A lucky escape

This week was the Interactve Marketing event at Manchester Central. With an increased focus on Digital within Photolink we spent some time considering whether to exhibit. Although we are a fairly large agency we still have to carefully plan how to best use our own marketing budget. Finally we decided not to exhibit but committed to attending both days as delegates.

Oh my god, I think this is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I arrived on day one with a pocket full of business cards, expecting to launch head first in crowds of digital hungry visitors wanting to network and learn techniques that could be applied to their own organisations. Theoretically with the subject matter being Interactive Marketing I cannot think of a single business in Manchester that should not want to learn about this.

Tumbleweed is an understatement, the halls were practically deserted. Desperate exhibitors who proudly stood in front of their miserable shell schemes tactically planned how to ambush delegates with rain forests of brochures. This resulted in the few delegates that were there retreating to the only safe haven, the lecture theatres. In total across the two days I attended six lectures. Three of them should be ashamed that they are calling themselves digital/marketing experts. However, credit where it's due I thought the presentations by Mediavest, e-Consultancy and KMP Internet were very good.

On day two we decided to give the event a second chance, foolishly hoping that all registered delegates for some reason had blocked out their diaries for day two. The delegate numbers were even lower. I spoke to three exhibitors who were quite rightly appalled at the event.

I can only conclude that this event was very poor. With a great city, a good location and a subject matter that should leave delegates as excited about Christmas as they were as children, the organisers of this event failed miserably and should seriously look at exhibitor and delegate feedback before planning a repeat event in 2009.

Are you being served?

We decided a few months ago that the family car was due for a change. After three years loyal service we decided that our Golf should be changed for something more family bus like (environmentally friendly of course!). Recognising the current financial climate we headed into the market place expecting to see car dealers scramble over each other for our business. How wrong were we?

I don't often name and shame but I have been so thoroughly disgusted with the level of customer service over the last two months that I have created my own top three of shamed companies (in reverse order):

Number Three - Arnold Clark Stockport

After narrowing our choice to either an MPV or Estate we headed off to our local Honda dealership in Stockport to look at the new Honda CR-V. After finally attracting the attention of a sales person I was asked what ideal vehicle I had in mind. After disappearing for 15 minutes the guy returned telling me that we couldn't afford one for our budget, making no attempt whatsoever to give me alternatives (lower spec, nearly new, etc). He seemed quite surprised when I made this suggestion and reluctantly showed me a used model outside, but again told me this was not affordable. Feeling somewhat disappointed with the whole experience I didn't further our discussions and left him to carry on with the laughing and joking he had been enjoying with the other sales guys throughout our visit.

Number Two - Autobytel

After failing at our local dealership I turned to the Internet to find some offers. Although not ideal I found an amazing deal on the Autobytel website for a new VW Passat. Eagerly I phoned the call centre, spent ten minutes giving them my personal details and p/x. The person thanked me for the call and promised a call from the relevant dealership within 10 minutes. 

6 hours later with no call, I again contacted the call centre. Unable to get through by phone and anxious not to lose out on this exceptional offer I sent them an email again detailing my requirements. By 4pm the following day I had still not received a call so again I phoned, again gave a ten minute briefing on my requirements and again receiving a call back promise in 10 minutes. 

Eventually an hour later I finally got the call from the dealership. 'Oh that's a shame Mr Owens, unfortunately that car was sold yesterday, it's a pity you didn't contact us earlier'!!!! To put it politely I explained my disappointment and received a promise that I would be contacted within the hour with another similar deal. I have never heard from Autobytel or the dealership again except for a week later a got a courtesy call from the call centre asking me for feedback on their service!

Number One - David Holmes BMW

Again after trawling the Internet I found a fantastic offer for a new BMW 3 series. I contacted the dealership and great news they had two left. I enthusiastically gave them my details, got a call back with some good finance figures and raced home to tell Claire the good news. The following day we both agreed to take time off work to visit the dealership to sign the papers. 

On the big day Claire organised for the Golf to be valeted and at lunchtime we excitedly arrived at the dealership. Greeted with a coffee we were ushered to a sales desk and met by the sales guy. All great so far...

