing the workforce through immigration also addresses current labour shortages and increases the local population, which will build a skilled labour force, help lessen the burden on the aging population, and diversify our communities to attract even more newcomers. However, the emphasis is not only on attracting more skilled labour to the province, but also on helping newcomers find jobs to support their families and in turn making Newfoundland and Labrador their home. Carla Foote is marketing and communications manager with AXIS Career Services. For more information about recruiting internationally educated professionals online through www. AXIScareers.net, please call (709) 579-1780 or e-mail axis@nfld.net.
Business News
Feature consumer behaviour Surveying the 2010 communications landscape: New media, ‘old’ media and everything in between The first decade of the 21st Century is already behind us. Now just might be a good time for you to take stock of your marketing practices and make sure your business is up to speed. First, a few of the givens: Instant communication. Freedom of expression. Access to information. And unprecedented power in the hands of the consumer. Whether the ground rules of the new media environment sound to you like an unnerving prospect or a golden opportunity depend on your vantage point, or even when you were born. It’s been more than 30 years since the beginnings of the digital revolution and many companies - including some in the communications business like traditional ad agencies - are still playing catch-up. Once upon a time, business owners controlled the conversation about their brand through one-way communication in a limited number of channels. Today, consumers and communications have turned the corner while marketing tactics, for the most part, haven’t. So what’s an advertiser to do? The good news is, human nature hasn’t changed. People still need information to make decisions, rely on friends and family for advice, appreciate good service and enjoy advertising that entertains. Instead of being overwhelmed by the explosion of choices, consumer behaviour - not media - is still the best barometer of where to advertise. So, if you’re trying to decide which side wins in the traditional vs. new media debate, the answer is, ‘it depends’. Follow your customer and you’ll find your media. And targeted, sniper-like media planning is as critical as strategy and creative. Companies need to get back in front of their audience, and the questions that were relevant in 20th Century media planning are still relevant today. Where are they Business News
David Keating spending their time? What information do they need? When do they need it? The difference and difficulty comes in analysing consumer behaviour in a fragmented, online world. ‘New media’ is not some strange, new fad. The move to an online and instant way of doing business is a permanent, central change. Rather than view platforms like micro sites, Facebook or Twitter as add-on to the regular campaign, online options are more tools in the toolbox that demand equal consideration to the traditional.
January 2010
Sometimes guerrilla /street marketing or Google ‘pay-per-click’ marketing can offer a more targeted, memorable approach than a big, bloated TV budget. The problem for the traditional ad agencies is that while non-traditional channels like guerrilla or even Twitter may sometimes be the more effective choice, marketing companies have yet to figure out how to charge the client the same overhead as a traditional ‘print+TV+radio’ campaign. In the end, fluency wins. The need for authentic stories continues. Your marketing communication needs to be able to speak the local dialect and be fluent in the truth when it meets the consumer. Bottom line – tapping into authentic communication in 2010 puts your company ahead of a lagging field and reunites your brand with its audience. But beware. Deliver less than promised and the newlyempowered consumer will sniff you out and parade your failures to the online world. That’s where digging deep for meaningful insights into the true nature of your company and brand will give you a stake in the game. Get it right once and you may never have to re-invent your marketing again. Provided some other game-changing revolution doesn’t come along. David Keating is creative director at Upstream. Online, visit upstreammarketing.ca.
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Make the half full, full.
Find out how Experience a forum that unites business leaders. We live and work in a place where we see the glass as half full, as opposed to half empty. Join us as we build on that inherent optimism. Strengthen your knowledge and enhance your network at the Business Outlook Conference and Business Show. Build on your positive outlook. Book tickets today!
Conference Agenda Registration & Continental Breakfast
Business Outlook Conference Thursday, January 21, 2010 Delta St. John’s Hotel and Conference Centre 8:00am – 4:00pm Business Outlook features leading expert advice on business trends, opportunities and challenges for your organization in 2010 and beyond. Business Outlook gives you the information you need to make your cup runneth over. Visit us online at www.bot.nf.ca for updates on our exciting speakers featured at this year’s Business Outlook. Tickets are $225 (non-member rate) and $175 (member rate) for this full day event. Reserve your seat now! Contact Wanda at 726-2961, ext.9 or events@bot.nf.ca
Welcome by Incoming Chair, Derek Sullivan Sherry Cooper Executive Vice-President and Global Economic Strategist BMO Financial Group Guest Speaker - TBD Honourable Tom Marshall Minister of Finance Government of Newfoundland & Labrador Nutrition Break Demographics/Major Projects Panel Speakers - TBD St. John’s Board of Trade Annual General Meeting Lunch
Business Show
Don Mills, CMRP President & CEO Corporate Research Associates Inc.
Thursday, January 21, 2010 Delta St. John’s Hotel and Conference Centre Crush Lobby and Main Ballroom 10:00am – 5:00pm
TA Loeffler School of Human Kinetics and Recreation Memorial University of Newfoundland
The Business Show is a great opportunity for you to showcase your products and services to the decision makers in the St. John’s business community.
