|
|
'Listening' vital to
business success 24.09.08
|
A NUMBER of Inishowen
companies have heard that the biggest skill to
business success is 'listening'. That was the
message from communications guru Terry Prone when
she launched the Donegal Design Directorate Skillnet
in Letterkenny recently. Michelle McLaughlin,
Interior Design, Carndonagh; Trish Hegarty of Inish
Communications in Greencastle and Rosemary Lyons,
enterprise officer with Inishowen Development
Partnership were among those who attended the
breakfast seminar. It marked the start of a new
programme promoting the value of design to local
businesses, including how they package and
communicate their products to maximum effect. Ms.
Prone was joined by Philip Carder, chief executive
of Magee Clothing, and Garry Cohn, creative director
at Douglas Wallace, a top architects firm. |
The key message
delivered by Terry Prone, who has advised almost
every Taoiseach since Jack Lynch, was that
communication becomes more, not less important
during tough times.
She said the two essential elements in that
communication were the ability to listen to |
 |
customers, and to treat every phone
call, email and conversation with customers as a
chance to build a stronger relationship. Garry Cohn
told the gathering that "anyone could be boring".
"Design has to break boundaries, set trends and meet
real-life needs," he said. “Have fun in your work.
If it’s not fun for you then it’s not fun for
others."
Philip Carder described how Magee's had revitalised
itself through the effective use of design and
branding and the successfully management of the
changes to their core brands.
The Design Directorate announced details of its new
2008 to 2009 programme including the start of the
first subsidised design training programme in
mid-October specifically tailored for small
businesses in Donegal. A trip to Dublin for the
Furniture Design and Markets Trends event will take
place in November. To find out more about the Design
Directorate’s programme, please contact Donna
McFadden, design programme manager on 074 9160735 or
email
donnamcfadden@donegalenterprise.ie |
|
