Saffire Blog

GETTING HEALTHY WITH TECHNOLOGY

By Kendra Wright, Founder of Saffire Although I work in the digital marketing industry, I have a love/hate relationship with technology and how it applies to my life. I love it as a marketing medium and I’m truly fascinated by great user interface design (nerd alert!), but I feel technology plays too high a role … Continue reading “GETTING HEALTHY WITH TECHNOLOGY”

By Kendra Wright, Founder of Saffire

Although I work in the digital marketing industry, I have a love/hate relationship with technology and how it applies to my life. I love it as a marketing medium and I’m truly fascinated by great user interface design (nerd alert!), but I feel technology plays too high a role in my life sometimes. And when I see a group of people at dinner, all together, but each staring only at their devices, it makes me sad.

So how do I find peace with technology? I try to use it as much as possible in ways that benefit me.

We all have our “stuff.” For me, it’s this. Another birthday is looming. My dad’s heart disease is progressing. I’ve recently had stress-related health issues.

I have renewed interest in getting healthy. And to be honest, I think this is an area where technology can actually help us. Living a healthier life encompasses mind, body and spirit. So I’m going to share a few tools I think can help you in each area.

Body Fitness with Technology

Let’s start with getting our body fit. Let’s face it, finding the time to exercise is a constant struggle. At least it is for me, so I’d like to share a couple of ideas.

First, I know many of us use Fitbit. I’m a super fan, and there is a specific (non-overwhelming) way I use it. Sure, I try to get in my 10k steps, at least more days than not. But there is a feature called Active Minutes that takes it to the next level.

True to the name, Active Minutes are the number of minutes you’re active during the day; active is defined as more strenuous than casual walking. (There’s a geeky term called METs, or metabolic equivalents that measure activity. A MET of 1 is a body at rest; FitBit counts over 3 METs as “active.”) But here’s the catch. Active Minutes are only awarded after 10 minutes of continuous activity. Buzzing around the office or house generally doesn’t count.

The CDC says we need 150 hours a week (or about 25 minutes per day) of moderate-intensity activity, like brisk walking. So here’s my recommendation: to get your 25 minutes a day, go for a walk. When you’ve gone 13 minutes, start back. Viola! You got your 25 minutes!

But that’s not all. CDC also recommends 2 or more days a week of strength exercises. For this, I love an app called Seven.

The Seven app is based on a study in the American College of Sport’s Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal. It found that people could get health benefits in less time, with no special equipment, by doing interval training in just seven minutes.

For time-constrained event managers, Seven is magic. Because no matter how busy we are, who can honestly say we can’t find seven minutes?

I won’t say these are the most pleasant seven minutes of my day, but I always feel good when I do it, and I even break a little sweat and feel a little (good) sore on occasion.

A Healthier Spirit with Technology

Is it just me, or is there a trend toward talking about mindfulness? Maybe it is me; I’ve been in need of some mindfulness lately. If you look at my phone, I have downloaded eight apps that help to slow down the mind and live in the present moment. Here are several that have been very helpful.

If you are new to meditation, try 10% Happier. This app is awesome to help you get over the hump and figure out where to start.

10% Happier has a seven-day introductory program that does a great job of not only explain HOW to meditate, but the WHY of meditation. You may recognize the name Dan Harris. He is a correspondent for ABC News who had a panic attack on air a few years ago and began meditating.

Harris eventually wrote the book 10% Happier and released a corresponding app to help people get started with a meditation practice. The best thing I can say about it is, Dan Harris is so normal and relatable that it encouraged me to actually do it.

After seven days, it costs $10/month for courses on everything from improving communication to stopping mindless overeating. Although this is a bit expensive for an app, it is worth it to really get the hang of it and keep you on the wagon.

But 10% Happier isn’t the only tool in my mindfulness arsenal. I love the app called Simply Being ($2) for a quick stop in the day (or to put me to sleep). This app is another good place to start a practice, and it offers flexibility for a 5 to 30 minute break. Power Nap is a free app that helps you take a 30-minute nap and wake up refreshed.

