tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76600252478146833962024-03-14T07:03:07.333+11:00The Oyster Project | Daniel OystonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-59347867141043043372013-01-03T09:00:00.002+11:002013-01-03T09:01:00.565+11:00I've movedIf by some slim chance you still visit this blog, even though I have not posted in 18 months or so, and by some slimmer chance you actually still want to hear what I've got to share then ...<br />
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Head on over to my new business, <a href="http://www.contentgrasshopper.com.au/">Content Grasshopper</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-8075967515428363822011-07-04T21:27:00.001+10:002011-07-04T21:27:14.726+10:00I am not going to go on until every single person …<p>A community managers and content managers we just get how it should all work and can see in our mind what it should or will look like. </p> <p>We have a vision.</p> <p>Getting others onboard and moving towards that vision is the challenging part. Sometimes it hurts our head when people can’t easily share in our vision and just ‘get’ how it should be and why. We speak to people and they still ask us “What’s this BookFace all about and why would I want to Twitter?” What is wrong with them? </p> <p>But we don’t give up. We are determined to realise our vision. We stick to our guns and keep chipping away, day-by-day, one-by-one, until enough people are on board and we begin to realise the vision.</p> <p>This was brought home for me today when I was listening to <a href="http://www.ted.com/speakers/benjamin_zander.html">Benjamin Zander</a> giving a <a href="http://www.ted.com/">TED</a> Talk. Here is a snippet.</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:868e0a7f-c7fc-4b51-9815-67a15c509bca" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="c7909801-b3f1-4237-ba38-cd095d58ee12" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvr9pBcV9yo" target="_new"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Lhwu5kzB4Mo/ThGjkRkNVOI/AAAAAAAAAms/TM5rH6__UE4/video456c80cd500f%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('c7909801-b3f1-4237-ba38-cd095d58ee12'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/vvr9pBcV9yo&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/vvr9pBcV9yo&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> <p>If you replace the word ‘leader’ with ‘community manager’ or ‘content manager’, and ‘classical music’ with ‘our community/vision’ then this quote describes us.</p> <p>We know deep down we can get people to realise the vision and how things should be. We don’t doubt that. That’s not to say we have all the answers (I don’t), and collaboration along the way isn't important (it is essential) but community and content management is, as a profession, an infant. As such, not many people understand it well like they might understand accounts/finance, HR or administration. But we do.</p> <p>I am interested to know whether Zander’s quote strikes a chord with you and whether you feel it describes you and the challenges you face.</p> <p><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html">View Benjamn Zander’s full TED talk <em>Music and Passion</em></a></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-44739744867651855442011-06-22T20:28:00.001+10:002011-06-23T19:13:14.606+10:008 blogging tips from my blogging friends<p></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:87baf385-0cd7-434f-96c8-551cb8694a64" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="9505bb0d-807e-4950-95e3-8a6730ac58ad" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnX9efnMvVo" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5YBETHY-ysA/TgMDqH_W9PI/AAAAAAAAAmo/MAeFb3VpWso/video6376dd9b0b6c%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('9505bb0d-807e-4950-95e3-8a6730ac58ad'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/PnX9efnMvVo&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/PnX9efnMvVo&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> Part of my role as Online Community Manager at the <a href="http://www.globalccsinstitute.com">Global CCS Institute</a> is to help guide and support those staff and industry contacts who help us create great content for our online community. <p></p> <p>They are all super smart people in the industry and have heaps of great information and insights to share. Like lots of industry people, however, blogging doesn’t necessarily come easily to all of them.</p> <p>As part of the support I have drawn up a cool ‘Blog Writing Blueprint’ (a step-by-step guide which I will share here in the future) and developed a list of <a href="http://theoysterproject.blogspot.com/2011/05/44-content-ideas.html">44 blog ideas.</a> I have also set up a ‘Bloggers Anonymous’ blog that kind of acts as a place for myself and Brenda Somich, the other Online Community Manager at the Institute, to share ideas and thoughts to help our bloggers.</p> <p>One thing I have recently done is to go out to some of my favourite bloggers and marketing industry contacts and asked them to shoot a short video giving their top blogging tip or two.</p> <p>A big thanks to <a href="http://www.twitter/nathbsush">@nathbush</a> <a href="http://www.twitter/juliancole">@juliancole</a> <a href="http://www.twitter/scott_drummond">@scott_drummond</a> <a href="http://www.twitter/leehopkins">@leehopkins</a> <a href="http://www.twitter/joshstraw84">@joshstraw84</a> <a href="http://www.twitter/zacmartin">@zacmartin</a> <a href="http://www.twitter/jymmysim">@jymmysim</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter/brendasomich">@brendasomich</a></p> <p>Enjoy and feel free leave  comment and add your own blog tip that these guys forgot ;)</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-89393749347992071752011-06-14T21:44:00.001+10:002011-06-14T21:44:38.942+10:00The best customer service ever<p><a href="http://www.ctshirts.co.uk/"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 15px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Charles Tyrwhitt" border="0" alt="Charles Tyrwhitt" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5MRYtOhtIvo/TfdJJ1djg8I/AAAAAAAAAks/Qu2VFEWm4jM/Charles%252520Tyrwhitt%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="225" height="715" /></a> We in the blogosphere are often quick to use our blogs to have a whinge about poor customer service we have received. I am guilty of it myself with blogging <a href="http://theoysterproject.blogspot.com/2010/04/is-great-productservice-excuse-for-bad.html"><em>Is A Great Product/Service an Excuse for Bad Customer Service?</em></a><em> </em>and <a href="http://theoysterproject.blogspot.com/2009/07/pure-unadulterated-rant.html"><em>A Pure Unadulterated Rant</em></a>.</p> <p>We all come across instances of good and bad customer service every week but most of it is what I would call ‘acceptable’. I often muse that we get so used to ‘acceptable’ customer service, the type that is good but not memorable, that there are great opportunities for brands to easily stand out through exceptional customer service.</p> <p>I experienced exceptional customer service the other week from a company by the name of <a href="http://www.ctshirts.co.uk">Charles Tyrwhitt</a> which was born in 1986 because the founder, Nicholas Wheeler, believed he could make a shirt better than anybody else. Since then, the business has worked to make “the finest menswear in the world, as well as a big dollop of good old-fashioned values including outstanding value for money and unbeatable service.”</p> <p>I first came across the brand on a rainy day in Dublin, back in 2001, when I was in the city to see Ireland play the Wallabies. I was just killing time for the day and wandered into one of their stores. I didn’t really want anything, I was just browsing, but was so impressed by the store, the range and the customer service that I left with 3 shirts and 2 ties. They were beautifully packaged in gift boxes and I felt just a little bit posh walking around with my shopping bags. For a while after I always bought shirts from them.</p> <p>But then I moved back to Australia and for one reason or another stopped buying them. Probably because there are no retail stores here in Australia. Then a friend was telling me he orders shirts online from the store.</p> <p>So I jumped on and ordered a complete set of new business shirts (I was due anyway). They turned up from the UK in a week-and-a-half but unfortunately they fitted like a tent. Whoops.</p> <p>I jumped online to chat with a customer service rep and that’s when the exceptional customer service started. Below is a transcript that was emailed to me as a follow up of our online conversation:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aSDRsnbXUVM/TfdIVVS6g6I/AAAAAAAAAjk/iE4t32Mi9O4/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BelpEf5bpUU/TfdIWB6lTyI/AAAAAAAAAjo/BQyb7HmLsiM/clip_image002_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a> Andrew Blair: Hi, you’re speaking to Andrew Blair at Charles Tyrwhitt. How can I help you today? <br /><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lr53rEoyW30/TfdIWi6PWTI/AAAAAAAAAjs/NECET2AHvNQ/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B11%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image004" border="0" alt="clip_image004" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-guXhqSRNFJA/TfdIXNTM7vI/AAAAAAAAAjw/NTSFXNXy0Nw/clip_image004_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Daniel Oyston: Hi Andrew, just had some shirts delivered to Australia but unfortunately they are too big. What do I need to do to exchange? <br /><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YN5T22jYGio/TfdIXrnNAsI/AAAAAAAAAj0/bd1lsYAF4Pc/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image004[1]" border="0" alt="clip_image004[1]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DhXuCjDuptY/TfdIYOoA3UI/AAAAAAAAAj4/qdoPpMIRSx0/clip_image004%25255B1%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Daniel Oyston: <br />My order number was w36217982 <br /><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-j1URtUEv9Mw/TfdIYpc1TZI/AAAAAAAAAj8/WbvpNw1hdJs/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B9%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image006" border="0" alt="clip_image006" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lNxe6HHcJa8/TfdIZCmmjUI/AAAAAAAAAkA/Hgy49JyTdfA/clip_image006_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Andrew Blair: Please return the shirts to us including a completed returns form and we will exchange them and send you a fresh order once we receive them back. Alternatively, you can place a new order for the correct size shirts now and then return the original order to us for a full refund. <br /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-g6Mswt-McWk/TfdIZigifmI/AAAAAAAAAkE/nymfRhFq66s/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image004[2]" border="0" alt="clip_image004[2]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4GxW8ZrbQXY/TfdIaJyhkQI/AAAAAAAAAkI/YsX7AoLfpuw/clip_image004%25255B2%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Daniel Oyston: <br />Thanks Andrew. Think I will place a new order for the same shirt but diff sizes ... that way they will arrive quicker. <br /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uxN_bSkC0RQ/TfdIaq1GQZI/AAAAAAAAAkM/mDv0SfsLK5E/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image006[1]" border="0" alt="clip_image006[1]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tx_-chCLU2I/TfdIbDHhkCI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/x6vL60sqpQY/clip_image006%25255B1%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Andrew Blair: That's a good idea as this will speed up the process considerably. <br /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nzUiU1bFSDU/TfdIbt0yruI/AAAAAAAAAkU/Zibj7Rpqbk8/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B3%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image004[3]" border="0" alt="clip_image004[3]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RL5ReBjXKkI/TfdIcJdUFVI/AAAAAAAAAkY/VuSo0RcDbNs/clip_image004%25255B3%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Daniel Oyston: <br />Do you have a link for the returns form? I just had a quick look on the returns page of the site and couldn't see it <br /><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-g4zVyATrWz0/TfdIcpPkd9I/AAAAAAAAAkc/khUA2_bGo4k/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B2%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image006[2]" border="0" alt="clip_image006[2]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_3p6emHCKFs/TfdIdH6AorI/AAAAAAAAAkg/UKsRWcoaK0w/clip_image006%25255B2%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Andrew Blair: I don't have a scanned copy of a returns form anywhere. If there isn't one included with your order, just enclose a brief letter or note with your return detailing your name, address, customer number, contact number and the reason for return. <br /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8Kc-sYJKfnQ/TfdIdo8mBVI/AAAAAAAAAkk/C77ENCOk414/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B4%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image004[4]" border="0" alt="clip_image004[4]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LfhYdExKdcY/TfdIeILqrII/AAAAAAAAAko/uOMNamZPtHo/clip_image004%25255B4%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Daniel Oyston: <br />oh, oops, sorry, it is on the back of the form that's in the box. <br /><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iVUkYL_Q8wY/TfdJKQrI3eI/AAAAAAAAAkw/DtDEgIjcS-4/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B5%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image004[5]" border="0" alt="clip_image004[5]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-flFe7iEWRcg/TfdJK-7W3CI/AAAAAAAAAk0/u4ArrGD3rcA/clip_image004%25255B5%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Daniel Oyston: <br />Thanks for your help. Appreciate it. <br /><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lsI55HNMI_I/TfdJLe5kPEI/AAAAAAAAAk4/fwrva7eedqo/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B3%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image006[3]" border="0" alt="clip_image006[3]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JNTTMPoV5Hc/TfdJL4RRuVI/AAAAAAAAAk8/P6QwWA96VdQ/clip_image006%25255B3%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Andrew Blair: My pleasure. Is there anything else I can help you with today? <br /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-G6KHZUWuNMs/TfdJMVzL1-I/AAAAAAAAAlA/fx4A4rkv4uk/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B6%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image004[6]" border="0" alt="clip_image004[6]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-D1WKWqe1zOc/TfdJM3IdsoI/AAAAAAAAAlE/XQMQ1DcP4Nc/clip_image004%25255B6%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Daniel Oyston: Yes there is. I notice on the form one of the options for return says "2 sizes ordered - one kept". I don’t want to be a smart arse but is that acceptable if you are unsure of sizing? Just order 2 and send the one back that didn't fit? <br /><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eZXHwEQ25zE/TfdJNb2QPfI/AAAAAAAAAlI/6_mJdld3zu4/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B4%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image006[4]" border="0" alt="clip_image006[4]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4gwsflrqhdY/TfdJONn2tqI/AAAAAAAAAlM/QKFJn84nJWk/clip_image006%25255B4%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Andrew Blair: Yes, that's something that we'd encourage our customers to do if they're unsure about sizing. <br /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8JoQ8ITwX7o/TfdJkaF3ATI/AAAAAAAAAlk/8rQ8iluYwCs/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B7%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image004[7]" border="0" alt="clip_image004[7]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HFeJbSiqwQ8/TfdJlD0WlxI/AAAAAAAAAlo/HevkLPx7w7A/clip_image004%25255B7%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Daniel Oyston: awesome. sounds good then. I'll do that. Thanks again. That's everything sorted. Good work mate - keep it up <br /><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6rp-moOEsfY/TfdJl3jINXI/AAAAAAAAAls/hY9ImNEkEjE/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B5%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image006[5]" border="0" alt="clip_image006[5]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_VR97_ne-EQ/TfdJmriD8yI/AAAAAAAAAlw/lA9bl7_jHzk/clip_image006%25255B5%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Andrew Blair: My pleasure! Many thanks for contacting us at Charles Tyrwhitt and enjoy the rest of your day. Goodbye. <br /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r4FBMcexnG4/TfdJnQdDWXI/AAAAAAAAAl0/c7Vdyjtt6Q0/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B8%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image004[8]" border="0" alt="clip_image004[8]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QTqC-YGaiEQ/TfdJoB5Vg2I/AAAAAAAAAl4/OH2gGL-6Nfo/clip_image004%25255B8%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Daniel Oyston: <br />Actually, one more thing - how the hell do you pronounce Tyrwhitt? <br /><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QtpKVWNTCjw/TfdJogJTj-I/AAAAAAAAAl8/SOPZKo6V91g/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B6%25255D%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="clip_image006[6]" border="0" alt="clip_image006[6]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pgM5kthza3Y/TfdJpeumQII/AAAAAAAAAmA/mOQworsBoZI/clip_image006%25255B6%25255D_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="16" height="16" /></a>Andrew Blair: I know it doesn't look that way but it's pronounced 'tirrit' to rhyme with 'spirit'!</p> <p>So I did exactly that and got 2 sizes of new shirts promptly delivered and returned the others for a refund.</p> <p>Nicholas, if you read this post then you need to go and give Andrew a massive pat on the back, employee of the month, case of beer or free shirt or whatever you do there to reward employees because the way he easily looked after my problem, let alone made me feel like a valuable customer, was outstanding.</p> <p>The brand also has a great presence on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/CharlesTyrwhitt">Facebook</a> including some great video tips for men's dressing and they also make good use of Facebook as a customer service channel by engaging with customers. </p> <p>You too should buy all your shirts from <a href="http://www.ctshirts.co.uk">Charles Tyrwhitt</a> because as the website says you will get “the finest menswear in the world, as well as a big dollop of good old-fashioned values including outstanding value for money and unbeatable service.”</p> <p>Trust Oyster, you won’t be disappointed.</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-865191159723605202011-06-06T21:03:00.001+10:002011-06-06T21:04:26.243+10:00Community Manager Round Table – Brisbane, June 2011<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="1107"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="752"> <p align="justify">Last Friday I attended the Community Manager Round Table organised by <a href="http://greg.lexiphanic.com">Greg Lexiphanic</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/lexiphanic">@lexiphanic</a>) #acmrt</p> <p align="justify">It was a great opportunity to meet some new people and hang out with like minded individuals (something some of us don’t get to do at work all that often). The format was pretty causal with everyone having the opportunity to submit topics for discussion. We spent about 30 mins a time discussing topics such as building a community from scratch, engaging difficult/fragmented communities, metrics and just the general lie of the land.</p> <p align="justify">We all have our unique challenges with some of us building communities around climate change, credit unions, government initiatives, large corporations and two of us building communities around the inevitable fact of life … death. While we all had unique challenges I think we also face many of the same challenges. It was a bit of a support group at times :)</p> <p align="justify">One little project that came out of the day is on engagement. We were discussing engagement when <a href="http://russellallert.com/">Russell Allert</a> (<a title="http://twitter.com/#!/RussellAllert" href="mailto:R@RussellAllert">@RussellAllert</a>) mentioned that in his role he started down the path of creating a scoring system for measuring engagement e.g. +1 for a like, +3 for a share, +5 for a comment etc. He said that it all got caught up in the detail a bit, so he shelved it, but with a promise to help the group has taken on the project of the engagement measurement framework finished.</p> <p align="left">Others involved in the day were <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/corza">@corza</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/alisonmichalk">@alisonmichalk</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/joolliee">@joolliee</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/amandaolsson">@amandaolsson</a> (in spirit) .. BTW – is Bob on Twitter?</p> <p align="justify">A big thanks to Greg for organising. He did an outstanding job with wifi organised, coffees on arrival, lunch ordered before we got to the pub and even the offer of a lift to the airport. All that and great conversation for $40.</p> <p align="justify">The next one is being slated for Melbourne later in the year with @<a href="http://hootsuite.com/#">venessapaech</a> looking likely to coordinate? If you work in community management, or know someone who does, then I highly recommend you get along to this day. It certainly got my mind ticking. You might also be interested in <a href="http://swarmsydney.com.au/">Swarm Sydney</a> being organised by <a href="http://quiip.com.au/">Quiip</a> which will “connect Community Managers with the aim of sharing resources, best practices, information and ideas, alongside creating a dialogue around the future of online engagement.”</p> <p align="justify">We will be sure to share the results of the engagement framework in due time.</p> </td> <td valign="top" width="353"> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-d-w6GXXnC-g/Tey0DxO4q9I/AAAAAAAAAi0/4GAEeX5zzrA/s1600-h/CommunityManager%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="CommunityManager" border="0" alt="CommunityManager" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-f_OLuZQOMnk/Tey0ErHJ8fI/AAAAAAAAAi4/tuk1D055wYs/CommunityManager_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="330" height="312" /></a></p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="center">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jyri/100454431/">Jyri</a> (via <a href="http://quiip.com.au/2010/09/14/hiring-a-community-manager-the-please-donts">Quiip</a>) </p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-90332474069172469202011-05-30T22:06:00.002+10:002011-05-31T08:10:35.630+10:00Now this is an awesome job application<p></p><br /><p><a href="http://www.newbelgium.com/home.aspx" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 20px 0px 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px" title="new belgium brewing" border="0" alt="new belgium brewing" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wYaaRi6FNqA/TeOINaPVX0I/AAAAAAAAAis/e8O0UsvKNr0/new%252520belgium%252520brewing%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="179" height="179" /></a>I have often said to myself that “next time I am applying for a job I am going to cut out all the bullshit resume talk and do something that stands out”. Somehow, I never get around to it. I end up playing it safe. </p><br /><p>Not <a href="http://www.twitter.com/joshmishell" target="_blank">Josh Mishell</a>. This is a truly cool website/resume application to New Belgium Brewing for the the role of <a href="http://www.newbelgium.com/culture/jobs/view-and-apply.aspx" target="_blank">Strategic Marketing & Branding Director</a> (I think, I don’t actually know the specific job but looking their site it would appear to be this one).</p><br /><p>I retweeted Josh’s link and he seemed genuinely impressed it had made its way to Australia (the home of Cascade, one of his favourites). <em>Whoops, update, I am told it is Cascade in Poland :(</em></p><br /><p>Check it out by clicking on the image below. Would you like to get a a job application like this?</p><br /><p></p><br /><p><a href="http://www.heynewbelgiumyoushouldhireme.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" title="Josh Mishell" border="0" alt="Josh Mishell" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Jdt3ESSEm7w/TeOIOeCsZEI/AAAAAAAAAiw/eCy7k2weab0/Josh%252520Mishell%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="594" height="497" /></a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-33689961327560767412011-05-23T21:42:00.001+10:002011-05-23T22:25:44.271+10:0044 Content Ideas<p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Here is a list of 44 ideas for creating content for your blog or website.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">I thought I saw a similar list somewhere once before but I can’t find it in my delicious bookmarks and none of the websites I guessed I might have seen it on had it.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">So I scoured the net for ideas, and add some of my own, and now I have a list of 44 things that I can use to give people inspiration when I ask them to create content for me.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">If you would like a word version so you can brand it yourself then shoot me an email at danieloyston [at] gmail.com and I’ll flick it over to you.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">The list is primarily ideas for blog posts, so doesn’t include things like ‘Host an Event’ but maybe we should have a more rounded list? Leave any ideas for content in the comments and I will add them to the doc over time.