The Dalai Lama is following my Tweets!

“The Dali Lama is now following your tweets on Twitter.”

Less than a year ago I wouldn’t have even understood the meaning of this phrase. The word “Twitter”, let alone the concept of Tweets from the Dalai Lama were not in my lexicon a short year ago.  Everyone talks about the power of the Internet and new social media. Receiving this message in my morning inbox is one of  the most wonderful examples of this I have experienced to date !

I also thought, “Holy cow the Dalia Lama knows who I am!”. Now, I know what you are thinking, that I am pretty naive. He is following 64k people and he probably has a team of  Tweeters.  But still I like the ratio – billions of people out there and I am within his close circle of tens of thousands.

Shifting Toward Total Customer Experience

Requires increased integration and collaboration

Over the last two decades, the way marketers interact with their customers has evolved tremendously.  It wasn’t that long ago (in the 1980’s) that Direct Mail and Direct Marketing were seen as revolutionary concepts enabling customized messaging and offers to specific target audiences.  In the 90’s, the Internet created a whole new standard of interactivity with customers.

With the advent of social media, customer experience management has reached new heights.  But, with this evolution comes increased complexity and a need for integration and collaboration.

What the heck does Change Management have to do with Web Redesign?

Change management is not often the first thing that comes to mind when planning a large web redesign project.  For many organizations today, the web has become one of their most strategic customer touch points, and as such, is an important pillar in supporting corporate reputation.  In addition, the corporate website is not owned by one single department, but is a key communication vehicle for multiple departments.

Cloud Computing Provides Virtual Workbench for Marketers

What is Cloud Computing?

According to Wikipedia, Cloud Computing is: “A style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualised resources are provided as a service over the Internet. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure “in the cloud” that supports them.”

Huh? And, what does this have to do with me?

Putting the power of the corporate website back in the hands of the Business

Confessions of an IT Professional that all Marketers should hear.

Have you ever been in a situation where you had the distinct feeling that you were not being told the whole story? You know, like when the phone company tells you that there is nothing else they can do about an error in your bill. Or, when the bank says that their “system” doesn’t work the way you imagine it should.

In the vast majority of these situations, there is not a deliberate desire to be “unhelpful”. The rules and regulations, the “can’s and can not’s” that we face every day are designed to ensure that systems keep running, transactions keep processing and standards are kept.

Lessons for Social Media gleaned from the early days of Direct, Web and Electronic Marketing

In current discussions with leading marketers and entrepreneurs, across industries, large and small, the theme is the same: “How do we get into this new Social Media? What is the latest tactic I can deploy in my organization? What are we missing not being there right now?” They are eager to explore the benefits of Social Media, especially since dwindling budgets are making this seemingly low-cost marketing panacea very enticing.

Marketers and business leaders are like the proverbial “doe in the headlights” when it comes to reacting to the Social Media movement. They are frozen, eager to react, but not certain which way to go.

I am fortunate to have been in the business long enough to have seen the transition from Mass to Direct marketing, then to Web and Electronic marketing. What I see today with the new media rings a familiar tone – a herd mentality – that has marketers abandoning their strategic fundamentals, rushing toward the latest tactical solution.

Those of you who remember the early days of Web will recall the uncertainty around whether or not, and how to venture into that new medium. The first web sites, with their bright colours and flashing banners, made marketers twitch just thinking of associating their brand’s reputation with such a medium. Then User Experience Design was born, which essentially had the new electronic whizkids turning the tables on the Brand folks, creating a whole new benchmark for customer-centric experience.

The transition from Mass to Direct marketing was wrought with just as much uncertainty. I remember trying to develop an integrated Brand and Direct strategy in the mid’90s for Plan Canada when the direct agency said, “You can do that branding stuff on your mass vehicles, but leave direct response vehicles alone…the objectives of branding and generating a response are not compatible.” This sounds foreign today, when we all believe in the mantra of a consistent branding experience across all channels.

Ten years has gone by since then, but today as in the past, marketers are clamouring to adopt the latest method to engage their customers, while ignoring strategic fundamentals. Many are approaching the new medium tactically at first, rather than taking a thoughtful, planned and integrated approach.

When I asked the question, “what are you were doing on the Social Media front”, a leading marketing executive said he had asked his team to recommend the top three Social Media tactics that they can executive in 2009.  Another, who manages a multi-million dollar marketing budget, said her company had asked facebook to come in to present!

Others are frozen, afraid to act. Those I have spoken to in the Financial Services sector, for example, are stopped at the gate, not knowing how to address the highly regulatory nature of their business.

