LET'S TALK MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health…is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going

It’s normal for people to link mental health with “madness” and that's not the way to go. According to statistics, there are close to 450 million people living with mental health in the world but that does not mean they are mad. Now the main question here is: What exactly is mental health? The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

From this, we understand that good health means confidence, sound mind and peaceful state of mind whereas bad mental health comes with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and the likes. The WHO has discovered that out of the 21.6 million people living in Ghana, 650,000 are suffering from a severe mental disorder and a further 2,166, 000 are suffering from a moderate to mild mental disorder. This means 98% of the entire population are likely to have some form of mental disorder and it could happen to anybody in your family, school or neighbourhood.

This disorder can lead to suicide and isolation. When this happens, it is good to help such people by letting them know you are willing to help them. Here are some ways by which we can help people with mental disorders of any kind:

Being extra patient and supportive: People with mental health disorders are to be dealt with patiently at all times.

Learning about mental health: Most people think being aware of mental health is for doctors but it's for all of us so that we can help those who deal with it.

Respect: People living with mental disorders have feelings and emotions so it's important to treat them with love and respect at all times.

Let's take a quick look at some different types of mental disorders.

Depression: This is where a person usually wants to be alone, has no interest in things or situations around them. This can go on for days and years on end. REMEMBER, DEPRESSION IS NOT A WHITE MAN'S DISEASE.

Anxiety disorder: This is when a person has so much fear and worry that it affects their activities throughout the day.

Bipolar disorder: This has to do with excessive counts of mood swings.

Dementia: Some symptoms include memory loss and judgment in the way of life

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD): This is where a person doesn't recover after going through something very scary or bad. For example, witnessing an accident.

Obsessive Compulsive disorder(OCD): This is when a person finds himself liking something too much that they become obsessed with it and start acting without thinking about it.

Now that we have an idea what mental health really mean and the kinds that are around, let's go the extra mile to be kind to people around us.

PRP launched in grand style!

The People’s Representative (PRP) last week Thursday had its launch in grand style. The event took place at the Ghana Institute of Journalism at lecture hall D2.

The launch saw many supporters and members of the party troop in with joy to hear words of assurance and comfort from the flag bearer of the party, Ishmael Nii Lante Lamptey.

Party Chairman

The Chairman of the party Mr. Ben Brown in his welcome address called on Ghanaians and party loyalists to help free the nation from the shackles we find ourselves in. “Let's come together to build a Ghana free from nepotism and corruption. Let's come together, dear Ghanaians, to help build a government and nation together: a nation represented by the people, run by the people and pushed by the people”

Flag bearer

The moment all had been waiting for came as the flag bearer accompanied by his able running mate, mounted the stage to deliver his speech. He assured citizens of Ghana and members of the party that, the PRP will not stick to the status quo of making empty promises as seen by the sitting government. "We the people are fed up! But be awake! Stand for a true change! We want to return to our default setting and take our rightful seat at the table of greatness. Today we say Back to our root Ekas33ak) PRP!" he said.

Also present was a representative of the Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA), Mr. Abiwu Theodore who congratulated the PRP on their launch and stated that in as much as it was a competition, we are all one people. He went to wish the party well in the upcoming election.

Shouts of joy filled the hall as the official banner of the party was about to be revealed and it was indeed sighted worth beholding.

In her closing remarks, the deputy campaign manager of the party, Ms. Esi Hazel also reminded citizens at the grassroots level that they are not forgotten and everything will be done to make sure Ghana becomes great again.

Party Supporters

The launch saw the attendance of dignitaries including the General Secretary of the party, Ms. Joyce Afelik, party executives, flag bearers of the opposition parties and the esteemed Dominic Asintanga, overall best student, 2018 graduating class of the Ghana Institute of Journalism and Cedric Kekeli Afewu, Organizing Secretary of the institute’s SRC and the media.

The PRP is a simulated political party created by group 4 level 300 students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism as part of a political communication course this semester.

Ghana has gone far!

In recent times, most people, especially the youth claim to have lost faith in the system because they find it difficult to maneuver their way into success. Some have even vowed never to exercise their franchise in any election whatsoever. Regardless of that, there are a few people who have proved that the system although unfavorable, can be beaten.

In the United States, for example, most of the youth are taught that they could make it and it's refreshing to see that some Ghanaian youths are gradually subscribing to that school of thought.

There are so many Ghanaians around the world impacting lives and setting mind blowing records. These are people who set themselves aside and have decided to pursue greatness. The good news however is, these trailblazers come from different industries. Talk of entertainment, sports, business, fashion, among others.