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TdpICtZplTI/AAAAAAAAAik/P_qL6qshlPc/s1600-h/PDF%20Icon%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="PDF Icon" border="0" alt="PDF Icon" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TdpIDHtmNFI/AAAAAAAAAio/ECg6SR1f4c0/PDF%20Icon_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="81" height="80" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p><strong><font color="#404040"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4Dx5Hd7NSc-YWYzZTg1NDYtYzdiMy00M2E4LThjZjAtMTcxMjA0MWQ1ODEz&hl=en_US">DOWNLOAD 44 CONTENT IDEAS >></a></font></strong></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-42597770541244845312011-05-16T21:39:00.001+10:002011-05-16T21:39:36.894+10:0031% of people that have ‘liked’ a company on Facebook have actually ‘unliked’ it<p align="justify"><a href="http://www.doobybrain.com/2011/01/10/review-like-dislike-stamps-from-jailbreak-collective/"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="like-and-dislike-stamps" border="0" alt="like-and-dislike-stamps" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TdEM94Yws5I/AAAAAAAAAiU/IC3BDtn5G6s/like-and-dislike-stamps%5B10%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="283" /></a>ExactTarget and CoTweet have released <a href="http://www.exacttarget.com/resources/SFF8.pdf">research</a> that provides us with insights into Facebook users and “liking” companies – or more specifically, what happens when fans decide they no longer like a company.</p> <p align="justify">As with most research, you have to read the words very carefully to understand what they are saying.</p> <p align="justify">For example, the report states that 55% of people have liked a brand but then later decided they no longer wanted to see posts from that brand. My gut tells me it is probably higher but it is the nature of how the question is asked that influences the answer (unfortunately we rarely get to see the questions). I recon the results would have been higher if people were asked “Do still like 100% of the companies you have liked on Facebook?”</p> <p align="justify">The report goes on to say that of that group, only 57% actually seek out the unlike option of a particular company. In other words, <strong>31% of people that have liked a company actually unliked it. </strong>Again, you might have liked 100 companies but because you didn't like one particular one, and maybe actually unliked it, you get counted.</p> <p align="justify">Fair enough though, I don't want to sound negative about the results but you always have to take it with a grain of salt and consider how it applies to your situation. It is always useful because it gets you thinking.</p> <p align="justify">So I started thinking … there are more than 500 million active users on Facebook with 50% of active users logging in on any given day. Of that, there are more than 250 million (50%) active users currently accessing Facebook through their mobile devices and these people are twice as active on Facebook than non-mobile users (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics">Official Facebook Stats</a>)</p> <p align="justify">But you can’t unlike something from your mobile – well, from the iPhone Facebook app anyway. Not that I can see. Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=13945">provides advice</a> but it is only relevant if you are accessing Facebook through a browser as opposed to an app. Starts to make the figures above seem pretty murky to me.  </p> <p align="justify">So I thought, what should Facebook do? The average punter probably couldn’t name all the companies that they have liked let alone all the ones they don’t like. Maybe Facebook should have a tab in our account settings that let’s us go in and view all the companies we have liked and let us uncheck those that we no longer like. They could send us an annual “like” review reminder so that we are prompted to keep our info up to date. </p> <p align="justify">Surely this would strengthen their position and help them target ads better? </p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-33041653882708967602011-05-09T21:41:00.001+10:002011-05-09T21:41:45.965+10:00The competitive advantage of a “no assholes” policy<p>I read a great post today over at <a href="http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com/">Brand Builder</a>, by <a href="http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com/author/peanutbutterunderground/">Olivier Blanchard</a>, in which he argues that “The customer-facing organization with the least amount of assholes wins.”</p> <p>Love it! Not only is it true, but asshole is such an apt description of some of the people we receive poor service (and a bad attitude) from.</p> <p>I started writing a comment on the blog but my mind kept coming up with points to make so instead of leaving the world’s longest comment and I have decided to write a post (yes, yes, I know I have been sporadically posting but I have good intention to stick to posting more regularly … well I intend to anyway).</p> <p>You should really head over and read the post <a href="http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/a-better-business-doctrine-part-1-assholes-are-bad-for-business/">here</a></p> <p>Ok … you’re back … nice to have you.</p> <p>It’s often argued that people expect good customer service from everyone these days. It’s a must, a gimmee, you can’t do without it. I agree to a point but people also expect to run into assholes in customer facing roles. It’s just that they don’t know when and where and what brand will provide them with an asshole.</p> <p>Oliver gives some examples of how to asshole-proof your company – two of which result in assholes working for your competitors – a) Don’t <em>hire</em> assholes (this assumes they stay in the industry and thus work for a competitor) and b) give your current assholes the “opportunity” to go work for your fiercest competitor. </p> <p>We all know that a competitive advantage is hard to maintain. The beauty of a “no assholes” policy, however, is that it <strong>IS </strong>a competitive advantage that you can maintain (assuming your competitor aren’t smart enough to read Oliver’s blog and thus do not know that their businesses are invested with assholes). </p> <p>The further beauty is that time compounds the competitive advantage for you. The longer you ensure that you have no assholes, and the longer your competitors keep damaging their brand by employing assholes, and the longer customers are leaving them and coming to you, then the standard of customer service gap just keeps getting wider. Furthermore, your company will increasingly attract the good staff from competitors, further weakening their position, and new employees into the industry will also be attracted to your company.</p> <p>It’s beautiful in it’s simplicity and all the while your competitive advantage is becoming easier to maintain (and your organisation a nicer place to work)</p> <p>The customers are not guilt free in this problem though. It’s not just management’s fault that assholes continue to prosper. The fact that customers can’t stick up for themselves only encourages assholes. Just like a bully.</p> <p>Now, I don’t mean yelling and carrying on like a goose. I mean put them in their place.I guarantee that saying, in the right tone, calm, but with purpose … “Excuse me, I would appreciate it if you didn’t speak to me like that” or “Excuse me, please do not talk over the top of me. I let you have your say and now I would like you to afford me the same courtesy. May I continue?”</p> <p>It will make the asshole feel like a child and it will  a long way to helping them keep their heads pulled in. It doesn’t need to be rude, just stern. Don’t be an asshole yourself.</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-61457013701125614592011-03-23T22:04:00.001+11:002011-03-23T22:04:58.397+11:004 Awesome Posts/Links You Probably Missed<p>I have been a bit busy playing football for a week and then being best man at my mate’s wedding. So, time for a bit of a lazy post. Lazy for me anyway but for you its awesome! Here is a collection of awesome links/posts that you probably missed over the last week or so. You can thank me by standing up at your desk and clapping loudly.</p> <h5><a href="http://www.b2bbloggers.com/blog/how-to-create-buyer-personas/#" target="_blank"><strong>Buyer Personas: Where (and How!) to Start</strong></a></h5> <p><font>Aligning your content to your target audience is essential. But how do you know who your audience is and what makes them tick. Buying persona’s help solidify, in your mind, your audience and are particularly useful if you ask a guest blogger or other staff members to produce content. In this post, <a href="http://www.b2bbloggers.com/blog/author/jeremyvictor/">Jeremy Victor</a>, answers the questions that are most likely top of mind for you when it comes to buyer personas. <a href="http://www.b2bbloggers.com/blog/how-to-create-buyer-personas/#">Check it out >></a></font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOq_RhMRI/AAAAAAAAAg0/ae1cj4mtviI/s1600-h/Oyster%20Grey%5B9%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Grey" height="26" alt="Oyster Grey" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOrZd8oGI/AAAAAAAAAg4/tR17AKToIrE/Oyster%20Grey_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a></p> <p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOq_RhMRI/AAAAAAAAAg0/ae1cj4mtviI/s1600-h/Oyster%20Grey%5B9%5D.jpg"></a></p> <h5><a href="http://thecustomercollective.com/mikevolpe/48411/3-marketing-lessons-drug-dealers">3 Marketing Lessons From Drug Dealers</a></h5> <p>In this post <a href="http://thecustomercollective.com/user/10818">Mike Volpe</a> recounts a presentation he attended from <a href="http://www.brandautopsy.typepad.com/">John Moore of Brand Autopsy</a>. John’s talk was an analogy that drew heavily on two ‘drug’ denizens – Frank Lucas, the purveyor of ‘Blue Magic’ heroin in the 70s as depicted in the movie <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Gangster_%28film%29">American Gangster</a></em>, and Starbucks, our own nation’s top retailer of caffeinated energy in a cup. Though only one of these substances is illegal, both organizations used product and marketing to develop a uniquely loyal following. Great stuff! <a href="http://thecustomercollective.com/mikevolpe/48411/3-marketing-lessons-drug-dealers">Check it out >></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a></p> <h5><a href="http://zubeta.com/beta/5-social-media-infographic/">5 Totally Awesome Social Media Infographics</a></h5> <p><a href="http://twitter.com/9swords">Gary Thomas</a> provides some stats and interesting tidbits on just how many people are using the internet to share, research, and network with one another. <a href="http://zubeta.com/beta/5-social-media-infographic/#">Check it out >></a></p> </p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOq_RhMRI/AAAAAAAAAg0/ae1cj4mtviI/s1600-h/Oyster%20Grey%5B9%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Grey" height="26" alt="Oyster Grey" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOrZd8oGI/AAAAAAAAAg4/tR17AKToIrE/Oyster%20Grey_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a></p> <h5><a href="http://marketinginteractions.typepad.com/marketing_interactions/2011/03/relevance-is-not-an-option.html">Relevance is Not an Option</a></h5> <p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Ardath-Albee/100001058537739">Ardath Albee</a> outlines what happens when people don’t find your companies messages relevant. She goes on to outline that part of what causes messages to become irrelevant is that companies make assumptions about what customers want via a relationship on social media. <a href="http://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/en/gbe03391usen/GBE03391USEN.PDF">A new study by IBM</a> found that the perception gap is likely wider than you think. This is deffintley one of my favourite graphics … ever. Very powerful. Pull your head out of the sand! <a href="http://marketinginteractions.typepad.com/marketing_interactions/2011/03/relevance-is-not-an-option.html">Check it out >></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a>  <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOsDsXMjI/AAAAAAAAAg8/Ypu3-UCpHAE/s1600-h/Oyster%20half%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster half" height="25" alt="Oyster half" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOsrJV6ZI/AAAAAAAAAhA/kyEUmzrIX2k/Oyster%20half_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-25696368900827995852011-03-15T21:59:00.001+11:002011-03-15T21:59:36.701+11:00What Is The Future Of Your Product?<p align="justify"><font color="#404040"> <div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1ff5ac2d-555b-48a6-807a-4fa7189bbf99" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 50px; float: right; padding-bottom: 30px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px"><div id="4af3a4d7-81f0-4ab0-97ab-458f495ce321" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38" target="_new"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TX9GkV2P56I/AAAAAAAAAhY/aP_ZfZG0A2c/videoa387114afd26%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('4af3a4d7-81f0-4ab0-97ab-458f495ce321'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/6Cf7IL_eZ38&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/6Cf7IL_eZ38&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> Today I was sent a video – </font><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38" target="_blank"><font color="#404040">“A Day Made of Glass... Made possible by Corning”.