Benefiting from exhibitions

I used to run the press office at Europe’s largest exhibition, the MIPIM show, which is a property conference held in Cannes every March and the smaller retailer property exhibition MAPIC, held in September.

MIPIM and MAPIC is held in the Palais Des Festivals, which is the same building the Cannes Film Festival is held in. The famous ‘bunker’, the converted basement car park is where most of the exhibition is held, however, a few years ago the Palais was given a nice shiny extension.

Exhibitions can be a fantastic way of building your business but there is no point just turning up and expecting to find new business. Attendance can be expensive so attendance should be planned an executed carefully.

16,000 people officially attend MIPIM but thousands more visit Cannes without actually buying a ticket for the exhibition in belief that most of the business is done in the bar/restaurants or on the boats that surround the Palais Des Festivals. A lot of them believe that the €1,000 ticket is not good value, however, this is missing the major benefit because as well as providing access to the exhibitions, seminars and launches at MIPIM, the tickets also provides access to the database of attendees prior to the event and this is invaluable.

If you’ve ever tried to grow you’re business you’ll appreciate how hard it is to tie the key people down in the companies and organisations that you’re targeting. However, if you working in the property and development sector all the major figures in your target companies will be at MIPIM. By buying a ticket to MIPIM you can use the database to trawl the companies attending, see who from them is attending and contact them prior to MPIM in order to set up a meeting with in Cannes. This way before you have even attended you have diary of key meetings set up.

Equally all the major national and trade media will be there so you should target your key contacts and arrange to meet them when you are there. They have to give there editors a good fill of stories in order to justify there attendance and there is tough competition for exclusives. If the media aren’t on the main attendees database then contact the press office for the event and get a list of the media who are attending.

Because of the high profile of an event like MIPIM often organisations will hold their news back and make an announcement at MIPIM. A few years ago Boris Johnson, London’s Mayor attended, which was covered by the BBC, when he launch the Olympics masterplan. All the major cities of Europe take stands and launch their development and regeneration plans there, so if you’re into development you can get head start  identifying sites and meeting key public figures.

An event like MIPIM can also help you renew your relationships with existing clients or contacts. Many companies will have an annual event at MIPIM even if they don’t have anything new to launch, although most ensure they do as it’s such a good opportunity. Irish companies will often take have a Guinness and Oyster event and one year we organised a fish and chip party on the beach.

Once you have planned you new business meetings and meeting with media, i.e. the business the next to ensure you have tickets to major parties and launch events, you need to ensure you’re seen at these. The top parties are often in the five star hotels that line Croisette, Cannes famous palm-tree-lined beach side road, such as the Martinez or the Ritz Carlton.

Lastly if you are going to take exhibition stand plan well ahead and ensure you exhibition is design and built down to the finest detail. The exhibition stand says a lot about your company, so it needs to be high quality and stylish in order to attract people. Lots of them can often look like coolest of bars. As well as presenting details of your services, you often want a novel way of attracting people there, so you have to think about what people need at and exhibition. People are often hungover so you could provide coffee and bacon sandwiches every morning, these novel ideas go down well. Providing a toilet is another pull (make sure you have a big toilet sign). Later on in the day you could have cocktail waiter from a local bar teaching people how to mix cocktails. Most of all you want a way to get people to your stand that is NOT hard sell. Getting to know someone over a drink or a much needed bacon sandwich can be infinitely more valuable than trying the traditional new business route.

Here is a great video from Ciaran Adamson on how they design and build and exhibition stand. It shows how much planning and work actually goes into making the right stand. It’s also a great example of using social media to promote your business. I’m sure Ciaran needed a way to reinforce how much time and effort it takes to build a stand and how a good concept comes together – this video captures it perfectly.

In Summary

The success of attendance in an exhibition is all in the planning; before you even get on the plane you should have a full diary of meetings with business contacts and the media, a list of launches and events you are attending, and aims of what you want to achieve at the exhibition. So buy a ticket, even it is expensive as it should more than pay for itself if you plan your time properly and execute your time properly.

