In a time of such fierce competition, and when customer expectations are so high, businesses need to do more than just deliver great products and services. They also need to forge meaningful connections with their customers. At the heart of these relationships lie personalised communication – a strategy that transforms interactions into connections and clients into loyal advocates.
People are bombarded with advertising, emails and social media posts. The sheer volume can make it very easy for businesses to get lost in all the noise Personalised communication can, however, cut through this clutter but making customers feel like they are seen, understood and valued. It isn’t just about selling, it’s about showing them that you care about their preferences, needs and goals.
Here are five strategies for mastering truly personalised communication:
Be careful. While personalisation is a powerful took, don’t overstep into invasiveness. Overly detailed or frequent communication can feel intrusive and annoying, so balance is key. Make sure you are adding value, rather than overwhelming a customer.
Mastering personalised communication is about more than just maximising sales. It is about a connection that allows you to be a valued business connection for your customers. By taking time to understand their needs, leveraging technology and maintaining authenticity you can create relationships that create loyalty and growth. Personalisation isn’t just the future of customer interaction; it is the foundation of a thriving business.
Crafting the perfect social media post can feel like an impossible task. How do you share information with your customers, but still make it stand out, look good and possibly even be a little bit cool? It is a competitive digital landscape out there and an effective social media presence isn’t just a nice idea—it’s essential. Here are some actionable tips to create posts that grab attention, engage your audience, and drive results.
Know Your Audience. Spend some time creating a profile of your ideal customer. Consider their age, interests, locations, and which social media platforms they are most likely to frequent. For example, Tiktok and Instagram’s visually driven audiences skew younger, while Facebook attracts a broader, but often older demographic. If you know your audience you are create with them in mind.
Keep It Simple. Social media is a fast-moving environment, and users often scroll quickly. Get to the point. Use a concise and compelling headline or a question to hook readers immediately. Make sure your call-to-action is crystal clear, whether it’s “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Visit Us Today.”
Make it Visual. A picture is worth a thousand words, and on social media, it is worth even more. High-quality images or videos are key to stopping the scroll. Use tools like Canva to design eye-catching graphics and take photographs of products in natural, well-lit settings. Don’t underestimate the power of a short, engaging video about your services.
Be Consistent with Branding. A good clear brand guide is very valuable and is worth the time it will take you to put it together. Your social media posts should reflect your brand’s voice, colours, and personality. Consistency across this design and branding will build recognition and trust. Whether your tone is professional, playful, or inspirational, keep it aligned with your overall branding.
Use social media tools. Use 3-5 relevant hashtags to increase the visibility of your posts. Also, do a bit of research to find out when your audience is most active and then schedule posts around those peak engagement times.
Engage with Your Audience. Social media is a two-way street. Respond to comments, answer questions, and thank users who share your content. This fosters a sense of community and strengthens customer relationships.
By implementing these strategies, your small business can turn social media into a powerful tool for growth. Remember, every post is an opportunity to connect with your audience and tell your story—make it clear, clever and targeted.
Why celebrate International Women’s Day? Why mark it at all? Women are only 52% of the global population after all. Well - women perform 66% of the world's work and produce 50% of the food, yet earn only 10% of the income and own just 1% of the property. Caring for elders, children and doing unpaid household work is predominantly done by women and in Australia alone the monetary value of unpaid care work is estimated to be $650 billion, the equivalent to 50.6% of our GDP. In other words – we haven’t reached equity yet. And that is just in Australia.
International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, is a global occasion to reflect on the progress made toward gender equality and to advocate for the rights and empowerment of women and girls. This year, the United Nations has chosen the theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” This theme underscores the urgent need to ensure that women and girls worldwide have equal access to opportunities, safety, and support systems that enable them to thrive.
Despite strides toward equality over the decades, many challenges remain, and not just work inequality. In Australia, one woman loses her life to domestic violence every 11 days—a harrowing reminder of the persistent epidemic of gender-based violence. That is unacceptable and we should be screaming about it. On a global scale, the situation is even more alarming, with 26% of women experiencing domestic violence in their lifetime. This violence not only endangers lives but also perpetuates cycles of fear, inequality, and disempowerment.
