storytelling
Defining Your Organization’s Story
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 | Identity Crisis | 5 Comments
I believe the importance of storytelling is currently under-utilized in the market–yet it’s becoming ever more needed. As a customer myself, I value companies that take a position, that share their values and back them up with action–companies that are more than a company–but a passionate group of people not afraid to add to the manuscript.
But as an organization–how do you get everyone on the same page? Sure–a communications brief, a missions statement, or a value statement might provide a route to defining one’s table of contents. However, constructing those documents can be an intimidating, formal and painstakingly long process. So, I have another remedy for you.
Jump over to Ogilvy PR’s recent post where Patagonia’s VP of Marketing shares Patagonia’s story. The simple, bullet format provided offers insight into the values Patagonia has, the position it takes and how it translates both into business.When done reading, try the exercise out for your own organization. Try it with a colleague or even try it with a customer–what were your answers? Did you have an answer? And if you did the exercise with someone else–how’d the answers differ?
Now, my next question: What process might you recommend for an organization wanting to define its story?
PS: I want to give props to an organization who is doing this right (examples always help)–> Worldways Social Marketing. The title of their blog is my favorite title of any blog, We Take Sides. It tells me where they stand. It gives me a feel for the type of company they are, and communicates to me that they are a passionate group of people who believe in what they do–without any corporate speak. Your turn: Who do you think is doing it right?
Mr. Roboto is…a Social Marketeer?
Monday, November 16th, 2009 | Education and Resources | No Comments
Yes, you heard correctly. Who ever thought you’d hear the word “robot” used in the same sentence of “social marketing?” Julia Snow of SocialMarketingEast did.
Using online technology xtranormal, Snow created three YouTube tutorials about social marketing–each lasting about a minute and a half–featuring robots. The idea is for anyone to create their own videos or to submit questions that can be addressed in future tutorials.
Below, you can follow part one of the robots explaining what social marketing is and how it’s different from traditional marketing. Part two gives a simplified look at the exchange theory. In part three, the robots discuss segmentation.
We talk about making our communications innovative, unique and creative; thus, I like how Snow and SocialMarketingEast are doing just that. With the help of robots, perhaps we can better brand integrates these social marketing as a field, as well as educate others about its potential.
*Special thanks to the National Social Marketing Centre (NSMC) for featuring these videos in its latest e-bulletin. You can sign-up for the bulletin at the bottom left of NSMC’s home page.
Be Inspired by this Week’s Blogger Neighbor: Stacey Monk @ EpicChange
Thursday, May 8th, 2008 | Blogger Neighbors | 3 Comments
Continuing my weekly “Blogger Neighborhood Series” in honor of the great Mr. Rogers, who called us to “Get to know our neighbor,” I welcome Stacey Monk from Epic Change, who continues to leave me inspired.
Stacey is an amazing writer, showing both her contagious passion and gracious, sincere personality through every word, so I’ll let her tell you about her journey, mission and how she’s gotten to where she is…
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Blog Topics:
The Epic Change Blog is a diary of our experiment in social entrepreneurship and an organization I recently founded called Epic Change. We started it just after we received our 501c3 determination last September, and we blog whatever we’ve experienced on the journey since then, including:
- our social media and storytelling efforts,
- updates from Mama Lucy, the founder of the school we’re helping to rebuild in Tanzania,
- anecdotal stories about our trips and stories of the children at the school like Gideon & Glory,
- the inspirations for our work, and
- our feelings about the social entrepreneurship experience.
We try to give a complete, transparent picture of what we’re working on so that our supporters can feel engaged in what we’re doing, and so other folks can learn from our mistakes and successes. We also try to provide regular opportunities on our blog for folks to get involved. Last week, for instance, to celebrate National Volunteer Week, we provided daily opportunities for our readers to perform 10-minute volunteer activities.
About the Author:
I’m a nerd, a recovering military brat, a perpetual nomad and a total sap. I believe the world is what we make it. I started my career managing a performing arts series, moved into public sector consulting for Deloitte, then worked in IT strategy & change leadership at Genentech and, finally, launched a small change management consulting firm called Funken Consulting. Last year, I left for Africa, came back, stopped working for money & founded Epic Change, a nonprofit that “helps hopeful people in need tell their epic true stories to acquire the resources they need to create change in their communities.” I have a BA in Philosophy and a grad degree in performing arts management from the public policy school at Carnegie Mellon. I like to think that artsy background helps me be more creative in my approach to social change. You can check out my street cred on LinkedIn.
If you could live on any street, what would that street be named and why?
I’d live where Hope, Audacity, Authenticity, & Gratitude intersect because I know I’d like the other people who live there. [This is my favorite quote of the week!]
Who would be your dream real-life neighbor?
Any man who can sing. For today, let’s say John Mayer. His song Say is stuck on my brain. Or maybe Josh Groban. His voice makes me feel like I’m in the presence of an angel.
If you were in charge of the planning the neighborhood’s block party, what entertainment would you plan?
Ditto, previous question. Or I’d plan a performance by a dance troupe that I love like Alvin Ailey or Momix. Or we’d dance ourselves, which might be the most fun. Despite my chubbiness, I love to dance. I’m certified to teach ZUMBA and Shake Your Soul.
If you customized your own license plate, what would it say and why?
FEARNOT, URHOPE or THANKU
What would you gift to a new neighbor as the perfect welcoming gift?
Blueberry Pie. Despite 1950s connotations, pies = love.
What’s your favorite blog post and why?
I’d like to point to something brilliant by someone else, because I’ve taken so much as inspiration. Right now, today, though, I’m really wrapped up in what’s unfolding as a result of my recent, totally random, guest post on the Go Big Always blog of Jive CMO Sam Lawrence. I met him totally randomly on Twitter, and last Wednesday after midnight, when he was tweeting that he didn’t feel like posting to his uber-popular marketing blog, I offered to take his place. He, probably in jest, wrote back “Go for it ;)” and I did. That single post has led to a flurry of others, including one on ZDNet, a tweet by @Scobleizer, and a connection to social media giant Jeremiah Owyang, as well as a drastic increase in the number of people interested in our cause. So for today, the Go Big Always post is surely my fave, despite the fact that it begins with a reference to feces.
What’s one lesson you’ve learned from blogging?
Be authentic.
Past Blogger Neighbors Include:
- Osocio @ Osocio nominated by SocialButterfly
- Beth Kanter @ Beth’s Blog nominated by SocialButterfly
- Beth Dunn @ Small Dots nominated by Beth Kanter
- Len Edgerly @ LenEdgerly.com nominated by Beth Dunn
- …and now, Stacey Monk @ Epic Change nominated by the Twitter-verse
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This continuous weekly series highlights different blogs and their respective bloggers in the blogosphere neighborhood. Following the great Mr. Rogers, who tells us to ‘Get to know your neighbor,’ this series introduces us to our blogger neighbors, making for a more unified, collaborative voice for the social sector. Like to nominate someone or be featured yourself? Contact me @ socialbutterfly4change@gmail.com.
Alexandra Bornkessel
Email: socialbutterfly4change@gmail.com
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