Posts by Mark Graham
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so is it worth the thousands they cost and the mountains of reports they generate to keep them running just so they're there to yell at when the once in a blue moon issue that finally raises some parish pump passion comes about?
Well, yes. I have been to a Community Board meeting, and, tedious though they are, they provide an opportunity to participate, even if only the loopy, the obsessives or the deeply concerned come along.
until the public at large shows it's interested in what they do - and election turnouts show they don't give an arse - I can't see what their point is outside of the feel good 'see we really care.'
I have some sympathy for you here, Alan. We've seen the wider populace move when Banks pissed everyone off. The response from him is a 'wiser, gentler' approach to doing the same thing, but by being non-confrontational he doesn't mobilise the great majority who don't support him.
You're right, of course. Most people don't care enough about what goes on in their backyard until it directly impacts them in some way.
So... how to beat the grey rinse set from the Eastern suburbs who vote to minimise their rates and bugger the development of the city.
The result? - Cit-Rats get to put off essential maintenance yet again.
Of course, the Herald could help a bit by examining in a little more detail some of the shenanigans that go on at Council and the implications for the decisions being made.
And what about the use of new technology? Why don't they put a page up on the website for interested citizens to apportion budget as they would like. Bet that would make for interesting reading!
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It's hard not to be cynical with the whole thing.
And God help us all if Cit-Rats get control over the whole region. Perhaps this might be the first opportunity to really consign them to opposition on an ongoing basis. If ever there was a less visionary group of politicians, I'd be surprised.
Reorganisation gives the illusion of progress and usually achieves very little.
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being born in '68 myself, I've always found it strange there was no name for us..... too young to be a boomer and too old the be an X..... fallen through the gaps?
Thank God for the Internet and Wikipedia: Gen Jones.
Unfortunately Fletch - you most assuredly are a Gen Xer, for better or not...
And as for Auckland - it's the best city in the world in 20 years time - as long as the visionless souls running things now don't screw it up too much. We're almost there now...
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That's great - always good to have a perspective on things. How about an update? I'd like you to review where you see things NOW! Puh-leeze?
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Innovative in our communications with our clients, which, I must confess, we got a bit slack on. One of the issues with the Building Guide is that it's not ten national monthlies - it's ten regional annuals, so for many clients we only see them once a year and then it's a ..."Hi - can we sell you an ad again?"... Also, given it's distributed through councils and we find a disconnect between the customer service manager/building consent manager and the customer service staff who hand the publication out, so we need to start communicating to them - and yes, the ubiquitous email newsletter is the obvious solution but it must be fun, useful and entertaining and educating and all the rest that will get them reading it and remembering the magazine. Technology will enable us to help overcome a resource shortage.
Cutting creative deals means increasing discount levels but requiring early payment terms or guaranteed payment terms. Cashflow is king.
There's so much more - our own promotional activity for instance, which for us is hard because we're still quite new - not yet 3 years and costs money but is essential. I've decided that taking the leadership position is where we want to be and that necessitates providing insight and knowledge we're gaining on the trends in the industry (and we are) and demonstrating that knowledge. And just getting on the phone and calling people. You still need to bring sales in.(And I noticed Rod didn't take up my opportunity to talk about advertising in my magazine.) :)
Also, looking at other opportunities as they come through that employs your skill set but may not be exactly what you set out to do in the meantime - although this is at the risk (see my first post) of spreading too thin...
I must say, I'm pretty over the whole thing, though. And I find it bloody frustrating that large corporations who are still making good if not great profits, are pulling back from marketing activity thereby actually contributing to the slow down.
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Hi - apologies Andrew/Alistair. I knew I should have checked but at 11.30 last night I couldn't be shagged. More fool me.
I have a title called the Homeowner's Building Guide which is handed out free to people doing building work through councils, home ideas centres and a couple of other avenues.
Advertiser driven but proud of the fact that it is completely independent editorial.
Sister publication to that called the Business of Building, which is for builders - an attempt at a slap up the side of the head in dealing with the paperwork, project management and associated items we saw builders generally in denial about and last year was contracted by the Association of Administrative Professionals to publish their magazine - admiNZ - which goes to PAs and Office Managers.
Well niched titles and pretty good ifIdosaysomyself. But getting good salespeople has been bloody hard the last couple of years. Better now by the looks of it - seems to me companies are cutting good staff, not just deadwood, and there are good people looking at opportunities, too.
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Well - here's a twist. I signed up to a 'deal' on my rent that meant we are locked in to a four year lease now. Fortunately it's a nice space and we have now rented out our house and moved into the office. The kids love it and I must say, we've enjoyed the air con this summer.
The key things for me now are to:
1. trim costs wherever possible - and with publishing there is a minimum to print (and those costs to endure) to ensure credibility - and
2. make sure we are bringing in every sale we can.We are innovating in our approach to our customers and becoming more customer focussed; we are opening up new revenue opportunities; we are cutting deals; we are working hard to reduce debt and we are strengthening our brand positioning. These things are working and keeping our cashflow positive - with the help of our creditors and bank.
A key lesson in the Financial Accounting paper I did as part of my Dip. Bus. Marketing was that Profit does NOT equal Cash - and lack of cash will drive you broke faster than making a loss.
After attrition meant low performing staff left, hiring good staff right now at prices I can afford is only going to benefit the business.
One of the biggest problems is coping with the increased workload primarily landing on me at the moment, while we increase resources in as lean a way as possible without cutting things to the point of costing us money. 'Stretched thin' is an understatement but I'm loathe to let opportunities to generate revenue go past.
The National Bank has been great - very supportive through difficult cashflow periods - so far, at least. It seems to me via my experience, at least, that banks will support businesses they see as generally well run that are clients of good standing. Communication is all - let your bank know where things are at on a constant basis, every bit as much as key suppliers.
Given my business, like Andrew's, is advertiser driven, the issue we're facing is in convincing those advertisers who recognise the need to continue marketing work to get the business that is still out there that we are the best vehicle. Rod - I think I can make a case for you advertising in a couple of my magazines - can I call you?
AS an aside, I can't help but feel for the shareholders of Fairfax who will enjoy the benefits of 180 staff being made redundant because profits have dropped to only $35 million.
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Huge. Loved it. I wish I had the eloquence to describe the same thing happening between my two year old and four year old and love that you've captured it for me.
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hey
I'm obviously a bit dense this morning but completely miss the Greg Louganis connection - sorry, can you explain?I know Greg - competed against him in fact (not that I'm taking any offense, I hasten to add - mostly cos I don't get it).
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Mmm. Not that keen given my favourite radio station, which, I might add, was around before Dubyah came on the (international) scene.
A recent Newsweek edition fingered Al Greenspan. On the cover, no less.
I've been calling it a Global Finance Meltdown. Six syllables but they roll off the tongue easily, everyone knows what you're talking about it's rather to the point.