Stop being mean to content creators: Knowing SEO doesn’t make you God

Following on from pointing out the popularity of content doesn’t mean it is useless, I thought I’d tackle the problem of resentment towards content creators by SEO copywriters. It bemuses me a whole heck of a lot to see SEO web copywriters all pooh-poohing content- via their blogs mind you, and their social. “Pssst… wanna hear a secret? Not everyone finds what they want simply by clicking through on the first page on Google.”... Read More

Why I broke up with Hootsuite

Why I broke up with Hootsuite As a self confessed marketing nerd and social media lover, Hootsuite and I have had a lovely, long and generally happy relationship. However, after being introduced to another scheduling suite by the name of Buffer App by my client TaskRunners, Hootsuite and I are no more. Consider this my “so long and thanks for all the fish” and why I broke up with Hootsuite story. The glance across a crowded market When I first... Read More

Yes, you do benefit from social media- PART 2

To social media or not social media- that is the question. Well, at least it is for some companies and I am here to answer that with a big fat YES. There are a lot of benefits to be had by using social media. If you missed the first instalment, please pop through to Yes, you do benefit from social media- PART 1. For those of you who’ve already done the first part of the blog, let’s get into it! Are you ready? Let’s go!   Customer Service becomes... Read More

Yes, you do benefit from social media – part 1

According to some companies and heads of marketing, social media is a nice to have, but a non essential. They’re still playing the “yes but where’s the proof it generates sales?” game. So I’ve put together what I think is the case for social media as part of your marketing mix. The Penguin and Panda changes to Google have made social important to SEO Penguin, Panda and Social SEO Since Google updates Penguin and Panda, social media interactions... Read More

Case Study: La Maison website copy and communications strategy

Background: Working with Second Storey Productions, La Maison Sydney, makers and retailers in eclectic furniture and homewares, was looking for a completely new online solution. Unashamedly Creative was brought in to assist with the voice development, copywriting and social media review and planning.   Objective: To create a new website with SEO friendly copy that did not lose the beauty and personality of the La Maison range or the lead designer... Read More

Is your marketing too clingy?

Don’t be a clingy company. Once you get a customer, it can be hard to let go. But what’s the difference between holding onto a customer and being way too clingy? Read on!   Awkward Email Unsubscribe Guess what? Customers (potential and actual) will occasionally sign up for your email newsletter and then decide it isn’t for them. Don’t make their unsubscribe process hard. Don’t ask them to enter passwords when you know full well they... Read More

That eBook Experiment? I failed

You might remember I set myself the goal of gaining 1000 followers by January 31st 2013 in order to give myself that push towards writing my very first eBook. The idea was to really put the pressure on myself to get the task done, considering it kept popping up sporadically on the TO DO LIST like some kind of goofy Meer Cat but progressing no further. Well, I failed. I got to 990 followers at January 31st. I sat there for a little while considering... Read More

I’m Crowdsourcing an eBook. Am I crazy?

Earlier this month, I popped up a little post about the Spunky Little Marketing eBook. If you missed the story, basically it’s about inspiring myself to write an eBook by using Deadline Party Theory. I’ve promised myself I would write an eBook most of 2012 and have failed to shuffle that bad boy up from TO DO LIST to the magical place where red pen is applied as a sign of completion. As important as I think it is (especially being a copywriter,... Read More

Roadtesting: No B.S Trust Based Marketing

Taking the opportunity to catch up with some reading during my holidays, I tackled No B.S Trust Based Marketing. I was seeking something that could help the countless startups I have worked with, some information and guidance on how to foster trust with consumers quicker. What started out as promising very rapidly deteriorated into a complete an utter waste of my time. Here’s how:   Customers are Irrational “I bought the entire book... Read More

Case Study: TaskRunners Launch

Background: Collaborative consumption startup, TaskRunners, was looking at launching at the end of 2012. CEO Cheryl Leong engaged Unashamedly Creative to help with the initial marketing and planning, main website copy, and to generally support marketing, content and social media initiatives for the new business.   Objective: To create a strong, SEO friendly presence through website copy To create content to help customers learn about collaborative... Read More

Obnoxious Social Media Boils My Potato

Today appears to be rant day for most of my Facebook friends so I figure why the hell not join in? Here is my rant on why obnoxious social media boils my potato. First of all, what is obnoxious social media? Well, it’s the kind that hasn’t quite come to grips with the word “social” being in the title and is still standing up and screaming like traditional advertising, only worse. It’s trying to cajole you into bending to its will on a social... Read More

Why Tweet Regularly on Twitter?

