What a Year!
Appco Group Ireland wrapped up the calendar year in this week as over 300 delegates from marketing companies from around the country and Europe attended the Appco Ireland Rising Stars 2011 at the iconic Guinness Storehouse, Dublin.
The event marked a fantastic year. MD of Appco Group Ireland, Simon Murphy’s message was firmly focused on the success of Appco Group Ireland considering the current financial climate: “Quarter on quarter we hit our target and we’ve grown, which is phenomenal considering the unfortunate state of the economy.
We’re in a recession, and we’re in a tough time. A lot of people are losing their jobs” said Simon, echoing the thoughts of many across the globe at the moment. With the current financial climate in such an unfortunate state of affairs at the moment, Simon expressed his delight at the success that Appco Ireland has experienced: “We are in the healthiest position that we’ve ever been in. Year on year the business has grown stronger. We have grown quarter on quarter for the last 7 quarters running. That is unprecedented”.
This success that Appco Group Ireland has enjoyed year upon year is owed to the hard work and outstanding work ethic that the Appco Group is renowned for.
The year has seen the emergence of Appco Group Ireland as a major component in the Appco organisation and judging by the extraordinary year, 2012 promises to be as prosperous.
Q3 Review and Q4 Launch
The Appco Group Ireland Q3 Review and Q4 Launch took place this weekend in Dublin as marketing companies from across Ireland once again came together to evaluate the aims and objectives set in the previous quarter then looking towards the goals for the new quarter.
MD of Appco Group Ireland Simon Murphy, once again hosted the Quarterly Review and Launch remarking that one of the main priorities was to focus on developing a better understanding of recruitment. Simon commented that there was no reason for Appco Ireland not to grow further “There’s so much room to open offices and so much room to go to different parts of the country”. Training and development has always been an important factor in the success of the Appco Group as a whole and Simon revealed that this approach would continue: “There’s a skill in getting people trained well and getting people to perform. We need to learn how to study success.”
Another main focus was the importance of accountability, “We must make sure a professional culture is encouraged by every single person. It’s important to protect the business and create longevity”, a business that has certainly demonstrated signs of further growth and displaying signs of durability, judging by the 40 to 50 per cent growth Appco Group Ireland has experienced over the previous four years. Simon continued, “We must have this accountability culture ingrained in our offices.”
The day was also an opportunity to celebrate recent promotions. Mark Bradley (ACT Marketing Ltd), Ronan Twohig (Clearwater Advertising Ltd), Sharon McCaffrey (Roar Promotions Ltd), Mikey Mulholland (Topaz Promotions Ltd) and Chris Stanfield (Topaz Promotions Ltd) were all promoted to Crew Leader.
Ronan, who has only been in the business for four months revealed what drives him: “What motivates me is progression, building strong relationships with my colleagues. We all get behind each other and develop each other” said Ronan, demonstrating exactly what Simon was referring to in his introduction on ensuring growth.
There was also a chance to give credit to the recent Assistant Owner promotions to Kevin Ward (Clearwater Advertising Ltd), Charlene Heaney (Roar Promotions Ltd), John Lawless (Flawless Marketing Ltd) and Liam Filan (The Elite Marketing Firm Ltd).
Claire Ferriter, Owner of Clearwater Advertising, was enthusiastic about the coming quarter: “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. The ambition that was in the room was phenomenal. I’m really confident that by Christmas there will be even more to talk about.”
Ajda Mehmet, Owner of The Vision Organisation Ltd was equally excited about the day: “Today was an amazing day celebrating our successes over the last quarter and establishing the areas of focus needed for the next quarter. It was great to see so many new promotions to Crew Leader and Assistant Owner, especially those who since the last quarter, have progressed so quickly in such a short space of time was absolutely inspiring.”
All in all it was a positive day with everybody firmly focused on achieving the aims and objectives for the coming quarter, and ensuring Appco Group Ireland continues its incredible growth.
