http:// 2013-06-06T04:14:39Z 2013-06-06T04:14:39Z top-3-ways-for-salons-to-use-social-media

Top 3 Ways for Brisbane Salons to Use Social MediaJune 6, 2013 | Media Junky TeamBrisbane Salons – Social MediaWhen doing a Yellow Pages search there are 4069 hair salons in Queensland and 283 in Brisbane – so how can your hair salon stand out from the crowd? Hopefully you’re already using Twitter and Facebook (and so is your competition) so here are the top 3 best out-of-the-box ways salons can use social media to remain competitive, gain fans and turn those fans into sales!1. Pinterest – this is by far the most underrated yet effective way to get more appointments for your salon. What’s great about Pinterest is that is uses the power of imagery to promote people, places and things. Consider this – Pinterest is great for SEO as the account you set up is a URL searchable by Google. The beauty here is that Pinterest is fairly young so small businesses that use it now will benefit big time – as you see here there’s not a lot of competition for the search “hair salon Brisbane”…yet. You want this. So how do you get started? Begin with taking pictures of hair styles you’ve done in your salon then set up boards like “vintage hair”, “long hair styles”, “short hair styles” and so on. Promote other boards as well as your own and bingo bongo! When people search Pinterest for hair styles, your image (and your website) will come up.2. Google + – Like with Pinterest, Google + is fairly young (considering Facebook’s 693 million active users versus Google + at 343 million). Yet, Forbes says they’re the one to watch.What does this mean for you salon? Get in early and set up an account. If you have a small marketing budget (which you should) set up $10 a day advertising. Ultimately, you want your salon to show up on the first page of Google search results and Google + is owned by Google…so… you get it.3. LinkedIn – LinkedIn’s not just for executives; if you have a small marketing budget for $49 a month you can get really smart and savvy with your salon marketing. This will take a little more effort but may be worth it if you use it smart. Upgrading to a paid plan will allow you to send direct emails to your target market. For example, let’s say you want to offer a discount to local uni students and your salon is near the University of Queensland. You can use LinkedIn’s advance search feature to find students nearby – my search results showed a whopping 983!

2013-04-02T07:20:50Z innovative-agency-evocative-management-launches-in-australia

INNOVATIVE AGENCY, EVOCATIVE MANAGEMENTLAUNCHES IN AUSTRALIAJust when you thought formal qualifications were all you needed to achieve in your chosen industry, the launch of a home-grown innovative agency dares you to evoke, engage, excite, expose and excel!Evocative Management Australia represents and supports dynamic talents in media, design, entertainment and the like!The creative director and founder of Evocative Management Australia (Braeden Rhys) is pleased to announce that soon talents in media, design, entertainment and the like who have achieved and developed in a way that is said to be unconventional; will have the opportunity to excel within this innovative agency. At just twenty-one; Braeden Rhys (creative director and founder), has a genuine passion for the creative arts industry as an award winning vocalist performer and a theatrical entertainer, combined with an educated vivacious talent in marketing, advertising, public relations and small business development. “It is important to realise that education and training is invaluable and sometimes you can obtain a lot of formal qualifications, but neglect the opportunities that present themselves to develop and acquire an outstanding portfolio of work. Evocative Management Australia provides the perfect platform for individuals who do not boast a formal qualification but have dynamic portfolios of work, a passion for their industry and a wholehearted commitment.”Based online, Evocative Management Australia integrates social media in order to recruit across the nation; open to industry insiders to personal referrals and direct applications through the website. Evocative Management Australia anticipates an eclectic collection of independents with a flair for media, design, entertainment and the like. The purpose of the agency is to provide a platform where evoking excellence and engaging with the world is achieved by and for the creative industry; with hundreds of applications flooding in daily backed by impressive portfolios of work for the opportunity to excel.“Truly impressed and overwhelmed with the quality of applicants approaching Evocative Management Australia, I know that the talent listed will evoke, engage, excite, expose and excel. The innovative approach of the agency thrives on customised personal attention from engaging independents with their respective industry by means of private networking events, right through to exposing their talents through digital and print media, taking advantage of their very own creative flair.”Evocative Management Australia is now recruiting for dynamic talents, do you dare to evoke?For more information and details on how you can apply please contact:Braeden Rhys (Creative Director/Founder)p 1300 642 285w www.EvocativeManagement.com.au e sales@EvocativeManagement.com.au