Honourable Kathy Dunderdale Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural Resources Government of Newfoundland & Labrador
Booth space runs out fast, so make sure you book now. Prices vary by size and location. Book today!
Closing Remarks/Conference Concludes
Contact Margie at 726-2961, ext.2 or mdavis@bot.nf.ca Designed and produced by
This is a one day event you won’t want to miss. Book your tickets today! S I LV E R S P O N S O R S
MEDIA SPONSORS
Feature smart marketing Working with micro-sized marketing budgets
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or the first 20 years of my career I helped organizations communicate better. Product launches, annual reports, media kits…it was my job as a consultant to connect clients with the people they served. Now that I’m running my own small business, I frequently wish I had one of me. Most small businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador operate with fewer than ten employees and that defines us as microbusinesses. Working with small budgets, we clutch our purse strings and prioritize spending decisions: Meet payroll or hire a marketing agency? Often, the choice is obvious. I read an article the other day that said, “Think of marketing and advertising not as an expense, but as an investment.” Clearly, the writer was not balancing a budget at the time of writing. Planning a budget-conscious marketing strategy for a micro-enterprise can be extremely difficult, especially if you don’t have much marketing expertise. If you fall into this category, you should look at how
some small business owners stretch a $10 marketing “investment” into a $1000 sale. I’m both pleased and horrified to say that despite 20+ years experience as a marketing and communications consultant, I’ve only just learned this lesson myself. Last month I attended the Board of Trade breakfast for new members and enjoyed meaningful conversations with about six people. We traded business cards and when I got back to work, I did what I’ve often advised others to do and dropped them a note to say, “Nice to meet you, want to come visit my business?” All six said yes. In the week that followed, I welcomed each of them to Myx. As a result, one booked a business meeting, another booked a Christmas event and yet another sat with me to plan how we might collaborate in the coming year. If you set aside the Board of Trade membership fee, the whole marketing experience cost me well under $10 (breakfast was free) and the return on investment will be well over $1000. Astounding. If you’re like me, running a micro business and managing the marketing effort on top of everything else, here’s a tiny bit of advice: Fatten your marketing
strategy with the free opportunities sitting right in front of you. Just be strategic about it. Include in your plan some money for ads and some more money for well designed and printed marketing materials. Then turn your attention to the activities that cost little but promise high impact:
• Join / get active with industry associations.
• Attend events where you’ll find potential customers.
• Polish your elevator pitch. Find a way
to humbly yet convincingly tell people how good you are.
• Pay close attention to your writing.
How you craft your emails and proposals, even signage, can make or break someone’s impression of you.
• Use free (or cheap) technology. Email
customers through Constant Contact, join networking sites, blog your ideas, and use Twitter and Facebook if your clients will like it.
These things are all inexpensive or free and when combined with well-positioned paid messages, they can help create a balanced and cost effective marketing strategy for your small enterprise. So when it comes to the theory that marketing costs are an investment, not an expense, for my micro-business I might be willing to agree… especially if I “invest” heavily in things that are free. That’s my strategy for 2010. Wish me luck. Gina Pecore is president of Myx, a meeting and business retreat centre located in beautiful Topsail.
Gina Pecore
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January 2010
Business News
Feature social media strategy TGIF
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ust recently I had the pleasure of reading a great article by Al Ries called TGIF. If you’re not familiar with Al Ries, make it a point to read some of his material this year. That effort alone will set you on the right track. Al Ries has been a mentor of mine for many years. He mightn’t know this, but neither do the hundreds of other mentors I have out there. The greater majority of us so commonly know TGIF as “Thank God it’s Friday”. However, in this age of social media, TGIF has become the “Twitter, Google, Internet and Facebook” for what’s perceived as being in the know with regards to social media. Here’s what I really find intriguing; I don’t think the big companies even have it figured out. This beast called social media has mass appeal and a desire to belong, but does that translate into a sale? Nothing is guaranteed anymore, and for companies dumping millions into their social media campaigns, I’d make sure you have your guiding strategy in place. This was where Al Ries was going with his article and the same approach I have been taking for years; that strategy always comes before design or tactics. Just because you have some really sexy social media outlets at your disposal, these devices are only tactics to help you deliver your message or your position within the marketplace. Don’t forget the Holy Grail still comes back to branding and how you’re positioned in a persons’ mind. Just because you have a Facebook group or your doing Tweets, doesn’t mean you’re operating from a solid strategy. As we lead into another New Year, which will be a great one by the way, I have a few simple questions I want to share with you before you embark on any social media campaigns. Treat these as guidelines if you will.
• What’s your current positioning statement?
• Do you have a LogoMark and is it working for you?
Business News
Andrew Goldsworthy
• What’s your genuine compelling promise?
