Today Collins Dictionary has announced the inclusion of eighty six new words, many of which have been suggested by the great British public.

Whilst some of them probably amount to no more than slang, many have become common parlance and therefore have earned their place in the lexicon.

Without wishing to sound like an extra in ‘The Only Way is Essex’ I have to own up that some of the ‘new’ words have crept into my own dialogue. I have been know to decree that something is ‘lush’ as in opulent and attractive (rather than green and leafy), I often feel many tasks in my life are ‘faffy’ (too time consuming), and rather than flicking a finger in road rage I will shout ‘jog on’ in a derogatory tone the the offending motorist.

As my mother constantly derides (yes, even at my age) I select my daily outfit from the ‘floordrobe’ then log on to my laptop to see the latest additions to my Facebook pages. Yes, Facebook now officially listed as a ‘social networking site’ in the dictionary. Then it’s on to Twitter where I probably choose to ignore the ‘egg heads’ who have decided to become a follower of mine. No, I’m not worried about their immense intellectual or highbrow capacity – just their anonymous looking avatar!

Looking through the list, some of the newly registered words would probably never make it into my own usage, however there are a couple that I quite like the sound of and may choose to adopt. I’m drawn to  ‘snappins’ which apparently is a dialect word used in the Midlands to describe a light lunch, whilst a ‘bunbury’ could come in handy from time to time. This is, according to Collins, a fictitious scenario created to avoid an engagement you don’t wish to attend!!

Finally to finish off, a word I really hope I don’t need to encounter is ‘frenemy’. This apparently is a supposed friend who acts in a treacherous manner. Thankfully I choose to surround myself with great friends, and to work with trustworthy and loyal colleagues.

If however I ever do discover someone has been duplicitous I

If you’d like to check out the latest new words on the block go to http://www.collinsdictionary.com/blog/whats-your-word,40,HCB.html

The content is what will engage your target audience and ensure that you convey the right message.

This is applicable to any form of business or corporate communication, whether that is internal communications to staff and colleagues; communications and messaging to key stakeholders or partners, or business to business (B2B) or business to customer (B2C) communications.

Content matters because it will influence people’s perceptions about you, your business, product or service.

The content we refer to could be in offline material such as newsletters, brochures, flyers, advertisements or just in a letter; or online such as your website, blog, video or social media campaigns.

Here are 5 top tips from Lime Tree Communications to think about when writing:

Personality. When choosing words just be human! What is the ‘personality’ or tone of your business? Do your communications convey that unique style? Find your distinctive voice and keep to it.

Clear. Honest. Specific. Define the purpose of your communication (to yourself first) – then the words should flow in a way that will be unambiguous to your reader. We always advise a ‘sense check’ where you can. Ask a friend or colleague (preferably someone who is not working on the project with you) – to see if it is clear and understandable.

Credible. Sounds obvious, but how often to you read ‘marketing speak’ and feel cynical towards it? You want your messages to be clear and believable.

Provocative. Do your words provoke a call to action? Will they make people think about you? If the purpose of your communication is to convey a specific message – have you made it crystal clear how they can make the next move?

Natural. One of our bugbears is unnecessary or complicated jargon. Avoid using acronyms (unless you have clearly explained what they mean) OR your target market is such that they will understand them – as they are common parlance.

We could go on… such as take the time to research reaction to your key messages where you can. (We advise focus groups – which can be particularly helpful with important content such as web or brochure copy). When thinking about content for your website there are other issues to consider as well. The words or content will impact upon your SEO (search engine optimisation) and rankings… BUT that’s for another day!

Of course, the other solution to make sure your content is just perfect…is to ask us to write it for you!!!!!!!

We love this cartoon which sums up different approaches perfectly. Courtesy newsroom101.com

What's your content style?

Hotelier David Bailey with Mayor of Bournemouth Cllr Stanley-Watts and John Weaver from Bournemouth Air Festival

A leading Bournemouth hotelier is calling upon local businesses and individuals to give their backing to the 2012 Bournemouth Air Festival.  David Bailey, Hotel Director at Hotel Miramar on Bournemouth’s East Cliff is Patrons’ President for the event and says that despite the generosity of some local businesses, there is still a need for more people to support this award winning event.

Hotel Miramar has this year increased its donation by becoming a sponsor along with other leading businesses including the Daily Echo.  To encourage more people to sign up, David will be hosting a Patron’s Evening on Thursday 9th August at Hotel Miramar, with canapés and refreshments and live entertainment from Sarah Bolter jazz.