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Construction of private hospital: Cork Medical Centre

Work on the Cork Medical Centre (CMC) is progressing well and nearing completion in time for its opening on 16th September, 2010.

I’m currently having weekly PR meetings in Cork in the run up to the launch and last week I took some videos and photos to show how fit out is progressing.

The video below shows a 360 degree view of the fantastic City Gate development where the CMC is located. City Gate is first class with exceptional quality of workmanship and finishes. It was developed by local cork developers John Cleary Developments (JCD).

Also on site at City Gate is Cork’s only VHI SwiftCare Clinic, located only a minute’s walk to CMC. This short video below shows how close the entrances to both facilities are.

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Construction photos of Sheehan Medical’s new private hospital the Cork Medical Centre.

Below is an aerial photo of the City Gate office development in Mahon Cork and fit out photos – please click on the images to see the whole photo.

City Gate, Mahon Cork: CMC is bottom left.

Opening 16th September, 2010.

View from the bottom of the Atrium

Doors being lifted up the atrium of CMC

New link bridge at CMC City Gate

Siemens wins €8.5m deal

This is article appeared in Irish Sunday newspaper The Sunday Business Post, on 18th July, 2010 and covers the €8.5m equipment and financing deal that the private hospital developer Sheehan Medical awarded to German firm Siemens.

Article from The Sunday Business Post

Siemens wins €8.5m deal
18 July 2010

Healthcare provider Sheehan Medical has awarded an €8.5 million contract to Siemens Healthcare to supply equipment for its new facility, Cork Medical Centre.

Under the agreement, Siemens Financial Services will provide finance for all of the equipment to be used in the hospital. Siemens Healthcare will provide angiography, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, x-ray and ultrasound equipment.

‘‘We have first class technology in all our hospitals and aim to make the Cork Medical Centre the most high-tech facility ever developed in Ireland.

Siemens is an important part of this aim, its ability to provide an integrated approach that covers innovative technology will allow us levels of diagnosis and treatment that will be in unsurpassed in this country,” said James Sheehan, chief executive, Sheehan Medical.

Cork Medical Centre will be the anchor tenant in City Gate, a mixed-use scheme in Mahon.

The €90 million facility will have 75 in-patient rooms, four operating theatres and a same-day surgery centre with 20 out-patient beds. It will also house an intensive care unit and cardiology and neuroscience units.

Sheehan Medical is operated by James Sheehan and his father, Dr Joseph Sheehan, who is chairman. Joseph Sheehan was one of the founders of the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin in 1984.He was also part of the consortium that built the Galway Clinic in 2004.

The Cork Medical Centre, Cork’s new €90m hospital open 16th September, 2010.

The Cork Medical Centre, City Gate, Mahon, Cork.

The Cork Medical Centre, Cork City’s  newest private hospital, the first to open for thirty years, will open it’s doors on 16th September, 2010.

Developed and operated by Sheehan Medical, the €90 million facility will house the latest medical technology from Siemens Healthcare, making it the most technologically advanced hospital ever developed in Ireland.

The Cork Medical Centre will be a 5 star facility providing 75 single in-patient bedrooms, fully sealed with the latest in infection control.  The main focus of the hospital will be surgery; there will be four operating theatres and a same day surgery centre with 20 out-patient beds.

The 135,000 sq ft hospital has the capacity to offer over 39,000 patient treatments per year.

The hospital will also house an intensive care unit; radiology facilities with MRI / CT / X-ray scanners; a cardiology and neuroscience facility. International accreditation, benchmarking and auditing will be provided by an internationally renowned healthcare organization.

“We are delighted to be able to confirm the official opening date and already we have consultants and other medical staff moving into the complex to prepare for the opening,” said Cork Medical Centre’s Chief Operating Officer Philip Sheehan.

All of the big three health insurers are expected to confirm they will cover the hospital in the coming weeks. “We have had positive talks from the VHI since September 2007 and expect to confirm the details in the coming weeks and we are also at advanced stages of confirming with both Aviva and Quinn Healthcare. Cork is massively under-serviced when it comes to private beds with less than half the number per capita.” said Mr Sheehan.

