According to a report published this month by eMarketer, close to 60 percent of Canadian Internet users are logging onto some type of social network, viewing social media as their online home – a hub for communication, entertainment and information.
In fact, Canada has the highest penetration among social network users of any of the countries studied.
While we may be logging on more than our US counterparts, there is still a trust issue when it comes to marketing initiatives through social media. Gaining the trust of the network will remain the brand’s biggest challenge when looking to engage through tools such as linkedin, Facebook and twitter.
The report also notes that as Canadian users have grown more familiar with social media they have also become more accepting of advertising in the space.
This report further demonstrates the opportunity that exists in social media for marketing and PR. As with any strategy, it starts with understanding the best vehicle to reach your audience, and ensuring that you communicate to them a message that resonates.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Battle of the Brainstorm
An article on the Globe and Mail website last month, presented different arguments around what sparks creativity in the workplace. It stated that ‘to find big solutions to big problems, business and government leaders need to foster more of this kind of creativity’.
I tend to agree – the question remains, what is the best way to go about it?
Working at an agency, one of the aspects I would deem beneficial is the creative environment. New ideas and approaches are constantly encouraged. While we do not go as far as molding figures out of Play-Doh to get our brains working, we do have frequent brainstorming sessions.
For many, time is money and many find brainstorms a waste of time, lacking in results. For others, the less limitations placed on creative thinking, the better.
When it comes to brainstorms, a few tips I’ve learned through my own personal experience are:
I tend to agree – the question remains, what is the best way to go about it?
Working at an agency, one of the aspects I would deem beneficial is the creative environment. New ideas and approaches are constantly encouraged. While we do not go as far as molding figures out of Play-Doh to get our brains working, we do have frequent brainstorming sessions.
For many, time is money and many find brainstorms a waste of time, lacking in results. For others, the less limitations placed on creative thinking, the better.
When it comes to brainstorms, a few tips I’ve learned through my own personal experience are:
- Give your team some time to think individually in advance - Having some time to mull over the topic/various ideas a day in advance of the brainstorm gives everyone a chance to bring something different to the table.
- Positive Reinforcement – No matter how crazy an idea brought forward might seem, try to focus on the positive. Your team members will likely be too embarrassed to bring up ideas in the future if they’ve received blunt feedback and you may miss out on the next big thing.
- Timing is everything - People need to be awake to get the ideas flowing. If you’re scheduling a brainstorm, make sure everyone’s had their morning caffeine. You may not get the best ideas if your meeting starts at 8am.
If you’re feeling uninspired, there are workshops and interesting literature out there that address creativity. Some examples include Beyond the Box, Business Innovations for Dummies and a Globe and Mail article from February 2010.
It’s all about personal preference and what works best for you. My mom keeps a pen and notepad beside her bed because she believes her best ideas come to her during the night (and this is one creative lady). I prefer a solid playlist and a delicious snack.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Do awards matter?
BlueSky recently received two 2010 IABC Ovation Awards. A proud moment, yes, and a rare moment to reflect on our good work. Yet in the marketing and PR world, these awards are a dime a dozen, each with different criteria and credibility, punctuated with subjective evaluations of hard business results. Do awards matter?
Aside from having a lovely plaque for our wall and statue for our reception area, was the submission worth the ‘ka-zillion’ hours of work? If securing new business is the primary objective, then I would say no. If gaining company profile is the objective, again, I would say no. But I’ve come to one conclusion: the submission process offers a tremendous opportunity to self-evaluate. Is the work we are doing for clients meaningful? Do we help their businesses?
I can confirm with a resounding YES: our work has tremendous value, and that reminder has been very rewarding. The process forced us to lay out all our program objectives and assess whether they were met. Now we have a strong case study demonstrating our skills and the potential of creative, well-executed PR, and our client has results to show for their investment.
Gathering and evaluating the business results also enhanced our client relationship. We now have specific, even more meaningful metrics moving forward and were able to document business benefits in areas we could not have foreseen.
The submission process has also forced us to improve upon our PR plans, going the extra mile to ensure our communications tactics are driving the client’s business. It has also given us an insider’s glimpse of our client’s business – a new level of understanding that allows us to deliver even more and better results.
Will I invest in more award submissions? Absolutely. While the plaque and statue are nice mementos of our accomplishments (not to mention the enhancements to the office decor!) the impact on our creativity, strategic capabilities, client relationship, and business as a whole, has been exceptional. As for the quality of our work, we continue to raise the bar.
