Client List Data
Posted on October 28, 2011 at 3:48 pm, by admin
AGM
Posted on June 23, 2011 at 1:53 pm, by aspect
Aspect has produced this energy company’s AGM since 2007. This year saw Aspect deliver an engaging and memorable experience for their 500 shareholders, whilst keeping costs to a minimum.
Freelance I.T
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 12:07 pm, by aspect
We are looking for freelance I.T guys & girls with onsite event experience who looks as good getting their hands dirty as they do in front of clients. Send a CV and tell is a bit about yourself to Paul.Mills@aspect.ltd.uk. If it looks like you can cut the mustard then we will call you for an informal chat!
No excuse for poor presentation
Posted on January 31, 2011 at 5:10 pm, by aspect
Here’s a thought for you: The next time you know you will have to stand up in front of people and present to them don’t immediately go and prepare your slides or write your script. First ask yourself this simple question: “Am I boring?” I know, it’s harsh, but the simple truth is it doesn’t matter how cool your content is, if your presentation and performance style isn’t any good whatever you do is going to fall flat. If your answer is ‘yes’ or even ‘maybe’ then my advice is to go and get some training. When I say training, I’m not talking about presentation training but performance training – did you know we are in the theatre business? Delivering a good presentation is just like playing a part in a play or a TV series. The audience has to believe every word you say; they have to engage with you. So no matter how uncomfortable it feels to take that first step, getting some acting skills will be a huge benefit. Energy sells, and data repels. Your enthusiasm and passion will always make a greater impact on people than facts. Engage with your audience. Don’t tell people what you want them to learn, allow them to discover your insights. It’s usually down to you to make this change. Unfortunately, audiences are often all too willing to listen to unaccomplished presenters. Yes, we may fill in the evaluation form but we never actually give that brutal bit of feedback that could make the difference – “their voice was monotone, they overran, they didn’t convey enough passion, they were anchored to the spot, they need some training!” All these things can be worked on but you have to recognise they need work first! Author: Simon King-Cline
Broadcast or boredcast?
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 12:22 pm, by aspect
I’ve just finished watching a web broadcast and, I have to say, business television really lacks imagination. Technology allows us to reach a disparate audience cost-effectively so it makes perfect sense to use a web broadcast or web TV to communicate with clients and your staff but – maybe because it’s so cost-effective -people often seem to forget about making it interesting too! What is the point of publishing a message if no one is listening? Think about the television you watch every day – it’s colourful, it’s humorous, it’s topical, it’s passionate, it’s aggressive, it’s nail biting –most of all, it’s entertaining or we wouldn’t watch it! So why not get these ingredients into our webcasting experiences? The presenter needs to cut out the fat and keep the meat . The content focus should be steered away from your company’s agenda and back to what your audience is thinking; “what’s in it for me?”. Webcasting can be so much more than just a face talking to a screen. We should really be exploring new ways to engage our audiences – just like they do on Strictly, the X-Factor, Question Time or Test the Nation. Engaging your audience collaboratively has to be the way forward in the webcasting arena. Remember, it’s all about dialogue not monologue! Author: Simon King-Cline
Procurement – who wins?
Posted on January 11, 2011 at 10:41 am, by aspect
Now here’s a scary word – procurement! I’ve just finished an e-bid process and I still don’t know if we’ve won. The system had a magic button that, when pressed, automatically made your bid the cheapest. To me, it’s like playing roulette and yet the procurement team told me it was their favourite button! The question is: ‘does procurement really add value in communications?’ By pressing the magic button aren’t we reducing our proposition to a commodity? Can we really compare hiring our services to buying a tin of baked beans? I passionately don’t think so. It’s about achieving that ideal combination of value, quality, creativity and price. What’s more, every communications company offers something different within these criteria. Of course, your client has to trust that you will deliver what you say you will but how do you communicate this in an e-bid or in a procurement discussion where, more often than not, the only topic seems to be money? Do I think procurement reduces costs for clients? Absolutely and, of course, competition is healthy from all perspectives. But, at the same time, do our clients trade-off creativity for price through the procurement process? Unfortunately, I often think they do. Successful communication companies have built their business and reputation on the relationships with their clients – How does procurement fit into this process? So what’s the answer? Maybe it’s about embracing the procurement teams and trying to love them as much as we do our day-to-day clients. Sometimes it’s really difficult though, particularly when the pitch process is de-personalised to the point of an e-bid. What I do know is if you can get on to a procurement roster and build a relationship with the procurement team based on creativity and trust then it works. You gain a huge amount of credibility and your client gains peace of mind, knowing that you have been fully scrutinised and have passed the procurement test. Author: Simon King-Cline
Senior Board Directors aren’t always born to be public speakers
Posted on January 4, 2011 at 10:13 am, by aspect
I’m often disappointed that inspirational leaders – who achieve results in all other areas of their business – don’t always inspire when it comes to public speaking. Isn’t it a no-brainer that the leaders of an organisation should be fabulous on their feet? Passionate, articulate and motivational for employees and clients alike? Yet so often they fall short. The basic needs of a memorable speaker are threefold: Passion – Your audience wants to hear your passion for your business. Inspiration – Your audience wants to know you believe in the future of your business. They want to be inspired to perform for you. Rapport – Your audience wants to connect with you and you need to connect with your audience. All three require a well-crafted speech, knowing your content and delivering it from the heart. This needs preparation and rehearsal. Without these two preliminary stages you won’t perform to your best ability. But why do our business leaders not follow this route to inspirational performances? Well, usually it’s because no one dares to tell them that they need a bit of work on their voice projection, or that they need to make their content more concise. OK, so it makes sense that you would go out of your way to avoid offending your boss or hurting his or her feelings for fear of losing your job but isn’t it better to give these leaders immediate and straightforward advice that makes them look good? After all, it is for the good of the company and its success and, therefore, your success! Author: Simon King-Cline
