News from Flow

After a fast-paced and successful 2011, Flow is ready to set the bar high again in 2012.

We are looking forward to strengthening our relationships with clients, old and new, tackling bigger and more challenging projects, and growing our Flowstar family.

Read on to learn more about what we've accomplished so far, the things we're looking forward to in the coming months, and Flow's most valued asset: its people.

From all of us here at Flow, we wish you a happy and exciting year ahead.

Warm regards,

Tara and Tiffany Turkington and the whole team at Flow Communications

tiffany@flowsa.com

tara@flowsa.com

Flow in 2012

By Mildred Thabane

Flow Communications has already begun to make the most of 2012 in its quest to create success stories and reach ambitious targets.

Tara Turkington, head honcho of the company, has this to say about the first encounter most people have with Flow – its logo.

“It was designed in-house and really embodies Flow’s character. It’s funky,” says Tara. “The lines in the logo represent Flow’s transparency and flexibility. And they’re like us – communicative and free-flowing.”

Says Flow MD Tiffany Turkington-Palmer, "The Flow brand is vibey, fresh and cheeky, and represents the spontaneity of the company and the personality of its people."

And bright pink? “It’s bold,” says Tara. “We wanted something different and exciting.”

Different and exciting is exactly what seems to lie ahead for the company this year. Many new clients have joined the stable, and the Flow family grows monthly. At the beginning of March the Big Move arrives when Flow Johannesburg leaves the premises it has outgrown in Waverley. Flow Johannesburg's new home will be at 231 Oxford Road, on the corner of Bompas. Last year, our Cape Town team moved into their new office at 74 Shortmarket Street.

“New year, new premises, new clients, more staff. What an exciting way to kick off the year,” says Tara.

New to the Flow family so far this year are:

Marco Camacho, who will be key to ensuring the techno side of the move to Dunkeld is smooth, as well as intern, Jay Caboz.

With 2012 upon us, Flow’s managers are looking forward to a new year and new challenges.

Read more about what they hope to achieve in 2012.

New year’s resolution: Tweet more!

By Laura Maggs

If tweeting is, in your mind, still something a bird does in the morning, perhaps it’s time to add a Flow School session to your list of New Year’s resolutions.

The start of a new year is a perfect opportunity to turn over a new leaf, learn new things and grow your personal and professional networks.

Let Flow guide you through an introduction to social networking and help you set up your very own Twitter account, and you’ll discover a new and exciting way to represent your business or express yourself.

The next Twitter class is set to take place on Tuesday, February 7, 2012.

Book your place at one of the upcoming Flow School sessions for 2012 and you’ll be tweeting like a pro in no time!

What can Flow PR offer your business?

The Flow PR team – (L-R) Tshililo Ragimana, Caroline Smith and Shoni Makhari. Photo by Bianca Bothma

Flow PR's Caroline Smith explains what Flow PR can do for your business this year...

Somehow, the beginning of the year always feels like an excellent time for assessment – a review of what one has achieved thus far, and what one hopes to achieve in the future. Here at Flow PR, we’ve been asking ourselves some hard questions like, “What exactly are we good for?” Here’s why we think we’re good (and we think our clients agree, as they continue to work with us and see their businesses grow as a result):

We increase our clients’ credibility. Through our excellent relationships with the media, we assist our clients in getting editorial coverage. Because editorial coverage is perceived as more objective than advertising, our clients’ credibility is enhanced.

We help our clients to stretch their communication budget. Public relations is usually less expensive than other, paid for, forms of communication. If we quantify the media coverage we have achieved for our clients over the past year, we have more than paid for our fees.

We use our contacts to help our clients achieve their publicity goals. Because media liaison is our speciality, we know which media to target for which messages, what content they want, and who to pitch to.

We are incredibly flexible. Last year we did everything from issuing press releases to organising staff awards ceremonies and video footage of key events.

Read more.

Creating magic with Etana

Flowstars decked out in Etana's signature bright red at the rugby last year

By Mildred Thabane

When working with a client who shares the same vision and values as you, it’s not hard to create magic. And that’s precisely what happened when Flow started working with Etana Insurance two years ago.

Flow handles the day-to-day running of Etana’s website by keeping content fresh, clean and creative. The business and news website also includes a broker portal where clients can create their own profiles and access broker forms.

In addition, Flow supports Etana’s annual daREDevil run, which encourages men around South Africa to run in red Speedos to create awareness around cancer. Flow covers the nationwide event and writes content for the daREDevil mini-site as part of its commitment to raising cancer awareness.

Johannesburg Flow journalist and media developer, Stuart Dickinson, handles project management and content creation for some jobs on the Etana site, and jokes that life at Flow might get a bit boring if Etana wasn’t around.

