Incite

YESS Shows Off Their Colours

Erin Clyde — 2012-05-15T20:17:19+00:00

YESS celebrated their 30th anniversary last week. A big deal! But the even bigger deal was their decision to change their name. After three decades, the former Youth Emergency Shelter Society was transformed, on Edmonton’s very first wow-I-don’t-need-a-jacket evening of 2012, to YESS.

Youth Empowerment and Support Services.

That’s right, it’s the same acronym, but now it better describes what the organization has been doing for years.

We wanted to do something special to celebrate YESS’s evolution. We wanted to shout from the rooftops that they are much more than an emergency shelter. We dreamt big, bigger than we thought we could get away with. We researched the possibility of executing our idea and quickly realized that if there was any hope of pulling it off we’d need a lot of help.

One phone call turned into two, which grew into meetings, evolved into plots, and culminated into this:

YESS Relaunch and 30th Anniversary

Incite, Studio Post, and Allstar Show Industries each held a piece of that final production. What started as an enthusiastic idea evolved into an incredible execution. As a result, the final product far exceeded our initial concept.

Youth Empowerment and Support Services, we wish you an abundance of community ownership and success in the next 30 years!

What is Your Organization Doing to Build Lasting Connections?

Doug McLean — 2012-05-10T18:00:54+00:00

People who know me well know that I’m a die-hard Oilers fan. Trust me when I say that I’ve been dying very hard the last handful of years as this team has struggled miserably. Despite these multiple tough seasons, my devotion and loyalty to the Oilers hasn’t changed at all. I’m as connected to this team now as I was as a kid in the 80s when losses were a rarity. But why?

Considering the Oilers problems, logic would direct me away from them. Maybe over the course of the last year I should’ve declared myself a Boston Bruins fan. They are, no less, the defending Stanley Cup Champions. Follow a winner, right? Perhaps the LA Kings would be a good option. At the time of writing, they’re the hottest team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Now might be a good time to hitch to their wagon. The Oilers, despite an improved roster, missed the playoffs again but I’m still a fan. Am I nuts? Brainwashed? Perhaps, but the answer is much simpler. It’s emotional.

There is an unending, passionate, moving connection I have to the Oilers. Good luck severing it. It’s been built growing up watching five Stanley Cup Champions. It’s built on memories of my first games live with my dad. It’s strengthened by seeing the whole city come alive during the 2006 Cup run. So even when the Oilers are as bad as they are now, something pretty drastic would have to happen to dissolve that connection.

Before you think you’ve stumbled on to an Oilers blog, the question of the day is what your organization is doing to build those same connections. Do your clients rave about you, trust you, and believe in you through thick and thin? Are you focused on building passionate fans or simply seeing upticks to your bottom line? Answering these can be the difference between having loyal people like me by your side or people quickly throwing on another team’s jersey the next time you’re not at your best.

What Millennials Want

Jillian Richman — 2012-05-02T15:40:44+00:00

Perhaps one of the biggest questions for Albertan business people today is, “How do I attract and retain staff, especially the younger workforce?”

The tricky part is that staff prioritize various benefits from a job differently. However, fresh off our Best Workplace for Millenials award from Alberta Venture magazine, as a couple of millenials—defined as those under 35—we can tell you what makes Incite exceptional to us.

1) We want to work, play, and collaborate with a team of people with whom we are friends. We spend 40 or more hours a week with our coworkers. We want to know that we matter to them and show them that they matter to us. We have been on long-weekend trips with coworkers, babysat their dogs, met their families, been brought chicken noodle soup in bed, and shared successes along with the hard times. The bonds we have with each other make the stress and pace of working hard, worth it.

2) We want to know that are headed in a positive and prosperous direction. Our vision for the future is paramount. We millenials are idealists. Incite has helped us to firstly put our individual core purposes and core values into words. Then, take daily steps toward fulfilling them. Millenials align well with Incite’s core purpose, “Help leaders thrive”. It makes all our labour and effort feel meaningful.

3) We want to see that our opinions actually matter. At Incite, we are challenged to try new things, whether or not our ideas succeed. And with that, our voices are heard. One of the principals said in a recent professional development session, “You don’t need my permission to move all these great ideas into action. Just go ahead and try it!” That means a lot to millenials.

4) We need the flexibility to work when we are at our best. Millennials have no problem working a twelve-hour day or a Saturday now and then, when we know that we have permission to manage ourselves. By being trusted to govern our own workloads, we are not only more productive, but also empowered to lead. Being a leader is one of the most important parts of business and what a great way to spark it.

