The most digital chamber network in the world

Senja Larsen, Head of CommunicationsFinland Chamber of Commerce

Doha World Chambers Competition 2013 Best unconventional project finalist

Modern communications landscape

Researchers

Scientists

Analysts

Government

Media

Stakeholders

Consumers

Potential members

Lost members

Returning members

Politicians

Consultants

Suppliers

OfficialsLocal government

NGO’s

Trade unions

Staff

Society

Members

InfluencersChamber

Businesses

CEO’s

Schools

Universities

Colleges

Requirements of success for a network organisation

Success

Interaction

OpennessInspiring content

Using the latest

technologies

• Cloud computing, smarter mobile devices and tools change the consumer landscape and organisations.

• The future is always synced, always accessible, multi-device searchable contents.

• We must be able to deliver and receive information anytime, anywhere, on any device. Safely, securely, with fewer resources.

Opportunities and challenges

• Mission drives Chambers. We must deliver more valuable services to our members, more efficiently and at a lower cost.

• To succeed and flourish, every chamber must look for digital solutions.

• Chambers must be as effective as our member companies. Better yet, we should lead the way.

Lead the way!

Social media

(offsite)Wikipedia, LinkedIn,

YoutubeSlideshare,

Facebook, Twitter

Succesful communications are a combination

Your internet pages

(onsite)

SearchSEO Search Engine

OptimisationSEM Search Engine

Marketing

InternalCollaborative tools:

Google Apps,Sites, Hangouts,

Drive, Forms

PersonalNothing beats face

to face!

DIGITALISATION IN ONE YEAR

• Our aim was to renew the brand, reshape how we think and retool how we work.

• Increase effectiveness, speed, collaboration and thought leadership status.

• Campaign-oriented tone and active participation in social conversations.

• Measuring success and effectiveness of key message delivery and tone of communications.

Digitalisation of 19+1 Finnish Chambers

• Google Apps cloud tools are used for internal collaboration.

• Externally we have a presence in all major Social Media channels, which our Newsroom ties together.

• We actively use Search Engine Optimisation and Marketing eg for finding new members.

• All logos, photos, corporate gifts are available online.Most print layouts such as visit cards and simple brochures can be edited online by browser layout formatting.

Digital revolution changed everything

• Press releases are edited in real-time and localised by chambers by adding locally relevant quotes and figures.

• Regional CEO’s and working groups hold regular video meetings between face-to-face meetings. No travel, only laptop and headset.

• Social media postings are generated from news and events and shared daily to all chamber staff (“three topics everyone should know today”)

Examples of our new ways of working

• All channels and processes were renewed in 1 year, cost of 30,000 euro and staff of 2, fully involved in normal duties.

• Open source and free or reasonably priced solutions were used.

• We saved 20,000 euro per year by producing media monitoring inhouse.

• From the Finnish solution chambers can adopt any combination that supports your strategy.

• These tools can be implemented with minimal use of outsourced resources or consultants.

1 year, budget 30k€, team of 2 people

Use ApplicationCollaboration Google Drive & Docs

Dropbox Information storaging Dropbox

Google Drive Intranet Google Sites

Google Plus Internet pages WordPress Unified calendars Google CalendarQuestionnaires/Gallups Digium

Google Forms Doodle

Communication Our own e-mail solutionsGoogle ChatGoogle Plus

Video conferences Google Hangout Webex

Social media Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Flickr, LinkedIn. Google+, Wikipedia, Hootsuite, Slideshare

E-mail newsletter EmaileriEvent registration Lyyti

Doodle PhotobankMarketing materialsCompany contactinformation

Flickr Digtator Fonecta B2B

Internet analytics SnoobiPress releases CisionMedia monitoring Digital search

Wordpress as database

EXAMPLES

Finnish chambers of commerce 2011

Finnish Chambers of Commerce 2012

(Design cost 10 k€)

Identity and logo use guide online

ACTION:Identity guidelines are published on the internet only, for ease of updating and sharing.

RESULT:Complete self-service, all partners from advertising agents to the media use the guidelines on internet.

Logos and pictures on Flickr

ACTION: All logos and photos on Flick for easy access.

RESULT: Cost efficient search engine friendly, easy access, no management needed, has resulted in wide photo use and giving Chamber staff and our issues a face.

Logo items available in digital shop

ACTION:All standardised Chamber logo items such as pens, folders, gifts, rollups, mousepads are handled efficiently through a digital store.

RESULT:Lower prices through bigger volumes and better control over storage situation and order management.

Print ready professional uselogos online

ACTION:Professional use logos in 4 formats from web to print, negative/ positive, blue/white, black/white in 3 language versions = 1200 logos for 19 chambers.

RESULT:Excellent efficiency of delivery and use across all projects, chambers and partners. No emailing attachments or wrong versions in use.

Campaign materials in 20 sizes and 4 formats

ACTION:Campaign material in 20 sizes and 4 formats from posters to banners available through digital content management site

RESULT:Use of materials has increased exponentially

Digital layouts for localised print materials

ACTION:Extensive identity renewal saved costs through localisation of logo materials with browser based layout formatting of items such as envelopes, business cards, invitations, flyers, simple brochures and invitations. Layouts and addresses are ready in the database.

RESULT: DIY. Everyone can do anything. Less use of advertising agencies for simple layouts.

ACTION: Browser based layout formatting with templates for flyers and brochures

RESULT:Anyone can produce professional-looking brochures with the simple tools.