“Commitment, drive, vision and just a little bit of crazy – mix that together and you have a pretty good idea of what the guys and girls who work at Etana Insurance are like,” says Stuart.

“The South African insurance giant is one of Flow’s biggest clients, and we consider them a true part of our family. Many of the characteristics we see in ourselves here at Flow, we see and enjoy in the Etana guys, which helps put us on the same page in knowing exactly what they need us to do for any job.”

Managing director at Flow, Tiffany Turkington-Palmer, agrees and adds: “Etana has gone from being a client to becoming one of our most important partners. We share similar visions and values and believe that the success of any business is its people."

Read more.

Another day in Africa

A lazy Cheetah Plains lioness. Photo by Julia Lloyd

Flowstar Julia Lloyd on her assignment at Cheetah Plains...

It was one of those really shabby days at the office. Certainly it was with heavy heart that the pair of us found ourselves on the back of a Landie at sun-up, cavorting about in Sabie Sand.

Ingrid Sinclair of Flow’s Cape Town office and I had been given one of those briefs too ghastly to detail – produce the content for the website upgrade of a game lodge in the Sabie Sand. As a result we were forced to head north-east for three days to this rather stunning place called Cheetah Plains.

Tacky, huh?

Tacky, indeed. That Monday morning, as the rest of Flow contemplated computer screens at the office, the shine in Ingrid’s eyes said it all. Armed with mugs of hot tea we sat in the Landie with Andrew our guide and Ranson our tracker, under a marula tree.

Six feet above us Mrs Leopard was having quite a time of it, and we were the least of her worries. The scent from the bloody grey duiker she’d hauled up the trunk to safety was attracting quite a crowd. Underneath waited a couple of hyenas, above the vultures circled; her young son arrived for an easy breakfast but mom was having none of it, and after her tirade he slunk off to find his own.

It was a smidgeon of the astonishing game we saw on bush drives reduced to three thanks to the buckets of rain that persisted for most of our stay. But the lodge was divine, the food fabulous and the staff even better, and in my book there’s not much to beat the damp spring bush as it recovers from winter.

Far from hiding from the deluge, the animals emerged en masse like a jolly West End chorus to delight in the new leaves, filling waterholes and settling dust.

“What aren’t we going to see?” asked Ingrid as a herd of Cape buffalo circled our vehicle.

Read more.

Social networking tips for the new year

By Laura Maggs

Are you getting the most out of your social networking accounts? Platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are constantly evolving, and it’s important to keep up to date with what they are able to offer you.

Here are a few tips sure to help you grow and manage your online presence like a pro:

1) Show your character

First impressions count online as well. Choose your profile picture carefully – what do you want people to know about you and/or your brand? Providing people with a better sense of your character is one of the foundations of running a tight social networking ship.

2) Connect

Add value to your network by recommending Facebook friends to people, following your followers on Twitter and always keeping an eye out for newbies who need a helping hand. If you’re just starting out, look at other people’s connections to find new ones for yourself – after all, growing your network is key.

3) Consistency

If you’re making use of more than one social media platform to promote your business, organisation or a cause, creating a consistent identity across the board will help strengthen your online presence. Using the same profile picture, screen name and basic information for all of your accounts will tie them all together, make you more recognisable and, as a result, provide your brand with valuable exposure.

4) Keep your head in the game

Regularly updating all your account profiles and being active within your network will make you more interesting. If you haven’t tweeted anything in a while or posted a new status on Facebook in months, your friends/followers are likely to lose interest. Bear in mind that many people carry out regular “spring cleaning”, deleting friends/followers that aren’t adding anything to the mix.

5) Interact and learn

Don’t limit yourself to your own little bubble. When a Facebook friend writes on your wall, write back on theirs. “Like” people’s status updates and photos, share interesting content and join groups. Retweet (share someone else’s tweet) on Twitter and people will be more inclined to do the same for you. Lastly, do your research. There are hosts of websites and articles out there, dedicated to helping you gain a better understanding of the social networking phenomenon – do yourself a favour and spend some time reading up on the latest and greatest social media offerings so you don’t get left behind!

For more useful social networking tips, visit Blonde 2.0 and EyesOnSales.com. Or, of course, Book your place at the next Flow School Twitter session which is set to take place on Tuesday, February 7.

a life aquatic with the Two Oceans Aquarium

Flowstars reflect on the exciting portfolio of work completed so far for the Two Oceans Aquarium...

Constructing the Two Oceans Aquarium website and watching their online presence grow dramatically over the past two years has been one of our most rewarding and exciting projects here at Flow Communications. Working with a great team at the aquarium, combined with the interesting and educational material we are tasked with producing, has created a partnership fit to hold water for many years to come.