For a more varied experience, I love another free app, Insight Timer. The name comes from being a meditation timer, dinging a bell when you are finished. But there are also over a thousand free guided meditations. You can browse or search by particular interest, like sleep or music or anxiety. Then bookmark your favorites to easily find them again.

A Healthier Mind with Technology

Does technology make us smarter? Does it make our lives easier? If you haven’t seen your to-do list dwindling, you’re not alone. But one thing that can help is the ease with which you can find someone to help you with anything. A healthier mind is sometimes as easy as getting things off your plate. And if you’re willing to work virtually, the world truly is your oyster.

One helpful website and app is called Fiverr. Fiverr matches you with people to outsource anything you can imagine. Basic gigs are just $5, although there are many options to spend more on bigger jobs, rush services and more. Fiverr is a great example of the global economy, because you can hire someone from anywhere in the world, including places where $5 has much more value than in the U.S.

My company uses Fiverr most commonly for data entry, online research and work with our CRM (customer relationship management) software. We’ve even used Fiverr to hire a puppet to record
an announcement for a new service, a voice announcer for a podcast and many other tasks! Free your mind from tasks that don’t represent your unique gifts with Fiverr.

If you need project-based freelancers, consider Upwork. You can find designers, writers and more to work for you on an hourly basis. You can hire individuals and even teams on Upwork.

Lastly, if project work just isn’t enough to fulfill your need, you can find full-time assistance at VirtualStaffFinder.com. This is a company started by an American in the Philippines, to help match Filipino workers with employers all over the world, in an array of skill sets. If you’re open to having a virtual member of your team, try Virtual Staff Finder.

I hope these tools are helpful (rather than overwhelming!). I think if you can find ways technology can really make your life better, it can lead to peace. If you have ideas for other types of tools and apps for me to feature, I hope you’ll email me!

Peace.

Bio

Kendra Wright started her career managing non-profit fundraising events. Then in an “about face,” she took a job managing global Internet strategies at a Fortune 1000 company in 1995, just as the Internet came to being. She left that company in 1998 to found Wright Strategies, working with clients like KEEN Footwear, Nike, Jeep, Chrysler, Intel and Panasonic. Then in 2009, Kendra launched Saffire to do integrated online marketing and ticketing for hundreds of events, venues and destinations. It’s been a wild ride! Kendra can be reached at kendra@saffire.com, and more information about Saffire can be found at www.saffire.com.

Written for IFEA

Getting Healthy With Technology was published in the International Festivals & Events Association’s “i.e.: the business of international events” quarterly magazine. The premiere association supporting and enabling festivals and events worldwide. For more information on the IFEA, go to: www.ifea.com.

Pokemon Go Proves to be a ‘Catch’ for Marketers

With more than 100 million downloads and 20 million daily active users, Pokémon Go became the biggest craze of the summer. Launching all over the world, Pokémon Go creates a whole new realm of advertising which, by now, should be in your back pocket. Pokémon Go is everywhere and is used by an overwhelming number … Continue reading “Pokemon Go Proves to be a ‘Catch’ for Marketers”

With more than 100 million downloads and 20 million daily active users, Pokémon Go became the biggest craze of the summer. Launching all over the world, Pokémon Go creates a whole new realm of advertising which, by now, should be in your back pocket. Pokémon Go is everywhere and is used by an overwhelming number of people; so initially you might be thinking, how can I use this trend to my benefit?

The gamer’s (typically 21 to 27-year-old men) goal is to catch all of the Pokémon, which are creatures of different sizes and types spread throughout your geographical location and will randomly pop up when the app is open. Users also take advantage of the “PokéStops”, which are points on the game map used to collect “PokéBalls”. You can think of “Pokéballs” as small, ball-shaped cages used to store each Pokémon you collect. Users also travel to Pokémon Gyms, used for battling other Pokémon and trainers. The “PokéStops” and Gyms, are normally located near landmarks, statues, parks, churches, etc. which are strategically place to attract many people. This is where the marketing comes in. PokéStops could also be used as a tool by businesses to turn their location into a huge, profitable ad in the virtual world of Pokémon.