Commenting on the situation David said, “We appreciate it is tough economic times, but the Air Festival is a real income generator for the region. It places Bournemouth firmly on the map and is a thoroughly fantastic event for tourists and residents alike.”

To become an Air Festival patron a minimum donation of just £250 is required. A full range of benefits can be viewed at http://www.bournemouthair.co.uk/patrons/.

In a bid to attract more people to join the scheme, David has arranged an enhanced benefits package whereby patron’s names will be added to a prize draw. Extra incentives include an £850 advertising package with the Bournemouth Daily Echo; an exhilirating ‘fast-taxi’ down the runway of Bournemouth Airport in an original Red Arrow – the Folland Gnat, plus other generous gifts from local hoteliers and restauranteurs.

All money raised through patronage ensures that the incredible dusk air displays are funded, plus £10 of each donation goes towards the Bournemouth Air Festival charities – Hounds for Heroes, The Jon Egging Trust, Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.

In a light hearted summing up David added, “I do hope we can encourage more people to join us. As a last ditch attempt at emotional blackmail, it will be my personal ‘golden jubilee’ – and the best birthday present I could wish for would be for more local companies and individuals to become VIPs (Very Important Patrons)!”

For information about the Patrons evening on August 9th call David Bailey call the Hotel Miramar on 01202 556 581 or email david@miramar-bournemouth.com

In my former role as Marketing Director for a large education establishment – one needed the stamina and mental alertness of a top athlete in order to keep up with meeting deadlines, multi-tasking, overseeing the team, and generally keeping on top of your game.

So, I think my track record speaks for itself, although I don’t have a medal to prove it! (...nor, I must admit the physique!!!)

Anyway, agility is not necessarily a word which instantly springs to mind in terms of corporate or business communications – and yet I suggest it should.  In terms of PR, marketing and communications, agility will mean many things.

Here I try to identify 5 winning tips to help you become more agile with your business communications:

• Flex your approach. The ability to tailor your approach to different target markets/audiences/customers/ client groups is vital. The message may be consistent but the approach should be customised. Remember the old adage ‘one size doesn’t fit all’.
• Revise, review and refresh. Don’t let your communications/marketing messages become stale. Keep your ideas fresh and relevant – give them currency. Ditch what’s not working for you, be prepared to try a new approach.
• Go for Gold! Your fan base (your happy, satisfied or delighted customers) can be marvellous advocates for your brand/your business/your service. Use their testimonials, ask for their recommendations etc. Reward them for their loyalty too!
• Speed and accuracy. React to topical issues and build them into your communications (if there is something pertinent). Be prepared to react and respond – but don’t lose attention to detail.
• Teamwork! In terms of PR, marketing and communications -  always ensure all your staff well briefed and ‘on message’. Take the time for internal communications too – and make sure that all your team members are rising to the challenge and fully comprehend your missions and objectives.

Maybe most of these seem obvious, but I am often surprised when speaking to clients that they have not set up their PR/marketing/communications strategies to be agile and flexible.

Hopefully these hints and tips will help you see great results – and one last analogy – ‘don’t rest on your laurels’

Olympic gymnast Louis Smith (image courtesy metro.co.uk)

Zesty & creative solutions from Lime Tree Communications & Giraffe Design

When a Hampshire based contract cleaning company looked to create a new website and enhance their media and communications profile they opted to work with the Dorset based creative partnership of Giraffe Designs and Lime Tree Communications.

Company Managing Director, Trevor Jackson of Two Counties Cleaning Services Ltd has seen exponential growth in his business in recent years, moving into more facilities management and taking on public sector contracts in the medical and education sectors.
Mr Jackson commented, “The industry is changing, and our service to clients is changing. New rules, legislation, audits and standards have come into play, and the medical and dental sectors and schools in particular are having to be far more rigorous in their cleaning standards. We needed to rethink our marketing and communications strategy, starting with the website and newsletters to our existing client base.”

Lime Tree Communications, a new Bournemouth based PR and communications agency impressed Mr Jackson with their creative ideas and ability to quickly grasp and understand the complexities of their company.  Julie-Anne Houldey from Lime Tree Communications said, “We sat down with the Two Counties Cleaning Services team to get a real understanding of their vision for business growth. Then it was up to us to deliver clear and affordable solutions that would have a quick impact.”

Working with Giraffe Design for web design and offline design work the duo produced the newsletter within a month and the website within three months.

