It occurred to me recently when I was under duress to make decisions concerning our technology needs, that TRUST was the element I was grappling with.

WHOM TO TRUST FOR ADVICE when making decisions across various technology platforms such as equipment, software, web site design etc? Technical people come with different perspectives, knowledge, customer skills and vested interests. As our requirements grow, the technology is often supplied by different companies for e.g web site modification, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) installation and upgrades, email campaigns, analytics and reports, equipment upgrades (we recently installed a server with  3 times the speed and x4 thecapacity of our old one), not to mention setting up Facebook,  Twitter, Flickr and Blogs. The cost of these services and the software to make it all work is considerable.

Without CONSIDERED and TRUSTWORTHY advice, making good decisions can be very difficult. We are learning and adapting to change daily- even the experts.

My solution is to choose one person in this network to be my guide. Someone who understands our business and culture, our expertise and what we need to do to deliver wonderful products to our customers.

See a blog I have found – Trusting Digital marketing

http://elenaibanez.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/digital-marketing-trusting-the-experts/

smartcompany@email.impactdata.com.au

We highly recommend the free newsletter Smartcompany. It keeps us up to date with what is happening in the business world. As we also retail and sell into the retail sector I was most interested to see Paco Underhill’s new book reviewed.

Retail trends: Kevin Moore. Retail guru Paco Underhill’s new book – What Women Want – examines our lives as shoppers and is definitely worth a look. Apply to receive the smart company yourself.

Euraba Wall Panel- Recycled paper pulp artwork

The Indigenous people of Euraba are unique. They are artists and paper makers specialising in handmade paper on which they create artworks.

In the Goomeroi language, euraba means place of healing, derived from the healing leaves of the eura tree.  Fish, rivers, animals, waterholes, tracks and the walks of life are favourite themes. Cotton is a major crop grown in the region. Euraba Artists & Papermakers use 100% cotton off-cuts from the clothing industry to produce cotton pulp to make their paper. The artists paint with the pulp, although some acrylics are now used. Euraba is located at Boggabilla on the Queensland, New Sales Wales border near Goondiwindi. www.eurabapaper.com.au

Recently I collected some of their paintings from an exhibition in Sydney. Instead of sending them back I invited friends to purchase them. I have 3 left, they are by the founding elders Aunty May and Aunty Joy.

If you are interested to purchase one of these contact me at gillianc@corbanblair.com.au

I went to this lunch recently and below is the follow-up by Anthony Hollis CEO Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce. I think it is useful, relevant and thoughtful.

The follow up email below contains the talk and other information. It was a stimulating presentation and provided insight into how the Post Office is managing change and using a strong culture to support new business strategy.

Dear Gillian,

Thank you for joining us at Monday’s business lunch with David Mortimer AO, Chairman & Ahmed Fahour, Managing Director & CEO, Australia Post, in conversation with Brooke Corte, Sky News Business Channel. We trust that you found the discussion thought provoking and enjoyable.

Please click here to see photos, the full video and media from the event.

Our thanks to Tim Ebbeck, President & Managing Director, SAP Australia and Michael Andrew, National Chairman, KPMG Australia for generously partnering with us.

Please consider supporting the great work of Red Kite Australia.

For more information on the benefits of a Chamber membership, including access to on-line guest lists, over 40 member-only events per annum and reduced rates to other events, please contact Mark Herman by email or on (02) 9326 1700 or visit our website.

Best wishes,

Anthony

The Chamber – Celebrating 40 years of Thought Leadership!

______________________________

Anthony Hollis Chief Executive Officer, NSW Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce

For all event queries, please contact Louise Sharp, Event Manager on (02) 9326 1700

395 New South Head Rd, Double Bay NSW 2028 Ph: (02) 9326 1700 www.aicc.org.au

Two of the leather Diaries

“The Chair has a long and poignant past. Aesthetically, socio-politically and technologically, this everyday item reflects varied stories. A colourful narrative of pre-loved chairs is revealed in this installation. Sydney based designers reinterpret each piece”

Chairs in the installation

The journal (diary) used by the artists.