One example of an organization using this app to its advantage is the Brown County Fair, located in Aberdeen, SD. Currently they have 8 PokéStops on their fairgrounds and have decided to put them into their marketing strategy. The stops are located anywhere from the Bunny Barn to the Grandstands, which are an easy way to get traffic to these fairground locations. The fairgoers have the opportunity to see parts of the fair they otherwise might have never experienced!

If your organization doesn’t have a PokéStop, and you want one at that location, you can request one. The request forms are here: http://support.pokemongo.nianticlabs.com

Additionally, if your organization would like a Pokémon Gym on your location, a suggestion can be submitted at http://support.pokemongo.nianticlabs.com

Tips and Tricks

Make sure a few people in your organization have a Pokémon Go account, so they can purchase lures, which will help attract Pokémon to your location
Put up signs that warn people to stay out of restricted areas.
Get a Pokémon logo at each building or monument that has a PokéStop. Signage is important!
If a gym is on your property, give the leader of that particular free tickets or prizes if he or she is a leader at a certain time of the day (Advertise this on Social Media to attract more people to battle in the Gym).
This could provide incentive for other players to take over your particular gym. The prize for the winner of a PokéHunt or Gym leader could also be PokéCoins.

Staying up to date with the newest tech fads may seem overwhelming at first, but whether it’s giving an extra jump to a small business’s finances or helping double revenue in big corporations, Pokemon Go is a growing force not to be reckoned with.

Pokémon Go is free and available for download through the Apple App Store for iPhone users and the Google Play store for Android users.

We want to thank Michaela Liebl for being our Guest Blogger! Michaela is currently a student at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. She is looking forward to a career in the fair or festival industries and is currently seeking internship opportunities. To contact Michaela about this article or about potential internship opportunities, please email her at michaela.liebl@wolves.northern.edu

Facebook Live Tips & Tricks

Facebook Live is quickly growing in popularity and will remain a HUGE trend for the foreseeable future. For those that might not have heard of this fairly new feature, Facebook Live is a live video broadcasting platform designed to connect users with people (friends, family, customers, etc.). With Facebook Live, users can take audiences up close … Continue reading “Facebook Live Tips & Tricks”

ios live

Facebook Live is quickly growing in popularity and will remain a HUGE trend for the foreseeable future. For those that might not have heard of this fairly new feature, Facebook Live is a live video broadcasting platform designed to connect users with people (friends, family, customers, etc.). With Facebook Live, users can take audiences up close or behind the scenes for literally anything.

Broadcasting live is easy and only takes a few simple steps, which we’ve shared below:

There are a number of ways marketers can improve Live broadcasts. Two of the most effective ways are promotion and presentation. It is crucial to promote the Live broadcast by letting the audience know the time, date, and purpose. An extremely effective way to promote is by posting short videos that preview what content you will be covering during the Live broadcast. While the promotions are running, focus should shift to ensure that the presentation is adequately planned. Be sure that all Live broadcasts start with a warm smile and an inviting welcome. During the welcome, the presenter should introduce themselves, what organization they represent and briefly give a road-map of what the Live video will consist of. Providing a road-map will allow viewers to understand about how long the broadcast will last, which will help keep their attention. It’s also very important that the presenter keep a confident and exciting demeanor to prevent viewers from dropping off of the broadcast. Finally, and most importantly, the Facebook Live broadcast should end with a call to action (i.e. “Click the link above to buy tickets,” “Sign up now,” etc.)

Facebook Live also works well to reach events’ preferred audiences. Facebook recently announced that Live broadcasts can now be conducted on “Events” and “Groups” within the Facebook mobile application. Therefore, you can broadcast special pre-event promotional Live broadcasts right on your designated event page! This helps build hype for events and can help boost ticket sales with the proper call to action.

Facebook Live is also a great tool for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO). DMOs can broadcast all sorts of great details about a destination like a beautiful sunset, firework displays, special events, or even a ribbon cutting for a new hotel! Showing fans of a destination’s Facebook page exciting, unedited live videos will allow them to see the authenticity of a destination, which means that planning and presentation will be crucial in order to portray the destination in a positive light.

