Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

Can a small business survive without social media?

Can your small business survive without social media? I would answer a verrry tentative maybe. While there are pros and cons to getting active on social media with your business, you need to make sure that you are making the right decision for you and what you want to accomplish in the long term. With over 4.2 Billion active social media users, this is a major marketing tool and a decision you shouldn’t take lightly.

Let’s talk about some of the good, the bad (… and the ugly?) about social media and whether you should use it as a tool for marketing your small business.

Pro: Solidify your brand presence

Having your customers and potential customers remember who you are when it comes time to make a purchase is half the battle in business. Maintaining a consistent social media presence helps to keep your brand top of mind. It also give you the opportunity to create brand consistency across multiple communication channels and create opportunities for more people to discover you – almost 90% of marketers agree! With the consistency and active online presence, it also helps to legitimize your business – no matter how big or small you are.

Pro: Makes it easy for your audience to connect with you – and find new customers

Social media is live and active 24/7. So it gives you the opportunity to connect with your audience outside of “traditional” office hours. You can connect with a broader audience anytime, from anywhere. And if you’re selling through social media, that means that people can buy from you 24/7 as well. Did you know that, for almost 75% of consumers, social media influences their ultimate purchase decision? Social media followers are constantly looking for high quality content from the brands they follow (not high quantity!!).

Pro: You can build better relationships with your customers

Once someone is a customer, you still have to work at keeping them as a customer. Social media helps you to engage with your community regularly. The nature of social media is to be social, so you there are plenty of opportunities for 2-way dialogue. You can even run your customer service channel through social media without using a fancy software installed on your website. Make sure that whatever conversations you’re having, you take the time to learn about your customers and what they want from you. It can actually lead to customers spending 40% more in the long run.

Pro: There is something for everyone, so you can tailor your strategy

There seems to be a steady stream of new social media platforms to choose from (hello, TikTok) – but it’s also OK to stick to the tried and tested ones that have been around for a “long” time (think Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc). Your audience likely isn’t active on all social media platforms, so you don’t need to be either. Pick and choose based on where your customers hang out and what you can handle. No point in biting off more than you can chew!

Pro: It’s easy to keep an eye on your competitors

You always need to be aware of what your competitors are up to – not so you can copy them, but it’s a great way to see what is working and not working in your industry.

Pro: It can help you stretch your marketing budget further

Remember, social media isn’t free. Time is money and you do need to invest time into content creation and engagement. HOWEVER… It is a lower cost marketing tactic than many others out there. In fact, it can allow you to stretch your marketing budget pretty far while competing with some of the larger brands in your industry.

Con: It’s not the only marketing out there, so you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket

You should try to build a marketing strategy that has some variety and helps to connect you with your customers in different ways. Here are just a few suggestions:

  • Create a loyalty program
  • Start a referral program
  • Traditional PR
  • Conferences and events
  • Focus on creating content for other channels (dust off that blog!)
  • Email marketing
  • In-store promos (but keep in mind that even if you have a brick-and-mortar location over 90% of customers have visited because they saw you online.)

Con: People can be mean on social media

No explanation really needed, but we all know that a certain level of anonymity can attract the trolls.

Con: It can be easy to get sucked into hours on hours of scrolling

So many entrepreneurs I speak with say they don’t have time for social media – that they always end up spending multiple hours a day on each platform, which takes away from running other aspects of their business. If you are one of the 47% of business owners who say they manage their marketing on their own, then social media can seem daunting. While this can happen, it can be prevented with careful planning. There are so many scheduler platforms and other tools that can make your life easier. Also, it helps to schedule your social media time – and stick to it – to keep you on track during the day.

Con: It’s easy to get caught up in the wrong numbers

We’ve talked before about vanity metrics on social media. Remember that your success is NOT determined by how many followers you have. What matters is the quality of interactions you have with customers and potential customers. It’s all about shifting your perspective and building your strategy accordingly.

As you can see… I am very pro social media. Used in the right ways, it can be a very valuable resource for your business to help you grow. Of course, there will always be that one outlier where social media just doesn’t make sense… but you have to ask yourself what you want to accomplish with your business and whether or not social media can help you get there.

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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5 questions to ask about your holiday marketing strategy

I usually start thinking (and talking) about the holiday marketing pretty early. I love everything about the holidays and planning for the holidays (except maybe the obsession with pumpkin spice everything that starts in the fall… 😬). I’ve already started receiving gift guides via email! The holidays, regardless of what you celebrate, are all about cozying up to stay warm in chilly temperatures, spending time with friends and family, having those moments of stillness and peace… And all of those consumerism moments that happen in between. As marketers, you can’t ignore the fact that gift giving has become a huge part of the holiday season, but you also can’t ignore the fact that all of the other things are equally as important. As a brand you need to find the right balance of emotion and sentiment vs. trying to make the sale.

So, as we head into a busy (and still pandemic weird) holiday season, it’s important that you plan out your strategy so you are prepared for things that might come up. Here are a few questions you should start asking:

What has worked well in the past?

You should always start with what you have tried before. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from what worked and what didn’t work. You can actually learn more from what didn’t work than what did work! Sit down and note what your strategy looked like last year. Have a look at some of the data associated with your strategy. If something worked well, then consider doing the same thing this year. If something didn’t work well, then you want to make sure you steer clear. Try to figure out where you went wrong so you don’t duplicate it this year with your holiday marketing efforts.

What does your customer want?

Customer behaviour should drive your holiday marketing strategy. Period.

It has been a tough year for everyone mentally, emotionally, and financially. Last year, I found that there was DEFINITELY some really early holiday cheer on social media, and I think it was because people were grasping at something good to distract them. I have a feeling that this year will be no different. Brands need to take cues from their customers to figure out the best time to go all in on holiday marketing. You should also be listening to conversations on social media and sensitive to your audience’s purchase behaviour. If you find that a lot of your customers were hit hard financially during the pandemic, they may be spending a little less this year. There may also be a segment who is shopping earlier than normal – either to get it done or they want to spread out the costs rather than do it all at once. A key factor for the holidays this year will be online spending since a lot of people still haven’t gone back to in-person shopping. Have a peek at this blog to see some consumer trends for this year’s holiday season.

Do you have pandemic contingencies in place?

Let’s be real. Regardless of how “over” the pandemic you are, we’re not out of the woods yet. And even if we were, there are a lot of your customers who won’t feel comfortable going completely back to normal any time soon. You need to make sure you maintain (or establish if you are newly opened) a safe and comfortable shopping experience for everyone. That means going above and beyond government safety guidelines in some cases and clearly communicating your guidelines to your customers so they know what to expect. You should also be ready for anything unexpected that comes up in terms of diminished capacity or temporary shutdowns.

Click here for more info on holiday marketing during a pandemic.

Am I too focused on sales rather than emotional connection?

It can be really easy for brands to just jump from one seasonal sale to the next without a care in the world for what it is doing to their brand. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Last Minute Christmas Sale, Boxing Day… I mean Boxing Week… New Year’s Sale… You made the sale, right? Well, what happens after that sale is over? Are those customers continuing to buy from you because they believe in your brand or are they always just hunting for the next sale, whether it’s you or your competitor?

You need to invest the time and effort into building solid, loyal relationships with your existing customers and with any new customers you attract. This could mean a few different things such as:

  • Assessing or re-assessing your value add
  • Establishing a stronger brand story
  • Establishing clear brand messaging
  • Creating a content-first marketing strategy
  • Developing a loyalty program

Regardless, your brand has to be worth more than the next sale that discounts your products and services.

Do I have everything covered?

Well, you don’t know what you don’t know. But here is a checklist that could be helpful in preparing you for your holiday marketing strategy: Free Holiday Marketing Checklist

If your holiday marketing planning is tripping you up and you’re not sure where to start, book a free 20-minute consultation with me and let’s get you on the right track!