Face To Face Communication Needed
Avon, celebrating 125 successful years of sales today is testament to the fact door-to-door sales is still a much-needed service despite the Internet age, according to Appco Group CEO Paul Sanderson.
As on of the world's direct seller, Avon markets to women in more than 100 countries. Avon's product line includes beauty products, as well as fashion and home products, and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, and mark.
A BBC report today highlighted why the US makeup company Avon, which has field representatives selling its products, is still thriving – it’s the personal touch that people appreciate.
In the report cultural historian Ruth Brandon said Avon was also so successful because the field representatives were seen as the experts who took the time to have real conversations with people. “So what you had was a nice long chit chat devoted entirely to you and that was extremely attractive,” she said.
Appco Group, a world leader in direct marketing and sales, is also based on a similar model with field representatives who work on behalf of blue chip clients, including pay TV, security and charities.
Mr Sanderson said Appco Group, in operation for 24 years and part of the Cobra Group of Companies, was still thriving because like Avon it cut through “the noise” on the internet.
“There is no doubt the world is changing and moving more and more online and onto handheld devices, which is making it more and more difficult for service providers and product distributors to acquire new customers and sell their products,” he said.
“Combine this with the fact we are now in a borderless e-commerce world it is going to be a noisy and complicated second decade of the 21st century.
“Appco can do what it does best on an unprecedented scale worldwide - that is deliver a professional and effective face-to-face human commercial that leads to a new product sale and a new customer acquisition.”
Mr Sanderson said a lack of conversation occurred in the digital age.
“Everything is online, delivered via email or via a smart phone and the new trend is heavily discounting via digital coupons - all this is noisy and complicated leading to a confused and disloyal consumer,” he said.“Savvy companies are seeing this and turning to companies like Appco to keep it simple and effective - that is talking to people, establishing rapport and credibility and answering their questions, which leads to quality sales.”
For the BBC report, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/14925969
Sarah Scoops Award
Sarah Vito is one of the newest Administrators to Appco Ireland but has made a massive impact to Flawless Marketing culminating in her award for New Administrator of The Year at the Appco UK & Ireland Rally.
Sarah, who is originally from Philadelphia, USA found herself in Ireland whilst travelling and loved Sligo and Flawless Marketing so much she decided to stay! Read on for Sarah's thoughts on the Rally....
How was the rally for you?
This was my first UK and Ireland Rally, so I found it really exciting. I was amazed to see all that talent in one place. For me watching the reaction that my FRs had to the speakers and all the promotions & awards was truly motivating.
What did you gain from the rally?
I gained a new sense of pride, not just for my MC but for the whole Irish team. I saw the commitment & ambition that Ireland has: the fact that we picked up so many awards is nothing short of brilliant! I was also very proud to see my guys collecting the awards that they earned. I now know who has achieved the goals that I will reach within the upcoming months, so now I know who to network with.
How did it feel to win the award?
Winning the New Administrator of the Year Award was absolutely AMAZING! I was in shock at first and didn’t know if I had read the slide right, until I looked over at my fellow organisational admins who were hugging me excitedly before I knew what hit me! That’s when it hit me that I had in fact won! On one hand I felt like the hours, hard work, and networking had paid off and I could take a deep breath. On the other hand, I immediately thought “OK, what next? How do I get to Admin of The Year?!.” Naturally I wished that my parents, granny, and the rest of my family could have been there, so I couldn’t wait to call them and tell them all about it!
What is the biggest lesson you have learnt so far in the business?
Baby steps! In the beginning take your time and do it right, even if you’re not the fastest. You’ll be more solid and confident in what you’re doing further along. Building a strong solid foundation allows for the rest to flow together & for you to have more time in the future to get creative & try new things. Give 100% to even the smallest of tasks and goals, because every small success is a building block to achieving the biggest and before you know it you’ll be at the top ready to take on the next big task or goal!
What are your best tips for new administrators?
