Two events

• At a meeting the other day and Dragons CEO Peter Doust mentioned something that stuck in my head - the process of "constant improvement"
• On a multipoint conference call yesterday - one new studio partner was open to new ways of managing the production process, the other an aggressive "not my job", not the way I do it attitude - it reminds me of "just becuase it's always been, doesn't mean it will always be".

I suppose at the core of this is a personal attitude - are you part of something else?  Is it customer focused?

In a recent video interview Ted Johnson, CMO, Minnesota Timberwolves said "create a culture that supports innovation" and develop a personal interest.  It's not quantity that matters but quality - Seth Godin's 10%.

Last night - the first video Digital Dragon submission from Warrick Nicolson

The St George Illawarra Dragons are looking for a "Digital Dragon" - a new role as digital media co-ordinator.

"Bringing the Best of the Red V to their loyal fans in the Digital Space is my #1 priority should I attain this role."

I like it.

Background:

A couple of months ago through FRED we sponsored a Sports Marketing Conference focused on Digital Marketing - key Dragons staff attended.

A couple of weeks ago we had good friend Mahei, Twitter Chief Happiness Officer ( iconic88 ) and Richard Burnet, Essendon FC, Chief Commercial Officer present to the Dragons staff.

Last week we launched the Search for Digital Dragon - a new Digital Communications Coordinator

An Update on our Search for The Digital Dragon

Yesterday was Day 3 in our search for the "Digital Dragon" - a new Digital Communications Coordinator at the St George Illawarra Dragons.

The central strategy here was to purposely target potential candidates through online social media marketing channels such as Facebook, email and Twitter (all requisites for the role) as oppossed to the old way of an ad in Seek or the newspapers.

Candidates are required to submit a Youtube 30 second video within the next couple of weeks on why they are the best person for the job.

For all the online marketing types then "Yes", the Youtube idea is a bit of rip off from Queensland Tourism's globally awarded "Best Job in The World" campaign BUT again, as Alastair Gray from UK Swimming recently said "Innovation is Great, Imitation is Faster". 

Note: It's very expensive and also higher risk simply playing in at the front end of the innovation curve - you need a combination of both.

Anyway I prefer to say that we embrace "best practice", ie if someone is doing something well then learn from them (Kirsten Corio from the NBA suggested recently)

First steps

To launch the search for the Digital Dragon we shot a CLIVEvideo and VIAB (Video In A Box) clip using high profile Dragons Ambassador Wendell Sailor (last Friday week).

• This CLIVE clip went up on the Dragons home page along with a tile (last Tuesday afternoon)
• We also uploaded the clip to the Dragons Facebook community (23,000 Fans)
• Had Dell and NRL_Dragons send out a Tweet to their followers (over 8,000)

• Yesterday (Friday) an email went out to 23,000 RedV Fans and contacts
• The University of Wollongong tweeted out "St George Illawarra Dragons are after a Digital Comms Coordinator. Would be a great job for a UOW grad journo! http://is.gd/eG5Y2 "
• and we launched a small Facebook advertising test campaign.
• Dell tweeted including video link http://twitvid.com/HNUUD

Looking forward to seeing the first clip come in and how the Groundswell around user generated content "may" work.

What is interesting is that there is nothing really new in all of this, that is, the customer is #1 and satisfied customer Word of Mouth  is the best form of marketing.

The challenge today is how do you incorporate these new communication channels to embrace your fans and customers?

For those that say Facebook, Twitter and online social media is a fad then here's a simple fact  - without customers you don't have a business.  Your customers are already online and in these channels.  If you're NOT communicating with your customers in these channels your competitors soon will be.

For people and organisations that are already customer focused - the transformation to embracing the digital communication channels is a lot easier.

The Digital Dragon

We've been working with the NRL Dragons now for nearly a year, our first project some CLIVE clips for membership, merchandising and introducing Dells Twitter (now over 8,000 followers).

Today we launched a significant phase in the program - the creation of a new role- the "Digital Dragon"

This is no ordinary job opportunity.

You'll have to deliver entertaining online programs and create cutting edge content for Red V fans.

Take the challenge and get creative, submit a 30 second video and details that show why you’re the best person for the job.

If you’re successful, you’ll even get a chance to work and dance with the big Dell [dance]

For more information Click on me now, go the Dragons!

I'm looking forward to seeing the applicant clips - thoughts are putting some of these up on the big screen at the final home game on September 5th.