​​Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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3 Secrets to not letting social media get overwhelming

Social media can get overwhelming for the best of us. From building a strategy to creating content, daily engagement, keeping up with trends, and everything in between, there is a lot to manage.

While some brands have a full team of social media experts and content creators to keep the wheels turning, a lot of small businesses and solo entrepreneurs struggle to find the time to build and execute a successful social media strategy. And sometimes even figuring out what a successful strategy might look like can be challenging if you don’t quite understand all the ins and outs of social media.

It can be easy to just give up when social media gets overwhelming. However, here are three things you can do to help ease that overwhelming feeling and get your social media strategy on the right track for your business.

#1: Only do what you can handle

I have said it before, and I will say it again a thousand times over… You don’t need to be on every social media platform. You don’t have to start up on a new platform just because it’s new… You can have a successful social media strategy with just ONE social media platform. You can only do what you have time to do, and it is better to pick ONE social media platform and be great at it than be on five social media platforms and be mediocre at all of them.

The best thing to do in this case is figure out where your audience hangs out and create a prioritized list of those platforms with the most important at the top and the least at the bottom. Figure out what your time and financial budgets are and then start cutting from the bottom up. You should make sure you are keeping the highest priority things on your list and cut out the things that are lower priority. That way you can get the best return on your social media efforts. (You could even do this for your whole marketing strategy!)

#2: Schedule your social media time

When it comes to social media and community engagement, it can be easy to get sucked in. Before you know it, you’ve been scrolling through social media for hours without a purpose and you haven’t gotten to the million other things you have to get done for the day. The response to this is usually any mix of panic, guilt, feeling like you have accomplished nothing, and a vow to never have this happen again. Most people either keep doing the same thing or just avoid engagement altogether. On the one hand it keeps eating into your day and you feel like you never have enough time to get things done and on the other hand you are not using social media to be social (as it was intended!). Both outcomes can be incredibly frustrating.

I suggest building your social media time into your schedule. If you are batch creating content, do it the same time each week. For engagement, build it into your morning routine. I find that mornings are a great time to get this kind of thing done because sometimes the day can get away from you and you might forget. The other thing is that you don’t need to do hours of engagement every day. Schedule 15 or 20 minutes and scroll through social media with a purpose. When that time is done, then close it down. If you can spare more time than that, then do it. But the point is that you don’t need to be on there hours a day – unless you have that kind of time!

Note: you should make sure you are at least checking once or twice every day to respond to new comments and messages!

#3: Hire an expert when you need it

There is no shame in asking for help. Most of us have our strengths and it’s very hard to not have weaknesses. You either need to educate yourself (and I am talking about more than watching a 10-minute video) or you need to find someone who can fill that skills gap for you. While some people are great at figuring things out on their own, you also need to consider how long it will take to learn things yourself and how much it might cost you.

If you are having some trouble and are at the point where you are making this decision, it’s best to do a cost-benefit analysis to help you make the decision. Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense to try to do it all on your own!

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Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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Canadian Small Business Women, in partnership with Volition, presents 2021 Young Entrepreneur’s Pitch Conference

August 29, 2021 – We are thrilled to announce that we will be partnering with Volition for a second year to present the 2021 Young Entrepreneur’s Pitch Conference. 

This virtual conference is taking place November 20, 2021, and will showcase women-lead companies across Canada in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) space. Building on the success of the 2020 Young Entrepreneurs Pitch Conference, you can expect a variety of panel discussions and workshops from industry experts, as well as speed networking, a vendor hall, and pitch competition.

While all are welcome to attend the conference, pitch applications (opening this fall) will be open to young entrepreneurial women (aged 19-45) in the CPG industry, from across Canada. All applicants will gain access to a Volition Pitch Bootcamp, and audience members will have the opportunity to cheer on and vote for their favourite Finalist pitching at the Pitch Conference.

“Last year, we were honoured to partner with Volition to bring our dreams of hosting a pitch conference to life. The success of last year’s event was evident in the responses of our pitchers, speakers and guests. This year, we are back together again and the theme is Consumer Packaged Goods. With the expertise of hundreds of pitch competitions under their belt and our conference producing history, this year’s event will not disappoint. I am looking forward to hearing this year’s pitch submissions!” 

– Dwania McLarty-Peele, Founder Canadian Small Business Women 

 

“We are so excited to be working with CSBW yet again to support and advance Canadian women in business. This past year put incredible strain on CPG companies–and women-led businesses in particular–as they have had to juggle shifting demands, supply chain issues, employee needs, and intense and variable growth patterns. We have seen such innovation and some really amazing new companies emerge this past year, and want to provide space to acknowledge, celebrate, and support this sector and the young women within it.” 

– Melanie Ewan, Managing Partner Volition 

 

If you are interested in getting involved as a partner, sponsor, or speaker, and are looking for more information, please reach out to info@canadiansmallbusinesswomen.ca

 

For conference details: https://canadiansmallbusinesswomen.ca/2021-young-entrepreneurs-pitch-conference/

 

Canadian Small Business Women was created to provide a place for aspiring Canadian business women to find the necessary resources to take their business from the planning stage to a reality. We also provide business directory, event information, and advertising opportunities for existing Canadian Small Business Women. Through our blogs, social media pages and our related articles, we hope to connect our experts to aspiring and current business women of Canada and provide the information needed to take their businesses to the next level.  We are proud to have delivered over 40 conferences serving over 5000 guests worldwide!

4 reasons not to give up on your digital marketing just yet

Now that everything is opening up, business is going to look VERY different than it has in the past year and a half. During the pandemic, digital marketing strategies were a lifeline for so many businesses. So what happens now that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel?

Don’t give up on the digital strategies that you built!

Here are four reasons why you should maintain the digital footprint that you created at the beginning of the pandemic. It’s not time to give up your digital marketing just yet.

#1: Your customers won’t all have the same comfort level

While patios are packed and long line ups are still forming at certain stores (Homesense, we’re looking at you), not everyone is as eager to rub elbows with strangers. The pandemic might be physical, it also affected people psychologically. And there are people who are more comfortable getting “back to normal” at a slower pace than others. Those tactics you put in place like online ordering, curbside pickup, optional shipping, etc. are still things that some of your customers will want to take advantage of – and they are still very much active online.

#2: You invested time into building it

Starting anything new can be daunting. If you have spent the past year and a half driving online engagement and creating great content to build awareness, why give all of that up? Sure, it’s a bit of extra work, but why not create more efficiencies instead of throwing it all away? For example, how many times have you checked out a brand’s social media only to find they haven’t posted in a year… Don’t be that brand.

#3: Digital strategies can be cheaper to execute

With so many businesses cutting back costs, marketing budgets are still getting smaller and smaller as the reality of opening sinks in for many. Let’s be honest… A well-executed digital event will likely cost you much less than a well-executed in-person event. You will be able to cut back on venue costs, food costs, etc. However, there are certain ways for you to keep costs down, go digital with your events, and still get people out and exploring. You just have to get creative with your approach!

#4: You don’t want to be caught off-guard again

If there is one thing we have all learned in the past year and a half it’s that anything can – and will – happen. As a business owner, you need to try to anticipate what could happen and put supports in place to ensure that risks won’t affect you or, if it does, it will have minimal impact on your business.  No one (unless you are a disease specialist) could have seen something like this coming. And even if you did see something like the pandemic coming, it would have been hard to know in advance how much it would have affected businesses. In Ontario, there were businesses that were closed to in-person sales for the better part of a year. For many, introducing a digital aspect to their operations meant staying open rather than shutting down. Because there is so much uncertainty regarding what could happen right now, it is better to mitigate your risk.