Now, here’s your challenge. If you don’t have the answers to these three questions, don’t worry, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s only the top ten percent of businesses in the world putting these strategy blocks into play. As a business owner, this can be intimidating and strategy development is not easy. That’s exactly why so many business owners go right to the tactics. But Andrew, “I have a Facebook group started for my business.” This doesn’t mean anything if you haven’t answered the three questions above. Now let me bring this full circle. Five years ago, three business partners and I set out to create a way to make it easy for business owners to have guaranteed access to expertise required to develop sound strategy. More importantly, after working with hundreds of business owners, this On-Demand solution had to be affordable and accessible 24/7. Myself, as a business consultant, I’m not available 24/7 or cheap. This solution would have to be so simple to follow that it’s intuitive and almost predicting your next step. Imagine
January 2010
having access to the strategies that large companies spend millions to deploy. Imagine this year, keeping your wallet full. Having extra time to do the stuff that normal people do and rekindling the passion that got you into business in the first place. Today’s reality is that with On-Demand applications, you can source expertise on anything, and I mean anything. Most of these applications will get you started in the right direction. Some of you might want to DIY (Do It Yourself) and some may want to call in some traditional help, but the application should set you in the correct direction. That’s why five years ago, we started creating the Thrive OnDemand application to help business owners with strategy, before they deploy any tactics and this applies to your thoughts about any TGIF campaigns you might do. Andrew is co-founder and VP of sales & marketing for Thrive On-Demand, the world’s first on-demand marketing expert application. Find out more about Thrive and Andrew at www.ThriveOnDemand. com.
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Feature workplace health industry groups, we can all review and improve our own safety management systems. Remember SAFE: Spot the Hazard, Assess the risk and Find a safer way, Every day.
Declining workplace fatality trend reversed in 2009
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or four straight years fatal workplace accidents in this province declined steadily. Workplace fatalities declined from 13 in 2004, to ten in 2005, then to eight, seven and to just six in 2008, matching the long term trend of an overall declining lost-time injury rate. The first two months of 2009 saw no accidental workplace deaths at all. But on March 12, 2009 Newfoundland and Labrador suffered the terrible tragedy of Cougar Helicopters Flight 491, with the loss of 17 lives. This tragedy alone would make 2009 the worst year of the decade for accidental workplace fatalities. Alarmingly, the province suffered a series of tragedies in 2009. Between May and October, ten more workers lost their lives on the job. All of these accidents are devastating for families, for co-workers and for employers. As employers and employees, we must find a way to learn from these tragedies and do whatever we can to eliminate these types of events in the future. Of the ten fatalities in May to October, six were in the offshore fishery sector, two in construction and two in separate aircraft crashes. Employers and employees in all sectors must make extra efforts to carefully review all safety practices and procedures and ensure safety programs and policies are in place, understood and in action. Just as the Wells inquiry into the Cougar disaster is reviewing all safety practices and procedures in that industry, key players in other industries must cooperate and carefully review all other fatal accidents this year to understand exactly what happened, to learn important lessons from these tragedies and to apply lessons learned to future work. Fisheries, forestry, mining, aviation, construction, transportation – these can all be high-risk industries. Now is the time to get the conversation going among key stakeholders in each industry, to share best practices and implement proven
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1. Spot the hazard – look for and recognize all hazardous situations. Make it part of your daily routine to scan for potentially hazardous situations. Encourage others to do the same. 2. the risk – evaluate all hazardous or potentially hazardous procedures and ask ‘Is there a safer way?’ 3. Find a safe way Every day – control all hazardous situations with safety measures that eliminate the risk of injury or illness. Leslie Galway safety measures. Some industry sectors, such as the construction industry, have taken a vital leadership role through the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association. I am proud to say that the WHSCC has helped facilitate some of this important work, but more important is the work yet to be done and the lives yet to be saved.
“Employers and employees in all sectors must make extra efforts to carefully review all safety practices and procedures and ensure safety programs and policies are in place, understood and in action.” One workplace fatality is too many We must all take action now and work together to ensure that the next high risk hazard is avoided. Industry-wide safety groups and safety sector councils are proven to reduce the risk of accidents and to save lives. There is no excuse for delay; the time for action is now. In addition to working together in
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We all forget things. Make sure you plan for this. As you perform these three steps, understand that relying on memory for important tasks is not the best way to stay safe. Make sure your safety policy statement is reviewed regularly. Mark it on your calendar today! Create a reminder that ensures you look for hazardous situations on a regular basis and have a comprehensive checklist for all critical tasks. One workplace fatality is too many. By employing best practices and sharing lessons learned, we may be saving the life of someone very close to us. Leslie Galway was appointed Chief Executive Officer for the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission in January, 2008. In her role as CEO, Ms. Galway reports to the board of directors and is responsible for the overall direction and leadership of the organization.
Business News
Feature marketing insight: big ideas Hey, what ever happened to the big idea?