We have heard from many employers and some of our clients who struggle to understand millenials. They wish millenials would just conform and subscribe to the traditional work place rules and methodologies. Instead, let’s start the dialogue to help to better understand all points of view. Incite has built that dialogue into its foundation. Our core values attest to that and so does the team of awesome millenials here at Incite. Because we know that in all marketing—including the internal corporate culture kind—the need to be responsive to the market is paramount.

Better Decisions in 7 Easy Steps

Jared Smith — 2012-04-18T15:15:02+00:00

I just got off the phone with a gentleman who owns an industrial services business. He fits the profile: loud, gruff, direct, probably very large, and most likely a beer drinker (I love Alberta!).

After a few friendly four-letter-friend-getters ("how the F are ya Smith??!), he quickly dispensed with the niceties and plunged head first into a rant about marketing.

"Smith, do you know what I'm staring at right now? A pile of options, Smith. A huge pile of options. In the last week we've been presented with options to grow our business by Oilweek, Alberta Venture, Pattison Outdoor, Astral Radio, Newcap, the Oilshow Tradeshow in Calgary, an event planner, CTV, NewAD, a web dude, Facebook, a sales trainer, Google Adwords, three charities, IMAX, my son's minor hockey club, and a nice little old lady selling sponsorship for her cookies. How the hell does a guy make a single decision in the midst of all of these options? I feel like I'm shooting in the dark!"

One of the big challenges in marketing these days is navigating the multitude of options that we're presented with to grow our business. I'm IN the business and I feel overwhelmed sometimes. I can't imagine how most executives feel.

His little rant got me thinking. At the end of the day, Incite helps clients make decisions on how to grow their business. So I thought I'd share a practice that we've put into place to help us navigate the sea of options. It takes time, effort, and intuition, but it produces decisions in a timely and thoughtful manner.*

Understand the goal. What are you trying to achieve and with who?
Discuss the reality. What do you know? What have you seen in the past? What's worked and what hasn't?
Research your options. Read, listen, watch, and, most importantly, have conversations with the audience you're trying to reach so that you know them intimately and can tailor your solution to them.
List out pros and cons for the various options. Take the emotion out of this process – what YOU like doesn't matter.
Sleep on it! In marketing (like most areas of business), there's a degree of "gut" that's required to make good decisions. My Dad always slept on the tough ones and woke up with more clarity. Sleeping on it for you could look different – go for a walk in nature, meditate, or practice yoga. The important thing is getting your head out of the decision.
Decide. Give yourself a time limit for each stage, and especially this one. After steps 1-5, no matter how ambiguous, complex, or important the decision, this stage should take no more than an hour.
Act. Make a plan for implementation. (By far the hardest part of any decision!)

It's important to note that sometimes a process isn't required, sometimes a decision doesn't need to be made, but for the tough important ones the steps above will add some science to this crazy game of decision making.

*Special thanks to our clients and friends at Roy Group for helping us develop this process.

Tales from the Trenches

Ted Kouri — 2012-04-12T14:09:06+00:00

Since Incite's inception 13 years ago, I have definitely learned a great deal. Many lessons stemmed from learning from my mistakes and there are definitely a few I wished I had learned sooner. In working with many of our clients over the years, I've learned that these mistakes are not uncommon and that many companies fall victim to these same mistakes.

At a recent informal gathering of business owners, I noted three valuable lessons:

1. Learn to say no

Too many businesses try to be everything to everyone. They have too many products, too many services, and too many good ideas. It might feel counterintuitive, but the more you focus and specialize, the more you grow. Excellence comes from expertise and you don't build expertise without specializing. Having a clear target market and a focused service offering is the most certain path to success. Steve Jobs put it best: "Apple's success came from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we didn't...try to do too much."

2. Market feedback is king

Companies get hung up with perfecting their products or services before taking them to market. Until you know what real customers think, what they value, and what they'll pay for, you have no idea if your product or service has potential. What you think is not as important as what the market thinks. Get real feedback early to avoid spending vast amounts of time and money chasing an idea that just won't fly. Feedback should be an ongoing process to help you avoid becoming complacent or irrelevant.

3. Being a great chef doesn't mean you'll run a great restaurant

Entrepreneurs often have a unique talent or passion. They could be great designers, carpenters, or chefs. Having a talent or passion is a great start, but don't make the mistake of assuming that this will automatically translate into running a successful design firm, construction company, or restaurant. Running a business has little to do with the craft behind it. Business requires a unique set of skills. In fact, the owners of a restaurant or construction company have far more in common, in terms of job description, than a restaurant owner and a chef. If you don't possess the business skills, it may be a good idea to partner, hire, or align with someone who does.

