SMCC10- A Student's Perspective

So as I mentioned earlier I attended a Social Media in Context conference run by Communicate Magazine. I sat, I listened, I Tweeted, I Facebooked (I love how just like Google, Facebook has become a verb-but for a net worth of 25billion you wouldn’t expect much less!) and now I’m blogging!!

Due to University commitments, I missed the first group of presentations but was lucky enough to see a number of incredibly insightful ones after the lunch break; and as wonderful as they all were, I am only going to talk about the two that really stuck out in my mind!!

“Why I Use Nokia-a very personal word of mouth case study” James Whately (Engagement Director, 1000Heads)

This short, yet effective presentation taught us that we should not be afraid to embrace the extreme and that actually engaging with your audience will have a greater effect than just trying to hit your targets.

Now, this blog is from a students perspective and coming from a lecture theatre where all the presentation slides are covered in black ink and the lecturer isn’t showing much enthusiasm, this presentation was a breath of fresh air. Whately was upbeat and engaging and his slides were not filled with boring black ink. Oh no! Some had pictures, some had charts and others had Post-it notes!!

(OK so it isn’t a fab picture but you get the point I’m trying to make)

If Mr. Whately would like to give my class members a lesson in how to present, that would be amazing (not that I’m saying you need it guys, but every little helps).

“Crisis Communications” Leesa Fogarty (vice president industry, Augure)

The words that stood out the most during her speech were “information can be around for a long time”. I had always been aware of this concept but had never really thought about it. What you say and do now will be there for a very long time, if not forever.

Her talk was based on a case study about an un-named client (although I have a sneaky suspicion who it might be due to another case study I analysed in Market-Led Management) and how they overcame a certain market.

Her company, which was established 8 years ago, has a focus on reputation management and has represented a number of luxury brands.

After Leesa Fogarty’s talk, I took a look at the Augure website and have since developed a keen interest in reputation management and the software that they have developed.

I’m really grateful that I had to opportunity to come to this conference as I was able to see the industry in which I want to work through the eyes of those who are experiencing it now and through real life case studies, making everything I have learnt in a classroom seem all the more real.

One last thing I would like to mention is Marc Campam’s (managing director, Webjam) top 10 tips for staying in control amid the chaos

1. Markets are conversations.
2. Enabling powerful new forms of social organisations and knowledge.
3. There are two conversations going on: one inside the company, one with the market.
4. These 2 conversations want to talk to each other & are speaking the same language.
5. We wonder why you’re not listening. You seem to be speaking a different language.
6. The inflated self-important jargon you sling around-what’s that got to do with us?
7. We like this new marketplace much better. In fact, we are treating it.
8. You’re not invited, but it’s our world
9. Companies that do not belong to a community of discourse will die.
10. Talk is cheap but silence is fatal!

These will stay with me for the rest of my life!!

To view Twitter feed from the conference search #SMCC10

I wonder what event I will attend next…xo