Can't talk. Busy reading Drucker and reviewing recent posts by Social Web experts. I'm exercising my cortex because it shall soon be called upon. I'd like to ensure that I don't need to be spotted.
My first day at Critical Mass was a bit pedantic, as expected. But near the end of the day, with introductions made, credentials established, there were inklings of heady and productive things to come. I'm not certain what I'll be doing exactly, but there is one thing definite: This place is full of passionate, energetic, and intelligent folks.
Tomorrow is my last day at Rare Method. So, a few thoughts:
I'm thankful in particular to Tom, Geoff and Dave for giving me the opportunity to work with them and for the chance to give back to the advertising game here in Calgary
I've been fortunate enough to work on some great accounts with savvy people, and I dare say, make their lives as marketers a little easier. So, Thank You.
The most difficult part about moving on is leaving behind the day-to-day interaction and collaboration with smart folks and friends. Heitmann and Komery, I'm looking in your direction...
That said, I'm looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead and to join another proven, respected, and intelligent team.
As a ghost, I'll see you all in the not so distant future.
With that, a dear and familiar blessing:
May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
If you have parents of a certain age, or have ever worked retail, you've no doubt had this axiom drilled into you. Ever had such bad service that you stormed out of somewhere screaming at the top of your lungs, "I will never set foot in this f**king place again!"? Been there, done that.Difference - now I can tell many more about this, not just word of (foul) mouth.
Last week was World Usability Day and I've been keeping an eye on personal (cross-channel) user and customer experiences since then.
Lowlights (with grades):
New Visa card with PIN arrives in mail. 45 min. on the phone to get the thing activated THEN I still have to go to the branch to change the PIN. (D).
iPhone purchase (B+) at an actual retail store, activation [I had to make 3 calls on how to switch out my PIN card and activate with iTunes] (C-). Now that I have it working, customer delight (A).
Brandon Schauer's recent post on the nexus of Brand and Customer Experience, paired with heady the stuff of The Brand Gap and the evidence from Razorfish's FEED report are all saying the same thing. Your customer is always right, whether you like it or not, and your Brand can be adversely affected, slandered, or outright abandoned for a competitor.
Of course, depending on switching costs, a customer may persist with your Brand, but that doesn't mean they're happy about it. The key difference now is that they have a voice to make their displeasure heard - and don't doubt that they'll use it.
I was fortunate enough last year to teach a course in Internet Marketing at the University of Calgary with Jeff Nelson from Anduro Marketing. I learned yesterday that we get to do it again.
It works out to about $10/hr, which is obviously not the reason I do it. I find it rewarding to take complex subjects and concepts and distill them down into digestible and actionable pieces. It's also a terrific way to keep current and to learn from others. I'm looking forward to it.
Details:
Internet Marketing - Course # BMC - 203 - 003 University of Calgary, Faculty of Continuing Education 2009/2010 Business and Professional Programs Link
Anyone reading this likely doesn't need to take this course, but if you know someone who does, please pass this along.
I occasionally get email reminders from Social Web apps that I've signed up for out of interest or immediate need, but no longer consider part of my armamentarium. Why?
A lack of 'Tipping Point', untenable value proposition, other more compelling tools, or they just plain suck.
Perhaps it's personal to the user? Case in point (visual): Traveling, not traveling; have an internal tool that meets the need within the Enterprise?
Whatever the reason, I would be curious to hear...Comments, please.
I'm looking at my grandfather's canteen in my warm, safe kitchen. It's still in pretty good shape. A few dings, as expected. He had it strapped to his waist for a time, during WWII.
He signed up. Never made it overseas, but nevertheless did his duty for King and Country. The family yarn is that he fought the 'Battle of Medicine Hat'. Not a joke, really. If he had shipped overseas, I might not be here to remember him.
Dad was a navigator on Douglas DC-6's before and during the Korean conflict and they named an airport today (second - to be fair to Owen Sound) after a rather infamous relative.
The point? Remember the past and present, how fortunate we are, and the sacrifices other families have made. They have stories - tragic scars unhealed, in scrapbooks, almost forgotten.
I'll certainly take a moment tomorrow to remember.
I try to keep up with State of the Nation readings from the likes of hard-core research firms like Forrester as well as Digital agencies like CM, Blast and Razorfish.
Although the sample size is relatively small (n=1000), I like the way they've selected it - by talking only to what they call 'connected consumers'. They all have broadband, spend online, visit social websites, and are consumers and creators of User-Generated Content. This makes sense since these are the people we're trying to engage with. And, I buy how they extrapolate their results to the population at large by using relevant proxies.
Some highlights:
57% have actively customized their homepage
84% rely on the web to get their news
76% watch video, 73% use social networking, 62% listen to music online
56% have smartphones
More importantly:
26% have followed a brand on Twitter
40% have 'friended' a brand on Facebook
77% have watched a commercial online
73% have posted a product or brand review
52% have blogged about their brand experience
All of this sums to the fact that "those brand marketers still neglecting (or underestimating) digital, it's as if they've shown up to a cocktail party in sweatpants" - a staggering 97% of those surveyed report that a digital brand experience has influenced whether or not they actually hand over the cash.
In essence, 'connected consumers' are interacting with brands, just in a different way. And, those interactions actually create new customers. Finally, the digital experience can make or break a brand.
Can't talk. Busy reading Drucker and reviewing recent posts by Social Web experts. I'm exercising my cortex because it shall soon be called upon. I'd like to ensure that I don't need to be spotted. 