The Cork Medical Centre is the Sheehan’s third venture in Ireland – as they are one of the founders and major shareholders of the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin and the Galway Clinic, both covered by all three health insurers. The group also has strong links with the Loyola University Health System in Chicago – one of the world’s largest health centres and renowned for its research, development and pioneering approach to new treatments.

The opening of the state-of-the art hospital is a major milestone in the development of the City Gate Medical Campus which already houses the largest VHI SwiftCare Clinic in the country and the VHI Medical Centre.

“People of the region deserve a new facility like this on their doorstep rather than having to make a journey elsewhere for the most modern treatment available in world medicine.  A lot of our existing patients in both Blackrock and the Galway clinics are commuting form the Cork area already” added Mr Sheehan.

More photos and videos of the hospital can be viewed at the Cork Medical Centre’s Facebook page http://www.tinyurl.ie/5q. You can also use the Facebook page to ask the Sheehan Medical team questions about the hospital.

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Russians helping to ease the pain of overseas property investors

I dread to think how much money has left this country over the last few years spent on overseas property; a lot of it never to return.

There are now many problems with stalled developments that Irish people have invested in right across the globe. I am currently supporting the Dublin legal firm Anthony Joyce & Co on six different cases. In a lot of instances the developers didn’t sell enough of the properties to finish the developments, but have spent the money paid by the initial investors.

Where people have been lucky enough to get their hands on finished property the values are now much lower than they were during their boom. If people bought early enough, say pre-2005 and in some cases 2006, then they can still make a profit because some markets we climbing by such large amounts that even with a 50% reduction they are still above what investors will have paid.

The problem came with the people that were late to the sector and paid peak prices. Their problems are compounded by the fact that a lot people remortgaged their primary residence in Ireland many off whom are not left paying very large mortgages in Ireland, that are in negative equity and which we used to pay of an overpriced overseas property that is now well below it’s peak. They effectively have two or properties that are in negative equity.

Whilst most agents who sold overseas property have gone bankrupt or run off with their high commission before the investors come after them, one company [disclosure: they are a client of Republic] is turning the overseas property market on it’s head and helping investor sell on their properties.

Appreciating Assets started by developing commercial sites along European Strategic Corridors in Eastern European countries like Bulgaria. Here they made good contacts with the no-nonsense down to earth way of doing business and struck up some long term partnerships.

The Russians have always been keen to do business and pleasure in former Eastern Bloc countries like Bulgaria. During the boom it was the Irish and British investor that we dominant on the Black Sea and in the ski resorts, but as the economies in their countries waned so demand from Russia remained strong.

But, there was problem, Russian property investors don’t buy off-plan and most of the recently built properties were owned by Irish and British investors. Whilst they Bulgarian businesses had good contacts with Russia they had little or no existing contacts in Ireland and the UK. This is where Appreciating Assets were asked to step in, their Bulgarian contacts needed them to help target Irish and UK property investors who wanted to sell their property. This is a niche that they have successfully turned their sights on and in the past 18th months have helped over 230 property owners sell their properties to Russian buyers.

Now they are expanding. They have asked if they can also provide properties to Russian buyers in the more upmarket locations in Western Europe where Russian investors are now buying. Seafront properties are very popular Russians who are very prominent prestige buyers on the Costa Del Sol and Côte d’Azur, as well as the French Alps.

So Appreciating Assets have now expanded their services to property owners in France and Spain, two countries where Irish and British property buyers were prolific during the boom.

It is rare to see a property investment company expanding during a property slump, but the reality is that their niche market is actually booming. This is because the downturn and financial pressure at home has meant so many people need to sell their properties. When times are tight that house in sun can look like an expensive luxury and most people bought the property as an investment anyway with the intention of selling.

If investors want to sell their overseas property then an exit strategy is key. By exit strategy I mean how the property is going to be sold. There is little point trying to sell it to Irish investors because they simply aren’t buying, so investors need to look to countries that are still expanding and where affluence is still increasing, such as Russia and use companies that have a track record of dealing with people there.