Trevor added, “We found both Lime Tree Communications and Giraffe Design to be knowledgeable, professional and very efficient. Julie-Anne was project manager, and the work produced has already been beneficial. Our newsletter generated a lot of new business both from new and existing clients, and the website now fully represents our range of services. We’ve had excellent feedback and would have no hesitation in recommending them to others looking for fresh and creative ideas.”

Two Counties Cleaning Services Ltd. new website can be viewed at http://www.twocountiescleaning.co.uk/

Giraffe Design  website is at http://www.giraffedesign.co.uk/

Mike Stephenson and Paul Bullimore from H2Eco in Holton Heath, Poole have recently written to local MPs and also to Charles Hendry, Minister of State, at DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change) to complain about the government’s mishandling of the Feed in Tariff (FiT) scheme, and the way they are misinforming the general public about solar power options.

Mike Stephenson said, “When he came into office the Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to lead the ‘greenest government ever.’ What we have seen is a ham-fisted mess with mixed messages being issued to the public, resulting in a drop of solar panel installations by a stunning 96%.”

Since the introduction of the Feed in Tariff in 2010, the amount of renewable energy from UK homes grew by more than 41 times. Homeowners were offered the incentive of a 45p FiT for each unit of solar power sold back to the national grid. Due to the impressive uptake in solar installations, the government took a U-turn and revoked the funding to 21p per unit. A High Court challenge ruled that those already on the higher rate were legally entitled to maintain this for the 25 year period, whilst new installations are now paid the lower rate.

Mike added, “For a government that claims to be wedded to green targets they have single handedly cut down the number of people prepared to invest in renewables. They have been reckless and have thrown the solar industry into disarray.”

On Thursday [26 April 2012] the Prime Minister is set to make his first ‘green’ speech, and the H2Eco team are eagerly awaiting any new developments.  H2Eco partner, Paul Bullimore added, “We feel very angry at the government’s mishandling of the situation. Yes we care because it potentially has a detrimental impact upon our business, but we are equally as aggrieved because we are passionate advocates for renewable energy and ways to help save the planet.”

In their letter to MP’s, the H2Eco team challenged the government’s calculations and data about the costs of installing and running a photovoltaic system on an average home.

Mike commented, “It is totally wrong to state that a solar panel system only generates a 4% return. They have miscalculated and misinformed the public in this regard. The cost of components has dropped by 50%, and the systems are very efficient. An average installation now costs around £8,000, and customers should expect a comfortable 10% return, up to 15% on larger systems. This sure beats any return on investment currently available from high street banks.”

The pressure is still on however for any home owners considering cutting their fuel bills by supplementing with solar power. The 21p Feed in Tariff is set to be lowered again by the government in July this year.

H2Eco urged Dorset homeowners to act quickly if they are thinking about renewable energy. Paul stated, “At the moment the expectation is that the FiT will fall from 21p to an even lower rate. However, if you have a solar power system installed before the end of June, you will still be guaranteed the 21p rate for the next 25 years.”

The H2Eco team also have an exciting new development in the pipeline, which has attracted interest from Annette Brooke, Lib Dem MP for Mid Dorset & North Poole. Mike said, “Annette Brooke was interested to hear about our concerns, and also about a new innovation we are currently devising. She hopes to be paying us a visit in the near future.”

Paul Bullimore and Mike Stephenson are angy at the government's U-turn on solar investment

H2Eco offers advice on all aspects of renewable energy across Dorset and the south west. For details visit www.h2-eco.com or call Mike or Stephen on 01202 918486.

In business, as in life, good manners and a polite nature go a long way.

However, do you apply such graces to your approach to social media, especially Twitter?

As the name suggests, ‘social media’ is just that…it’s social. It is about building a following, attracting loyalty and interest in you, your business or your brand. In ‘real’ life people would soon lose interest in you if you were rude or abrupt, or indeed you may not attract many ‘likers’ if you were generally very self-centred or egocentric. Ergo, if you want to be successful with your approach to social media you need to mind your manners!

Here at Lime Tree Communications we are handling social media accounts more and more for our clients, and there are some general tips that might be of assistance to you if you are planning your social media campaign, or about to embark on a Twitter journey.

These aren’t actual rules, but you if you want to be a good twitizen then it’s good to adopt some good old fashioned etiquette.

20 Twitter tips and good habits worth thinking about:

1. Be interesting! Quite a difficult one that as it is subjective. But, as a rule, good content will appeal to your audience or attract relevant followers.

2. Bring something to the party. Like any polite guest – you share news, views, comments, snippets that you believe others may appreciate. Don’t come empty handed.

3. Say ‘thank you’. Everyone likes to be appreciated, and Twitter is the same. Thank people if they RT (re-tweet or share) your tweets.