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Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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6 ways to come up with unique marketing ideas

Marketing has been a “thing” for a long time. The big question is how do you keep everything fresh? How do you keep coming up with those million-dollar ideas? (Or at least hundred- or thousand-dollar ideas that will get you to where you want to go. And it’s not just coming up with marketing ideas, it’s coming up with unique marketing ideas to showcase your brand in the best possible way.

If I am being honest, you can make ANY marketing idea unique by adding in a little bit of flare and brand personality to it. But if you are really stuck, here are 6 ways you can come up with some unique marketing ideas. Use these methods as the foundation and build from there!

Create a challenge

EVERYONE wants to go viral. Period. However, there is no magic formula to make that happen. What you can do is try to create content that will entertain and encourage your audience to interact with your brand. A great way to encourage interaction is to create a social media challenge. It seems like there is a new challenge popping up on various social media platforms every day. Why not create one for your brand?

It’s rarely obvious where challenges originate, but you can make it a bit more brand specific and include your product or service at the core of the challenge. Doing this will mean that your branding will be the focal point of any consumer videos or images to come. One of the most memorable challenges like this is the #VogueChallenge where creators posted their own mock-up magazine covers. Also consider the #InMyDenim challenge that Guess did for inspiration.

Not everyone has a ton of money to throw into ads to boost visibility, but remember that even if you have 20 people participate and half of them buy from you because of it, then it can still be successful!

Build exclusivity with a limited access offer

Exclusivity will often foster a feeling of FOMO (Fear of missing out) in people. If you are nearing the launch of your business, consider doing a limited launch where only a certain number of people have access to your product or service. (Hello, Clubhouse, we’re looking at you…)

Another way to create exclusivity even if you are past the launch phase is to create VIP access for your most loyal customers or those that have signed up. VIP access could include things like early access to a new product launch or access to premium level services free of charge for a certain period of time.

Share your expertise

I am a big fan of doing thought leadership in a strategic way. I don’t think that every business owner is cut out for a place in the media spotlight, nor is every business a great fit for something like that. However, there are so many things you can do to build a thought leadership strategy to establish your footing as a go-to, trusted expert in your industry. What really matters is when customers trust you enough to buy from YOU and not your competitors. Your thought leadership strategy could include things like blogging, social media, speaking engagements, media relations, and guest posts. The goal is to share so much information that you are bordering on uncomfortable. Chances are if someone wants to go the DIY route, you likely won’t change their mind right away. And someone who wants to hire you will know that you know your stuff if you share what you know.

Riff off other campaigns

Taking an idea that you already know works and making it bigger, better, or just adding a little more personality is a great way to recycle old ideas. There are a few different ways you can do this:

  • Your own ideas: Refresh your old ideas with new content or even a different approach.
  • Competitor ideas: Make them your own by adding your brand personality into the mix and speaking directly to your customers. It’s not about copying an idea it’s about taking the framework and making it uniquely you.
  • Other industry ideas: Adapt an idea from a completely different industry to your product or service.

Have a little bit of fun

OK, this one isn’t really a tactic, but more of a nudge to showcase your personality a bit and have fun with your marketing. When you think about it, viral marketing content most often goes viral when it is entertaining and a little bit out of the box. Where your marketing will truly shine is when you can step into your own brand character and connect with your audience when you are being uniquely you. So be silly, show those funny behind the scenes team conversations, and share your celebrations.

Find a mentor

Again, not really a strategy, but finding a mentor is definitely helpful when you are looking to build up a strong marketing strategy. I have been lucky to be both a mentee and a mentor at various points in my career so far. Having someone you can bounce ideas off of is priceless. Find someone who just “gets you” and your business. They will ask you the questions you need to be asked and help you fill in the blanks where you need to. In improv theatre, there is a game called “Yes, And!” where actors are not allowed to shoot an idea down. No idea is a bad idea. Every statement is always met with “Yes, and…” followed by adding something more to the idea. It is always full of excitement because it builds and builds. A great mentor relationship is like a rousing game of “Yes, and!”

Coming up with new and unique marketing ideas can be challenging, but if you approach it in the right way, you can make the process work for you. When it doubt, don’t get discouraged. You don’t need to come up with something people have never seen before, but you do need to create a marketing strategy that has your unique brand stamp on it.

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Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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Top 4 things to NOT cut from your marketing budget

A couple of weeks ago I talked about how you can cut from your marketing budget without losing momentum… While it’s never good to cut out marketing completely, sometimes you just need to tighten things up until you have more money to play with. If you are considering cutting your marketing budget, as you are making decisions on what to cut out there are certain things that you really just shouldn’t cut out of the budget.

Here are four things that you should not cut from your marketing budget.

Channels that are working

This should go without saying, but if you know something is working to bring in new customers, find any way you can to keep it going. After you have done your marketing audit and prioritized your marketing tactics, it should be clear what is working and what isn’t working. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And, I should add, don’t cut it out.

I was talking to one entrepreneur who actually said to me that they know if they stop blogging the leads they are getting will stop coming in, but because it was the biggest expense below payroll they were considering stopping. When you are going through a rough patch, you want to invest in the things that will help to get you out of it. You should also not just cut for the sake of cutting.

Digital presence

If the past year has taught us anything it’s that you need to have SOME sort of online presence. While social media may not be the right thing for you, you do need to at least have something like a website to act as an information hub. You need somewhere for people to learn about you and see that you are a legitimate business. It also gives you a chance to showcase your expertise and tell your brand story in a controlled way. We all know that once it’s out there on social media, in the media, with influencers, or even with customers, you have to give up a bit of control when it comes to your brand and the messaging you have developed.

Audience engagement

Ongoing dialogue with your audience (aka customers and potential customers) is important. If they have no way to interact with you then how are they supposed to get to know you? Not only that, your interactive channels can also serve as effective customer service channels. Any marketing strategy you implement for your business should be designed to build relationships with your customers. And to do that you need to be able to have a 2-way dialogue. It’s those interactions that create intrigue and let people get to know that brand personality.

Expertise

There are a few different resources that come into play when it comes to your business. Expertise is one of them. If there is something you don’t know how to do yourself, it makes sense to hire someone to do it for you. The alternative is learning how to do it, but then you have to invest both time and money to learn – and it can take time to become an expert. In these situations, you need to weigh the cost against the benefits of each option. Where your marketing strategy is concerned, there are so many different skillsets that go into building and executing a successful strategy that it can be hard to be able to do everything. Figure out what you can handle and work with an expert to get the rest done. The right expert will help you figure out a great middle ground. It should never have to be all or nothing.

If you’re looking to have a big impact with your marketing, but you just don’t have the budget, don’t give up. You can make smart choices when cutting into the budget!

 

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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Privacy Law – Part II

 

Please see Privacy Part I to learn about the basics of privacy law, personal information, handling personal information, and how to assess if your business is complying with the privacy laws. If your business handles any personal information (including anyone’s name or email address), you should be thinking about your privacy responsibilities now.     

Privacy laws in Canada are not all the same: some apply to all organizations that engage in commercial activities (including charities and not for profits when they sell, barter, or lease membership lists, for example), while others do not have a commercial requirement to be applicable, and some are limited to just one type of personal information (such as personal health information). 

In this blog, we focus on how privacy laws apply to businesses, and specifically, to  businesses that collect, use or disclose personal information in the course of a commercial activity.  It does not matter what size your business is.  What matters instead is: whether or not you handle personal information, and if you do, whether you are handling it in accordance with privacy laws.

Today’s blog was co-written by Karen Yamamoto, a commercial lawyer in Montreal specializing in privacy and technology law and the Co-Founder of Executive Counsel Group – Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/karen-yamamoto-905ba9a

 

1)      What is the risk to my business if I don’t comply with Canada’s privacy laws? Are there penalties?

