Managing Your Personal Brand Online

Over the past few days I’ve been thinking about the ways in which people share their “personal brand” online.

It started when the Globe & Mail published an essay I wrote for their Facts & Arguments page—big national readership and potential for widespread sharing via social networks. A big honour and a checked box on my bucket list.

On the eve of the planned print run, the paper posted it on their web site and a contact of mine tweeted the link before I even knew it was live. My wife asked what I’d put on my blog to “greet” people who might Google my name after reading it.

 The answer was: nothing. It hadn’t occurred to me to do so.

The problem was that I hadn’t thought about “marketing” the piece as I had no ulterior motive apart from just sharing something that’s important to me. It had nothing to do with my professional life, so I figured I’d share the link on my Facebook page and that would be that.

But of course, she was right. My blog is a part of my online world and to not connect it to this endeavour would have been a disservice to myself. If you work in marketing (as I do for not-for-profits), you need to demonstrate an understanding of how to bridge relevant content via social networks and make that content easy to find. Not just during business hours, but always.

With friends walking in the door for a dinner party, wine bottle in hand, I made my apologies and sat down at the laptop to dash off a post about the article. And as the piece hit the newsstands, I saw a marked increase in blog traffic.

Until now I’ve had fairly steadfast rules about social media: Facebook is for personal interactions, LinkedIn is for professional networking and Twitter…well, the jury’s still out on that. I’m still searching for the right balance between healthcare/charitable sector posts and irreverent tweets about life in general. I rarely shy away of tweeting something that might be of value to my sector, but I’ve often deleted draft tweets that might have come across as too edgy (my litmus test: if you wouldn’t say it aloud in an office environment, it’s probably not fit for Twitter).

In the end I shared the Globe & Mail link on all three networks, being careful to frame it as a personal pursuit (particularly for LinkedIn, to avoid sending my arm’s-length contacts to a web site they would likely have no interest in reading).

It reminded me of the many times I’ve cringed reading inane LinkedIn posts about the weather or heavy sales promotions on a Facebook feed. In my mind the former undermines a person’s solid professional presentation, while the latter makes me feel like I’ve been ambushed by a cocktail party sales pitch.

Perhaps I’m taking this all too seriously. I’d love to hear other people’s personal experiences (and mishaps) with social media. Leave a comment if you’d like to share—if it leads to another Facts & Arguments submission, I’ll be sure to give you props.

Celebrating Wins

This is a little different from my usual posting, but I thought my occasional blog was a good place to acknowledge the Globe & Mail’s acceptance of my submission to their daily Facts & Arguments page. And yes, perhaps I’m gloating a little. It feels pretty cool to command the better part of a full page in a national newspaper, even if just for a day.

“I’m a Guy and I Practise Yoga” (their title, not mine) is a rumination on a big part of my life outside of work and family. I hesitated before writing the word “part” just now as I wasn’t sure how to describe my almost-daily asana practice. It’s physical exercise to be sure, but it goes beyond that.

It’s an opportunity to reflect, to get introspective, to quiet the mind. The benefits are as mental as they are physical. It adds huge benefit to my personal life and professional relationships, as I know it does for my wife Tanya Geisler and her coaching practice. 

If you happen across this post, I invite you to check out the essay. And if you’re a guy who’s curious about yoga and want to ask any questions from someone who’s been at it for a few years, drop me a line. If nothing else I can refer you to some great resources, like this cool yoga blog or this amazing teacher.

Namaste!

Canada’s Need for a Catastrophic Drug Coverage Program

Thanks to Andre Picard and the Globe and Mail for bringing this critical issue to light during election season. If you missed it in today’s paper, please take a few minutes to read online.

We need a catastrophic drug coverage program now, with costs shared between the feds and the provinces, to ensure all Canadians get the life-saving meds they need.

www.fairtreatment.ca

www.controlcancer.ca

Don’t Just Talk About Change. Help Affect Change.