The good thing about Russia is that it hasn’t fallen into recession and the outlook looks good. There is a lot of talk these days about the investment markets focusing on the BRIC countries, and Russia is one of these; the others are Brazil, India and China. The IMF backs this up and forecasts that Russia will be the second largest economy in Europe within three years; second only to Germany.

So if you have any overseas property that you want to sell in France, Spain or Bulgaria then sell it to the Russians by contacting Appreciating Assets – please click here fore details.

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Kensington Royale, Dubai Sports City – Middle East Development LLC

Along with solicitor Anthony Joyce,  I recently met investors from all over Ireland whom have bought property in the Kensington Royale development in the Dubai Sports City development, which is being marketed by MED (Middle Eastern Development LLC).

'Progress' shot from MED's website July 2010 (please click image to zoom)

The investors agreed to form an action group and appoint Anthony Joyce to act on their behalf and Republic to help them with the media and promotion to other investors on line. This is the sixth overseas property group Anthony Joyce are representing.

The action group is now successfully taking shape and we are receiving multiple daily requests from other investors in Kensington Royale who want to get involved. We have been contacted by over 30 investors from numerous countries around the world.

Anthony Joyce has now contacted MED and is seeking answers and exploring the groups options.

If any further investors would like to join the Group then please contact me on simon@republicpr.ie or telephone on +353 1 282 2504. For further details please see http://www.republicpr.ie.

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Twitter by numbers – Should I use Twitter to promote my business?

This post is an extended version of the article featured of August’s issue of the Irish personal finance magazine You & Your Money.

Should I use Twitter to promote my business?

Yes, Twitter is a great communication tool and it’s free. But there are a lot of misnomers and misunderstandings about the social media tool. It is very effective at growing your on line network, highlighting your skills and business and, because it is used to share information, it is very good at keeping abreast of the news and developments in business.

Twitter started of as being called a ‘micro-blogging’ site, but since it has migrated into a much more general communication tool with very rich and varied content, albeit with on proviso, that the each ‘Tweet’ you can post is limited to 140 characters.

Here are a few tips:

1. Before you start using Twitter for your business set up a personal account and get used to using it.
2. It’ll be easier and quicker to grow followers to your personal account as people are much more likely to follow you back, so start by getting to know people personally.
3. Use your company account to post links to news on your website, services, or articles on issues in your industry or commentary.
4. In order to promote your business follow potential customers either in your target sector or in the locality of your business.
5. ‘ReTweet’ your company Tweets using your personal account to the higher level of followers.
6. Respond to every Tweet you receive addressed to you.
7. Never ever do hard sell. It simply does not work on Twitter and you’ll lose followers.

Before you start a corporate account use Twitter via a personal account first so that you can get a feel for it and use it properly. The way you grow your follower numbers is by following other people because most people reciprocate and follow you back.

As I am a freelancer I only use one Twitter account because I am currently the only person in business, and I want to be as transparent as possible in how I operate.  But, if you have a large business it is best to keep your business and personal accounts separate, especially if other staff members are going to be using the account.

More people are likely to follow your personal account and less will follow your business account. This is because there is a lot of spamming and hard sell by businesses on Twitter. Therefore, you should concentrate on building follows for both your personal and business accounts, then post any company announcements only to your businesses Twitter account and then ReTweet is via your personal account.

Twitter users are heavily focused around smart phones users because people often Tweet updates on whilst they are on the move. This means Twitter users are skewed to those who are more affluent, so it’s a great way to target a higher demographic.

Twitter is now being used by Google to help assist their Page Rank of websites. This was revealed by Google’s Matt Cutts at a recent presentation in Dublin. He indicated that using Twitter to promote information on a website can help boost how Google views the authority of the website. Google considers each ‘ReTweet’ of a link to that website by other Twitter users is considered a vote of confidence in that site by other Twitter users and also by Google, so it is a great way to boost your website’s search engine optimisation and your Google Page Rank.

If you have multiple members of staff posting to your businesses Twitter account then you need to be careful as the Twitter feed will be considered the official voice of your business. It is best to nominate one member of staff t to post to it and at first get them to approve the Tweets with you.