Make lists, and don’t be afraid to make lists of your lists. Have rewards that match your goals. Set small goals with small rewards. Set big goals with big rewards. Actually do the reward! Don’t be afraid to ask questions, but make sure you listen to and action the answers. Find an instant distress tool.
What is on your to do list in the coming months?
I have many goals in the coming months. The ones that stand out the most to me are: Instil a consistent PR mentality within the office. Network with and visit the top admins & admin teams. Look after Leaders in my office to Crew Leaders to Assistant Owners to New Owners. Be the number one admin in the number one office.
Congratulations Sarah!
Comeback Claire!
Claire Ferriter, Security Product Owner and Owner of Clearwater Advertising Ltd enjoyed a memorable day at the Rally by winning the ‘Comeback Owner of the Year’ award. The past year in the business has been a rollercoaster for Claire but her award reflected her enormous commitment and hunger to succeed.
“This is the first time in my entire life I’ve been speechless” Claire joked as she was presented with her award.
Claire, who was clearly touched by the incredible reception she received was, as usual, complimentary of her fantastic team stood behind her on stage: “I’m extremely proud of everyone I have in my office and now, in my organisation as it’s started to grow over the last year. The team that I have behind me are phenomenal” she said.
Promotions to Ownership and Assistant Ownership for Clearwater’s Tommy Hackett and Kevin Ward respectively further demonstrated Claire’s fantastic year.
Daryl Burrowes of XR Marketing remarked of Claire’s incredible progress; “Well done to Claire, she's worked incredibly hard over the past 18 months and has done great. She has got a massive future ahead of her and a fantastic group of people around her. I've been lucky enough to watch her develop into a very astute business person. Congratulations, here's to a massive 2012”.
Congratulations to Claire!
A Roaring Success!
Rory O’Farrell was the name on everybody’s lips at the Appco UK & Ireland Rally at the weekend.
Rory, Owner of Roar Promotions Ltd, capped off a hugely successful day for himself and his company at the Excel Centre, London for them to win the Marketing Company of The Year award, beating off fierce competition from Marketing Companies across all Appco campaigns.
As well as the MC of The Year award for his business, Rory scooped a more personal award with his promotion to Organisational Head.
When on stage to collect MC of The Year award, Rory remarked to the crowd of approximately 2000 people: “It’s a very proud moment for me, this time last year I set myself a goal for Roar Promotions to win the MC of The Year award at the rally and it’s happened”.
Rory continued: “In November of last year I was nowhere near this. I had one outside deal and things weren’t as good as I wanted them to be, but I always believed in myself. I think that if you have a goal you’ve got to keep at it even if things aren’t going well”.
This was undoubtedly Rory’s day and the whole room showed their delight to give him a rapturous standing ovation which was no more than he deserved following his fantastic journey over the past year.
Well done Rory and Roar Promotions!
Q2 Review & Q3 Launch
A fantastic day saw Appco Group Ireland and our affiliate network of marketing companies across the country come together at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire for the Q2 Review and Q3 Launch.
MD of Appco Group Ireland Simon Murphy welcomed the audience of Owners, Field Representatives and their family members and gave an introductory speech where he spoke about the amazing growth being experienced in Ireland. The goals from the previous quarter were reviewed, along with who had hit them. Subsequently the goals for the next quarter which had been set the previous day with the Senior Owner and Management team were then announced, with the aim on maintaining growth and ensuring Appco Group Ireland continues to grow from strength to strength.
Daryl Burrowes, Owner of XR Marketing, echoed the positive feeling circulating the room. “Obviously we had a great quarter, but I think that we just scratched the surface. We will do so much more in the third quarter,” said Daryl.
There was definitely a feel good factor emanating from the event with a number of promotions announced.
Bryan Hannon of Roar Promotions and Tommy Hackett of Clearwater Advertising capped off a great few months for themselves, culminating in their promotions to Ownership.