Running a business is a noble venture and one with many rewards. By learning to say no, seeking market feedback early, and appreciating the special skills needed to run a company, you can avoid common business mistakes and get to those rewards that much faster.

Incite is Best of Show

Margo Schulte Long — 2012-04-04T16:32:54+00:00

There was a lot of excitement a few Saturdays ago (March 24th), when Incite won two awards at the 2012 Advertising Club of Edmonton (ACE) Awards. In addition to Best Public Service or Not-for-Profit TV/Video, Incite took home Best of Show for our Big Sky Series video about the Rural Alberta Development Fund (RADF) and The Warner Girls Hockey School. This was past Inciter Lauren Ritchie's baby, and she made it look easy. (It wasn't.)

A big hats off to Simon Morgan and Sheena Moore from Lindisfarne Productions (who also took home Best Video Production) and to CBC's Neil Grahn who produced and directed the video. When you see it, you will understand how difficult it is to tell such a wonderfully rich story in under two minutes. The girls were amazing, the town was amazing, and this was only one of so many projects funded by the Rural Alberta Development Fund. The project itself is scheduled to be completed this March. (Our hope is that the province will re-capitalize in the program and keep RADF alive.)

The ACE Awards was an amazing event. Huge kudos go to RED The Agency's Renee Baranieski and FREE's John Manning, this year's event co-chairs, and ACE President Ryan Kelly, also from RED The Agency. We had so much fun creating the theme for them. We can't wait until next year's event!

About RADF

The organization was created as a key outcome in the Government of Alberta's rural development strategy, A Place to Grow, to help rural communities, regional alliances, and organizations kick-start projects that would contribute to the betterment of rural Alberta. In 2007, the organization was capitalized with $100 million from the Government of Alberta to fund innovative rural development projects.

Don’t be Afraid to Make an Impact

Ryan Stark — 2012-03-28T14:37:52+00:00

Incite is very proud to be supporting the Youth Emergency Shelter Society (YESS) with their relationship marketing strategy. For those who have yet to hear of YESS, they are a relentlessly dedicated not-for-profit organization helping to shape the future of Edmonton by supporting and empowering youth in difficult realities. YESS offers distinctive and invaluable services through a variety of channels that range from immediate emergency shelter to ongoing support programs and individual guidance.

In order to help the youth they meet every day, YESS is always in need of donations. So, over the Christmas season, the Incite team rallied together to give YESS twelve days of Christmas. We went through our closets and cupboards at home and packaged clothing, food, and electronics into twelve boxes. We wrapped up the boxes to all look the same and delivered one of the twelve anonymously each day. Slowly YESS’ curiosity and excitement built. On the twelfth and final day, the secret was revealed! Although this undertaking was simple and inexpensive, it created a colossal impact. A few key elements triggered this outcome:

Understand the client’s core needs. Take time to understand what makes them tick and what would make a difference to them. The most impactful results are thoughtful and not necessarily expensive.
Be creative. It goes a long way in making an impact. Adding an unexpected twist causes people to pay attention and builds memories.
Step outside the comfort zone. Our interactions, especially in business, tend to default to the most neutral mode of operation. We fear how others will view our actions and if they will understand our intentions. What are we really risking?

Incite has and continues to learn from the talented team at YESS. They certainly know how to make an impact – not just on youth, but on everyone in their web. They inspire us to reach higher and consider how we can make a better impact.

Viral Marketing: What Can We Learn from Kony 2012?

Jillian Richman — 2012-03-09T20:04:04+00:00

I don't pay much attention to viral videos, and to be honest, like most people, I scroll past most of the activism that appears on my radar. However, the Kony 2012 campaign and its sweeping viral video would not be ignored. Amidst the controversy surrounding the legitimacy of the organization that produced this video, we cannot ignore that something special has just occurred. Regardless of whether or not we jump on the bandwagon, we can learn several things from this YouTube marvel.

1) Keep it Simple:

Where many others have failed to distill a complex and multi-faceted concern into a clear bite-sized morsel, this campaign has succeeded in making me quickly understand the history, the problems, and the solution, and why it should all matter. It demonstrates "addition through subtraction" at its source. By eliminating the jargon and clearly defining the key message, this campaign allowed me to understand and draw connections to personal experiences and plights.