2012-06-25T00:32:08Z recognition-from-managers-key-to-retaining-employees

Tuesday 12 June 2012: More than three-quarters (77 per cent) of employees would consider leaving their organisation if they weren’t recognised for their contribution, and one in four are already actively seeking a new job or intend to in the next three months, according to employee engagement specialists RedBalloon for Corporate.And its managers receiving the bulk of the criticism, with 44 per cent rated “very poor”, “poor” or just “satisfactory” at delivering praise; three quarters of employees are starved of recognition, receiving it only monthly, quarterly or once a year; and 11 per cent receiving no praise at all.These insights come from the 2012 RedBalloon Reward and Recognition Survey, which studied more than 4,000 businesses across Australia and New Zealand to gauge the current trends, attitudes and behaviours around employee reward and recognition programs.These are worrying findings given a 25-year-long Gallup study – based on interviews with 12 million workers at 7,000 large companies – also found that the relationship with a manager largely determines the length of an employee’s stay.[i]According to RedBalloon for Corporate General Manager Matt Geraghty “Retention is one of the biggest issues facing businesses right now and with the cost to replace someone estimated at 150 per cent of their salary, simple maths demonstrates the return on investment of a successful reward and recognition program.”“In tough economic times, it’s your people that will get you through, and if businesses invest in and show their employees appreciation now, they’ll stay for the long term.“Similarly, it’s unrealistic for employees to expect significant raises in the current economic climate – but a well thought-out and effective reward and recognition program can help keep your employees feeling valued and motivated for a fraction of the cost of increased pay packets.“Businesses need to encourage and empower managers to unleash the power of praise, and managers must invest the time to get to know their people and what inspires and drives them – how else can they expect to build trust and retain employees over the long term?The report also shows that rewards alone will not give you happier employees. Almost half (46 per cent) of respondents would opt for recognition over a reward when being thanked; 50 per cent want recognition and something physical, such as an experience, a gift voucher or time off from the office; and only 4 per cent of employees would be happy with a reward alone.The role of managers in this process is key, with 51 per cent of respondents seeking acknowledgment from their direct manager, 35 per cent from peers and colleagues, and only 14 per cent from the CEO.And recognition is most important to Generation Y, with 86 per cent prepared to leave an organisation due to lack of recognition, compared to 77 per cent of Generation X and 63 per cent of Baby Boomers.“Organisations cannot afford to put lip service to this – any acknowledgement needs to be authentic, personal and relevant to a specific activity. Saying thanks and ‘you’re a good bloke’ is not enough. People need to know what they did specifically that contributed to a business result,” Mr Geraghty said.“The study highlighted that 42 per cent of businesses do not have a reward and recognition program in place, which does not bode well for those who are considering leaving for lack of thanks.“But just as worrying are the 57 per cent of companies providing a substandard reward and recognition experience, as employees are five times more likely to leave their organisation if their business provides a poor program.“We are calling this the ‘recognition retention multiplier’, and it represents is a big opportunity for businesses to pull up their socks.”Top things employees want to see improved in their business right now20% pay, benefits and conditions15% work-life balance12% rewards and recognition12% systems and processes9% communication9% career progression8% training and development7% culture5% leadership/senior management4% my bossThe most popular rewards1. 42% Experiences - sharing with family/friends (25%) or Personal (17%)2. 31% Cash/Visa Card3. 11% Time off work- ENDS-For more information, or to arrange an interview or image, please contact:Lauren Ashton, Communications Specialist - P: 02 8755 0034 M: 0404 136 765 E: lauren@redballoon.com.auDownload the report: http://corp.redballoon.com.au/rewardandrecognitionreportAbout RedBalloonRedBalloon For Corporate provides exciting reward and recognition solutions, corporate gifts and sales incentives to ensure businesses keep their employees and customers motivated, rewarded and engaged. With a unique resource of over 2,500 amazing experiences in Australia and New Zealand RedBalloon specialises in creating attachments between employees and their employer. RedBalloon has also been awarded for its innovative employee engagement practices, named in the Best Places to Work by BRW Magazine three times, including a top ten ranking in 2009. Hewitt Associates have also awarded RedBalloon with an engagement score of over 90 per cent three years in a row. The average engagement score in Australian businesses is 55 per cent.[i] Kaye, B & Jordan-Evans, S. (2005) Love ‘Em or Lose Em. Berrett Koehler.

2012-05-14T00:06:31Z rcr-international-launches-new-website

RCR International is proud to launch our new online store for the Pro-Val range of safety products!To celebrate the launch we are offering all customers15% off all orders placed in the first week. Valid: Monday 14th May - Sunday 20th May 212www.rcr.com.auWith a new, clean and fresh design we are also offering a number of improvements to enhance your experience with us:* Free delivery on all orders over $500* PayPal payments are now accepted for all online orders* New 1300 number so you dont pay any STD charges when you call us - 1300 727 535* Embedded PDF catalogue so you can view our full catalogue without having to download the whole file to your computer* New and improved glove chemical resistance table* Social media tools to allow you to easily share products and resources with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers* 'Save for later'option so you can easily find products you were interested in at a later date, or easily reorder products you use regularlyUnfortunately for existing customers, we haven't been able to transfer your account information across to the new website, so you will need to create a new account. If you need any information on your previous orders, please contact our friendly Customer Service team.