To say I tweet a lot is an understatement. At current count I was tweeting under 4 active accounts with two others currently having a nap. Anyone who follows any of my accounts such as my Unashamedly Creative Tweeter @noshamecreative or my side project for women @discordia_Zine knows I usually schedule a fair whack of content in there too. So why do I do it? Because it’s super beneficial to what I do. Here’s why: Your imagination goes wild Snuffling... Read More

The Dumbest Mistakes a Startup Can Make

Having worked with the likes of successful startups Space Heroes Universe, Pozible and Open Shed, as well as keeping my finger on the Australian and overseas startup scenes, I’ve noticed a couple of really (and I mean face palm central here) mistakes startups can make. Want to know what the dumbest mistakes startups can make so you can avoid them? Great! Let’s do this thing. 1.       Not Taking Content Seriously This is pretty much the... Read More

69 Ways to Keep Your Sanity When Marketing

It was my birthday the other day and I realised I have been in marketing for over 17 years. In that time, I have seen a heck of a lot of things change. So it made me wonder how I have managed to stay sane, keep with the times and metamorphosis into a strategic freelance marketer. 69 Ways to Keep Your Sanity When Marketing is a result of that pondering. The various forms of advice help keep me going in the right direction. I hope you enjoy it and... Read More

Using Twitter as Your Blog’s Loud Hailer

So you’ve planned out your blog, checked a few blogging lessons and you’ve got a hankering to get it out into the world. Great! Meet your new best friend, Twitter. Look, Facebook is OK but if you want more than your mates reading your stuff, Twitter should be your main social media. With Twitter, you end up with the following reach: Your followers, Under specific topic headings via tags, The followers of your followers, Via trending topics, As... Read More

Roadtesting: Word of Mouth Marketing

You’d have to be living under a rock somewhere not to know the power of word of mouth marketing. Trouble is it’s such a hard thing to cultivate it often ends up in the marketing too hard basket. So in an effort to check out if there is a magic formula, I picked up Andy Sernovitz’s Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking. Here is what I got from it. People trust opinions from people who haven’t let them down previously.... Read More

Copywriting No-No List

Being a creative Sydney copywriter, I do dig around in cyberspace a lot checking out how people go about their writing. Sometimes I stumble across things that make me cringe, wonder what the heck the person was thinking or shake my head in bemusement. If you don’t want someone like me or your customers having the same reaction to what you write, avoid the copywriting no-no list! 1. Writing to ‘match’ your competitors. Find your own... Read More

Tweeting at Events- Yay or Nay?

I’ve recently started attending more talks and conferences and picked up a completely alien concept to me before, tweeting whilst there. I knew everyone did it, it’s how I often catch up on the events I can’t go to using the tags. It just wasn’t my thing. But then I started and I loved it…however, the last event I went to the majority of the audience was not tweeting. And the vibe was different. It was more attentive and warmer somehow.... Read More

Interns and Startups in Australia

It’s super popular to grab an intern for some extra work with your social media, blogging and whatever else you have going. However there is a lot of misconception about what you can and can’t do with an intern in the startup arena. Having investigated this for a couple of my clients, this is what I found out after speaking with Fair Work Australia.   Unless you are a registered arts body or not-for-profit, you need to either pay your intern... Read More

Pozible Crowdfunding for Startup

Last night I crashed an intimate evening of people discussing how to use crowdfunding for startup with Pozible Co-founder Alan Crabbe.   Why crowdfunding and startup? Crowdfunding is a great way to measure early adoption of your product and/or to financially support your goals in a way that can also be used to demonstrate popularity with Angels, funding bodies and more. But how do you use it to its best advantage?   The platform is a tool: The... Read More

Not everyone can write

Back in the 90’s when I left school and started studying creative writing, the amount of weather worm adults who gasped in horror at the idea of throwing away time, energy and brains on writing was astounding. I am sincerely glad I didn’t become a psychologist now, which was the second choice. With the rise of social media and blogging, it’s truly a great time to be a creative copywriter. Writing is the popular kid on the block. More popular... Read More

Discordia is Live!

