What’s trending?

PR is an industry that is always evolving. You need to stay on top of the trends in order to bring success to your brand(s). Here are some predicted PR Trends to look for in 2016:

1. No more traditional press release. Press releases are in for a makeover this year. Instead of the traditional format, 2016 is bringing a multimedia edge to the release. Photos, charts, video, and social networking options should all be incorporated in the release you send out this year.
2. Different methods of distribution will be used. People are always looking to get their brands to the right audience. The use of social ads and paid promotion is on the rise for companies. PR efforts will start including more paid promotional tactics.
3. New measurements and analytical tools of PR efforts will come to be. People and brands want measurable tactics so they can see if their PR strategy is working. This means that emerging models of PR measurement are coming in 2016.
4. Visual content and infographics popularity will increase. We all need to start being visual thinkers because everyone wants to see more visuals.
5. Real Time Marketing – this includes message boards, current events, and real time interactions with audiences. Real time marketing with continue to rise because in today’s world we all have to have everything now. Instant communication will continue to be key for professional communicators.

Looking to start your own business?

Whether you’ve had a business idea for years and are finally thinking about launching it, or you were sipping sangria poolside with your friends and thought “hey, let’s go into business together”, there are a few things you need to think about when starting your own business.

I’ve suddenly been immersed in the Hamilton startup community and culture. I intern for a startup public relations agency and I work with the entrepreneurial connection at Mohawk College. Here are some tips that I have picked up along the way!

1. Don’t forget to write a business plan!
   Writing a business plan and identifying your market will guide you forward and is necessary for potential investors.

Think about your mission statement, executive summary, and costs!
Figuring out your cost/what to charge is hard. We experimented with a few trials and errors. Definitely do some research before determining your fees, but trial and error is going to happen when starting out.

2. Gather your support system!
   You are going to want to be surrounded by motivating, encouraging, and positive people.
   Tip: a great part of our support system is our co-working office space!

3. Secure your permits, licenses, insurance, and legalities!
   You always want to avoid any sticky legal situations.

4. Be patient!
   This one is way easier said than done. But being patient when it comes to growing your reach and consumer base is huge. Unfortunately, the odds of your business booming overnight is slim, so be patient and stay motivated!

5. Network!
   Word-of-mouth marketing is your best friend when growing a startup.

6. Take advantage of free resources!
   Get all of the help you can get! We are lucky enough to live in a city that promotes entrepreneurship and provides many resources. Look into mentors, networking events, grants, or others when thinking of resources available to you.

Hamilton is full of helpful organizations for startups:

• SBEC (Small Business Enterprise Centre)
  http://www.investinhamilton.ca/small-business
• Co-working spaces
  http://www.comotiononking.com
  http://platform302.com
  http://www.seedworksoffices.ca
  http://theforgehamilton.ca
• Hamilton Hive
  http://www.hamiltonhive.ca
• Innovation Factory
  http://www.innovationfactory.ca
• SURGE at Mohawk College
  http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/surge
• Spectrum at McMaster University
  http://www.spectrum.mcmaster.ca
• Alumni associations
• Chamber of commerce
  http://hamiltonchamber.ca

Pitch Perfect

What makes the perfect media pitch? Now that I’m learning about specializing in media relations and know the importance of pitching your brand’s stories to the media. Here are what we consider the top 10 do’s and don’ts of pitching to the media…

1. Choose a target. Be sure you are choosing the right outlets to pitch your story too. This will ensure that you are reaching the audience you want your story to reach. You want to know if they are a good fit for your business, product, story, etc. Think about why/if they would run your story and/or why not.
2. Pitch a story – not a company. A company and its services are not newsworthy. Your pitch must be interesting. Think about how a reporter sees a story and answer “so what”, why would this outlet’s audience care about this story?
3. Get to the point and keep it short. You want to lead with your best stuff and capture the reporters and potential reader’s attention immediately.
4. It is all about relationships. Your media relationships are valuable so use them.
5. Build your media list.
6. Research previous works of the reporters and know them well. Think about what their interests and recurring themes are. Use this to your advantage. Figure out where your story would fit in and tell them.
7. Be factual. Be sure to have the facts straight and be able to prove them. Research and honesty are the best ways to ensure you aren’t exaggerating in the story.
8. Cater your pitches. Making it personal may be time consuming but it is beneficial. It is flattering when people know your work so show them that you have read and researched their work.
9. Follow up but make it brief. Do not pester the journalist or outlet. Find out if they interested and what they thought of the story. This step requires you to be prepared for rejection and take it as constructive criticism.
10. Proofread again. And then proofread again.