2012-02-07T00:15:02Z super-soft-nitrile-glove

RCR International are pleased to announce the introduction of a new nitrile glove to their disposable glove range. The super soft nitrile glove is a nitrile, powder free disposable glove (non medical grade). The super soft nitrile glove offers the wearer outstanding feel, comfort and grip. Blue in colour for easy recognition in food processing and handling areas. This glove is latex free, but provides the dexterity and feel of a latex glove. Inners bulk packed with 200 gloves to eliminate waste and maximise storage space. The glove is latex free making it ideal for latex allergy sufferers and is super soft, providing extreme comfort for the wearer. With HACCP Australia Food Safety Certification the gloves are perfect for use in in food manufacturing and processing, abattoirs and the food handling and preparation industries. With a broad range of chemical resistance, particularly petroleum based chemicals these gloves can be used in mechanical workshops. The textured finger tips provide good grip and beaded cuff ensures extra strength when donning. Childcare centres, tattooists and graphic arts are some of the other industries that would benefit from using the super soft nitrile glove. Available in sizes Small - X Large. Packaging: 200 pieces per dispenser box, 10 dispenser boxes per carton.

2011-11-07T02:34:42Z not-another-f-cking-coupon-launches-viral-youtube-video-experiences-strong-growth-and-rebuffs-speculated-vigilante-hack-attempt

Young Australian startup Not Another Coupon’s flagship site Not Another Fucking Coupon (or NAFC) has continued its recent run of exciting developments and dealt with the controversy surrounding an alleged site disruption on November 4. The group buying and discount deals aggregator last week released its first viral video clip on YouTube, titled ‘We Are Fun For You’. The video, which has attracted over 10,450 views in its first 10 days of official release,builds on the continued growth and increasing popularity of the site and its community. “True to our style and expanding Gen-Y support base, we wanted to make a video that was as much about having a laugh as it was about promoting the website,” explained CEO and university student Wesley Wise. “We believe online shopping should be about having fun, not just about the products you browse.” NAFC has experienced dramatic growth in recent weeks through social media, expanding its reach and notoriety through its Facebook and Twitter communities. “Weekly interaction with our fans has been increasing steadily, as have total numbers of followers and fans. We know from data analysis that 75% of our community is between the age of 18 and 35, cementing our reputation as the voice of Gen-Y in the online group buying scene.” On November 4th, NAFC experienced havoc on its website that appeared to resemble an effort to hack the site. While the team was yet to officially confirm a hacking attempt, the damage to the site in a short amount of time was strongly reminiscent of a typical online intrusion. “We obviously don’t condone any efforts to disrupt our activities. I regard it as a complement though that someone out there might feel strongly enough about our brand to try this kind of thing.” By November 5 all operations were successfully restored.For further information, please contact:Frances Goh Not Another Coupon Public Relations Phone: +61 (3) 9018 5612 Email: frances@notanothercoupon.com About Not Another Coupon Not Another Coupon is an Australian based, globally focused startup in the business of brand marketing, social engagement and online media content. Its market analyses show that there is a higher rate of users that make a purchase when influenced and encouraged by a brand - the new social medium phenomena relies on brands of trust to sell brands of products. Not Another Coupon creates these trusted brands that form communities. Not Another Coupon’s flagship social community is Not Another Fucking Coupon (NAFC). Its social gathering points are on Facebook & Twitter .

