It’s no longer enough for businesses to simply buy and sell their products and services without considering the world in which they operate. Companies must voluntarily do business in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible manner to be sustainable over the long term.
I had the privilege of travelling to Spain in September to accept a prestigious PR industry award. I didn’t expect to return from this journey feeling relaxed, refreshed and full of new ideas for both my business and my life.
I’d like to tell you a story about one of my clients. Barbara Stewart, a portfolio manager at Cumberland Private Wealth Management, came to us in 2010 because she was frustrated with the multitude of articles that depicted female investors as under-confident, indecisive and disgruntled. There was a strong disconnect between what she read and what she knew to be true in her day-to-day dealings with her smart female clients throughout her career.
For many successful women, their careers are journeys that don’t always turn out the way they planned —often in a good way. If success and learning are your goals, it's your job to leverage what you learn at each stage of your journey. Here's my best advice on how to do that:
Many studies reveal that people’s top fear is public speaking. Their second is death. Although I find that shocking, it’s also unfortunate. Like it or not, if you’re trying to build a name for yourself or for your business, you’ll benefit from sharing your insights and expertise in a public forum. It can help position you as an expert with your target audiences, especially if you speak in an articulate and polished way.
Competition is the nature of business. Big or small any competitor is capable of taking your customers or clients−especially in today’s global, connected market. It’s a battleground, and your goal is to win the war. With that in mind, are you focused on the strategic communications your competitors are doing right? Have you adopted a ‘me too’ approach when it comes to selecting communications channels?