Aside from having a lovely plaque for our wall and statue for our reception area, was the submission worth the ‘ka-zillion’ hours of work? If securing new business is the primary objective, then I would say no. If gaining company profile is the objective, again, I would say no. But I’ve come to one conclusion: the submission process offers a tremendous opportunity to self-evaluate. Is the work we are doing for clients meaningful? Do we help their businesses?
I can confirm with a resounding YES: our work has tremendous value, and that reminder has been very rewarding. The process forced us to lay out all our program objectives and assess whether they were met. Now we have a strong case study demonstrating our skills and the potential of creative, well-executed PR, and our client has results to show for their investment.
Gathering and evaluating the business results also enhanced our client relationship. We now have specific, even more meaningful metrics moving forward and were able to document business benefits in areas we could not have foreseen.
The submission process has also forced us to improve upon our PR plans, going the extra mile to ensure our communications tactics are driving the client’s business. It has also given us an insider’s glimpse of our client’s business – a new level of understanding that allows us to deliver even more and better results.
Will I invest in more award submissions? Absolutely. While the plaque and statue are nice mementos of our accomplishments (not to mention the enhancements to the office decor!) the impact on our creativity, strategic capabilities, client relationship, and business as a whole, has been exceptional. As for the quality of our work, we continue to raise the bar.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The earthquake that shook twitter
Looks like the earthquake that just shook central Canada is bringing out our good ol’ Canadian humour. Here are a couple good ones!
@spacing - There has also been a tsunami warning for the G20 fake lake. #earthquake
@kylemcinnes: Ottawa government buildings evacuated. Productivity unaffected. #earthquake
@LGaucher: #earthquake - water in the office was trembling Jurassic Park styles
@mlse The earthquake in Toronto was just thousands of England fans jumping back on the bandwagon. #worldcup
@philippec Quebec is finally separating!
@ivortossell: Widespead disappointment across Toronto at news that it was not, in fact, the epicentre of the quake.
@MuchMusic: it's ok @justinbieber is safe guys #earthquake
@spacing - There has also been a tsunami warning for the G20 fake lake. #earthquake
@kylemcinnes: Ottawa government buildings evacuated. Productivity unaffected. #earthquake
@LGaucher: #earthquake - water in the office was trembling Jurassic Park styles
@mlse The earthquake in Toronto was just thousands of England fans jumping back on the bandwagon. #worldcup
@philippec Quebec is finally separating!
@ivortossell: Widespead disappointment across Toronto at news that it was not, in fact, the epicentre of the quake.
@MuchMusic: it's ok @justinbieber is safe guys #earthquake
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Fresh Ideas for fundraising drives
Every year I participate in at least a couple of fundraising drives for Charities that are close to my heart. I’m also asked to donate regularly from my friends and family or participate in the campaigns that are close to their heart. And while I’d like to give money to everyone, sometimes it is just not feasible.
It made me start to think about how to successfully reach out to my friends and family when I’m looking to support my cause. It’s likely that most of these people are being contacted often to give money, so how can I stand out and show them that my cause is worth it?
Mitch Joel at Twist Image makes a great point that while using social media tools to get your message out there is a great strategy – it can sometimes be a lazy way of communicating. Blasting out form emails, or linking to your fundraising page on your Facebook or Twitter is probably not going to get you any extra dollars. Mitch has some great tips/ideas on how to make your efforts stand out, and hopefully reach your friends, family and colleagues with a stronger message. Click here for more of his great ideas.
It made me start to think about how to successfully reach out to my friends and family when I’m looking to support my cause. It’s likely that most of these people are being contacted often to give money, so how can I stand out and show them that my cause is worth it?
Mitch Joel at Twist Image makes a great point that while using social media tools to get your message out there is a great strategy – it can sometimes be a lazy way of communicating. Blasting out form emails, or linking to your fundraising page on your Facebook or Twitter is probably not going to get you any extra dollars. Mitch has some great tips/ideas on how to make your efforts stand out, and hopefully reach your friends, family and colleagues with a stronger message. Click here for more of his great ideas.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Are you a multitasker?