If you wait to comply with privacy laws, penalties may be imposed for violations.  The penalties for privacy law violations differ based on jurisdiction and the type of offence.  For example, under current Quebec and federal privacy laws, the maximum penalties range from $10,000 to $100,000 depending on the circumstances.  In fact, privacy laws are in the process of being overhauled, and some of the proposed changes could see penalties go as high as 5% of global revenue or $25 million Canadian for serious violations. 

 

2)      Example of violations of privacy laws.

 

Here are three examples of how small or medium businesses could violate privacy laws:

 

          a)  No proper privacy policy in place: The Recruitment Consultant who could not answer her customer’s questions.

Jane is the owner of an architectural firm in Saskatchewan and hired Armanda, an HR consultant, to handle the recruitment of new junior architects for the firm; Armanda reviewed resumes of several people through her consulting business’ email system. 

Jane became curious about how Armanda’s company was handling the personal information of the candidates in her system.  Jane asked Armanda for her privacy policy.   Armanda had one; she had copied it from her friend who had a business selling logoed golf shirts to companies.

Once Jane read Armanda’s privacy policy, Jane became quite concerned.   The policy did not seem to cover resumes, salary information, addresses, family information, or how candidates’/clients’ personal information would be protected.  Instead, it spoke about “protecting credit card information of customers.” 

Armanda had just copied a policy that applied to a business totally different from her own. Jane then asked Armanda what specific steps Armanda’s business took to protect personal information, and what Armanda would do if a job applicant withdrew their consent regarding the use of their personal information. Armanda was only able to say, “we keep all client information confidential.” 

Is Armanda’s approach enough? Unfortunately, no. She does not have an applicable policy, she seems to confuse confidentiality with privacy, and she does not seem to understand that once consent has been withdrawn, she is generally required to stop handling the personal information of a person.

Not having a privacy policy or procedures in place can be a breach of privacy laws.  Under Canada’s privacy laws, the HR consulting business could face penalties, especially if there was some kind of data breach.

 

           b) Not obtaining a “meaningful consent” when required: The small tech company who shared a mailing list.

A small tech company in Ontario collects personal information from users including name and sensitive banking information.  Express consent is obtained (via an opt-in “click” on its website) to collect and use the information for the purpose of “providing the software product”. 

The tech company also shares this information with affiliate business partners (for joint marketing efforts).  But their website does not mention this.

Consent remains key under Canadian privacy laws.  This Ontario company breached privacy laws.  You cannot get “meaningful consent” if you don’t tell people what you are really doing with their personal information.  “Meaningful consent” means that individuals understand:

  • What personal information of theirs you are collecting;
  • With whom you are planning to share the personal information;
  • Why you are collecting their personal information; and
  • The risk of harm to the individuals and other consequences of the collection, use or disclosure of personal information to which they are consenting.

 

        c) No data breach reporting process in place: The Dentist’s office that did not report a breach.

A dentist’s office in Manitoba gets hacked.  Only one individual’s personal information (financial and sensitive medical information) was accessed.  Given that security was tightened immediately after the incident and only one person was involved, the IT administrator decided nothing further was required to be done.  The dental clinic had no data breach reporting process in place and as a result, IT did not inform anyone else of the breach.   

Actually, the dental business could face penalties.  Why?

Because in most provinces, an organization must record any loss of, unauthorized access to or unauthorized disclosure of personal information resulting from a breach of security safeguards or from a failure to establish those safeguards.  If there is a real risk of significant harm to an individual because of the breach, notice would have to be provided to the individual and the applicable Privacy governmental authority and in some cases, other organizations.  Failure to do all of these things

could result in penalties.

 

3)      I copied another website’s privacy policy and put it on my website, does this cover the issue for my business?

Having a privacy policy is only one small aspect of privacy compliance.  Other requirements include (to name a few):

  • Did you get proper consent from the individual whose personal information you have?
  • Have you trained your employees on the proper handling of personal information?
  • Do you have a process or system to record all data breaches?
  • Do you have proper contracts in place? For example:
    • With employees: to ensure that they will protect the information that they handle?
    • With suppliers: to ensure that they will (for example):
      • protect the information you share with them, in the same way you would;
      • use the information only for the permitted purposes; and
      • allow you to audit them to ensure compliance.

Copying a privacy policy is not a good idea for many reasons (as we saw in one of our examples above):

  • you may violate copyright laws by copying someone else’s work!
  • your business’s privacy policy is supposed to describe in writing your business’ actual personal information handling practices.
  • someone else’s policy may not be in compliance with the privacy laws of your jurisdiction.

 

4)      If I have a privacy policy on my website, do I also need an internal company policy on privacy?

Yes, you still do! These two do different things.  Generally, a website privacy policy describes how your business handles the personal information of website users and/or customers.  The internal policy, on the other hand, tells employees how their personal information is handled by their employer and how employees in turn should handle the personal information of others. 

 

5)      I want to do the right thing.  How do I actually know if my employees and company systems are adequately protecting Canadian privacy laws?

“Doing the right thing” here depends on the facts of your situation.  A company that only collects a customer’s name and phone number will have very different obligations compared to a company that collects, uses and shares sensitive personal health and financial information via a third-party platform provider. 

“Doing the right thing” usually involves a due diligence privacy audit to identify any gaps and risks. If identified, you may then need to obtain special software, implement more robust safeguards, create policies and processes and/or train staff. 

 

6)      At this stage in my business, I don’t think I can afford to hire someone to do an assessment of my business data privacy needs and risks.  Are there any DIY options?

There are excellent free resources for businesses available on the Internet.  A good first step would be to do a self-assessment for privacy law compliance using tools such as the one on the Canadian Privacy Commissioner’s website: https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/privacy-laws-in-canada/the-personal-information-protection-and-electronic-documents-act-pipeda/pipeda-compliance-help/pipeda-compliance-and-training-tools/pipeda_sa_tool_200807/.

 

7)      What is GDPR? I keep hearing about it.

GDPR is a big topic and is beyond the scope of today’s blog. It stands for the General Data Protection Regulations. 

The short answer: If your business is handling the personal information of individuals in the European Union, and at least one of the 3 scenarios below applies to your business, then GDPR may also apply to your business.  In that case, meeting the standards of Canada’s privacy laws may not be enough. 

GDPR would likely apply to your business if:

  • You are established in the EU and process personal information in the context of your business activities;
  • You process personal information in connection with your offering of goods and services (even without charge) to individuals in the EU, for example, through your website or mobile app; or
  • You process personal information in connection with the monitoring of behavior of individuals in the EU, for example through the use of cookies on your website or mobile app to collect the IP address or other personal data from individuals.

GDPR is considered to be the toughest set of privacy laws in the world.  However, as we noted above, some privacy laws in Canada are under review and could follow in the footsteps of the EU and GDPR and create one of the strictest data protection regimes in the world.  Stay tuned!

 

8)      Additional resources

https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/

https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/about-the-opc/what-we-do/provincial-and-territorial-collaboration/provincial-and-territorial-privacy-laws-and-oversight/

There are many elements of privacy that an SME should be aware of including: how to obtain consent, how to train your employees and when to report data breaches to authorities.

If you have any questions, reach out to Karen Yamamoto, an experienced Privacy lawyer, directly at kmy@ecglegal.com.

 

 

Amee Sandhu has been a business lawyer in Ontario for 20 years.  She created Lex Integra Professional Corporation in 2019 and focuses exclusively on business law and corporate ethics.  

The purpose and contents of this blog is to provide information only, and it does not constitute legal advice.  Reading this blog does not create a solicitor-client relationship between the reader and Amee Sandhu, Lex Integra, or any of the guest lawyers who co-write these blogs.

 It is recommended to engage (hire) a lawyer if you require or are interested in legal advice.

