I am following a variety of communication projects and numerous campaigns from time to time.

What I am really surprised at lately is how many social media consultants will actually run a campaign as if its content has to . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]>

I am following a variety of communication projects and numerous campaigns from time to time.

What I am really surprised at lately is how many social media consultants will actually run a campaign as if its content has to represent their own quality and beliefs.

How can I put this politely? This is not about you!

Your customer comes first
Your customer’s customer also comes first.
It’s really a tie. You design a communications project to satisfy audiences, NOT (and this is important) to show how great you are as a person and a professional. This is not the time to sell yourself – it is time to show how great your WORK is. There is a balance between personal communications on behalf of a client and personal communications period. Find it. Protect it.

Design a campaign according to the customer and the audience, not according to you
You may think that some types of communications are degrading or the audience is stupid. Heed my advice. Don’t take the project. There is someone out there who understands the customer and the audience and will do a better job than you. Move on. Find another client.

Take a leaf from the policy development book
Policy development might at times seem slow and arduous. What it does really well though is taking soundings from a multitude of stakeholders and balancing their needs with those of the audience (or the end recipient of the policy). That is, IF policy is developed in a coherent and normal manner. Anyway, I digress. When communicating on behalf of a client there is a little bit of “you” in there but balance the priorities. You should not be applying your own principles and ethos to the campaign.

The next client should understand what you do
You are not an actor, you will not be typecast. Just because you are communicating for a children’s summer camp does not mean you cannot communicate for a church. Obviously it’s better to specialize but it can be done. If you fear that a client will not get this and thus you end up promoting yourself too much be advised: You are degrading and destroying the market even further. Instead of helping to establish a true image of social media comms you are just reinforcing the inaccuracies out there.

True professionals understand the need for balance
I see this in good policy development projects all the time. Good professionals sit around a table, exchange opinion, show evidence and try to INFLUENCE the process. They NEVER accuse another policy professional on a personal level, nor do they try to theorize why their approach sucks. In a policy meeting room we are all doing a job and we all have priorities and stakeholders. The point is not to embarrass other people (by the way, when you do this you are a twat and everyone in the room knows it) but to make sure that the job gets done.
In exactly the same way, a true professional in communications or social media understands that you have priorities. They will critique, advise and offer alternative ideas. But when they personally attack you they probably have an ax to grind (or they pitched for that project and didn’t get it).

You see, I believe that the priority should be to get good projects out there, to educate new clients, to develop the market. The priority should not be to destroy everyone else.

You are not Highlander, get over your self.

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I sometimes wonder what people did before the web, before easy access to information, before the dream/ nightmare of 24/7 engagement and content. (I’m not that young. I remember the yellow-y library index cards)

I have heard that this constant ‘on’ mode is distracting and I concur. . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]>

I sometimes wonder what people did before the web, before easy access to information, before the dream/ nightmare of 24/7 engagement and content. (I’m not that young. I remember the yellow-y library index cards)

I have heard that this constant ‘on’ mode is distracting and I concur. I takes a lot of discipline to keep on doing your job and retain high levels of concentration.

At the same time there is method in the madness.

Anybody who works in policy (like yours truly), public affairs, parliamentary communications and the like, knows that without a great big influx of information, extended engagement with stakeholders and serious analysis their job can become a true nightmare and the value people see in it dwindles. Only to be expected.

Whenever I finish a project now, whenever a new idea dawns, whenever I create something, I know that a lot of the good work done has been done by other people.

Inspiring journal articles published for the world to see and not sold for astronomical prices behind some academic journal’s pay-wall.

Blog posts from passionate and wonderful people who watch, learn and share.

Art projects from collectives of people who believe in participation and sharing.

and above all

finding all of those things through the community!

Without the people who search and share, without the wisdom of the crowds I wouldn’t even get wind of half of what I currently do. Alas, the crowds are not always very wise – my recent question of who is Justin Bieber on twitter was spurred by too much discussion about said person on said service. (The crowd decreed that I live in a well)

I know it takes time but there are two tricks that I use.