Some of us have it good – we are safe, we have fulfilling equitable relationships, and we earn what we deserve. We are the ones who can fight for those who don’t. When Jesus said (Matthew 25:40), “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,” this is what he is talking about, looking after those who are unable to look after themselves. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is on the front lines of this initiative with projects at home and abroad that empower and keep women safe. The UN’s theme reminds us that the fight for gender equality must be inclusive, ensuring that the voices of all women and girls—across diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and socio-economic circumstances—are heard and respected. On this International Women’s Day, let us recommit to building a world where these sisters of ours can live free from violence, achieve financial independence, and fully realise their rights. Rights. Equality. Empowerment. These are not just aspirations; they are essential for a society that reflects the love that Jesus proposed.
In 1982 Tylenol was the most successful over the counter product in the US with over 100 million users. It accounted for 20% of Johnson & Johnson’s yearly profits and was the absolute leader in the profits from that one painkiller alone were enough to put the company in the top half of the Fortune 500 list. Then, out of the blue, somebody replaced Tylenol capsules with cyanide-laced capsules, resealed the bottles, and put them on shelves in Chicago resulting in the deaths of seven people. Johnson & Johnson were faced with the crisis every company dreads – their product, something people trusted, was killing people.
This is not the crisis most companies will face, but it is a great example of the right way to respond to a public relations nightmare and a complete loss of the faith from stakeholders. Sometimes businesses and companies will make the mistake of trying to save face, save a product or to put profits first, and will attempt a cover-up. Cover-ups rarely work in the long term (ask the Catholic Church about this). They result in a total loss of trust and brand reputation damage that is unlikely to ever be reclaimed.
Tylenol launched such a successful response to its crisis that it became the bases for many of the crisis communications strategies developed by researchers over the next 40 years. They asked first “How do we protect people?” and then, “How do we save this product?”. They immediately issued a national press release telling people to avoid all Tylenol and pulled all products off the shelves first in Chicago, where they found two more contaminated bottles, and then the entire United States. They provided a free number to call for advice and kept the community up to date with regular press events. They immediately put a new safety system into production – the “triple safety seal” – educated the public as to its features and value. They had their product back on shelves within six months and over time completely recovered their market share. The entire crisis cost them over $100 million in revenue, but their recovery meant that since 1982 they have consistently made around $300 million a year.
So how can a smaller organisation replicate this successful response to a crisis? It comes down to three simple things.
1. Acknowledge the Crisis Immediately
Your objective here is to take control of the narrative and show accountability. This can be done through a public statement on multiple channels that will reach your stakeholders. This needs to be immediate and thorough. Hiding feels like lying. Share everything you legally can to ensure transparency.
2. Prioritize Public Safety
Demonstrate a commitment to people over profit and over reputation. Your situation may not be one of product deficiency, it may be a problematic person within the organisation – remove and report them if it is in the interest of public safety and let people know you have taken this seriously and acted immediately. Provide clear instructions to affected individuals and collaborate with public authorities to address the crisis.
3. Communicate Regularly and Honestly
Share updates as the situation evolves, even if it means admitting uncertainties. Be honest about the challenges while focusing on solutions and use empathetic and clear language that resonates with your audience.
The main communication lesson that can be learned from Johnson & Johnson, as well as countless other business, NPOs, organisations and individuals over the years is – maintain ethical accountability. Be honest. Be transparent. Put people first and keep them informed. A crisis can be a chance to show your stakeholders who you really are as an organisation and to win their deep respect for your ability to navigate difficult situations.
As communicators our aim is for our audience to understand what we intended for them to understand. But how can we actually know if they do? Well, for one, we can wait and see what actions they take. They will either succeed in doing what we asked and recommended or fail to some degree. It is a very inefficient way to gauge understanding. The other way, and by far the better way is to ask questions to see exactly what our audience has understood and to allow them to question us for clarity in return. Questions can drive the discover of information, foster understanding, build relationships and influence the decision-making process. There in meetings, client interactions, or with your own teams, the strategic use of questions can unlock new perspectives, solve complex problems and steer conversations in productive directions.
One of the primary functions of asking questions is to ensure understanding. business, Miscommunication can lead to costly errors, wasted time, and damaged relationships. Asking clarifying questions helps avoid these pitfalls. For example, when working on a project, the question "Can you clarify exactly what the client expects in this area?" invite specifics, reduces ambiguity, and ensures all parties have the same understanding of goals and processes. This is critical in an environment where every detail matters.
Asking questions encourages collaboration. In meetings or group discussions, asking questions as simple as, "What do you think?" or "How would you approach this challenge?" create an environment where employees feel valued and heard. This not only improves morale but also brings diverse perspectives to the table. Each team member’s unique insights can lead to creative solutions that might not emerge in a more hierarchical, directive communication style.