While marketers are feeling the pressure to venture into the new media arena, they would be advised to do so in a prudent and thoughtful manner to ensure their efforts are successful and  sustainable.  Specifically, they should:

• Assess their organization’s readiness
• Develop an integrated strategy
• Get their house in order to help protect their brand’s reputation
• Prepare for the impact on their operations
• Determine how they will measure success

In a nutshell, marketers and business leaders need to employ the fundamentals that they apply so well to all other aspects of their business before entering into the Social Media arena: assess, plan, design, execute and measure!

Stay tuned for the next blog entry: Assessing your organization’s readiness to venture into Social Media – 5 things you should consider first.

Posted by: Lianne Bridges

Lianne is President, CEO and a founding partner of Bridges Horizon, providing Marketing Transformation Consulting Services. Lianne has spent the past 20+ years managing and consulting across an array of sectors from B2B to Not-for-Profit, including such world-class organizations as: Aeroplan, Bombardier, Pfizer,  Nabisco, Southam News, United Technologies, the YMCA, Plan Canada and Alcan, to name a few.

The Pope Joins the New Social Media!

For those of you who are not convinced that the new social media is here to stay, you will be interested to learn that the Pope joins other world’s leaders like Barack Obama in the social media revolution.  The new digital generation has expanded to include the 81-year-old Pope who launched his  YouTube channel today. His first message was of a new way to spread hope around the world:

“You must find ways to spread – in a new manner – voices and pictures of hope, through the internet, which wraps all of our planet in an increasingly close-knitted way,” he said in Italian.

According to Pope Benedict XVI, “New technologies have an extraordinary potential, if used to favour understanding and human solidarity. These technologies are a real gift to humanity: therefore we have to make sure the advantages they offer are put to service of all peoples and all communities.”

Posted by: Lianne Bridges

Lianne is a founding partner of Bridges Horizon, providing Marketing Transformation Consulting Services. Lianne has spent the past 20+ years managing and consulting across an array of sectors from B2B to Not-for-Profit, including such world-class organizations as: Aeroplan, Bombardier, Pfizer,  Nabisco, Southam News, United Technologies, the YMCA, Plan Canada and Alcan, to name a few.

Lessons for Business Leaders from Obama

Yesterday, most of us felt like we were witnessing history unfold. Obama’s speech was riveting, hopeful, inspiring and even spine-tingling. It occurred to me that his many profound messages, though not necessarily new, have often been forgotten, especially in the face of today’s severe economic crisis. While his comments were developed to address a nation facing crisis, they definitely apply to businesses and organizations around the world.

 

I have paraphrased some of his key messages below:

Leading through difficult times

• Humbled by the task before us
• Grateful for the trust bestowed
• Mindful of the sacrifices of those who have come before

 

The Choice belongs to the people

• Hope over fear; unity of purpose over conflict and discord; proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and warn out dogmas that have strangled our politics

 

The time has come

• To set aside childish things; to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that noble ideal that all are equal, free and deserve the chance to pursue their full measure of happiness

 

Greatness is never a given

• It must be earned. Our Journey is not based on short cuts or settling for less, nor has it been a path for the fainthearted, or for those who prefer leisure over work or seek only pleasures of riches and fame. It has been the risk takers, the doers, the makers-of-things. Some celebrated, but more often those obscure in their labour that have carried us up the long rugged path toward prosperity.

 

Change is required

• Our capacity remains undiminished, but our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions has surely past. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking…to meet the demands of a new age
• The ground has shifted beneath us; the old political arguments that have consumed us for so long, no longer apply.

 

Responsibility of leaders

• Those of us who manage the budgets will be held to account to spend wisely, to reform bad habits and do our business in the light of day. Only then can we restore that vital trust.

 

Lessons from the crisis

• This economic crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation (organization) can not prosper when it favours only the prosperous. The success of our economy depends not only on size but on the reach of our prosperity and the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart, not out of charity but because it is the surest route to our common good.

 

To those who wish to destroy

• People will judge you on what you can build not on what you destroy. We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

 

To those who wish to ignore the call

• To those nations like ours who enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer ignore the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to the effect, for the world has changed and we must change with it.
• We can not help but believe that as the world grows smaller that our common humanity shall reveal itself.

 

To those who wish to join

• Embody the spirit of service – a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves at this moment…it is this spirit that must inhabit us all, for as much as leaders can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the people upon which we rely and which decides our fate.