Photo credit: Forbes Africa

A few months ago, one of the leading entrepreneurial

magazines in Africa, Forbes Africa released its coveted Forbes 30 under 30 list. This list recognizes men and women under the age of 30 who are making differences in their cities and impacting lives. Three Ghanaian entrepreneurs made the list and this couldn't have come at a better time as Ghana is doing all it can to put its name on the map, especially in this year of return.

The list was released on the 1st of July, 2019 and as mentioned earlier, Ghanaians made the list. 

From Ghana were 27-year old CEO of Clothing 101 Henry Amponsah, 22-year-old Joseph Awuah-Darko, a contemporary artist and the only female, Sarah Owusu, a 28-year-old artist, and painter. Over the years, other Ghanaians have made the list and we couldn’t be any prouder.

These pacesetters broke barriers and made it to the top which goes to prove that anything can be achieved if one makes up his mind to do it.

It is usually believed that a person can only make a massive impact only when they are outside Ghana but leaders and those who beat the system should all they can to help young ones believe in the system by leading by example.

Talents should be supported and skills should be nurtured in order to make the dream of wear Ghana, eat Ghana and the likes a reality. We should support Ghana made goods like we support that of the western world. If this is done, Ghana will produce more candidates to take over the Forbes list in no time.

Ghana is making progress and with time and good effort, we will most definitely make it.

Inspired? Well check out other Africans who made the list here: https://www.forbesafrica.com/30-under-30/2019/07/01/30under30-creatives-category-2019/

10 tips for creating a successful business blog

Hi guys!!!!!! welcome back to my blog. Today we are talking about business blogging but before I dive into that, here’s a little story:

About two years ago, a friend of mine decided to start a business. I was excited to see him trying to make things work for himself. In the course, I realized that after going through the necessary process created a blog and started sharing information about his product through the blog and by word of mouth. Long story cut short, after a while most of the people who became his most loyal customers were those who read his blog posts.

From this we realize how important it is to consider business. According to a research report conducted in 2018, has revealed that 10,110,000 Ghanaians are using the internet. This figure represents 35% of the total 29,150,000 population. That being said, today we’ll be talking about what a business blog is, it’s benefits and how to create a successful business blog. Emphasis on successful because it is not enough to only create a blog but one that goes viral too. Let’s go!

What is a business blog?

Before we dive into what a business blogging is all about, blogging involves creating content about a particular subject by writing and sharing. A person who does this is called a blogger.

So, business blogging or b-blog is a blog where information about your company or product is talked about and posted on the Internet for everyone to read. This makes it easy for people who visit your site or social media pages to find the information they need without stress. To make this possible, a company usually hires a blogger who posts information about the company in its voice. From the stats above, its only in the best interest of a company to consider this strategy because like all good things, it comes with its benefits. Let’s take a look at a few.

• ·       Thought Leader: Growing up, I always wanted to know random things just to be able to provide information for anyone who wanted it. As a result of that, anytime a question about general things was asked, everyone expected me to answer because they knew I had something to say about it. That’s the same for business blogging because as you build up authority in your niche the more you are regarded as a thought leader in your industry.
• ·       Visibility: When you start business blogging, you literally come out of your shell and let your audience know what you are about as a company. It actually puts you in their minds when they are in need of information relating to what you offer. The more information you put on your site, you increase the optimizing of your site making your site trustworthy.
• ·       Lead Generation: According Wikipedia, lead generation is the initiation of consumer interest or inquiry into products or services of a business. With the help of business blogging, you can easily get clients because your content gives them exactly what they need. In plain words, your content should make your audience want to do business with you.
• ·       Website Traffic: Research shows that the more information a site provides, the more traffic it gets. Think of blogging as fishing. The more hooks you have in the water, the more fishes you catch. Imagine giving vital information about a particular subject a lot of people can barely find. The moment they chance upon your site, you will have so many people visiting your site just because you have something no one does. And there’s even better news: The more traffic you generate, the more leads you get which means more sales.
• ·       Credibility and Trust: Trust for your product by your clients is one of the biggest blessings you can ever get. This trust however, is earned by being a transparent seller. Business blogging will gain you trust from your clients. Aside trust, business blogging makes your site credible. In marketing, it’s called brand positioning where your product is on the minds of your clients. Thus, you come first to their minds before they think of anything else.
• ·       Provide Value: When you start a business blog, you give your audiences value for your product. Some products have importance and others have value so business blogging will set you apart from your competitors.

Note this: If you want to create a blog,just start with Google Blogger or WordPress. Note that they  are ABSOLUTELY free. Email me: elise.esihazel@gmail.com for more help. I am here for you!

Now that we know what we stand to gain with business blog, let me give up a heads up on what to do to get more traffic, more leads and more money while at it.