1) Trust the network

2) Do the analysis

Just getting the information is silly without doing the analysis, it’s like looking at a data chart without having the little signs telling you what each colour represents.

It’s constant, it’s mad, it’s informative, it’s exciting and perhaps a bit frightening when you realise that you are the sum of all the people. It’s not just about your university connections anymore, not just about how good your library was, not just about where you lived, how you lived, who you know. There are people out there – you’ve never met them, you never will, who can teach you something every single day.

And if that doesn’t create a rich environment for more creation and good work I don’t know what does.

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Today’s front page runs:

“Battle Royal: Student demo yobs in shameful attack on Charles and Camilla”

Ummmmm….. who *exactly* are The Sun’s readership? I thought they would be closely aligned with the kids who . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]> I am somewhat perplexed by The Sun these days.

Today’s front page runs:

“Battle Royal: Student demo yobs in shameful attack on Charles and Camilla”

Ummmmm….. who *exactly* are The Sun’s readership? I thought they would be closely aligned with the kids who were saying to the BBC cameras that the EMA is the only thing keeping them in college?

What am I missing with this newspaper lately?

On a related note I seriously underestimated their headline writers – who are an education. I thought that they would go for “Anarchy in the UK” but they rose above it, leaving Metro London the joy of using the Sex Pistols classic.

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I’ve loved moo for years, but these last few days I’ve discovered another reason to like them. They have great customer service.

From the first moment I saw the moo MiniCards I was in love. It was an ingenious way to resurrect printing.

MiniCards . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]>

I’ve loved moo for years, but these last few days I’ve discovered another reason to like them. They have great customer service.

From the first moment I saw the moo MiniCards I was in love. It was an ingenious way to resurrect printing.

MiniCards were their first product I think and the one I’ve consistently bought for my self. They were the first personal cards I created.

We’ve also chosen moo for SoMaFusion and advised purchase for some clients, where appropriate. We’ve also purchased some lovely stickers and postcards from them for SoMaFusion and people have found them really lovely.

I’ve never had any use of the moo customer service in the past but last time around something went wrong.

I had bought 5 packs of MiniCards and paid for speedy printing with an estimated delivery of Thursday 18 November. I would need to send them on with a friend to Athens for some colleagues there. When the cards did not arrive on the 18 I didn’t worry but by Monday I was anxious it would be too late. I left a message on their system and they came back to me within 24 hours, apologising since even though they had sent them they were obviously lost in the post (it happens).

The excellent Paul from moo customer services liaised with me over e-mail and when he realised I needed the cards to be in Athens by Friday 25 November actually took care of everything without any extra charges. I am now watching the little package on the DHL pages making the rounds over Europe on its way to Greece.

Now let’s be brutally honest here. Even if moo had refused to help and just offered to re-send the order normally I would either cancel or accept. I have had experiences in the past with other companies who refuse any responsibility if a product is lost in the post (as if it is my fault what contractors they use). Had they refused to help, would I buy from moo again? Yes, because this is about the MiniCards. But I would be disgruntled and annoyed and would stop being so enthusiastic about them. Additionally I would abandon them the moment I could get MiniCards or something similar somewhere else.

With their excellent customer service they get a customer who is quite happy to act as an ambassador for their brand. A blog post, a number of recommendations, word of mouth, it all used to happen because I loved their product. They have now given me a new incentive. Isn’t that ingenious?

———————
Full disclosure: I am not affiliated in any way with moo and they haven’t seen this post prior to publication. I pay for my moo products normally like everybody else.

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I heard about it via the London Girl Geek Dinners mailing list . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]> On November 4 head on down to Soho where 14 to 18 year old girls from Tower Hamlets pitching their app ideas to an event in the style of the BBC’s “Dragons’ Den”

I heard about it via the London Girl Geek Dinners mailing list and I went through the background of Apps for Good. My, what an excellent idea and programme this is!

Apps for Good is the new programme by CDI Europe where young people learn to create apps that change their world.