</font></a><font color="#404040"> Super cool. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Personally I love these ads that take a current brand or the product it produces and shows what the company envisages it will be in the future. Some may argue that they aren’t ads because they aren’t really selling anything. Maybe they are more promotional videos? Semantics I suppose but for me they are ads that are working in a brand sense.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">So many companies spend their marketing budget on the here and now trying to change behaviour or elicit a response (someone buying something). For me, companies that project themselves into the future are subtly saying “hey, we’re gonna be here for a long time”. It creates buzz that these companies are working on bigger and better things and not just shifting current product. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Done correctly, the video can go viral. In fact, I tweeted a link to the glass video and got an @mention from </font><a href="http://www.trendingtube.com/" target="_blank"><font color="#404040">Trending Tube</font></a><font color="#404040"> </font><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/TTube_" target="_blank"><font color="#404040">(@TTube_</font></a><font color="#404040">) that the video it was #38 on the most viewed videos for the day. In fact, the video has had just under 9 million views in a month! I bet not too many of those 9 million had heard of <a href="http://www.corning.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">Corning</a> before. They have now.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">The Corning video and the idea of sharing your vision borrows loosely from a common sales technique called “projecting”. I used to use it all the time when I was selling gym memberships back in the day of my European adventures (HT Trent Jakubowski). Instead of simply saying “here is a spa that is open until 10pm” I would instead project the potential member to a time when they would use the spa e.g. “When you finish you workout on a Thursday evening you can sit and enjoy this spa up until 10pm”. Real Estate agents also use it when they suggest you de-clutter your house before selling it so that people can "imagine” (project) themselves to a time when they would live there and how it would look with their stuff in it.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">I know we don’t all have big budgets to spend on these types of ads/videos. But companies should still consider how they can produce compelling content that gets people excited about the companies vision of the future and what its products would be like. Consider a round table podcast discussing products in 20 years time. Ask customers what they would like to see. Write a blog post. PROJECT!</font></p> <p align="justify"> <div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:b7e6f3bd-0539-4c9a-922f-9b40367f0b08" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px"><div id="265e2dd6-17d2-46db-b6d7-3bbaaa485e67" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHVjPCMEtts" target="_new"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TX9GlNhDCWI/AAAAAAAAAhc/OeldTfPKQzs/videoc11a027f906d%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('265e2dd6-17d2-46db-b6d7-3bbaaa485e67'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/UHVjPCMEtts&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/UHVjPCMEtts&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div>           <div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1518fda6-bb6f-4367-8bd6-2b80b6c548d0" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px"><div id="6718690c-f26d-45c1-9b24-5e1d16087e59" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5gr4zPJrgA" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TX9Gl1XSruI/AAAAAAAAAhg/qDHvEi2lke4/video9f19c38d2a17%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('6718690c-f26d-45c1-9b24-5e1d16087e59'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/n5gr4zPJrgA&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/n5gr4zPJrgA&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-67790714635423050882011-03-01T21:47:00.001+11:002011-03-01T21:47:15.807+11:003 Awesome Posts You Probably Missed<p>I am going to start following the lead from a few other bloggers and start sharing some of the better pieces of content I come across each week. It won’t be in lieu of something more thought provoking or analytical, which I will try and still do each week, but gives me a chance to pump something quick and useful out to you each week regardless.</p> <h5><a href="http://mashable.com/2011/01/28/optimize-linkedin-company-profile/#" target="_blank">How to Optimize your Company’s LinkedIn Profile</a></h5> <p>Are you aware of the recent changes that LinkedIn has made to enhance the Company Profile part of it’s site? There is some pretty cool stuff in there where you can now add video, picture carousels and add specific product/service pages. <a href="http://mashable.com/author/adam-kleinberg/">Adam Kleinberg</a> has a nice post on it however a fair few of us were confused when we tried to have a play on our company profiles. In response, Adam has posted a helpful follow-up blog <a href="https://www.tractionco.com/blog/91-linkedin-companies-questions" target="_blank">LinkedIn Companies Questions</a>. <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/01/28/optimize-linkedin-company-profile/#" target="_blank">Check it out >></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOq_RhMRI/AAAAAAAAAg0/ae1cj4mtviI/s1600-h/Oyster%20Grey%5B9%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Grey" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Grey" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOrZd8oGI/AAAAAAAAAg4/tR17AKToIrE/Oyster%20Grey_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a> </p> <h5><a href="http://adspace-pioneers.blogspot.com/2011/02/five-point-social-media-idea-checklist.html" target="_blank">Five Point Social Media Idea Checklist</a></h5> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>My man <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00625810484721605345" target="_blank">Julian Cole</a> provides a few questions to ask yourself before going ahead with that Digital/Social idea. Very handy in keeping you on the straight and narrow. <a href="http://adspace-pioneers.blogspot.com/2011/02/five-point-social-media-idea-checklist.html" target="_blank">Check it out >></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOsDsXMjI/AAAAAAAAAg8/Ypu3-UCpHAE/s1600-h/Oyster%20half%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster half" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="25" alt="Oyster half" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOsrJV6ZI/AAAAAAAAAhA/kyEUmzrIX2k/Oyster%20half_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOq_RhMRI/AAAAAAAAAg0/ae1cj4mtviI/s1600-h/Oyster%20Grey%5B9%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Grey" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Grey" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOrZd8oGI/AAAAAAAAAg4/tR17AKToIrE/Oyster%20Grey_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a></p> <p></p> <h5><a href="http://www.mpdailyfix.com/what-brands-can-learn-from-unofficial-bloggers/?adref=nlt021511" target="_blank">Passionate About Your Product: What Brands Can Learn From Unofficial Bloggers</a></h5> <p><a href="http://www.mpdailyfix.com/author/leigh-duncan/" target="_blank">Leigh Duncan-Durst</a> over at Marketing Profs catches up with <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/sbuxmel" target="_blank">Melody Overton</a>, who writes a popular unofficial <a href="http://www.starbucksmelody.com/" target="_blank">Starbucks blog.</a> It is pretty interesting to get inside the head of a brand fan and even find out more about how Starbucks handles/manages her activity. <a href="http://www.mpdailyfix.com/what-brands-can-learn-from-unofficial-bloggers/?adref=nlt021511" target="_blank">Check it out >></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOpX0srLI/AAAAAAAAAgs/-v_zOYyY8hw/s1600-h/Oyster%20Colour%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Colour" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Colour" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOqJ3brxI/AAAAAAAAAgw/hmtYzZizBAg/Oyster%20Colour_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOsDsXMjI/AAAAAAAAAg8/Ypu3-UCpHAE/s1600-h/Oyster%20half%5B4%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster half" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="25" alt="Oyster half" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOsrJV6ZI/AAAAAAAAAhA/kyEUmzrIX2k/Oyster%20half_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOq_RhMRI/AAAAAAAAAg0/ae1cj4mtviI/s1600-h/Oyster%20Grey%5B9%5D.jpg"><img title="Oyster Grey" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="26" alt="Oyster Grey" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TWzOrZd8oGI/AAAAAAAAAg4/tR17AKToIrE/Oyster%20Grey_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="25" border="0" /></a></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-37801983165653190212011-02-22T22:11:00.001+11:002011-02-22T22:11:41.683+11:00Product Placement Law – Opportunities for Brands<p>I was reading one of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12367378474458514085" target="_blank">Stan Lee’s</a> most <a href="http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=26314622&postID=1671077510928310535" target="_blank">excellent posts</a> today on how the UK has just introduced a product placement law.</p> <p>I left a comment but as is so often the case with me I feel inspired to leave a comment but then decide that the comment could be turned into an actual blog post (rather than clog up Stan’s comments section with 500 words or so).</p> <p><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 15px 15px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="163" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Af5_t9sIzCI/TVpi7kqcLrI/AAAAAAAAEr0/yjtQRjiTs8A/s1600/0_0_393_http---offlinehbpl.hbpl.co.uk-News-OMC-15DC1E37-EE75-F371-BADBD06430C06E57.jpg" width="232" align="right" border="0" />Stan writes that the “logo only has to appear for 3 seconds at the start and end of a show” and that “it has to appear in a corner of the screen and be the same size as any network logo or watermark”.</p> <p>No doubt we all agree this is pretty lame and a complete waste of tax payers money. I shudder to think how much they spent on this exercise while they cut public services in the UK following the GFC.</p> <p>For me, I think the real winner are the products/brands. I think there is a real opportunity for brands to leverage this. Why even pretend to hide in shows anymore? </p> <p>Imagine this …</p> <p><u><strong><a href="http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.markenlexikon.com/images/news_007.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bjornlee.wordpress.com/2006/10/05/one-dream-company-i-like-to-work-for/&usg=__n09wcmNf2N0R6PdlCl9Yw8_IjrE=&h=303&w=229&sz=13&hl=en&start=21&sig2=R4M5oBBPdBGPbBuATsJjbw&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Vl6ldZstAMNpxM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=88&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dproduct%2Bplacement%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1R2ADRA_enAU402%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=V5ljTeuiMoy0vgOWs53FAQ" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 15px 15px" height="303" src="http://www.markenlexikon.com/images/news_007.jpg" width="229" align="right" /></a></strong></u>Logo shows up at the start of the show and the brand uses is social channels, or maybe even buys paid space before or during the show, to alert fans/customers that the product will be in the show and that they are running a competition around when people see the product placement. Product bingo if you like. </p> <p>This situation would strengthen ties with existing fans/customers and would probably end up attracting more as they tweeted or facebook status updated their spotting of the product. It could create a hell of a lot of buzz and engagement.</p> <p>I can see that opportunity for products but do you think his will take away the focus on the show as people look more intently for the product placement instead of paying attention to the content? </p> <p>Or can you see other opportunities for the brands?</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-78610353263896054432011-02-15T20:30:00.001+11:002011-02-15T20:31:33.045+11:00What Makes A Good Hashtag?<p>It was  Friday night and I was on the lounge watching the cricket. I had moved from Tooheys Old to red wine and was regularly picking up my iPhone to check what people were up to on Twitter and Facebook.