Although Facebook Live broadcasts can be nerve-racking and have the potential to get off message or off track, the reward is worth the risk. Here at Saffire, we did our first Facebook Live video and then paid for a $20 boost to our fans. Out of 1,050 fans, 547 watched the video, 756 saw the video in their feed, and our total cost per video view came out to ONLY $0.04 per view.

As event season is ramping up and DMOs are planning their budgets, it is very important to add Facebook Live advertising into your marketing mix and planning for at least the rest of 2016 and into 2017.

Retarget for More Sales

Online shopping is so easy, but many shoppers get distracted or start questioning their potential purchase and abandon their shopping cart. The shopper is then inundated with ads for that exact product in their social media accounts and on many other websites they might visit. These types of ads are called “retargeting” and have been … Continue reading “Retarget for More Sales”

According to AdRoll (a retargeting platform), only 2% of shoppers will actually buy from an online store their first visit. Retargeting works to catch the other 98%. So, how do marketers do this? Well, to retarget and remarket, a target audience is needed. Although marketers can make a target audience in a number of different ways, the most popular methods include customer list retargeting, which works by uploading a contact list made up of the desired audience and website visitor retargeting, which works by adding a pixel that tracks website visitors to a specific website or even a page on a site. Cool stuff, huh? Well, many social media giants think so too.

Pinterest, a photo sharing, social media website that can be thought of as a “catalog of ideas”, has recently jumped on the retargeting bandwagon. By adding three new targeting options, businesses are able to target the delivery of its promoted ads by combining their own data with data Pinterest collects on its users. Pinterest has added “customer list retargeting” and “website visitor retargeting” to their available marketing methods along with “lookalike targeting”, which creates audiences based on similar interests of previous or potential customers. Businesses working with Pinterest Marketing Partners will be able to target their audiences by the end of June.

Facebook is also a powerhouse player to the retargeting game. By giving businesses the custom audience options of uploading a contact list, and/or attaching a Facebook pixel to a company’s website and pages, Facebook is killing the game with a “41% increase in advertisement revenue since 2014” according to AdRoll data.

Adroll is a growing retargeting advertising platform that allows businesses to use their own website data to create personalized ad campaigns. AdRoll has partnered with over 60 advertising exchanges and networks including Google, Facebook, Yahoo, MSN, Twitter, and AppNexus to offer its clients access to 98% of the web! They work with over 25,000 advertisers and expert machine learning to get businesses the results they need. The other amazing thing about AdRoll is that they will personally design the ads to attract the intended target audience, perfect for many Saffire clients with small staffs or volunteer boards.

With many businesses catching on to the retargeting trend, there is no doubt that retargeting will become a bigger and more lucrative marketing method than it already is!

Snapchat: Think Inside the Geofence

Are you still struggling on how to use Snapchat? It’s okay, it can be confusing! In fact, Snapchat has been around for over four years now and many marketers are still desperately trying to figure out how to use the platform and how to reach it’s large and growing user base. We even see Snapchat confusing technology writers like in this slate.com article, Is Snapchat Really Confusing, or Am I Just Old? One great way to dive into Snapchat marketing is for your organization to purchase a “Business Geofilter” from the app.

Snapchat has had custom branded geofilters available for a few years to large retailers, movie studios and other large budget organizations for tens of thousands of dollars. But in February of 2016, Snapchat announced that they would allow anyone, including smaller organizations, to upload geofilters starting at just $5. Geofilters are nothing more than a digital graphic that can be laid on top of a Snapchat user’s photo or video at a specific location.

These new, on-demand geofilters are divided into two categories, Personal Geofilters and Business Geofilters.

A Personal Geofilter is one that does not include any branding, business marks/names or logos and doesn’t promote a business or a brand. You might submit a Personal Geofilter to celebrate a birthday, wedding or graduation.
A Business Geofilter is one that promotes a business or a brand.