4. Say hello. It is quite nice to welcome new followers with a personal message (DM = direct message) or a tweet to acknowledge them. There are mixed views about automated responses, and I have to say they’re not for me.

5. Quality not quantity. Don’t madly follow everyone just to try to build your own following. Spend time looking for people who share your interests, or post tweets that are pertinent to you or your business. This could be about sector or geographical location.

6. Don’t push! Nobody likes people to push a product or opinion in our faces, and Twitter is just the same. There is no harm in directing people to an offer or promotion, but not all the time. It should be a blend of communication and different messages, like every good conversation.

7. Don’t be rude or offensive. Sounds a bit obvious, but people sometimes seem to forget they are engaging in communication because it is not face to face. You can share an opinion, but not in a nasty or aggressive fashion.

8. Be a good listener. You will soon find people to follow who have something interesting to say. Listen to what they have to say and if you like it, share it.

9. Don’t plagiarise. There are some very interesting and witty tweets that you may wish you’d thought of first. You can copy and forward (re-tweet) them – but you should always give accreditation to the original source.

10. Talk about other people as much (if not more) than you do about yourself.

11. Be social. Twitter is about conversations – it is not intended to be your platform for a monologue.

12. Tweet in moderation. My personal opinion is that 10 tweets a day are more than enough. No-one wants to be bombarded. Don’t send them all at once either. It can become irritating.

13. It’s not discourteous not to like everyone. As a general rule it is nice to follow back on Twitter, but as it now has millions of users, you are not obliged to follow everyone who follows you. Don’t disregard them however without checking out their profile first.

14. Similarly, don’t be offended if people don’t follow you back. It’s not a popularity contest.

15. Watch your alcohol intake. Might sound flippant, but you could say something you regret if you tweet whilst under the influence – and it IS in the public domain.

16. Identify and introduce yourself. Your ‘twitter handle’ (name you use) should reflect who you are or what you do where possible. Don’t forget to add an avatar (picture or logo) and add a profile.

17. DON’T SHOUT. As with many forms of social media (i.e. texting) capital letters represent shouting. Use sparingly.

18. A bit like point 17 – don’t be too noisy. ‘Noise’ on twitter means volume (as in number not sound). Post frequently, but it really is NOT very interesting to tell people you’re having lunch – unless you have a photo of something delicious or the venue is amazing. Even then, think ‘who cares?’

19. Be personal (within reason). Like any social interaction people gravitate to those who have something compelling or funny to say. You should always remember that it is fellow human beings you are sharing with. Imagine they are in the same room.

20. Enjoy twitter. I can be very time consuming, even addictive. Make sure you give the best and get the best out of it so that you are not wasting your time… or theirs!

We hope you find these hints and tips helpful. Don’t forget if you’d like us to handle your social media accounts on your behalf – then we’d be more than happy to do so.

 Drop us a line on the enquiry form or give us a call.

The hotel located on the banks of the River Stour in Christchurch is one of only two hotels in Dorset to have been awarded the much coveted Gold Award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

Thanks to proceeds raised from one of the hotel’s successful ‘green projects’ they were recently able to present a cheque to the Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group.

Robert Wilson, Operations Director at The Captains Club Hotel said, “With our prime riverside location it is important to us that we operate to environmentally-friendly standards. We won the Gold Eco Award for significantly reducing our carbon footprint and for our various sustainability practices, including the sale of ‘Eco Water.’ It is proceeds from this that has enabled us to make a donation to the ornithological group.”

Eco Water is filtered water served with a twist of citrus, ice and mint, and is offered to hotel guests as an alternative to bottled or tap water.

Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group (known locally as CHOG) was established in 1956 and is dedicated to the study and conservation of wildlife in the harbour. Christchurch Harbour boasts diverse wildlife, and despite covering an area of less than 9 square kilometres, over 320 different bird species have been recorded.

Christopher Chapleo from CHOG commented, “We were delighted that the Captains Club Hotel team have chosen to support our work and are very grateful for their donation. We will use the funds to erect a series of nest boxes in some of the mature riverside trees in the Wick area.”

Robert Wilson, Operations Director, Captains Club Hotel with Christopher Chapleo, CHOG, and Karen Lindsey who assisted in the Eco Award entry.

The ‘Elite Spa of the Year’ award was presented to CCSpa manager Eleanor Monks, and three of the therapists who attend the celebrations in Spain.

Hosted by The Skincare Sanctuary, distributors of leading French skincare brands across the UK, the Captains Club Spa team impressed the judges with their professional skills, product knowledge and ultimate customer care.