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8 ways to cut down your marketing budget

It’s no secret that the marketing budget is the first thing to get cut when revenues go down. It’s ironic that marketing is the one thing that will help you build awareness and get your product or service in front of the right people to buy it. In a perfect world, you should actually be spending more money when revenues are down so you can find new ways to connect with your audience.

In reality, most businesses are working with a finite budget and you have to find ways to stretch it as far as possible. So what happens when you actually need to cut down your marketing budget?

Here are 8 things you can do to cut down your marketing budget without losing everything you have already worked hard to accomplish.

Do a Marketing audit

You should never start by making cuts. You need to start by looking at what’s working and what isn’t working. This is something you should do every year so you can start fresh, but it also helps in times where you need to figure out where to save money.

Start by writing down all of the different marketing channels you have. Once you have that list, look at the metrics associated with each channel to see how well they are performing. Take note of the customer flow – from the point they learn about your brand to the point where they click buy. Identify the things that are helping you reach your overall goals and the things that aren’t.

Ask your customers

Unless you are starting from the very beginning, chances are you have at least a few customers. Ask them what attracted them to you in the first place. Ask them what they want from a business like yours when it comes to marketing. Equally important to finding out what made them make their final decision to buy is what was holding them back (if anything).

While you are at it, why not ask them where they like to get their information and hang out online. It will give you a better picture of your audience and how to connect with them on a deeper level.

Focus on what’s trending in marketing

While it can be hard to keep up with everything that is going on in the world of marketing, try to take advantage of things where you can. For example, now that video has become “the future of content,” try building it into your strategy.  Or if a platform is favouring certain content over other types, consider adding that to your strategy where possible. Instagram Reels are a great example of this. Not only does the platform favour this type of content, if your audience is on Instagram they are likely watching Reels on a regular basis already.

Adjust your target audience niche

Make sure you are trying to reach the right people. Sometimes we can get ourselves off track thinking that we are marketing to the right audience, when in reality, there may be someone better we can connect with. This may require you to have a deeper look at your brand strategy and the buyer personas you have created. If you haven’t created those things yet… better late than never!

Create efficiencies across channels

BIG fan of this one. One of the reasons so many small businesses struggle is that the strategies that are being created are all separate pieces. If you are a solo entrepreneur or you are operating with a small team, then you will likely wear many different hats. It can be hard to stay on top of things. So, you have to work smarter, not harder with your marketing strategy. A great example of this is writing your blog content with your social media content in mind. One blog, written in the right way, can translate into multiple social media posts.

Focus on a referral or loyalty program

So nothing is ever really free, but word of mouth is pretty close to it. If you have to cut back on your marketing spend, why not get your customers who love you to spread the word? While it might cost you a discount or product for giveaways, you could also expand your customer base with your existing customers acting as brand ambassadors. Keep it simple. Don’t over-complicate it. You don’t need fancy technology to run a great referral or loyalty program!

Prioritize and then cut things

If you are, in fact, cutting things from your strategy, take everything you learned from your marketing audit and your conversations with customers and organize your list of marketing channels/tactics. Put the most effective ones at the top of the list and the least effective at the bottom. You also need to consider factors like timing. If you are looking to see faster results, then consider putting the longer-term strategies lower on the list.

Once you have your prioritized list, cut the things that are towards the bottom – or at least put them on hold (if they are long-term strategies).

Work WITH your agency

Find an agency or freelancer that understands tight budgets. There should always be a way to make it work to stretch your budget further. A great option would be to create a bit of a hybrid workflow situation where you can do some of the work and your agency can do some of it. That way you can cut back your budget, but not stop everything completely. And you still have the support of an expert team to help you get things done at a smaller budget.

If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that entrepreneurs can pivot – and we will pivot and adjust until there is nowhere to go anymore. The challenge is finding ways to work within your parameters. And that sometimes means cutting your marketing budget. So before you just blindly slash everything and burn the business you love to the ground, have a deeper look into where you should be cutting to do it with purpose.

 

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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As a small business owner when do I have to worry about privacy laws?

If your business handles any personal information (including anyone’s name or email address), you should be thinking about your privacy responsibilities now.      

Privacy laws in Canada are not all the same: some apply to all organizations that engage in commercial activities (including charities and not for profits when they sell, barter, or lease membership lists, for example), while others do not have a commercial requirement to be applicable, and some are limited to just one type of personal information (such as personal health information). 

In this blog, we focus on how privacy laws apply to businesses, and specifically, to  businesses that collect, use or disclose personal information in the course of a commercial activity. 

It does not matter what size your business is.  What matters instead is: whether or not you handle personal information, and if you do, whether you are handling it in accordance with privacy laws.

Today’s blog was co-written by Karen Yamamoto, a commercial lawyer in Montreal specializing in privacy and technology law and the Co-Founder of Executive Counsel Group – Linkedin

1)      Back to Basics: Why do we have privacy laws?

Privacy laws give Canadians the rights to:  

  • know why your business is collecting their personal information;
  • see (or access) the personal information you have of theirs; and
  • in most cases, require your business to stop using their personal information. That means they can withdraw their consent for your business to use it, and you may have to remove it from your records as well.

We say privacy “laws” because there are different ones to help protect individuals in different ways. The most well-known one is Canada’s PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act).  Some provinces have their own private sector privacy laws while some are industry-specific (e.g., health information).

A summary of privacy laws in Canada is available here

2)      What is a personal information anyway? 

Personal information is basically any information which relates to a person and that could identify that person.  Some examples of personal information could be:

  • Employees: their names, email addresses, home addresses, social insurance numbers, how many children they have, if they are married, their ages, etc.
  • Customers or potential customers: their names, email addresses, cell phone numbers, their ages, etc.
  • If you are in the medical or health field: a person’s health information of any kind.

 

3)      I am just starting out with my business. Is it too early for me to worry about privacy laws?

It is not too early! Firstly, if your business breaches privacy law, the age, size or revenue of your business will not necessarily be a valid defense in the eyes of the law.   Secondly, the earlier you start, the better you can do “privacy by design.”

 

4)      Isn’t privacy an issue for bigger businesses than mine? 

Not necessarily – whether your business is a store with 1 employee or whether you are the owner of a large multinational business with thousands of employees, you are required to comply with privacy laws if your business handles personal information – even if your business makes zero revenues!   

 

5)      If my business does not “handle personal information”, do privacy laws still apply to me?

They may not apply to you now but it should still be something to keep in mind as you plan future business lines, products or offerings.

For example, you may be a cash only business now, but you may be planning to offer a a credit card payment option soon.  Or you might be considering offering customers a free service on their birthdays to show customer appreciation.   Or once you figure out how to comply with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (“CASL”), you may plan to create a mailing list of potential customers, and email them your monthly updates. 

If your business does not currently handle personal information at all, you do not need to worry about privacy issues now.  However, if your business plans to sell a product or service that will collect, share, use and/or store personal information, privacy is certainly a concern and should be taken seriously.  The best time to do so is in the planning stages.

See Amee’s blog on CASL compliance

 

6)      How do I know if my business handles personal information?

Privacy laws regulate how businesses of all sizes collect, use, disclose, protect, store or otherwise handle personal information.

How do you know if your business handles personal information? In addition to the examples in 5) above, here are 3 examples:

Selling B2C: if your business sells goods or services to individuals.

If you sell fashion or beauty products to customers from your website, home or a storefront, you could be handling personal information each time you obtain a customer’s email address, address, credit card number or name.  You probably cannot do your business without some of this personal information, so it’s ok to collect it.  But you need to have appropriate controls and protections in place in order to:

  • obtain proper consent from the individual whose personal information it is, and (before or at the time of collection) tell them what you will do with it (e.g. “Would you like to give us your birthdate for our records? Then we can call each year to remind you to book your next annual eye appointment”);
  • respect an individual’s withdrawal of consent to your business having it and ensure that the individual is informed of the implications of the withdrawal;
  • (if the customer asks) show the customer what personal information you have of theirs; and
  • destroy, erase or anonymize personal information from your business databases and records that your business no longer needs.

