SMPS 2010

Team Motley Crew in starring roles

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:46:57 -0700

Thanks to Craig MacCormack of ZweigWhite for featuring Allison Brooks, Mike Plotnick, and Gina Miller in the August 2010 issue of "Marketing Now."

08 August_MN.pdf Download this file

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What's Your 'Unexpected Outcome'?

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:40:00 -0700

One of the unexpected – but terrific – outcomes of our firm's social media activity has been the positive impact it’s had on internal communications. When we initially conceived of our external blog, current employees really weren’t a target audience – yet they are increasingly active participants and visitors. It has knit together our large, dispersed organization in ways that traditional communications vehicles (including our bi-weekly e-newsletter) hadn’t.

So, what's YOUR unexpected outcome from using social media???

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What's your social media marketing program?

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:50:00 -0700

From Marjanne —

First I noticed this post from @CannonDesign:

and then this:

Now I'm hoping that @CannonDesign will share their social media story with all of us by posting it in the "comments" for this question.

And PS — I'd like to hear *your* story, too.

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Social Brand & Business by David Armano

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:29:10 -0700

via flickr.com

If you don't know David Armano of Edelman Digital, you should start following him: @armano via Twitter

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Just How 'Motley' Was This 'Crew'?

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:18:00 -0700

Disclaimer: Some (very minor) details may have been (ever-so-slightly) embellished to enhance the reader experience. Please try your best to suspend disbelief…

From the moment I accepted the invitation to speak at SMPS 2010, I had a hunch it would be a memorable experience.

But I had no idea just how much of an understatement that would prove to be.

My first exposure to Team Motley Crew came through an introductory call facilitated by a very perky woman answering to the name of Next-Moon. I think it must have been her Indian name.

My fellow panelists seemed nice enough, but I really wasn’t buying their charade. Clearly, these ladies were out for blood. One (Gina) claimed to have worked with everyone from Elizabeth Dole to Lady Gaga, and the other (Alli) took every opportunity to remind us just how much younger and hipper she was than the rest of us. I spent most of the time counting my Twitter followers.

By the time we finished our conversation, everyone agreed that I would be the first (i.e. “warm-up”) speaker, followed by the more sophisticated panelists.

When we gathered to rehearse in Boston, I was shocked to find that Alli had arranged for the room to be filled with lilac-scented candles, gently chilled Evian and a large bowl of all-red Skittles. She insisted it was part of her “centering” ritual. Gina was less particular about the room setup, but insisted that her photo remain on the screen for as long as possible. She also boasted that she came armed with a slick stop-action video presentation. That certainly trumped my attempt to curry favor with the crowd by offering free book giveaways. Chief Next-Moon remained quite diplomatic throughout the rehearsal, although she did candidly disclose her plan to use the experience to finagle a keynote role at SMPS 2011.

The morning of our presentation, I arrived to discover that Next-Moon had been up all night rearranging the room. She informed us that she would remain in view throughout the presentation (“for consistency”), while the rest of us would be hidden from public view (or, as she liked to call it, “extreme stage-left”). Gina seemed unfazed, taunting us with her ultra-cool iPad. Alli, meanwhile, just kept muttering refrains of “Yes, and…”

I retreated to a corner and assumed the fetal position (part of MY “centering” ritual). I’m not quite sure what prompted the ladies to call the hotel medical team, but I assume their intentions were pure. I do think the restraints were unnecessary – even if the medics insisted they were just following hotel protocol.

In the end, it all worked out well. Team Motley Crew came together and performed like pros. Gina got plenty of face-time on the screen, Alli honored her IKEA endorsement contract, and Next-Moon gracefully positioned herself for a keynote slot at SMPS 2011. I was just honored to come along for the ride, and so grateful to have met such a gracious, motley crew.

Respectfully Submitted,

Mike (@SomeChum) Plotnick

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Session 504 Executive Summary

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:47:00 -0700

For your reading pleasure — the Executive Summary of the 2010 SMPS Build Business Conference, Session #504, featuring Team Motley Crew.

SMPS_Session504_Final.pdf Download this file

Mike Plotnick, Vice President and Communications Manager with HOK, was first on the panel with "Building a Strategy." As a 'social media evangelist' within HOK, he and his team pioneered and proselytized a comprehensive social media program that is admired throughout the architectural profession. The program includes a platform of blogs, videos, photos, and conversations authored by creative HOK folks around the world. Mike told us why HOK developed the program, how they engaged their people, and what the results have been.

Allison Brooks is Director of Business Development with Winter Street Architects in Salem MA. With the segue from HOK to Winter Street, we moved from the giants to a much more typical design practice — a regional architecture firm with 20 people. Her focus was "Building Engagement" through social media, both inside and outside their firm. Remarkably, more than half of their firm, including the Founding Principals, are actively participating in writing articles for their blog, with Allison orchestrating the overall effort. She told us what they were doing and how it has affected their business development efforts.

