Embrace Disruption Public Relations » introductions

Getting A Response: The 5 Best Follow Up Tips

Embrace Disruption PR — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 19:17:44 +0000

Earlier this week, I wrote a post on improving your messaging skills. Right now, I’m working on a couple clients that have events coming up over the next week. Both these clients are working towards some partnerships with local businesses, and I’ve found myself emailing some of my favourite restaurants, boutiques and shops within Toronto – pitching opportunities.

After sending out hundreds of emails, it was dead silence. It took me back to my audition days, when you’d go to the casting directors, they’d see you – and you’d wait by the phone for weeks hoping to get a call back. The difference between this particular scenario and auditions, is that you don’t have to wait for a call back to make your next move. This brings me to the follow up.

There’s a few reasons that it’s important to follow up with new contacts and potential clients:

They may not have seen your initial email
They may have seen your email, and have forgotten to respond
They’re insanely busy (as most business owners are), and sometimes need a quick reminder

Often times, it’s not until you follow up that you get a response – and rightfully so! It doesn’t take much to send out an initial email, but the execution and follow through can show dedication and good business initiative.

Here’s a couple tips to keep in mind when constructing a follow up email

Keep it short and sweet – your initial email should’ve had more elaborate messaging, so if the reader is interested, they can look back.
Put the pertinent details in bullet points – be sure to summarize your previous message in quick, relevant pieces of information.
Concentrate on the benefits – make sure that the recipient knows what you’re offering them or their business.
Be personal – make sure to do a little research, and reference something they might identify with. It shows that you’re not afraid to do a little work, even in the beginning stages.
Don’t be a pest – always wait a couple days before following up. Remember: people are busy, and don’t like to be hassled. If they want to respond to you, they will.

Following up is an essential way to help ensure your success and show true business professionalism. It’s all about effort, people – the more you put in, the more you’ll get back.

As for my acting career? Well, lets just say I’m still waiting for my call back.

Getting The Look (And Job) For Less! – Guest Post by Robin Edwards

Embrace Disruption PR — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 06:00:05 +0000

About Robin Edwards: Robin is a self-proclaimed shopaholic who absolutely loves scoring the BEST deals around town. She’s a gorgeous mom & media maven who has her finger on the pulse of “what’s what” in the social media landscape. I first met Robin on twitter while community managing for a company called WagJag – she really helped me out with some promotions I was executing over the holidays. Later, I moved over to Shopcatch - and had the pleasure of consulting Robin on a number of projects (not to mention sparking a true admiration for her, and her extensive knowledge of retail and social media). I’m proud to call Robin a friend, so naturally I sent her an email asking if she’d be open to writing a bit about finding clothes for job interviews and the corporate world. Once again, Robin has delivered – enjoy this great post about getting the look (and the job) for less!

Looking for a new job usually means the joyful process of interviews. While you should dust off your resumé, you should also polish up your wardrobe, since making a good first impression is a key part of nailing the position you really want. Being sharply dressed and well-groomed can be almost as important as previous experience and the number of degrees under your belt, or at least could fool them into thinking you look the part.

What you need to purchase to outfit yourself perfectly doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and all the pieces that you need are those that should be an essential part of your wardrobe regardless of where you work. Think of them as the basics – pieces that will take you from work to a date to jury duty.

Image Source: http://www.HM.com/ca

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For Guys:

Guys need a nice pair of dress pants, a crisp dress shirt, and a stand-out tie. If you’re interviewing for the Vice President of International Corporate Banking, a jacket would definitely be appropriate. Check out the choices at H & M, where you can find a veritable rainbow of men’s superbly cut dress shirts for a mere $29.95, as well as jackets that range in price from $49.95 to $149. And you can easily pick up a nice designer tie at Winners or Marshalls that will only look expensive.

I love the Banana Republic Factory Store for finding really well made career clothes at incredible pricing. Sign up for their emails and you’ll receive a welcome discount offer as well as notification of upcoming sales events. And I always check out the clearance section where you can score some amazing deals. Last week I found men’s suit jackets that were regularly $179 for a mere $39.99.

For Girls:

Image Source: http://www.gapcanada.ca

Girls can go with pants or a skirt, just follow some of the same rules. Basic black or gray bottoms and the ubiquitous crisp shirt. Check out the Gap for their ‘perfect shirt’ for $49.50, which offers a beautifully tailored fit and a quality which will last for years. Jazz it up with some bold jewelry or a bright scarf.

Don’t be afraid to shop in places you may never have thought of to score some great basics at unbelievable prices. Walmart has a fantastic selection of career dress pants and basic shirts from their George™ line, with a variety of pants in modern cuts available from as little as $20.

One of the most important things to make sure of before you leave the house – check that your shoes are clean and polished if necessary. One of my little tricks to spiff up a pair of black shoes is to grab a Sharpie marker and colour in any worn spots, just a couple of dabs of ink can make a huge difference. My mother always said you can tell a person’s pride by the way the care for their shoes.

