Category Archives: Social software

A simple social marketing strategy using wikis & RSS feeds to ensure success

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‘LISTENING TO PEOPLE’S STORIES’ (see article on neuro-science research of how people break up new information).

CHALLENGE:

Lead a presentation to the DfES/DH/etc on how you would set about devising an effective communications approach to engage parents on the subject of childhood obesity.

HEADS UP

Parents are key influencers of children’s behaviour next to schools. Aim here is to engage parents, in particular those in disadvantaged, means more successful engagement. By getting to parents can get to children.

WHICH MEANS

That using communications to effect measurable behaviour change.

SCALABLE

Our approach is simple and scalable which means can be adjusted according to time and budget constraints, whilst still delivering measurable results, which gain column inches in local and national media.

1. The Context – show understanding

Healthy weight in children as a public health issue:

  • A healthy diet and regular physical activity contribute to general health and wellbeing. Children whose diet or physical activity levels are not healthy might become overweight or underweight – either of which can have a substantial effect on health both in childhood and in later life.
  • The Health Survey for England 2005 showed that rates of obesity are rising among children. In boys and girls aged 2–10 years, rates of obesity increased from 11% in 1995 to 17% in 2005. A further 16% of boys and 12% of girls were overweight.

2. Scoping  – using tried & tested social marketing approach  (thanks to the  National Consumer Council)

Simple steps:

Customer viewpoint                                                                                       
A strong ‘customer’ orientation with importance attached to understanding where the customer is starting from. Connected to knowing who exactly is the customer.

Behaviour                                                                                                              
Clear focus on understanding existing behaviour and key influences on it, alongside developing clear measurable behavioural goals.

‘Intervention mix’ and ‘marketing mix’                                                 
Using a range (or ‘mix’) of different interventions or methods to achieve a particular behavioural goal. 

Cost to the customer                                                                           
Understanding what is being expected of ‘the customer’, the real social cost to them.

Time                                                                                                                 
Use and application of the ‘competition’ concept – understanding factors that impact on the customer and that compete for their attention and time.

The development – inclusive of stakeholders

  1. Use online project tool which easy to use – with built in permissions – a wiki to share ideas and steps in the project with all stakeholders
  1. So are no nasty suprises only nice ones – share proposals with you and get ready feedback – tack advantage of syngery with other stakeholder activity – ‘wisdom of the crowd’.
  1. So speeds up time to completion and sign-off – and where recorded in terms of version and ID of all sign-offs
  1. Ensures measurement of success is closely tied in with process of how build

To quote Bananarama: “Its not what you do it’s the way that you do it and that’s what gets results”!

Implementing – media success stories

  1. Test approach in pilot if there’s budget.
  1. Evaulate and refine – use wiki to record results in lightweight – RSS for updates so can be flexible if one things works and another doesn’t.
  1. Celebrate success – make sure media knows about the impact.

New study finds all-round skills are key for internal communicators

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“Internal communicators need good all-round skills and tend not to specialise too heavily”, according to new research. These findings from Competent Communicators’ Sue Dewhurst and Liam FitzPatrick “challenge common views that the best professionals are focused on providing strategic advice rather than getting involved in delivery work”, which makes sense to me :

Dewhurst and FitzPatrick began researching competencies among internal communicators to support their training courses. In a global survey, which they claim is the largest of its kind, they explored what jobs communicators are doing and the attributes they need to be effective.

“In recent years there’s been a general feeling that all internal communicators need to be high-level consultants,” says Dewhurst. “But when we talk to people, we hear that they’re really doing a much more balanced range of things.”

“Adds FitzPatrick: “What this seems to be saying is that organisations need their internal communicators to be strong all-rounders – writers, planners, advisors and organisers. And what it’s not saying is that IC people can only make a difference if they’re working as internal consultants.”

Introducing 12 model competencies
Their findings are published in a new report by Melcrum, How to develop outstanding internal communicators, which also includes a set of 12 model competencies that can be used to help recruit, develop and promote internal communicators.

The 12 model competencies are:

1. Building effective relationships
2. Business focus
3. Consulting and coaching
4. Cross-functional awareness
5. Craft (writing and design)
6. Developing other communicators
7. Innovation and creativity
8. Listening
9. Making it happen
10. Planning
11. Specialist
12. Vision and standards

These competencies cover the core skills, knowledge and experience that communicators say they need to do their jobs well. As a follow-up to the survey, the researchers interviewed dozens of practitioners and held focus groups to refine these competencies and identify the behaviours that might be displayed at a basic, intermediate or advanced level.

Importantly, the competencies highlight the need for communicators to have both advisory and delivery skills. Says Dewhurst: “We were continually told that IC professionals are most valued when they make things happen and don’t just talk about it.”


Expertise in core areas
The study also showed that there was agreement among practitioners at every level on the core skills that all IC practitioners should display. “Although no one could be expected to be a master of new media and all the tools at our disposal, there’s a clear consensus that IC people need to be able to at least write well and be skilled in the core areas that matter in their workplace,” explains FitzPatrick. “Our research confirms that colleagues expect the IC team to be able to provide expertise in some fundamental areas.”