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here’s no question the marketing and competitive landscape brands live in is changing. Today’s markets are about conversations. According to the Cluetrain Manifesto, “A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and inventing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets are getting smarter— and getting smarter faster than most companies.” Jeff Jarvis author of ‘What Would Google Do?’ agrees, “Customers are now in charge, the mass market is dead, and is being replaced by the mass of niches.” So of course to market in this new reality you need a social media campaign. How about a funny You Tube video? Maybe a guerilla stunt, that’s sure to get people talking about your brand? Understanding and following trends is important, with change being the only constant. Adding new tools to your marketing arsenal builds success. But doing it strategically ensures success – as part of an integrated strategic plan. For Tony Matta, VP Marketing FritoLay, when the year began there were two main goals for the marketing department. The first was to respond to trends in the marketplace. This meant just-in-time marketing – using social media and creating a dialogue with consumers. The second was to focus on big ideas. “Forget about technology for a second; the world of big ideas is the same world it’s always been,” Matta explains. “If you can create something that’s a big enough story, people are going to want to have a conversation about it regardless of how you put it into market.” Good ideas drive good business, bad ideas don’t. A big idea used to be a moving or funny television spot. Today, a big idea from an agency might not be an ad at all – it’s whatever solves the problem, maybe a coat or a play, maybe a flash mob or publicity Business News
Christa Steeves stunt. Old rules are flying out the window and creativity is booming. “The best people in our business – the ones who will have the most relevance to clients well into the future – are not admakers: they’re problem-solvers,” says Nancy Vonk, co-CCO, Ogilvy & Mather, Toronto.
“Great problem-solving ideas are single focused and speak in a tone or voice that befits the brand. They push the envelope, challenge our senses, and force us to engage.” Great problem-solving ideas are single focused and speak in a tone or voice that befits the brand. They push the envelope, challenge our senses, and force us to engage. Great ideas make us talk, impel us to share, and make us anticipate when and where we’ll see more. Great ideas accomplish goals. Donald Gunn (The Gunn Report) has been examining the relationship between creativity and effectiveness and has proved to his satisfaction that award-winning January 2010
advertising increases market share. A study of 400 of the most-awarded campaigns in the world between 1992 and 1995 found that 86.5 percent of the ads were associated with market success. In other words, ads with award-winning qualities were two and a half times more likely to achieve, or surpass, clients’ objectives. Leo Burnett reprised Mr. Gunn’s study in 2002 and unveiled similar results: Four out of five award-winning campaigns achieved positive market results for clients. Great ideas are grounded in strategy. What makes them great is insight. They are based on developing good strategic thinking around an insight and idea and then translating that into good execution no matter the tools chosen to reach the audience. Big ideas transcend media. Everything changes. Everything stays the same. So while new tools will continue to emerge everyday, and you will want to follow the trends, there are some things that will stay the same – like the basics. What’s the right message communicated in the right way through the right channels in order to effectively reach the right consumers? What’s the big idea? Keep it big and you will do big things for your brand. Christa Steeves is a Partner with SPARK. She can be reached at csteeves@ sparkmarketing.ca “Learn the rules. Break them. Break them all. Find something new.” SPARK is a marketing agency based in St. John’s and Halifax specializing in online, offline, and integrated marketing communication with a focus on big idea thinking.
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Feature crisis communications Lessons learned from the Tiger Woods saga
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s Tiger Woods learned the hard way, a failure to communicate effectively in a crisis is bad for business. Indeed, a crisis could undermine your corporation’s brand and performance, as well, if you are not prepared when disaster strikes. What should Tiger have done after crashing his SUV outside his home on November 27? He should have immediately confessed his infidelities; apologized to his wife, family and the public; and taken some time off golf to make it right. A guest appearance on Oprah or a similar show, to show contrition and ask forgiveness, would also have helped. Instead, Tiger let the story gallop out of control in the media for two weeks as a seemingly endless parade of women came forward to confess that they too had been his mistress.