Health care, and the future of health care delivery for Canadians, is a hot topic in government, in the media and around the water cooler.

People are concerned about the catastrophic effects of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. And for good reason. We’ll all be affected by such diseases, whether personally or via a friend or loved one. Plus, provincial and federal healthcare budgets will continue to spiral to uncontainable levels as the years go by and the population continues to age.

The easy thing to do is nothing. Turn a blind eye, focus on work and family and day-to-day life.  These are all normal reactions in the face of a monumental public crisis. But there is action you can take, and it needn’t cost anything more than some of your time and your voice.

On November 3, the Campaign to Control Cancer is hosting the second Cancer Day of Action. Volunteers will visit provincial parliaments to talk to MPPs about their own experiences with cancer, express their personal concerns, and talk about ways we can all work together to make a difference—now and in the future.

I had the pleasure of attending the 2008 Cancer Day of Action at Queen’s Park in Toronto. At the time I was representing Prostate Cancer Canada, where I worked as their VP of Development. I no longer work for a cancer charity, but this year I’m back as a volunteer because I believe this initiative will make an enormous difference—in my lifetime and in my daughter’s lifetime. It’s something I’m proud to be a part of.

I hope you might consider being an advocate for this important cause. There is no special training required, no experience in government relations, not even a personal story you need to share in order play a role. Your concern and your interest is enough.

The Campaign to Control Cancer can give you all the information and guidance you need to join us for a day in raising awareness about key cancer issues. I invite you to contact them for more information, or if you prefer, contact me directly. I’d be happy to speak with you.

I hope to see you as part of our team on November 3!

The Importance of Innovation Investment

Congratulations to Easter Seals National Board Chair Michael Duffy for moving the ball forward on research innovation that could save lives.

At a meeting of the provincial health ministers in St. Johns yesterday, the Newfoundland government announced they would join Saskatchewan in funding preliminary trials for the controversial Zamboni treatment for MS.  I had the opportunity to speak with Michael at the Easter Seals national board meeting in Saskatoon last week, and was amazed at his story.

Having experienced the ravages of MS himself, Michael told me about his amazing improvement after travelling to Bulgaria for a relatively simple stent procedure. Now, many other Newfoundlanders with MS will have the opportunity to see if this experimental treatment works as well for them–without having to circle the globe at considerable personal expense.

Michael pointed out that this procedure is relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to the high cost of standard drugs for MS that have limited effectiveness in many patients. This is all the more problematic in that many provinces don’t cover the cost of these drugs, and the costs can be financially crippling for many patients and their families. This is a major issue with the Campaign to Control Cancer, which is fighting for a national catastrophic drug coverage program to address the issue in support of people with cancer, MS and many other life-threatening conditions.

The Globe ran a great editorial today stressing the catch-22 of this situation: goverments often fund clinical trials for new treatments after they’ve been proven successful in a specific number of patients. But this success can only be proven through investments in clinical trials. Why shouldn’t Canada take a leadership role in performing these trials that could make such a huge difference in people’s lives?

Do you deserve fair treatment?

Imagine you are sick. There is a treatment that could save your life, but your province doesn’t cover it and you can’t afford it.

What would you do? Sell your home? Get another job? Burden your family with debt? Or nothing at all?

Think this doesn’t happen in Canada? Think again.

I’m proud to be involved with the Campaign to Control Cancer. This week we launched a new microsite, www.fairtreatment.ca, with a goal of ensuring that all Canadians, no matter where they live, have access to the drugs that may save their lives.

This doesn’t just apply to cancer–people suffering heart failure, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis and other conditions may not have access to the meds they desperately need.

In all, three million Canadians are at risk of being diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease, only to learn that they have to personally pay thousands of dollars per month for treatment—treatment that may be fully covered by other provincial health plans.

We can turn the tide by demanding a national catastrophic drug coverage plan from the federal and provincial governments. By taking action now, we can ensure that where you live doesn’t determine if you live.