At that point the sales guy said 'hmm, I can't seem to find your paperwork', so off he disappeared for 20 minutes, finally returning to say he had finally found some of it. After going through our details yet again he went on the system to check the new car, 'hmm (he said again!) that's strange, your car seems to have disappeared'. After waiting another 15 minutes he finally returned to tell us the car had been sold to someone else and there was not another one like it in the country. Unbelievable.

These three dealerships who must be keen for business should be ashamed of themselves.

Fortunately my saviour came from Lookers Honda Derby. After spotting a nearly new Honda CR-V (you know, the one that wasn't affordable) on the Internet I made contact with the dealership. Within 15 minutes I had a call back with a good finance quote and three days later we collected the car along with a bunch of flowers, a £25 M&S voucher and a petrol credit for making the journey.

The moral of the story for recession hit retailers, whilst you have to compete harder than ever with competitors, surely customer service is paramount to winning business and not just price.

Am I from another planet?

I have been hot on the digital trail this week. As well as attending a host of client meetings I've been making a conscious effort to attend networking events to see how other organisations are managing the digital evolution. With a spare night in London I chose to visit a 'Mash Up' event to discuss how digital innovation could be used to make better use of Government data. 

How sad am I?

Surprisingly I found this more interesting than I first thought. Firstly, I was amazed at what data could now be made available using the the 'power of information', then secondly I progressed to who really cares, then finally I sat trying to understand how our public sector clients could actually make use of this information and could there be benefits for the private sector. Furthermore the word 'innovation' kept being used. This is a word that has previously been somewhat of a struggle to apply to campaigns in the public sector, but just maybe this strategy may provide a glimmer of hope.

Yesterday I attended the second Manchester Digital networking event. I wouldn't say there's active collaboration between the digital agencies in Manchester, but it was nice to see everyone at least in the same room discussing new technologies and it was great to see most companies doing well.

The highlight of my week came in debriefing members of Photolink, some of whom have limited digital knowledge from other parts of the Group. As I re-played my weeks client meetings and networking events they clearly felt I had visited Mars instead of London, as I proposed my intent to run a webinar by creating a site using API's, Flex and Web 2.0, using Twitter to communicate with members who may tune into the meeting using Skype!

As I'm writing this blog I have just learned I have become an uncle again. Welcome to the world Matthew Owens. As I struggle to keep translating the current technical evolution into benefits for our clients, I dread to think what the digital landscape will look like when my nephew is old enough to care but I hope it's as exciting as this one!

Batting for the other side

After 15 years and a great deal of peer pressure I've final changed sides. No not my sexuality or my football team (how could I now they are the richest team in the world!), no I have finally changed from PC to Mac, something I vowed never to do. Two weeks in I have been suffering withdrawal symptoms as I have had to learn a new textbook of shortcuts, but I've been through the pain and am now starting to see the upside.

It was great last week when I visited India (yet again) to Skype my family using webcams, firstly in Dubai waiting for a flight transfer, then again each night from my hotel room. This has to personally be the greatest benefit I have seen from digital to date, I think my children would certainly agree.

The digital side at Photolink has been understated for the last few years. Although in it's own right the department has a turnover that would rival some of the regions largest digital agencies, we have chosen to keep it fully integrated into our design team and not shout about it as a separate department. We remain convinced that our USP is to offer clients fully integrated solutions for their businesses, where we can consistently communicate their brand values and marketing campaigns across multiple channels - print, digital, pr and events.

 

However, exciting things are afoot at Photolink as we have further expanded our digital focus. Firstly, we have recently added to the team by recruiting three new digital creatives and have also recruited a dedicated team for digital marketing so that Photolink can effectively manage on-line campaigns through SEO, PPC and email. Finally, as we view digital to be far more than just web we have licensed a mobile platform so that we can now deliver eCommerce through your phone. This channel really excites me as there will definitely be significant growth over the next 12 months.

The photographic offer at Photolink has also evolved to recognise digital as we have now invested further in our rich media offer. We are now using video to deliver 360 product views and fashion catwalks. As our clients continue to shift sales to online we believe this investment will allow us to continue to offer a premium creative service.