“It is about more than the right media relations. It is about focus, honesty, timeliness and most importantly the future success of the organization.” In mid-December, Tiger finally confessed on his website that he had cheated on his wife, Elin Nordegren, but the damage was already done. By then, one corporate sponsor had cut the world’s most famous athlete from this roster of celebrity endorsers; and others had taken a step back to see how the story would unfold. Fortunately, there is a better way, as Michael McCain’s storied response to the August, 2008 listeriosis crisis shows. McCain, the president of Maple Leaf Foods, led a team that responded immediately after news broke that Canadians became sick after eating tainted meat produced by McCain’s company. This 12
Cathy Dornan was a tragic event, resulting in the deaths of 20 Canadians. In an intensive media campaign and a storied YouTube video, McCain took responsibility for listeriosis contamination, expressed his sympathy for the families affected, and detailed the steps that the company had taken to try to ensure that the problem would not recur. In the wake of this crisis, public attitudes toward Maple Leaf Foods were tracked by Terence Flynn, a professor at McMaster University’s School of Business. Using benchmark data produced by Leger Marketing, Flynn was able to show that the reputation of Maple Leaf Foods recovered to pre-crisis levels within months. By January, 2009, “good opinion ratings” among purchasers of Maple Leaf products were at 88 percent, which “eclipsed the pre-crisis ratings.” Obviously, McCain both “got it” and “got it right.” The lessons in both the Woods story, and the Maple Leaf Foods story, are clearly applicable to many firms inside Newfoundland and Labrador. This may seem particularly relevant to the oil and gas sector, and to other heavy January 2010
resource industries, especially given the recent tragedy of Cougar Flight 491 in March of last year. But recent history has also shown that crisis can affect a wide range of organizations, including municipalities (the Walkerton tainted water story); public health (the ER/PR crisis and others); and utilities (the 1998 ice storm in Quebec). Is your organization ready to communicate in a crisis? To show that it cares, that it is able to take responsibility, that it has a plan to take the appropriate actions to make the situation better? To answer these questions in the affirmative, you must have taken some key steps. First, you must have a comprehensive crisis communications plan that assigns roles, identifies key stakeholders, and is ready to be implemented at a moment’s notice. In addition, you must have a team in place that can carry out the communications plan. In the heat of the moment, organizations must coolly make multiple contacts with family members, employees, regulators, government agencies and departments, politicians, community leaders, and others. This is important work. Indeed, history shows that an appropriate crisis communications response can be crucial to the viability of organizations and to brand strength. It is about more than the right media relations. It is about focus, honesty, timeliness and most importantly the future success of the organization. Cathy Dornan is the executive vice president of Bristol and a corporate and crisis communications consultant. She can be reached at cdornan@bristolgroup.ca
Business News
Keeping Current around the board In November, Board of Trade Directors and policy committee members, met for Think Tank to set policy priorities for 2010. Some of the outcomes include provincial competitiveness, provincial debt reduction strategy, City vision and municipal spending.
Leader of the Opposition, Michael Ignatieff, addressed the St. John’s Board of Trade on Friday, November 27 speaking to many issues affecting this province, including Marine Atlantic and Search and Rescue. Ignatieff was accompanied by Federal MPs, Judy Foote and Sibohan Coady, as well as Senator George Furey.
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January 2010
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Keeping Current around the board Congratulations winners of the Business Excellence Awards! Hosted by the St. John’s Board of Trade - Recognizing business leaders for their accomplishments and contributions
Janet Peddigrew of BMO Financial Group accepted the award for Contribution to Community & Community Service (50+ employees)
Host of the 2009 Business Excellence Awards, Krysta Rudofsky
Kevin Duggan, CEO of Camouflage Software accepts the Business Excellence Award for Innovation
A special guest at the 2009 Business Excellence Awards brings holiday greetings to attendees 2009 Business Excellence Award recipients with Chair, Bruce Templeton (far left) 16
January 2010
Business News
Keeping Current around the board
Rutter Inc. was recipient of the award for Productivity & Quality Improvements, accepted by Fraser Edison
Jeff LeDrew, owner of Jumping Bean Coffee Company, accepted the award for New Start Up
Corinne Dunne of College of the North Atlantic accepted the award for Growth in Domestic/Export Markets
Glenn Bolger of The Newfoundland and Labrador Credit Union accepted the award for Customer Service and Reliability
Kevin Casey and Ed Roche of The Idea Factory won the award for Contribution to Community & Community Service (less than 50 employees) and also took home the prestigious Business Excellence Award
John Steele of STEELE Communications was recognized as Business Person Volunteer of the Year
Thank you to all those who attended Business News
January 2010
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Keeping Current AROUND THE BOARD SMALL BUSINESS TIPS Industrial design or patents - What’s the difference? An industrial design is the features of shape, configuration, pattern or ornament (or any combination of these features) applied to a finished article made by hand, tool or machine. It may be, for example, the shape of a table or the shape and ornamentation of a spoon. The design must have features that appeal to the eye. To be eligible for registration with the Industrial Design Office, your design must be original. If you take a close look at your toilet paper, notice the repeated pattern? This type of pattern is protected by the Industrial Design Act. Patents are for new inventions or processes that offer innovative and useful functions. Canadian law regards the functional aspects and design aspects of articles quite separately. Therefore, you cannot list a function as an element of your industrial design. You may, however, be able to obtain a patent for your article’s functional aspects and an industrial design for its aesthetic ones. Suppose you develop a new kind of folding chair. The way the chair folds, its lightweight construction, its strength and its durability are all functional qualities. The industrial design features could include the shape or configuration of the chair, and any patterns or ornamentation on it or any combination thereof. If you’ve invented a new type of door lock, you could apply for an industrial design for the aesthetic look and shape of the handle whereas a patent could be sought for what makes your door lock work; the spring, levers and tumblers. For more information about protecting your ideas, designs and products, call 1-800-668-1010 for the Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Network or visit www.canadabusiness.ca/nl.