• ·       Quality Over Quantity: When I started blogging, I was concerned with hitting at least 3,000 words because I wanted about three pages but I read later and realized I was just saying unnecessary things and saying the same things over and over again. In order to avoid leading your audiences into boredom, your blog post should be between 1,500 to 2,000 words. When your audience realizes that your content is short and straight forward, it makes it easy for them to understand the message you’re trying to put across.
• ·       Know and Have Your Audience in Mind: Before you start blogging, you should understand that you are talking to people through text. This means creating a buyer persona to have an idea about your target audience.  They may never meet you but write the way you talk. In Journalism, this concept is explained with an acronym called K.I.S.S which means Keep IT Short and Simple. It’s not necessary to use huge words that would require your audience to have a dictionary with them anytime they are reading your posts just because you are using “big words”. When you blog, it should be conversational. Your audience should feel like they are having a face-to-face chat with you.
• ·       Good Headline: Remember the popular saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? That’s what the headline or topic of your blog post can determine. A reader can just see your headline and keep scrolling because it’s not straight to the point and doesn’t look like it will give them the information they need. When deciding the kind of headline to use, think of your reader. Is he a beginner or an expert? Asking yourself questions like these will help you know what to use. For example, for beginners, headlines that start with “how to” will definitely having newbies in the industry reading your post.
• ·       Include images and links: Growing up, it wasn’t fun reading books that didn’t have pictures. It’s important to give your audience a visual depiction of what they’re reading by giving them pictures, info graphics, stats and links to make their reading easy and fun. With regards to links, it’s important to refer them to a site or a previous post you have written so they can read further. It’s like providing references in a text book for students to understand the text better.
• ·       Have a content calendar: Planning is everything. Richard Crushing said “Always plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” As a blogger, you should also plan when you will post what. Let’s assume that you are in the fashion industry. You could choose to post about clothing this month the shoes the next then bags. This makes it easy to know what you are about.
• ·       Promote and Share: As mentioned in the previous point, you should share your content for your audience to be aware that you are interested in making everyone see your content. If you don't share your content, you cannot generate traffic which means no leads then no sales.

Today, we talked about business blogging. Business blogging is a great way to improve your reach online and build stronger relationships with your customers. It comes with so many benefits like making you a thought leader in your industry, gaining your product and service credibility and trust, giving your site website traffic, generating leads for you which means more sales, giving you visibility, and makes you provide value.

To create a successful blog, pick quality over quantity, know your audience and write for him/her, good headline, add images, include links, have a content calendar, keyword research, blog consistently, promote and share

Leave a comment, share on social media or talk about your experience with business blogging.

Logo Design 101

What is a logo?

There are many definitions of what a logo is. But one particular one struck me. It said logos serve to represent a given organization or company through a visual image that can be easily understood and recognized.

Logos give identity and make it easy for you to introduce your company without words and this is more than the design of the logo even though it shouldn’t be taken for granted.

In my school, every second-year class is required to create a company from scratch. That meant getting a company name, logo, colors, vision, mission and all that goes into starting a company and for me it was the most enlightening experience ever. So today I will be taking you through the importance of having a logo as a company, how to differentiate a good logo design from a bad one and most importantly, qualities of good logo design.

Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos said, “A brand is the very identity of a company” and I couldn’t agree more. Creating a brand for your product or service can give you an upper hand over your competitors. And you can start by taking a critical look at your company’s logo.

Why do I need a logo?

· Identity: See how cattle breeders burn them with a hot iron to mark them? That’s how a logo gives a company a mark of identity. We all attribute a bitten apple to Apple Inc. and the swoosh to Nike. So, a logo tells your potential customers who you are and what you do. And this boils down to giving you a brand.

· Gives You A Professional Look: When you have a logo, it sends out a message that you mean business and you know what you are about. This will make your potential clients take you seriously before contacting you. There this saying that goes like this “you get what you give” so if you want to be accorded the respect, get yourself a good image and it starts from your logo. In short, the logo is the face of the company.

· Separates You From Competition: When you get a logo design for your product or service, you set yourself apart from your competitors. People’s attention gets caught when they see something that's not in the status quo. So go ahead and turn heads with your logo.

Are you ready to turns heads with your logo? Now I’m not trying to sound like a motivational speaker but hey, we all need that sometimes. So let’s look how a good logo design looks like because logos no matter what you do cannot be escaped.

· Speaks: A good logo speaks to its target audience the moment they see it. It tells them who you are and what you do before they actually approach you to ask for details. So choose images that give your audience an idea of what your company is into. For example, if you are in the food or fashion there should a symbol representing it in your logo.