As I don't seem to be able to write a blog without mentioning India I am pleased to announce that we have now opened our own creative studios in Mumbai. Initially we have 11,000 sq ft of photographic studio space, but a mezzanine is also being added so that we can provide design services to our Indian clients. Have a look at www.photolink.co.in for more information.

Tighten your belts

With the re-structure at Photolink complete we have been hard on the new business trail selling mainly for 2009 and I'm pleased to say that our efforts are starting to prove fruitful. As a business that has typically grown through networking and word of mouth it has been a little strange to focus on attracting new clients, but then hey, our role is to attract new customers for the majority of our own clients on a daily basis. What's also great is that we have recently finished a number of projects where our creative talents speak for themselves, so it makes the sales process that little bit easier.

For example, we have now starting shooting some great fashion photography for John Lewis, we have completed a series of global events for Astra Zeneca, we have produced for Simon Jersey both their new catalogue and a fantastic new eCommerce website http://www.simonjersey.com/ and although not an instantly recognisable brand we have developed a new website for http://www.sportinglodgeinns.co.uk/ which I think looks fantastic. Sporting Lodge is currently a small hotel group but they clearly have ambitious plans and needed a scalable website to reflect their aspirations. As we are also responsible for driving traffic to the website I would be interested in your views if you get a second to take a look. I'm also pleased to say that this week we have commenced a social media strategy for a new company that retails quality nursery and kids bedroom furniture. So for those of you who do revolve around the world of social media sites keep an eye out for http://www.scribbletree.co.uk/ and give it some support when you do.

This hunt for new business has resulted in travelling significant distances over the last few weeks, resulting in lots of journeys to the petrol pump. Whilst the credit crunch has been a much discussed topic over the last few months I can't say I had been directly affected to date, but five trips to the petrol pumps in a week have left my wallet feeling violated. I simply cannot believe the increase in prices this year and without question we will feel the knock on effect, in addition to the increases we are all already experiencing in household bills and food. So why when we are all really starting to feel the pinch do Manchester want to commence consultation on a daily congestion charge for travelling into the city? In a normal climate I think it would be difficult to generate support, but when we are all feeling aggrevated with the current rate of inflation they must be bonkers to present us with another weekly bill to contemplate. I find this absolutely ridiculous.

I must finally keep you updated with my new love affair with reading. After being captivated with the Kite Runner I purchased a Thousand Splendid Suns as soon as it hit the shelves. For me it's simply not as good as the Kite Runner but I thoroughly enjoyed it never the less. I've then just had a week of Spanish sunshine to re-charge the batteries and managed to digest the entire Jeremy Clarkson series of books. I like Clarkson a lot but after the publications I've read this year they simply didn't hit the mark. However, it has primed me for the new series of Top Gear that starts on Sunday, I just hope they will review a sports car that uses less fuel than mine.

My Arse!

Last week was a painful week at Photolink. Over the last three years we have seen a dramatic change in the photographic side of our business. With the evolution of digital cameras (everyone now thinks they can take a professional shot) and reduced margins for retailers we have seen our rates dramatically slashed, with our larger clients using their weight to drive down costs. This has been so dramatic that unfortunately some of our major competitors have been forced into liquidation. Whilst we have maintained healthy profits right across the Group, our still life department has struggled to trade with significant profitability. After much deliberation we agreed to completely re-structure the department to ensure we maintain our competitive lead, this resulted in the departure of a few employees. Not an easy decision but it now future proofs this department and allows us to compete with even the smallest agencies for business. I wish the guys who have departed all the best as they worked extremely hard for the cause and were part of the Photolink family.

Across the rest of the business we are producing some of the best creative I have seen since my arrival at Photolink five years ago. This was echoed in our digital team being awarded a special commendation in the Northwest's Best Digital Agency category at the recent How Do awards. As you might guess Code won the overall award and thoroughly deserved it was. As a dedicated online agency they are the one of the leading agencies outside of London. Their proposition differs greatly to our multi-channel approach which suits our group structure, so our paths don't often cross. More than anything it's nice to see agencies in the north taking on the south and winning. We have also been shortlisted in the Big Chip awards for Best Public Sector Website for www.manchesterconferences.com Fingers crossed.