Complete Business Geofilter submission guidelines can be found here. However, the key to making a good filter graphic is to create something fun and enticing that will inspire people to place your graphic on top of their selfie! The image has to be 1080px wide by 1920px high and saved as a .PNG file with a transparent background. Many of you may not have access to photo editing software which allows you to save a transparent background. This is why we recommend sending your graphic over to one of our favorite sites, Fiverr! If you click here, you can choose from over 30 graphic designers that specialize in Snapchat Geofilter creation for as low as $5!

After you have uploaded the image, you will be able to choose your dates and the geographic area you want to target. You can drag and drop a “geofence” around the location, which will then give you a pricing estimate based on the size of the area selected and the date range.

Your submission is then sent for review by Snapchat. After approval, your filter will appear on the user’s filter options in that location! During and after your campaign, you’ll be able to receive on-demand metrics and insights on the success of your geofilter.

We would love to see what Snapchat filters your organization has used! Please post them below or on our Facebook page!

Stay Organized with Trello

Are you having trouble staying organized? Is your wall calendar just not keeping up in the digital world? Here at Saffire, we’ve started using Trello to stay organized! Trello is a collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards. In one glance, Trello tells you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and … Continue reading “Stay Organized with Trello”

Trello uses “cards” which contain each of your tasks or ideas. In each card, you can add members, labels, checklists, any attachments and even a due date. Each card is filed under a list and can be easily moved from list to list. For example, you can have a “to do” list, “overdue” list and a “completed list” and easily move the cards to their appropriate list. Cards and lists are then housed under boards in order to stay organized and keep your projects separate. You can also add an unlimited number of members to a Trello board in order for multiple people to collaborate.

Trello boards can be extremely effective as both a meeting agenda and task tool. We use trello boards to list out our agenda in cards. Then, we take notes under each agenda item, assign a task to someone and put a due date on that action item.

Another great way to utilize Trello is to place your marketing editorial calendar into a board. You can switch to a calendar view and anyone on your team can see what posts, emails or content is scheduled to be published so your team can plan accordingly, whether that means graphic design or preparing copy for social media.

For our event planners, this can be an extremely powerful tool to help keep your event prep work organized. Tasks can easily be seen by your team such as when tickets go on sale or entertainment announcements are made. As we all know, plans can drastically change and Trello makes changes easy! Simply drag & drop a card onto a new date on the calendar and the due date will update automatically.

There are endless uses for this powerful tool! Let us know if you use Trello and how you use it!

InstaChanges & Upgrades

Have you been overwhelmed with Millennial Marketing Trends and Statistics? Well, let’s talk about Generation Z (aka Post-Millennials, iGens or Plurals). Generation Z is shifting away from Facebook at an alarming rate! Generation Z says, “I can’t be myself on Facebook because it is full of MOMS…that’s why I like to use Instagram and … Continue reading “InstaChanges & Upgrades”

Instagram has 400 million worldwide users. There have been over 40 billion photos shared at a rate of 80 million per day and with an average 3.5 billion daily “likes.”

So now what are marketers going to do? How can we be on so many platforms and still not reach who we need to?

Well, Facebook has had you covered since 2012. Facebook saw the trends and heard the feedback and knew they needed to do something drastic. In April of 2012, Facebook bought Instagram for $1 Billion, which many thought was a bad move for a product with no business model. However, after years of growing Instagram, Facebook has integrated their advertising platform into the app. This allows marketers to catch the “Moms”, Generation Z, Millennials and Boomers, all in one integrated platform!

To get setup, all you need to do is go into your Facebook settings and connect your Instagram account so that the ads can be pushed over to the app.

Then you will create your Facebook ad as usual, except you’ll also need to select Instagram Ads… it’s THAT easy!

For those of you that fully utilize Instagram already, a common complaint has been that you cannot switch between your personal Instagram account and your Business Account, requiring you to sign in and out every time. However, now Instagram lets users switch between several different accounts within the app. You can even switch between FIVE different accounts!

With these new changes, expect the number of Instagram users and accounts to continue to climb.

