Rita Zonius🌟SCMP🌟

Newsrooms, get your people (all of them!) trained in trauma. Stories, survivors, and the souls of your staff will be better for it. Same goes for any organization involved in the telling of traumatic stories. Law enforcement, non-profits, any company that shares the stories of (think media campaigns, advertising, publishing) trauma survivors. This is such important work. Bravo, Jo! 👏👏👏 #traumatraining #media #journalism #survivorsupport

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Some guidance for the months ahead from epic political consultant and guru @Rick Wilson: "Here’s a note of caution about this on our side of the fence, and I say this to prevent the roller-coaster ride of emotions many will inevitably feel as this campaign goes on. "First, the Trump campaign is still armed and dangerous. "Don’t underestimate their cash, cruelty, and determination of Trump to stay out of jail. There is no lower boundary. They can and will fight like the rabid, cornered animals they are. They will lie and lie and lie, and the media will report it in the most both-sided way possible. “Trump today said Harris was a pedophile cannibal alien lizard queen of an underground city. The Harris campaign declined to comment.” "They’re going to spend a lot of money on paid media and flood the zone with anti-Harris ads to bracket and image her on immigration. Don’t pay as much attention to the racist, grotesque online crap. Do pay attention to where they’re spending money. "Second, the Harris campaign and the candidate will make mistakes. "This is inevitable. She will say something wrong. She will get tired. She will forget a date, a name, or a fact. Campaigns are exhausting. Fox and the MAGA media will turn any mistake into a drama, but it only feeds their audience. Play through and embrace Wilson’s Fourth Rule of Campaigns: FIDO. “Fuck It. Drive On.” "Trump is good at converting on mistakes, but not as good as he once was and not as good as he needs to be. When Harris makes a mistake, attack Trump, don’t play defense. It’s a loser’s game. "The media won’t let this run of good news continue. "Be ready and strong when bad news, opportunities, and timing turn the news cycle upside down. The media hated Biden in large measure because he was boring. Trump's novelty as a candidate has always been good for traffic, clicks, and viewership, and the excitement of Trump going completely off the rails is ratings gold. "He knows this and will feed them the lunacy they crave. Harris jumped up so fast they naturally want to take her down a notch, and they will. Expect them to launder some of the more lurid Trump oppo dumps credulously. "The old SEAL axiom that the only easy day was yesterday is a truth written in political blood. Keep up the fight, don’t get cocky, and do the work every day until Election Day. "Run through the tape and keep running."

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Check out my article in Ragan Communications and PR Daily about avoiding common pitfalls during a data breach. Data breaches can cause irreparable reputational, financial and operational damage to a brand — especially when mismanaged. In our experience working with hundreds of companies experiencing cyber incidents, we have found that organizations are increasingly prepared for contingencies and business continuity — but underprepared for any potential reputational fallout. #databreach #cybersecurity #cybertips #crisiscommunications #crisisPR #cybercommunications

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The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust and Health is finally here and, for the first time, Australia has been captured in a 16-country deep dive on trust in the Australian healthcare system, behavioural health outcomes and consumer-provider dynamics.   This year’s report explored the breadth and depth of health empowerment; how institutions can reach consumers who rely on non-traditional sources; how scientific messaging can compete for attention; and which health innovations, including AI, are seeing greater resistance or acceptance. It will provide crucial information to not only healthcare professionals, scientists, and researchers, but any brand or employer who has a stake in their customers' or employees’ wellbeing.   Register - 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer: Trust and Health in Australia webinar -  https://bit.ly/3REtrZ3 Will Collie Rachel Winter Bryony Massingham Jenny Granger Tom Robinson Henry Taylor Jenny Jackson Drew Collins Antoine Calendrier #EdelmanTrustHealthBarometer2024 #CorporateTrust #TrustInHealth #TrustInHealth #EdelmanTrustBarometer #CorporateTrust #HealthInsights #EmployeeWellbeing #MarketingStrategy #HRLeadership #BrandTrust #CommunicationsProfessionals #Misinformation

