COM0015 Assignment #5: Event Participation

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) represents more than 30,000 members in 235 chapters throughout the world, working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs.  The association encourages the development and growth of fundraising professionals and promotes high ethical standards in the fundraising profession. AFP Ottawa is a diverse community of people who make a life bringing people together to support efforts to create a better community, country and world.

On May 13, 2014 I  attended the Association of Fundraising Professional Fundraising Day  that was held at The Ottawa Conference and Event Centre. The day consisted of nine workshops all related to the topic of  fundraisers and 20+ exhibitors who were eager to chat about what’s new in the industry.

The Highlight of the event for me was listening to inspirational and life-changing keynote speaker,  His Excellency The Right Honorable David Johnston 

The Governor-General David Johnston talked about one of his passions—giving—alongside another of his passions—education. “Learning, as we know, is a lifelong pursuit, one made all the more important by the work you are doing to improve our communities.” As president of the University of Waterloo and earlier as a Principle of McGill, when it comes to raising money and achieving goals the Governor is no stranger.

He pointed out that during his many travels from coast to coast, he has had numerous opportunities to see the remarkable work being done by volunteers and philanthropists, those who donate time, talent and money to make other peoples lives better. “I have also seen how much more needs to be done. I have seen that reaching a goal takes a concentrated effort, from multiple organizations, from many different people, from those who give a little and those who give a lot.”

The Governor spoke of his new campaign that he launched late last year, aimed at sharing stories of giving in Canada. The idea behind the My Giving Moment  initiative is that we all have something to give  and when we tell our stories, we help inspire others.”Thousands of Canadians have told their stories and have made contributions, be they, in time, talent or money, on scales large or small. That is what giving moments are all about.”

His Excellency ended his speech by saying “I hope you will keep in mind the importance of the role you play in our society. You know that giving matters, that it can make all the difference in the world. You raise money for a cause, but you also raise the hope of those who benefit from this generosity. How we do this more effectively? that is what you are here to learn. We need to transform the way we think about giving in Canada, redefine giving for the modern age, and create a virtuous circle in which we can all take part in and can all benefit from giving moments.”

His Excellency The Right Honorable David Johnston

Throughout the day I spoke with a variety of people asking them what they do, why they decided to attend this particular workshop and if they could suggest other similar Events that I should attend. Everyone was friendly and eager to talk about what brought them there. Jamie Inring Senor Lead Corporate Development & Philanthropy for The Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health and I exchanged contact and have since been in touch via email.

Networking

I have always had a heart of a philanthropist and have done my best to help people in need, that is why I decided to attend this event. After hearing the Governor General’s speech and interacting with everyone, including Jamie Inring, it really motivated me and got me thinking. In the future there is a very good possibility I will take the knowledge of social media that I have gained  throughout this course and create a virtuous circle in which I can take part in and can benefit from giving moments.

I feel while in a networking environment, you can learn a tremendous amount from others. The power of observation is in full force. I like to think of networking as a focus group. Being aware of what works best for you and what doesn’t. Learn how to improve by observing those around you. Networking is both an art and a science.  But in the end – networking should be fun, exciting and a rewarding approach to advancement. The more you network – with a positive outlook – the more you will learn. For these reasons alone, I can see myself attending a similar event again in the future.

COM0015 Blog # 4-Out Of The Box

Tweeting is no longer only an earthly phenomenon. Astronauts of all countries are represented on Twitter, Instagram and other sites, allowing users to connect, engage and learn about space on an incredibly personal level — something that is unthinkable without the use of social media.

Astronaut Mike Massimino made history with the first Tweet from space on May 12, 2009.

 

Eight months later, on January 22, 2010, astronaut TJ Creamer sent the first real-time tweet from space.

 

Canada’s very own  Astronaut, Colonel Chris Hadfield, has become an internet sensation giving those on Earth a rare glimpse into the everyday lives of those living and working on the International Space Station and the spectacular views they see everyday. Feb. 17, 2013, Chris Hadfiled took to Reddit to answer questions for the first Reddit AMA From Space. His post generated more than 7,500 comments and 45,000 upvotes.

Image by: i1-news.softpedia-static.com

 

Feb. 22, 2013 Chris Hadfield along with fellow astronauts Kevin Ford, and Tom Marshburn answered the web’s questions in the first  live  Google Hangouts from space.

Image by: Slate V Staff

 

NASA hosted a two-day NASA Social for 50 of its social media followers on April 1 and 2, 2014, at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and the Deep Space Network complex in Goldstone, Calif. The event was  part of a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN), the world’s largest and most powerful communications system for “talking” to spacecraft.  A NASA Social was an informal meeting of people who used social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Participants at this event were  provided with a unique in-person experience  in which they were encouraged to share with others through their favorite social networks

Image by: NASASocial

 

Chris Hadfield belted out David Bowie’s 1969 hit song “Space Oddity” in the first  music video created in space filmed aboard the International Space Station on May 12, 2013.