I have just finished reading yet another book, the autobiography of Ricky Tomlinson. This was a gift to my wife a few years ago but surfaced again during the move. With nothing new to read after Holy Cow I thought I would give it a go. What an amazing life 'Hobo Rick' has led including prison, failed businesses and of course, the Royal family. It's well worth a read and gives you hope that all good things do come to those who wait.

I'm Back!

It feels like an eternity since my last blog. A combination of moving house and being extremely busy have meant that unfortunately my blog has not been a priority. However, an email the other day from an old work colleague who had read my blog with positive effects has re-ignited my passion to pick up the baton and continue my exploration into social media.

In the last two months my focus has ranged from consulting on a new intranet, to managing the delivery of a conference in Budapest, to visiting India again too see some of our new clients, look at the new studio we have acquired and visit some prospects.

I won't ponder too long on another trip to India but it continues to stimulate me on each visit. For the first time we had half a day to explore. This resulted in a visit to both a Hare Krishna and a Hindu temple. It took a while but I think I get the concept now, I don't think I will be converting to either but at least I don't feel quite so culturally naive now! We also managed a walk off the beaten track and into shanty territory, it puts your own life into total perspective. Live to eat, not eat to live - it says it all really.

My trip to Budapest was part of a contract we have recently been awarded to deliver a series of global clinical investigator meetings for Astra Zeneca. Photolink have successfully created an 'event in a box' that will be transported to many different countries to consistently deliver a brand and supporting messages, starting in Budapest. As with all sectors, pharmaceutical is tightening it's belt and although Astra Zeneca are one of the world's leading organisations they too must follow suit, mainly to keep the shareholders happy. I am glad that our solution has allowed us to demonstrate how costs can be saved but quality can be retained.

As our creative and events team reach maximum capacity for the coming months my focus will now turn to photography. Having been the core of Photolink's offer for 30 years the age of digital is dramatically changing processes and most importantly costs. Still life images that were taken for £70 two years ago are now being forced down to £15. We even went to one meeting in India where there was a requirement for a significant number of shots, but they were prepared to pay £1 per shot. I hope with our current portfolio and enviable infrastructure we will be able to secure additional business from some of the UK's leading retailers.

Finally, I am pleased that my wife has launched her own business as a beauty therapist. I've launched an initial internet page but there's lots to do. It's a good chance to personally test everything I have learned in the world of social media and website optimisation, without relying on the teams at Photolink to support me. So visit www.thebeautysanctuary.com and book in to make yourself beautiful on the outside as well as the inside.

Budgets

After a tiring few days we have successfully moved into our new house. I am sure the stresses of the last few months in the build up to the move will be soon forgotten when I get a chance to stage my first BBQ and sip a glass of Chardonnay on the patio.

I have started to write this blog from a cold but beautiful Scotland after a successful visit to Harper Collins. We are starting to build a great relationship where I think we can really help them to define their digital proposition. I'm tempted to start finding the most obscure locations to share my life experiences through my blog, from my laptop. I'm off to Wigan this afternoon, maybe not the most picturesque location, but it's a start.

My challenge of the last few days has been budgeting for new projects. For agencies it's the age old problem, if you cost every project based on the actual hours that are spent then budgets would be extortionate and we would never win any work. If however, you provide an up front estimate it is then a really struggle to maximise margin. Our preferred method of working is to identify a budget for scoping with a view to presenting a final project cost once the requirements are agreed. This is a more difficult sell as decision makers want budget numbers but I think it's the most realistic route of progression.

Changing Rooms

I'm officially off work now as I prepare for one of life's most stressful events, moving house. If only people had the ability to communicate better then I think the whole process would be far more workable. In my working capacity I would find it disgraceful if my clients or suppliers failed to communicate in the way that both solicitors and house builders have treated us over the last three months, but it's almost acceptable when purchasing a new property which is very disappointing.

Yesterday brought yet another train journey across the UK but this time travelling West to East to North Yorkshire County Council on the Transpennine Express. Express isn't quite the word, crawl is probably more apt, but this did give me time to digest the amazing scenary.