2011-05-23T00:49:53Z resilient-protection-with-disposable-nitrile-gloves

When it comes to disposable hand wear, most people think that latex is the only way to go. While latex has been a longstanding choice in disposable hand wear, it is not necessarily the best choice on the market. Modern science has allowed for a number of materials in glove construction, and one of the most impressive options currently on the market is nitrile. Nitrile hand wear is made from a form of synthetic rubber. Unlike other options, nitrile hand wear is highly resistant to oil and acids, which is why they have become so popular in scientific and medical settings. In fact, the nitrile medical option has been proven to be three times less likely to puncture than standard rubber gloves. When considering nitrile hand wear for any workplace, there are a few relevant factors to remember. First, when looking at nitrile medical grade options, it is important to consider the purpose. Nitrile hand wear is available in standard sizes and longer variations. The standard blue nitrile exam gloves are designed to fit snugly on the hand, which then allows the user more dexterity in movement. These nitrile medical gloves are ideal for projects that require precise handwork. The longer variations of nitrile exam glvoes, on the other hand, have extra length and strength to provide the utmost protection. Next, it is important to consider the thickness of the disposable nitrile exam gloves. Most standard nitrile medical gloves come in four, five, or eight millimeter thickness. The thinner the blue nitrile disposable gloves, the more sensitivity and flexibility the user has. Thicker disposable nitrile exam gloves may impede flexibility to a certain degree, but offer superior protection overall. Picking the right thickness depends on where and how the gloves will be used. Longer disposable nitrile gloves will come in even thicker sizes, ranging from fifteen to eighteen millimeters for added protection. Disposable nitrile gloves may also be available with or without powder. Powder has traditionally been added to disposable gloves to help them stay in place, but nitrile powder free gloves are increasingly popular for an extra layer of clean. Nitrle powder free gloves are available in all sizes and thickness, allowing users the ultimate flexibility in choice when it comes to selecting the best disposable gloves. The last consideration when purchasing disposable nitrile gloves is the cost. Standard nitrile medical gloves are often the most affordable option, while the longer nitrile powder free gloves will often come with an additional cost. Most blue nitrile gloves come in packs of 100, but many workplaces prefer to have numerous packs in stock at any given times. To do this, it is wise to order in bulk. Retailers who offer disposable nitrile gloves in bulk will often do so at discounted prices, making it a great way to save money over time. Ultimately, disposable nitrile gloves can be a smart option for a wide number of workplaces. Thanks to the resiliency of nitrile and the array of products available, it is easy to find the right nitrile gloves today. Source: http://www.seoarticlehub.com/resilient-protection-with-disposable-nitrile-gloves Pro-Val boasts an extensive range of 100% Nitrile gloves that are suitable for a variety of applications. The Nite Safe gloves are a powder free, single use, latex free examination glove. Listed on the Register of Therapeutic Goods, these gloves can be used in the medical and diagnostic industries. The gloves are strong, providing excellent barrier for emergency services where there is a greater risk of puncture and have a broad range of chemical resistance, particularly petroleum based chemicals. HACCP Australia Food Safety Certified the Nite Safe gloves can be used for food handling. Nitrile Blues PF are powder free, 100% nitrile gloves (non medical grade). They are blue in colour for easy recognition in food processing and handling areas, with HACCP Australia Food Safety Certification. Strong, durable, with excellent grip, Nitrile Blues PF also offer a broad range of chemical resistance, particularly with petroleum based chemicals. Nitrile Blax, a black nitrile glove, strong, durable with excellent grip, they offer outstanding chemical resistance, particularly with petroleum based chemicals. Strong and comfortable, the gloves have textured fingertips providing extra grip for wet or dry situations. These gloves can be used in many industries such as hairdressers, beauty therapists, mechanical workshops, panel shops and tattooists. If it is a thicker nitrile glove you are after then the Nitegreen 15 and Nitrile 46's are the gloves for you. These nitrile gloves are strong, durable and provide excellent resistance to a wide range of chemicals, including petroleum based solvents oils and greases. Due to their thickness, they both provide excellent protection against abrasion and snags.

2011-05-19T06:06:05Z new-website-to-promote-newly-rebranded-welsh-australia

Welsh Australia, a leading importer and distributor, has launched a new website to consolidate the company’s four brands and provide customers with information on safety, crowd control, materials handling and storage products. The company’s goal is to create a user-friendly website for customers while integrating Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) techniques for better rankings on search engines. Developed by Exa Web Solutions, the website (www.welshaus.com.au) promotes the company's united brand and effectively represents the four existing areas of the business: TrolleyMaster, CrowdMaster, Skipper Barrier and Sliding Storage. Welsh Australia’s General Manager, Matthew Welsh said the website has a clean, crisp design and presents well to current and prospective clients. “The new website navigation makes it easier for customers to find the information they are looking for with fewer clicks, and coupled with the new features to the site, making it user friendly” Welsh said. “With strong branding and detailed product display, people are instantly aware of our broad range of products.” In spite of the new website and branding, the company offers extremely high quality products and delivery services as it did previously. The new site is designed to act as a one-stop shop for any businesses safety and material handling requirements. “We still sell TrolleyMaster, CrowdMaster, Skipper Barrier and Sliding Storage products at affordable prices” Welsh said. “The new site promotes our ability to offer free delivery Australia-wide and does so on time and in a professional manner”. Welsh said the website has been optimised not only ensure fast accessibility for all users, but also to make it easier to find on major search engines like Google. About Welsh Australia:Welsh Australia is a family owned and operated company, specialising in the import and distribution of high quality safety, materials handling and storage products for the Australasian markets. The company has over 30 years’ experience and offers products from TrolleyMaster, CrowdMaster, Skipper Barrier and Sliding Storage. For more information, please contact Matt Welsh on (03) 9646 0645 or email mattwelsh@welshaus.com.au. About Exa:As Australia’s largest and most successful Web Solutions Company, Exa has a full time staff of over 200 Web Designers, Web Developers and Online Marketing experts. Exa’s WebMagnet and Customised Web Solutions have helped improve the profitability and efficiency of more than 1000 organisations. Exa’s clients include some of the world’s biggest brands, leading banks, government, not for profits, multi-nationals and SME’s from various industries. Founded in 2000 Exa has sustained around 50% growth year over year. For more information about Exa contact Loris Toffano, Marketing Manager on 0413 387 382 or email loris.tofffano@exa.com.au.