Most recently, on April 7, 2014 astronaut Steven “Swanny” Swanson shared this snapshot on the official Instagram feed of the International Space Station with the caption: “Back on ISS, life is good”.

The  social media revolution that has taken place in the last few years has caused a new order of interaction between people and it’s incredibly exciting. It’s just proof that what you take for granted can be changed in a day, and instantly when the right set of circumstances comes together. Thanks to social media, outer space feels closer than ever before. I for one can’t wait to see what the future of social media has in store for us.

 

Refrences

https://stories.twitter.com/en/mike_massimino.html

http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/nasa-astronaut-tj-creamer_b33618

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/18pik4/i_am_astronaut_chris_hadfield_currently_orbiting

http://www.space.com/19918-space-google-hangout-nasa-astronauts.html

http://www.nasa.gov/content/celebrate-50-years-of-communicating-in-deep-space/#.U3JKHIFdVU0

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/the-first-instagram-image-uploaded-from-space-is-a-selfie-nofilter-9245673.html

Com0015- Blog # 3 Professional Networking now and in the Future

Image from:http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/11/top-5-vancouver-networking-events-to-attend-in-december/

Building a professional network of clients and contacts for a  business involves Many things .How you relate to people, building strong relationships, having an  awareness of the people who interact with your business,  and communicating effectively with people.
When it comes to networking, building relationships are my first priority. By developing relationships with people I am able to turn small talk into opportunities. Opportunities are all around, awareness takes opportunities and turns them into possibilities
The great part about blogging is my readers can give me direct feedback on what I publish. I can take advantage of this by leaving relevant, intelligent, insightful, and thought-provoking comments on their blog.

A step further than commenting is answering what they said on my own blog, with more detail, and using a trackback to notify them -Trackbacks are generated automatically through the publishing of a link in a post or Page that points to another post or Page on your site or another site with trackbacks enabled. Bloggers are generally big fans of positive conversations about them, and love being linked to.

There are many  communication tools out there, such as , Skype that help assist in speedy conversations. It’s always good to explore, and take new things into account, but never forget the fundamentals!
Using social networking giants like Facebook, Twitter, Google +, LinkedIn and YouTube allows me to expand my community without having to leave the comfort of my home. There is nothing better than networking off-line that’s why to improve my success, I plan on attending live events.

Image from :http://www.ranklogos.com/websites-logos/meetup-logo/

There is always a variety of face to face networking events happening in and around Ottawa. MEET UPS tends to be less formal, and potentially less intimidating for people inexperienced in networking like myself. Two that have caught my interest are The Gay and Lesbian Business Professionals Network and the Women’s Network of Ottawa

LGBT Business professionals in Ottawa provide networking opportunities and allow attendees to make useful business contacts in and around Ottawa. This is a great opportunity to build relationships with other like minded Professionals to collaborate, share ideas and help each other grow our business and build referral networks. http://www.meetup.com/Gay-and-Lesbian-Business-Professionals-Network/
The Women’s Network of Ottawa (WNO) is an organization of approximately 400 business and professional women that meets at a variety of central locations and times as a networking opportunity and to educate and inform members through guest speakers. The Organization has provided an open forum for women to network since 1977 – over 30 years! They usually have between 25 to 50 women at each meeting ranging from early 20’s right on up. More than 80% of their members are in the private sector or are self-employed. http://www.meetup.com/Womens-Network-of-Ottawa/

Because networking does not finish after the first meeting I plan on sending a follow-up email, perhaps meet some connections that I made for a coffee, and definitely connect on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. I hope by Integrating social media into my standard networking strategy it will take me to the next level of interaction with potential customers. By Combining a social media networking strategy with a face-to-face approach, I will have fun and potentially gain loyal long term customers.

COM0015- Blog #2 Strong & Weak organizations

Social media is all about what’s happening right now and for brands to break the noise, it is important to remain relevant to the customer. This means having a central command center for posts and visuals.It also means analyzing your target audience closely and researching well to create a spark that people will talk about among their friends. Pepsi and Dove ability to achieve these goals is what draws myself and others to their organization time and time again.

Pepsi has been moving towards beyond-advertising, social efforts for the last several years, starting with the Pepsi Refresh Project in 2010, which allocated $20 million in grants to causes generated by users online.

Last fall, Pepsi introduced a social site called Pepsi Sound off tied into Simon Cowell’s reality singing competition show, The X-Factor. Created to foster a co-viewing or social TV experience, and modeled after Twitter, Sound Off provided fans of the show a chance to interact with each other, and with the show itself, by posting comments in a stream, and promoting other people’s comments. Those that received the most “likes” would end up featured in custom 15-second spots running during the show.