Gina R. Miller, Managing Partner of DMD Insights, came from the world of Madison Avenue PR and advertising. Today's she's a strategist in the AEC Industry, connecting brands to core audiences. The focus of her presentation was "Building Influence," and she used case studies to illustrate how to reach a broader audience and build relationships, thereby enhancing reputation and influence. Most importantly, the examples are relevant to design firms of any size.

We'd love your comments (and questions, too).

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Customize These Strategies for Yourself

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:02:33 -0700

For those interested in learning more about the “Ikea Effect,” the “Yes, and..” principle and much, much more about how to manage, engage and influence in a creative company, I suggest you check out one of my favorite marketing resources, The 99% Blog: http://the99percent.com/tips

This blog has a plethora of tips, advise, anecdotes and case studies about the creative industries. While I cannot take credit for the “Ikea Effect” and the “Yes, and” principle, I can tell you that I used the information they gave me and customized it specifically for my firm. I invite you to do the same – look for patterns, opportunities and nuggets of wisdom that pertain to you. And then translate it to make a positive impact for your business!

Remember: these ideas are to be taken with a grain of salt. You cannot implement a successful marketing/business development and SoMe strategy without a lot of work and dedication. It still takes a combination of understanding of your employees and clients mixed with initiative and strategic thinking to start to see results. At least, this is has been my experience.

“An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.” - Friedrich Engels

Also big credit to the artist ROLAND REINER TIANGCO for inspiring me to “get my hands dirty” (image).

Good Luck!

Allison Brooks

Winter Street Architects

@AllisonBrooks

@Winter_Street

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Improvisational theatre - Wikipedia

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:38:00 -0700

At #SMPS504, @AllisonBrooks told a terrific story about the "yes, and" process in improv. Here's more information about how to build momentum in a collaborative setting.

Improvisational theatre allows an interactive relationship with the audience. Improv groups frequently solicit suggestions from the audience as a source of inspiration, a way of getting the audience involved, and as a means of proving that the performance is not scripted. That charge is sometimes aimed at the masters of the art, whose performances can seem so detailed that viewers may suspect the scenes were planned.

In order for an improvised scene to be successful, the improvisers involved must work together responsively to define the parameters and action of the scene, in a process of co-creation. With each spoken word or action in the scene, an improviser makes an offer, meaning that he or she defines some element of the reality of the scene. This might include giving another character a name, identifying a relationship, location, or using mime to define the physical environment. These activities are also known as endowment. It is the responsibility of the other improvisers to accept the offers that their fellow performers make; to not do so is known as blocking, negation, or denial, which usually prevents the scene from developing. Some performers may deliberately block (or otherwise break out of character) for comedic effect—this is known as gagging -- but this generally prevents the scene from advancing and is frowned upon by many improvisers. Accepting an offer is usually accompanied by adding a new offer, often building on the earlier one; this is a process improvisers refer to as "Yes, And..." and is considered the cornerstone of improvisational technique. Every new piece of information added helps the improvisers to refine their characters and progress the action of the scene.

via en.wikipedia.org

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How to incorporate Twitter into your live event - Holy Kaw!

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:19:32 -0700

One of the best ways to take advantage of the micro-blogging site that has millions of users around the globe addicted to tweeting is to use it to enhance your live event. By streaming your event and encouraging viewers to participate in the conversation, you’re expanding your reach and learning a lot more about what people think about your brand and cause. See a few tips on incorporating Twitter into your event below:

Establish an event hashtag.

Create buzz before the event (promote the hashtag).

Host a live stream.

Get all five tips at Twitip.

Total Twitter coverage.

Photo credit: Fotolia

via holykaw.alltop.com

We used these suggestions for #smps504 at #smps2010, and it really added to the event. (Prizes didn't hurt either, especially since the live-tweeters didn't know they would be winning some pretty terrific books.) Thanks to everyone who participated!

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Have questions for Team Motley Crew?

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:07:00 -0700

Our panel -- Allison Brooks (@AllisonBrooks), Gina Miller (@GinaRMiller), Mike Plotnick (@SomeChum), and Marjanne Pearson (@nextmoon) -- are here to answer your questions about social media marketing strategy in the AEC Industry.

We were in Boston for the SMPS 2010 Build Business Conference, and our session on Harnessing the Power of Social Media was Friday, July 16

You can continue to post questions as comments on this Posterous site, or (even better) post your question on Twitter with the hashtag #smps504.

Once we're back on from traveling home, we'll answer as we can. We encourage you to ask questions or join the conversation by commenting here or on Twitter.

Follow #smps504 here.

Follow #smps2010 here.

And if you want to instantly follow everyone tweeting about #smps504 or #smps2010, check out http://www.blastfollow.com (type in the hashtag and instantly follow everyone at once).

(Thanks to Jason Wagner @threefourteen) for the tip.

