Last week was a big week for The Splendid Word. Firstly we graced the front cover of this month’s Bella Magazine promoting the third instalment of our Spreading the Good Stuff live conversation series set for June 1 – which was a little overwhelming but exciting all the same. Click here to see more on this and grab a copy from the Riverine Herald office before our mums nab them all!
Secondly, we hosted our first work experience student, which made us feel all grown up and very much a bona fide business. Second year Communications and Marketing student, Carla Arcuri shared her knowledge and passion with us in the lead up to Easter and we thank her for rolling with the craziness that is school holidays in the Splendid Word home-based office.
Here are some thoughts from Carla about why she chose to join our flourishing firm for a week and also why she loves the world of communications and marketing:
“Throughout this week I’ve been doing work experience alongside the clever ladies at The Splendid Word (TSW). I’m 20 years old and currently in my second year of a Bachelor of Communications (Advertising) & Business (Marketing) at Charles Sturt University, Bathurst and I’m originally from Sydney.
Through regular trips to Kerang (to visit my boyfriend whom I met overseas in 2015), I’ve fallen in love with the slower country lifestyle and the strong sense of community it nurtures. I’ve always found Sydney to be a bit of a ‘bubble’ and I’ve become adamant that one day I’ll settle somewhere with a bit less hustle and bustle.
With this dream in mind as I progress through my degree, I have begun to assume (from my early experiences) that my chosen career must involve big agencies, billboards, bright lights and film studios and would not easily translate into a rural context.
However, the more I begin to understand what marketing is the broader my prospects have become and the perception that marketing is about manipulating people into buying things they don’t need isn’t quite as black and white as I first assumed.
Marketing, for me, inspires people to provide solutions for consumer problems and controlling business activities to unite buyers and sellers for a mutually beneficial exchange. This is what draws me to marketing – it is so dynamic and continues to evolve. And this is because people continue to evolve… and marketing is about reaching people.
In his book titled ‘All Marketers are Liars Storytellers: the power of telling authentic stories in a low-trust world’ renowned author, marketer and public speaking guru Seth Godin talks about the importance of finding products for your consumers and not consumers for your products.
He declares “marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, but the stories you tell” – a philosophy which I’ve very much seen embraced here at TSW.
I originally found Christy and Leonie through their website and was drawn to the innovation of their business, and within such a beautiful part of the world. Through applying their skills in writing they are helping businesses tell their story. From my understanding of marketing, this develops the genuine, transparent and trustworthy traits that consumers look for when making a purchase.
Marketing works to improve business performance, but it also has the ability to make the world a better place. I see this being executed by TSW as they encourage much needed positive dialogue. These discussions create a positive interaction between human beings, and this sense of trust is extremely beneficial from a business point of view.
I’ve been so inspired while working with TSW and feel wonderfully empowered that one day I too will be able to discover a way to utilise my skills to help make a positive impact – wherever that may be.”
Wow, thanks Carla for your incredible insight (at such a young age) and also for the compliment you have paid our business about what we are trying to achieve – we’re so thrilled you noticed this from afar.
We hope to see you again soon down here in Echuca Moama and wish you all the very best in your degree – we’ve no doubt you’ll go places and would love to share our gorgeous patch of regional paradise with you some day down the track.
Christy
TSW x