Flow started development on the website in April 2010, with many late hours and weekend work clocked by the Frank brothers Richard and Stephen (programming), media developer, Ingrid Sinclair, (project management and content creation) and designer, Ryan Levenson. The site went live to the public in May 2010, and since then we have watched the aquarium’s online presence and social media following blossom – they now have 3 504 Facebook followers, and 1 730 Twitter followers! 
 
Flow Joburg journalist, Stuart Dickinson, contributes to the site content, and enjoys exploring scientific topics surrounding sustainability, species and climate conservation, and anything that creates awareness around issues faced by the aquatic community, such as his piece about ocean acidification.

“I love writing for the Two Oceans Aquarium. It allows me to really dig into a topic, and keeps my journalistic skills honed,” he says. “At the top of my to-do list you’ll find – take a trip to Cape Town, visit the aquarium, meet the team and go diving with ragged-tooth sharks before writing a blog about all of it.”

Says designer, Ryan Levenson, "The staff at the Aquarium and the entire experience of the aquarium itself is a very friendly and welcoming one. They have created a great space to feel relaxed in and learn in at the same time, and we wanted the site to function in the same way – friendly, welcoming but at the same time very functional, to show off the vast amount of information that the site holds."

Read more.

The 2012 digital media race begins

Image courtesy Steve Rhode

By Jay Caboz

In 2011, Facebook officially overtook Google as the most visited site on the globe, with a whopping 50% of its 65-million active users accessing the site daily. Such statistics indicate that 2011 was a year that saw an explosion of social media formats.

Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and various blog platforms, as well as devices such as the iPhone and BlackBerry, allowed more people to become part of the social network phenomenon.

What does this mean for the future in 2012?

It’s estimated that, by the end of 2012, the volume of digital data will grow by 48% to reach a total 2.7 zettabytes, writes blogger Justin Cooke. For those who can’t do the maths, that’s 2.7 billion terabytes of data. According to Cooke, this means that focusing on utilising this huge amount of data will become a priority for businesses worldwide. Jay Österholm, of yhe Österholm Digital Marketing Group, reveals studies have found that 57% of businesses plan to increase spending on social media in 2012, with nearly a third of them labelling it high priority. 

Companies that took the initiative in 2011, writes Harley Rivet, president of Deep Dish Digital, have seen tremendous growth in their community base. Coca-Cola experienced a 40% drop in traffic on their website, but despite this has to date recorded more than 22 million fans on their Facebook page. Figures like these make assessing global trends imperative for any business looking to improve their promotional effectiveness on the web.

The tools we use to access online platforms are also becoming more and more important.

“I think we are going to see a massive growth in the consumption of Apple products,” says Tara Turkington, CEO of Flow Communications. “The introduction of the iPad2 has changed the way that people in South Africa think about Apple – it’s become a gateway product and a massive introduction to the brand in this country. Apple has made products like computers and phones sexy.

“There have been predictions that by the end of this year, 80% of South Africans will be using smart phones, and we’re seeing a massive growth in the number of people accessing the internet via their mobile phones.

“Three years ago, only 1-2% of people were using their phones to access our websites. Now, we’re seeing 10-15% of people who are choosing to do this. This changes the way we need to think about the design of websites.

“The web is still a fast expanding universe. There is now more competition to pipe the internet to South Africa, prices have gone down, and so there are more people accessing the the web. Web users have also become more savvy – the quality of a website is now a priority, so that it stands out from others already out there.”

Says Richard Frank, programming manager at Flow Communications, “Websites can no longer be just a brochure of information. Users want to engage with the company’s website and desire more interactive online experiences. You need to make use of media formats like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to share more information.

“We are entering a phase where web platforms have to meet every criteria, from the cellphone browser to the computer. We saw how popular tablets like the iPad became in only two years, and pretty soon we’ll be surfing the web from our lounge using the TV.”

Read more.

Shooting beyond the stars: a Flowstar’s journey

Studious Flowstar, Zintle Mtyeku

Flow's Zintle Mtyeku recently obtained her IMM GSM BBA in Marketing Management. Here is what she took away from her experience...

Against my family’s advice I went ahead and converted my IMM Diploma in Marketing Management to an IMM GSM BBA in Marketing Management while still working at Flow. No easy feat, I soon learnt, and I quickly had to revise my idea of time management.

Looking back there are a few business lessons that stood out from this experience.

1. Human resources management taught me the importance of integrating new employees. Job orientation plays a major factor in their performance and satisfaction. If employee and employer expectations are met, a long, happy and successful relationship can be expected.

2. Both financial and management accounting stressed the need to keep company finances updated and accurate, and emphasised that when a company is funded by a combination of long-term loans and shareholders’ capital, it does not mean the company is struggling as the returns tend to be more favourable.