</p> <p>I saw a tweet from <a href="http://www.twitter.com/seancallanan">@SeanCallanan</a>, of <a href="http://sportsgeek.com.au/" target="_blank">Sports Geek</a> with the hashtag #madeupbaseballfact. Sean was retweeting some of the made up baseball facts that people were tweeting. They were pretty funny.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://sportsgeek.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/SportsGeekStrategy.017-001.png" target="_blank"><img title="SportsGeekStrategy_017-001" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="345" alt="SportsGeekStrategy_017-001" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TVpHnC5jBxI/AAAAAAAAAf4/eJAupblqizc/SportsGeekStrategy_0170016.png?imgmax=800" width="449" align="left" border="0" /></a> I Just Came Up With It</strong></p> <p>“I just came up with the idea to generate some connection” Sean says. “The next night,<strong> </strong><a href="http://twitter.com/sportzfanradio">@SportzfanRadio</a> were calling the final game of the <a href="http://web.theabl.com.au/index.jsp?sid=t4067">Melbourne Aces</a> for the season. Baseball commentary is all about statistics & telling great stories while the action continues out of the diamond. So I thought that a fun way to get people involved would be for them to tweet made up baseball facts that we could use during the broadcast.” Sean also used the Sports Geek blog to promote it <a href="http://sportsgeek.com.au/news/join-in-the-melbourneaces-broadcast/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <p><strong>Making Stuff Up</strong></p> <p>I started following the hashtag and even though I don’t know much about or follow baseball I decided to participate. I figured I was as good as making stuff up as anyone else. I mean, I once told someone, after they told me they didn’t have a middle name, that the reason they didn’t have a middle name was because their parents were poor. “What?” they asked. “Yeah, they were poor. You see, it costs $10 a letter on your birth certificate for your name and your parents obviously couldn’t afford it”. They believed me. I still feel a little bad. Just a little. </p> <p> </p> <p>So I tweeted …</p> <p><a href="http://www.twitter.com/seancallanan">@SeanCallanan</a> it used 2 b a baseball rhombus but was revised to a diamond cause groundsmen didn't know WTF a rhombus was #madeupbaseballfact <br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/seancallanan">@SeanCallanan</a> #madeupbaseballfact Jesus Christ, pitching 4 Jerusalem, pitched the perfect game 10 times in a row #devineinterventionscandal</p> <p>Apart from my own comic genius tweets, there were a few crackers but this was one of my favs,</p> <p><a href="http://twitter.com/downesy" target="_blank">@downesy</a> Prior to the advent of the "cup", a batter was awarded 1st base only if struck in the testicles. Hence "a base on balls" #madeupbaseballfact <br />The Power of the Hashtag</p> <p>One of Sean’s favourite tweets was <a href="http://twitter.com/adamjacoby" target="_blank">@adamajacoby</a>: 7th inning stretch introduced in 1959 to give fans an opportunity to move car and avoid parking fines #madeupbaseballfact</p> <p>What struck me was the power of the hashtag to get someone to join in when they weren’t really part of the baseball community. Normally when I see a hashtag it is simply about being able to follow a conversation rather than generate one. In fact, often I see them in a tweet and have no idea what they are referencing.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TVpHojDV1LI/AAAAAAAAAf8/DUOfG1pQSnE/s1600-h/madeupbasballfact8.png"><img title="madeupbasballfact" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin: 15px 0px 15px 30px; border-right-width: 0px" height="506" alt="madeupbasballfact" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TVpHrZB4TZI/AAAAAAAAAgA/Q11qPAFxias/madeupbasballfact_thumb6.png?imgmax=800" width="655" align="right" border="0" /></a> Successful or Not?</strong></p> <p>“It was definitely successful” Sean says. “I wasn’t really sure how it would go. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don’t. I didn’t have any real expectations but we ended up getting 134 tweets using the hash tag on the night. That gave us a reach of about 30 000 to 40 000 people. About 20 of those Tweets reached over 20 000 people. Interestingly, the radio station that we were broadcasting for, <a href="http://southernfm.com.au/" target="_blank">88.3 Southern FM,</a> had an increase in listeners on the Saturday night of about 1000%”</p> <p>“The hashtag also started trending in Melbourne and then after a couple of hour it eventually started trending in Australia. So I think all in all it was successful” Sean added.</p> <p><strong>How to use Hashtags more Effectively</strong></p> <p>So, should we be using hashtags more often for more than just merely tagging a conversation or to simply track how often we have something retweeted? I figured that if a hashtag like this one could get me engaged then surely it would be even easier for those communities/topics/brands that I was actually interested in to get me involved.</p> <p>My advice would to use a hashtag like the old blog tip “finish with a question” so as to invite people to join in. Sure it might not be a question but don’t make it a meaningless hashtag unless you simply want to track tweets. It should start a conversation where people feel compelled to add to it. Something that seems like a question or an invitation will do the trick perfectly.</p> <p><strong>Further Hashtag Education</strong></p> <p>If you want another great example of a hashtag people feel they can just join in with and contribute content, as opposed to just using it to organise tweets, then check out the post What <a href="http://gigaom.com/2011/01/14/what-makes-a-good-hashtag-hint-its-not-science/" target="_blank">Makes a Good Hashtag? It’s Not Science</a> by <a href="http://gigaom.com/author/mathewingram/" target="_blank">Mathew Ingram</a> over at <a href="http://gigaom.com/" target="_blank">GigaOM</a>  which looks at the hashtag #lessambitiousfilms</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><strong>More on Sports Geek</strong></p> <p>Sean was a great sport (pardon the pun) in giving me some time on the phone to pester him about the hashtag exercise so be sure to check out all the cool stuff he is doing at Sport Geek and follow them on</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/seancallanan">@SeanCallanan</a> – want to talk sports & tech with Sean then follow here. </li> <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/SportsGeekHQ">@SportsGeekHQ</a> – the company account – news, blog posts, articles. </li> <li><a href="http://www.twitter.com/SportzfanRadio">@SportzfanRadio</a> – weekly radio show Sean appears on follow for show reminders and in-show tweets </li> </ul> <p><strong>More madeupbaseballfact#</strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TVpHso33CgI/AAAAAAAAAgE/ZTs1sDcm9Z4/s1600-h/madeupbaseballfactalltweets21.jpg"><img title="made up baseball fact all tweets" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="2603" alt="made up baseball fact all tweets" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TVpHzcerA9I/AAAAAAAAAgI/xEZNPRLZHGI/madeupbaseballfactalltweets_thumb19.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1061" border="0" /></a></strong></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-34320540286954600852011-02-01T21:36:00.001+11:002011-02-01T21:36:33.165+11:00My New Job as a Knowledge Sharing Community Manager<p align="justify">Today I resigned from my role as Strategic Marketing & Sales Manager at <a href="http://www.tannerjames.com.au/">Tanner James Management Consultants</a>.</p> <p align="justify">It always feels weird, but also nice, resigning from a job when you aren’t leaving because you are unhappy. It feels weird because there is nothing wrong with the role, I enjoy it. It isn’t like I hate it and can’t wait to get out. It also feels nice because it is a career move and not one made in unhappiness. It means that I can leave with good relationships intact. The bosses are genuinely happy for me. </p> <p align="justify">It has been almost 3 years since I joined Tanner James and I have learnt plenty. I haven’t just learnt things about business but also things about myself and I am very very grateful for the opportunity John Howarth and Ian McDermott, the Directors, have provided me.</p> <p align="justify">Mrs Oyster and I have some family goals which we need to fund so a move or asking for a raise was always on the cards but I wasn’t going to worry about it for a while. It wasn’t like I was unhappy!</p> <p align="justify">But then I got a Seek job alert on the email which was a little different. It wasn’t the usual “we are a leading IT company blah blah selling software/blue cable/boring stuff to the government”. That’s most or the “marketing” jobs in Canberra. Instead, as I read it I thought “now that is the kinda job description I would write for myself if I could create my own role”.</p> <p align="justify">So I went for an interview and got offered the job and in a month’s time I will be the Community Manager at <a href="http://www.globalccsinstitute.com/">Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute</a>. </p> <p align="justify"><img style="display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px" src="http://www.brr.com.au/images/phpThumb.php?src=/uploads/assets/images/logo/ccslogo.jpg" align="left" />The Institute is a not-for-profit entity which  brings together the public and private sectors to build and share the know-how and expertise necessary to ensure that carbon capture and storage (CCS) can make a significant impact on reducing the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <p align="justify">CCS can reduce some 20 per cent of the total greenhouse gas emission reductions necessary between now and 2050. At the moment CCS can be done although it hasn’t been implemented on a commercially viable level and doesn't have widespread adoption. As such, the Institute is focussed on supporting projects and sharing their knowledge to assist more than 3,000 projects which need to get off the ground over the next four decades.</p> <p>Should be awesome working on something that can have a global impact. It is excellent that an organisation realises the importance of this type of role and that the emphasis for knowledge sharing through communities is coming from the top down. I think one of the advantages is that it is not an old organisation and so they aren’t trying to retrospectively fit social media and a knowledge sharing approach.</p> <p>One of the things that drew me to the role was a quote I have stuck on my office wall from a <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/">Fast Company</a> <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/alex-bogusky-tells-all?page=0%2C4">interview</a> with <a href="http://alexbogusky.posterous.com/">Alex Bogusky,</a></p> <blockquote> <p><font face="Courier New">So, I have to ask," I start. "Is there any notion of a midlife crisis in this? You do happen to be 46." Cradling a cup of chamomile tea, Bogusky releases a quiet laugh. "Yeah, just happen to be," he smiles. "You know, I'm not completely unaware that that's what this could be." He pauses, looking off to the Rockies. </font></p> <p><font face="Courier New">"I'm trying to think ... midlife crises occur generally because we fear death, right? And I'm pretty sure I don't fear death. So maybe, what do I fear?" He pauses again. </font></p> <p><font face="Courier New">"What I fear -- actually, I'll tell you what it is -- what I fear is, I fear" -- his eyes start to pink around the rims, his voice cracks -- "I fear a moment when my children are older, and they look at me and say, 'What did you do? The world is like a spiralling cesspool. You were an adult, you needed to do something, I was just a kid. What did you do?' I want to be able to say, I did this, this, and this. And did my best. Yeah, that's it. It is a midlife crisis, and it's not my death. It's the fear of not being able to say that you tried, in all sincerity. I think it's a new kind of midlife crisis."</font></p> </blockquote> <p>As Community Manager, I will be facilitating the sharing of that knowledge in the CCS community and working towards making a difference in the world.</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-68275642668352958532011-01-24T22:37:00.001+11:002011-01-24T22:37:25.975+11:00Good News - People Don’t Quit Because They Hate Your Brand<div align="justify"> <div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:94bdf40d-793c-4664-a680-cd2adfc32d0a" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/customer+service" rel="tag">customer service</a></div> </div> <p align="justify"><a href="http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/res/46.$plit/C_71_article_1030549_image_list_image_list_item_0_image.jpg?11%2F04%2F2008%2015%3A07%3A02%3A558"><img style="display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px" height="167" src="http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/res/46.