 

• What is required today is a return to the basic truths and a new era of responsibility, recognition by all that we have duties to ourselves, to our friends, family, colleagues, our community and the world. Duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seek gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing more satisfying to the spirit or more defining to our character than giving our all to the task. This is the source of our confidence…the knowledge that we are called to shape an uncertain destiny.

 

Values upon which success depends

• Honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism. These values are old, but they have been the quiet force of progress through history.

 

Our Legacy

• With hope and virtue let us brave once more the icy currents and endure what storms may come. Let it be said that when we were tested that we refused to let this journey end. That we did not turn back nor did we falter. And with eyes fixed on the horizon we succeeded.

Posted by: Lianne Bridges

Lianne is a founding partner of Bridges Horizon, providing Marketing Transformation Consulting Services. Lianne has spent the past 20+ years managing and consulting across an array of sectors from B2B to Not-for-Profit, including such world-class organizations as: Aeroplan, Bombardier, Pfizer,  Nabisco, Southam News, United Technologies, the YMCA, Plan Canada and Alcan, to name a few.

New Social Media – is it Creating Social Transformation?

Can we really create a social consciousness revolution? We finally have the tools, but will we use them wisely?

There is a lot of talk today about the new social media, which includes: YouTube, Wikipedia, facebook, Delicious, MySpace, blogs, or the Smartboards that are bringing the transformative potential of the Internet into our children’s classrooms. It is clear that social technology is increasing the amount of interaction and information sharing happening globally.

There is a plethora of blogs, discussions and forums debating the pros and cons and “How To’s” of this new media/marketing phenomenon.  Small, entrepreneurial entities are the early adopters, with the larger companies trying feverishly to catch up.

The question I have is whether or not all this energy is having an impact on raising social consciousness and creating positive social transformation?

The negative impact that media (traditional or new) can have on the mass psyche is well known. I often wonder if the current global recession would be as severe without all the media doom and gloom naysayers.

Obviously, the potential to spread despair is obvious, but I am encouraged by the number of recent examples of positive mass social consciousness raising:

• Obama’s social media campaign, which resulted in over a billion emails and text messages sent out to millions of people with his message of Hope, Change and Action.

• Who wasn’t touched by the story of hope and inspiration of Randy Pausch when he delivered his famous Last Lecture across cyberspace to millions of viewers?

• The recent phenomenon, Playing for Change, was designed to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music. Their YouTube teaser videos spawned a mass viral initiative that resulted in millions of views of their documentary’s trailers before they even launched (which is coming out in the Spring of 2009).

• On the spiritual front, authors like Ekart Tolle, with his message of a New Earth, and Deepak Chopra’s I take a vow of non-violence,  have been able to reach an unprecedented size of audience with their messages of hope and peace.

• Al Gore, with his Solutions for the Climate Crisis, helped create an incredible environmental social movement.

These are pretty large examples to make the case. There are other, less known examples, like the organization DeafUK,  which is connecting deaf people in a way that wasn’t possible until recently. Or, iJourney.org, which started when a couple of people got together to sit in silence once a week in their homes and has since transformed into a community of almost 60,000 people from across the world meeting in cyberspace.

One of the most innovative and touching stories comes from a friend of mine whose life-long friend was dying of cancer. He put a posting on eBay called “Eleven to Heaven” promising to deliver messages to loved ones who had passed on when he got to heaven. The money he raised on eBay was to help his family cope financially when he died.

On a personal level, I see the power of this new social media each day. Whether it was when my seventy-something mother became my “friend” on facebook, or the multiple inspirational emails I receive, like this week’s favorite: Are You Going to Finish Standing. Because I am a half-full kind of person, I would like to believe that all this connecting is having a positive transformative impact.

When I was the Director of Marketing and Fundraising for Plan Canada, I experienced first-hand the incredible stimulating effect an inspiring story can have on a community, whether local or global.  That is why I would like to hear from you.

If you know of a story that is inspiring, positive and about connecting us through the new social media, I would like to hear it. Add a comment to this blog, add a link to a story on your blog or Web site or send me an email. In the future, I plan to highlight some of the most inspiring and unique stories in my blog.

Posted by: Lianne Bridges

Lianne is a founding partner of Bridges Horizon, providing Marketing Transformation Consulting Services. Lianne has spent the past 20+ years managing and consulting across an array of sectors from B2B to Not-for-Profit, including such world-class organizations as: Aeroplan, Bombardier, Pfizer,  Nabisco, Southam News, United Technologies, the YMCA, Plan Canada and Alcan, to name a few.