Pepsi latest campaign #LiveForNow is a heavily entertainment-focused campaign that puts Pepsi back on familiar ground: the glitz and glam of pop culture.”Live for Now” reflects the insight that Pepsi fans all around the world desire to capture; the excitement of now – a mind-set that is aligned at the very core with the brand’s DNA. Pepsi Pulse serves as Pepsi “dashboard of pop culture,”, pulling pictures, tweets, and news items from premium content sources, filtered by social ranking, to gather the top 10 stories at any given moment. Users are also able to organize content around categories such as music, design, and sports. Aside from producing these pop-culture cheat sheets, the site also has Livestream concerts and features interactive component, from musicians and celebrities like Nicki Minaj who had endorsement deals with Pepsi. While many brands are still casting a wary eye on social media for business, Pepsi has embraced the technology, carving out an ambitious social strategy aimed at building online relationships

The Internet can be a cruel and judgmental place thanks to social media. We crop our arms out of pictures and we hide the physical features that make us insecure, but one brand wants us to stop. Dove has mastered the positive body image ads. The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty kicked off with a viral 3-minute ad, released on April 14, 2013, showing an FBI-trained sketch artist drawing women from behind a curtain based on their own descriptions of themselves, and then based on a stranger’s description. In each instance, the women were prettier from the stranger’s perspective, underscoring Dove’s message that women tend to be too hard on themselves, and that “you are more beautiful than you think.” Since its release, the video quickly became viral on online social media. More than 15 million people downloaded the video within a week. On YouTube, the shorter 3-minute version was viewed 30.6 million times. It garnered 660,000 shares on Facebook during its first ten days. “

Selfie,” Dove’s most recent advertising masterpiece shows how Dove teaches young women and their mothers how to take “natural beauty” selfies in an empowering way. The goal of the seven-minute film, according to Dove, is for the women to redefine their own beauty and see that insecurity often lies beneath the personal snapshots.The photos are uploaded to a gallery on a newly created website, dovebeautyis.com, where viewers are encouraged to debate what beauty is using the social media hashtag #beautyis. The campaign is branded, but relies on user-generated content like selfies to tap into a younger demographic. Dove’s approach is to focus on customer input to help generate traffic and engagement without the hard sell.

The rise of social media has created a new way for consumers to taunt corporate brands: complaintvertising. This is the method of buying prominent advertising space on Twitter or Facebook to air a grievance.
British Airways found out about this new trend the hard way, when Hasan Syed used Twitter’s self-service ad platform to post a promoted tweet, which read: “Don’t fly @British_Airways. Their customer service is horrendous.”Having a customer moan about your service via social media isn’t exactly a fail in itself, but it is if that customer buys social advertising to promote their complaint and the brand, then fails to respond for another eight hours. Mr Syed, a haircare entrepreneur based in Chicago, had flown business class on the airline with his father on a trip to Paris. When BA lost his father’s luggage and failed to respond to his complaint on Twitter, he took matters into his own hands. Mr Syed spent over $1,000 on his smear campaign and his angry tweets were seen by more than 50,000 Twitter users in the UK and New York markets where his promoted tweet ran.

This failure to respond to Mr Syed complaint within 24hr and implement some sort of crisis management meant that the problem festered in a very public domain for far too long. To be fair, it does say on the British Airways North American Twitter profile they only receive complaints from nine to five EST. However, in today’s digital age, things happen – and can get out of control – REALLY fast during non-business hours. And, if you provide a service 24/7, 365 days a year, shouldn’t you be available any time, day or night, for your customers? British Airlines were treating social media like it was a retail store, and as a result, it took them a long time for the tweets to hit their radar. People on the social Web don’t have hours. A company has to understand that and they need to be able to respond to customers 24/7An eight-hour response time is unacceptable with the quick pace of social media. Once Syed’s ad started popping up in users’ feeds, others replied to him to share their British Airways nightmare stories of cancelled flight, lost luggage and downgraded seat due to overbooking Nipping a situation in the bud helps ensure it doesn’t get bigger than necessary. British Airways needs to be present, empathetic and more proactive in the future to truly be successful with social media

Sources :
Pepsi http://www.pepsi.com/en-us/d

Kevin White “Gigya Gamifies Pesi SoundOff to Engage the X Factor Fans” https://blog.gigya.com/gigya-gamifies-pepsi-soundoff-to-engage-the-x-factor-fans/

Dean Takahash “i Pepsi and The X Factor embrace gamification with The Pepsi Sound Off” http://venturebeat.com/2011/10/18/pepsi-and-the-x-factor-embrace-gamification-with-the-pepsi-sound-off/

