CITY PREPS FOR 100 YEAR WAVE

My new article: City of Cape Preps for 100 Year Waves 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/city-cape-preps-100-year-waves-gareth-griffiths  The story focusses on an award-winning project by the engineering team from the City of Cape Town and the private sector.  

Thanks to this project, the people of the Strand, beach users, businesses and road users will be safe against the 100 year-old tidal wave for a long time to go. And the business precinct was significantly upgraded, which allowed for the expansion of the informal traders' market also.

Strand beach and Pavillion is a well-used area especially during the Christmas period, so all tourists and locals should enjoy an enhanced built environment and safety during the holidays.

This article first appeared in To Build magazine, of which I am Editor.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT'S INSIDE

You spend thousands getting a state of the art website with links to Twitter, Facebook and other social media. Sitting back, everyone tells you how great your website looks and comments on its design.

However ...

Weeks drag on ... turning into months and your content dries out looking like a cheap supermarket paint job on a street cafe.

What am I saying? Business owners, marketing managers and even webmasters neglect the most basic facet of any marketing campaign. It's what's inside that counts and not what's on top.

Does your website, Facebook or Pinterest page have up to date, relevant content? It's probably the last thing you consider on a Friday afternoon and you switch off the office lights, lock the door and leave for home - cheerfully thinking that you will get to it in the next week.

Let me help you with this. It's what I do. Honest, clean and accurate content.

KEEP COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR MARKET

Clever companies stay in the game of promoting their business to clients even through tough economic times. They continue to use the media and do not abandon the hard earned brand identity they have vested in their markets.

They do not cancel marketing communications. But they do look at using their limited resources smarter.

Advertising and other promotions such as PR important in building your brand and increasing your presence in the market. Brands are not built overnight, but rather along the lines of a consistent long term campaign. Of course, this needs to be supported by your service and performance as supplier, consultant or professional.

Read about I had to say on the subject in the September 2015 edition of SA Roofing magazine, a magazine that aims at architects and other building professionals.

View pages 1 and 2 of this article here  and here.

RECESSION BUSTING MOVES

With the economic outlook not great for 2012 one line cost item that often is cut by management is advertising and marketplace communications. Big mistake.

Here’s why:

More than 50% of commercial and industrial clients still use print media publications as their informative source of reference. Of these readers, a large majority are in senior decision making positions - not having the time to learn and adapt to the messages of the social media on the web. Readers such these are looking for well written, informative content, supported by logical arguments. The web is not ideal for this.

So you want to keep your media presence, yet reduce expense. Here are my suggestions for you:

1. Use the editorial channel on an organized, sustained basis. You pay only for the time spent on researching and preparing the content.

2. Use a professional, dedicated service provider to prepare this content.

3. Take a serious look at your current advertising with a view to: 

• Eliminating crossover between your targeted groups.
• Audit - size and content of message

 4. Employ specialist communications service providers, such as freelancers. The days of the large corporate advertising dodo companies are over.

5. Use social media - YES - but use it wisely. Intergrate it into a plan!

Save money. Get it right first time.

When you want to do these things, talk to Energy MC. The time is always right.

Services, marketing communications, media, advertising, copywriting, photography and public relations in Cape Town, South Africa

Energy MC founder, Gareth Griffiths (pictured right) manages brands for clients, from strategy to concept and implementation. His brand management campaigns have received special mention in the various sectors of the market. Energy MC provides strategy-based consulting services and also advertising and PR programmes for various clients. More information : www.mbendi.co.za/orgs/cdsd.htm

Energy MC (or Energy Marketing Communications) is in the business of growing your business and building relationships with your clients.