Selling B2B: if your business sells goods or services to other businesses.

Maybe your company manufactures specialty foods and only ships to large box stores.   In this example, your business likely does not collect (i.e., handle) the personal information of its customers since its customers are not natural people.  However, your business would still need to protect your employees’ personal information as well as the personal information other businesses may share  with your business (such as their employees’ or their customers’ personal information).

Selling B2B: Selling mailing lists.

Your company is a marketing company, and one service that you offer is to sell mailing lists.  In this case, you have a lot of personal information.

 Each business is unique.

You must do an assessment of your own business and business practices to see whether or not you handle personal information.  If you determine that you do, you need to assess what kinds of controls you need to implement to protect that personal information.

 

This is part 1 of a 2 part-blog post on Privacy Law for small businesses.  Part two will be posted on June 8, 2021.

 

Amee Sandhu has been a business lawyer in Ontario for 20 years.  She created Lex Integra Professional Corporation in 2019 and focuses exclusively on business law and corporate ethics.  

The purpose and contents of this blog is to provide information only, and it does not constitute legal advice.  Reading this blog does not create a solicitor-client relationship between the reader and Amee Sandhu, Lex Integra, or any of the guest lawyers who co-write these blogs.

 It is recommended to engage (hire) a lawyer if you require or are interested in legal advice.

Connect with Amee

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4 reasons we need community over competition in entrepreneurship

It’s no secret that choosing to be an entrepreneur is both rewarding and stressful. As entrepreneurs we are faced with what can feel like a never-ending roller coaster in the difficult times. And it’s during those times that you need the support of like-minded individuals to lean on. “Community over competition” embodies that concept. The idea that we can all win makes the roller coaster much less daunting.

Here are five reasons you need to put community over competition when it comes to your business.

There is power in numbers

Unless you are Chuck Norris or my toddler, it can be hard to walk into a difficult or unknown situation on your own. As an entrepreneur, we are often faced with tough decisions or even times where we just can’t make a final decision. Surrounding yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs gives you the opportunity to bounce ideas off someone else or even just go to someone for sound advice.

Beyond getting through a tough situation, though, building a network of peers and collaborating with other entrepreneurs is a great opportunity to lift each other up. Even simple things like engaging with their content on social media can go a long way.

There is enough business to go around

While you may have direct competitors who offer the same services as you, chances are there are things that are different such as how you provide services, the nature of your customer relationships, your ideal customer profile, etc. And in terms of products, the same thing can be said. If something isn’t quite right for you, don’t be afraid to refer people to a competitor who would be able to offer them something perfect. It could even be that you have too much work at the moment and can’t service them because you are at capacity. Whatever the reason, creating a referral network will only benefit everyone involved. Customers will get to work with someone who is a better fit for their needs, businesses won’t be trying to change who they are to fit needs that are out of their product/service offerings, and businesses can even be more selective within the sales process so you don’t always feel like you have to say yes all the time even if it’s not right.

It’s just a better way of doing business

One of the main goals when I launched SongBird was to create an agency that put relationships over the focus on profits. We all need to make money to grow our businesses, but why would you want to do it at the expense of clients, suppliers, employees, etc.? It’s not a sustainable model to strive to blow through everyone without a care in the world. Not only that, it would be a pretty lonely existence as an entrepreneur.

Beyond business practices in action, an unhealthy competitive mindset can wreak havoc on your own mental health. It is very easy to fall into the jealousy trap rather than focus on your own growth at your own pace in your own way. You have to remember that most people only talk about the good stuff, not the stuff that is going wrong. So even if you are keeping tabs on your competitors you likely don’t have the big picture!

It’s great for personal growth

Focusing on community doesn’t mean we can’t give (and receive) criticism. One of the most amazing things about having a supportive community is the ability to learn from each other. If you want others to value your time and your expertise, you need to value theirs as well. If you have the opportunity to be on the receiving end of constructive criticism or suggestions for your business… LISTEN and ACT on the advice. If you have the opportunity to give advice, genuinely give it.

Community over competition is more than just a hashtag – and it should be valued beyond friends and wellness communities. As an entrepreneur, there are just so many reasons why this mindset is good for your business. But always remember two things:

  1. You can be supportive and competitive at the same time. No one said that you shouldn’t strive for excellence and growth with your business.
  2. Like respect, the feeling of community needs to be earned by all parties involved.

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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Doing Good in Your Neighbourhood: Why You should Implement CSR For Your Business

As COVID-19 picked up pace globally, there was widespread chatter about ongoing discussions about ‘pivoting’, facing the new normal and preparing for the uncertainties. While many were able to shift gears to working from home and hoarding essentials for impending lockdowns, the outlook was dismal for the most vulnerable who had already been struggling to put food on their tables.

My client, the Ignite IGL Foundation recognised that there was a need for essential items among the communities hardest hit in the area where its parent company and branches were located. The team partnered with the local Red Cross to roll out its COVID-19 corporate social responsibility (CSR) outreach in 11 communities bringing unexpected joy to 450 families. Their focus was on the elderly, those living with disabilities, and low-income earners, and the team personally delivered grocery packages with essential staples in a gesture to show they care.

With masks on, observing the social-distancing protocols, the team seamlessly replicated a task they had been executing for several days, moving house to house to ensure non-perishable food items got to those who were shut in. The beneficiaries were able to provide for their families with the packages they received, and it meant the world to them. In the end, there was an immense outpouring of gratitude and an air of jubilation.

Have you ever wondered why some businesses give back? Sure make for great publicity but a key aspect of ‘doing good in your neighbourhood’ as a business is to create a sustainable relationship with the community within which you operate.

With a shortage of resources and countless causes that need funding, CSR stops a gap and helps create sustainable development. So what exactly is CSR? Corporate social responsibility is a company’s commitment to manage the social, environmental and economic effects of its operations responsibly and in line with public expectations.  

CSR is also called corporate citizenship and it’s one of my favourite aspects of public relations. I get to be a part of life-changing, community, and nation building projects that positively impact a range of people and organisations.

Businesses that practice CSR make a commitment to improving communities, the environment, the people they hire, and the economy in which they operate. 

There are four main CSR activities: 

  • Philanthropic efforts: this is where an organisation gives back to a good cause by supporting charitable initiatives in the communities in which the business operates. This includes donating money or equipment to civic organisations, engaging in community initiatives and facilitating employees volunteering time and giving back.
  • Environmental Conservation: focusing on reinvesting profits into health, safety, and environmental programs. Think about initiatives like waste reduction and limiting your carbon footprint. 
  • Business diversity and labour policies: this focused on recognising the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and improving the wellbeing of your staff.
  • Community-Based Supporting volunteer efforts: Getting your staff out of the office and away from their desks for a good cause can allow for better bonding as they work towards a deeper purpose.

 

If you’re thinking whether CSR would be beneficial to your business and the community in which you operate, here are some reasons you should consider it:

Better Community Relationships

It goes without saying that when a customer likes a brand or business, they are more likely to be loyal and to promote it to others. Implementing CSR allows for better relationships with the people in and around your community and allows you to expand your reach beyond your immediate borders. When you have a good community relationship, you inevitably create brand ambassadors who speak well about your business, products and services. 

Increased Job Satisfaction & More Engaged Staff

Employee engagement goes through the roof when they feel fulfilled at work. And people are drawn to companies that show they genuinely care for their community and country. 

Positive PR/Publicity

Media outlets are always on the lookout for a great feel-good story and when you have CSR as part of your strategic goals, this is a great way to get publicity. Unlike advertising where you’re pushing dollars behind a campaign to self-promote, a CSR campaign means journalists use their voice and authority to weave a story about the good you’re doing. 