$plit/C_71_article_1030549_image_list_image_list_item_0_image.jpg?11%2F04%2F2008%2015%3A07%3A02%3A558" width="299" align="left" /></a>I was watching a show the other day called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undercover_Boss">Undercover Boss</a> which sees senior executives of a company working undercover in their own firm to investigate how the company really works and identify how it can be improved.</p> <p align="justify">It is essentially built on the old saying “walk a mile in my shoes” as well as the concept that staff should spend time working in other peoples roles in their organisations – although not under the veil of secrecy – to gain an appreciation of other parts of the business.</p> <p align="justify">Truth be told, I have ever seen it actually happen.</p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify">The episode I watched saw an Australian woman, Marija Simovic, become the new CEO of <a href="http://www.harryramsdens.co.uk/">Harry Ramsdens</a>, Britain's best loved fish and chips restaurant chain. Marija joined Harry Ramsdens when it was a struggling brand hit hard by the recession and increased fast food competition.</p> <p align="justify">Marija spends time at 3 different outlets and spends time with a young assistant manager, waitresses and kitchen staff, all the time working like she is one of them.</p> <p align="justify">What she uncovers is bizarre. Systems so broken that people with no business acumen would immediately see that they don’t work. She encounters equipment that has been broken for a long time (12-18 months) and which increase waiting times for customers by 50-100%, ultimately putting pressure on staff.</p> <p align="justify">I shook my head a lot but none of it really surprised me. How often do manager’s just expect people to get on with it?</p> <p align="justify">What did strike me was the underlying theme of love. That’s right, love, and it underpinned Marija’s views and the staff.</p> <p align="justify">Throughout the show, Marija kept using the expression “Harry Ramsdens hasn’t been loved”. No top down managerial love of the brand.<a href="http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/resources/images/1374516/?type=display"><img style="display: inline; margin: 15px 0px 15px 15px" src="http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/resources/images/1374516/?type=display" align="right" /></a></p> <p align="justify">Strangely, there seemed to be a lot of bottom up love from the staff as, despite the obvious problems with systems, store layout, lack of support and broken equipment, the staff kept working there. Why wouldn’t they just go and find a job where all the deep fryers worked? Cooking fish n chips is cooking fish in chips right? Waiting tables is waiting tables? Right?</p> <p align="justify">Maybe. But if you love the brand, like these staff did, then you stay put.</p> <p align="justify">So I wondered what would make people leave a job and a quick and dirty Google search <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_5_50/ai_n13721406/">here</a>, <a href="http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/whyquit.htm">here</a>, <a href="http://www.hrmorning.com/7-big-reasons-people-leave-their-jobs/">here</a> and <a href="http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Why-Do-People-Leave-Their-Job-/1027969">here</a> confirmed that the none of the major reasons people leave is because they don’t like the brand.</p> <p align="justify">Think about it. People put their blood, sweat and tears into working for a brand and they become immersed in it. If you are running a service business, and who isn’t today, then it isn’t your customers who are the most important and it certainly isn’t the shareholders. Your staff, providing the service are the most important because the service they deliver directly effects customer satisfaction and ultimately the shareholders.</p> <p align="justify">So next time the balance sheet or sales funnel isn’t looking too rosy then do a Marija. Your staff in the trenches, and not your middle or top level managers, will be the ones who can give you the best insights. They are ones on the front line, delivering services and using your systems and equipment.</p> <p align="justify">More importantly, they probably love the brand. Most importantly, they are likely the ones who will be most affected by your new fangled system or targets. Best you have their buy-in from the start.</p> <p align="justify">Your problem is that you are probably already know as a manager who doesn’t really care about their problems. So the trick for you is to build their trust and provide an environment where they can be open and honest about the business.</p> <p align="justify">Good luck. Think you might need it.</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-37007885249201674212011-01-17T22:02:00.001+11:002011-01-17T22:04:12.762+11:00Deeeer, It’s Red Bull You Idiot!<p align="justify"><em>I read a good tip the other day that suggested, if you are short of blog topics or really pressed for time, then you should post an old post. I am really pressed for time this week and while I have a few good blog topics I don’t have much time to write them. Don’t worry @seancallanan … I will come knocking :)</em></p> <p align="justify"><em>So, a personal favourite of mine and of the readers, is a little post I wrote about a dumbed downed logo at the Olympics and a little test for the readers.</em></p> <p align="justify"><em>This was my second ever post back in March 2008 and amazingly holds the record for the most number of comments on a single post with 20. While I was going back into the archives of posts it actually shows a tally of the total number of comments ever made on this blog. The figure is very close to 250 so I will be awarding a special prize for the reader who makes the 250th comment on this blog (and no you can’t just keep commenting until it reaches 250 :)</em></p> <p align="justify"><em>I haven’t made any edits to the original post. Enjoy …</em></p> <p align="justify">I am a regular listener of Peter Wagstaff’s Marketing Today Podcast (if you don’t listen to it then get on board at <a href="http://mkf1120.blogspot.com/">http://mkf1120.blogspot.com/</a>). It’s a great podcast and will really get you thinking about current marketing topics – plus if you listen to it in the car then you can avoid the commercial radio station drive time dribble!</p> <p align="justify">Over the last few months I started writing some feedback to the podcast and really enjoyed having it discussed on air … from there I started this blog (thanks to all the encouragement from the blogosphere following my first post last week). </p> <p align="justify">One week on the podcast, Wags and Col were discussing the Olympics and I wrote some feedback which went like this …</p> <p align="justify">“Here is a very cool piece of ambush marketing that I am sure you guys will like. The International Olympic Committee does not allow sponsorship on athletes uniforms (like most sports teams have). In fact, even the manufacturers logos have to be smaller than 3.1 squares inches. I searched and searched but couldn’t find a picture or a reference.I think it was the 2004 Olympics, and a track cyclist lined up with his normal slick suit on. There were some very unusual markings on his uniform in red and yellow and I remember thinking to myself “That’s not even his country's colours”.Then he sat up on his bike and the colours were organised as two red triangles meeting with a backdrop of a yellow circle. Instantly recognisable as the Red Bull Logo! I thought it was pure genius to capitalise on the equity of the logo and be able to reduce it to its basic shapes and colours yet still have it instantly recognisable to an audience.”</p> <p align="justify">I suggested to Wags and Col that it would be a very cool exercise to get some famous logos and “dumb them down” and see if consumers could still pick the brand just from just the shape and colours. We’ll Wags and Col agreed - so I set about doing it. </p> <p align="justify">I have tested it on a few people and all enjoyed it and it was funny listening to them and/or watching them when they had an answer on the tip of their tongue but couldn’t get it out.</p> <p align="justify">Click the link below to download the dumbed down logos and see how many you can recognise. A big thanks to Jules @ Soul Mann for hosting the spreadsheet (as Blog Spot doesn’t allow uploading of word or excel files?!?!)</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://www.soulmann.com/DumbedDownLogos.xls">Download the spreadsheet here</a>>></p> <p align="justify">Please make sure you register how many you correctly answered using the pole on the right hand side of this page.</p> <p align="justify">If you have any logos that you reckon would be good for a Version 2 then let me know and I will “dumb it down” (Hint: it has to be a logo without much reliance on words/letters/fonts. For example, the Goodyear logo wouldn’t work).</p> <p align="justify">Finally, one more thing, <a href="http://www.ciims.net/">Current Issues in Marketing has an interesting post on the Red Bull Air Race.</a></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-30571756663786955372011-01-10T21:57:00.001+11:002011-01-10T21:57:21.238+11:00Your Customers Are Like Water<p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Lots of businesses put terms and conditions, access signups/restrictions and other things in place to ensure that their customers purchase or use their products and services in a particular way. Sometimes this is completely justified and the average consumer doesn’t mind if it is clearly explained to them why certain arrangements are in place. and how it will add value to them.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">In contrast, I call anything that makes the transaction/relationship more difficult than the customer perceives it needs to be and/or doesn’t add value, a “rock”. It is even worse when they put rocks in place that are designed to manipulate the market (or rip customers off).</font></p> <p><a href="http://www.troutnut.com/im_extax/picture_24_medium.jpg"><font color="#404040"><img style="display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 15px 15px" height="247" src="http://www.troutnut.com/im_extax/picture_24_medium.jpg" width="398" align="right" /></font></a><font color="#404040">I call them rocks because … well … imagine your customers are a river. Moving along at a fast pace, getting on with their lives. Then there is you, a business, on the banks, hoping to grab their attention as they speed past. Sometimes they will slow down and interact with you. Sometimes they keep going. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Your standing on the bank, frustrated at the volume of water passing you by. So you throw a great big dirty arse rock in the middle of the river. It hits the bottom but is big enough that you can still see half the rock above the water.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">What happens? Does the river slow down? Of course not, the water just goes right around it. Carries on. Doesn’t care about your feeble rock. Loser.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">While you can dam it up completely, this isn’t usually a viable option for one person (business) standing on the side of the river with a pile of rocks. Even if you throw heaps of rocks in and manage to block it up pretty good the water won’t stop at your rocks. It’ll just find a path of lesser resistance and it will carry on.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Mostly it is only governments and really large industries/companies that can truly re-route or dam a river.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">The point is, if you put rocks in place, and the customers don’t see the value or the point, or worse still hey think it is unfair, they will find a way around it or they will go somewhere else.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Take the iTunes and Beetles scenario at the moment. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040"><em>Australian music fans are forging foreign iTunes accounts to make big savings on their purchases. The practice, which is a direct breach to iTunes terms and conditions, has exposed the inflated price that Australians pay to access songs off the popular music and entertainment site. By creating an American iTunes account through the use of a US credit card or gift card, users are saving up to 80c per song and $7 per album. The recently released Beatles box set collection can be bought with a saving of more than $100. Deals offered on the internet also include $US50 vouchers on sale for $US40, increasing the savings even further for music buyers.Not only limited to music, the same price differences can be applied across movies, television series and audiobooks — even titles that are not available to buy in Australia.