Archive for the ‘Business’ Category

If it’s important to you, you will find a way. If it’s not ….

....... you will find an excuse.

What are you making excuses for right now and why is it not important enough for you to find a way?

What should you be doing instead?

I wonder what effect unimportant goals have on our businesses!


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Digital Coaching & Social Media Support.
Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales | Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | Georgina Lester | Arts Wales UK

Facebook Jail … and I’m not impressed!

I believe in having an open door policy welcoming ALL who wish to connect me on whichever platform suits them. Valuable conversations introduces me to incredible people and I love it. That leads to LOTS of connections.

However, I do worry about the way that some platforms view the way we connect with people who matter. I believe that as humans we are already connected and the digital handshake is merely an acknowledgement of our place in the world and our connectedness. This is a Universal truth. A right for all humans that should not be under the jurisdiction of one controlling force. Especially not one that looks like Facebook.

Several people over the last couple of weeks have been bemoaning the fact that they have been put into Facebook jail. I did wonder whether they were in some kind of obsessive-repetitive-frenzy of hitting that 'Add Friend' button to get blocked so easily? It seems not!

Yesterday I was going through my friend requests! Facebook comes up with its useful suggestions of "Other People you might know" With over 60,000 followers in various places - it does not surprise me if I recognise people across the networks. So I will occasionally hit that "Add Friend" button. Hmm - not such a good idea it seems. Whilst I used to be much more proactive, I have now reached a level of 'critical mass' at which people come to me.

Now though I have been slammed into social klink for two weeks. It might be that I have a lot of outstanding friend requests but of course I can't tell now. For the moment though, I can't send friend requests in that time - doesn't matter if I am on snogging terms with them or not. Can't send messages in case of spam - which is actually a joke because I prefer direct email with real people anyway. Can't do? Bonkers!

So be warned if you are dependent on communicating to your customers via Facebook chat, message, etc. then don't push the boundaries out too far. You might find yourself in jail too.

I personally feel Facebook could do with some lessons on how to use social media more effectively - bit ironic I know but perhaps a bit of advice from Coca Cola might help them. Do you think that I am wrong?


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Digital Coaching & Social Media Support.
Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales | Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | Georgina Lester | Arts Wales UK

Transparency, Engagement, Innovation – Coca Cola 2020 – have they got it right?

If you are interested in how big name brands can embrace (or are embracing) the new technologies and capitalise on social interaction then these videos are definitely worth watching. Coca Cola are on a compelling journey of story telling to promote their liquid brand. Their mission statement is rather interesting but what do you think?

"We need to produce liquid ideas that earn a disproportionate share of popular culture"







I noticed many superb elements that I think are very cleverly portrayed. It is speaking to an educated audience - they are not dumbing down what they are saying offering transparency in their strategy. It is a clever move to speak to the early adopters who get the power of consumer collaboration. They appear to know that they need to communicate with the "data whisperers who are the new messiahs" if they hope to implement the changes, move with the times and make an impact.

I love the way that they are working on the evolution of story-telling engaging the consumers in a collaborative journey of creation and innovation. They are promoting bigger, braver thinking and are actively seeking 'provocations that lead to transformational actions'.

Cultivating a culture of creative content that is collaborative, adaptive and continuous - is spot on in my view especially as they are looking to work with compelling ideas that develop a life force of their own. They acknowledge that the number of ideas generated by the consumer far exceeds the number birthed by the creative teams working for the company.

Five principles of co-creation ..

1. Inspire participation with the very best
2. Connect creative minds
3. Share results of their efforts
4. Continue development
5. Measure success

They want to encourage and embrace brave thinking knowing that they are likely to fail. They intend to celebrate the failures as well as the successes. Genuine consumer collaboration is exciting - do we believe them? Those who are anti the fact that Coca Cola is not the healthiest option in the world is already creating a reaction. As they are looking to use conflict constructively, I am curious as to how they address that.

I would love to know what you think and whether in fact they have got it right yet. What did you notice in the videos? What stood out for you?


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Digital Coaching & Social Media Support.
Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales | Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | Georgina Lester | Arts Wales UK

How do you build trust online?

Over the last few years, I have observed a significant change in my attitude to trust as I have become more comfortable reaching out to total strangers across the world. In the early days, the internet was a vast and intimidating ocean - an infinity of unknowns with very little known.

I used to be shy and retiring preferring to remain hidden and anonymous (Yes! Really!). I think that I was quite terrified about the potential Indiana Jones inspired traps into which I was sure to find myself plummeting. Whilst I knew that my soul was not going to be left in some oubliette never to be seen again, I was very aware that there was a serious lack of trust. Trust in the people I met. Trust in the systems. Trust in the technology. Trust in the authenticity. Trust that it was ever going to be good for me. And … did I trust myself?

My! How I have changed!! How the internet has changed!