Bryan was delighted with his promotion, “It’s a very proud day for me. I’m extremely happy to get here and I was confident I would. This is just the start and I’m really looking forward to building on this and going from strength to strength in the business”.
The event also saw Nicky McGrath of XR Marketing, Liam Filan of Elite Marketing and Colin Bray of Roar Promotions promoted to Assistant Ownership.
It was an extra special day for Colin, “As well as being promoted, which in itself was fantastic for me I was delighted that my parents came along to experience it with me” he said.
Crew Leader promotions went to Kevin Ward of Clearwater Advertising, Johnny Moss of Topaz Promotions, Thomas Mellon of The Excel Organisation and Charlene Heaney of Roar Promotions.
Claire Ferriter, Owner of Clearwater Advertising reflected on the promotions and the business as a whole, “If you dream about something and are willing to dedicate yourself to it, anything is possible. There are people in this room who have been able to do things for themselves and their families they never dreamed of”.
Following the Q2 Review and Q3 launch was the Summer BBQ, which gave a chance for all 300+ delegates to network but also unwind and enjoy a well deserved afternoon in the sun!
Tipperary Girl Runs Half-Marathon For Charity
With the support of the Appco Group, County Tipperary girl Ann-Marie Dillon ran a half-marathon to raise money for the Oesophageal Cancer Fund
After having lost a close friend to Oesophageal cancer in January 2011, Appco Group Asia Training and Development Ann-Marie decided to get involved with Oesophagus Cancer Fund Charity to raise awareness of this disease.
The Oesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF) is a registered charity which was set up in 2001 by friends of Lucilla Hyland to raise awareness of the symptoms of oesophageal cancer and to provide money for research so as to improve the journey and outcomes for people with oesophageal cancer and their families.
It is a voluntary organisation, started initially in conjunction with Professor Tom Walsh in Blanchardstown Hospital, in Dublin, Ireland but has grown to be the national voice representing oesophageal cancer in Ireland.
With the support of the Cobra Foundation, Ann-Marie, from Clonmel, County Tipperary ran her first half-marathon ever.
“It was such a great experience! This was my first half marathon and hopefully one of many!” said Ann-Marie with great enthusiasm, despite being very tired.
Ann-Marie trained very intensely for this challenge.“I have been training since March, mostly in the early hours of the morning before work."
“One of the biggest challenges in preparation for this run has been adapting to running in 30 degree plus heat. However, training outdoors has allowed me to become acclimatized to the running conditions and it paid off on race day.”
"Over the last six weeks, I have being training in KLCC Park, which is a great facility and setting adjacent to the Petronas twin towers, the tallest sky-scrapers in Kuala Lumpur. The view from the running track is breathtaking.” she said.
Congratulations Ann-Marie from Appco Group Ireland!
If you would like know how to donate to an affiliated Appco charity then contact your nearest Appco Ireland marketing company.
Mind thanks Appco Group Support
Mind Australia, a not for profit organisation that supports individuals and families affected by mental illness, showed its appreciation to Appco Group Support Australia and the affiliated Marketing Company, Illusive Cube, with a special brunch on Friday 15 April.
In the 12 months since Appco Group has become involved with Mind's regular giving campaign - iMind - its donor numbers have increased significantly from under 1,000 to approximately 6,500.
Appco Group Support’s efforts were recognised at Mind’s Victorian head office. It provided a great opportunity for Independent Contractors to experience firsthand the positive impact and contribution they make to people affected by mental illness.
Attendees included Mind Fundraising Manager Chris Stallard, Mind CEO Gerry Naughtin and Appco Group Support Client
Account Manager Ashleigh Cotterell-Jones. Illusive Cube Marketing Company Managing Director Benjamin Willis and his team, who worked exclusively on the campaign, were also present.
“Appco Group has been instrumental in the success of iMind over the past 12 months. The organisation can now offer scholarships and conduct research and evaluation. There is also a new initiative set-up called ‘Ambassadors of Hope’ – an early intervention program that aims to raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental illness,” Mr Stallard stated.