</em> </font><a href="http://www.news.com.au/technology/itunes-users-fight-back-against-inflated-music-prices/story-e6frfro0-1225982198878#ixzz1AcxMe6YJ"><font color="#404040">Read the full story here>></font></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/music/how-itunes-buyers-are-ripped-off/story-e6freqgx-1225982490190"><font color="#404040"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="366" alt="iTunes ripoff" src="http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2011/01/05/1225982/345141-itunes-ripoff.jpg" width="650" border="0" /></font></a></p> <p><font color="#404040">While the practice might be a direct breach to iTunes terms and conditions, consumers don’t care because they are being clearly ripped of by the rocks iTunes tries to put in place.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Another example is a website I visited recently to download some management templates. The templates are free, everyone in the industry uses them and loads of other websites provide them free as well. To download them you don’t have to complete a registration form or anything. However, the site says <em>“If you wish to use the templates for anything other than for your own personal use, for example for your organisations internal use, to distribute copies to the public, or to re-use content from the templates etc, then you will need to apply for a PSI Licence from OPSI. Further information and instructions on applying for the PSI licence are contained in the following link”</em></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Ummm, why the hell would anyone want management templates for personal use? Of course they are going to use them for work. Do you think many people apply for a licences? Of course not. They either ignore the rock or find a site where there are no rocks.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Why do companies even bother? Why don’t they just focus on great value and customer service?</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">What weak arse rocks does your company put in place because it gives senior managers a false sense of control/security? Or do you have any examples of weak arse rocks that companies have in place?</font></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-22015365383803803712011-01-05T21:47:00.001+11:002011-01-05T21:48:25.623+11:00If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it<p align="justify"><font color="#404040">So I got through the Christmas shopping ordeal pretty well this year. Sometimes good gift ideas just flow but if you are like me then there are plenty of times when you you need to get a Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary present and just draw a blank.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">My mate Yabba (sorry, no shout out this time Trentles, flashmobs are soooo 2009) once told me about an idea he had where people in his office could list presents they got and rate them. It was about 10 years ago so I am pretty sure the extent of the idea would have been on a whiteboard or maybe extended to a spreadsheet. I always thought, in theory, it might have some legs but would need to be on a bigger scale.</font></p> <font color="#404040"> <p> <div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:72147402-7d52-4628-b99b-7d3475df444f" style="padding-right: 15px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: left; padding-bottom: 15px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px"><div id="ec1bd678-014c-4694-ab15-e799018bcd3c" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVPcladS_0k&NR=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TSRMTB0a0VI/AAAAAAAAAdU/IrvvnwBvqg8/videofc528b036cb4%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('ec1bd678-014c-4694-ab15-e799018bcd3c'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"258\" height=\"216\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/qVPcladS_0k&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/qVPcladS_0k&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"258\" height=\"216\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> </p> <p>My mind wandered the other day, probably because I was listening to Gerry Harvey whinge about how hard he has it (read as “I have no idea how to innovate or understand what my customers needs are so I need to get someone else to fix it) and I was thinking about how, if they end up surviving, shopping centres/malls could help out shoppers who need guidance. I started thinking about the Minority Report.</p> </font> <p>While I was looking for the above example of the Minority Report scene I also came across the 2nd </p> <p>video posted about 9 months ago.</p> <p><font color="#404040">I am reading the 10th anniversary of the Clue Train Manifesto and there is a comment in there that says that advertisers just drooled over the internet as another way to push messages/ads. At the moment, the technology in the video is just another way for brands/advertisers to yell at you. Sure the technology is kind of cool but where is the innovation? </font></p> <font color="#404040"> <p> <div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:3c8f87ea-8fae-4fdd-9057-dc3688484619" style="padding-right: 15px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: left; padding-bottom: 15px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px"><div id="63ee1b5f-8103-48cd-b6d0-924afe053bb5" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_nacxK2U1M" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TSRMT2s1IFI/AAAAAAAAAdc/OoGoPJ1HP_o/video6e9fba8a97ba%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('63ee1b5f-8103-48cd-b6d0-924afe053bb5'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"257\" height=\"215\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/l_nacxK2U1M&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/l_nacxK2U1M&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"257\" height=\"215\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> </p> <p>Imagine if you walked into a mall and up to one of the directories they have, it scans your face, recognises who you are and asks “how can we help?”. You speak and outline a few important elements of what you are looking for i.e. wife, 20 years old, likes exercise, romantic movies, reading, has a 2yo kid, hates anything tacky etc” Then it gives a sample of a few items and you nominate “Yes” or “No”, maybe even why “No” i.e. too cheap, too girly, already has one etc and then the directory refines its search and suggestions.</p> </font> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">Then when you are happy it gives you a list and points you off to the shops.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">This could probably even be an iPhone app that you could run through in your own home before you even get to the shops? And easily order online if you are one of the freaks who gets this organised before December. (stop press – just found a few but they seem to be more driven by you logging your own ideas for people and not them being targeted suggestions).</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">There probably needs to be some sort of personalisation to assist such as a card/file/app that tracks your friends/spouses shopping habits and allows even more targeted suggestions. Yes, yes, privacy etc is a concern but lets not let details get in the way of an idea. Einstein did say that “</font><font color="#404040" size="2">If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it”</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#404040">So, what can you add/suggest to the idea?</font></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-15669732737977076102010-12-18T11:58:00.001+11:002010-12-18T12:02:20.829+11:00My Year In Status on Facebook<p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=190405249638"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" alt="My Year In Status" src="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/hs712.ash1/161900_190405249638_6467246_n.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>My Year In Status on Facebook is a neat little app that lets you create a collage of randomly selected status updates from the year. </p> <p>It would be a bit better if the links from your status updates were active in the collage. Brought back some nice memories though. </p> <p>Create yours here - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=190405249638" target="_blank">My Year In Status on Facebook >></a></p> <p> </p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" height="633" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1371.snc4/164328_10150098551071054_542216053_7273980_7654790_n.jpg" width="600" /></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-88154765644150057402010-12-15T20:34:00.001+11:002010-12-15T20:36:02.311+11:00Why Discounting Your Product or Service is a Shit Idea<img title="discount tags" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 5px 15px 15px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="315" alt="discount tags" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TQiMAD95D_I/AAAAAAAAAc0/7HPEY4b-WgE/discount%20tags_thumb%5B10%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="439" align="right" border="0" /> <p> </p> <p>I read the other day that discounting is the most expensive form of promotion. You can tell by the post title that I would agree but only if we are talking non-B2C.</p> <p align="justify">Not only to do you lose revenue but most likely you have also paid for the discount to be advertised e.g. a newspaper ad. It is especially dangerous if you are a premium brand as I there is something very subtle and reinforcing when a premium brand is never (or very rarely) on sale.</p> <p align="justify">This time of year is tough especially if you work in B2B or B2G (Business to Government). Lots of places are slowing down and shutting down over the Christmas period and consumers are distracted with all things festive. The reaction of poorly prepared and educated marketers and sales staff is to discount to increase activity (and, in theory at least, revenue).</p> <p align="justify">This is a shit idea but at the moment I see lots of businesses offering 2 for 1 deals or 50% off. </p> <p align="justify">If you are in this position in B2B or B2G, and considering such deals, do you really think people are suddenly going to think "Oh, I knew about that offering but never had a need. But now they have a 50% discount I really need it! I know that it is a really busy time of year and I am on leave but they are on sale! I am going to buy it!”</p> <p align="justify">I don’t think so and if you think i am wrong then you are naive. It is does it hurt the bottom line – the opposite of what you are trying to do.</p> <p align="justify">Imagine you run training courses and a course normally costs $2000. At the 2 for 1 or 50% offer it means your revenue per head is $1000 less. That now means that in a quiet period you need to sell twice as many to get to your budget. Remember – the reason you are discounting is because you don;t have enough activity and now you want to double the activity you need to hit budget? </p> <p align="justify">Why would you do that? You only make it harder - not easier!</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-56099518649705738052010-11-22T21:31:00.001+11:002010-11-22T21:31:46.598+11:00Why Nutritional Information on Packaging is too Late<p><a href="http://mumbrella.com.au/kelloggs-ads-psarents-jury-36286" target="_blank">Mumbrella reported last week</a> that cereal manufacturer Kellogg’s has been named the main villain at the <a href="http://www.parentsjury.org.au/tpj_browse.asp?ContainerID=2010_fameshame" target="_blank">Fame & Shame Awards</a>, organised by campaigning group <a href="http://www.parentsjury.org.au/" target="_blank">Parents Jury</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TOpGjWkrxpI/AAAAAAAAAcc/1q662Ipti90/s1600-h/smoke%20n%20mirrors%20award%5B3%5D.png"><img title="smoke n mirrors award" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="80" alt="smoke n mirrors award" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TOpGkTHh8MI/AAAAAAAAAcg/br1vk5FfZJ4/smoke%20n%20mirrors%20award_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" width="200" align="left" border="0" /></a> Parents Jury handed out the “Smoke and Mirrors” award to Nutri-Grain which is for the use of claims on children's foods that make an unhealthy product appear healthier than it is. Nutri-Grain won for promoting the sugary cereal as a suitable breakfast cereal for boys who aspire to become elite athletes. </p> <p>In response, Kellogg’s points out that it is a signatory to the industry’s codes of practice on marketing of food to children and abides by those standards. They also advised that “We take our responsibilities seriously. Nutritional information appears clearly on the product labelling”.</p> <p>For me, that information comes way too late.</p> <p>The decision to buy Nutri-Grain has already been made prior to getting to the supermarket and therefore circumvents any negative perception of the product that may be communicated on the package. How many parents who decide to start buying Nutri-Grain will seriously stop and read the nutritional information? Not many because the ad has already convinced them to buy it or maybe the kids have pestered them enough to buy it.