I truly love marketing. Being a creative copywriter and freelance strategic marketer is something I love doing. I live helping people. Putting truth and creativity back into marketing isn’t just a tagline for me, it’s the reality. And I really enjoy working with my clients. Yet sometimes I have felt recently that I’ve been letting the writer in me down a little. Writing to me is a deeply personal thing. I don’t expect everyone to agree with... Read More

Pinterest 201: Pinning to Get Noticed

There’s content flying all around Pinterest at the moment and there is a lot of talk about how it can benefit your creative pursuits or marketing. But how can you make that happen? Well, check the Pinterest basics first  and then jump on board for this edition, Pinning to Get Noticed. Think about how it can work for you Planning any kind of social media is a better way to go than to just dive right in and Pinterest is no exception. For some businesses... Read More

Pinterest 101

Already making a huge splash in the market, Pinterest is proving extremely popular with people- especially women. So how do you make the most out of Pinterest for your business? Consider this your 101 on starting Pinterest on the right foot. The basics: Registration: If you are going to use an existing social media login for your Pinterest registration, Twitter is the better choice when compared to Facebook. Facebook only links Pinterest to your... Read More

The A to Z of Aussie Freelance Resources

If you freelance and you are in Australia, here are a few things that’ll probably make your life easier. If you have any to suggest, by all means send them through! Couple of notes: I have tried to be accurate with URL and description, however if I have got something wrong somewhere, do let me know this too! Any mistakes are not intentional. This list has been done voluntarily. I’ve tried to keep it relevant and helpful to Australia but not include... Read More

Guest Post: Social Media 101 (mark II)

Social Media 101 (mark II)   This is Part Two of a Two-Part Blog Series by the Queen of Social at Sarah Allen Consulting on how freelancers can use social media marketing to get results. If you missed Part One or would like a refresher, click here. Howdy freelancers.   You’ve had a few weeks now to digest Part One on Social Media 101 for Freelancers, which was all about the importance of seeing social media as a conversation, finding... Read More

Guest Post: Social Media 101 by Sarah Allen

Welcome to the first ever guest blog for freelancers! Take it away Sarah!   This is Part One of a Two-Part Blog Series by the Queen of Social at Sarah Allen Consulting on how freelancers can use social marketing to get results.   Did you know that a third of small businesses are now using social media, while 40% of companies still admit to having no training in this fast-growing medium?   One of the great things about putting social... Read More

CASE STUDY: My Redfern Rocks!

Background: A proud Redfern resident of almost a decade, Rebekah Lambert was appalled that stigma surrounding Redfern still found its way into popular culture, vernacular and media. Having created a connection and home with the suburb, Rebekah looked at ways to support and help the Redfern community grow and prosper through using her ability as a communicator and marketer. And also keep the humble attitude and kindness that makes Redfern what it... Read More

Social Media Expert Schmexpert

Admittedly, I have a tongue like cactus at time and can be a little quick to fire the opinion gun. And I can be a little stubborn at times when it comes to letting go of an opinion once formed. This is why I have sat on this particular topic before putting pen to paper for nigh on two years now. But enough mulling over, it has to be done. It must be said. I seriously cannot stand people who call themselves “social media experts”. Harsh? Maybe.... Read More

Updated: Some Pretty Cool Stuff

The internet has become a pretty cool playground! Whether you are creative, into business or chasing a new way to crack a project, there are some definitely head turning newbie’s out there. Here are a few of my current favourites. Note: I have taken them from the angle of how they help creative people and businesses because that is what interests me. Most of these do however have much further reaching applications. Plan Big: PlanBig has been around... Read More

Crush it- I freakin’ love it!

I did the super uber nerdy reader thing in January and went to one of those “50 Books You Have to Read” for business people. What can I say, I was a little tired of re-reading my current collection and really don’t like snuggling up with a good blog before I go to bed. From that list, beyond the Richard Branson books I already had (being a card carrying Fanson, you know I had to have them!) I chose an unremarkable number of books- 6 to be exact.... Read More

The Empowered Consumer

We hear a lot these days about how we as consumers are the mercy of big corporations, are being dealt a rough hand by paying over inflated prices or are being mislead by advertising more than ever. I have to say, what utter hogwash! It appears to me consumers (and we are all consumers in one way shape or form) are more empowered than we have ever been. Here’s how: We can shop however we want, whenever we want Australia really has come into its own... Read More

Sydney, now it’s your turn…. Let’s Talk Crowdfunding!