{jumi [*31]}

Big Dell rocks into the studio; we’re shooting a new CLIVE clip for the Dragons, this time it’s a callout for their new “Digital Dragon”, a dedicated resource within the Club to focus on online fan engagement and content development.

The development of the role is one step in the Dragons evolution into the world of digital communications – it comes about after the first CLIVE clips we launched last November to drive membership, merchandise and Dell’s Twitter and Facebook and a year of client education including the Digital Sports Conference.

Brand Ambassadors create a personal touch to your business - a face of the business which resonates with fans.

Creating Brand Ambassadors - CLIVE Web Presenter Auditions (Sydney)

Next auditions will be on Monday 6th September, 2010 at Taren Point (Sydney South).

Register: http://www.clivevideo.com/CLIVE-PRESENTER-/-CHEZ-AGENCY-AUDITION-APPLICATION.html

Schedule your audition availability here. http://tungle.me/maxys

Interstate: We have several major nationwide clients and are currently in the process of certifying green screen studios in other states.  Once that is in place we will begin auditions.  Timeframe 12-18 months.

Introducing Miss Kathy Burns, CLIVE Web Presenter Workshop Teacher

Kathy came to the CLIVE Presenter Audition in July and we instantly saw someone who could drive our new CLIVE Web Presenter Workshops.  Funny how life is like that!

Kathy brings years of experience running The Actors Workshop - Queensland's Leading private acting training provider. 

www.clivevideo.com/Web-Presenter-Workshop-L1.html

CLIVE Web Presenter Workshop - Level 1

By 2013 it is estimated over 95% of Internet traffic will be video which will drive demand for professional presenters.

CLIVE is a unique 1:1 performance space with your website visitors and the workshop has been designed to provide basic presenting tips and elements  specifically to CLIVE web presenting

CLIVE Web Presenter Workshop - Level II & Voice Coaching

Level II Courseware in final development - please contact Kathy for more information.

Voice Coaching Stream

There's a good chance you've already heard the beautiful tones of CLIVE Presenter and Voice Over artist Jo Wilton, her voice sits behind some of the countries largest organisations.

The CLIVE Web Presenters that get the most work tend to be those with a great voice.

Courseware in development - please contact Kathy for more information.

Introducing Erinjayne

Erinjayne is the lastest certified CLIVE Presenter - (July Auditions)A former Australian representative in synchronised swimming, Erinjayne studied journalism and worked at Horwitz magazines as an Editor. During the 2000 Olympics she was the Press Information Specialist for SOCOG at the Aquatic Centre. From 2000-2006 she was on Channel 10's Aerobics Oz Style and now appears on Mornings with Kerrie-Anne, The Morning Show, The Circle and TVSN doing advertorial work. She has featured on many TVCs including Gatorade, Sony Wega, Razzamatazz, Australian Tourism and Subaru.

Recent CLIVE projects

http://www.bikesureonline.com.au

http://www.frednotdead.com

Get Connected with CLIVE

"Just becuase it's always been doesn't mean it will always be"

Sadly, I too a LTL (Long Time Liberal) but can’t vote for them due to the myopic approach to this issue (but must add hate the Internet Filter - it'll never work).

Facts are the NBN (National Broadband Network) is not about technology, it’s about productivity and creativity by using applications and communications built upon the platform.

Bigger Pipe = Richer Applications = Greater Creativity/ Problem Solving = Revenue & Profits

The main problem is most people don’t utilise the technologies already available today yet alone can envisage what applications will be available or on-demand tomorrow.

Today we are already beginning to see rich media multipoint (multiple people) conferencing and collaboration platforms benefiting major projects worldwide.

To illustrate a very practical example:

Build it they will come

Let’s take one very inefficient industry we all know – the Australian building and construction industry -

The industry is about $77B/ 7% of GDP & 900K people employed. (Upstream and Downstream industries approx $150B contribution)

Approximately 85% of the people are self employed in small businesses

About 40-50% of building and construction costs are labour related – that’s the time you and I are paying for their business activities (quoting; supplies, project management; working; tools; invoicing etc).

A majority of small businesses don’t have a website BUT do have email.

How much technology improves productivity depends on the business BUT what it does do is provide greater communication capability, information access, communications and transparency.

In many ways email is like having a digital recording of every conversation.