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Excited to be part of an outstanding line-up of speakers at this important event. I will be talking about how to Harness the Power of Storytelling to Turbocharge your Career. Storytelling is a powerful way to share business ideas, plans and strategies in your organisation. It's also a great way to tell your story; the story of how you contribute to the success of the organisation you work for, or want to work for, as your career gathers pace. #businessstorytelling #storytelling #IABC #IABCUKI #IABCEMENA #Turbocharge24

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I did an audit of my LinkedIn posts from the last 12 months to see what was sticking (or not). Here's what I learnt. The top four performing posts were: 1️⃣ A Performance Communications company picture at our 20th anniversary party and a bit about MY journey at the company. 5000+ impressions and over 100 likes 2️⃣ ME going to Westminster University with colleague Sophie Mansergh to talk to PR undergraduates about what it's like to work in a PR agency. 3320 impression and over 100 likes 3️⃣ ME being promoted, 2400+ impressions and over 100 likes 4️⃣ Me and my colleague Ross Milton having spent the day judging undergraduate final year PR proposals, 1500+ impressions, 60+ likes When trying to group the remaining posts in themes: *️⃣ sharing examples of securing media coverage in a clever way e.g. free, repeatable data story, around 1000 impression and 30/40 likes *️⃣ automotive, comms industry and leadership stuff, around 800-500 impression / 10-20 likes *️⃣ sharing other people's stuff around 300-500 / 10-20 likes. So my take out. It's the personal stuff that seems to do best. Have you noticed any patterns in your LinkedIn posts. #linkedin #audit #communications #automotive #personalstories #pr

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Facilitated the Q3 training for Team Redrick and the focus was on measuring the impact of a PR strategy. If measurement is not part of your strategy development and implementation process, you’ll find it more difficult to show the impact of your Comms work. Key questions to ask: - What is this organisation trying to achieve (Organisational objectives)? - What are we trying to achieve with our Comms activity (Communications objectives)? - What does success look like for my organisation or client? (Outcomes and impact)? - How will I show that this has been achieved through our Comms activity? (Metrics and measurement)? Press play to watch some snippets from the training. #Communications

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It might be October this year.... ...or March next year.... ...or in between.... But whenever the next General Election occurs, if you want your industry, sector and charity/NGO to heard by policy makers in October and by the next government, you should right now be preparing your submission to #Budget2025, your election manifesto and you public affairs campaign. For a free consultation just email [email protected] #FineGael #FiannaFail #SinnFein #Labour #GreenParty #Aontu #SocialDemocrats #IndependentIreland #LE2024 #EE2024 #GE2024 #GE2025 #Budget2025 #Pharmaceuticals #FinancialServices #Food #Biden #Trump #EUcompetitivenesspolicy #EUUKTrade #Irelandcorporationtax #FDI #IDA #EUCommission #politicalstability #GovernmentAffairs #Regulation #Lobbying #PolicyAdvocacy #PublicPolicy #BudgetaryPolicy #PublicAffairs #2024Elections #USElection2024 #EuropeanElections2024 #UKElections2024 #IrishElections2024 #GovernmentRelations #PoliticalStrategists #PublicAffairsDirectors #GovernmentDirectors #PoliticalAdvisors #PolicyMakers #PublicPolicyExperts

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ALERT FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTORS … As the election approaches, I feel sympathy for in-house public affairs directors. This is their challenge … My Chairman and Chief Executive want my advice on how to deal with a change of government. We have spent the last fourteen years working with a Tory government. Over the last few months we have paid for a table at Labour fundraisers. The reality, however, is that we aren’t really prepared. Help! The incoming government wants to be seen as business friendly. No new taxes and lots of warm words. So a benign political climate. So what do I do to reassure my Chairman and Chief Executive? Do I retain a consultancy which has spent the last two years sponsoring dinners for Labour candidates and openly canvassing for the Labour Party? Or do I retain a consultancy with exceptional consultants who have a deep understanding of how government works and a superb client list? It will be interesting to see which public affairs directors make the right choice. Dealing with a new government is a serious business. This is delicious …😎

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MEDIA CASE STUDY CALLOUT - have you recently had to wait an unnecessarily long time for an appointment with a medical specialist, perhaps months or more to finally be able to see someone? We've got a story about trying to improve inefficiencies in our medical system & would love to hear your stories about long delays in finding appointments - especially if you'd be comfortable sharing your experience with the media. Comment below or confidentially email me at [email protected]!

