AHA Creative Strategies

Conversation Over Coffee

Yesterday we hosted the first of what we hope will be a series of events focused on social/online media topics. We were very fortunate to have Kirk LaPointe, Managing Editor of The Vancouver Sun, as our guest speaker. (If you didn’t get an invite to this one, please don’t worry. Because of the small size of the events, we aren’t able to include everyone…but we haven’t forgotten you, I promise. We will invite you to the next one. If you want to make sure you are on the next invite, send me an email at ruth@ahacreative.com.)

Kirk participates online. He has a blog, he has been engaged and involved for quite some time and is a driving force at the Sun in their online evolution. Kirk is insightful and his experience as a media executive (he has worked in print and broadcast) gives an interesting and highly valuable perspective on how media and journalism are changing in response to Web 2.0.

We had a group of about 25 senior communicators and their CEOs in attendance – a bright and early morning with a 7:30 am start, I might add. It was a room full of smart, experienced business people that are genuinely interested in understanding how our professional (and personal) lives are changing.

Kirk has a healthy balance of skepticism and a desire to authentically communicate, peppered with a solid sense of humour and an appreciation of the absurd. He has embraced social media, but he sees its challenges, its flaws and its potential, and he is realistic about it. I found his candor inspiring and refreshing – and his presentation and the following group discussion provided me with some great food for thought.

The discussion continued long after Kirk had headed back to the newsroom and our guests had left. We thought it would be interesting to share the points that Kirk made that resonated with us. For those of you that were able to attend, please feel free to tell us what you found of interest or of value and what you might like to hear about in future Bridging Two Worlds Conversation Over Coffee. (Or, as some of you suggested, calling it Connecting Over Chardonnay, Meetings Over Merlot, Brainstorms Over Bourbon…really, we got it!)

Some of the points that hit home for us:

– I was excited when Kirk touched on the opportunity in the future to “customize” news and information for specific audiences. This is an approach that makes sense to me. Rather than reach out to a huge audience and hope that someone in there is interested, creating a reason for those that are interested to connect seems like a much more effective, efficient – and valuable approach. Along with this is another point that Kirk made, it all comes down to content – interesting content. Whether it is entertaining, informative, controversial or inspiring, it has to be accurate and authentic and it needs to be well written, no matter what the medium. When I think about the opportunity that organizations have to open a conversation with individuals or groups; to extend their communities; to create a connection with people that provides an open, interactive, two-way discussion; or in the case of Twitter – more than a two-way discussion, it energizes me. (Ruth Atherley, AHA)

– I particularly liked his recommendation to communicators “don’t spin – be transparent.” I also liked his view on newspapers of the future (hard copies) – that they are already evolving into a medium that provides more analytical views versus just presenting the news (because it is not new to most readers by the time their newspapers land on their door steps)! Newspapers will become “viewspapers.” (Patsy Worrall, QUAY)

– I was very interested in their plans for using a wiki to let readers help report on some specific news items in the future. When I put that into context around how we work with clients to help them to engage their stakeholder communities both internally and externally, I think that it supports the idea that there is great value in inclusive and collaborative approaches. There is a great deal of talent and knowledge out there (in the world and in organizations) that goes untapped and unacknowledged. Wiki technology allows us to connect with this expertise and create a positive and valuable experience through collaboration. (Paul Holman, AHA)

– I was very interested in hearing Kirk’s perspective of the future of newspapers online. Specifically, the pay-per-use feature where people could have access to all the information that gets sent to media (I’m an information junkie). Or rather than pay-per-use, the possibility that certain companies could sponsor a specific section (i.e. Nike and the sports section). Another interesting point was the possibility of wiki-articles online where experts in a certain field would be encouraged to “add-on” to an article. And finally, I was surprised to hear that newspapers write their content for the web first and then for the hard copy. (Fareedah Rasoul Kim, QUAY)

– I think that the part that resonated with me most was how Kirk spoke of the evolution of the online world. As he said, we are hard-wired to read paper. Looking at a computer screen all day is not conducive to our nature and he feels that in the future we will be reading from digital ink. I thought that this was a really interesting juxtaposition between what we are traditionally used to and what we have become accustomed to. It will be interesting to see, in a couple of years, if such a thing comes to fruition.