3. Strategic management taught me that accessing the strengths and weaknesses of both competitors and the organisation can help identify competencies and points of competitive advantage. And, true to one of Flow’s values, our people are our greatest asset. One of the best points of competitive advantage is a company’s workforce.

4. Services marketing also refers to managing customers and creating a relationship with them. These tips come in handy when tackling my Collective Cow duties.

The great support from management and colleagues at Flow has really helped me make a success of my studies. And it’s great to work for a company that supports and encourages skills development and education.

Roshni to the rescue: A day in the life of a Flow project manager

Flow project manager, Roshni Nana. Photo by Jay Caboz

Project managers are a mysterious sort. Flowstar Laura Maggs manages to pin one of them down for a quick Q&A session...

Roshni Nana is probably the busiest person I have ever encountered.

On a typical day, Roshni can be seen nipping from studio to studio, always beautifully turned out and not a hair out of place despite her frantic schedule, sharing a quick giggle with a fellow Flowstar before returning to seemingly effortlessly juggling a to-do list of epic proportions.

I manage to nab Roshni in the kitchen over a Woolies strawberry yoghurt, on one of the rare opportunities she gets to have a quick break, and chat with her about her busy life as a Flowstar.

With a chuckle she gets a spoon out of the drawer before perching on the kitchen nook bench to patiently answer my questions.

“I juggle up to a dozen clients on a normal day,” she says, straight off the bat. Suddenly, my little to-do list next to the keyboard on my desk seems a lot more manageable. Roshni for president.

Read more.

A happy new year to moo

Collective Cow's Patrick Gurney on hopes and goals for 2012...

Last year was indeed a fantastic year both for Collective Cow members, and for the team behind the great deals from which they benefited.

Watching the growth and buzz has been amazing, as Collective Cow has offered some of the most interesting deals in online group buying. The scope and depth of our offerings have allowed our subscribers to purchase goods ranging from the environmentally friendly to the futuristic.

Our constant search for the not-so-conventional products and services in Gauteng is what inspires us, and our delivery of these on a daily basis is, we hope, what inspires our members to keep coming back for great Collective Cow deals.

Predictions for the future seem to agree that online buying is becoming more popular and is set to continue growing in the marketplace – and this is the trend we have tapped into. Early members are already seeing the benefit of the exclusivity of our offerings and the Collective Cow team reports improved interest in 2011.

As for 2012, we look forward to bringing you even more interesting deals on www.collectivecow.com, and will be on the lookout for many more green-focused products and services. If you have any thoughts or ideas to share with us, send them on!

Email Collective Cow sales and marketing manager, Patrick Gurney.

Read more.

Flow behind the lens

A sharply detailed snap of a Woodland Kingfisher, taken at Madikwe. Image courtesy Flowcomm

“If you see something that moves you, and then snap it, you keep a moment.” – Linda McCartney

Sometimes, a well-chosen image says far more than a string of sentences.

Flowstars put great care into capturing and making use of images that will complement their stories, or best represent a client.

Click here to see more Flowstar photos, documenting glimpses of our natural surroundings.

67 minutes of service

Children from the Siyazigabisa Home of Hope. Photo by Zintle Mtyeku

Have you given your 67 minutes?

As stated on the Mandela Day website: The Mandela Day campaign message is simple: Mr Mandela gave 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of humanity. All we are asking is that everyone gives 67 minutes of their time, whether it’s supporting your chosen charity or serving your local community.

Flowstar Zintle Mtyeku and her friends decided to give their 67 minutes by visiting disadvantaged children in Thembisa. Learn more about how you can put aside some time and make a change in the world.

Below, Zintle relects on the experience...

Being charitable and helping people less fortunate has always been something I grew up doing. I was taught to collect my used clothing, especially after getting new outfits, and distribute it to different charities throughout the year.

On Tuesday 13 December, 2011, a close friend of mine sent me a text message about doing something different on our Day of Reconciliation holiday (16 December), instead of the usual partying. We decided on giving our 67 minutes, and spending time with kids less fortunate than us at a charity close to where we live.

A quick google search and we found Siyazigabisa Home of Hope for children and youth in Thembisa. 

Siyazigabisa Home of Hope is headed by Gab’sile Khoza, and aims to provide temporary shelter to women and children from all backgrounds. The home serves as a place of safety for victims of domestic violence, women and children with HIV/Aids and HIV/Aids orphans. The home currently houses 20 children ranging from babies to teenagers. 

We quickly sent emails and text messages to our group of friends and colleagues, and the response was great. Some offered their time, others made donations of money and vouchers – all towards a good cause. Flow project manager, Roshni Nana, contributed towards purchasing essentials for the home. Our aim was to deliver staple food, snacks, clothes and toys, and by Thursday evening everything was collected, packed into cars and ready to go.

Click here to read more and see photos taken on the day.