The Three P’s to Gaining Sponsorship

Earning the Digital Sponsorship Dollar (& Keeping It!) Do you know what businesses and organizations are spending in sponsor dollars these days? Do you know what it would take for YOU to see some of those dollars? The fact is, sponsorship continues to rise! The amount of revenue is growing, but the problem is the … Continue reading “The Three P’s to Gaining Sponsorship”

Earning the Digital Sponsorship Dollar (& Keeping It!)

Do you know what businesses and organizations are spending in sponsor dollars these days? Do you know what it would take for YOU to see some of those dollars? The fact is, sponsorship continues to rise! The amount of revenue is growing, but the problem is the people who are getting that money are receiving less. More money is being spent, but it’s being distributed between fewer and fewer people.

“The sponsorship pie is growing, but being cut into fewer pieces.” – www.sponsorship.com. The largest slices are reserved for properties that can meet the high standards required by a new breed of corporate partner. These are the people who ask for SMARTER partnerships. Once again, the growth rate for sponsorship spending will surpass outlays for traditional advertising in North America. Projection for spending in 2015 is $21.5 billion!

At Saffire, we believe in the Three P’s to gaining sponsorship – Prepare, Personalize, & Provide. Preparing to work with sponsors in a digital age, Personalizing by coming up with creative ideas to market to your sponsors so they will want to partner with you and Providing them with results they need so they will want to work with you again.

Prepare to Partner with Sponsors

Consider yourself a salesperson because sponsorship is sales! Start early in the year, network, do your research, and understand your value! Be smart about what you’re offering your potential sponsor. Basic research before you meet with them is HUGE. Finding the right fit for your company can be a little tricky, but you’ll want to look for “natural fits” by things like: customers, products, geography, past sponsorship experiences and people who work there. Make it clear to them that you’re taking their partnerships seriously and you’ll do whatever it takes to gain their trust! Things like adding a logo to your site at the time of the sponsor meeting can make all the difference. How can you use your sponsors that will be the best partnership for everyone? Sometimes you’re paying them, using their product and they’re giving you sponsorship dollars. Find things you can do to support your sponsor’s business. Saffire’s tip is “People will find a way to work with people they like”. Leaving a good impression and creating bonds with people goes a long way.

Personalize your Packages tailored for each Sponsor

It’s important to make your sponsors feel special. A good rule of thumb with sponsorship packages is to give more than what they’re expecting. This will make them feel special, which will go the extra mile when your event comes around again and they are considering who to partner with. In order to do this, it’s essential to know the most basic components of your organization, which can be provided as benefits to sponsors. You can add value by offering year-round marketing, hospitality, and onsite event promotion

Put sponsors on your online! Create emails, social media shout outs, online advertisements or consider naming the event after your Sponsor. You can also have a dedicated Sponsors page on your website that features your list of sponsors. If you’re looking to get a new website and don’t have quite enough funding for it, this is a fantastic way to get it! Most digital marketing doesn’t cost you anything but time and effort. Give your sponsors space on your YouTube channel, add sponsor logos to print-at-home tickets or name your entire event after a sponsor. Other ways you can feature your sponsors offline are by creating sponsored charging stations on the event grounds, photo booths with sponsors or utilizing their services on fairgrounds.

Provide Measurable Results

Sponsors like data. Sponsors have to have that data to justify why they’re giving you so much money year after year. The best ways to show sponsor ROI are Google Analytics & Audience Survey. Audience Surveys assist and measure ROI, show recognition, attitude and the image you’re showing. Google Analytics is great, but it can be really hard to narrow down once you get it set up. Everyone should be able to get this data from your website. Show sponsors things like Total visits, Audience overview, visits on the Sponsors page of your website, engagement and clicks to leverage ideas for more success in the future.

We believe that the Three P’s – Prepare, Personalize and Provide will help you gain sponsorship (and keep it!).

Connect With Your Customers through Facebook Bluetooth Beacons

If your organization has a physical location that visitors would come to, then you should be using Facebook Bluetooth beacons. These beacons help customers see more information about your organization every time they use Facebook during their visit. What’s good about it is that it’s free and very easy to set up. A few places … Continue reading “Connect With Your Customers through Facebook Bluetooth Beacons”

A few places that events, venues or destinations should place the beacons are in visitor centers, convention centers, museums, fairgrounds or event venues.