I loved the term he used in reference to linking to other sites – Link Economy. The name says it all and as online media continues to become more prevalent, we will want this easy access to other sites to help reference the topic of interest. (Julie Owen, QUAY)

– I really enjoyed how Kirk spoke about the opportunity journalists have to become a reliable and collaborative source for reporting online. Bloggers can be motivated by their own interest or a rumour they heard “somewhere.” I am reassured knowing that journalists who write online adhere to the highest standards of reporting and are being encouraged (by people like Kirk) to link and collaborate with other news agencies and reporters. It will result in a higher calibre of reporting and information available online. (Julia Cameron, QUAY)

– Kirk’s point about recognizing other media (your competition) and sources for good information resonated with me. You can only do that if you come from a position of confidence and strength. Sharing of knowledge and information is the way of the online world and is now transcending into mainstream. It reminded me of the old movie – Miracle on 34th Street when the Macy’s Santa starts recommending customers go to the competition and how that led to more business and a good reputation for Macy’s. That movie was made in 1947. We have always believed in friendly competition. Life is too short to live any other way.

I also was intrigued by the movement of media into the world of databases. Public sector salaries, parking tickets….what could be next?

It is great to have people like Kirk at the helm of our major daily papers. He truly demonstrates the transparency, candor and forward thinking the business needs to survive. (Della Smith, QUAY)

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I was reading David Meerman Scott’s blog as I sat in the ferry line up last night. (I live—and AHA has an office—on the Sunshine Coast as well as our office within the QUAY Strategies office. It’s a tough life, I know.) I have been remiss in keeping up with what some of my favourite bloggers have been discussing over the past week or so because of a time sensitive project that we have been working on.

As usual, I learned a few things from David’s posts. One of the entries that I found very interesting was on the U.S. Air Force – it included a web response assessment chart, you can see it here at Global Nerdy.

David’s blog post (as always) is worth reading. It is also interesting to note that because of interest in the web response assessment chart and feedback from people such as David, Joey deVilla, Jeremiah Owyang, Steve Field, Matt McGee and others – Captain Faggard, Chief of Emerging Technology at the Air Force, revised the document. It is very interesting to me that the Air Force is using social media and how engaged they are. They are even on Twitter! They are authentically and effectively using social media to interact and engage with a range of people.

We’re talking a serious brand here. This organization has a reputation for being, let’s say, “in control” of their brand and their people and an image that may be perceived as not necessarily being the most transparent – for a variety of reasons.

Some unexpected organizations—such as the Air Force—can be found embracing social media, yet some other organizations are still living in fear of it. We are often asked at speaking engagements and workshops about how to “sell” online or social media to the CEO, c-suite, executive director or board of directors. The fact is, you can’t “sell” it. You can explain it, describe it, share the opportunities and showcase the potential threats you face by ignoring it. You can show many, many examples of why it should be included in strategic planning and used as a part of your toolkit. If you really have to convince the senior team of its value, you are already in a losing battle.

It seems that as communicators, we are smack in the middle of a huge shift in how we do things. In one week, I can go into one organization and find a senior team that shows interest, engagement and a recognition of the opportunity and the threats that social media presents and in another see a senior executive or board that is filled with fear and chooses to completely ignore it and bury their heads in the sand.

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There is change in the air in America – and it smells fresh and new. As President Obama was giving his inaugural speech yesterday and taking over the office of the Commander-in-Chief, a switch was flipped on www.whitehouse.gov. This site got a makeover that includes a new blog. With a focus on transparency, the new administration is posting all non-emergency legislation on this site so that the public can read it and comment before the President signs it.

Last year, I attended a social media conference where Bev Godwin, Director of USA.gov spoke. It’s not as though President Obama is introducing the Federal Government to Web 2.0, there has been movement towards a more transparent and interactive approach online for quite some time. The Department of Defense, Homeland Security, U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force are all active and interactive online. At the conference, Ms. Godwin spoke about the opportunity that social media presents in reaching out and creating authentic conversations that provide value for everyone involved, not just the politicians.

Now, with a leader who really “gets it,” it will be very interesting to see what happens when social media is embraced from the highest office in the U.S. and what kind of change will be created by embracing and increasing this kind of two-way communication.

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Today is an important day in the United States.

