Credentials

I’ve been in a bit of a new client frenzy recently and am delighted to have signed up two interesting South African companies run by good people doing things differently. In fact, that pretty much sums up how I chose who to work with.

Firstly I am going back to my tech B2B roots with Jon Maliepaard and the team at eNetworks. This is a 10-year-old ISP and Internet services company that has been building enormous enterprise-grade networks for some of South Africa’s biggest companies. They are obsessed with customer service, and one of their clients calls them “networking angels”. They also kick ass with WiFi. eNetworks has been flying under the radar up until now - so watch this space to find out more about them.

This week I also signed up JobCrystal, the only online passive recruitment service. Karl Westvig and Kevin Laithwaite have been plotting how to improve how people get hired and how companies hire staff for some time, and JobCrystal is the result. I’ll be working hard over the next few months to raise brand awareness and let recruiters and candidates know there is a better way to go about things. (Oh, and there is a sweet referral programme too, refer a friend and earn a commission when they get placed).

I am delighted to included these guys in my current list of Twokats Communications clients.

Now and again I get a bit of news coverage myself, as well as for my clients. You can read these articles here:

ITWeb: The successful entrepreneur’s secret

Getclosure! blog: Tip of the Week: Cape Town Summer Hot Spots, 24 October 2008

Getclosure! blog: Consumer Protection Bill Public Hearings, 3 September 2008

Getclosure! blog: Interview with Vanessa Clark, 13 August 2008

THE ABSA CENTRE

I kicked off the PR work I am undertaking for Rennie Property, South Africa’s leading specialist commercial property management company, with a publicity project focussing on the launch of the first phase of the refurbishments of the ABSA Centre. Rennie Property is the manager of the ABSA Centre, and is overseeing the refurbishment.

Here is a selection of the coverage achieved:

Saturday Argus: Ongoing revamp for ABSA Centre, 28 February 2009 [Download PDF]

The Property Magazine: Socials pages, April 2009 [Download PDF]

The Property Magazine: Absa-lutely fabulous, March 2009 [Download PDF]

The Cape Towner: 5 March 2009 [Download PDF]

iAfrica: New look for CT icon, 23 March 2009

Property 24: CT Absa centre to be revamped, 23 February 2009

You can read the press release here.

RONDEBOSCH VILLAGE

The opening of the first phase of new parking at Rondebosch Village, under Rennie Property management, was announced via an advertorial I wrote for the Tatler. [Download PDF]

SaleSearcher was an online specials and promotions listings site that allowed retailers to drive more customers to their stores by highlighting current sales.

Twokats Communications helped launch the site to retailers with a media outreach project targetted at retail and marketing publications. This is a great example of how a B2B media outreach campaign can quickly and effectively be implemented, on a tight budget. In both press releases, it was key to use third party endorsements in order to enhance the credibility of a new entity.

You can read the press releases here:

• Retailers get found thanks to Salesearcher, 9 February 2009
• SaleSearcher brings savvy customers straight to you, 17 November 2008

Coverage achieved:

Marketing Mix: Retailers use a little sale searching, February 2009

Mypressportal: Retailers get found thanks to SaleSearcher, 6 February 2009

Biz-community: TV, video and advertising ‘on demand’ creeps closer, 25 November 2008

Marketing Web: Fish for savvy customers online, 25 November 2008

Biz-community: New search site brings sales to customers online, 24 November 2008

Marketing Machine: SaleSearcher brings savvy customers straight to you, 21 November 2008

Mypressportal: SaleSearcher brings savvy customers straight to you, 17 November 2008

Note: Salesearcher has subsequently been put on hold by the owner, who is pursuing other activities.

1. Wide-ranging communications experience: I started off as a technology journalist, switched over to the dark side to become the PR and then marketing manager for a UK technology start-up, was the marketing manager for the leading mobile messaging provider when it moved from Cape Town to Silicon Valley, and finally am running my own communications consultancy working with a range of companies.
2. I’ve been employee number 50 twice: so fully understand the challenges of a rapidly growing company.
3. I survived the previous dotcom bomb: and lived to fight another day, with a heap of crisis communications experience under my belt.
4. I put my money where my mouth is: I am one of the founder members of a mobile start up in Cape Town - watch this space
5. I am media agnostic: the channel is there to convey the message in the most effective way, and is not there for its own sake, and certainly is NOT the story.
6. I’m passionate about brands and brand strategy and love creating and telling the story of authentic brands that add value.
7. I’m a connector: interesting and successful strategic alliances are a critical success factor for any business.
8. I’m a firestarter: nothing engages me more than starting or building something new, and putting in place creative strategies for success.
9. I know it’s unlikely I will ever know your business as well as you do. But I do know my craft inside out and can apply it to your business for maximum impact.
10. I’ve worked abroad for seven years and been exposed to US and European business cultures. But I’m proudly South African and want to build value at home, as well as raise our profile on the world stage.

Credit: thanks to Bev Merriman for inspiration for the format of this list.