Always carry extra gum or mints with you. There is absolutely nothing worse than speaking to someone and having to inhale their latte breath or remnants of the extra onions you got on your sub at lunch, but never, EVER chew gum during the interview. And NEVER wear flip flops – unless you’re interviewing at the Head Office of Havaianas.

Don’t Forget!

And don’t forget the most important thing to wear – CONFIDENCE! With enough of it, you’ll be sitting in the big corner office in no time at all, and your assistant will gratefully polish your shoes for you.

To follow Robin on twitter, click here.

To read Robin’s blog, click here.

5 Sites I Recommend – Casie, Fourth Floor, Lena & More!

Embrace Disruption PR — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:05:55 +0000

Over the lifespan of my time on the ‘interweb’, I’ve encountered a few sites I really think are worth looking at. If you have some time, and want to do some discovery work – look no further, these are sites for you!

1. CasieStewart.com

Nope, there’s no relation (besides maybe being members of IAA – Internet Addicts Anonymous). Casie is always on the cusp of digital – constantly sharing her perspective about product/conference/more. Her image heavy content is always a pleasure to sift through, and you can literally get LOST in her site for hours, so have some fun!

2. ListenToLena.com

A social media expert, lifestyle blogger, and mom. Lena always is able to take relatable experiences and share her insights with the world. She also has a great perspective on new products – and some sweet giveaways!

3. OnTheFourthFloor.com

This blog is run by rock-it promotions. The entire staff is dedicated to highlighting the best in lifestyle, fashion, digital, and more. Each day marks a new and exciting post into the world of this PR firm, and they continue to churn out great content for their readers! Definitely worth checking out, if only for the DIY tips.

4. BunchFamily.ca

A fab site for the foodie in me. I can always count on Bunch to serve up some delicious content, along with some family fun. A big shout out to Bunch recently for their coverage on LGBT parenting – this topic is often sifted over by some family-oriented sites, and Bunch makes a real effort to provide their perspective. Definitely a fun place to look for the whole family.

5. 12Most.com

The name says it all. The 12 Most ______________ – articles that are all based around lists of 12. From professional to ridiculous, it’s always fun to just explore what this team of bloggers have come up with each day. Caution – you will spend a LOT of time looking around on this page!

Also, I mentioned yesterday that I would be posting video of the FourPin+ presentation I gave today. Sadly, the video on my iPhone did not produce the quality I would’ve liked – so I’ll be posting an updated narrated version of the slides from yesterday. Look for that in the near future!

To break or burst; rupture.

Cory Stewart — Wed, 30 May 2012 03:41:54 +0000

If I could list the few important things I’ve learned in my 28 years on earth, I’m sure I’d come up with 100+ really valid life lessons. The problem is: tomorrow, I’d probably alter at least 100+ of them to reflect different learnings. My generation is living in a world of change. A world where you can go to bed, and in the morning, there’s a new game changing movement swept into our iPhones, Androids, iPads, laptops (and ok, blackberry’s too). A world where social media, email, and even day to day chatter revolves around the newest creations destined to change our lives for the better.

As a young marketer in this space, I feel as though I spend a lot of my time just catching up on the latest buzz words, techy miracles, and filler articles on mashable.com. There’s nothing wrong with this, but I have to say: working in a strictly online world can be a huge mistake. Throughout time, we’ve evolved from the pigeon carrier, to telegrams, to sending letters by post, to email, and finally to tweets. But one detrimental piece is missing: good old fashion mouth to mouth. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met that preface their conversation with “Hi I’m [insert name here], and you can follow me at [insert twitter handle here]“. Immediately, that tells me a few key facts: a) I know your name, b) before we even begin to forge a relationship, you feel it necessary that I follow your minute by minute broadcasts to the world. Don’t get me wrong: twitter is a powerful tool, and don’t get me started on networking. But when did we reach the point that it was no longer acceptable to acknowledge each other, and really learn what the person before us was all about. Granted, I love following people- and I’m all for adding to the daily content I see when logging in for the day – but it’s the person behind the text that I find much more interesting.

Disruption is defined as:

dis·rupt (ds-rpt)

tr.v. dis·rupt·ed, dis·rupt·ing, dis·rupts

1. To throw into confusion or disorder: Protesters disrupted the candidate’s speech.

2. To interrupt or impede the progress, movement, or procedure of: Our efforts in the garden were disrupted by an early frost.

3. To break or burst; rupture.

I feel that definition needs some updating. Disruption is a test. A test of our agility, street smarts, adaptability and strength. Disruption is a reality of today, and it’s not going away any time soon. I’m making a vow to embrace disruption, and make it work for me – and there’s no time like the present (’cause who knows what tomorrow brings).

Hi, I’m Cory Stewart and you can follow me at @coryjstewart.