After a successful Melbourne event in late 2011, Pozible now brings “Let’s Talk Crowdfunding!” to Sydney. This free event is for anyone who wants to learn more on crowdfunding for creative projects or simply for people interested in self funding through platforms like Pozible. Join us for a helpful, informative and passionate discussion on crowdfunding your dreams and ideas with like minded individuals. The evening is aimed at giving anyone... Read More

So simple it has to work…

I recently finished reading The Secrets of Word of Mouth Marketing by George Silverman (have put up some pieces from it previously and still have another 5 pages of notes I may share, depending). Each time I pick up a book of this kind, it’s great to find some kernel of wisdom that really rings the bell. Here is that bell ringer for me. I wrote down a heading (like the studious little freak I am) of “Six Steps to Harnessing Word of Mouth” with... Read More

Your Project on the Operating Table

Make no bones about it, it really sucks when an idea or project doesn’t work out the way you want it to. But how do you tell the difference between natural causes and misadventure? And what should you do to avoid another untimely demise of a beloved project? Consider this your autopsy and next steps guide to the projects that go belly up! Nurse, I need 10cc’s of Ego, stat! First and foremost, when a project fails to achieve a benchmark, please... Read More

Retail and the Multi-Channel, Mobile Australian Consumer

By far the biggest impact on retail seen in the last twelve months has been the maturation and genuine arrival of mobile commerce in Australia. And of course when you get a room of 100 clever, on the ball Product Managers in one room together, brainmates Product Bash 2011 was dominated by the influence of mobile commerce on the retail experience. Our panel of Mark Rowland, Co-founder of online shoe retailer Style Tread, Andrew Rechtman, Product Director... Read More

How to Stay Afloat in a Competitive Retail World

As brainmates continue our exploration of the discussion coming from Product Bash 2011, our panel of Mark Rowland, Co-founder of online shoe retailer Style Tread, Andrew Rechtman, Product Director of PayPal Australia and Daniel Roberts, Head of Online for the Woolworths non-food businesses Dan Murphy’s, Big W and Dick Smith, shared their thoughts on “The Internet Super Mall and the Future of Retail”  in relation to how to stay afloat in... Read More

Road Testing

If it is at all possible to claim you can “collaboratively consume” an idea, this is what I am kicking off now with my book, DVD and whatever the heck floats past road tests. After being an avid follower of the journey of Lisa from Open Shed and Co-founder Lisa’s blog I realised just how important it is to share the finds you make as you traverse the Internet. Reading Lisa’s overview of books, videos and ideas has helped inspire me basically... Read More

December eMuse

Welcome to the December eMuse for 2011! This edition we wrap up our remainder of Product Bash 2011 articles, uncover the results of a retail survey in our latest whitepaper, check out the Agile Conference, think about the year that was 2011 and push forward to training in 2012. Hold onto your pencils Product Managers, it’s a big one! In this issue: Product Bash 2011 – Continued Retail Survey: A fresh perspective from brainmates Agile... Read More

Make the customer the centre of your retail experiences

brainmates saw 100 passionate and hungry Product Managers join us at the beautiful Gaffa Gallery in Sydney on the 10th of November, 2011 for the end of year wrap up, Product Bash. This year we tackled the affect of the growth of mobile and online commerce on more traditional forms of retail under the topic heading “The Internet Super Mall and the Future of Retail.” We were very pleased to have join us Mark Rowland, Co-founder of online shoe retailer Style... Read More

Why a freelancer community?

Some people have been asking me lately what the whole freelance survey is about (for your reference, here is the original post http://unashamedlycreative.com.au/2011/10/calling-all-freelancers/) or where it might lead. Here it is in nuts and bolts… Hello- is anybody out there? I started doing a full time freelance gig in 2009 whilst still employed because I wanted to see if it worked. I had some mates who had varying degrees of success across... Read More

Simple Tips to Help Your Writing

Writing driving you up the spout? Finding you get needlessly tangled? Years of doing this for people in all kinds of industries have taught me a few simple things anyone can look at to improve your writing. Everyone has a buzz word Each of us has a word we love over using in our writing. For many Australians, it is “that” or “then” – but it can vary from person to person. You can make your writing tighter by looking for a common word... Read More

Calling all freelancers!