Congratulations to all the 2009 Business Excellence Award Winners
Would like to congratulate our
Platinum Partner
for winning the 2009 Innovation in Business Award at the 17th Annual St. John’s Board of Trade Business Excellence Awards
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To find out more about us, visit platoconsulting.com or call 709.576.6770
January 2010
Business News
Keeping Current policy matters Identifying advocacy ‘wins’
• Having a federal party leader and
Sometimes it is difficult to quantify the success of advocacy efforts. Advocacy wins are often incremental and subtle. But the efforts pay off over time, and the evidence is showing. Some examples of advocacy work paying off recently include:
•
• The City of St. John’s commitment to
•
•
look at proportional tax rates between residents and businesses as a long term policy Getting calls from Senators on credit and debit card regulatory changes and the Ontario Ministry of Revenue to discuss HST experiences Being approached by the WHSCC, the Hebron proponent, and stakeholders like the City and the Downtown Development Commission to talk about their issues and challenges in our role as a key influencer in the business community
Business News
local MP take up the issue of Marine Atlantic while mirroring messages that the Board has communicated Having the City enhance its prebudget consultation process at our urging, and talking to provincial government departments about shared priorities and how to accomplish them.
Board weighs in on mil rate/City budget When the City brought its budget and associated mil rate forward on December 14, the Board was ready to respond with its members expectations, supported by intense advocacy work in the months preceding the budget. The position of the Board of Trade is that it has mixed reaction to the City of St. John’s budget and mil rate. The Board had advocated for a proportional, or equal percentage, mil rate reduction for residents and businesses (the City implemented a decrease of 0.9
January 2010
mils for both categories). The Board also expressed some concern over the growth of the budget over the past decade. “While we welcome a mil rate decrease for both residents and businesses, we are disappointed that the reduction was weighted unequally,” said Bruce Templeton. “That said, we very much welcome the City’s efforts in 2010 to examine the Board’s idea of proportional taxation as a long term policy. The reason the Board pushed hard for a proportional mil rate reduction is because a balance in the tax burden between residents and businesses keeps our city competitive for businesses.” “There is a reality that a competitive business sector contributes to all other facets of city life, including a vibrant arts community, active volunteers, and other contributions,” said 2010 Board Chair continued on page 20...
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Keeping Current policy matters continued from page 19... Derek Sullivan. “People won’t always view business in that light, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Keeping a balance in what we all have to pay really does support the community as a whole.” Balance is something the Board will continue to advocate for in 2010 as the City re-visits its municipal plan. The Board welcomed the City’s forward thinking to undertake this initiative and strongly supports this process. Human and financial resources have been allocated within the Board’s 2010 budget and workplan for being a part of this initiative. Results of Think Tank 2009 On November 26, directors and committee members of the Board of Trade gathered to discuss the policy and advocacy priorities for 2010. This discussion is held each year,
and the process improves over time; this year, members were encouraged to provide advice to the people around the table via an electronic survey. Over 50 issues were collected in four areas (municipal, provincial, federal and transportation) from the survey and discussed and debated. After much discussion at the professionally facilitated Think Tank session, the Board’s policy priorities for 2010 will include: • Provincial competitiveness • Provincial debt reduction strategy • City vision and planning • Municipal budgeting and spending • Municipal measurement • National energy strategy/Lower Churchill • Marine Atlantic • Atlantic Gateway • Airport availability and access • Provincial budget
• Regional cooperation • Development and regulation Defining ‘provincial competitiveness’ Competitiveness encompasses a number of topics that create a business environment where local organizations can flourish and outside businesses can look for sustainable and profitable opportunities. The Board will work toward provincial competitiveness by advocating on issues that either contribute to a competitive environment or detract from it. Such issues include payroll tax that is used by other jurisdictions to deter business from locating in Newfoundland and Labrador, WHSCC premiums that need to be continually driven lower, and issues such as labour market development, retaining key skills and bringing in the right set of immigrant skills.
Rachel Cameron,
Senior Research Counsel
Nancy O’Connor,
Senior Public Relations Counsel
Welcome Home
Lots of companies say congratulations to new hires, but when they’re such a perfect match it’s more appropriate to say welcome home. Bringing a wealth of expertise, Bristol is proud to welcome Rachel and Nancy. Strengthening our team of strategic advisors, their addition further secures us in a prominent place to meet the growing needs of our clients and the evolving marketplace. Fortis Building, PO Box 2220, 139 Water Street, St. John’s NL A1C 6E6
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T. 709.753.7242
F. 709.753.5820
January 2010
Joining Bristol from Bombardier Aerospace, Nancy is a sought-after public relations practitioner with 10 years of experience providing strategic communications advice to both the public and private sectors across Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Specializing in media relations, crisis communications, and corporate brand management, Nancy will act as a senior client leader, offering comprehensive PR counsel and communications planning tailored to the needs of Bristol’s growing client base.
bristolunexpected.com
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60361801 Welcome Home Size: 7.75” x 4.8” St. John’s Board of Trade
Rachel’s research career spans 11 years. During that time she has worked for organizations such as Pollara Inc., ACNielsen Canada, Queen’s University and The Hospital for Sick Children. Rachel’s strength lies in her keen ability to analyze information and to provide strategic direction to clients. With this mindset, she has assisted both private and public sector clients on a wide range of issues. Rachel is looking forward to contributing to the Bristol team and to the challenges of her new role.