Jennifer Obiuwevbi “Dove discovers How Real Girls define Beauty on Social Media in Short Documentary – “Selfie” http://www.bellanaija.com/2014/01/25/dove-discovers-how-real-girls-define-beauty-on-social-media-in-short-documentary-selfie/

Matthew “BA Fail To Reply To Prompted Tweet Complaint Out Of Their Twitter Hours “ http://www.socialslurp.co.uk/ba-fail-to-reply-to-promoted-tweet-complaint-out-of-their-twitter-hours/

Johnathan Riggall “Angry BA customer spends $1000 on Sponsored Tweets”http://news.en.softonic.com/angry-ba-customer-spends-1000-on-sponsored-tweet

Com0015 -Blog #1 Listening & Monitoring Can Lead to Success

My name is Aj Howell, the mind behind Ottawa’s new destination blog Northern Butterfly. Even though I am new to the blogging scene, I have quickly learned that to be successful in today’s connected world you need to build a community around your company, brand or product.

Listen to what your customers, competitors, critics and supporters are saying about you is key to getting great results from your social media campaign. According to EXACT Targets 2014 Statement of Marketing report, 60% of marketers were using social listening strategies in 2013 and 24% plan to do so in 2014. Sadly only 31% of marketers think their social listening is fully effective. While participating in social media is good, it can be difficult to track how you’re performing- are you actually reaching your target market? How is your brand perceived? What are people saying about your products? Social listening offers opportunities to interact directly with consumers and allows you to get answer to these vital questions.

With social media monitoring, no matter the size of your business, you can know what your customers and competitors are saying about you and what the general feelings about your products are.

Amongst the many Listening and Monitoring tools out there to choose from, Twitter and Klout are just a couple of my favorites to use. There are some great features provided through these social media tools that are simple to use and understand. This is very important as it allows me to be able to read and understand the raw data being extracted from my social media monitoring efforts, and in return I can act on it.

Despite the 140-character limit, it is hard to argue Twitters ability to capture public opinion. Breaking news often originates from Twitter and quickly spreads through the network as millions of user’s record their opinions in real-time.  I use this to my advantage by monitoring keywords related to my blog such as Ottawa, Ottawa Vacations, Ottawa Tourism and my own name. By going to twitter.com/search and typing in a topic of interest like #OttCity #OttawaEvents #ottawafestivals I am able to find hundreds — sometimes thousands — of current opinions on a variety of subjects. With Twitter Lists, I can create a list that groups together people for whatever reason (Ottawa Bloggers, for example.) This provides me with a snapshot of the things those users are saying by viewing that list’s page. Lists also organize the people I’m following into groups, and even people I’m not. Twitter allows you to follow other lists, which I have found especially helpful when looking for a particular subject matter.  Ottawa Tourism, Ottawa Start Up and apt 613 are some examples of the many new blogs and websites that I have been made aware of using these lists.

@Ottawa_Tourism (http://www.ottawatourism.ca/en/visitors/plan-a-visit/event-calendar) is the official Ottawa travel website guide to Canada’s Capital region. Event Calendar, What to do, Where to Stay & Special Offers are a few of the many things you find on this site.

@Ottawastart (http://ottawastart.com/) Features fresh, appealing and unusual Ottawa stories and photos.

  @apt613 (http://apt613.ca/) From New Edinburgh to Old Ottawa South to Westboro and beyond.  This award-winning blog is dedicated to uncovering the best of Ottawa’s arts and culture

You need to be able to see what content is resonating with followers and the public. So how do you know if you’re doing the right thing, attracting the right people, and making an impression? Analytics are the answer! There are many powerful social media tracking and analytics tools available that can monitor your performance on social media sites like Twitter. They can help you judge the effectiveness of your efforts and keep track of what people are saying about you. One of my favorite social media monitoring tools is Klout.

Klout helps me measure my influence through engagement on Twitter. It is a good means of keeping an eye on what people think about my blog, and it allows me to see what influences them the most. By doing this I can adjust my posts according to my target audience’s interests and increase my engagement rate. I also use Klout to benchmark my success, recognize the people who have an influence on me and find out who I influence.  I could have a million followers, but that’s useless if none of them are interacting with my content. My Klout profile shows me who I influence, and how many people are in my true reach. This can help determine if my message is reaching my audience and who is really listening.I watch my Klout Score as it goes up or down, and if there’s a dramatic change this indicates to me something I’m doing is working (or not). Overall I feel Klouts platform looks great and the interface is easy to use. I’ve already noticed a lot of ‘klou.t’ shortened URLs in people’s tweets, so it’s obviously being put to use.

Whether its your company, brand, or product, if you’re investing time, money, and effort into social media, than you should use listening/monitoring tools to help you see the whole picture. Start using analytics to track your social media efforts today and figure out the best formula for success is for you.