It's fascinating to work for both public and private sector clients as they operate poles apart. The retail sector with sales always in mind focusses on campaigns, consumers and cash. The public sector by comparison focusses on strategy, sustainability and systems. From the outside in the retail sector appears far more exciting but if you suffer the long haul with public sector then the results can be far more rewarding. Take for example the new Intranet we are developing for North Yorkshire County Council. Here we have the opportunity to create a primary communication channel that will re-engineer the way that more than 20,000 employees communicate with each other. Not only will this bring improved personal benefits to individuals but the combined efficiency gains will mean improved service levels from the council to it's residents. The only problem is that in retail, individuals can make decisions, in the public sector EVERYTHING is discussed and approved by committee in meetings that cannot be completed in less than 3 hours.

It was interesting yesterday when as we consumed our council buffet I explained my new blog that I was writing to understand social media. I recited my previous days log entry about the use of Facebook in Local Government. With eyes positively illuminated the team explained that they too considered this a major issue and didn't know how to deal with it. Perhaps it was me that was out of place at the SOCITM meeting and perhaps delegates took a lot more out of the Social Media plenary than I did.

I'd love to think that if I ever took a position in Local Government that I could drive significant change, but then I can't help thinking that after a period of time my enthusiasm would be quashed by the bureaucracy and systems.

Getting to grips with Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is like buzzword bingo. After hearing much about it I went to the Local Government SOCTIM conference in October and with interest attended a seminar on Web 2.0. 'Listen to the experts and further define your online strategy where you can embrace Web 2.0 and social media'. At this time the cry from our clients was intense to find successful case studies, so what perfect timing for an insight from the experts. The plenary started with a five minute presentation on what Web 2.0 meant and then predictably the floor was given to the delegates to share their experiences. Tumbleweed quickly led into a pointless discussion on the use of Facebook by employees within Local Government.

Now, after many meetings with retail, public and pharmaceutical sectors I still have yet to find one that has fully embraced the power of Web 2.0. It's easy to see the use of Web 2.0 when viewing social networking sites and on-line communities and there are endless examples, but it's much harder to find good commercial application, where revenue can be generated through sharing content and exchanging views. I am more confident that a successful application can be found when users can define customer centric experiences, prioritising the content they wish to view. We have taken the first steps when building the new Lookers website to some effect but I am hoping that the new site we are developing for Harper Collins will allow us to truly test the latest internet evolution.

A great example I have found as part of my research is the new Beta site for the BBC www.bbc.co.uk/home/beta The site that always seems to get it right has gone one better by allowing me to prioritise the content that most interests me. It's only a matter of time before more sites incorporate the functionality that Google have pioneered with iGoogle, I hope the digital part of our business can make our contribution in the grand scheme of things.

I really felt quite naive the other day when a radio presenter announced that the name Google actually came about from the term 'go ogle'. Not one to let it lie I have consulted Wikipedia to find out that the term actually came about from an incorrect spelling of 'googol' which refers to the number represented by a 1 followed by one-hundred zeros. I don't feel quite so bad now.

Aparently Web 3.0 is just about to arrive, so for those of you still figuring out Web 1.0 get a move on.

Moving People

I took another trip to London today on Virgins finest. It continues to amaze me the amount of people who are always moving. Someone told me on my last trip to Mumbai that on any given day more than four times the recognised population pass through the city. I'm sure London can't be too far away from this statistic. Without being deemed a crazyman I would have loved to approach people in my carriage to ask where they were going to gain a better insight. Although we all normally have a purpose to travel I can't help thinking there's some small part in our genetic make-up to explore, probably born out of out of our ancestral role of hunter gatherers. All I do know is that when the exploring or meetings in my case are done you can't beat that feeling when you pull out of Euston and head for home.