Want to be a better writer?

One thing that I have been told since day one about “making it in public relations” is “you have to be good writer”.

Writing is now a part of daily life with emails, blogs, social media, and texting. And now with the majority of businesses including an online platform, business writing has also grown to incorporate these aspects, on top of the typical documenting. In order to excel in your workplace or make your resume and portfolio stand out you’ll want to improve your writing skills!

Make an outline! Your outline will be like your “life line”; you can refer to it whenever you feel overwhelmed.

Read and write a lot! Reading is where you need to start in order to become a better writer. Start paying attention to writing styles while reading; who do you want to write like? Write as often as you can. Practice makes perfect.

Write about things that you know. This is an obvious one, but it’s important to remember. If you try to write a piece on a topic you don’t know much about, the odds are your audience will be able to tell.

Say it out loud. This is a tip not everyone will follow, but it becomes helpful when you’re getting stuck and editing.

Don’t be afraid of feedback. If you are handing in a document to your supervisor, don’t hesitate to ask for feedback first. You always want another set of eyes, since you’ll be bit bias; constructive criticism is always beneficial.

Start and end strong. You always want to start strong because you want to hook your reader. This skills becomes beneficial on most platforms, including social media. You also want to end strong to leave the reader wanting more of your writing.

Stop using filler words. When writing effectively there are words to cut out and avoid. Some examples of filler words include: just, really, very, things, and stuff.

Climb Your Way to a Successful Event

Monday December 7, 2015 – a local #HamOnt venue hosted a night of music and comedy for a local charity.

The Staircase Café and Theatre is a known trademark in Hamilton, especially in the comedy scene. They hosted a fundraising event this week that I was lucky enough to be a part of. Wellwood is a cancer support centre that has a facility here in Hamilton and it was a part of my graduate program at Mohawk College to put on a fundraising campaign for them.

I could go into detail about the hard work that was put into this project and the difficulties of coordinating with 13 people. But instead of how we got to the event let’s talk about the night of the event!

The night was split into two sections – a comedy show in the theatre, and live acoustic music in the café. In the café area we also had a prize section that included an autographed game-used NHL hockey stick, gift certificates for local restaurants, candy baskets, and more. We ran the prizes like “door prizes” – you bought a ticket, it went in a box, we pulled a number, and you went up and picked your prize. I think the prizes went over really well (but I could be biased because I was in charge of the “raffle”). Two of my guests won prizes (my boyfriend and my brother) – I’ve been accused of rigging the draw, but you have my word I didn’t…

We “rented” the Staircase from 7:00-8:30, but the night ran past 9:30 because it was going so well and the owner was happy with the turnout. Putting on a big event like this, where you rely on people to show up, is nerve-wracking! But it turned out great. We raised over $1000 for Wellwood that night.

Now, unfortunately, I did not make it into the comedy show, but the laughter echoing from the room clearly told me how well it went! I was, however, lucky enough to stay out and enjoy some acoustic music (below is a video of a close friend of mine singing at the show). Listening to acoustic music while sipping wine and introducing my boyfriend to my new friends from my program. If that combination does not sound like a winning night… (I don’t know how to finish this, but it was a great night)!

Jenna

This is Jenna van Klaveren.
            Born and raised in Hamilton.

Jenna shares my passion for the beauty and culture of this up-and-coming city.

She has been an employee of the City of Hamilton and is currently doing freelance graphic design work for them. She is also the communications director of the Paper Street Journal (a Hamilton based journal that publishes a variety of works and enhances this city’s culture). Jenna also volunteers her time to contribute to the urban anthology of Hamilton, Neighbourhoods Rising.

(Needless to say, this girl loves it here)

“I love it. It’s my home.”

“It’s an exciting time to be in Hamilton. There is so much going on and so much opportunity, especially as someone who is interested in urban development and growth… and the art scene!”

I asked Jenna what she disliked about our city, “probably the divide between the mountain and downtown… it’s unfortunate that the mountain loses out on the culture of our downtown”.