Questions can show attentiveness, interest, and empathy, all of which are crucial for building relationships and trust. When speaking with clients or colleagues, asking thoughtful questions shows that you care about their needs and perspectives. For instance, asking a customer, "What are your biggest challenges right now?" instead of pushing a product, opens a dialogue that prioritises the customer’s needs.
Questions also build rapport. Informal open-ended questions like, "How did you get started in your career?" can help form personal connection that shows you don’t simply see clients as a way to make money, but as people that you engage with and serve.
The ability to solve complex problems often hinges on asking the right questions. Asking "Why are we doing things this way?" encourages teams to think beyond conventional solutions. There may be ideas amongst your team members just waiting to be uncovered that will innovate and update your workplace for the better.
Questions are powerful tools for communication. used strategically, they lead to better decisions, stronger teams, and more effective outcomes.
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Once upon a time, about 1950 actually, a 65-year-old man living in a tiny house, with a beat-up car was struggling to live off his $99 a month pension. He knew things had to change and took stock of what he had to offer. The only thing he could think of was his chicken recipe – one his family and friends raved about. He packed up his car and began travelling first the state, and then the country looking for a restaurant who would be interested in a deal – a free recipe for a percentage of sales. He heard the word “no” 1009 times before he finally got a bite (pun very much intended). It became so popular that Colonel Hartland Sanders ended up with his own restaurant chain, which he named Kentucky Fried Chicken, and changed the way Americans ate chicken. Inspiring story, isn’t it? We feel a little better for hearing it.
Let’s face it, we all love a good story. Studies on the brain show that while you are listening to a story your cerebral cortex activates. Something about hearing a narrative rather than simply taking in pieces of information puts the whole brain to work. We think in narratives most of the time, anyway, playing out scenarios in our heads before and after we encounter the actual experiences. It is the way our minds prefer to see the world. It follows that the best presentations will incorporate stories. If you want your audience to visual your ideas, to see a future for them and to connect with, telling a story is your best bet. Storytelling does four valuable things for your presentation:
Incorporating storytelling into business presentations can significantly enhance the effectiveness and impact of the message being delivered and anything that makes a presentation memorable, engaging and relatable is a valuable addition to your presentation arsenal.
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There is more creating a Power Point presentation than cutting and pasting your notes onto a set of slides and adding a piece of clip art. A good presentation will involve a combination of well-chosen content, careful graphic design and confident practiced delivery. Here are four simple ways to make your presentation noticeable, and more importantly, memorable:
So remember that creating a powerful PowerPoint presentation goes beyond mere slide construction; it involves thoughtful simplicity, compelling design, audience engagement, and effective delivery, ultimately leaving a lasting impression on your audience.
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It is very important to be clear on how you are using your media, what you expect from it and what you hope to achieve. Without intention, social media can easily miss the mark and be ignored, so take time to decide if you are trying to sell something, create brand awareness or simply connect with your customer base. Don’t forget that social media is not organic. Most social media platforms are tightly controlled businesses that only give you what you pay for. The cycle of visibility is short, and a post will see the light of day only briefly unless it is shared or promoted. If you make peace with this, you can use it in a way that best suits the endgame of your organisation.
Here are 5 simple tips for creating a social media post that gets views, and better yet, engagement.
With those tips in mind, you are ready to press “share” on your next post!
A multicultural upbringing, two Avondale mentors and a government grant has given an alumna confidence to share the stories of culturally diverse mothers in Canberra.
Capital Mums by Sonja Kama will explore themes such as community, cultural influence, identity, resilience and self-care while celebrating the diversity but universality of motherhood. The untold stories in the tentatively-titled book come from mothers representing more than 50 cultures.
A mother from Timor Leste, for example, spoke about losing her mother to a postpartum haemorrhage. She moved to Canberra, had her own baby and experienced similar blood loss but, unlike her mother, received high-quality medical support and intervention. A mother from Finland told Kama that Finnish babies are given naps in prams outdoors even in minus 20 degree temperatures, such is their belief in the power of fresh air.
As a woman with New Zealand Maori heritage raised in Vanuatu who married a Papua New Guinean and is now mother to a 16-month-old daughter, Kama’s story will feature, too. Appreciation for the traditional practices at her wedding helped inspire Capital Mums. Kama’s husband, Bal, is from Simbu Province. In Simbu culture, the women of the family—the “mothers”—gather with the bride to share wisdom and answer questions about marriage and motherhood.
As a new parent who lives far from her family, Kama sees value in the sharing of stories. “So often, society doesn’t provide adequate space for mums to tell their stories, let alone the stories of mums from different cultures.”