Interactive 5k€ Wordpress internet site

ACTION: Concentration on Key Messages. High visibility of social media channels. Search engine optimised.

RESULT: Interactive presence conveys image of active, modern and communicative Chamber group.

Weekly video on youtube

ACTION:Weekly video blog

RESULT:“The medium is the message”. Modern interactive presence gains wom, prestige and visibility. Fabulous for SEO!

Main events tweeted and archived in newsroom

ACTION: Interactive tweeting of all news and at major events.

RESULT: Amount of followers increases continually. Same content used on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+.

Social media newsroom connects channels

ACTION:Regional and national issues raised daily and weekly in social media newsroom.

RESULT:Search Engine Optimised visibilityEnsures coverage of important issues.

Campaign sites with stories

ACTION:Campaign sites with video story content

RESULT:Video is an excellent for visualising challenging issues, and has given excellent visibility to important campaigns.

Geolocated praise from members

ACTION:Geolocating membership campaign site. Search Engine Marketing used to support findability.

RESULT:Excellent for locating new leads. It is far more convincing to have the members praise us instead of the chambers praising themselves.

EFFICIENT INTERNAL PROCESSES

1k€ Google sites -intranet workson a wiki basis

Google Apps collaboration tools used  across 19 chambers: 

• Drive for collaborative editing of content

• Spread sheets for collecting data.• Forms for internal questionnaires.• Groups for exchanging ideas.• Calendars for coordinating events • Hangouts for small meetings• Google Plus for internal buzz

Collaborative Google Apps tools internally

ACTION:Google Apps Corporate tools used for internal communication. All material can be edited by anyone before being published.

RESULTIncreased efficiencyand collaborative culture.

Online editing

ACTION:Information across chambers is collected by use of collaborative spreadsheets and forms.Texts are edited together.

RESULTNo emailing, version-juggling or copy pasting of information. Collective intelligence in full use.

Monthly stakeholder email newsletter and daily staff newsletter

Information has to come to you!

Continual support and training for use of new tools

ACTION:Internally produced Training for using new tools offered on a monthly basis: everyone is encouraged to attend.

RESULTTools have been taken widely into use in many areas where collaboration adds value.

Documented processes

ACTIONAll communications processes are documented to ensure quality and efficiency, and can be referred to when necessary

RESULTEfficiency, openness and collaborative culture

• Media monitoring was highest yearly communications expense. We saved 20k year by producing it inhouse.

• Referats are saved into our own database. • Following criteria is used to evaluate each news item:

– Visibility of the news item in the media and the role of the chamber in the item.

– Importance: how the article relates to our key messages.

– Tone of voice: neutral, negative or positive with regard to our agenda.

– Coverage: local, provincial or national media.

Turning media monitoring into a strategic tool

Virtual awards motivate and showcase

• Results are analysed monthly. Best chambers and persons, in proportion to the chamber size, with most strategic media visibility are awarded.

• Aim is to motivate and showcase achievements of using key messages.

Satakunnan kauppakamari

Turun kauppakamari

Länsi-Uudenmaan kauppakamari

Kymenlaakson kauppakamari

Kuopion kauppakamari

Etelä-Pohjanmaan kauppakamari

Oulun kauppakamari

Pohjois-Karjalan kauppakamari

Pohjanmaan kauppakamari

Lapin kauppakamari

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

1

11

3

30

2

53

4

2

4

4

4

3

12

18

8

7

11

14

6

7

10.5820105820106

13.7112925589278

16.7589175891758

23.6859008671449

34.9344978165939

46.274488812761

48.513986013986

51.535087719298

62.5965996908811

68.2711198428291

84.2217484008529

88.7345679012346

88.9398572884812

91.6282135794331

94.5072697899843

106.280193236715

142.17032967033

143.523920653442

171.212121212121

175.342465753425

Yhteispisteet

Osumia

12.04.202338

Winning news items are shared monthly

12.04.2023 Esityksen nimi / Tekijä39

Media person of the month!

WRAP-UP

• Keeping happy 19+1 demanding chamber CEO’s

• Overcoming change resistance 2.0• Giving up content ownership, going from ”mine”

to ”ours”.• But we just renewed our web pages, intranet,

magazine, flyers, stickers etc etc!• Could the world remain same and change at the

same time?

Biggest challenges

1. Definition of the strategic core processes2. Selection of tools and creation of channels3. Creation of processes to support a culture of

openness, sharing and innovation 4. Training and support offered personally and

online, one-on-one and in groups5. Making sure that all chamber staff had access to

the tools and were empowered to participate6. Publishing guidelines to support the use of tools7. Making it easy to reach, share, comment and

modify materials8. Making key performance measurable.

Digitalisation: how we did it in 8 steps

• 19 chambers were able to collaborate to reach a common goal.

• Change takes a huge bulk of work but it becomes a tiny chunk when everyone participates.

• We did it together, thanks to our fantastic staff!

• If we can do it, you can do it and we will be honoured to help!

Change is about people, not technology

Thank you!

senja.larsen@chamber.fifi.linkedin.com/in/senjalarsentwitter.com/senjalarsen

www.kauppakamari.fiUutishuone.kauppakamari.fi

Facebook.com/K3FIN Twitter.com/K3FIN 

Flickr.com/K3FINYoutube.com/kauppakamari

Slideshare/K3FINlinkedin.com/company/finland-chamber-of-commerce