When customers visit these locations and open their Facebook App, they will see Place Tips, which contains information about the exact location they are in. When they open Place Tips, they will see:

A welcome note and photo
Prompts to like your Facebook page and check in
Posts from your Facebook page
Their friend’s recommendations about your place

This may sound like “Big Brother” is watching, but Facebook Bluetooth beacons are actually designed for privacy. They use Bluetooth technology to send a secure, one-way signal to the Facebook application on the visitors’ phones and show that location’s information. They are also designed not to interrupt the operation of your Wi-Fi or other equipment.

The beacons do not:

Collect any information from people’s phones
Change the kind of location information Facebook receives

Note: People will only receive Place Tips if they have enabled location services and Bluetooth on their phones.

Are you ready to capture more likes and interactions on your Facebook page? If so, request your beacon by going to this link: https://www.facebook.com/business/a/facebook-bluetooth-beacons

Scroll down to the bottom of the page until you see the “Request a beacon for your business” section.

Once you have received your Facebook Bluetooth beacons, the setup process is actually extremely easy! You just need to do the following:

Pull the beacon out of the packaging
Peel the sticker off the back
Place the beacon in a safe, central area

3 Lessons Any Organization Can Learn From Google

In the world of technology there are a handful of large companies that are always worth keeping an eye on as they shape, change and revolutionize the industry. Google is among the top of these organizations and in recent weeks they have made some bold moves to reorganize and rebrand. While it may seem easy … Continue reading “3 Lessons Any Organization Can Learn From Google”

In the world of technology there are a handful of large companies that are always worth keeping an eye on as they shape, change and revolutionize the industry. Google is among the top of these organizations and in recent weeks they have made some bold moves to reorganize and rebrand. While it may seem easy to dismiss the story’s relevance to your own organization, either because “they’re so huge” or “that’s not my industry,” there are some very valuable lessons that any organization could take away from Google’s restructure.

To summarize the basics of the changes at Google, they have created an Umbrella company, called Alphabet, which will oversee a collection of smaller companies that were previously all housed under the Google name. By splitting up the smaller companies, “Google” is able to focus solely on the internet services we’ve come to rely on such as Search, Maps, YouTube, Android, Apps and Ads, while the other companies, with their own tiers of management, can focus their efforts on the multitude of other entities Google is involved in (i.e. smart cars, medical research, smart home products, etc.). In the weeks following the reorganization announcement Google also announced a refresh to their logo and branding guidelines.

There are 3 lessons we can all take from Google’s updates.

Back to Basics – Remember the core of your business and ensure you’re taking steps to maintain the well-being of your base offering. The separation of the fringe products & services into their own companies will streamline Google allowing the leaders of that organization to really focus on the heart of what made Google what it is today. Keep an eye on your primary goals and consider whether new off-shoot offerings are detracting from the success of what you do best. Find a balance where innovation doesn’t interfere with your organization’s consistency in maintaining your standards and what your customers have come to expect from you.
Always Evolve – Google didn’t get to where they are today by remaining static or sticking to the status quo. They are innovators who are consistently seeking ways to grow their offering. This is a process anyone can start within their own organization to think outside the box and consider, “what can I do differently to make my customer’s experience better?” As your service evolves, consider how your organization needs to evolve to accommodate that. We’ve spoken to several leaders in the events and venues industries for our own Amplifier podcast, and there has been a consistent theme among the most successful of them to always recognize the need for change and adapt to it.
Dare to Be Different – Beyond just making changes in your organization, consider the changes you can make that set you apart from others in your industry. Allow yourselves and your teams to try new ideas. Look to other industries for inspiration and explore how they “wow” their customers. Whether you’re looking to the tech industry to modernize your gate sales, or to architectural trends to improve crowd control, or to security professionals to enhance safety, there are opportunities being developed by experts in others industries that can be utilized to improve your own organization beyond what anyone else has yet to consider.