eCommunications for global organisations

Last year, I introduce the eBook ‘Your Online Journey Starts here’ at an event in Brussels, with Toyota, Microsoft and VCE (Volvo Construction Equipment) who shared their own experience with online communication.

We have captured a summary of my presentation which gives an overview of some of the key topics of the ebook.  It is intended as a simple introduction to how the internet is changing communication for global communicators, and what they can do about it.  To find out more check the video (below) or download the ebook (below).

Apologies for the poor sound quality!

The social network that was created last summer for IABC (the International Association of Business Communicators) is one of the best ways for communicators in a corporate environment to experience ‘social media’ and online communities first hand.  We are using a ning platform (a site that allows you to build your own ‘facebook’) and enables members to share information, videos, presentation and discuss a range of topics. It is also very practical to organise events and keep your network aware of recent news.  Those interested in discovering more about this should join: http://be-iabc.ning.com/ or watch the video where I discussed the kind of conversations that take place there.

Here’s a short video of me – explaining a bit the IABC ning in one of our ZN events.

A few weeks ago, for the third time a group of individuals met in Brussels in a small snack place (Le Break de l’Abbaye) to discuss how the EU institutions could and should approach social media and internet communication.

Web2EU in action

The starting point for the event was an open letter written by EU Commission webmasters to try to shape the approach the new Commission was taking to Web 2.0. Tony Lockett and Dick Niewenhuis gave an overview of the origin of the letter, inspired by a similar US initiative, and talked about how this was being viewed by officials. The response to the letter was broadly positive but the key issues facing the institutions remained. Much of the discussion that followed revolved around what the Commission really is (not a government said Dick) and its role in communicating to the public.

From the US initiative I shared some comments made by Beth Noveck in an interview with Tim O’Reilly. The main point of their efforts was to use the web to bring more transparency and openness to the process of policy making in Washington. There was also talk of ‘closing the revolving door to lobbyists’.

An MEP, Wim van de Camp, joined the discussion and announced he was using twitter as his personal PR tool as had just launched his new website.

What seemed to emerge from the discussion is that there is a clear opportunity for the Commission to use the internet as a tool to communicate and share knowledge in more effective ways. The problem however is that they still need to clarify what the communication should be about. The objection made by Wim was that the Commission should not be sharing opinions but should be executing the will of its political masters. However no one objected to the fact that getting ideas on improving policy implementation and communication on its activities was a good thing.

So the discussion continues. Here’s a short video of the event.

After the event organised by IABC last week on Web2Eu, an exciting conversation started:  people shared ideas and content on the ning platform that was set-up by Hugh Barton Smith while several emails, tweets and other discussions took off.

Seeing as people clearly seem to want to continue the discussions that had started, we thought of a simple way to do it: let’s meet again!  In order to make this simple and cheerful we went round the corner from the ZN office to a place Le Break de l’Abbaye (they have a facebook group so you can even check pictures) and asked if we could use the room they had upstairs for people to get together to discuss how the internet was changing communication in Europe.  He said ok - as long as you pay for your drinks!

So there goes.  For those who want to continue the conversation or join it, pencil this date into your agenda:

Thursday 18th June at 16.30.  The address is rue saint Georges 2A (coin rue de l’Abbaye); 1050 Bruxelles (maps and satellite information will be provided shortly).

The format will be simple:

People can first introduce themselves and tell us what they are interested in.

3 or 4 speakers will make a five to ten minute speech (no powerpoint slides allowed) and share some thought provoking experiences with the others.  The rest will be an open discussion, followed by networking.  Nice and easy.

No charge to come, as long as you register (to make sure we know who is coming).  Casual, friendly, basically a social network but offline.

We will focus on how you as an association or communication professional can get your head round key concepts and tools, how you can address objections, what works and what doesn’t.

Helen Dunnett will be back by popular demand, followed by my colleague Steffen (aka blogger steffen78) and myself.

Any suggestions for the format and topics are welcome.  If you want to come or bring a friend register on the hyperthinker ning or on the IABC ning - feel free to invite guests, just keep us posted on the numbers.

See you there.

Phil

Today I will be speaking at an event organized by IABC (www.iabc.be) on the subject of the impact the internet is having on the political world. In this post I will share a few links that the participants might want to visit:

The hyperthinker ning community: (http://hyperthinker.ning.com/) - it’s free to join and is a great place to get an experience of a small network. Ning has the added advantage of enable you to sign-up to several communities with the same login and password and consult them all from one place if you want to.

If you are a member of IABC, Hugh Barton Smith has just started a another ning community (http://be-iabc.ning.com/), which I strongly suggest you join, as it will be a good place to continue the discussions started at the forum.

You might also want to set-your own personal dashboard by going to netvibes.  In order to select interesting blogs you might want to check some selections we have made on a range of topics:

Environmental topics: http://www.netvibes.com/environmentdashboard

Food related issues: http://www.netvibes.com/fooddashboard

Energy related issues: http://www.netvibes.com/energydashboard

I also wanted to list some of the blogs of the participants:

Helen has made a great start at a very interesting blog that has the advantage of coming from the perspective of someone who worked in a Brussels association and is sharing her ‘learning experience’ with people who are eager to learn. She also is very active on twitter so if you want to follow her trial and tribulations sign-up with her:
http://hdunnett.wordpress.com/

Check out the blog/site she helped set-up at ECPA (www.ecpa.be): www.persticideinformation.eu

Mathew blog’s at blogactiv (which he helped to create): http://mathew.blogactiv.eu/

Neville is an established authority on all things new media and has a great podcast that can be checked here.
http://www.nevillehobson.com/

I also recommend checking out Steffen’s blog (http://steffen78.wordpress.com) (who works at ZN with me) which gives you some penetrating thoughts on political communication and the internet.

Looking forward to continuing our conversation.

On May 28th, I will be speaking at an event organised by IABC (the international association of business communicators). Helen Dunnett, client and leading Brussels blogger will be joining us alongside a panel of experts.

Check out the info below (from the IABC site) and register here

A broad panel of social networking practitioners discuss how to weave your issues into the fabric of web 2.0 and gain influence through wider engagement.

* From Facebook via Linked In to Twitter, more and more people
are interacting professionally and politically online.
* Major news vehicles are adding their voices to the blogosphere.
* Companies and institutions are increasingly YouTubing.
* Even Queen Elizabeth II is now using email.

And for the moment all you’ve got is a web site.
Your presence on the net is a billboard in a side street.
This seminar is designed to explore how your messages can leap off that wall and mingle with the crowds where they congregate.

Panelists include:

* Charles Crouch, eBusiness Lecturer at Boston University,
* Helen Dunnett, a pioneer of Web 2 for the ECPA trade association,
* Philip Weiss, internet entrepreneur and HyperThinker from ZN,
* Mathew Lowry, the driving force behind the launch of Blogactiv,
* And over the web, the UK’s influential blogger and podcaster Neville Hobson.

Date: 2009-05-28

Event time: 14:30 - 17:30

Venue:
Boston University in Brussels
Boulevard du Triomphe 174

1160 Brussels
Join us for an intense afternoon of presentations and discussions on how to navigate today’s information stream.
Places are limited by the venue so get your registration in now!
Only €60 (€90 for non-members).

Register for this event