Looking Forward...

Hi everyone,

As it comes to the end of your professional placements for most of you, I have applied to the consultancy of my placement to continue on after finishing my university placement. I found my work experience so insightful, I thought why not just keep going with it? You can never have too much experience!

Another reason I have asked to stay on at Sinclair Consulting, is because I have been so inspired by some of the proprietary frameworks in which the consultancy use for providing public relations and business development services. I feel they are unique tools that really give this consultancy a competitive advantage and will help its business operations to successfully grow - a process I would love to be a part of.

I am hoping with enough hard work that my continuation on with work experience will help me to develop my skills further whilst seeking for employment in professional practice of public relations.  

After all, doesn’t “practice make practice makes perfect”?!

I wish everyone the best with their future endeavours!

Kind Regards!

Communication and Realisation

Reflecting on the PR internship, which culminated in an end of year party, I can say Teamwork was a wonderful experience. The multiplier effect is vital in event management.

The result is reached and the joy shared by everyone since the objective was set and attained together. I have learned the joy of collaborative work: a suffering, which finally produces success and enjoyment for the clients and our team.

Each one has fought to stay focused on the main objectives of the firm, and it has been an excellent way to create a synergy. Working together at individual tasks is necessary for the achievement of a common project.

In a professional setting the challenge is the whirl of contradictory priorities. These motions create difficulties in relationships and may reduce efficiency and productivity.

I believe from the limited experience I had during these 20-day internship that most human enterprises cannot be achieved without unity and coordination of some sort, at least among a good part of the group. All the energies should tend towards the same goal, then and only then can a higher degree of experience can be obtained.

The question is whether the motivations of the different persons involved in a project are compatible, convergent and complementary. In an enterprise, most persons are there for pecuniary reasons, others for formation purposes, career paths… When these motivations become second to the overall business objectives, communication flow is optimal. Two key linked concepts: communication and realisation.

I am infinitely grateful to Lilmans Services Team for this excellent opportunity for growth and their welcome, and for the existence of the PR393 module for providing such a space during university years…!

Peep Toe- First Quarter Update

Hey everybody!
I hope all of your internships are running along smoothly!

I thought I would write a little about my time at the Peep Toe Shoes Head Office in Alexandria Sydney. I live in Sydney now and am doing most of my final units externally through Curtin and Open Universities which has made life extremely stressful! I think I will have to give a bit of background into my company before explaining everything I’ve been doing.

I have been interning at Peep Toe Shoes, which has an almost ‘cult’ following, especially over east. Some loyal customers have upwards of 15 pairs of these shoes. I thought this company would be great to intern for and an excellent company to write my final report on because the owner has basically expanded and succeeded purely through the extremely good use of Public Relations. It’s not just an ordinary Retail store selling shoes. It is an Australian brand that can charge an average of (around) 300 dollars for a pair of heels, yet, the company has never used advertising to sell its brand which I think is just amazing. The owner Nikki was only 26 when she opened her first store in the very trendy suburb of Paddington and now at 30 she has 4 stores, is stocked in David Jones and is soon to be opening yet another store in the CBD.

Peep Toe has really made a name for itself in the fashion retail market. The fact that Peep Toe have never advertised their product emphasises how successful and effective their PR has been. They have certainly built relationships with the media (stylists, events, media releases, sending items for magazines and newspapers) and they also have a big celebrity following.

Anyway, I will get back to my first five days at Peep Toe.
The Peep Toe Head Office has a large conference-like room called a ‘showroom’. This showroom is for important meetings with clients such as:

- Potential wholesale opportunities/clients (Peep Toe has a number of stockist around Australia)
- Current wholesale clients (mainly who come in to look at the new season stock)
- Models (perhaps for a photoshoot or to obtain free shoes)
- Stylists (to borrow product for magazine shoots either on models or done using flat lay photography)
- Celebrities
- Internal meetings between the employees in the office
- Journalists

The room is filled with beautiful cabinets and displays to exhibit various products (jewellery, bags, heels). The other side of the room is where the PR products are. It is basically an area where Peep Toe products (numerous shoes, bags, accessories) are kept purely for Public Relations purposes. I deal with this area a lot.

I complete around 3-5 PR calls every day. The magazine/newspaper or whatever medium it may be (mainly through stylists or stylists assistants) send the brief of what theme they are looking for with some inspirational photos and I have to choose the appropriate product, pack and send off (via courier that same day) for them to borrow. This will then be pictured in (for example) an upcoming magazine. The stylist/company using the product are then meant to send back the product in a reasonable amount of time , however, if it is not sent back, I give them a friendly call and follow up email to let them know the product that is overdue and to ask if they could send the items back as soon as possible. When these items are returned, they can be sent out again to yet another communications medium and the process repeats itself.

After doing a few of these PR calls, I had to print screen all the shots where Peep Toe Shoes (heels, boots and jewellery) appeared in the promo for Australia’s Next Top Model (ANTM) on Fox 8. Peep Toe is featured in the show and other things relating to the show (such as ANTM photoshoots in magazines). From what I gathered from my senior advisor and publicist, Rosie, Peep Toe have built a relationship with the show where by sending them free product to use they will be featured on the show and any other ANTM related media.

Peep Toe receives a lot of coverage throughout all forms of media (from magazines to radio to newspapers) and they like to keep all members of staff aware of this coverage should any customers, clients or celebrities request a certain heel/boot/accessory or bag that has appeared in the media or any upcoming product. This weekly email is sent to everyone within the company to show the products featured and in what magazine/newspaper/publication. This is an example of part of the newsletter I helped with:

Basically we scan every publication featuring our product and circle the product.

Well I can’t believe how long my first post is, I guess there is a lot to talk about in the first quarter of the internship!
I hope everyone else is having an amazing time!
Sincerely,

Siobhan Finley