Are you tired of auction sites trying to get you to work for $2 a 500 word article or deploy a whole website for $200? Have you had to mop up after countless el cheapie projects for your clients after things have gone drastically south? Do you sometimes wonder why employment agencies or digital/ad agencies pay you 30% of what they bill you out for? Are you working at places that don’t allow you to stretch yourself as much as you would like? Do you... Read More

It’s all relative

Welcome to that awkward moment where the Facebook friend you can rely on to have their bottom lip out and their rant pants on a regular basis is trying to tell others Facebook isn’t for whinging and to stop their belly aching. You scroll down their page and wonder what you see that they don’t. To that moment where another Facebook friend is espousing the values of the “Occupy Wall Street” moment with dizzying fervour, eagerly anticipating... Read More

What is WOM [Word-of-Mouth] worth?

Crowdfunding is a pretty amazing thing. Watching one dollar add to another dollar and another until a target is reached just shows how much every little bit counts. But what most people may not realise is that even when you don’t have any money to spare, you can still manage to support a project and create a positive outcome. And there is a group of these people already that have made a huge in-direct impact to projects. Pozible has always been... Read More

brainmates- 7th anniversary eMuse!

Oh how we’ve grown! In this edition of brainmates’ eMuse we celebrate our 7th birthday as product managment consulting and training organisation. That’s right, brainmates has been providing Product Management solutions to outstanding clients from media, financial services, bio-medical, education, government and retailer for 7 fantastic years. During that time we’ve been collaborating with the Australian and global Product Management community... Read More

Is that a Groupon in your pocket (or are you just happy to fleece me?)

Is that a Groupon in your pocket (or are you just happy to fleece me)? Australia certainly has seen a boom in growth for the online group buying schemes in the last 12 to 24 months. Along with it, the mixed reviews of just how much of a bargain the group coupon experience can be. So why is group buying so appealing and what can we do to make sure what we buy is the value item we are looking for? Let’s pick up the group buying phase and gives... Read More

Kinds Of Blue Interview

Successful Project Kinds of BluePozible was recently honoured with supporting a unique artistic and writing project, Kinds of Blue, which deals with what it is like for people living with depression. This amazing book is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand, who loves someone with depression, or struggles with depression themselves. We would like to thank Karen (the creator) for taking time out of her schedule to talk to Pozible about... Read More

I’m learning to be social, Twitter Style

Somewhere in between the “everybody’s doing it” and “what the heck do I do with it” stand me and a very nonplussed Labrador, trying to unravel social media and work out ways to make a benefit platform for my customers. There are cries of absolute horror at the thought of any business in the modern age not using social media to promote themselves to very attractive and completely out of reach invitations to spend thousands of dollars for... Read More

Keyboard Crackpots – conversation without consequence.

You click on a link and see a much bigger boy being videoed as a much smaller child bounces around like a demented Bruce Lee infected kangaroo in front of him. Calls and comments are heard in the background. Slaps are given from smaller boy to larger boy. Finally the larger boy appears to snap and wham! A small boy is pile driven into concrete and everyone is in a whole mess of trouble by the time it hits the evening Sydney news. The instigator, the... Read More

We’re making things Pozible!

You may have noticed some changes in the wonderful world of crowd funding recently, the most notable being FundBreak’s name change to Pozible. Rest assured loyal fans, followers and friends, your favourite crowd funding platform is still at heart the one you know and love. It’s just that we have decided to up the ante a little at our HQ and made a decision to make things Pozible! Confused? Let’s take some time out to demystify our new identity. We... Read More

The January edition of brainmates eMuse!

Welcome to a brand new year and a January eMuse jam packed with perfect Product Manager paraphernalia! brainmates have started the year with a strong response to our training courses, brand new articles by the team and exciting careers for anyone who’s looking to sink their teeth into their next big challenge! How To….Excel At Day-To-Day Product Management What Will 2011 Hold For Product Management? Deductive Logic. A Market Segmentation... Read More

Social media for a good cause

Social media attracts a wide variety of reactions from people and not always good ones. Take for example www.lamebook.com which has enjoyed highlighting some of the sillier things people will share on their www.facebook.com profile who are now subsequently being sued by the social media giant for trademark infringement  by the very same platform well known for sharing their users content with third parties through settings changes, software updates... Read More