WHAT NOT TO DO IN FACEBOOK COMMUNICATION

Brands communicate on facebook routinely. Some succeed, some don’t.

Here’s looking at why.

Facebook was conceived as a tool for connecting with your close (and not-so-close) friends. Could be vaguely defined as a somewhat personal space; while its quite obvious that activity on the internet can’t be too personal.

Brands, which are quick to spot opportunities, are furiously competing to get into your News Feed and get you to "engage" with them. And they're not necessarily wrong to do that. Every day, people are having conversations with brands on social media. Some  people say they trust a company's Facebook page more than its website.

Conversation is important. Conversation by a brand may look like advertising. And advertising is something people have been trained to ignore. Hence the challenge.

Brands that succeed on Facebook, in a manner similar to brands that succeed in the marketplace, get some things right. They stay away from being slotted into one of the following brand personalities

Below are some brand personalities your company should absolutely not emulate:

The Tragedy Hero

Many brands struggle with how to handle tragic current events. Not this fellow! This guy cannot resist mentioning the latest recent catastrophe; and then putting a plug here into his brand. When theres a tragedy that everyone is affected by, express how you feel as an organization and if there s any real connection; express the same with empathy. Anything else is poor taste.

The Photo Guy

A picture does speak a thousand words. So here’s the guy who purchases stock photography of random smiling people and uses them for every single post! These pictures have nothing to do with the brand- of his company's products, behind-the-scenes at the office, or himself and his employees—now why would anyone do that! Hes not actually advertising; but stock photo makes it look like advertising; and that’s funny in a not-so-funny way.

The Convoluted Texter

Tough one! She writes lengthy, meandering updates; never coming to the point, because does not want to look like she’s advertising. You don’t really know how to respond to this post because there are too many ‘calls to action’ in each sentence. Will not get responses and hence push further confusing posts out there. Complete catastrophe!

The Chubby Irritant

Have you ever seen a brand throw up a picture of a baby or a puppy or even a flower; despite the fact that it’s products dont cater to babies, pets and horticulture?

Everyone likes a cute baby. So women will put up a ‘like’. That’s sentiment; not substance. So the same people who ‘like’ today, will ‘unsubscribe’ tomorrow, when you stop discussing babies and start discussing products.

The Beggar

While studies show that asking for a Facebook 'like' or a comment can increase your interactions up to 26 percent, the Beggar does it constantly and at inappropriate times. If your posts are great, you won' t need to ask for a like for every other one. Use the power of the "ask" when you're trying to spread an important company message or helps the community. Don't do it for the sake of doing it.

(Imp Note: He/she used at random while describing facebook personas)

Tantra by Adi at the google office

Glad to be a part of a new experiment today.

We were able to bring together Soha Ali Khan and Farhad Dadyburjor for a reading at the google office at BKC- to read a book.

The folks at the google office assured me this had been done for movies but not for a book. So a part of a first. Though I am advised by reputed seniors to not make any claims about this being the first online launch or anything.

Tantra as a book is fast paced and modern. Anu is a female protagonist with a purpose based in Delhi..I liked that..because we all need to have a purpose that motivates us to act...and a strong Delhi based female character ruling the nights as a vampire is a welcome image to me.

Adi the author is excited about Tantra as he should be.

I am wondering whether this is going to change the way books are launched....or has it already changed and Im new to this..either way..great learning experience.

Tots from a pre-school dress as farmers and  take to the streets on World Water Day: 

‘Paani Ki Pehchan Andolan’  was taken up by some tiny tots on  World Water Day.

This initiative comes just on the eve of the festival of water and colours; Holi. The children,

between the age group of 2 – 5 yrs took to the roads and promote the ill effects of

water wastage through slogans and placards. 

The small children came dressed as farmers and will educate the people at large of

the dire consequences of wastage of water as a natural resource. 

Following the uneven distribution of rainfall in 2011 and 2012, the state is facing severe

water scarcity in western Maharashtra, Marathwada and parts of northern Maharashtra

and Vidarbha. The situation has reached a nadir with the crops being affected eventually

threatening an economic crisis.

Definitely; making these posters and believing that somethings are worth fighting for itself is a learning.

for these kids from Podar Jumbokids.

Good stuff!

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MUTUAL CON SOCIETIES

HR professionals who’re contemplating to write blogs; I am but a friendly buddy with stray thoughts...on communication and perception....