On at the Powerhouse  31^st July -10^th October.

Meet and buy direct from the best new design talent in the country. 

Featuring fashion, furniture, jewellery, graphics, industrial design and more, this curated market is a glimpse into the future, a critical launch pad for Australia’s talented young designers, as well as a vibrant market for the design-savvy shopper.

Read the list of hot designers at Young Blood.

This year, Young Blood will be joined by the international designboom mart, featuring designers from around the world.

YOUNG BLOOD: DESIGNERS MARKET + DESIGNBOOM MART

Friday 13 August , 10am – 9pm
Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 August, 10am – 5pm
$5 entry (includes Museum admission) BOOK NOW Free for Powerhouse members
Free for Sydney Design Pass holders

Young Blood is part of the Museum’s commitment to foster and promote Australian design. 

For all those retailers setting off to Melbourne on their annual buying trip we’d also like to draw to your attention the opportunity of learning and gaining insights into improving business through a seminar based Business Development Program. Since the GFC retail has experienced some tough times, so learning new things, getting ideas and simply being motivated is a great thing to do.  We’d recommend you set aside some time to participate in the Program.

Reed Gift Fairs, Business Development Program is running  throughout the Fair offering a comprehensive program of seminar style session covering the following topics:

• The 100 minute MBA of Retail Trading
• Grow, Diversify and Out-manoeuvre Your Competition
• Control Your Buying
• Visual merchandising for the small(er) retailer
• Local Area marketing
• The Power of 2 Purchase – How customer data gives wholesalers and manufacturers the power retail distribution.
• Retain or acquire? Are your current customers feeding your business or do you need new ones?
• Find Your Perfect Match

In this final seminar I will be contributing as a supplier with Kate Moriarty from Stem a successful on-trend design store in Balmain.  By clicking the [red] link below you can Reserve Your Place!

Reserve your Place       Reed Gift Fair: 7 – 11 August

Find Your Perfect Match

Presented by Michael Neaylon – Director, MCME

Monday 9 August 11.00am – 12.30pm

What makes the perfect retailer / wholesaler relationship? Does such a partnership exist? In this highly interactive seminar, we discuss how partnership of various kind can be successful. Packed with real stories from new and leading wholesalers and retailers, find out how you can make these vital relationships transparent, enjoyable… and profitable. Make it a date.

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre and Melbourne Showgrounds

This is an experiment to see if it is easier and more informative for our customers. The newsletter provides a comprehensive view of what we offer to the retail sector as well as the wider business community.

This of course has to be supported with many other strategies, as the downside of an on-line launch is that people may not get it, it may go into spam or their computer may not read it… so we follow up with a phone call, contact from our agents, appointment for product showings, our new catalogue and further information about our new promotion- buy one of our leather Duet products and be eligible to go into a draw to win our new The Story Book.

So far after 18 hours we have had 2 orders, change of address information and a number of really nice communications with our retail customers.

We will only know if this strategy has been successful at the end of the selling season. A few months to wait! We are keeping fingers and toes crossed.

If you would like to receive this newsletter email me on info@corbanblair.com.au

We will add the strategies below as we upload our new product ranges for the Christmas selling season:

• feature our best sellers

• make sure our search function is obvious and is set up to assist customers. Check the key words we use- are those our customers look for

• colour code all action buttons

• ensure we have a call to action on each page

• make sure all images are clickable

• contact details on each page to ensure customers can call if they need information or help

• adding steps and explanation to the purchasing process to make it easy and clear for the customer. To create a customer experience which is easy, informative and inspiring

• shipping and returns information made clearer

• gift wrapping and cards- we do it but it does not specify we do

• understanding what, why and where we get cart abandonment

• using Google Analytics so that we get information was can act on

• having clearly understood calls to action

These are just a few things we can do that should assist customers to purchase from us. As we will be using Google Analytics more efficiently we should be able to see if these changes make a difference!

It was an inspiring day, leaving me with a lot of work, but with confidence that the effort will be worth it.

For further information see

Martin Newman – Practicology.com/mnblog