A new president has just been sworn in and it seems that the underlying theme of everything that Obama does is “hope.” Much has been said, written and discussed about the value that social and online media brought to the Obama campaign. It has been said that social media was the reason he won the election. While I think that it had a huge part in connecting him with people who were hungry to feel a part of something special, it took more than social media to elect him president. It took the right message at the right time. It took reaching out consistently online and in person. It took a team of excellent speechwriters and a group of intelligent advisors.

It also took understanding the community. And I think that is why Obama was able to use social media tools so well. He didn’t see the American people as his “audience,” he saw them as his people, his community and his fellow citizens.

He created a dialogue. He turned us (even those of us who can’t vote) into evangelists who helped to spread the message. He made us feel a part of something bigger than ourselves. He created a digital tribe that had no boundaries and was made up of people of every race and of every religion – we were all different and that was celebrated. We all belonged and can all make positive change in our world and the world around us.

No matter where he was or what he was doing, he was interacting. He was listening. He was connecting. He had a blog, he sent out email blasts and he was on Twitter. He was everywhere and he was listening. I think that it’s been a long time that any of us in Canada or the U.S. have felt that politicians care what we think. Many of us have never had this experience – it is new, fresh and exciting.

He has the right message and he understands who is a part of this conversation – all of us. Obama’s approach is inclusive, something that has been lacking in politics and our leaders for a long, long time.

Social or online media only provides tools, it’s how you use them that matters. All of the candidates had access to the same technology and tools that Obama and his team had. It’s just that Obama understood how to use them. It’s obvious that he likes the connection that technology provides. When he won the election, he was picked up by the cameras emailing and texting on his BlackBerry. Reaching out is natural to him. It is a part of who he is.

Today he was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America, and Barack Hussein Obama had to hand over his BlackBerry. I bet he will go into connection withdrawal. How he personally connects with people will change – the Office of the President demands that. It will be interesting to see how he handles this aspect of his new role. Of course, Obama seems to see things as they could be. So as the most wired president in the history of the country, it will be worth watching to see how he blends technology and communication with the duties of President.

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I had an interesting email discussion with a journalist this week about online reputation management. She was doing initial research for a story that will focus on the importance of online reputation for not-for-profits. I think it is an interesting story and it is a topic that is relevant to most organizations, especially in challenging times. People are talking about you, whether you know it or not.

All organizations, especially not-for-profits, are being affected by the current economic situation. The organization’s reputation is even more important now when it seems that a majority of people are watching their money and being more careful about how and where they spend.

We are consistently online checking what is being discussed about each of our clients, good and bad. It’s a part of the day-to-day for us. We check traditional media, relevant online and social media sites, blogs, microblogs like Twitter, and forums. Pretty much anywhere that we can access, we are following and monitoring. The key thing is what happens next, you have to review the information and take action if it is warranted.

Being responsive is essential online. A negative blog post or someone talking about an issue with your organization on Twitter needs to be responded to immediately, not at the end of the week when you get around to reading your Google Alerts, RSS feeds or other feeds (we monitor lots of other feeds and know how challenging it can be for you to monitor). This monitoring isn’t an easy thing to do – communications professionals are busy and this just adds to the stack of deadlines.

There are two approaches to online reputation management, one is the proactive approach that includes search engine optimization (SEO), reaching out and connecting with bloggers and others that could be talking about your organization (which should include staff, volunteers and other stakeholders). The other approach is reactive – responding to criticism (whether you believe it is accurate or not) and dealing with misinformation or leaked confidential information. Well, perhaps there are three approaches. The ostrich approach of burying your head in the sand and pretending that no one online is talking about you is one that we strongly recommend against.

You can’t delete what is being written online about you, but some organizations have managed to push it down in a Google search so that it doesn’t come up first. In our opinion, that’s a Band-Aid. If there are negative discussions going on about your organization online, you should find out what they are, check their source and make sure that it’s not a competitor or some other person or group that has a negative agenda (this kind of attack is dealt with differently).

If it is an individual or group that has an issue, listen to what they have to say, engage with them about what went wrong and why and, if it is authentic, make it right. See this as an opportunity to learn what your organization can be doing better and to hear directly from your customers, clients, critics and supporters.

Having the ability to learn what is being said about your organization—good and bad—and to respond immediately is a huge asset for a communicator.

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