(If that comment doesn’t sound familiar to you – read my first blog post! We share this dislike.)

I wanted know and share Jenna’s favourite hotspots in Hamilton. Since she couldn’t name just one, she listed five:

1. The Brain on James St. North – a bar and coffee shop
2. The Ship on Augusta St.
3. Two Black Sheep on John St.
4. Gameopolis on King St.
5. HAMBRGR

Jenna is the first of my “Hamilton Spotlights”. I will be conducting brief interviews with Hamiltonians to showcase some local talent and lives.

Let Hamilton be Your Winter Wonderland

“I HATE WINTER!” said basically every person at one point in their lives…

It’s cold. It’s dark. You have to wear layers. Your lips are always chapped. You lose your tan you just spent 4 months of summer working on. Shoveling sucks. You have to bring dry shoes everywhere you go. You fear for your life every time you have to drive. It dries out your skin. You have to scrape your car windows. Slush means more work for parents and pet owners. The salt that is everywhere ruins everything you love.

…I get it, I’ve been there. I went through a phase in high school where I said “I don’t believe in winter” and I refused to wear a coat until December in hopes that the cold wouldn’t come… It always came.

This year, let’s try a different approach. This year, I am going to enjoy winter and living in Hamilton is going to be the reason why!

1. Let’s go skating at the waterfront outdoor rink
   (probably for 15 minutes and then head inside to get a delicious William’s Fresh Café hot beverage)

2. Let’s go to Fieldcote Memorial Park to see the forest of Christmas Trees!
   December 18^th everyone decorates a Christmas tree on this property to create a forest of Christmas trees. Vote for your favourite one!

3. Let’s enjoy Hamilton’s Christmas Market!
   Every Saturday on Ottawa St. there is a market, this time of year it celebrates Christmas!

4. Let’s visit Dundurn Castle!
   There are tons of winter and Christmas events at Dundurn Castle this time of year, or you can just go to listen to carolers and see how beautifully decorated it is.

5. Let’s go to Winterfest!!(it’s February 6-15… right around the time people start forgetting Christmas and New Years ever happened and start really hating winter)
   It starts on February 6^th at Hamilton’s waterfront with skating, live music, yummy treats, and more!
   They like to keep it somewhat of a surprise… so keep updated on:
   http://www.tourismhamilton.com/festivals-events/winterfest-2016

I might not have changed your mind about the season (understandably), but I hope you at least check out these spots in Hamilton over the next couple of months.

Winter tip: take a few minutes every day to appreciate the Christmas lights on houses, the sparkling of the snow, the care of your neighbours clearing off their sidewalks, and the detail of the trees when each branch is crystalized in ice. Seeing the winter wonderland is your best way to see the best in the “worst” season.

Can I afford to live in the new Brooklyn?

I realize that everyone is at different stages in their lives, and moving out of mom and dad’s house is not necessarily the stage most students, including myself, are in… However, I do think it’s something worth discussing.

1. My mom has been in real estate her whole career/my whole life
2. I have recently acquired myself a boyfriend who is at the stage in his life where he is looking to move out into his own place.

I wanted to share with everyone my knowledge and experience when it comes to the real estate market in the Hammer.

Well, the main issue that I have come across is that there is a very small area that young people are looking to buy in (approximately Westdale – James St., all South of King St.). Due to this concentration of demand, the pricing has sky-rocketed. I have been finding it impossible to find a decent place in that area for less that $1100 a month. And I am talking a simple on bedroom apartment… that is crazy!! It is just the way the world works… the higher the demand, the higher the cost.

Young couples or individuals looking to move out on their own should be looking for affordable places anywhere in the city, within reason (ie. safety). Sure it would be cool to be a walk away from Locke Street, or to be around the corner from all the food on James St. South, or to stop in at Mulberry St. Coffeehouse instead of Starbucks, or spend your Friday watching a band at Mill Hardware instead of seeing a movie at the Ancaster cineplex. I get it… But what people don’t seem to get is the fact that you can live in an affordable area and still do all of these things! They just may be a longer walk, a bus ride, or a short drive away. I want to encourage people to look at the potential of living on the mountain!

Another point is: as we all know, there are two option when you’re looking for a place – rent or buy. I threw together a pros and cons list of both, because I know that I still do not know which I would rather!