On my return journey I attempted to digest the final slice of Holy Cow but it proved to be a challenge. Firstly, the bottom half of my body slowly roasted for two hours as the cleverly positioned carriage radiators blasted continuous heat directly onto my left leg. Secondly, the ever present stench that eminates from the toilet made me feel nauseous as the train tilted from side to side to save precious minutes and thirdly, the stranger sat next to me was watching the BAFTA award winning The Last King of Scotland on her laptop. Whilst she enjoyed the film with audio through headphones I was enticed to watch the screen - in the same way you can't help reading the paper of the person stood next to you on the underground - only I was forced to lip read. The end result led to a complete mental scramble. My mind attempted to digest a real life insight into India interspersed with a coup in a small Scottish village. Next time I'll stick to doing the crossword.

As my quest for knowledge in the world of social media continues I am encouraged by the feedback I have received from the people whose judgment I trust. I feel the more I write my blog, the more I am defining a style that I am comfortable with and I am glad that my thoughts when shared are being met with humour and enthusiasm. I think for readers sake I am going to have to pursue further where birds do go to die. Now I've figured out how to exist in Technorati http://www.technorati.com/, I've added my blog link to my on-line sites and I'm going to add it to my email footer, watch out world here I come.

On the Photolink front we claimed another success yesterday to create a new site for Harper Collins. It's great to see a traditional international brand embracing the internet and expanding their services to meet the requirements of the 'net' generation.

Oh, no this means a four hour train journey to Scotland, where's my crossword.

Quintessentially British

A guided tour of Photolink this week for new employees illustrated to me the growth we have been going through over the last 12 months. No fewer than ten or twelve strange faces wandered into our room like a flock of frightened sheep, guided by shepherd Alison, our head receptionist. I'm sure as I gave the five minute induction to the many different facets of our business, some of them wondered what the hell they had got into. How could a company that takes photographs, also do Design and PR and Events and New Media and have a studio in India? Then I told them that we have a license for the north of England for Quintessentially, the world's largest concierge and lifestyle business. At that point I'm sure they thought I was having a laugh and just wanted to go back to their new found team mates to seek the truth.

Quintessentially is probably the most parculiar of our services, but we believe the opportunity to network with some of the countries highest earners, combined with the fit of our Pr and Events team provides a quirky but exciting additional string to our bow. We've even gone one step further and partnered on the launch of a new model agency, Quintessentially Models. The official unveiling of the company is next week but feel free to have a look at the site we have just launched www.quintessentiallymodels.com Quintessentially models is the world's first ethical model agency due to its anti-size zero stance.

Our experience with Quintessentially has been invaluable to me this week as I have been preparing a strategy to work with one of the UK's leading Quintessentially British fashion brands. As we focus upon re-launching their global online proposition I have been researching social media (the reason I started this blog) and whether this method of communication is of any use to the rich and famous, who are particularly cash rich and time poor. I have managed to join a perceived high wealth network of www.asmallworld.net but my first opinions are maybe this is an environment for wannabes and not the real mccoy. For this particular project I need to find the social media playground of the 911 turbo crowd not the boxster boys. The hunt continues....

Be Mine

Love was definitely in the air yesterday, you could feel it in the meetings and see short messages of devotion on Facebook but it was best observed at 5.30 when a convoy of staff passed my desk ladened with flowers, chocolate and food that would provide the foundation to an evening of affection.

Valentines Day may have turned into another commercial moneyspinner in the retailers diary but at the heart of it, it's a good thing to share a bit of quality time with the ones we love. Long gone are the defining years at school where you would pray that the special internal Valentines postal system delivered at least one card to your desk and what a treat when an oversized S.W.A.L.K envelope would arrive from a mystery sender, containing not only a card but one of Swizzel Matlow's very own love hearts with the words to never be forgotten 'be mine'. Of course my desk was creaking under the volume of cards but I don't want to make you all feel bad.

Yesterday Photolink struck the headlines again with our new found friends at How Do. This time we took front page with the Hypercity Argos story http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/other-media/photolink-to-launch-india%92s-first-home-shopping-catalogue-for-argos-200802141907/ With Retail Week headlining today that John Lewis are also heading into India I am so glad that we have developed our own infrastructure out there to accomodate multi-channel retailing. It's only a matter of time before all leading European retailers are looking to exploit the Indian opportunity. We have made it our business to understand the Indian consumer and the marketplace so I think we have a lot to offer. Watch out John Lewis.