PS - We'll be posting our Executive Summary here and on the SMPS Learning Site. Stay tuned....

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Tweet to Win!

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:45:00 -0700

Tweet about #smps504 and #smps2010 and copy @somechum or @nextmoon, or bring a copy of your tweet to the session on Friday, July 16 at 10:30am.

The Motley Crew — @AllisonBrooks, @GinaRMiller, @SomeChum, @NextMoon — is gearing up for Session #504 at Build Business 2010 in Boston next week.

The program should be terrific, but we're not above beckoning you with offers of prizes for those who tweet about the session.

HOK (via @SomeChum) offers two great books:

The Green Workplace: Sustainable Strategies that Benefit Employees, the Environment, and the Bottom Line [Hardcover]

Gyo Obata: Architect Clients Reflections [Hardcover]

SMPS (via @nextmoon) offers:

SMPS: Marketing Handbook for the Design & Construction Professional

Chris Brogan + Julien Smith: Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust [Hardcover]

Judy Schriener offers her new book:

Judy Schriener: Building for Boomers (McGraw-Hill)

Last but not least, from beautiful San Francisco / Sonoma / Mendocino, Marjanne Pearson offers:

Fran Gage: The New American Olive Oil (Hardcover)

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Make Way for Team Motley Crew!

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:24:41 -0700

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motley_crew

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Harnessing the Power of Social Media to Enhance Competitive Advantage

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:51:00 -0700

SMPS BUILD BUSINESS 2010

Presentation Details

Session Title

Harnessing the Power of Social Media to Enhance Competitive Advantage

Track

Success Stories from the Trenches

Session

Number 504

Day and Time

Friday 7/16/2010 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Description

Everyone is buzzing about social media, but they're also grappling with how to leverage these new tools to drive strategic business and reach marketing goals. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn may help you reach new audiences, but are they really the right ones for your business? Are you effectively harnessing the power of social media to reach, engage, and differentiate, thereby propelling you toward your goals? Our panelists will present case studies on how they have successfully aligned vision, marketing strategy, and social media to create multi-directional platforms in order to shape perception and build constituencies.

Learner Outcome 1

Understand how progressive firms are using social media to reach targeted audiences, build influence, and shape perception.

Learner Outcome 2

Gain knowledge about the strategic potential of social media platforms as marketing distribution channels.

Learner Outcome 3

Take home real-world, achievable examples of successful social media programs

Presenters

Marjanne Pearson, Managing Director (Marjanne Pearson Associates)

Marjanne Pearson is an inveterate networker who became intrigued with the power of social media to build constituencies. Recognized as an industry pioneer, Marjanne has the ability to ask the questions that should be on the strategic agenda of every design firm. She is the founder of Marjanne Pearson Associates — a consulting practice that focuses on strategies for organizational resiliency and success. Her clients are a remarkable constellation of design firms including signature architects, emergent practices, regional powerhouses, and corporate giants. Her published articles and podcasts are available at www.nextmoon.com/research.html and you can follow her on Twitter as @nextmoon.

Mike Plotnick, Vice President and Communications Manager (HOK)

Mike Plotnick, LEED® AP, is a public relations practitioner who has discovered the power of social media for connecting with target audiences and unleashing a brand. As Vice President and Communications Manager at HOK, he directs internal and external communications strategies to position the global architectural firm's people, projects and expertise worldwide. In this role, he leads a team that pioneered and facilitates HOK’s industry-leading social media platform. His communications projects have been honored with Gold, Silver and Bronze Quill Awards from the International Association of Business Communicators. You can follow him on Twitter as @SomeChum.

Gina Miller, Managing Director, Architecture Group (DMD Insight)

Gina Miller is a strategist in integrated marketing, leading strategy, and account management for design-centric clients in architecture, design, culture, finance, and philantrophy. As the leader of DMD's Architecture Group, she connects brands like Hunter Douglas Contract with core audiences to meet business objectives. Gina came to the A/E/C industry after holding account management positions with global agencies FCB and Ogilvy, working with consumer goods companies like Nabisco, Campbell's, Lipton, and Hasbro. She also was the Director of Marketing for the American Red Cross, and is always well-prepared in case of emergency. You can follow her on Twitter as @GinaRMiller.

Allison Brooks, Director of Business Development (Winter Street Architects)

Allison Brooks is a marketing communications specialist in the design industry. Recognized as a pacesetter among her peers, Allison develops innovative marketing platforms that drive ROI for small businesses in the creative economy, including her current firm, an award-winning architecture and interior design firm in Salem, MA. Allison is also a former marketing consultant for renowned futurist Ray Kurzweil and has assisted in the development of numerous venture backed startups. Allison holds a BA in Arts Management from Emerson College, and an MBA in Innovation & Design Management from Suffolk University. Follow her on Twitter as @AllisonBrooks and @Winter_Street.

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