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We've been living in the world of AI for two years (I'm crediting the launch of ChatGPT in Nov 2022 as being pretty much epoch-defining). What's been the effect for communicators, communications and reputation? Some of my thoughts kindly published by PRWeek UK (thanks John Harrington), and here's a quick precis: 🤖 While PR has historically been slow to change, lots of amazing work has been done to prepare the profession to pivot to AI (CIPR #AIinPRPanel etc) - supported by a growing body of transformational tech 🤖 Lots of PR people are using AI, organisational policy and training still lacking in many cases (see Chartered Institute of Public Relations state of the profession 2024) 🤖 AI deployment more widely is becoming BAU - meaning less opportunity for brands to differentiate on it ("Company XYZ launches AI solution" no longer as newsworthy as it once was). Having an answer to the AI question is pretty much now table stakes for most if not all orgs. 🤖 Scrutiny (and scepticism) remains high. In the race to catch/keep up, misuse of AI is a significant reputation risk and can quickly erode hard won brand trust. AI literate PR pros have a big role to play here in helping orgs to identify, prepare for, and neutralise these threats (see link in comments) https://lnkd.in/eagzcHKJ

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Stellar session from IABC Victoria today on the future of communications. It’s hard to pick the standout learnings, but here are some of my favourites: * There’s no longer an invisible wall between internal and external comms. Employees no longer rely on internal channels to stay informed about their company and you shouldn’t expect internal comms to stay confidential. * We need to shift our thinking from focusing on channels and individual content pieces to thinking more broadly about topics, campaigns, themes, and delivering consistent stories across platforms. * AI-generated content has grown by more than 8,000%. The good news? More democratisation of content creation – people who found it hard to create their own content now have the tools to do so. The risk? Increased danger of misinformation and more noise than ever. How do we respond? We need to listen to community conversations and join discussions authentically. For this, honing the right brand voice is critical. *happy dance* * On a similar note, we need to build time for a feedback loop. It’s not just about pumping messages out to market, but responding to Qs from employees, customers, and investors. * Media channels are converging. Rather than thinking about broad reach, let’s focus on *how* we disseminate info. Engaged reach is better than mass reach. * We’re not just copywriters, but bring so much more to the table – strategic thinking, managing reputation, and challenging the status quo, for starters. Thanks to the panel for such an engaging and thoughtful discussion – Lara Dobson, Sarah Macartney MAICD, Marsha Jacobs, and Richard Chapman, and to Amanda Fong GAICD for moderating. #IABC #FutureOfComms

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Bringing the right stakeholders into the room can make or break your communication strategy. It’s not just about having the best ideas, but making sure the right people are shaping them. Ask yourself: 💫 Do you have the right stakeholders on board who bring real value and perspective? 💫 Is there a senior champion to drive the strategy and cut through red tape? 💫 Is your team’s expertise combining to create a strategy that truly connects with customers? Bring the right expertise together, and your communication strategy shifts from mere messaging to a vision that everyone’s genuinely invested in 💥

