Marketing With Heart
January 17, 2009
| 31 January, 2009 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 2:00 pm |
Sarah James of Art of Becoming is running another Marketing with Heart workshop on January 31st at the Cornerstone Community Centre in Hove.
I was lucky to attend the first one and I really recommend this workshop and follow-up session with Sarah.
It ain’t your standard marketing workshop. Sarah uses a variety of techniques to get deeply into what you want to communicate about what you do and then leads exercises that help explore what is stopping you getting the word out. We all want to be communicating honestly and authentically about who we are and what we do, and this workshop explores that in a surprising, supportive and fun way. And the followup one-on-one is great for cementing that new direction or going deeper.
Sarah says:
In the Workshop:
We will explore a different way of looking at marketing that offers a bigger picture of where your business is, and where you would like it to be. We’ll use a systemic perspective and open up the idea of business communication as a flow of energy through your organisation. Approaching your business at a deeper level helps you check that your marketing messages are coming from the heart and are targeting the right people in the right way. This is a creative session with a small group in a friendly, supportive environment.
In the One-to-One:
Bring all your ideas from the workshop and use my professional experience to help you tailor your perfect marketing strategy. Channel your creative energy through your practical business plans.
I loved it, and I’m not one for marketing workshops. There was depth and authenticity in this approach that worked for me. You’ll see some of the results of my insight here on Nodestone in the next few months.
More info from Marketing with Heart
THE most amazing video clip (really!)
January 15, 2009
Many thanks to Jenny Davy for this short piece from David Attenborough and the Australian Lyre Bird – now officially one of the most interesting species in the world. This is no hoax – just ask Dickie bird.
Ironically, this is an Aussie via a Pom via an Aussie to an Aussie in Pommy Land!
As Jen says, in her usual understated way “Fascinating stuff, eh?”
Enjoy. Comment. Do something about it even.
A toolkit for communicating
January 11, 2009
If you haven’t checked it out yet, have a good look at Message in-a-Box “A toolkit for communicating your cause”.
It’s relevant to anyone that needs to communicate in life and work.
When Nodestone was commissioned by the Tactical Tech Collective earlier in the year to help bring it together, I faced a somewhat overwhelming task as you might imagine when you see it.
What is it? A rather large online resource for learning how to communicate better, to put it simply.
More specifically, it’s an international educational platform for people in NGOs and campaigning organisations that demonstrates how to use low-tech and high-tech tools and tactics to work on some of the hardest issues of our times.
We show you how to think strategically (about goals, resources and time) and then know which tools and tactics (eg. images / print / audio / video / internet / mobiles and media) to choose to get your message across.
Here’s how Tactical Tech describe it:
“…a set of strategic guides to using communications tools for social change, together with a suite of open source tools to get you making your own media. The toolkit is designed for small and medium-sized NGOs, advocates, and citizen journalists to help them create and distribute content for their advocacy efforts while exploring the constantly evolving world of campaigning and communications.”
The feedback has been excellent around the world. A much needed resource.
Here’s an example of how it works:
This section helps you find out how others have used images effectively and creatively. It helps you learn how to find, create, edit, share great images, with an emphasis on photographs, comics, maps and simple animated images.
You will also find the power of images throughout Message in-a-Box, eg. in websites, blogs, guerilla marketing, video and animation.
Images add impact to stories, blog posts, websites, posters,brochures, email campaigns – whatever campaigning channels and tools you are using.
What do you need?
Essential: ideas, creativity, imagination, a strategy.
Extra: people to help, internet access, mobile phone and/or a camera (digital or other), source books/comics/cartoons collected from anywhere or commissioned.
Sokwanele – interactive violence map
Having worked in communications as a consultant, writer, activism and educator for (gosh!) over 20 years, it was a dream to be able to put these threads of life to good use. To make something practical and tangible.
Message-in-a-Box is about the power of PR being brought to the people who have historically had least access to it. Things were all explained in the simplest possible terms with examples and free software downloads. From human rights abuses to clean water – NGOs on little or no budget obviously need education and support. It’s an egalitarian Aussie’s delight.
In London, Botswana or Mumbai, Message-in-a-Box is now available for free, 24/7. A print version with DVD software is also being distributed. It’s actually a good resource for anyone a clear (hopefully) perspective on getting your message across.
Along the way we got to massage the words and ideas of some great folk like Becky Faith, Dr Dan McQuillan and Heleana Quartey. Hopefully to first incarnation is already being put to some good use.
Once thing I’m hoping Tactical Tech do soon is to improve collaboration and “stickiness” on the site. Feedback, registration etc… Also the use of images and stills, sound and video clips to make the resource more visual and interactive – to practice what we preach!
Over the years we have increasingly worked on projects that pass positive screens for social / eco accountability. Put another way… that feel good. Like:
- widgets for TrickleStar and the BBC
- social carbon measurement for Global Action Plan
- edu-marketing for the Guerrand Hermes Foundation for Peace
- teaching blogging to communities and companies
- setting up The Big Love Gift Guide
- running a massive campaign for TV Turn Off Week.
Client links and feedback here…
But as long as you aren’t arms dealers, we can usually find or create some positive values in just about any project. Get in touch if you want to know how Nodestone can help you feel good about your work.
Recent Comments