Strawberry Communications | Strawberry Communications: Writing & PR

A Decade in Business: Reflection and Refocus

September 28, 2016 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell Leave a Comment

A photo by Christopher Sardegna. unsplash.com/photos/CMOa3H1SXG0

This month Strawberry Communications turns 10. I had been freelancing on and off for six years before I started working for myself full time, but once my eldest son was born I knew I didn’t want to be working for someone else five days a week. My work experience and entrepreneurial spirit drove me to go it alone and I registered the business in October 2006.

My business has gone through many iterations in that 10 years: from being a purely freelance writing business initially, to combining my own clients with freelancing for other PR businesses. From there Strawberry Communications was predominantly operating as a PR consultancy with two additional consultants supporting me and it’s now back to mostly writing, with just me at the helm.

A fluid business

There have been many reasons for these changes: responding to industry demand, working around my family and my own desire for change. During the past 10 years I’ve worked around one, and then two, small children, after which I ran the business full time while my partner become a stay-at-home dad. Next I combined running Strawberry Communications with baking business, Stanley & Nelson, and then with studying part-time. For the past two years I’ve been studying full time and working in the business part time. I expect to be finished my PhD within the next six months and so now I’m starting to think about what I’ll do post study.

Storytelling Tools for Your Business

July 27, 2016 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell Leave a Comment

Image credit: unsplash.com

Human beings are social creatures. We love connecting with others and one of the simplest ways to facilitate this connection is through storytelling. Business owners can use that instinctive attraction to stories in marketing, by inviting customers to connect through a form of communication we’re all comfortable with.

I’ve written about the power of storytelling through data, creative writing and advertising already, but in this post I want to share some of my favourite storytelling tools with you.

Social media

Social media has enabled businesses to tell stories in more fun, simple and effective ways than ever before, building on those innate connections I mentioned above. Whether you want to live blog an event you’re hosting via Twitter, share your fundraising efforts for a local charity through boosted posts on Facebook or showcase your online store’s unique style through Instagram or Pinterest, social media is the place to do it. Almost everyone has – and uses – their phones to stay connected all day, every day. We all access various social media platforms multiple times throughout the day, meaning you can be connecting with customers via storytelling on their favourite platform at any time.

Two friends raise $10,000 for breast cancer research by trekking to Machu Picchu

November 18, 2015 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell Leave a Comment

Eight months of training and fundraising culminated in a four-day trek through the Peruvian Andes for two friends from Sydney and Launceston, who raised awareness and much-needed funds for breast cancer research during their campaign.

Annalisa Holmes, of Sydney, and Johanna Baker-Dowdell, of Launceston, followed the Lares trail through remote Peruvian villages up to 4450m above sea level and concluded their trek at Machu Picchu earlier this month.

They undertook this trip with 12 women from around Australia, who had each committed to raising at least $4000 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) to help the charity reach its goal of zero deaths from breast cancer by 2030. The trek is run by Inspired Adventures.

Johanna interviewed for The Mumpreneur Show

September 3, 2015 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell Leave a Comment

I was recently interviewed by Petra Jones for her Mumpreneur Show podcast about generating PR for small businesses, writing Business & Baby on Board and running a business with a family in tow.

Listen to the full podcast by clicking through below.

Filed Under: Business PR Tagged With: business, Business & Baby on Board, Business PR, Johanna Baker-Dowdell, Petra Jones, PR, small business pr, Strawberry Communications, The Mumpreneur Show, writing

How to Write Captivating Case Studies

May 28, 2015 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell Leave a Comment

Image credit: Unsplash.com

Nothing is better marketing for your business than the endorsement of someone who sings the praises of your product or service. And it’s even better when that endorsement comes in their words while taking people behind the scenes so they can see what actually happens in your business.

Case studies combine all of these ingredients, but are an underrated marketing tool in business for some reason. I’m going to show you how to create great stories that will get people wanting to work with you or buy your product now.

Show how your product or service is actually used by your customers by telling the story behind it. The media loves seeing how a business works from the customer’s perspective and it lets customers see how they can use your product or service, plus you get third-party endorsement from the customer giving the case study.

Social Media for Leaders

August 2, 2013 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell 1 Comment

Image: social-media-optimization.com

Last week I presented a session on thought leadership and social media to Tasmanian Leaders congress. The room was full of leaders from within the state’s businesses, government and not for profit sectors and one of the most popular questions was, “how do I know which social media platform to use?”

The simple answer is use the platform that works for you and where you know your target audience is, but I’ll go into a bit more detail in this article.

Thought leaders are influencers in their field, as well as being on top of industry trends. Social media is a great tool when establishing yourself personally and professionally online because you can share the expertise you have in your industry, which leads to conversations, relationships and, eventually, business.

20 Things You Didn’t Know About Me

May 24, 2013 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell 16 Comments

Image from hdwallpapers.in

1. I had a head injury that affected my speech and short-term memory. My cat knocked a metal candle holder on to my head while I slept and it hit the soft tissue below my brain stem causing severe concussion. I was in hospital for four days, with my memory and concentration tested daily. I still have post-traumatic migraines as a result of this accident.

2. My first job was at McDonald’s when I was 14. I loved this job because it gave me financial freedom and good, basic training that I still use today. And I was great at asking “Would you like fries with that?”

Put a rocket up your PR with the Make Me a Star program

November 4, 2012 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell Leave a Comment

Strawberry Communications founder and owner Johanna Baker-Dowdell has launched a six-week online group PR program to help business owners generate their own publicity.

When “…nearly 55% of stories analysed were driven by some form of public relations,” (Source: Crikey – Over half of your news is spin) business owners should be asking themselves if their stories fall into that category and, if not, what are they going to do about it, Johanna asked.

“If business owners aren’t selling their story to the media, their competition definitely is,” she explained.

Vote for Strawberry Communications

June 21, 2012 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell Leave a Comment

Strawberry Communications is one of five finalists – and the only Tasmanian one – in the American Express Take Off innovation competition.

The prize is a social media overhaul from the best in the business and $10,000 to boost my brand digitally. It’s a great prize and I’d love to win.
This is where you come in. I need as many votes in this Facebook competition as possible by noon on Tuesday (June 26). To help me win click this link: https://www.facebook.com/AmexBusiness?sk=app_303073413088088
This will take you into the Amex Facebook competition page. Choose the Strawberry Communications logo and then click on the ‘vote now’ button.

Thanks a bunch (and Noah says thanks too).

Filed Under: My Stuff Tagged With: American express, Strawberry Communications, take off competition, vote

Expand Your Mind with a Mastermind Group

November 30, 2011 by Johanna Baker-Dowdell 1 Comment

“The Master Mind is the coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people for the attainment of a definite purpose.” ~ Napoleon Hill in Think and Grow Rich

I first heard the term “mastermind group” in the very early stages of running a business, before I’d actually registered the name Strawberry Communications. Then I assumed it was beyond my capacities as a business owner (I hadn’t even realised I was running a business at that point), but I’ve since discovered the incredible value of having one – or more – mastermind groups to help drive my business.

Business leaders from around the world use mastermind groups to help them focus their efforts, plus draw on others’ knowledge, resources, energy and networks. The groups are made up of 5-8 like-minded people who are at a similar level in business.