While the stories are different, Kama says they are woven together by a sense of connectedness and shared understanding. “Capital Mums is a simple but powerful example of celebrating and creating unity in diversity.”
With almost $10,000 in funding from the ACT Government’s arts agency, Kama hopes to launch Capital Mums next year.
Kama graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communication and international poverty and development studies in 2011. She found her ideal job immediately after graduation as Communication Coordinator for Asian Aid Australia. Kama enjoyed working in a small team she describes as supportive and open to new ideas. A sense of autonomy allowed her to develop professionally and creatively. She particularly enjoyed working with one of her former lecturers, the new Director of Advancement at Avondale, Bruna Tawake.
Kama credits the professional placements she completed as part of her degree with helping her discover a love of writing. “I learned from a diverse group of industry insiders who could show me what to expect and help me prepare to navigate constantly changing environments.” She helped launch the first Manifest Creative Arts Festival at Avondale. “I remember being so inspired thinking I could pursue this passion for writing and find support when I needed it.” And in her final year, she provided editorial content for the Avondale newsletter. “I gained a lot of confidence in my ability to find and write a strong story.
“These experiences cemented all I was learning in class. So much of what I do now as a communicator has been influenced by my time at Avondale. To this day, four words in my final practical report from [Public Relations and Philanthropy Officer] Brenton Stacey have stuck with me and impacted me and my creative journey like no others: ‘You are a writer.’”
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Why did you choose to study International Development (now called International Poverty and Development Studies) at Avondale?
I had already started studying International Development at another University and chose to transfer to Avondale to align my learning more closely with pursuing future opportunities with Non-Government Organisations like ADRA while being closer to my then home in Newcastle. The course enabled students at the time to link practical volunteer learning overseas with theoretical assignments while completing the degree.
What came next?
It has certainly been an adventure. I started at ADRA Sudan working on project design activities (writing reports and proposals) for water supply projects, food distribution and nutrition programs, as well as small scale entrepreneurship training for women and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). From there I moved to ADRA Angola where I was Humanitarian programming in the area of primary health care, primary school construction as well as seed and tool distribution for internally displaced people returning home after the end of the civil war. Both of those countries were war-torn, dangerous and incredibly beautiful. I learned a lot.
I moved to work with ADRA Solomon Islands after the civil conflict in that country and worked on a Peace Building and Reconciliation program, which also included community health activities, training in organic agricultural techniques, small business training and adult literacy classes.
Following that, I ended up at ADRA Australia running various country program portfolios over the years including in PNG, Vanuatu, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Nepal and Laos. Various areas of projects including food security, small value chain development, climate change adaptation, water supply and sanitation, and small enterprise development. I travelled extensively through all of these countries and I can't even describe the incredible experiences I had in each of them, though I will admit that Africa will always have a part of heart.
At the end of 2019, I began a new role at World Vision Australia as Country Impact Manager, managing WVA’s development and humanitarian grants in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, two countries I know and love and my role there includes supporting resilient and inclusive livelihood activities, developing social enterprise, reducing gender-based violence, implementing water supply, sanitation and hygiene programs, as well as preventing the spread of COVID19 and managing the emergency and reconstruction needs caused by Tropical Cyclone Harold. It was certainly an interesting time to start a new job in aid!
What do you love about aid work?
Initially, when you first start working overseas you enjoy the opportunities to travel, the rich cultural experiences and the unique opportunities to feel and see the impact that ‘you’ are having on other peoples lives. Once you have worked in International development for a longer period, you still enjoy and value these opportunities and experiences, but your joy tends to be focused more on how well you have passed on the skills, knowledge and experience that you have gained to your friends, colleagues and communities overseas. These days its particularly satisfying to hear someone in Africa, Asia or the Pacific Islands say in a conversation or email, that the improved farming technique you suggested during your last visit has worked very well and has been embraced by the community so that they are now seeing the benefits to their community and hope to expand to other villages. That is the outcome I find most satisfying at this stage in my career.
How did your degree help you prepare for this job?
Undergraduate degrees in International development usually provide students with a solid foundation regarding understanding the context within developing countries – history, geography, economics, politics. This foundation (together with opportunities to volunteer and learn practical work-based skills during field placements overseas) helps point students in the direction of where they need to focus their skills further upon completing their degree.
You see a lot of people in need, what should we be educating ourselves about at the moment.
That depends what social or environmental issues concern you the most, or how you choose to think about vulnerability, but these are a few of the global situations that need our attention:
How can we help?