Now, my virtual doors are held wide open to welcome anyone who cares to break bread and share a cup of virtual wine with me allowing us to get to know each other. My boundary of trust has shifted beyond recognition.

Then there is the issue of YOU! Why should people trust you? The more connected I become the more likely people want to connect with me. People are willing to trust me. That didn't happen overnight. Building trust online is vital if we hope to grow our businesses and meet new clients.

What about you?

How much do you trust the people you meet online? Has this changed?

Do you rely on instinct or factual knowledge to decide on what or who you can trust?

How do you help people to trust you?



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Digital Coaching & Social Media Support.
Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales | Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | Georgina Lester | Arts Wales UK

How’s your #cashflow these days? Do you focus on numbers or adding value to your customers?

Profit is sanity. Turnover is vanity. Neither are worth the inky paper they are written on if you do not have a manageable cashflow. If the money isn't flowing where it needs to when it needs to, then you are sunk.

Personally I come from the mindset that great business is about adding immense value to the customer first rather than obsessing about the numbers. I find money is not a great motivator but helping people is.

My goals for this year are about supporting as many people as I can. The intention is to enable them to gain a level of social literacy which will help them to earn a living from doing what they love. It is more about personal empowerment and using social media to connect with the people who matter most than about making sales. However, money is still an important and vital ingredient.

Question is how do you manage your finances so that you are not tripped up by scenarios like this …. loads of orders in the order book, promises of lots of dollars being sent (owed) and a ton of lolly going out regardless of whether it is in your account in the first place?

Bristol Boardroom is on Wednesday this week and it would be a surprise if we didn't talk about money at some point in the evening although thankfully it is not always desperate but about getting better solutions to managing the finances. If you are juggling finances then a trip to this city could very well be your saving grace.

Think about this ….. six members averaging twenty years business experience. A lot of man hours, love, sweat and tears discovering and learning. That is an awesome amount of talent to tap into in one session and if you are in the spotlight - it can be an incredibly powerful experience.

So how is your cashflow? Is it as healthy as you would like? How are you turning your passion into a viable financially fluid business?


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Digital Coaching & Social Media Support.
Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales | Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | Georgina Lester | Arts Wales UK

Are you sure you are not afraid of the Ecademy score?

First it was Klout, then it became the Ecademy score which hauled out the challengers and sceptics. Fantastic! There is nothing like testing something to its limits to prove its validity (or not a the case may be)! There is also nothing more entertaining than (s)wordplay spectaculars to entertain blood-thirsty audiences.

When something new is introduced, the critics always come out in force in the belief that it is their beneficent duty to point out the error of our ways. They are compelled to follow their calling to save the souls of fans, followers and sycophants as they supposedly blindly and slavishly crocodile walk their way out of the fool's den and doing a lemming over the cliff of oblivion.

Oh dear!

I agree that new things are challenging - how can you possibly run a tape alongside intangibles like influence, attention and engagement?

Personally I have no need to watch the to'ing and fraying other than to witness who has moved along the path of enlightenment. I am not afraid of what the score might tell me about my interaction or business activities.

My focus lies elsewhere ...

None of the scores on the internet promise to give me untold wealth but it does tell me whether I am being interesting enough to get reactions.

The Ecademy score helps to inform me about whether my activities are sustainable or not too. Thank you Ecademy for that, I know that I am making valuable progress.

By following the prime directive of engaging with people I want to talk with, I have got more business, more leads and more sales as a result. Thank you Ecademy for that.

But what about the critics?

Critics serve many a purpose and for that they are welcomed - wholeheartedly …

  • challengers help to keep things real
  • seekers of genuine faults and missing elements help to hone the offerings
  • interrogators test our resolve and consistency to purpose


However there are some critics who seem to relish the opportunity to tear down and denigrate as a matter of a personal quest of improving intellectual fitness. Either that or they feel it necessary to pick holes, scoff, mock and pour scorn over anything that does not fit in with their perceptions of a sane reality. We can never be entirely sure why. Perhaps they're afraid of being found wanting or are they just having a bad day?

However, my concerns are ..... To the uninitiated onlooker who can tell the difference though? Does it promote unnecessary fear and uncertainty? Should we trust the critic or have a little bit of faith in the intentions of the creators to help you?


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Digital Coaching & Social Media Support.
Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales | Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | Georgina Lester | Arts Wales UK

@Storify – Awesome new tool helps you curate amazing content to show off your expertise

This blog is an experiment using curation tool Storify. It might not be the best example of a great article but I feel that it hints at the possibilities to come.

The content below this line was created using a plug in on one of my wordpress sites. It links with my Storify account enabling me to use the search facility to find content across the web that is of particular interest to me. Once created, it generates an embed code allowing me to post the same Storified article in other places. I think that is awesome!

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Digital Coaching & Social Media Support.
Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales | Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | Georgina Lester | Arts Wales UK

Do you know how you can create amazing blog titles to attract LOTS of attention?