</p> <p>Printing nutritional information on the product simply forces Nutri-Grain to head upstream in the buyer decision process and create positive nutritional messages in a  forum where they are not required to be as forthcoming with the truth as they must on packaging.</p> <p>That’s not rocket science I guess and they are playing within the rules but it makes a mockery of an industry code.</p> <p>I wonder whether one day TV, print ads etc will be forced to carry nutritional information in those channels? How effective would TV advertising be if the Nutri-Grain ad had to carry a note on the screen that informed us that a 100g serving provides the 32g of sugar at 37% of your recommended daily intake?</p> <p>For those that work in the advertising industry – would you be scared by this prospect if Nutri-grain was one of your clients?</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-41664578697687131392010-11-16T19:28:00.001+11:002010-11-16T19:28:38.885+11:00Just Because Someone Has a Knife …<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TOJAigfoNfI/AAAAAAAAAcI/Qm4mZmBsZSM/s1600-h/Bloody%20Doctor%5B6%5D.jpg"><img title="Bloody Doctor" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 5px 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="212" alt="Bloody Doctor" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TOJAjd8EDZI/AAAAAAAAAcM/oG2X226sJWQ/Bloody%20Doctor_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="83" align="left" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>My boss was in a meeting with client the other day when somebody’s qualifications were being discussed.</p> <p>Someone piped up with “Just because someone has a knife doesn’t make them a heart surgeon!”</p> <p>It’s a cracker observation and one that sharply brings into focus the difference between having access to tools and being able to use tools effectively.</p> <p>Then I saw this video today, from <a href="http://www.xtranormal.com/index" target="_blank">xtranormal</a>, which pretty much shows it in practice.</p> <p>Enjoy.</p> <p> <div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:bb7c745f-a062-42bb-b6b4-a398186e90da" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; width: 425px; padding-top: 0px"><div id="2f05c58b-c7bb-4670-9937-6dae95583883" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iArFpcvFVks" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TOJAkOS6oII/AAAAAAAAAcU/aRoQ5bGfJpc/video832b400b4d5b%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('2f05c58b-c7bb-4670-9937-6dae95583883'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/iArFpcvFVks&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/iArFpcvFVks&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-78723960243437455442010-11-10T22:08:00.001+11:002010-11-10T22:08:07.826+11:00Thought Leadership as a Marketing Stratgey – Part III of III<p align="justify"><b><a href="http://theoysterproject.blogspot.com/2010/10/thought-leadership-as-marketing_28.html" target="_blank">Read Part I here>></a></b></p> <p align="justify"><strong><a href="http://theoysterproject.blogspot.com/2010/10/thought-leadership-as-marketing.html" target="_blank">Read Part II here>></a></strong></p> <p align="justify"><b>It Is All About Publishing Content</b></p> <p align="justify"><b></b></p> <p align="justify">With the increase in thought leadership as a strategy to position a company as a trusted expert we are starting to see companies embrace a more public attitude toward publishing what they know. This distils to various content marketing tactics.</p> <p align="justify">While whitepapers have long been a traditional vehicle for thought leadership, blogs have exploded as a much less formal, easily accessible and personal vehicle. Hosting events is also a particularly relevant option. This list is certainly not exhaustive but most tactics have their pros and cons.</p> <p align="justify">Big companies like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft have embraced blogging, allowing employees to publish to a sanctioned space, as a method of creating or maintaining corporate thought leadership. These companies do not necessarily expect senior management to be the content creators/authors.</p> <p align="justify">The key with the above 3 example tools (blogs, whitepapers, events) is that they are not selling. Thought leadership is not about selling. It is about thinking and sharing those thoughts which in turn shape the market and build trust.</p> <p align="justify">This is an important shift in business in that we need to be far less guarded in sharing of intellectual property or thinking in the P3 field. Jamie Oliver doesn’t keep all his secrets to himself because he is worried that someone will use them to open a restaurant across the street and put him out of business (hat tip Jason Fried). It goes a long way, however, to helping sell cook books and TV shows and as such becoming a thought leader by embracing the exchange of information that can help to propel the business.</p> <p align="justify"><b>Push vs Pull</b></p> <p align="justify">Think of it in a marketing “push” vs “pull” approach. Push is all about interrupting and convincing the market to buy services. The pull (of clients to a business) is what thought leadership provides because they trust the company and see it as an authority. They are drawn to it.</p> <p align="justify"> <div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:b599b359-01b5-4f78-bf06-d5c4b3b46767" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 15px; float: right; padding-bottom: 15px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 15px"><div id="e75da7d2-5763-4ed3-bb29-aaea7f9131e8" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks2saa38Id4" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TNp9FmpVpJI/AAAAAAAAAa8/Aqvvjymz_I8/videod72ee94e4cbb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('e75da7d2-5763-4ed3-bb29-aaea7f9131e8'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"419\" height=\"349\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Ks2saa38Id4&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Ks2saa38Id4&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"419\" height=\"349\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> </p> <p align="justify"><strong>The Results Of A Thought Leadership Strategy</strong></p> <p align="justify">The tools used to pursue a Thought Leadership strategy will provide and/or contribute to;</p> <ol> <li> <div align="justify">A pre-educated market resulting in a shorter selling process,</div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">The ability to maintain trusted relationships through the provision of value in information,</div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">The ability to shape the market both on a macro and micro level,</div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Brand Awareness, and</div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Attainment of premier/trusted provider status</div> </li> </ol> <p align="justify"><strong>The True Test Of Thought Leadership</strong></p> <p align="justify">The true test of a thought leadership strategy, and resulting tactics, is to ask the following six questions. </p> <p align="justify">Ask “Does our thought leadership efforts”:</p> <ol> <li> <div align="justify">Add real value to our client’s work?</div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Position us as a trusted advisor engendering trust in the company/brand as the leader in our field?</div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Help underpin sales?</div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Provide a content rich platform from which we can write, talk, publish online and share with clients our valuable insights?</div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Position our company as the experts and ‘go to’ people in the field?</div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Ensure our brand is not focused on product and sales and instead on market leadership and in the process deliver long-term, sustainable advantage over our competitors?</div> </li> </ol> <p align="justify">In conclusion I would like to acknowledge the following sources that contributed to my thinking.</p> <p><a href="http://www.brittonmanasco.com/">http://www.brittonmanasco.com/</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.thoughtleadershipstrategy.net/">http://www.thoughtleadershipstrategy.net/</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.wdfm.com/thought-leadership.php">http://www.wdfm.com/thought-leadership.php</a></p> <p><a href="http://blueflavor.com/blog/2006/jan/04/thought-leadership/">http://blueflavor.com/blog/2006/jan/04/thought-leadership/</a></p> <p><a href="http://andylark.blogs.com/andylark/2010/04/what-is-thought-leadership.html">http://andylark.blogs.com/andylark/2010/04/what-is-thought-leadership.html</a></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7660025247814683396.post-53527546004540633952010-10-28T21:52:00.001+11:002010-10-28T23:06:52.646+11:00Thought Leadership as a Marketing Strategy – Part I of III<p align="justify"><font color="#000000"><a href="Read Part I here>">">Read Part II here</a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#000000">This is part one of a three part series on using Thought Leadership as a marketing strategy. I won’t pretend that I thought this all up myself. I read far and wide and distilled it all into what I think are the most important elements. I will be sure to name the influential sources at the end of part 3.</font></p> <p align="justify"><strong><font color="#000000">What Is Thought Leadership?</font></strong></p> <strong></strong> <p align="justify"><font color="#000000">It might sound obvious but a thought leader is a recognised leader in the current thinking, advancements and improvements needed in one’s field.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#000000">What differentiates a thought leader from any other knowledgeable company/person is the recognition as being at the forefront of understanding and/or application of a discipline(s) and having the confidence to promote or share those ideas. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#000000">This means providing both clients and competitors alike with insights which can be actioned or applied to their own work. Thought Leaders have a lot in common in that they have a public outlet for their thoughts (blog, public speaking, whitepapers), have something valuable to say and a commitment to publishing on a regular basis. Thought leaders are committed to being fair and balanced, to sharing experiences and fostering the learning and development of others.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#000000">It can be difficult to determine who is a thought leader and who is just a pundit. Essentially, a company/person is simply a pundit if they undertake any ideological discussion or criticism of a problem without presenting solutions that are grounded in some experience.</font></p> <p align="justify"><strong><font color="#000000">A Position That Is Granted – Not Claimed</font></strong></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TMlVzhnrqaI/AAAAAAAAAYw/TcPUXrsB_SA/s1600-h/ThoughtLeader114.jpg"><font color="#000000"><img title="Thought Leader 1" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 25px; border-right-width: 0px" height="304" alt="Thought Leader 1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_OlKHp_-mtDM/TMlV065gU2I/AAAAAAAAAY0/FWRhhv7Gc68/ThoughtLeader1_thumb12.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" align="right" border="0" /></font></a><font color="#000000"> Occupying a thought leadership position is important not only because of the advantages that it provides but also because of the disadvantages that a company would experience if a competitor occupies that position (and becomes more trusted or positions conflicting thoughts/messages).</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#000000">On the flip side, the market advantage for a company is where thought leadership positions it in the minds of clients. That position is one of a premier provider and trusted advisor in their field.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#000000">A Thought Leadership position is, however, perishable. It is granted by the market and it is the market that sees a company as a thought leader (and which the company must work to build/maintain). A company is not a thought leader simply because it claims to be. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#000000">Within this is an inherent paradox – what is important to a company/person might not be important to their clients (at least at first). One of the critical roles of a communicator or marketer is to make the case for the thought (thinking about a problem or need). This has an important alignment with the traditional buying‐decision process i.e. awareness.</font></p> <p align="justify"> </p> <blockquote> <p align="left"> <br /><font color="#000080"> <br /></font></p> </blockquote> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0