Please join our e-campaign and make your voice heard. It will cost you nothing more than a few minutes of your time, and it may save the life of someone you love.

After all, you and your family deserve fair treatment, don’t you?

Beyond the Donation: 7 Steps to Getting the Most from a Corporate/Charitable Partnership

Many great articles stress the importance of corporate giving though few effectively outline the benefits to a partnering company.

Most charities work hard to raise funds and drive programs congruent with their missions; the savvy ones also know how to help drive a corporate partner’s bottom line.

Look at American Airlines’ 26-year history of support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure in the US. As the “official airline” of the charity, they have pledged $8 million in breast cancer research fundraising over eight years via their AA Golf and Tennis Weekend, sponsorship of the Komen Race for the Cure event, gift card donations and other programs. They tied a piece of their fundraising to a “Promise Grant” supporting specific and innovative research at one of the leading cancer centres in the country. And they branded two of their aircraft with pink ribbons to tell the world about their efforts.

This is no random show of support; American obviously knows that their support gives them a competitive edge.

So, how can a smart company make the most of their strategic philanthropy?

• Choose wisely: avoid the public perception of “pinkwashing” by partnering with a charity that aligns with your business objectives. Plan for longer-term cumulative support rather than a one-off donation that will be forgotten by next year.
• Add a new layer to the marketing mix, part 1: use your association with the charity to connect with your customers and employees. Find avenues to build public service messaging into your corporate communications, whether you’re talking about environmental issues, disease prevention or arts promotion.
• Add a new layer to the marketing mix, part 2: does the charity publish newspaper supplements with charitable discount rates for corporate advertisers? Do they launch public education campaigns? Find out how you can leverage these initiatives to promote your partnership. Golf Town did this to great effect in their partnership with Prostate Cancer Canada.
• Capitalize on the charity’s audiences: ask how you can connect with the charity’s donors, volunteers, clients/patrons and directors. Build a complementary marketing strategy to engage these groups.
• Capitalize on the charity’s network: what other corporate partnerships are in play that you could leverage? Begin a conversation with other companies using your common philanthropic support as the starting point.
• Social media: use the charity’s message to add valuable content to your Facebook or Twitter strategy. Find out how you can build your message into the charity’s social media strategy.
• Go beyond the money: invite your senior executives to volunteer on the charity’s board or advisory committee as an extension of your partnership and as a further gesture of your corporate commitment.

These efforts can be build customer loyalty, increase staff morale and introduce the company’s offerings to new consumers. Not a bad return for a modest but sincere investment in strategic philanthropy.

Strong at Heart: Making Social Media Work

As the doting father of a six-year-old, I’m regularly met with requests to go see the latest CGI-produced 3D blockbuster kids movie. Today’s pitch was for Despicable Me, featuring cute yellow villains in overalls and mad scientist goggles. While I usually relent to these appeals, I also scan the review in advance to find out if the story will be entertaining, or whether I should bring a book along.

In short, you can use all the bells and whistles at your disposal but if your product doesn’t have good content, it’s not likely to have much impact.

Social media provides a plethora of bells and whistles to the nonprofit sector and corporations alike. Some launch Facebook pages or CEO blogs because it’s “what’s done these days”; others formulate a strategy. When a forward-thinking charity does the latter—particularly with the right corporate support—the results can be impressive. I recently came across such an example.

Last year, the American organization WomenHeart partnered with Bayer HealthCare to launch Strong@Heart, a social marketing campaign promoting cardiovascular health in women. Check out a program overview from WomenHeart CEO Lisa Tate and Robert Schumm, marketing director for Bayer’s Consumer Care Division.

What I like about this program is its comprehensive approach to engagement of their target demographic, but also its transparency about its goals from both partners:

For WomenHeart, a national organization dedicated to promoting women’s heart health through advocacy, community education and patient support: heart disease education for women to help inform conversations with their physicians, and advocacy training for women to share in their communities.