2011-05-15T23:50:15Z virtues-of-vinyl-gloves

Vinyl hand wear is an increasingly popular option in disposable gloves. For years, latex has dominated the market. However, in recent years, other products have seen an upswing in use thanks to the increased potential from such products. In particular, disposable vinyl hand wear has a lot to offer in a wide range of workplaces. When purchasing disposable gloves, there are a few reasons to keep vinyl hand wear in mind as a viable option. First, vinyl is a smart alternative for individuals with a latex allergy. While latex allergies are not necessarily common, they can be especially problematic. Indvidiuals who are allergic to latex will often experience difficulty breathing when they come into contact with latex, which includes latex gloves. Because of this, many workplaces that use latex also have to stock an alternative, such as vinyl exam glovse, to accommodate individuals who have the allergy. Another reason that vinyl exam gloves are a good choice for many workplaces is their flexibility. Disposable vinyl gloves are designed to adhere to the shape of the hand. The thin material allows the user to have nearly a full range of motion while wearing the disposable vinyl gloves, which can be especially important during precision work. Vinyl exam gloves also allow for extra sensitivity, making it possible for the user to experience sensation through the protective layer. For this reason, medical vinyl exam gloves are increasingly popular, since medical professionals can still adequately examine patients while wearing them. To help ensure the utmost flexibility, vinyl disposable hand wear is made in a number of sizes, ranging from small to extra large, to accommodate individuals of all sizes. Since most businesses and workplaces are concerned with the bottom line, it is especially good to note that vinyl gloves are also cost effective options. Disposable vinyl gloves are substantially cheaper than other non-latex alternatives. Clearly, there are a number of advantages to consider when it comes to disposable vinyl gloves. As an alternative to latex, vinyl gloves provide the ultimate flexibility and real safety at a price that any workplace can easily afford. Article source: Http: www.abcarticledirectory.com ProVal stock a range of vinyl gloves, including their Stretch PF, a new generation, ultra soft resin vinyl examination glove, it looks and fits like latex. Listed on the Register of Therapeutic Goods and with HACCP Australia Food Safety Certification this glove can used in a variety of applications. Such applications include hospitals, ambulance and emergency services, dental or medical clinics, food manufacturing and food handling. The ProVal disposable vinyl glove range includes the All Clear and Foodie Blues vinyl gloves. These gloves are available in either lightly powdered or powder free in blue and clear vinyl. The gloves have HACCP Australia Food Safety Certification and do not contain DOP/DEHP phthalates. Used in food manufacturing and processing, food handling and preparation, catering, general industry and cleaning applications.

2011-05-09T01:58:12Z new-proval-nitrile-blax-disposable-glove

RCR International are pleased to announce the launch of their new disposable glove, the Nitrile Blax. The glove is a black 100% nitrile powder free glove. Strong, durable with excellent grip, they offer outstanding chemical resistance, particularly with petroleum based chemicals. Nitrile Blax are latex free making them ideal for people who suffer with a latex allergy and on-line chlorinated for easy donning. The beaded cuff also provides extra strength when donning. They are strong and comfortable with textured fingertips providing extra grip for wet or dry situations. The gloves can be used in a variety of applications such as hair care, beauty therapy, mechanical workshops, tattooists, graphic arts, childcare centres, abattoirs, automotive/panel shops and cleaning. The gloves are packaged in convenient tissue dispenser box style with 100 pieces per box. Sizes Small - X Large.

