Update on Digital Face

I thought I would bring you up to date on activities at Digital Face - it's been a while for some of you.

Website Activity:

We have just recently been commissioned to replace RB Farquhar's Manufacturing website - it will also sport translation services care of Christian Arno and his team at Lingo24 -  into Czechoslovakian, Dutch and German. Their website for the operation in United Arab Emirates (UAE) will remain as is.  We look forward to working with the RB Farquhar team in Huntly, Aberdeenshire. The old site can be seen here - with the new site going live at the end of June.

We have also been commissioned to build a number of small sites for an as yet to be named Leisure group in addition to applying a social media marketing strategy, through both staff training and retained support. The sites are to support a number of very well known Edinburgh Bars and Restaurants.

Marketing Activity:

I (Colin Gilchrist) recently returned from Leeds as a speaker for the Marketing Industry Network for an event organised by Caroline Lotinga for Marketing and PR professionals. There were two other speakers, Kate Wooding from Tictoc and Adam Gordon from Winning Work - the event was centred around social media, sharing our knowledge and case studies.

Also working with two Advertising Agencies and one Digital Agency as their social media support on a consultancy basis one is The Lane the others (I haven't asked their permission so wont name them).

Client side we are working with a number of FMCG businesses both training and out sourced supply of social media marketing one of whom is Go FAST! Sports, it's early days for them but some Facebook activity can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/gofastsportsuk - go on Like it, you know you want to ;)

Social Media Policy

Social Media Policy Document on The Drum!

Believe me, you'll be glad you read this my latest piece for The Drum Marketing magazine.

Michael Birch sold Bebo for £420m, would you like to know more?

Michael Birch, Bebo | Smarta

Edinburgh 10's a tremendous day out

Do you know an event that needs some publicity - I came across 'Chris Bain Video Productions' page on facebook - it's not the slickest production in the world, but hell they know how to make you smile!

Edinburgh Rugby 10's 2010 from CHRIS BAIN VIDEO PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo.

Great effort.

Linkedin is rude!

People are now beginning to realise that Linkedin is an amazing business development tool - that cold calling is almost no longer required and compared to using an introductory email you are 25% more likely to achieve a response.

I learned fairly recently that when you approach new contacts on Linkedin the stats are largely thus:
25% will accept you whether you are a serial killer or a trapeze artist
25% will ignore you because they just don't know or like the look of you.
50% will go either way.

The automated form for connecting makes people rude (see image) and I find that people who don't change the wording are generally lazy, don't know how or are in the business of collecting names for their profile rather than considering a polite approach.  So if you wish to invite a connection from an individual that you have never met can I offer some free advice: take a couple of seconds to change the text, you are likely to be considerably more successful.

Linkedin

Have you yet to add a profile picture?  An individual who shall remain nameless did not have a profile picture for 8 months and struggled to connect with people that she knew - the minute a picture went up she was getting almost daily approaches (not just because she's hot...) people often remember faces before names - there are also photographers that specialise in creating the right profile picture for Linkedin - it's just a case of being professional and approachable. Oh yes, and using a company logo, if you are... good luck with that one (yawn), it's very impersonal.

The real success through Linkedin however is the follow-up call.  If you are using it to grow a database of potential new clients can I suggest you make a note of who you have approached, follow up with another message and then a phone call (all being well).

So is Linkedin rude? No not really but it does make people rude.

Adam Street

If you are ever in London, need somewhere to hold a meeting, have a bite to eat I can not recommend Adam Street enough, it's been a while since I was last there but I came across an intro vid for the club and just reminded me of the good times spent there.

It's convivial and private during the day, but they also know how to let their hair down in the evening.

Now surely that'll get me a years free membership ;)