BUT today – the majority of building plans are still printed out on paper AND as a result what is finally built is nearly always different from the original plans.

There are many reasons why – what the architect designs or specifies initially may be impossible/ impractical to build on site; the client changes brief; wrong version of plans and so on.

So what happens is variation upon variation information is lost on bits of paper down the sequential project information line.

Business Best Practice

A rapidly increasing number of companies are moving their business applications to the cloud (integrated web).

As you may know in a Google Apps spreadsheet – multiple people can work simultaneously on a document.

From a construction perspective what you want is a single audible building plan “truth”.
Version allows the ability to easy see what was changed by whom

Leading International design and construction firms are already using Web-based project collaboration across product development including online collaborative 3D design software integrated with their supply chain partners and customers.

That is customers, designers, engineers and suppliers etc all working together in a rich multimedia collaborative environment.

This information then allows for easier asset management through the complete Building Life-cycle – from construction to build, asset mangement to final demolition.

From a finance perspective – risk is dramatically reduced.

$46B investment fades into insignificance given the overall productivity savings across 100 years of typical buildings.

It's said a picture tells a thousand words.

The Libs launched their Broadband Policy (I think that's what they're calling it) causing a big buzz on Twitter.  Out of interest I've been tracking the impact of the NBN as an election issue.

The other was the launch of a video we produced for the Sport Fantastic Conference which talked about Digital Media Strategy .

There's a lot Australian politicians can learn from Sports Fan Engagement

What's your best and worst customer experience this week?

It's the old happy customer tells three - the unhappy customer tells ten.

Today via the web we instantly share our comments and feedback; we rate; we rank; we compare.

Businesses such as Vivo cafe in the city have embraced social media such as Twitter; Facebook and Foursquare (Vivo Cafe Swarm Tuesday)  - they're listening, responding and engaging - even FREE WiFi (amazed how many businesses don't get this!).  

Sadly others aren't.

Today I'm having coffee at a local coffee shop; I'm deep in work mode working on my laptop; "Can you move or are you leaving now? interrupts the owner- "your table was reserved", I look up - there's a lady and her girlfriend hovering near my table.   There was no reserved card on the table or mention when I sat down over 30 minutes ago, ordered my breakfast and coffees!  It doesn't matter, I get up, pay my money and leave - not to return.  I was an average $50-$75 a week customer - gone.

While walking home I tweet my experience - wondering if I'm wrong?

I'm the customer - the centre of the new business engagement process - tell me the benefit of having to move?

My Facebook feed of the tweet creates a small buzz.

Bruno, our guitarist in our band and guitar store owner suggests "I can understand their view, but it's in the way they ask to move (not leave), and a freebie would likely help."

Absolutely and if they'd suggested that I would have been a happier customer again and then politely refused the offer.

Good mate Mahei highlights "residual $60/wk versus a one off transaction ....hmmm, this is why knowing your customers is important. Knowing your customers names and historical conversations puts you ahead of the game."

Geoff Olds, CEO of web development company Techflare had a similar experience last night "...had a company dinner which cost $3,000. We were meant to have a closed room but were horrified when we found out they stuck in with 2 other companies all around us. One of them turned out to be my most hated logistics company.... I patronised this place over the years but now no more".

We all get narky when that customer trust is abused.  Today you, me, we, have a voice.

At a recent conference on online retailing there was much talk of customer engagement and the customer feedback data now being captured around Twitter and Foursquare.  Those single voices a chorus.

Businesses, Governments etc take note - service your customers and you'll be rewarded.

Have a story to tell?

What's your best or worst customer experience this week?

Over the last two weeks I have attended the Australian Online Retailing conference - about 2,500 delegates; an International Sports Marketing Conference - about 250 delegates and last Thursday, a breakfast with Internet Chef and Electrolux Ambassador Bridget Davis (the relevance of this explained later). The retailing conference was, as you can guess, about Online Retailing but interestingly there was equally as much conversation about pure plays (just online) as multichannel (both online and offline).

The sports conference was about Fan Engagement and Digital Strategy.Leading international speakers from Real Madrid Football Club; the US and the UK

Changing Media Models

In both conference cases Australia was 3-5 years behind the US and Europe where there has been a massive shift from the old mass media one way push to a multi-channel integrated bi-directional "push-pull" customer (fan) conversation. The result, advertising dollars moving to online (mostly at the expense of print) with a focus in those channels where their customers are – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc

You can’t ignore - we're already connected.