Ensure all your company details and website etc are in your Twitter accounts Profile details as this will make it easier for Twitter users to find your business. If you staff also use Twitter get them to put your website address in their Profile, but ensure they put a disclaimer that all Tweets are there own and not that of the business.

If you have any questions about Twitter please leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.

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Cork private hospital in €8.5 million finance deal

Below is coverage from today’s Sunday Business Post that covers the deal that Sheehan Medical have signed with Siemens for their new private hospital the Cork Medical Centre.

I have pasted the text in below and also include a link in case you want to the view the article on the SBP’s website.

http://www.thepost.ie/story/ojaucwsnsn/

Cork private hospital in €8.5 million finance deal
04 July 2010 By Susan Mitchell

Backers of a new €90 million private hospital in Cork have just agreed an €8.5 million financing deal over seven years with Siemens Healthcare.

The new Irish private hospital operator, Sheehan Medical, will use the funding to purchase healthcare technology, ICT and diagnostic equipment at the Cork Medical Centre which is due to open in September. It will be the first new private hospital to open in the city for 30 years.

Sheehan Medical signs €8.5m deal with Siemens

Sheehan Medical agrees €8.5m deal with Siemens for Cork’s newest private hospital

Major contract awarded by Cork Medical Centre to supply and finance the latest medical diagnostic technology.

4^th July, 2010. Cork Ireland: Cork is due to get the Ireland’s most high-tech hospital following an announcement today by Irish private hospital operator, Sheehan Medical, that Siemens Healthcare has been awarded the €8.5m contract to provide the healthcare technology and financing for their new private hospital, the Cork Medical Centre.

The new €90m hospital will open in Cork in the September and will be the first new private hospital facility to open in the city for 30 years. Owned by the Sheehan Medical, the Cork Medical Centre will be a technology driven hospital that will lead the field with the newest and most promising interventions for stroke, brain tumours, back pain and other sites of chronic pain.

According to James Sheehan, the Chief Executive of Sheehan Medical, he said a key factor in choosing Siemens was their ability to provide the latest technology to enhance clinical outcomes, plus their ability to support it with financing, ICT and project management ‘‘We have first class technology in all our hospitals and aim to make the Cork Medical Centre the most high-tech facility ever developed in Ireland. Siemens is an important part of this aim, their ability to provide an integrated approach that covers innovative technology will allow us levels of diagnosis and treatment that will be in unsurpassed in this country. The success of this deal marks the next stage of the on-going five year relationship with Siemens whose technology we have used extensively before.”

The contract includes financing for all the hospitals equipment from Siemens Financial Services, the company’s first deal in Ireland. Approximately half €7m the total is for technology from Siemens Healthcare, including a suite of state-of-the-art equipment, including its flagship angiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), x-ray and ultrasound equipment (specific details on the equipment are outlined in the Notes To Editors below).

Kevin Dand, Head of Siemens Healthcare in Ireland, stated “We were keen to partner with Sheehan Medical in a vision to provide the best in surgical and diagnostic services. The technology advancements of our imaging equipment will assist Cork Medical Centre in their mission to offer a much quicker, safer and seamless journey for the patient, improving the speed of diagnosis and treatment.”

Increasingly patients and physicians prefer minimally invasive therapy over surgery because of the reduced recovery time. “With the Artis zee Bi-plane technology, these interventions can be much quicker. Cork Medical Centre will take delivery of the latest bi-plane technology, enhancing the clinicians’ ability to diagnose, guide and treat the disease whether cardiac, neuro or oncology,” explains Dand.

The Cork Medical Centre will be a 5 star facility providing 75 single in-patient bedrooms, fully sealed with the latest in infection control.  The main focus of the hospital will be surgery; there will be four operating theatres and a same day surgery centre with 20 out-patient beds.  The hospital, which is located at the City Gate Complex in Mahon Point, will have a strong focus on neurology and cardiology.