The 5 Stages of Coping with the Recession – Shock, Assessment, Plan, Support, Rebuild

The current recession and the ensuing loss of jobs and financial insecurity can be very scary, if not devastating, especially given the size and scope of this economic downturn. It seems it is all everyone is talking about. And most marketing executives are not expecting the economy to improve until 2010, according to a survey by Marketing Sherpa.

As a business owner and a consultant who coaches companies on organizational effectiveness and improving efficiencies, the recession has affected me on a number of levels.  I recognize that the best practices I normally recommend to clients are just as relevant for my own firm, and even for our family facing the worst economic crisis in memory.

Like any traumatic or life changing event, dealing with the recession has many stages that one goes through:

1. When the shock hits remember there is always Hope

When the bad news hits, whether it about job loss, potential bankruptcy or just tough economic belt tightening, we all begin to function in a state of shock. The first reactions are, “How do I process this…How should I react…What do I say to people?” Then, as the news starts to settle in, the next questions become, “Can we get through this and what should we do next?” It seems like most of the people, governments and organizations around the world have been functioning at this level through the last quarter of 2008…in a state of shock.

Hope can be like a ray of light that can guide you out of shock and help focus on decisions and positive actions that are required. Hanging on to hope can be difficult with the media blasting the latest doom and gloom statistics each day. But, being realistic is key. Don’t bury your head in the sand, hoping that the economy won’t affect you. Instead, a positive sense of realistic hope can help propel you to proactively seek out opportunities to survive and potentially prosper in this difficult time.

2. Take a critical and realistic assessment of the situation

Too often, companies just react, cutting a percentage of their workforce or expenses. In the case of governments, they throw a ton of money at the problem, without really doing a proper assessment of the situation and the impact their reactions will have on the future health of the company or country. It is critical that you better understand how to address the challenges you face by going through your own Discovery Process. As in a traditional SWOT analysis, review your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Assess what has been successful or not in the past. Explore and look externally for ideas and potential solutions that might work for you. Seek out information by talking to experts that can help you deal with your specific challenges.

3. Develop your Roadmap

Develop a vision of where you want to be and compare this to where you are today. This will help you identify the gaps that will provide the foundation of your roadmap. A roadmap helps determine your “best fit” course of action, based on your circumstances and vision. It outlines the strategies that you should use to help you get a new job or help your company through the economic slow down.

Planning your course of action in detail with milestones and contingency plans to help you keep the course, especially if things get more difficult. Part of your plan may include major cuts in expenses to deal with the short term situation, but this may put your business at risk, have serious side effects or make recover that much more difficult. Other solutions should be considered, including moving to more cost effective methods. For example, moving some of your marketing budget from traditional media to modern social and digital media can help save significantly on overall costs. Another strategy is to review your current processes and structures to look for opportunities to improve effectiveness. Technology can also play an important role in helping to make your firm more efficient. Today, using supportive technology doesn’t have to cost a lot. There are many online Web applications that help companies improve their operations without having to invest significant dollars in technology.

4. Tap into Support Networks

A wealth of knowledge, expertise and support exist outside your doorstep. Professional experts both free and paid for can provide valuable resources in helping guide you through the difficult times. Today there are so many ways to access free information and support. The Internet provides an endless array of Web sites, blogs and podcasts dedicated to providing helpful information on every topic imaginable. Outsource expertise to fill internal business gaps without investing in additional headcount. Tap into social media and join associations or groups to share information and ideas for solutions. Or create a group yourself. Use mentors who you admire and trust. This could be a career counselor, successful entrepreneur or inspiring business leader. Listen to advise from caring and supportive people – surround yourself with positive energy that helps support a proactive approach to dealing with your situation.

5. Take Time to Recover and Rebuild

Recognize that the journey you are on can be educational and result in real positive change for you and / or your business. Take stock in these changes so you don’t lose perspective when things get back to normal. Celebrate the small victories as you go along. This will help you maintain the momentum needed to get through the difficult times. Take time out to rejuvenate. Too often we are so focused on the end goal of getting ourselves out of the situation that we put ourselves and our organizations under incredible stress which can be very harmful in the long term. Once the economy begins to turn around, reassess the situation and begin to plan for your recovery.

Posted by: Lianne Bridges

Lianne is a founding partner of Bridges Horizon, providing Marketing Transformation Consulting Services. Lianne has spent the past 20+ years managing and consulting across an array of sectors from B2B to Not-for-Profit, including such world-class organizations as: Aeroplan, Bombardier, Pfizer,  Nabisco, Plan International, Southam News, United Technologies, the YMCA and Alcan, to name a few.