Andrew Bagley, MD of The Skincare Sanctuary Ltd commented “The Captains Club spa team demonstrated outstanding dedication to the Phytomer brand showing the highest standard of work.  We are delighted to recognise their passion and professionalism by announcing them winners of our Elite Spa of the Year Awards 2011.”

The Captains Club Hotel and Spa opened its doors in November 2006 with three treatment rooms, and has recently opened a fourth.

Eleanor has been leading the spa team since its inception and helped select the premier Phytomer products, as they are based upon marine-inspired treatments, perfectly complementing the CCSpa location on the banks of the River Stour.

The Captains Club team were up against fierce competition as the Elite Accounts Awards from The Skincare Sanctuary aims to recognise and reward best practice and excellence from a range of luxury spas affiliated with their products. These include some of the finest spa hotels across the UK such as Stobo Castle in Scotland, Whites Hotel in Wexford, Ireland; the Royal Yacht Hotel in Jersey – and of course the Captains Club Hotel and Spa in Dorset.

CCSpa manager Eleanor is elated with the award saying, “The team works tirelessly to ensure that all clients enjoy their spa experience in a relaxed and calm atmosphere. In addition to our range of gorgeous treatments, guests can enjoy our excellent hydro-therapy pool and sauna.”

She added, “We were thrilled to win the ‘Elite Spa of the Year’ award as it is a true reflection of the dedication and team spirit that shines through on a daily basis at CCSpa. We called back to the hotel straight away to share the news, and everybody back at base was over the moon. We may be small, but we are beautiful and can hold our own against leading spas.”

The CCSpa team also contributed to the recent accolade won by the Captains Club Hotel of ‘Gold Award’ from the Green Tourism Business Scheme. Eleanor and her team have adopted a number of eco-friendly measures for the spa, which includes using the Phytomer products which are based in the marine environment of Brittany, and sources only natural products.

Celebrating eco-tourism at the Captains Club Hotel. Robert Wilson and Klaudia Ziemnicka with the hotel’s ‘Eco Water’.

A prime Dorset hotel has struck Gold by winning an internationally recognised eco-award. The Captains Club Hotel located on the banks of the River Stour in Christchurch is one of only two hotels in Dorset to be awarded the much coveted Gold Award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

With sustainability and green issues being very much at the forefront of many businesses these days, the management and staff at the Captains Club Hotel were keen to ensure that they were operating to environmentally-friendly standards wherever possible.

Robert Wilson, Operations Director of the hotel said, “The whole team share our environmental vision and each has made positive contributions towards us winning this Gold Award. Working in the tourism industry we are fortunate to operate our hotel in one of the UK’s most beautiful towns on the world-famous south coast, and this award recognises our approach to protecting the environment and the wildlife and for adopting many successful ‘green’ practices.”

The Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the United Kingdom. Assessed against rigorous criteria hotels and other tourism establishments are graded according to their eco-standards.  Each venue is judged on important factors such as energy efficiency, waste minimisation and recycling, together with additional aspects such as the use of local produce, biodiversity or promoting local walks or cycle routes and other environmentally friendly projects.  Those businesses that meet the required standard, receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award based on their level of achievement.
Prior to entering the Green Tourism Business Scheme the Captains Club team signed up to an Environmental Staff Charter they devised themselves to meet their own and the hotels green aspirations. By doing so they committed to ensuring that in every aspect of their day to day work at the hotel they would apply measures to purchase responsibly, recycle robustly, reduce energy use and waste, and proactively support and promote the local landscape and environment.

Each month staff were invited to put forward at least one green suggestion or recommendation. One of their outstanding ideas was the creation of ‘Eco Water’ where instead of just tap or bottled water, guests are offered Eco Water – filtered water with a twist of citrus, ice and mint. Half the proceeds are donated to the Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group who specialise in monitoring wildlife on the River Stour.

Robert added, “This is a great accolade for the Captains Club Hotel, and the assessors commented on our 80% score on reducing the hotel’s carbon footprint, alongside other eco measures. In business terms it is of paramount importance for us, our guests and the local community that we demonstrate and prove our strategies and credentials for environmental and corporate social responsibility.”

Celebrating eco-tourism at the Captains Club Hotel. Robert Wilson and Klaudia Ziemnicka with the hotel’s ‘Eco Water’.

Pictured: Celebrating eco-tourism at the Captains Club Hotel. Robert Wilson and Klaudia Ziemnicka with the hotel’s ‘Eco Water’.