I have been using the idea of network building as the primary activity of communications professionals today in a variety of articles and presentations over the past few months, and it continues to be well received. I have added a category to this blog called "Network Building" and will be adding to it more thinking and posts as I move along. I added a few posts I have written in other places to this blog, in this category today to make sure they are all in one place.
I had the distinct pleasure of being able to debate my ideas with a great group of people last week in Sunderland, UK, when I travelled north to the Making the News conference, organized by fellow blogger and SNCR member, Philip Young. I flew in to the Newcastle airport direct from Paris, where I was met by Chris Rushton (head of PR and journalism at the University of Sunderland) bearing a sign with my name on it! Our plane was almost a hour late, putting us there directly at rush hour. We managed to pass the time sitting in traffic discussing Chris' latest research and the wild and wacky world of participatory communications.
Soon we were at the Marriott, right on the waterfront. Beautiful view. A bit later, we gathered in the bar: Philip Young, Neville Hobson, Stuart Bruce, Anne Marie Cotton of the European PR Educations and Research Association, and Serge Cornelus, a lecturer at a Belgian university (which name is escaping me at the moment). Lots of blog gossip and laughter followed.
We walked to dinner (about 20 minutes in the freezing cold - lucky I brought my warm coat!), a lovely Italian place. There I met Stephen Davies and another student's of Philip's. A yummy dinner followed. When we returned to the hotel (that cold air whisking the chianti right out of our heads!), Tom Murphy was waiting for us.
The best thing about events like this is to get to meet in person the people you have been corresponding with for so long. Of course, I have met Neville any number of times, but it was my first time meeting Philip, Tom, Stuart and Anne-Marie. Our conversations were funny, challenging and always interesting. Philip and I were marvelling at how blogging is such a great way to get to know people. My experiences in putting together the program for the New Communications Forum last year and this one reflected exactly his experiences, written about here. We have lots of ideas for future collaborations now!
The day of the event dawned with bright sunshine and a brisk wind. We bravely faced it during our photo session (result below).
The morning presentations went well, and I was the last person to speak before lunch (did I hear some growling bellies?) I nattered on a bit too long, and left no time for a Q&A (many apologies, sometimes my enthusiasm for the subject gets away from me!), but people seemed to like what I had to say. Unfortunately, I had to leave straight after lunch to catch my plane, so missed the afternoon presentations.
I really enjoyed my time in Sunderland, and hope to visit it and the surrounding area again, as I had no time to really see anything.
I want to add a special thanks to Nicky and her team at the aptly named Don't Panic Projects. She finally got my presentation working (after much panic on my part!).
Glad your presentation did work in the end, Elizabeth. It was truly interesting, especially to absolute beginners in the blogosphere like myself (but without a doubt also to the attendees with an already advanced knowledge). To all you other people interested in the evolution of participatory media: keep your eye on what Elizabeth has to say (or blog). You will not be disappointed (sorry for putting pressure on you, Elizabeth ;-) ). Btw: it's Artevelde College in Ghent...
Posted by: Serge Cornelus | November 21, 2005 at 08:50 PM
You're welcome back any time Elizabeth!
I know at least one person who has been converted since the presentations - Gemma, my fellow student who attended the meal, is starting her first blog.
Keep on evangelising! ;)
Posted by: Stephen Davies | November 22, 2005 at 12:02 AM
Elizabeth, I enjoyed your emphasis in this post on the networking opportunity in blogging. I am a student at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. As a student, networking is emphasized as being one of the most importnat aspects of PR.
Blogging is a great way for students to be able to network with professionals. It isn't intimidating to ask a question or post a blog, because the professionals don't know who you are. Even if they think your questions are stupid and don't answer, you don't feel embarassed. Instead, you are just irritated they didn't answer. :)
Most PR professionals I have met are extremely willing to take time to help students learn more about PR. Blogging is just an extension of helping others in the field, and can be beneficial by opening up the global realm of opportunities and views.
In your post, you wrote about getting to meet the people that you've been corresponding with for a long time. Well, as you dropped names of people that were at the conference, I realized that because of blogging and networking, I knew who these people were, even though I may not have ever directly contacted them. Such an interesting aspect/effect of blogging!
Posted by: Marie Lanier | November 22, 2005 at 03:45 AM
A great philosophical approach to one of the core questions faced by PR practitioners. What do we actually do/accomplish? It became clear to me years ago that what many (not all) of us do in agency life can be accurately described as media relations. While many of carried lofty titles around, our role was simply to get an hourly rate for getting our clients in the media. We are definitely on the cusp of a radical change, where successful communications is not measured in impressions, clippings books and the like, but rather in outcomes that are directly attributable to how well communicators interact with an organization's publics.
Posted by: David Jones | November 23, 2005 at 12:19 AM
Thanks for your comments everyone. I do find that this approach feels less fuzzy to people than "we're going to influence the influencers." I had a couple of people tell me it makes it easier for them to talk to the business execs about implementing these new tools, because many of them are turned off by "blog." And, of course, it encompasses many other tools than just blogs themselves.
Posted by: Elizabeth Albrycht | November 23, 2005 at 09:43 AM
Elizabeth, I'll admit to a certain amount of clockwatching and belly rumbling as the conference rumbled closer and closer to lunch without pause but your presentation sparked the synapses and got me through to the break thinking about how I can get involved in the blogosphere on a number of levels rather than my growling stomach.
I've been quoting your examples all week as I spread the word of blog, hope you don't mind. Would you mind if I linked you once my own site/blog is up and running properly (www.529content.co.uk)?
Posted by: Sam Smith | November 23, 2005 at 03:37 PM
Well, I am glad I was able to distract you from your stomach then! And by all means, link away (and ping me once your blog is up so I can go read it). I have tried to group most of my network-related pieces into the Network Building category to make things easier.
Posted by: Elizabeth Albrycht | November 23, 2005 at 03:42 PM
Thanks Elizabeth, will do (link and ping). My personal blog is at http://publickthoughts.blogspot.com/ for now but I'll let you know when the big project (529) comes online later this month
Posted by: Sam Smith | November 23, 2005 at 04:51 PM
I am delighted you have returned to talking about the networked society. I have been working on a relationship management programme for a few days and had an opportunity to look at real life for a client in a culture very different to my own (not to mention 27 flying hours away).
The concept of many channel, multitouch relationship building was all the more apparent when we looked at evaluating past and future relationship management.
The ability to provide context relevant networks is rewarding. I find using the social frame approach helpful because it makes one think about the constituency in a more holistic way to target communication, the message and interaction and with greater empathy. It also means that evaluation is more granular and helpful in planning.
What was most revealing was how more powerful face to face meetings are after a broad multitouch communications programme. The impact of such meetings can be dramatically (as in many many times) more affective and brings about very tangible behaviour change.
I know that the psychological evidence is there but real life experience is much more satisfying.
Posted by: David Phillips | November 23, 2005 at 06:30 PM