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http://iabcstl.org/2012/02/discover-your-superpowers-3-steps-for-communication-professionals/
by Darcy Eikenberg
After the shock of radical workplace change brought on by the global financial crisis, the terrain of business communication has continued to shift—not just rumbling, but dramatically changing shape right under our feet. No wonder it’s hard for the average communication professional to stay standing.
But there’s an antidote to all the fear, confusion and chaos. The antidote is to use your superpowers.
What’s that, you say? You don’t have superpowers? Not true. Maybe you’ve forgotten them. Or more likely, you haven’t discovered them yet.
It’s time to discover your superpowers; bring them to work; and start making a bigger difference in your career, your company and the world. It’s time to make sure you’re recognizing—and talking about—your value as a communication professional and as the unique individual you are.
http://iabcstl.org/2012/02/why-doing-good-can-be-good-for-your-career/
by Ed Kamrin
“Pro bono” is more than a pretty Latin phrase. It’s a growing movement of professionals donating their skills to benefit nonprofit organizations. Although the approach is traditionally associated with law firms, other professions, including professional business communication, have begun to adopt it.
Meaning “for the public good,” pro bono work attracts professionals who want to give back to their communities in a meaningful way. In any pro bono project, the priority is always to provide the nonprofit client with the services it needs. That said, as a pro bono communication consultant since 2004, I’ve found time and again that I get back as much (or more) than I give—and pro bono work has made me both a better person and a sharper communicator.
http://iabcstl.org/2012/02/social-media-metrics-%e2%80%93-is-%e2%80%9cwhat%e2%80%99s-the-roi%e2%80%9d-the-best-question-to-ask/
All business activities, including those in social media, demand metrics and results. But is “What’s the ROI?” always the best question to ask? What aspects of social media carry the potential for traditional measurement…and which don’t? Join us on Thursday, February 16th as Matt Ridings, co-founder and CEO of SideraWorks, helps us determine the value of engaging in social media.
About the speaker
Matt Ridings is a business strategist and speaker who has worked in digital on both the agency and enterprise sides since 1994. He ran interactive for brands such as Levi’s, Cisco, and British Airways, and he helped launch ventures such as Jet Blue and RedSpark. He has also been a consultant and advisor to multiple startups and venture capital firms.
Currently, Matt serves as co-founder and CEO of the recently launched SideraWorks, a new Social Business consultancy. In addition, he blogs at Techguerilla.com and frequently writes for sites such as Social Fresh, Brass Tack Thinking, Convince and Convert, and Social Media Today. He often serves as an expert resource for national media and has been quoted in such publications as the Chicago Tribune.
Meeting fees:
$30 – members
$40 – nonmembers
$20 – students
When:
Thursday, February 16, 2012
11:30 a.m. – Registration and networking
12-1:30 p.m. – Program
Where:
New Location!
Ces and Judy’s at Le Chateau, 10405 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO 63131
http://iabcstl.org/2012/01/spring-sponsorship-opportunities/
IABC St. Louis invites you to promote your company in front of professional communicators, high-level executives and leaders from many industries.
We’re offering you the opportunity to market to our 150 members and network of more than 1,500 area communications professionals from corporations, small businesses and nonprofits around the St. Louis area at IABC’s two biggest events coming up this spring: (more…)
http://iabcstl.org/categoryevents/bronze-quill/
http://iabcstl.org/2012/01/conference-seminar-schedule/
Web Seminars — fee to attend (new reduced rate for members)
Mobile Marketing: An introduction to text message marketing
presented by Derek Johnson, Tatango
January 25, 9-10:30 a.m. Pacific Standard Time
FREE Student Web Seminars
How to Create an A+ Resume
presented by Heather Huhman
January 18 2012, 11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (more…)
http://iabcstl.org/2012/01/st-louis-doesnt-suck-and-neither-does-marketingcommunications-talent-in-st-louis/
IABC St. Louis and PRSA St. Louis are teaming up to host an after-hours tabletop networking event! Join us for a great opportunity to network with peers in the St. Louis community and discuss the hottest topics in our industry including:
- Successful social media campaigns
- Corporate blogging
- Media relations tips and techniques
- Demonstrating value to your clients or company
- Internal communications challenges
- Entrepreneurial spirit of independent practitioners
Pizza and appetizers will be provided | Cash bar
($2 premium pints, $3 cocktails & $5 wines) (more…)
http://iabcstl.org/2012/01/employee-communication-for-a-successful-customer-experience/
One of the most overlooked elements of an organization’s customer experience program is ensuring that its employee communications are improving employee-to-customer interactions.
Communicating the customer experience program effectively to employees involves the following three stages.
Read More:
http://iabcstl.org/2012/01/creating-a-customer-centric-culture/
by Anna Howarth
Three years ago, I was preparing to fly internationally. I arrived at the airport to find that my flight was delayed by 26 hours. I went back home, and returned to the airport the next day. At check-in on day two, I asked the airline representative if, since I was a loyal customer whose flight had been delayed by 26 hours, there was any chance that I could have an upgrade. In response, she stated, “As my CEO says, if you want loyalty, go and buy a dog.” This line was delivered with a satisfied smile, as she continued to check me into my economy seat.
This was the moment when I realized the impact that every single employee has on a customer’s experience. Every internal interaction, whether it be a formal meeting or a corridor conversation, creates the culture of an organization, and if disregard for customers is demonstrated internally, you can be sure your customers will know it.
Read more:
http://iabcstl.org/2012/01/making-sense-of-customer-surveys/
Ah, the customer survey. Communicators always start out with high hopes for their customer surveys. They’re excited to ask customers a bunch of questions, and are prepared to be enlightened. Time and money are invested into even the shortest, simplest surveys. But when results come back muddled and jumbled, it makes you wonder why you even bothered in the first place.
On the other hand, some organizational leaders don’t dare make a move without first checking the results of their latest survey. For them, if a topic isn’t covered in the survey, it doesn’t get a place in the strategic plan. These leaders live and die by each perfect score and each failing grade.
Assuming surveys are a joke is no better than assuming they are the holy grail of business success. This begs the question: Is there a happy medium? Fortunately, yes. But the happy medium comes as a result of having educated expectations.
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