2) Create Communities of Supporters:

We all want to belong to something greater than ourselves. We want to be connected to others and trust in the collective capacity. By rallying small and then larger supporters, this campaign creates power in numbers. This community of authentic advocates generates trust and awareness one-on-one. The only reason I paid any attention was because people I know, admire, and believe in, asked me to pay attention. They paid attention because of an identical experience.

3) Define a Clear Call to Action:

Now that you have my attention, please tell me what to do—and make it simple. There is a really good chance that if action is required on my part, it will either happen now or never. If it is too complex or requires too much of my immediate consideration, the moment will pass and I will have already moved on to the next thing. If I can easily act now, I am more likely to act again and you might gain my loyalty.

4) Make it Count:

This is Kony 2012's fifteen minutes of fame. They must be poised and equipped to continue the momentum and accomplish their objectives. Otherwise, the dust will settle, and the opportunity to capitalize on the campaign going viral, trending on Twitter, and receiving hundreds of millions of YouTube hits will be lost. This is where my relationship with Kony 2012 is most vulnerable. This is where I wait to see if they can walk their talk.

Our world has changed and continues to change. Relationships, clarity, action, and trust matter most to us and all of the people we come into contact with. As we watch and wait to see how it all unfolds, we might ponder how we can better relate to each other through the power of the viral community.

Baby Steps

Chau Lam — 2012-03-07T14:51:01+00:00

Last weekend I witnessed my 11-month-old daughter take her very first step. It was exciting, scary, and momentous. Mind you, it wasn't a big step and she promptly fell forward onto her face right after, but it was a great start. Learning to walk is necessary for growth and development; and in my little girl's case, she started with baby steps.

During an internal meeting on how to approach social media, I realized that many companies fail at social media because of the way they come at it. Entering the realm of social media is easy for some companies, especially if they have employees who already know how to use its various platforms like Facebook or Twitter. For other companies who are new to it, they may have to take baby steps.

Social media can become overwhelming if you try to approach it all at once.

There are many factors to consider, such as the following:

What's your objective? What do you want to achieve with social media?
Who is your audience? Who do you want to engage?
Which channels will work best for your audience?
Who in your company will be designated to this responsibility?
How will you measure social media activity?

There are various other aspects to think about, but even just getting started can seem like an obstacle. You may be nervous about becoming vulnerable in this very public arena and failing in your initial attempts. Consider following my daughter's lead. Take that first little step; you'll find it's a great way to grow your business as you continue to build online momentum.

Coaching on the Court

Doug McLean — 2012-02-15T14:41:51+00:00

Incite has been fortunate to work with The Roy Group over the last two years. A major focus of this work has been on building a coaching approach into our operations and leadership development. This has been both valuable and challenging and for many of us it has opened our eyes to the benefits of a coaching philosophy.

One of the Principals of The Roy Group, Bradley Chisholm, recently lent me a book called "The Inner Game" by tennis coach Tim Gallwey. This book, though focused on playing tennis, forms the basis for much of The Roy Group's coaching and leadership development philosophy. To distill it down, Gallwey's view is that each individual is her/his own coach and supporters can help not with instruction but questions. This best allows someone to find internal answers they are more determined to use. Not only am I now excited to get back on the tennis court but it's opened my eyes to two key things we can all use to develop our own performance.

Sense of feel:

Gallwey encourages his athletes to sense what a good shot feels like. Knowing what feels right allows us to adapt our performance to that sense and experience. This is more natural and replicable than trying to follow a script of corrections on how to hit a great forehand. We can own that feeling and directly apply it to our performance. By recognizing how we feel, both when things go well and they don't, we can better understand what led us to that result and then repeat or make the necessary adjustments.

Forcing things vs letting them happen:

A mindset is engrained in us growing up that if we try really, really hard we can do anything. That said, in tennis Gallwey indicates that we're tighter, less relaxed and unfairly self-critical when we do this. This limits the ability to hit a great shot. Letting things unfold is a useful strategy. That doesn't mean passivity but means recognizing whether it's the time to anticipate or react and what personal skill to use at that point. We can then approach situations more relaxed, confident, and with trust in our ability to adapt.

Because we've often been taught in a very prescriptive fashion and to push things to happen, adopting Gallwey's approach can be difficult. His ideas build adaptability, awareness and versatility into our performance. It's rare a situation ever occurs exactly the same way twice, so the ability to confidently adapt is crucial. Though your job may not be to face 200 km/h Milos Raonic serves, this coaching approach can open new ways to find answers to your most challenging situations.