“During our time on the Mind campaign we have made a significant impact by educating the public on mental health, lifting some of the stigma associated with mental health in Australia, and raising important funds to aid research and new programs” said Ben Willis.
Ben and his team have enjoyed working on the campaign and see this as the beginning of a valuable long-term professional relationship.
Strategy meeting hailed a triumph
The Appco Group UK & Ireland Quarterly Strategy Meeting proved to be an interactive, educational day, packed with useful information on successful business practices.
Held on Saturday, 30th April, at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham, it was attended by all of the Marketing Companies across the UK & Ireland who are affiliated to Appco Group.
Appco Group Managing Director Mike Blane welcomed the audience of Business Owners and top sales professionals and gave an introductory speech where he spoke about the amazing growth being experienced across the UK & Ireland.
“We have made an amazing start to 2011 – revenues and sales are up between 20 to 30 per cent across all Divisions," he said.
Appco Group Founder and Chairman Chris Niarchos then took to the stage to share some candid advice about running a successful business.
Special international guest speaker Olivier Blomme, Spanish Country Head, then gave a presentation on the importance of being disciplined in business.
During the afternoon a number of different seminars were held simultaneously, which allowed delegates to attend the ones most relevant to their business needs and leave the event with clear strategies to ensure the continued success of their Marketing Companies.
Appco supports WWF’s Earth Hour
Hundreds of millions of people turned off their lights for one hour at 8.30pm on Saturday, March 26th, to support the WWF’s Earth Hour.
The event was aimed at making a serious point to global leaders that the world wants urgent action to tackle climate change.
Appco works closely with the WWF, procuring financial support for its causes, and its network of Fundraisers have been raising awareness of Earth Hour and encouraging the public to take part.
British Prime Minister David Cameron made a video address supporting Earth Hour, whilst Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Big Ben and the London Eye were amongst the UK landmarks that turned off their lights for 60 minutes.
Other iconic global landmarks that also took part were; Times Square in New York, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Davis Station, Antarctica and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
Earth Hour first started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change.
Commenting on the success of the event, a WWF spokesperson said: “People across the world, from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.
“It’s a reminder to us all that we only have one planet Earth. And it’s an urgent message that we want to reduce the impact our energy system has on that planet.
Next partnership is within a year on the planning.
Appco Group Ireland’s spectacular event
On Friday 4th March, Appco Group Ireland along with their affiliate network of over 20 Marketing Companies came together in the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) to celebrate a fantastic start of the year. The CCD, Ireland’s new world class built centre opened in September 2010 and was the perfect venue for the 340 + delegates.
The Managing Director of The Appco Group (worldwide), Mike Blane, was a key speaker at the Rally. He explained what direct sales meant for the clients. “Every company needs experts to assist their growth. We are the experts of Direct Sales because we are able to acquire new customers, we have the flexibility to change and we are very enthusiastic about our work. This way we generate a lot of money for our clients and they appreciate the partnership,” he explained.
High rolling FRs and Marketing Companies (MCs) received medals and awards at the Rally an award for their efforts and progress in the business. Managing Director of Appco Group Ireland, Simon Murphy, handed out the most sought after award for Best Owner of the Year. This is the second key award August Cox-Taylor’s ACT Marketing Direct has received, the first being New Owner of the Year at the UK and Ireland Rally in August 2010. August shared his top tip in his acceptance speech: “This award is not only for me, it is for everyone in my office. We earnt this title together. The best advice I can give is never get comfortable as an Owner. For me the business is all about taking on new challenges and pushing for the best.”
The Ireland Rally was a successful day that showed the attendee, who is leading the pack and gave all the delegates an opportunity to network in great surroundings. “I hope you saw today that everyone can be successful and that help and information is available to you, on how you can achieve this. When you see MCs and FRs picking up awards, I want you to see the bigger picture and that you are a part of our continuing growth,” concluded Simon Murphy.