140 Characters to the RescueThe Backstory to the Thinking Digital Conference

@herbkim@ThinkingDigital

๏ Early years are good..

๏ FP6; TSB research bids

๏ Spinning out companies

๏ 300+ paying company members

๏ But then!..

• Fail at shutting us down

• Hurrah!

• But! (uh oh)

• Cash income targets increases by 400% in one year

• £90k in cash income has to become £360k

๏ Invested in new branding

๏ Great Sponsors - Microsoft, Cisco, BT

๏ New Website; First Blog

๏ Print Ads; Online Ads

๏ Email Mktg; Leaflet Drops

๏ Facebook; LinkedIn Groups

๏ Direct Sales

๏ Dozen Marketing Partners

Roll Out the Marketing Artillery

Great Concept + Great People + Big Investment

In the End๏ Didn’t come anywhere close to selling out

๏ Financial loss double our forecast

๏ Conference producer resigns straight after end of the conference

๏ BUT we survive

๏ And go for Thinking Digital 2009

But Then in Nov 2008๏ Our luck finally changes

๏ Tickets start flying out the door

๏ We don’t know why!?!

๏ Sellout 2 months early

๏ Spend only 1/3 of mktg budget

๏ Ticket Revenue 89%+

๏ Convert a big loss into a near breakeven

2010๏ Add 50 seats; sellout 4 months early

๏ Add another 100 seats; they sellout too

๏ £0.00 in media spend

๏ What happened?

Back in 2008๏ Terrible numerical results but..

๏ Stellar customer feedback

๏ 78% Respond to Online Survey

๏ 80% Definitely Would Return

๏ Dedication to Content & UX Noticed!

• 2008 Google top referring website

• 2009 Google still no 1

• 2008 Twitter accounted for 3.1% of all referrals

• 2009 Twitter accounted for 21.2% of all referrals

Back to the Future๏ Start smaller

๏ But increase focus on great product & UX

๏ Connect with the connected

๏ If what you are doing is good your community will spread the word

๏ If not, your community will tell you openly how to make it better

Suggests a future that..๏ Is less about buzz & spin and more about

credible communication

๏ Is more about better products, services & experiences

๏ Lets your community do your marketing for you because they are empowered to do so and they want to do this for you

๏ And because there will be no other choice

Free Stuff Bonus Slide๏ 5 free spots for Thinking Digital University

๏ Tuesday, 25 May on Newcastle Quayside

๏ 1pm Registration, Eye on the Tyne

๏ Tom Wujec, Autodesk on Visual Comm’s

๏ Introduction to Origami

๏ Difference Engine Startup Pitching Comp

๏ Thinking Digital Opening Party too

๏ @herbkim; @thinkingdigital

๏ herb@codeworks.net