· It's Unique: A really good logo like I stated earlier turns heads. I remember admiring the logo of Nike because it was like nothing I’d ever seen. Simple yet pleasing to the eye. That’s the effect a good logo should have on a person at first sight. In fact, a good logo should make a person believe in love at first sight.

· Corresponds: A good logo should match the content of your website. Imagine visiting the site of a company whose logo design is a man baking bread only for you to read the copy of the site which talks about their ability to make the best beads in the world. That’s a no-no.

· Uniformed: A good logo must be uniformed in every way possible. From the colors to the text. A logo that has colors that don’t blend, tiny fonts and too much information makes it painful to look at. 

• Relevant: A good logo should be relevant to the company and what it stands for. Last semester in school, my class had to start a company and that included getting a logo. Our name was Spektrum Concepts and our logo had an S and C but was uniquely designed to be related to what we stood for as an event planning company.

Now that we know what a good logo looks like, let’s see what a bad one looks like.

· Vague: A bad logo doesn’t transmit any message. It can barely be read or understood. And when this happens you cannot achieve the aim of making your audience fall in love with your brand at first sight. According to research, a person’s interest is grabbed for five seconds when they see an image. If it takes longer than that to appreciate your logo, it needs work. Long story cut short, if people can’t easily understand your logo, your brand is headed for massive failure and we can’t have that.

· Cliché: Lea Michelle said “Uniqueness is what makes you most unique” and I believe truer words have never been spoken. See, if your logo is just like every other one flying around town, then you should know it’s nowhere near uniqueness.

· Not catchy: Aside from the obvious fact that your company should have the easy-to-understand logo, it should also be catchy. The colors should blend well. For example, black goes really well with yellow, red goes nicely with white and so on. An easy of indicator of a bad logo is that its color doesn’t correspond with the kind of business the company is involved in. Create mentally a hospital’s logo made with pink and black instead of green and white. You'd agree with me that it's not an appropriate color for a health facility. Thus, the colors we use for our logos is key.

So, this just a quickie on logo design. When next you are lost as to which ideas to look to for your logo, remember what Jeff Bezos said “A brand is the very identity of a company” and logos are part of your company's branding. 

Do you have questions or contributions? Email me on elise.esihazel@gmail.com and let's get talking! 

BECOME AN INTERN? BUT I’M JUST A FRESHMAN

Deciding to become an intern during my first long summer vacation in college was really hard. I had planned to read, watch television and sleep all summer. I hadn’t even thought about working on a perfect summer body because I had planned to read my summer away. The first few weeks weren’t fun. I loved the job but I was still stuck in the “I’m just a first year student” thought. As the days went by, I realised it gave me something to look forward to each day and also gave me a sense of purpose. I did jobs I didn’t even know existed. While interning, I realised a few things.

•  YOU DON'T HAVE TO BECOME AN INTERN IN A COMPANY RELATED TO THE COURSE YOU ARE MAJORING IN: Majoring in public relations, I was taken aback when I learnt that the company I was going to work for was an HR company. I was going to be the social media and content manager: something I knew almost nothing about. Being a reader and a curious person, I went online to get basic tips about content management and it made my work easier and as bonus I can add content management to my portfolio.
• IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE MONEY: At a PR seminar I attended on campus, one of the speakers made a remarkable statement and I quote “Your network is your net worth.” With internship,you enlarge your sphere of contact and have an addition to your list of references. I learnt a lot on the job and kept my mind working throughout the summer vacation and this is more valuable than money because I’ll always know it. Traditionally as an intern, you aren’t supposed to be paid. This is because you’re given an opportunity to learn and build your career.
• WORK EXPERIENCE: This is probably a cliché to most people but it’s true. Dragging myself out of bed was something I learnt to do while interning. I wasn’t always ecstatic about going to work but finally finishing my internship gave me a can do mentality and changed my approach towards goals I set. Working with my colleagues,sending official emails and using text editors I wasn't familiar with were skills I developed as a novice. Being the only intern, lots of attention was given to me with regards to developing skills and I couldn't ask for a better experience.
• ENRICHING YOUR PORTFOLIO: The importance of adding more experiences and skills to your portfolio cannot be overemphasised as it gives employers more reason to choose you over other applicants. You don’t just partake in an internship program just to let time pass. It’s for a purpose and recruiters will mostly choose someone with work experience than one without.

In all, my internship period was the most enlightening experience I’ve ever had. It was definitely worth it. It kept my mind active and sharp. I have better communication and work ethics. I have experience in social media and content management which I never thought was necessary. During your next long vacation, volunteer or become an intern. It’s a good investment.