The hospital will also house an intensive care unit; radiology a cardiology, oncology and neuroscience facility. International accreditation, benchmarking and auditing will be provided by an internationally renowned healthcare organisation

For further information please contact: Simon Palmer, at Republic on + 353 (0) 851 341 761 or email: simon@republicpr.ie

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Siemens’ technology

Siemens Healthcare will provide a suite of equipment including its flagship angiography system, the Artis zee bi-plane flat panel detector, a revolutionary new system for advanced imaging in interventional radiology, cardiology and neuroradiology investigations.

Siemens Enterprise Communications will provide a turnkey Information and Communications Healthcare Network focused on productivity, security and mobility; delivering complete access to clinical information and patient workflows from any device, regardless of location.

Siemens is also delivering state-of-the-art equipment in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). The Siemens’ Magnetom Essenza MRI system, which due to its 1.5T field strength, will allow CMC to deliver superior image quality and offer greater diagnostic confidence to support a complete range of clinical applications, including neurology, orthopaedics, body imaging, angiography, cardiology, breast imaging, oncology and paediatric imaging.

The Essenza also offers shorter scan times increasing productivity, due to its revolutionary TIM (total imaging matrix) technology, which eliminates the need for patient repositioning during scans. Additionally, the Essenza’s ultra-short bore design will alleviate concerns of claustrophobia, since many patients can be imaged with their head outside of the bore.

The Somatom Definition AS 64 brings together high-end CT imaging including neuro CT scanning. With 64 slice imaging, the AS provides physicians with more information to detect and diagnose conditions earlier. Siemens is also delivering additional x-ray and ultrasound equipment.

Key elements of the High Availability solution are Siemens OpenScape SIP based Voice & Unified Communications Server – a carrier class architecture based completely on Open Standards for third party application integration , Enterasys Secure Networks LAN and Wireless LAN using the latest 802.11n technology for immediate access to information from mobile devices, an EMC Storage Area Network, VMware Virtualised Server & Client Environment from our technology partners, Fujitsu and a Nextgen Technologies Triple Play IPTV Patient Entertainment Solution.

About Sheehan Medical

Sheehan Medical was set up to operate private hospitals in the UK, Britain and mainland Europe. The company is operated by Chief Executive, James Sheehan, and his father Dr Joseph Sheehan C.M., who is Chairman.

Sheehan Medical’s aim is to bring best practice in US medical techniques and standards to Ireland. The company prides itself in combining the operation of first class medical facilities with a successful business model. The unique share holding structure allows doctors and consultants to buy into the ownership of their hospitals and share in the financial success.

An active surgeon for over 35 years Sheehan Medical’s Chairman, Dr Joseph Sheehan, along with his brother Dr Jimmy Sheehan, both Dublin natives, were two of the founders of the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin, which opened in 1984. In January 2006, he was part of a small group that purchased the controlling interest in the Blackrock Clinic from BUPA. An €80m expansion project is currently underway.

In 2004 he again partnered with his brother Jimmy to open the Galway Clinic, which received international recognition and re-established Dr. Sheehan’s commitment to raising healthcare standards through dedication to quality improvement and technological advances.  Further information can be found by visiting http://ww.sheehanmedical.com or http://www.corkmedicalcentre.com

About Siemens

Siemens is a global company providing products, systems, services and solutions for the industry, energy and healthcare sectors. The company employs over 1,000 highly skilled people in Ireland and has offices in Dublin and Cork.

Siemens Healthcare is one of the world’s largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. Siemens Healthcare is the first integrated healthcare company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy and healthcare information technology solutions. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care — from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. Further information can be found by visiting http://www.siemens.ie

Siemens Enterprise Communications is a premier provider of end-to-end enterprise communications, including voice, network infrastructure and security solutions that use open, standards-based architectures to unify communications and business applications for a seamless collaboration experience. This award-winning “Open Communications” approach enables organizations to improve productivity and reduce costs through easy-to-deploy solutions that work within existing IT environments, delivering operational efficiencies. It is the foundation for the company’s OpenPath® commitment that enables customers to mitigate risk and cost-effectively adopt unified communications. Jointly owned by The Gores Group and Siemens AG, Siemens Enterprise Communications companies include Siemens Enterprise Communications, Cycos, and Enterasys Networks.  Further information can be found by visiting http://www.siemens-enterprise.com