During April- June 2010 we successfully ran the first prototype course with 9 young people between 16-26 years at the High Trees Development Trust in Tulse Hill/South London. We are now busy preparing to re-run the course on High Trees between August- October 2010 and to launch in four other locations in Greater London and the South East of England until the end of the year.
(via)

This Thursday two groups of students will work their magic.

1. Students from the Central Foundation Girls School in East London will pitch their initial ideas, and
2. Students from South London will present their final ideas.

There is a full panel of “Dragons” as well.

• James Murray Wells, Founder and Executive Chairman, Glasses Direct
• Scott Seaborn, Head of Mobile Tecnologies, Ogilvy Group
• Rahul Chakkara, Director of Online for TalkTalk Group
• Jo Twist, Commissioning Editor for Education, Channel 4
• Antony Marcano, Founder, Riverglide Software & Business Consultancy

You can find all information about the event here: http://ideaspitches-dragonsden.eventbrite.com/

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I can’t claim that I have vast experience in startups but I do have some exposure, both through work and through my research at university. So this is not one of those “I know what I am talking about” posts but rather a “I don’t know the answer . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]>

I can’t claim that I have vast experience in startups but I do have some exposure, both through work and through my research at university. So this is not one of those “I know what I am talking about” posts but rather a “I don’t know the answer but I think the question is interesting” kind of post.

I’ve been seeing some startups in London and in Greece diversifying lately in two very distinct ways. Some diversify within their specialisation and simply tweak their offering so that they can develop and expand their client base. Others diversify outside their specialisation, doing things that are bolt – ons to their core capability.

My inkling is that the first strategy is a lot safer and a lot more manageable.

Let’s take an example.

Assume I have a pastry shop. I make excellent pastries, everybody says so. The restaurant next door even advertises my pastries. People love the shop, they love my staff, they love the product. It’s all going great.

At some point I’d like to move things forward.

Option A: I seek out business to business clients and start selling pastries to the restaurant next door, tweaking my product to suit their needs.

Option B: Wow, smoothies are the new big thing. I start making them and selling them in my shop. They are just part of the meal at the end of the day.

I am unsure as to what strategy makes sense to entrepreneurs. Especially when I am thinking of digital / tech startups I always have the feeling that option A is much much better as it ensures that the core capability is being expanded and improved rather than a new capability.

Having said that when the core capability is ‘secure’ there is probably scope to expand.

How do you suppose entrepreneurs judge when is the right time?

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Being exposed to start ups from time to time is one of the most interesting things I do in my working life. I hate calling them start ups cause somehow it seems like I am talking about technology companies and I am not. I’m just talking . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]>

Being exposed to start ups from time to time is one of the most interesting things I do in my working life. I hate calling them start ups cause somehow it seems like I am talking about technology companies and I am not. I’m just talking about small and new companies that do interesting stuff.

The good thing with small companies with passionate people is that they are extremely flexible. They take advantage of everybody’s skills, let them do exactly what they love and capitalise on it. Yes, it’s that simple.

Today though I am reminded of bigger companies who are not so flexible. Some of them – sometimes – see a project and go ‘I wish that was us’. I mainly see this in the creative sector. Some niche little studio tucked away in some London neighbourhood comes out with a project that is just incredible and lovely.

Now, for one reason or another, I am accustomed to people bad-mouthing good work that they hope they had thought of first. It’s not nice but hey, it happens, especially in markets that are small(er) and more difficult to develop (for example Greece and being Greek I am allowed to say that).

Yet the best big companies just follow Ogilvy‘s advice and just aim to hire people that are better. And so I know that this little studio got a fair offer in terms of money and an extremely good offer in terms of staff. Come in and work for us – they said – we love your work.

I’ll not go on since I wouldn’t like to reveal who and what but there is a very good moral to this story I feel.

Quit your tantrums and just hire the people who created something you envied. Get them on your side.