We know that if you can't capture the imagination of those who stroll through the list of blog titles and offer something delectable then people will pass you by and move on to another headline that lures them to investigate their hidden treasures. You have milliseconds to stand out from the crowd and for that reason I feel that it is perhaps worth considering spending as much time thinking about the title of your amazing literary masterpiece as you do on creating the content!

I don't know about what you think, but I believe that these are key things worth considering:-
  • does it speak to your target audience?
  • does it accurately convey what is in the blog?
  • will it attract attention?
  • does it set the right tone?
  • is it authentically you?
  • does it enhance your reputation?
  • does it demonstrate the value of the content?

What else should we consider?


What makes an eye-catching headline?


The Right Words!


Question is which are the right words for you and what you hope to achieve?

Do your words ….
  • create curiosity?
  • convey something of what is hidden inside?
  • trigger an emotional response?
  • offer some amazing insights?
  • promise something delectable and delicious?
  • challenge people's thinking?
  • suggest a revelation of an amazingly effective bit of wisdom or a secret never revealed before?


What are the right words

A good title is the ribbons and bow on the wrapping paper of a fantastic present - it hints at something interesting inside. Of course it wouldn't do much for your reputation if the wrapping is better than the content as people would feel duped and cheated. They would soon learn that your blogs aren't what they say that they are and they will move on.

Every potential reader will sub-consciously or consciously ask "What's In It For Me?"

Suggest that the reader can gain something which will enable them to find ways to improve their lives and help them to achieve their ambitions and you will gain attention. This is particularly true if you follow through and deliver content that is valuable.

The challenge with any blog though, is what are you hoping to achieve by writing it in the first place? Does it really add value to your presence online?

What do you think makes a good headline? What gets your attention?

What do you think about when you create your blog titles?


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Digital Coaching & Social Media Support.
Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales | Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | Georgina Lester | Arts Wales UK

Marketing and the art of collaboration – do you know what it looks like?

A couple of days ago I wrote a blog "Do your sales happen by accident? How much do you actually know about your clients?" which generated a great series of thoughts, comments and suggestions.

One particular comment triggered me to think about how some of us see the different areas within our business and the team of people who may work in those areas. As a marketing specialist I believe that this is especially true when thinking of the relationships we build with our network, raise awareness of our values and the way in which we sell our products and services as well as serve the needs of our customers.

Many consultants will see their role in isolation - i.e. according to their specialism and will sometimes not think of how their offerings will integrate into the whole picture. Conversely as individual sole traders we often do not make enough of a distinction between the different hats we need to wear to succeed in getting the bits of our business to work cohesively so consequently everything merges into a conglomerate mass.

The results of a lack of understanding of the components of a marketing strategy within the bigger picture of the whole business and the people who work in it will always lead to a disconnect. Getting sales involves every other part of the enterprise from the moment we first attract someone's attention to the moment that the products are delivered to their door. It is about providing great value, ensuring customer satisfaction and being so stonkingly good that your clients can't wait to tell everyone else about you and what you have done for them. As we talked about in the previous blog, none of this has to happen by accident.

Creating a great business - and a successful marketing strategy we have to get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet and ensure that the communication between departments/roles/stages are very clear. This is true even if we are a sole trader working in isolation. This to me is the real art of collaboration - many people working together focused on one goal.

Being in a band is an incredible way to experience the art of collaboration in terms of working as a team, understanding the goals, focusing on promoting a great product and working together to deliver something that the customers enjoy.



Thanks to Robert Craven who found this video - this got me thinking..... What about if all the musicians break the rules and really get up close and personal by not only singing from the same hymn sheet but playing just one instrument?

So how do your social media, PR, marketing and sales fit in with the rest of the business?

Is everyone involved with raising brand awareness or do you leave that to the brand guys?

Do you get everyone 'selling' as in talking about the business, its products and services or is that just left to the sales guys?

Does everyone in your team, outsourced, employed or contracted understand your business objectives and what you are trying to achieve?



Ecademy Boardrooms - finding innovative solutions for your business | Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales |Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | PR and Marketing | Arts Wales UK | | Charles and Patricia Lester

Do your sales happen by accident? How much do you actually know about your clients?

Whilst it may seem an obvious question to some, I have learned that not everyone is actually conscious about having customers let alone understanding anything about their life-cycle and how sales happen. Creating an effective marketing strategy requires a reasonable understanding of your customers, their needs and the stages that they go through before and after buying your products and services.

So ....... how much thought have you put into understanding your customers?

Do sales happen by accident?

Do people buy from you because someone told them to?

Do you know anything about your customer life-cycle?




Ecademy Boardrooms - finding innovative solutions for your business | Boardroom - Hotel du Vin Bristol | Arts Wales |Internet Marketing Group | Luxury Wearable Art for women | PR and Marketing | Arts Wales UK | | Charles and Patricia Lester
Contact
Email: georgina@georgina-lester.com Telephone: +44 (0) 7971 854441