For Bayer: encouraging women to ask their doctors about a possible aspirin regimen to ensure their heart health, and sales of their Aspirin product.

The core of the program was the Strong@Heart Facebook page, which currently sits at over 28,000 fans and features a risk assessment tool (with the tagline of “learn more about how Bayer Aspirin can help”), Q&A guide for patients to use in discussion with their doctors and patient testimonials. It also included the option of receiving a free HeartSafe “pill tote” so you can take your aspirin with you everywhere. Schumm claims that they had more than 65,000 requests for this limited offer.

The program was supported by a PR campaign, satellite radio promotion, a TV spot on the TNT network and placements in e-newsletters from eDiets and Better Homes & Gardens, as well as newsletter campaigns from Bayer and WomenHeart.

While neither Schumm nor Tate commented on specificities of their partnership, one can surmise that Bayer assumed the cost of the social media campaign (including slick Facebook site content), the PR campaign and ad placements. While not clearly stated in WomenHeart’s press release, it’s probable these investments were made by Bayer over and above their $100,000 educational grant to WomenHeart.

So, what are the important elements in a mutually beneficial partnership between a nonprofit and a corporation?

1. Like-minded partners, transparent goals: both sides should be working towards complementary goals, and should be clear with each other and the public about their intentions.
2. Know your audience: target messaging and media placement accordingly.
3. Activations beyond the charitable investment: media and advertising support should not detract from the corporation’s philanthropic support of the charity. Financial support is key; value-adds such as the HeartSafe program gave the target audience a conversation-starting keepsake.
4. Comprehensive use of social media: create valuable content, such as public education vehicles, that your audience will share with their networks to generate further support. Create a promotional plan (e.g., for regular Twitter updates or Facebook message blasts) that drives your audience to specific pieces of content within your campaign period to keep your message fresh.
5. Measure and evaluate: monitor media and social media traffic, as well as anecdotal response from your audience, to create results reporting that’s both qualitative and quantitative.

Of course, not every partnership will have the corporate capacity of a Bayer to invest in significant media behind a social media-driven public education campaign. What’s important is an agreed mutual understanding of what the nonprofit and corporate parties will bring to the table, and how they can use the basic tools of social media to reach their target audience and make an impact in people’s lives.

The Strategic Philanthropy Payoff

I once pitched a major men’s clothing retailer on a partnership with a national men’s health charity. Instead of entertaining the possibilities of engaging their customers and staff with a philanthropic effort tied directly to their business, they informed me that they would rather make a donation to another health charity because “the CEO of their U.S. parent company was once afflicted with that condition.” A valid reason to be sure, but also a missed opportunity to bolster their business.

Unfortunately, stories like this are common. In my experience, it can be an interesting challenge to impress upon large companies the potential for brand-building that’s inherent in supporting a great cause. Cutting a cheque to support a worthwhile program is a wonderful thing, but there’s so much more to be gained from building a mutually beneficial, long-lasting partnership.

Some companies really get it. Becel has a number of partnership programs with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and Canada Safeway appeals to customers, employees and the public across western Canada by partnering with select national charities as well as community-based organizations.  But by and large, corporations generally do not build strategic philanthropy into their business plans and their marketing and communications executives don’t have a lot of time or resources to invest in the effort.

What’s exciting is the potential for growth in this area. Imagine a corporate culture where every Canadian company had at least one solid charitable partner. Marketing plans would be devised in consultation with the charity to identify and leverage opportunities throughout the year. The company would pledge a specific amount of support (say, one per cent of pre-tax profits annually), generated by a number of fundraising programs and straight corporate support. The charity could leverage the partnership to build public support for their cause. And the company would reap the rewards of a heightened public image. Talk about a win-win!

In my next post I’ll outline what constitutes a great partnership between a company and a charity—and what a savvy company stands to gain from the effort.

Fund raising, marketing and communications

Thanks for visiting my online portfolio. This site is intended primarily to showcase my work, though I will update this News page from time to time.