More Business Opportunities

A bonus from publicising your efforts is that you get to catch the attention of partners and potential customers who are looking to do business with socially responsible organisations. 

The onus is on the business owner or the management team to look at ways in which they can improve their relationships with the communities in which they operate. CSR is a great way to ensure that you’re working in harmony with your surroundings. It shows that you care about your customers and the community, and the benefits will extend far beyond solidarity with your business.

Kimesha is the CEO of Oasis Integrated Communications, a PR firm with operations in Canada and Jamaica, and a focus on helping businesses to find their paradise. She’s a seasoned PR professional with a passion for crafting meaningful stories that connect with people. An eternal optimist who thrives on perfecting solutions that marry creative brand experience with consumer engagement, she believes in tapping into the core values of a company and tailoring strategies that share their narrative and find affinity. Her experience spans public relations, corporate communications, marketing, social media and advertising across a range of industries. She has executed projects in Toronto, New York, and Jamaica where she has deftly managed some of the foremost brands across North America and the Caribbean.

Connect with Kimesha:

Instagram – @oasisintegrated

Twitter: @TheOasisPR

Facebook: Oasis Integrated Communications

LinkedIn: @Kimesha Walters

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4 types of customer relationships and how they affect your brand

Your business – regardless of what industry you are in – is based on relationships. Relationships with suppliers, relationships with your team. Relationships are all important, but the relationship with your customers will ultimately decide the success of your business. Everything you do should centre around building strong relationships with your customers. The type of relationships you build will determine the long-term success of your brand (and how much fun you have building it!)

Here are a few different types of relationship you can build with your customers and the effect they will have on your efforts to build your brand.

Transactional Customer Relationships

A transactional relationship focuses solely on the exchange of money for goods/services. Every interaction a brand has with the customer begins and ends with that transaction. A brand who focuses on the transaction is likely not looking for loyalty, nor do they care about building trust and credibility. Focusing on one transaction means that you are also not looking at the long-term prospects of building your business nor are you looking to win hearts and minds with your brand story. Transactional relationships often attract customers based on price alone who are looking to fill a short-term need without building a long-term relationship with a brand. As a brand you are also less likely to focus on personalization and are only looking at short-term gains.

Emotional Customer Relationships

Emotional customer relationships look to tap into the way customers are feeling at any given time. From Nostalgia to sad, happy, hopeful, and everything in between, the goal is to focus on building campaigns and content that creates a conscious or subconscious connection to your brand and what you are selling. It goes deeper than wants and needs and humanizes the brand. Emotional relationships also often end in impulse-buyer behaviour. Brands who look to build relationships based on emotions are often focused on creating individual campaigns to create waves of interest. Think “going viral” for a campaign. It is also common for brands in this relationship category to look to cause marketing from an emotional connection standpoint.

Community-based Customer Relationships

Community-based relationships are generally multi-faceted. While you are obviously looking to move customers through to purchase, the focus lies more on engaging with customers and potential customers to create a positive and lasting impression at all stages of the customer relationship. Building a community of supporters leads to high referral rates and participation in loyalty programs. The community acts as a group of brand advocates who are both loyal to the brand and generally willing to tell your brand story in their own ways. Brands who choose to focus on this type of relationship are usually focused on building trust and long-term relationships that take time to nurture and establish. The brand is more humanized, focusing on both the customers and the people behind the brand rather than just the business. Because there is a focus on community-building, your brand will not only attract people to the brand, but also bring customers together who all share the same interests, values, and ethics. There is a level of genuine care for customers and what makes them tic.

I should note that with this type of relationship, if you aren’t careful you can get caught in the superficial spiral of thinking the community growth is the most important metric. Size is a vanity metric, what you really want to focus on is engagement, reach, sentiment, etc.

Value-add Customer Relationships

Similar to community relationships, in this type of customer relationship there is a focus on creating brand loyalty and customer retention, trust, and credibility. Personalization and customer experience play a huge role in building this type of relationship because you are always looking to fill a need for your customer and brands will find that customers in this case will always seek the best value rather than just brand loyalty. A brand who focuses on value add will be able to build loyalty over time by providing value and an honest way of doing business, working to truly understand customer needs and to educate customers on the solutions. While engagement is important, it is a bit different than trying to rally a community around the brand itself. It is more about creating 2-way dialogue to ensure you are providing value. Keep in mind that value does not always mean lowest price!

What kind of customer relationships do you currently have? What kind of customer relationships do you wish you had? While the nature of customer relationships is often defined by things like the business model and the brand personality, it is ultimately up to you how you want to connect with your customers.

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

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Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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Trademarks

It’s too early for me to worry about trademarks, right? 

If you are operating a business in Canada, or you are planning to in the near future, you should be thinking about trademarks. It’s very unfortunate that business owners are advised about business name registrations, HST numbers and the like, but not advised of the perils of not properly searching the availability of a proposed name and taking the steps to own it as a trademark.

Today’s blog was co-written by Cynthia Mason, a Lawyer and Trademark Agent with Mason PC in Ottawa, and the Founder of Markably, an on-line DIY way to register your own trademarks.

 

1) I am just starting out with my business. It’s too early for me to worry about trademarks, right?  

It’s never too early to be thinking about owning and protecting your trademarks. Your first thought about trademarks should really be when you select your business name. You want to ensure that you are selecting a name that is capable of functioning as a trademark, and by that we mean something that is not descriptive of your products and services and is not confusing with anyone else’s trademark. Once you are confident the name is available for your exclusive use, you should claim ownership of it with a trademark registration.

 

2) What is a trademark anyway?

A trademark can be anything that you use to set your products or services apart from everyone else’s. There are three main types of trademarks that most businesses, big or small, consistently use. They are (a) names, (b) logos and (c) taglines.

 

3) Why do I even need to worry about protecting my trademarks? That’s an issue for bigger businesses than mine. 

Trademarks are what the public uses to find your products and services in the marketplace. So regardless of the size of your business, you need to ensure that the public isn’t confused between your trademark and someone else. Trademark law is a great equalizer between businesses with different depths of resources. So long as you are the first business to use a trademark and you have registered it as your trademark, which is not expensive to do, you have the power to stop all others from causing confusion.

 

4) The mechanics: How do I go about registering a Trademark? 

To start the registration process, you file an application with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and that application must contain the trademark, the applicant’s name and address, and a classified description of the goods and/or services that will be sold in connection with the trademark. Once filed, CIPO will examine the application for compliance with trademark laws and regulations, and if satisfied the application complies, they’ll approve it and advertise it for any public objections. If none are raised, the application is allowed and registered for a 10-year term, which can be renewed indefinitely.

The trademark registration process is somewhat lengthy in Canada, due to a delay in examination, and it will take about 2.5 to 3 years from filing the application to obtaining the final registration.

 

5) If I have more than one trademark, should I register them all at the same time?

Each trademark must be the subject of its own registration, and you should register all your trademarks. But if your budget is tight, your first priority should be to register the name that appears on your products or in advertising your services, as this is the main trademark that the public uses to distinguish your products and services from everyone else’s. You next priorities for registration should be your logo and any taglines or secondary product or service names.

 

6) If I register it, where is it good for?

Trademark registrations are country specific. So, if you only register your trademarks in Canada, you only own them in Canada. That registration does not grant you rights in any other countries. You should register your trademarks in every country where you are actively marketing your products and services.

 

7) What does it cost and how long does it take?

This isn’t easy to answer in a few words because it requires an explanation of the government fee structure and the different levels of legal assistance you can obtain.

 

8) What are the alternatives to registering a trademark?

Here are 3 examples of how real-life small businesses approached trademarks:

      1.Not registering.