Job interviews demand that you look for young dynamic individuals who can speak convincingly; show initiative; put a point across, look at you straight in the eye, show assertiveness and basically be the cat's whiskers.

This same candidate once hired; is quick to dynamically spot outside opportunities, have opinions, say no and basically become a pain in your mid tending to lower dorsal frame...exactly the traits you hired for.

So is a half hour interview enough to assess a candidate? You know that answer too; but to my mind…the interview is a hopelessly inadequate tool manipulated by smart candidates who can con and put on an act sufficiently well for a small period of time.  

Im unfortunately not able to come up with any graphs or correlations here on the number of con jobs at play out there, as that requires tremendous intellect. Intellect to analyse and spot patterns and put them into tables. But my rapidly graying hair has some coherent things to say.

Every situation in our life could be as artificial as that job interview.

Bhasphemous! Ban this blog! Who hired this dame! Is she being paid?

‘Im just being myself’ is the biggest con line and theres no harm really as the person whos falling for it also knows exactly what percentage of it is true. So its always a mutual con society.

A recent ad campaign on how ‘each friend is very zaroori’ made me wonder how friends who’ve spent 3 years sitting on the same table in a classroom move apart; do not talk for three to four years and then when both of them are in suitable positions to take advantage of each other; suddenly find ‘old friendship’ the most convenient way to explain their mutual greed.

See; but there's no harm at all; both of them are playing the same sport! 

Motherhood and duties that come with it will not be touched in this column; as collective outrage on love that stems from the womb will jeopardize this blog forever. Cant handle the outrage. 

Couples present the most curious communication cues to each other.

“Honey; remember that dinner; my old classmate from B –school; we have to go; I told them all about your charity work; and they really want to meet you.”

“Honey; my colleague has started travelling in a Merc; and I was wondering whether I could take yours to office for a day. She should know I’m used to luxury as much as she is.”

“I ve gone for the last 7 parent teacher meetings; Cant you go for one? All other fathers make it! And I haven’t had a hair spa in 7 months!”

The most deadly one “ its your turn to switch off the light ?”

So most of the times; the response would be “you selfish pig/sow as applicable. Are you just meant to use me?” The reason why its never said is the same comment could come back in no time at all; with equal or greater vehemence; as give and take is a fundamental right here, not an option.

So our response to the communication assumes a more palatable form.

So even when your boss asks you “is it too much to stay back for an hour and finish the presentation” and you badly want to watch a Tom Cruise movie; your measured artificial response is “ not at all; of course”

So all this ranting about just means that all human communication is always under the purview of an artificial environment that assesses impact of response and  speaks accordingly.

Its all well for us to only perceive some relationships to be “communication-conned” and others to be “communication-original.”

The old brain; evolutionary giant that lives within each of us and knows only survival teaches even a 2 year old child to behave as per results; not as per instinct. Education on how to communicate begins sub-consciously; earlier than most people realize and evolves more rapidly than our conscious mind. Nobody in their right mind likes to say “in two minutes boss” with a smile. Its always more skewed towards “when I feel like it moron”! But you factor in the result and then speak..smart!

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“SANKALP UNCONVENTION SUMMIT 2013”

April 16-18, 2013

Renaissance Hotel and Convention Centre, Powai, Mumbai

Sankalp’s Annual Summit is the largest social enterprises focused gathering in the World. In its 5th year, Sankalp has grown truly global with speakers such as:-

 Susanne Dorasil – Susanne Dorasil is Head of the Economic Policy; Financial Sector Division at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development     (BMZ. She is currently serving as German co-facilitator of the G20 development pillar on Private Investment and Job Creation and as German co-chair of the Sub–group on SME Finance of the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion.

 Mark Stoleson is Chief Executive Officer of Legatum, and has served with the firm for over 7 years in various capacities including Head of Group Investments.

 Antony Bugg-Levine, CEO, Nonprofit Finance Fund (joins via video conferencing) – Antony Bugg-Levine is the CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund. Prior to taking up this position in October, 2011, he was a Managing Director at the Rockefeller Foundation, where he designed and led the Rockefeller Foundation’s Impact Investing initiative.

 WatananPetersik, Director, Lien Centre for Social Innovation; Chair, Ashoka Singapore Advisory Council.

 Afeefa Sayeed, Senior Advisor, USAID – AfeefaSyeed is Senior Advisor at the U.S. Agency for International Development Middle East and Asia Bureaus, where she designs and implements initiatives and training on emerging programs, including engaging traditional and religious leaders and institutions, radicalization, and madrassah enhancement. She works with Washington based and mission staff to define best practices, highlight success stories, develop tools, and frame country strategies to bring expertise in engaging with the cultural contexts.