Keeping Current upcoming events
Mixer at GEO Centre Please see the following available dates below (note we are flexible if there is a better available time): . Thursday, January 28th . Thursday, February 18th . Thursday, March 4th . Thursday, April 22d . Thursday, May 27th . Thursday, June 10th . Thursday, July 22nd . Thursday, October 21st . Thursday, November 4th Contact Lori Coleman at lcoleman@bot.nf.ca or phone 726-2961 ext. 6 to discuss this sponsorship opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you!
Mixer at Kenny’s Pond
Mixer at The Murray Premises Mixer at The Martini Bar
2010 Event Schedule Make sure you check back for our upcoming 2010 Event Schedule in February’s issue of Business News! We value your input and would love for you to submit your suggestions on possible speakers for our events in the New Year. Perhaps the CEO of your company is coming to town or your organization is putting off a big conference and bringing in a keynote speaker. Let us know your ideas! Contact Lori Coleman, Manager of Business Affairs, at lcoleman@bot.nf.ca. Business News
January 2010
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Membership member news CGA receives national recognition The Certified General Accountants Association of Canada (CGA-Canada) has received the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) Associations ‘Make a Better Canada’ award in the category of public information and education. The award, presented to CGA-Canada at the recent 2009 CSAE Leadership Awards in Toronto, recognizes the significant contributions made by the association to the Canadian public. “Our research and advocacy activities have been a tremendous source of pride for the national association, and for CGAs across the country” said Anthony Ariganello, President and CEO of CGACanada.
CGA-Canada’s research and advocacy initiatives strive to educate the public and inform policy makers about important current and emerging issues and to promote greater financial literacy among Canadians. The association also works to strengthen consumer awareness of key issues and ultimately increase consumer confidence in the marketplace. Bull’s eye! World cup coming to St. John’s Destination St. John’s recently hosted officials from the National Darts Federation of Canada to show off the City’s great venues and facilities. As a result, the Federation decided to submit a bid to host the 2013 World Cup in St. John’s. Two other countries were in the running: Sweden and Turkey.
St. John’s won the bid that will bring upwards of 400 people from 30 plus countries to the city at an event that run over four or five days. “With a steady hand and careful aim we threw our three darts and hit a ton 80; now the dart world sees us as their bullseye!” said Keith Healey, CEO of Destination St. John’s. Chair of Destination St. John’s, Mark McCarthy said, “This is just another example of when we can present ourselves to the world; they are truly amazed by what we have to offer and can’t wait to get here.”
We Take Care of the Million Little Things.
100% satisfaction. We Guarantee It! The Comfort Inn Airport boasts over 5000 sq ft. of modern conference and banquet space for business meetings, conferences, seminars and special events. Let one of our experienced meeting planners help you create a successful and worry free event.
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January 2010
106 Airport Road, St. John’s, NL 709.753.3500
Business News
Membership member news Ches’s raises funds for Camp Delight On November 7th, 2009, Ches’s Fish and Chips hosted its 3rd Annual “Night of Delight” in aid of Camp Delight. To start the evening Ches’s provided a buffet style dinner, followed by a silent and live auction. All proceeds from the evening were donated to Camp Delight - Candlelighters Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. In total the evening raised $24,158. Camp Delight is a week long camp for children aged 7 - 17 years who have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as their brothers and sisters. The camp gives the children a chance to be kids in an atmosphere where the only medicine that matters is fun. Thank you to all who volunteered and organizations that made donations to the auction. Without community support events such as a “Night of Delight” would not be successful. We look forward to next year.
Building strong communities. BMO Financial Group® is honoured to have been selected as a top contributor to the community and community service. We thank our customers for their ongoing support and for helping us give back to various local charities. Thank you from your friends at BMO Financial Group Newfoundland and Labrador.
Proud to be a part of our community
® Registered trade-mark of Bank of Montreal.
Business News
January 2010
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Membership member profiles
Founded in 1997, Plato Consulting Inc. is a professional IT consulting firm based in St. John’s. As a proven industry leader, with ISO 9001:2008 certification, Plato provides full-spectrum IT solutions in the areas of, enterprise resource planning, healthcare IT consulting, IM/IT strategy consulting, internetworking, security consulting, as well as data privacy and protection. In partnering with both private and public sector clients to manage their IT needs, Plato employees combine extensive market experience with successful educational and industry expertise. The company’s diverse fields of specialization include: Project management, business and technical analysis, infrastructure and systems design, implementation and integration. Plato has established itself as a consistent, leading IT consulting firm, which provides clients with superior, forward-thinking IT solutions. Please visit www.platoconsulting.com for more information.