2011-03-29T07:45:00Z moroccan-oil-and-gloss-salon-first-ever-vip-night

David Moore, Director at GLOSS SALON revealed a the salon’s new look to his VIP’s in attendance who included Business Guru Sharon Willams and Celebrity Stylist Amber Renae who celebrated with Champagne, Miss Chu canaps and mini cupcakes from Sparkle Cupcakery. Kayla Luck, Brand Manager, Moroccanoil educated each guest to the benefits of all products in the range with GLOSS SALON being one of only the select few salons in Sydney to stock the complete Moroccanoil collection including a limited edition gift pack ( which almost sold out on the evening). Each guest receive a Moroccanoil giftbag including a mini bottle of the original Morccanoil, hair accessories by Lady Jayne and an exclusive gift voucher from GLOSS SALON. This special event is amongst many exciting things to come from GLOSS SALON this year including a brand new website- Stay tuned! About GLOSS SALON With over twenty years industry experience, David Moore of GLOSS SALON states that the philosophy of GLOSS is to “build a well respected brand affording its clientele access to unique services whilst being on trend, affordable and approachable.” GLOSS SALON employs a team of cutting edge stylists who retain an excellent level of skill, client care and respected reputations. David Moore has been the recipient of the Australian Achiever Awards winner – Best Hairdresser twice, has been a regularly on Channel 7’s The Morning Show, Featured in Industry publication Instyle, Vogue Australia Magazine and contributed weekly to MX Magazine, Sydney. For more information or to make a booking at GLOSS SALON visit www.glosssalon.com.au Visit Gloss Salon at 180 West St, Crows Nest NSW Ph. 02 9922 4735

2010-11-30T05:05:00Z salmat-launches-new-small-business-online-marketing-portal

Sydney, 30 November 2010 - Salmat today launched its new online marketing portal that will revolutionise small business marketing in Australia. From January 2011 the online tool will provide small businesses with instant access to a suite of powerful and cost effective local marketing solutions - giving small businesses a big voice! “Time poor small businesses can find local marketing a difficult and costly exercise often investing significant time and money in blanket advertising that reaches people far outside the relevant target market. Salmat is now making targeted local marketing an affordable reality for small businesses around Australia,” said Grant Harrod, Chief Executive Officer of Salmat. Earlier this year Salmat invested in a national network of 15 local marketing branches – rebranding them the Local Direct Network - to create an infrastructure to begin servicing the small business market. The online portal will complete the offering. The portal provides small businesses with easy access to local area marketing solutions, when they want it and how they want it. From January 2011, small businesses will be able to book local marketing campaigns at a time that is convenient to them, across both on and offline channels, at the click of a button. They can submit a design brief or utilise existing artwork, book a print quantity if required and map a letterbox distribution to specific areas they’d like to cover, and even extend their offer online through Lasoo.com.au - providing small businesses with a truly multichannel local marketing solution. Over time Salmat will begin to introduce even more capabilities into the portal. Marketing channels such as SMS, email, promotions and direct mail are all being considered, as well as database acquisition and data analysis tools. The portal is supported by Salmat’s extensive expertise in delivering targeted multichannel marketing and its national letterbox distribution network that provides reach to over six million Australian homes. “Salmat is empowering small businesses by providing them with the tools to grow their business and achieve the best possible return on their marketing investment. Everything from service and access, to product and price has been addressed to ensure the channels facilitated through the portal are the most affordable and effective marketing solutions for small businesses. Importantly, we are starting to give small businesses a big voice,” said Harrod. About Salmat Salmat is a unique Australian owned company. They are the experts in the provision of customer communications solutions. Through strategic use of different communications mediums, including voice and non-voice channels and other applied capabilities in the area of online technology, demographic insights and detailed data management, Salmat engages consumers in cost effective one to one communications on behalf of its clients. For more information about the Salmat Group, please visit: www.salmat.com Facts About Small to Medium Enterprises SME Landscape - Australian SMEs are typically classified as any business with 250 employees or less - There are 1.2 million Australian SMEs - over 96% of all business - They are Australia’s largest employer - 63% of all workers - 33% of Gross Domestic Product - The fastest growing industry sector Source: www.sauce.com.au SME Marketing - 59% consider marketing to be an important issue - 36% report it to be their key growth strategy - 35% set a marketing budget of between $5,000 and $20,000 - 85% expect to spend the equivalent or more than last year on their website, brochures and marketing Source: The Society for Executive Wisdom Media contact Josh Faulks Head of Corporate Affairs, Salmat +61 412 202 557, josh.faulks@salmat.com.au

2010-11-10T03:39:40Z stuck-on-you-unveils-their-latest-product

Wednesday November 10, 2010. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE With Christmas just around the corner, it's time to start looking for thoughtful presents for friends and family. At Stuck on You we have released a great new range of personalised products that are sure to get you excited about the festive season. Take a look at these adorable hair brushes. Made with quality wood, they feature soft bristles that won't hurt little heads. Available in navy, pink or red and personalised with your choice of fun, vibrant designs including; 'Pirate,' 'Cupcake,' 'Spring garden,' 'Train' and 'Caterpillar.' These gorgeous hairbrushes make a really special gift. Your kids will be so excited to get ready in the mornings with a hairbrush featuring their own name! Available for just $24.95. For other exciting gift ideas, visit us at www.stuckonyou.biz or call 1800 645 849 for a free brochure. For further details, enquiries or to request images,please contact: Laura Schreurs, Stuck on You. PO BOX 3068, Geelong, VIC, 3220. Free Call: 1800 645 849. Ph: (03) 5225 3000. Fax: (03) 5221 6424 or 1300 130 604. Email: laura@stuckonyou.biz www.stuckonyou.biz