In ALL cases a seismic shift in corporate culture towards customer centric business engagement or FACE (Focus Attention on Customer Experience).

The facts are it's now not tomorrow - nearly all of us are ALREADY connected (just a different degrees). Today via the Internet and Social Media there is a 1:1 connection between creator and consumer – inefficient or non productive layers between are being disintermediated – old hierarchical business models are being challenged across all industries.

There are over 500m people on Facebook alone.

Flamers, Sneezers, Stranger and Fans

Online there are Flamers (put down your brand) and Sneezers (spread the good news) - there are also Strangers to Top Fans.
At the Online Retailing conference, Russell Harte, Head of Business Development and Delivery, Boots.com in the UK – (2,500 stores) talked about the organisations "zero complaints policy!"

In Boots case, the end result, they have a "zero complaints policy!". Now anyone who has ever been in business of any type knows that's 100% customer satisfaction is near impossible to achieve BUT you can respond and explain your position AND attempt to resolve the complaint (to their satisfaction).

People are already talking about your products and service.

You can’t control the communication but you can influence it.

Any business, saying "I didn't know" is not an excuse.

Examples: Wendell and Virgin Blue; Amazon GLBT hack; The Gap

The bonus is - if you get it right, then those digitally connected customer will rave.

Which leads me back to Bridget.

A breakfast degustación in Tetsuya's Masterclass kitchen at Electrolux HQ with Internet Chef and Electrolux brand ambassador Bridget Davis www.theinternetchef.biz and Twitter royalty Mahei (Iconic88) twitter.com/iconic88

I have to say one of the most pleasurable experiences I've ever had - love the entire concept. From a business marketing perspective we talk about customer engagement and creating unique experiences that WOW - events that resonate with your audience and compell to share.

LOVE IT!

As Mahei says - it is no longer WIIFM (What's In It For Me?) that matters BUT WRWM - (What Resonates With Me..my friends, family, community...).

Hope you're doing well.
Welcome to the end of financial year Maxys Report, as you know it's been an interesting month in Oz - world cup exits, our first female redhead PM and some cool new projects in the CLIVE Studio.

Please find below latest news and update for your review.

If we can help you clear out your end of year marketing budget (for as little as $1K) or can be of any assistance then please give us a call.

Cheers and all the best




Scott Maxworthy
Chief Experience Officer
Max Media & Entertainment and The CLIVEvideo Project

e: scott@maxys.com.au

RECENT PROJECTS: 

Sport Research Groups - Digital Sports Marketing Conference
Sydney 13-14th July
Adam Freier, Australian Rugby Union player and Media Presenters invites you to Sport Research Groups - Digital Sports Marketing Conference. Social media and digital technologies give sport teams and governing bodies new ways to engage with fans.  (more)

UXC Connect - very cool new web visitor interface for launch.

ReBranding: UXC-owned Getronics reveals services revamp and new name UXC Connect and will invest $1 million, as well 27,000 man hours, into systems, training and additional staff resources from 2010-2014
Website developed by CLIVEvideo Partner and brand specialist agency Tolemy

4x4 Outdoor Show 
Our multitalented Don features as presenter for the National 4x4 & Outdoors Show and Fishing & Boating Expo at Melbourne Showgrounds from 3 – 5 September 2010. 

We're now expanding our team of professional website presenters, models, performers and services.   (more)

 FEATURES:  "Welcome Back CLIVE" - Video Scheduling and Sequencing 

Do you treat your returning websites visitors differently?

You've spent your budget on display, SEO, SEM and Social Media connections but most importantly, what's the customer experience when they have found your site .
"Welcome back" or scheduling CLIVEvideos is a bit like walking back into your local pub or coffee shop?.  You can get quickly annoyed if it is the same message everytime.

Repeat or sequenced videos can be triggered based on your websites customer loyalty (repeat visitors per hour/ day/ year)
Examples:

• Shelley Taylor Smith ; (Page refresh triggers repeat videos)
• RidgeFilms (15 min returning visitor triggers next video);
• St George Dragons (A/B/C Share Of Voice; Max 2 clips served every three days);
• Corporate Coffee (Next day trigger)

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AD:TECH Sydney 2010

Pics and clips from the Adtech Sydney event

Some Recent Photography

Cheers, all the best and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

 Like more information?

Contact Us or phone: +61 (02) 8005 8072