Renting

Pros:
* If anything goes wrong – landlord
* Much easier to move around and try new locations (when your lease is up)
* You don’t have to go through the pain of selling it – the landlord does
Cons:
* Your money feels like it isn’t really going towards anything because you don’t end up owning anything
* You can’t save nearly as much to buy a house while you are renting one
* The price of rent in Hamilton is astronomical

Buying

Pros:
* Owning a home builds up your credit
* Personal pride
* Get to lay roots
* You will most likely end up paying the same price in a mortgage than you would rent
* Resale is looking great in today’s market and Hamilton’s demand
Cons:
* You are in charge of all the maintenance duties
* You have to deal with the City when property issues occur
* It is expensive
* It is a pain to sell

 

If you are looking to rent or buy here are some helpful websites:

http://www.gottarent.com/on/hamilton/

http://www.homefinder.ca/homes-for-sale/186-hamilton-real-estate

also, http://hamilton.craigslist.ca/ has been my favourite and most useful when looking at the “map” list option.

Hamilton in Hamilton

My last name is Hamilton, and I am from Hamilton… hence the title and the topic.

Hamilton, Ontario has been my home for 22 years and quite frankly I’m sick of it having such a bad rap. If you live in Hamilton and don’t think you live in a super cool city, you are doing something wrong. Let me enlighten you…

First of all, let’s talk food (most likely will be a common theme on this blog). Every independent and local restaurant or bakery that opens up has been killing it. Here are my personal favourites:

1. The Burnt Tongue – I dare you to find a better bowl of soup
2. Lemon Grass – if you love Thai food as much I do, you need to check out this spot
3. Earth to Table Bread Bar on Locke St. – the freshest food I’ve had in the hammer
4. NaRoma Pizza Bar on Locke St. – even the pickiest eaters will be adventurous with this delicious za
5. The Harbour Diner – most creative and delicious breakfast specials you will find! (and was on “You’ve Gotta Eat Here!” so that’s pretty cool)
6. Mezcal – My boyfriend is Mexican and if he gives the thumbs up to a taco place you know it’s legit.
7. Bananza’s – this hidden gem has the best hot sandwiches for the most affordable prices (you also have to indulge in their homemade Portuguese baked goods)
8. August 8 Sushi – okay, this one isn’t an independent, but I can’t deprive you of the best sushi in town
9. Brux house – has tasty and creative craft beers exclusive to their restaurant (good food too)
10. Quatrefoil Restaurant – if you’re feeling a little fancy

When my university roommates come to visit me in Hamilton I feel an obligation to show them the best time and prove to outsiders that this really is an amazing up-and-coming city.

Now, I understand that there are some areas that are fixer-upers, but I think that is the case for most large cities. And growing up on the west side of the mountain, it was understood that you avoid downtown and especially the east and north end. But by instilling those beliefs in me I missed out on the central parts of what makes Hamilton, Hamilton. I have now had the privilege to work in the north end and the east end of downtown and have gotten to know many of the residents there. Let me enlighten you – they are just as kind, smart, and friendly as the resident from “up-the-mountain”. It’s strange to me that there is this stigma associated with “down-the-mountain”… When in reality, that is where the best part of Hamilton lies.

Anyways, my issues with the divide of upper and lower Hamilton can maybe be a future post. I started out this post happy and I’m going to finish it on a positive note as well!

Here are more reasons to love the Hammer:

1. It is the waterfall capital of the world
2. It has become a hot spot to for filming movies
   Don’t believe me? Here’s a SMALL list of some A-list movies that have scenes shot in Hamilton:
   – XMEN
   – Four brothers
   – Cinderella Man
   – The Incredible Hulk
   – Man of the Year
   – Hairspray

3. The music- the local music scene is crazy… if you go into any local bar after 9:00 on most weeknights you will find some of the best bands you’ve seen. Do you know of the Arkells? Yeah, they’re from Hamilton.
4. The theatre- Theatre Aquarius always has affordable shows at premium quality
5. Sports- hello, we are home to the CFL’s Hamilton Tigercats and OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs
   • Also affordable entertainment

Bottom line?
Don’t write Hamilton off so easy… you will be pleasantly surprised with the culture and atmosphere of this city. I don’t ever plan on leaving.