2010-10-20T10:29:48Z upside-learning-unveils-new-corporate-identity-revamps-its-website

Upside Learning has undergone a major transformation – the first of its kind in the company’s 6 year journey. In line with its efforts to align the company’s image with its evolving business, Upside Learning has unveiled a new corporate identity today. The new identity symbolizes the company’s movement into new domains, birth of new ideas, innovation and development of new products. It combines the elements of agility and innovation to reflect a shift in the way Upside Learning thinks & works; its focus on higher growth & success, and its step towards the new & improved.The logo has been designed to reflect the company’s philosophy of putting YOU (the customer, its employees and other stakeholders) first - denoted by the ‘U’ shape, the arrow signifies its focus on growth through performance and learning, while the color green embodies the eco-friendly nature of its solutions and services. The branding initiative involves a new visual identity across all communications, which include a revamped website and blog, and relevant changes in the marketing and support materials. Upside Learning has also released a ‘new identity launch’ video on You Tube that captures the essence of the company and that of the new logo. You can watch the video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxEeCRwR114Commenting on the background on the development of the new corporate identity, Amit Garg, Director of Content Solution at Upside Learning, added, “With a view to adapting with the dynamically changing eLearning landscape, our new corporate identity reflects the company’s philosophy to constantly innovate itself with the evolving technology, and customer requirements, and move along the curve.” "Upside Learning has grown significantly over the past 6 years with diversified offerings, and today it serves over 150 customers across the globe," said Amit Gautam, Director of Technology Solutions at Upside Learning. "Our new identity reflects the attributes of our unique culture - focused on the customers, employees and other stakeholders. Most importantly, it symbolizes our fervor to grow", he added.Subsequently, the company also plans to re-align its products and service offerings with a renewed focus on innovation; underlining its commitment of providing effective learning solutions to the global community.About Upside LearningEstablished in 2004, Upside Learning is a globally recognized leader in training outsourcing, LMS solutions, custom eLearning development & mobile learning. With a collective experience of 600+ person-years, it has successfully completed more than 300 corporate and academic projects for over 150 clients worldwide.The company’s product & services portfolio ranges from Custom eLearning to Catalog Courses, Mobile Learning to Blended Learning, Learning Management Systems to Technical support services tailor-made to an organization be it an Enterprise, a SMB or a Training Company.Upside Learning has been consistently picking up awards & other recognitions every year, including the most recent, 3 Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards for its flagship Learning Management System – UpsideLMS and Deloitte’s Technology Fast1600 Asia Pacific Program award.It is its constant endeavor to develop advanced & innovative learning solutions to provide cutting-edge solutions to its clients thereby impacting their organizational learning and hence, performance. For more information visit the website: http://www.upsidelearning.com