DeshDeshpande, Founder, Deshpande Foundation (video-conferencing) – DeshDeshpande is the President and Chairman of Sparta Group LLC, and Chairman of A123 Systems (AONE), Sycamore Networks (SCMR), Tejas Networks and HiveFire. Dr. Deshpande co-chairs a National Council to support President Obama’s innovation and entrepreneurship strategy.

 Paul Basil: Founder & CEO, Villgro- Paul also has contributed to building the social enterprise eco-system in India, through  Unconvention, Wantrapreneur, Villgro and  championing the ANDE Chapter (Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs).

 Other names this year at Sankalp include –

Rohini Nilekani, Chairperson, Arghyam, Thomas Davenport, Director, South Asia, International Finance Corporation (IFC),Jerry Ng, President Director, BTPN and other stakeholders.

 Vineet Rai, Founder Aavishkaar and Intellecap; Anurag Agarwal, CEO Intellecap and Aparajita Agarwal, Head Initiatives at Intellecap will facilitate the Sankalp Awards, Villgro Awards, DFID women recognition awards and the Global Cookstove alliance awards for clean cooking.

 Over the last 4 years, Sankalp has recognized & rewarded social enterprises across the length and breadth of the country. Sankalp will engage over 11,000 stakeholders globally which includes:-Social Enterprises, Impact & Mainstream Investors, Policymakers to encourage innovation and Enablers, who are part of the ecosystem.

 This year however, the theme is looking - beyond impact, seeking transformational change through plenary sessions and world café formats.

 A major highlight on the 16^th of April, 2013 is G20 inclusive business workshop to promote learning & exchange.

 Save your date to be at Sankalp 2013.

The Sankalp Forum and Global Alliance for Clean Cook Stoves Announce cash grant of USD 15,000 for Innovation in Clean Cooking Solutions in India

The winning enterprise will also have the opportunity to be considered for the Spark Fund, get strategic mentoring advice from sector experts and be felicitated at the World’s largest social enterprise event – Sankalp Unconvention Summit

Mumbai March 12, 2013 - The Sankalp Forum and the Global  Alliance for Clean Cookstoves have formed a strategic partnership to launch the Sankalp –Alliance Award for Innovation in Clean Cooking Solutions aimed at recognizing and supporting entrepreneurs and innovation in the clean cooking sector in India.

The award is part of the Alliance’s strategic plan to increase the level of resources, grants, and investment in the sector on par with comparable global development challenges. Household air pollution (HAP) — emanating from traditional chulhas burning wood, coal and animal dung as fuel — is the largest health risk factor for Indians. According to recently published Global Burden of Disease estimates, HAP causes over one million deaths in South Asia every year.

“For decades, a lack of funding and financing for the clean cooking sector has prevented manufacturers, distributors, and other actors from scaling up to address the safe and clean cooking needs of millions of people,” said Radha Muthiah, Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. “Driving investment in the sector is an integral part of the Alliance’s strategy to catalyze markets worldwide.”

The Alliance and Sankalp have come together to create a platform to showcase and recognize socially relevant enterprises with proven innovative approaches to tackle one or more of the barriers across the clean cookstoves and fuels value chain, and offer them the opportunity to access early stage investment capital. The winning enterprise must also be able to demonstrate how it will contribute to the Alliance’s goal of 100 million homes adopting clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels by 2020.

Enterprises that promote the use of clean cookstoves and fuels address the health and environmental impacts associated with burning solid fuels in traditional cookstoves, as well as improve the livelihoods of women who spend a considerable amount of time collecting fuel.

Aparajita Agrawal, Director Sankalp Forum, added, “Sankalp Forum has always been at the forefront of supporting high-impact social enterprises that effectively address challenges faced by low-income populations. We are proud to support the Global Alliance For Clean Cookstoves in their quest to find enterprises in the clean cooking sector. We look forward to showcasing these ventures at the upcoming Sankalp Unconvention Summit in April.”

Applications for the award will be opened on the 28^thof February and will close on the 23rd of March.

The winning enterprise will receive a cash grant of USD 15,000 along with the opportunity to be considered for the Alliance’s Spark Fund and strategic mentoring advice from sector experts. The winner of the award will be felicitated at the Sankalp Unconvention Summit 2013.