smart solutions

When we first swung open our doors in early 2009, we had our eyes peeled on providing exceptional services to our clients, to help them grow their brands and reach more customers. It was our main focus to help others help others…

And, we did just that. We quickly gained traction with key clients and build a strong team to provide a wide palette of services around the core focus of Public Relations. We essentially supported our clients with their overall communications strategy, from branding to brand positioning, from online presence to live brand activations, social media, websites, media buying and more…

Who would have thought that we would be here today. Not that we only thinking short term or didn’t have a vision for the future…

But in the past decade, we, ourself, have evolved, expanded, shifted with demand and client’s needs as well as locations from which we provided all these services, catered to projects and implemented campaigns. We started off in Byron Bay, where lifestyle and work balance is healthy, the weather always inviting and meetings take place in al fresco cafes or the beach pretty much all year round.

We opened an office in Sydney, then moved HQ to Mullumbimby and in 2011 opened a Bali office. Ok, you might wonder if that was a commercial decision or a lifestyle one, and truth be told, it was both. Our team kept expanding, our client populous kept diversifying and we loved the way we grew and with it our team, which more and more worked in pods long before co-working hubs or remote working was really a thing.

So, we had a team of 12 working in remote locations and internationally, we had clusters in Sydney, Byron Bay, Bali and in 2016 moved our HQ to the thriving city of Melbourne. Again, we maintained our multi-disciplinary team across multiple hubs and offices, and long before any pandemic hit anyone – working from home was encouraged and frequently practiced.

In terms of our service offering, we kept expanding and refining – while PR and brand positioning remained as the core pillar of what we do, we established partnerships and introduced specialised services hubs such as around media buying, publishing of content, books and magazines for our clients and project books, live events, brand activations and collaborated with RMIT University through WIL (Work Integrated Learning), internships and being invited to sit on the Industry Advisory Board.

And, we not only earn applause from our many clients over the ten years, but earned a stack of industry and business award recognitions, including winning the Ricoh Business Award for Victoria & Tasmania 2018, Finalist in the Optus MyBusiness Award 2018, Winner Best PR Agency in the Business Excellence Awards 2019, Winner Best Brand Agency in the Australian Enterprise Awards 2019, Finalist in the Business Champion Awards 2019 and nominations for the Telstra Business Award in 2018 and 2019.

Overall, it has been a massive ride filled with challenges, growth, wins and successes and a long list of amazing clients we had the privilege to work with and help elevate their brand for. Ten years of making a difference, not only to our clients and projects, but to the people. And, we are not just talking about the people directly affected by our clients and the services and products they provide to them, but to those living in less fortunate circumstances.

We have always held a strong ‘giving back’ sentiment and believe that business and profit to be a force for good. Apart from working directly with a number of charities and donating to various organisations, we have also partnered with B1G1, a social enterprise that has achieved over 200 million impacts globally since its inception. We are committed to creating opportunities, supporting educations and bringing generational change to people and communities in developing countries and have done so for a number of years now.

So, our focus of delivering professional services and making a positive difference for our clients delivers not only this, but is also improves the lives of countless people who face greater challenges than we do or our clients do before they start working with us.

Turning 10 is a kind of coming of age too. We have grown a lot, not just in size and scope, but in skill, insight, wisdom and how we can best help more businesses succeed. We want to extend a massive ‘Thank You’ to all our clients, projects, team members, collaborators, and of course our professional networks and media connections for the support and outcomes of the past 10 years. And, in looking ahead, the next 10 years are all about amplifying this and reaching our target of helping 10 000 businesses to succeed and to improving the lives of 1 million people while we are at it…

So, we, invite you to be part of this amazing feat – to grow and make a difference to others while you do. We look forward to welcoming you to join – what we call the Smart Solutions Eco-system.

2019 to 2029 – Here we come!

Over a decade in the communications field has taught me a lot about this industry and I have been lucky enough to share my insights with Women’s Network Australia. Check it out below…

For many business owners, entrepreneurs and even office workers alike, the lines between PR, Marketing and Advertising can easily be blurred. More often than not, it’s simple to identify advertising ploys, their purpose and even their outcomes. Yet, many fail to recognise PR in action and can easily miss the signs that a campaign or communication strategy is underway.

There is an age-old battle between PR and advertising, which has seen the two fight it out for client attention for decades. So, what makes PR such a valuable tool, and is it better than advertising?

Value-add Content
We live in a ‘consumer-driven’ society and much of our daily grind consists of being ‘sold’ things – TV, social media, news, magazine, billboards and movies – which all tell us how we should act, dress and even feel. It can easily be overwhelming and frustrating. That’s where PR comes in.

PR doesn’t try to sell you things – in fact, the philosophy is to focus on value-add content. Instead of trying to sell you a service, the approach is to find current trends and topics and insert the company/client into the discussion by providing insightful content and commentary for readers and viewers. This is a gentle way to position the brand with key audiences – without the hard sell or the high cost.

Third Party Endorsement
Essentially, no one likes people who brag about themselves, so why would we want to see companies do it? This is why third party endorsed messaging is much more effective. Instead of a full page advertisement, which screams ‘I’ve got a lot of money and I know how to use it’, an interview with the client (conducted by the publication) or a review by the publication of the product/service holds much greater reader engagement and value. Not only does this bring the client to top-of mind awareness for readers, but as a society who thrives on social proof, it also helps build credibility.

Costs
Advertising can be expensive and companies can pay thousands of dollars for just one print ad which is quickly flicked over. PR gets you far greater readership impact with minimal to no cost involved. Don’t be fooled, there are costs involved in successful PR campaigns – clients might be required to pay for photoshoots, equipment, and general expenditure that accompany campaigns, plus usually a retainer for the PR company, but you won’t have to fork out thousands of dollars just to get your name/company featured in the publication. Not only is PR considered three times the value of paid advertising, but it costs far less comparatively. It is not uncommon that a PR budget of only a few thousand dollars can generate media exposure valued tenfold that in just a matter of a couple of months, let alone get exposure you simply cannot buy, such as TV or radio.

Much like advertising, Public Relations holds its own place in the communication realm. And, while there is no discrediting the effectiveness of paid advertising, there is a place and need for PR. In order to work out what will best meet your needs, talk to a professional to devise a strategy best suited to your business and budget. Then implement a working budget in line with your aims and spending capacity to ensure you achieve the best results possible. Usually, if budgets are limited, PR reins over advertising when it comes to affordability and ROI.

Do you have you a strategy in place for your business? I would love to hear it.

Read more of my industry insights on the Women’s Network Australia website

Tag: smart solutions

Celebrating 10 Years in Business

The Value of Public Relations VS Advertising