Over the weekend, The New York Times profiled a family of multitaskers who consume technology in just about every aspect of their lives. In, Your Brain: Hooked on gadgets and paying the mental price, Matt Richtell explores the new reality of multitasking. He takes a closer look at how reliance on technology to enhance our lives, might be having a significant and adverse effect on our brain. Experts suggest that multitaskers have a low ability of being able to focus, and that the use of technology is intensifying this.
“A study at the University of California, Irvine, found that people interrupted by e-mail reported significantly increased stress compared with those left to focus. Stress hormones have been shown to reduce short-term memory, said Gary Small, a psychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles.”
Working in a client focused business, being a multitasker is part of the job description. While this is a trait that I pride myself on, this article is making me take a step back to evaluate what it really means to multitask. Am I concentrating on the right things, and the right times? Am I always giving my full attention to the task at hand?
While I do still see a lot of value in being able to juggle many things at once, I have to wonder about whether it’s the right strategy all the time. Like most things in life, the key might be moderation. Taking some time each day to shut everything down, and concentrate on that pressing issue, or project that needs to get off the ground, might not only ensure I’m doing my best work – it might also help my brain and my memory. I can’t argue with that!
Click here to test to see if you are a high or low multitasker, and to test your ability to focus.
“A study at the University of California, Irvine, found that people interrupted by e-mail reported significantly increased stress compared with those left to focus. Stress hormones have been shown to reduce short-term memory, said Gary Small, a psychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles.”
Working in a client focused business, being a multitasker is part of the job description. While this is a trait that I pride myself on, this article is making me take a step back to evaluate what it really means to multitask. Am I concentrating on the right things, and the right times? Am I always giving my full attention to the task at hand?
While I do still see a lot of value in being able to juggle many things at once, I have to wonder about whether it’s the right strategy all the time. Like most things in life, the key might be moderation. Taking some time each day to shut everything down, and concentrate on that pressing issue, or project that needs to get off the ground, might not only ensure I’m doing my best work – it might also help my brain and my memory. I can’t argue with that!
Click here to test to see if you are a high or low multitasker, and to test your ability to focus.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Appropriate Work Attire
Dominating media over the past week is Debrahlee Lornzana's wrongful-dismissal suit against Citibank. It has sparked much debate over policy regarding appropriate office attire, workplace sexual harassment and double-standards. If you've somehow missed this story, the basics are: Debrahlee Lornzana, a New York City business banker, believes she was fired for distracting her male colleagues with her looks while Citibank claims she was dismissed due to her performance.
There was a good online discussion about this on the Globe and Mail's website earlier today.
As a young female professional, I can understand that it's not as standard of a process when shopping for work clothing compared to that of males (collared shirt, dress pants and tie). I can also relate to the fact that much of the trendier female fashions out there are shorter, are more form fitting and may not be suitable in a corporate environment. I have seen other females wearing clothing to work that made me think, 'Really'?
In the end, I think it all boils down to good old common sense. If you work in a corporate environment such as a bank, you are expected to dress in-line with the corporate culture. This ties into branding, respect and an overall sense of professionalism. You can express your fashion personality further outside of the workplace. If total freedom of dress is really important to you, then I would look into more flexible work environments.
I pride myself on incorporating a bit of flare into my everyday wardrobe, but it can still be done subtly.
One of the suggestions in a Globe and Mail article yesterday was for employers to offer coaching about dress code to incoming staff, not after a problems arise. This could be a beneficial, proactive approach. If this option is not available, I would suggest looking at what types of clothing fellow coworkers are wearing.
There was a good online discussion about this on the Globe and Mail's website earlier today.
As a young female professional, I can understand that it's not as standard of a process when shopping for work clothing compared to that of males (collared shirt, dress pants and tie). I can also relate to the fact that much of the trendier female fashions out there are shorter, are more form fitting and may not be suitable in a corporate environment. I have seen other females wearing clothing to work that made me think, 'Really'?
In the end, I think it all boils down to good old common sense. If you work in a corporate environment such as a bank, you are expected to dress in-line with the corporate culture. This ties into branding, respect and an overall sense of professionalism. You can express your fashion personality further outside of the workplace. If total freedom of dress is really important to you, then I would look into more flexible work environments.
I pride myself on incorporating a bit of flare into my everyday wardrobe, but it can still be done subtly.
One of the suggestions in a Globe and Mail article yesterday was for employers to offer coaching about dress code to incoming staff, not after a problems arise. This could be a beneficial, proactive approach. If this option is not available, I would suggest looking at what types of clothing fellow coworkers are wearing.
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