2010-10-10T07:41:22Z climate-change-policy-weighs-heavily-on-business

Climate change policy weighs heavily on business – not enough green skills / information vacuum / carbon tax uncertainty The attached is a data summary of the second in our series of surveys that seeks to understand the impacts on business of climate change policy and potential regulation. Our specific focus has been on the Australian economy and business sector. This dataset is embargoed until midnight on the 11th October 2010. Please also see attached media release from Matthew Tukaki, CEO and Executive Chairman of The Sustain Group (now incorporating SansGov). For those unable to download PDF’s – a summary of the dataset is below with the content of the press release from Mr Tukaki. 347 responses received sampling small, medium and large business – survey conducted between the 29th of September and 8am of the morning of the 8th of October. (the full report summary can be downloaded here: http://www.sustaingroup.net/climatesurveyresults) Quick data o 63% of respondents remain unsure as to the impact of an emissions trading scheme on their specific industry sector. This is down by only 1% from the previous response of 64% o 76.8% of respondents do not believe that Australia has the skills base to accommodate a rise in demand for green jobs or a growing green and renewable energy / technology sector. This is up from 63% in the previous survey o 56.5% of respondents do not believe that the Government should introduce a tax on carbon ahead of a proposed emissions trading scheme (this question has been introduced into the survey and was not asked at the last survey) o 42% of respondents do not believe the Government should wait for a global agreement on climate change while 40.6% believe they should. 17.4% were unsure. o 63.8% or responding organisations are already taking direct action when it comes to reducing carbon footprints – this is up slightly from the previous survey which found 59% of organisations surveyed were taking direct action o In a “balancing” question of what respondents thought of Opposition policy: 64% of respondents remain confused about what the Opposition mean by direct action. This is down from 76% in the previous survey Executive Chairman and CEO of The Sustain Group has called for comprehensive action from both sides of politics when it comes to working within business in industry in understanding the likely impacts of climate change policy. Speaking after the release of data from the second survey in a series looking at the business response to climate change policy, Mr Tukaki indicated that while there was an immense amount of goodwill in the business sector to address the challenges of climate change, the reality was that many were struggling to understand the potential impacts of policies on both sides of politics: “The last survey we conducted was just prior to the Federal election and even at that stage we continued to see confusion about the central tenants of policy construction and implementation. Business was saying then that they were confused about impacts, now they remain just as confused and added to this nervousness is what a possible price on carbon could do. There is a growing acceptance that there will be a form of emissions trading scheme, but respondents are feeling unease about what the implementation framework may look like.” Mr Tukaki said “The other significant concern started off as anecdotal evidence for me when speaking at the MBA Directors Forum in May. Since then, the anecdotal evidence has been translated into raw data where 76.8% of respondents did not believe we had enough skills in the economy to support a growing green sector, particularly renewable energy and technologies. We know hundreds of millions of dollars is being invested into these sectors – what we don’t have, or are seeing, are the requisite skills that are being developed to support growth. We are also seeing an increasing demand for environmental engineers and sustainability managers – but at the real heart and soul of policy development, demand for policy skills has increased significantly. We don’t have the supply of skills in the Australian economy to accommodate this rise in demand just now.” Mr TukakiMr Tukaki indicated that there was solid consistency in the raw data that shows growing acceptance, but also growing direct action from business: “Business are already responding to the communities and consumer concern when it comes to sustainability and the environment. A large number of respondents (63.8%) were implementing programs or had already implemented programs – the challenge is now getting some consistency when it comes to benchmarking. In other words, if there is a significant amount of direct action occurring, what is it, what does it look like and what impacts will it have – there are some significant positives being overtaken by the narrow debate on a carbon tax, which incidentally, is peripheral to the broader look and feel of an emissions trading scheme.” Mr Tukaki said Contact Matthew Tukaki for comment: 0435 636 373 or email: matthew.tukaki@sustaingroup.net About The Sustain Group The Sustain Group is a leading sustainability business practice that works with clients from the private and public sector when it comes to business transformation, green jobs and skills, executive briefings and learning. The Sustain Group recently integrated public sector advisory body, SansGov, into the broader services offering and, as a result, appointed Matthew Tukaki (CEO of SansGov) as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman. About Matthew Tukaki, CEO and Executive Chairman of “The Sustain Group” Matthew is the former CEO of SansGov and Head of Australia’s oldest and largest employment services companies Drake Australia. Matthew was elected as Australia’s Network Representative to the United Nations Global Compact in July of 2010 and holds various board and executive advisory positions. The United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate citizenship program with more than 7,700 global signatories. Survey Data Overview This is the second in The Sustain Groups series of research reports and surveys into the Australian business and industry response to climate change. The first survey was conducted over a period of four weeks between June and July 2010. In the June and July survey, the number of respondents numbered 692 across three layers, small, medium and large business. In the latest survey, we have refined the methodology and held the survey over shorter period – the 29th of September through to the 8th of October. During that period there were 347 responses. Further refinement of the survey methodology included more detailed filtering that only collected data from Australian respondents. Each survey respondent was only able to submit one response. In addition, this latest survey collected anecdotal commentary from survey participants. From that perspective 31 additional comments (some detailed in length) were submitted and, where relevant, have been included to support the outcome of a specific data set. The survey was conducted using online methods and collection points. This document is a summary of the results. If you would like a full copy of the survey results, please email research@sustaingroup.net . Matthew Tukaki Chief Executive Officer Level 26, 44 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000 P: +61 2 9089 8976 F: +61 2 9089 8979 M: + 61 (0) 435 636 373 E: matthew.tukaki@sansgov.com www.sansgov.com Australia I North America I Singapore I Hong Kong I Beijing I Bangkok I Dubai I South Korea Please consider the impact of printing this email. One ream of paper = 5.4 kg CO2 in the atmosphere; 3 sheets of A4 paper = 1 litre of water. The content of this email is for the intended recipiant only. This email does not neccesarily express a view or opinion held by SansGov or The Sustain Group nor should the content of this email be explicitly interpreted unless officially sanctioned. Any report, summary, data or information provided by SansGov or The Sustain Group also does not express the view or opinion held by clients, both private and public sector. If you have received this email in error please notify the sender and delete the copy.