The Masters Certificate in
Business Analysis
www.mun.ca/gardinercentre
2010 PROGRAM 18 days over 4 months: March 9 - June 26, 2010 Are you on a career path to becoming a Business Analyst? The Business Analyst plays a key role in ensuring customer requirements are clearly identified and translated for the project manager, resulting in a greater likelihood of project success. Become a member of the Gardiner Centre’s first graduating class of the Masters Certificate in Business Analysis and gain the competency, confidence and credibility to be a successful and sought after Business Analyst. Visit www.mun.ca/gardinercentre or call Jackie at 737-2131 to learn more.
Faculty of Business Administration
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January 2010
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Membership MEMBER PROFILES
Steers Insurance Limited is an independent insurance broker, 100 percent locally owned and operated, that has been in operation for over 80 years. From St. John’s to St. Anthony to Labrador City, we have 15 locations providing the knowledge and service to our customers demand from our local accredited insurance professionals. At Steers, we represent a wide range of insurance markets which allow us to provide you with competitive pricing, superior service, and added value benefits for both your commercial and personal insurance needs including our personal group home and auto program. Our knowledgeable professionals have expertise in all aspects of commercial insurance including CGL, contractors, bonding, directors and officers, marine, professional liability, fleet, etc. For more information call us at 1-877-4STEERS or visit our website at www.steersinsurance.com.
The Maher Group of Companies is an entrepreneurial organization located in St. John’s with interests concentrated in three principle areas; business development, industrial supply and service and property management. Our dedicated team of business professionals provides strength and innovative solutions to our clients. The combination of this uniquely qualified group of companies offers a capacity and methodology, to provide both short-term and long-term benefits. Our core strategy is to establish and foster unique partnerships that bring together large multi-national corporations, national companies and local enterprises. We are dedicated to identifying our client’s needs then harnessing the proper and experienced resources to meet the local demands of major projects. For further information please feel free to contact us 709-753-7330 or email info@mahergroup.ca
Business News
January 2010
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Membership member profiles Podium Digital is a provider of digital marketing, search engine optimization, social media marketing and Web analytic solutions. Established in early 2008, Podium Digital develops and delivers digital strategies for local, national and international clients from its downtown St. John’s headquarters. Through partnerships with Google, Yahoo, and Facebook, Podium Digital has the tools to create and maintain a powerful digital marketing presence for virtually any business, in any industry. At Podium Digital, the client relationship is king. Be it a huge multinational or local small business, Podium Digital deploys the full digital marketing arsenal to get real results, every time. For more information contact us at 738-5202 or visit www.podiumdigital.com
Building Owners and Managers Association of Newfoundland & Labrador (BOMA NL) has members from various areas of the real estate industry including property owners and managers, suppliers and industry professionals. BOMA NL is one of the 11 federated locals that together form BOMA Canada. BOMA NL brings value to its members, by providing a strong voice for the industry which is based on strength in numbers, creating a critical mass and focus of resources to push for change on advocacy issues. Through our national committees and strong communications across the country, BOMA facilitates the sharing of information and pooling of expertise, ideas and resources for the benefit of the local associations, individual members and the industry at large. For more information on BOMA Newfoundland and Labrador please call 722-8765 or check out our website at www.bomanl.com.
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January 2010
Business News
Membership member profiles
Gerard J Ryan Realtor
Gerard Ryan, a Realtor with EXIT Realty, has worked hard to earn the designation of Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®), to better serve home buyers. The ABR® designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC), an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors®, to real estate practitioners who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria. When you work with Gerard Ryan you’ll be served, not sold. “Your interests become my interests.” You’ll be working with someone who has gone the extra mile by completing specialized training in delivering the best in buyer-representation services. Plus, as a realtor who has an ABR® designation, you know he has an established track record, with proven experience in representing the concerns of homebuyers. Call Gerard at 709-682-8481 or email GJR@nf.sympatico.ca.
adding colour to your communication.
work that gets closer to your customer
579-5301 colour-nl.ca Marketing and Communications Counsel Advertising and Design Consultants
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January 2010
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Membership new members CAA Atlantic - NL
55 Kelsey Drive St. John’s, NL A1B 5C8 Tel:693-4722 Marlene Smith , Branch Manager msmith@atlantic.caa.ca
access... networking opportunities advertising directory listings affinity programs
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discounts publications resources… membership advantages pay off. We work to represent you – our business leaders. Contact us to become a member or to learn more about the advantages of membership.
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College of the North Atlantic (CNA) would like to congratulate the winners of this year’s St. John’s Board of Trade Business Achievement Awards, with special congratulations to the Business Excellence winner The Idea Factory. CNA won the award for Growth in Domestic/Export Markets primarily for the impressive growth of its projects in Qatar and China.