This is the best advice I ever received from a manager as well. We were working together for some time when I realised he didn’t know something about the job. ‘I don’t have to know’ he said ‘it is your job to know and it is my job to make sure you’ll be able to apply that knowledge here’.

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Oh dear. I shudder to think what horrors will be sought for and unveiled from people’s private lives now that apparently being gay fails to raise the proverbial eyebrow.

The Sun may have been proud of its front-page scoop outing X . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]>

Oh dear. I shudder to think what horrors will be sought for and unveiled from people’s private lives now that apparently being gay fails to raise the proverbial eyebrow.

The Sun may have been proud of its front-page scoop outing X Factor winner Joe McElderry on 31 July, but the general public seems to think the singer’s sexuality is far from breaking news.

Nearly 50 per cent of the 3,000 respondents to PRWeek/OnePoll’s latest survey said sexuality was no longer newsworthy, while a further 37 per cent said they had already assumed McElderry was gay. Just five per cent said they considered the story to be ‘news’.

via: Reputation Survey: Media Attitudes Towards Homosexuality | PR Week, UK

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I’ve spoken about the fundamentals of policy before. You can communicate all you like, but if you ain’t got . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]> So there is this story doing the rounds that BP managed to photoshop some pictures – check out the blog post by Andrew Price on the GOOD blog.

I’ve spoken about the fundamentals of policy before. You can communicate all you like, but if you ain’t got the policy, I’m not convinced.

Having said that, this story about BP and photoshop reminded me of this Greek proverb “Όποιος καεί στο χυλό, φυσάει και το γιαούρτι” – which loosely (really loosely) translated means that if you’ve burned your tongue with soup you probably blow on yoghurt before you taste it as well.

It would be good to keep this in mind in times of crisis.

At times like that isn’t better to make sure that every single part of the organisation – especially the outwards looking ones – are just like saints? (or nuns. or whatever)

Fine, I get it, it was all a bit of an aesthetic change, nothing significant. Still, when confidence in a company has taken a grave blow, perhaps it’s time to make sure that everything is 100%, crystal clear and transparent quite unlike the Gulf of Mexico.

I’m just saying. Think yoghurt.

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Orange Dress Uploaded by betsyjean79 on 21 Oct 06, 1.22PM BST.

Innovative marketing is upon us. I admittedly need to work a bit on that phrase since it sounds like I’m talking about the plague but that might not be miles away . . . → Read the rest of this entry...]]>

Orange Dress Uploaded by betsyjean79 on 21 Oct 06, 1.22PM BST.

Innovative marketing is upon us. I admittedly need to work a bit on that phrase since it sounds like I’m talking about the plague but that might not be miles away from where I want to take this post.

If you’ve read this blog more than once you’ll know that I’m not into marketing and so I am ill-equiped to judge whether getting 36 women clad in orange to promote your product in a football game is a good idea or not. (judging by the pics of males following the bra action rather than the football pitch action I would say it at least got people’s attention).

Anyway, because of my job the first thing that comes to mind when I see this debate is this: Policy.

The women were arrested under the Contravention of Merchandise Marks Act, which prevents companies benefiting from an event without paying for advertising. The 36 women were accused of being part of a campaign to promote a Dutch brewery.
(via World Cup 2010: Women arrested over ‘ambush marketing’ freed on bail in the Guardian)

The rule looks sound. FIFA organises and so it retains the right to the game. I have personal issues with sports for sale but it’s a discussion for another time perhaps.

On the other hand marketing has evolved. It’s not just about the posters and TV spots. Flash mobs, ambush marketing, take your pick – they are upon us (kinda like the plague – get that first paragraph now?)

When I see a debate like that I’m not seeing a “should they – should they not” type of discussion. I’m seeing a policy that is probably outdated and is in serious need of review, along with better external relations regarding the existing and developing policy.

Is it perhaps time for FIFA to revisit the rules?

What is important here is not to change the rules as such – I have no position on that one. What is important is to engage with stakeholders and communicate the actual benefits of the current policies. And who knows, maybe a better policy will come out of it all.

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