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I’ve got a foot in both the USA and NZ, and this new report caught my eye. I've also got a strong feeling that my Kiwi friends in media would agree with the data. Muck Rack's 2024 "State of Work-Life Balance in Journalism" report shows 81% of journalists work over 40 hours a week, with over half expected to be on call outside regular hours. In contrast, 47% of PR professionals exceed 40 hours, often with more predictable schedules. 53% of journalists feel overwhelmed by their workload, compared to 38% of PR professionals. Despite this, 91% of journalists are satisfied with their work-life balance, driven by their commitment to truth and democracy, while 83% of PR professionals report similar satisfaction as they shape client stories. I dig that the main contrast is journalism’s fast pace and unpredictability vs PR’s strategic, client-focused approach. Either way, it’s good to know we’re all dedicated to our demanding jobs! https://lnkd.in/gVBnHenj

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Is a digital-first approach inadvertently undermining your communication strategy? Consulting, conversing and providing information digitally is well accepted. However, organisations (government, in particular) need to be careful they don’t leave out some stakeholders because of an over-reliance on, or obsession with, digital communication. Or, using digital communication only because it’s quick and less resource intensive. Just because a message was posted on social media, uploaded to a website or sent via an enews, doesn’t mean the job is done. Oftentimes, traditional forms of communication, such as printed materials and human beings, are the most appropriate, relevant and desired conduits, depending on the needs, preferences and circumstances of the audience. An audience-first communications approach is built on consideration of: ·        demographics ·        psychographics ·        motivational drivers ·        language preferences ·        information consumption habits ·        among other factors. The inherent heterogeneity of audiences means that an integration of both digital and traditional forms of communication are most often needed to optimise reach and engagement. In today’s communications-technology-driven world, the mantra that ‘diverse audiences require diverse communications’ still applies. ^^^^^   🙌 I help brands enhance business results, relationships and reputation through masterful communication. ✔ For regular insights straight to your inbox, visit https://rosweadman.com/   #AudienceFirstCommunication #DiverseCommunications #EnhanceYourReputation

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Sharing some upcoming workshops and webinars I'm hosting, all focused on launching, fundraising for and growing businesses that do good. If you're in South Australia, I'm presenting a rare in-person workshop with South Australian Social Enterprise Council (SASEC) as part of their Business for Good Workshop Series. 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝟓: 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 - 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟑𝟎, 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝟏-𝟑𝐩𝐦 𝐀𝐂𝐒𝐓 The workshop will provide an overview of capital raising options and considerations for early-stage social entrepreneurs, helping participants think through the trade-offs and possible opportunities for each option. We will cover the '5 C’s for Successful Funding' model – Clarity, Credibility, Communities, Channels and Courage - focusing on the actions that can be taken to create more clarity, credibility and momentum early on to increase the ability to raise capital. Then I've got a number of webinars with Campus Plus, Disruptors Co and the City of Sydney in June and July: 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭, 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟐, 𝟏𝟐-𝟏𝐩𝐦 𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐓 Social entrepreneurship is the application of entrepreneurial approaches to the goal of creating social impact. A key part of this approach is being aware of and leveraging different approaches to fundraising, including philanthropy, impact investment and presales. This webinar will cover considerations and requirements for different forms of capital, an introduction to social enterprise and leveraging business as a tool for impact and the truth of the Australian impact investment marketplace. 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡, 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟖, 𝟏𝟐-𝟏𝐩𝐦 𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐓 In an era where economic pressures are compounded by the need for sustainable and ethical business practices, business owners must learn to balance competing priorities and business models. Discover how social entrepreneurship and alternative models can not only sustain, but enrich your business amidst economic challenges. Learn how to overcome rising operational costs, blend profit with purpose, contribute to community wealth and achieve sustainable growth. 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟑𝟏, 𝟏𝟐-𝟏𝐩𝐦 𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐓 Crowdfunding is a popular way to launch or grow a social enterprise or non-profit, raise funds for a cause or an impact project or fuel a grassroots movement or campaign. But the truth is, the majority of all crowdfunding campaigns fall short. Attend this webinar to ensure you know the formula for success. We will cover common misunderstandings, what those who successfully raise funds are doing right and how to think through the best crowdfunding model, goals and outreach strategy for your project or enterprise. All links to RSVP are in the first comment below. #socialenterprise #socentau #fundraising #purpose

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