Using an unregistered trademark limits your ability to stop others from using the same or a confusingly similar trademark. In every instance where you try to stop a confusing use, you’ll have to prove through convincing evidence that you own the trademark and that they are going to cause confusion and damage.

      2.Registering later when the business has more money.

Many businesses wait until they are comfortably making money before they take steps to register their trademarks. There are risks to this approach. First, until you have a registration, you are using an unregistered trademark and your ability to stop others from using a confusing trademark is limited. Second, it takes between 2.5 to 3 years to go through the registration process, and while your application is pending with CIPO, you have only an unregistered trademark and your ability to stop others from using something confusing is limited.

      3.DIY registering.

Trademark owners can DIY a trademark application and doing this is better than doing nothing to claim ownership of your trademark! However, registering trademarks requires knowledge of trademark registrability laws as well as how to classify goods and services. If you don’t get these things right in your application, you will receive objections and your application could potentially be refused all together. Speaking with a Trademark Agent in advance is well-worth your investment.

 

9) More questions? Speak to an expert!

There are many elements of intellectual property law: trademarks, copyright, and patents. Each of them is a unique area of law. 

It is best to consult with an experienced lawyer or Trademark Agent to look at your asset picture. If you have any questions, reach out to Cynthia Mason directly at cynthia@masonpc.com.

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Amee Sandhu has been a business lawyer in Ontario for 20 years.  She created Lex Integra Professional Corporation in 2019 and focuses exclusively on business law and corporate ethics.  

In her current practice Amee advises clients on commercial, corporate, integrity, anti-corruption, ethics and compliance, and supply chain risks. 

Lex Integra:

Understand your risks. Perform with Integrity.

The purpose and contents of this blog is to provide information only, and it does not constitute legal advice.  Reading this blog does not create a solicitor-client relationship between the reader and Amee Sandhu or Lex Integra. It is recommended to engage (hire) a lawyer if you require or are interested in legal advice.

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Public Relations Trends to Rock 2021!

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted economies and industries globally, leaving virtually none untouched. Through it all public relations professionals have stood guard like a loyal soldier. We’ve been a tower of strength, and we’ve fought to keep our clients top of mind through the unpredictable curves and turns. 

PR pros have come to the rescue with crisis management strategies, communicating lockdowns, creating new campaigns to amplify messages about health and safety, mental health care, educational shifts to virtual classes, and ongoing changes that continue to keep us on our toes. We have managed conversations about businesses transitioning to e-commerce and the uptick in online shopping and curbside pickups. So too have PR pros led efforts in corporate social responsibility, pinpointing areas where businesses and nonprofits can give back to their communities and help the less fortunate to keep food on their tables and take care of the essentials.

We’ve been there through the tough moments and the unifying ones, urging leaders on, supporting our clients through a maze of hurdles, and getting them publicity across a host of media outlets. As the 2021 progresses, there are several PR trends that are popping up on the radar that organisations should take into consideration if they are to make meaningful conversations and stay ahead of the game. Here are some of the key ones to keep an eye on:

 

Innovative Content

We’re online a whole lot these days. From virtual classes, to Zoom meetings and webinars, we are having more screen time than ever before. To capture your audience’s attention, you will have to dig deeper to create innovative content and to incorporate brand storytelling to connect to the heart of their ideal clients. Think of the pictures, videos and the words you use. It’s important now more than ever to show up in a memorable way. Innovative content is relevant and necessary for owned media channels like websites, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. When you produce thoughtful content, it makes you stand out. Which social media channels do your audience use? Do they love videos? Are they crazy about Tiktok? How about LinkedIn for B2B connections? Or the latest craze, Clubhouse? Wherever they are, using thoughtful, creative content is the way to get and maintain their attention. Let’s not forget innovative content to get the attention of traditional media houses. When you land publicity via blogs, newspapers, or online outlets it operates much like SEO for your brand. You extend the life of your stories, you get social proof and third party endorsements that overtime can yield great benefits for your brand or business. 

 

#RepresentationMatters – Focus on Diversity & Inclusion 

Through all the changes since the pandemic, one of the main conversations that continues to evolve is the importance of diversity & inclusion. A McKinsey’s Report, Diversity Matters which predates the outbreak of the global pandemic, stated that companies should pay much greater attention to inclusion, even when they are relatively diverse. Since the global protests and increasing conversations around Black Lives Matter, more businesses globally are giving a nod to the inclusion of Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) audiences. Business leaders have had to acknowledge that the archaic and stereotypical messages and approach to multiculturalism are now out the window. There has been a paradigm shift since the protests and ensuing conversations, and now, the pressure is mounting for them to be mission-consistent, and to stand the accountability litmus test. Major iconic brands like Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s have been renamed because of their connections to racial stereotypes, organisations have revisited how they embrace diversity & inclusion, and many are actively taking steps to integrate multiculturalism in the workplace and to find out how to better engage multicultural audiences through messages and campaigns. In October, CBC news announced that Canada plans to bring in more than 1.2 million new immigrants over the next three years to fill gaps in its labour market and boost the economy, both hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. That in itself is a reminder that the shifts will continue in this space and they should not be ignored. As businesses battle the debilitating effects of COVID-19, tapping into this diversity & inclusion conversation will go a long way, and PR pros will play a huge role in ensuring that it is done right.

 

Personalised & Hybrid Events

Live events have been halted across the globe but that hasn’t stopped brands, businesses and individuals globally from reaching their audiences in the virtual space. If you’re a big music fan, a highlight of 2020 was the impact of Versuz TV, an American webcast series created by producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. The producers reeled in over 5.6 million followers since they launched in April last year, hosting epic music battles with some of the top musical acts and thrilling fans globally through live clashes that brought nostalgia, sheer joy, and a sense of camaraderie. Businesses, too, have taken the reins to engage audiences via online channels, whether by hosting webinars, live chats, or events to complement their integration of e-commerce. That said, there should be no mistaking the fact that people still crave human connection, the opportunity to connect in an authentic space, and to share in experiences that leave them fulfilled and yearning for more. Hybrid and personalised events can fill this gap. By creating engaging and immersive experiences that will leave a lasting impression on current and prospective clients, you set the stage for a solid long-term relationship.

 

Integrating the ‘PESO’ Model

Media houses have downsized significantly since the pandemic, advertising and marketing budgets have been slashed, funds have been redirected to the most critical aspects of businesses, and to add to that, there continues to be significant changes in the social media algorithms that make it a never-ending maze to get your messages to your target audience. So the question is, how do you navigate this while making sure that you’re communicating effectively? The solution is to create integrated campaigns that incorporate Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned (PESO) media. Each channel has its unique advantages, and compliments the others in creating a seamless campaign that reaches all the major touchpoints for your audience.

As COVID-19 continues to stir ongoing shifts, it inevitably affects organisations across several industries. Communication strategies will have to be adjusted to amplify the messages about the changes, and PR professionals stand ready to take on this challenge as they did at the start of the pandemic. By creating innovative content, honouring diversity and inclusion, incorporating personalised, hybrid events and integrating the PESO model, you’ll be on your way to rocking the year!

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Kimesha is the CEO of Oasis Integrated Communications, a PR firm with operations in Canada and Jamaica, and a focus on helping businesses to find their paradise. She’s a seasoned PR professional with a passion for crafting meaningful stories that connect with people. An eternal optimist who thrives on perfecting solutions that marry creative brand experience with consumer engagement, she believes in tapping into the core values of a company and tailoring strategies that share their narrative and find affinity. Her experience spans public relations, corporate communications, marketing, social media and advertising across a range of industries. She has executed projects in Toronto, New York, and Jamaica where she has deftly managed some of the foremost brands across North America and the Caribbean.

Connect with Kimesha:

Instagram – @oasisintegrated

Twitter: @TheOasisPR

Facebook: Oasis Integrated Communications

LinkedIn: @Kimesha Walters

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