As a final thought for today I had two meetings yesterday with leading retailers, both of them hugely successful in their own right and both benefitting from an evolution to multi-channel retailing. What continues to amaze me though is the lack of brand consistency across channels. As retailers consolidate CRM platforms and technologies to know their customers, a silo production mentality continues to prevent many retailers from consistently communicating their brand proposition. With so much competition in the marketplace this has to be the key ingredient to build brand loyalty.

The Long Journey

My journey today began at sunrise with my travelling companion for this adventure being Fiona (Events Director at Photolink). Our destination on this beautiful morning was Saunderton, one of the many home counties town and villages that have been consumed by the London vortex of high wealth commuters. Our objective today was to take a brief for a new event for one of our pharmaceutical clients. Today is one of the rare occassions that I now drive longer distances to visit clients, I typically resort to one of 'dick pickles' pendolinos where I can plug in my laptop and enjoy two hours of quality working time.

In six hours travel time to and from the destination our conversation focussed mainly on business but occassionally wandered into our own social anecdotes and of course what's on the tele tonight. In the occassional moments of silence I absorbed the countryside that flashed by on either side of the M40 and couldn't help but remember one of the many wonders of the world that I have often pondered - where do birds go to die? Sadly, I have often contemplated this matter and even previously gone so far as to Google it to see what light the experts can shed on the subject. If I am to believe what they say then the hedgerows that I see as the seams of the countryside tapestry around me are simply bursting with animals that have drawn their final breath.

I think perhaps I should satisfy my curiousity to this wonder with the wisdom of my seven year old daughter, that perhaps all birds don't emigrate, there is in fact a final flight for all birds to a far away undiscovered island to rest in eternal peace.

With that strange but invaluable insight resolved I can happily report that we have our first positive press release for the new Lookers website launched yesterday. The press release has been included by How-Do, who provide the North West media agencies with all the latest industry news. I am really pleased that this information portal launched by Nick Jaspen has been such a success. My path crossed with Nick many years ago and I am really pleased that his persistence as an entrepreneur full of ideas is paying off. The story can be accessed by the following link http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-digital-media/lookers-to-drive-more-sales-online-with-new-look-site-200802131905/

Finally, our February good fortune has continued with Photolink being awarded two new contracts yesterday. The first to create the new intranet for North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC)and the second to provide an on-line marketing strategy for a new nusery and childrens bedroom transactional website called Scribbletree (I love that name). We are particularly pleased to have been awarded the NYCC intranet as this follows our inclusion by SOCITM in their guide of Best Practise Intranets with the site we developed for Chorley Borough Council.

Long may this run of good fortune continue.

Today is a good day!

I seemed to have squeezed every drop of pleasure from the Manchester Derby this weekend. Lacking in faith I predicted a heavy defeat, but with my wallet swelling from the benefit of side bets, the satisfaction of text message victories with miserable United fans and statistics ringing in my head of the last double, I must believe that there is finally good news for long suffering City fans and a horizon of hope.

Today is also the day we have launched the new Lookers website (http://www.lookers.co.uk). After working with Lookers for 10 years, taking them from a basic information site to one of the top dealer sites in the UK I am particularly proud of the new site. With this new iteration of the site we have listened to consumers and focussed on customer experience. The new site reflects the increase in female shoppers and consumers desire to shop by manufacturer brand. We have also introduced new technologies to the site using AJAX to improve search functionality and XML to import and export the very latest vehicle information.

On the social media front I reached excitement overload to see my blog suddenly appear in blog search engines (for certain search terms) only to have my premature enthusiasm squashed as I vanished without trace this morning. As I'm starting to learn blogs are really about personal views and not commercial exploitation, but then where do people like me go when I want to find information that other industry experts have posted in blogs?

Yesterday we also launched our first business page for Photolink in Facebook. We hope by embracing each of these channels we can better understand social media. If you want to look it up search for 'creative marketing & communications' and you'll find the Photolink page there. I've also managed to now link up Facebook, Linkedin and this blog so I'm feeling rather proud of myself.

The Beginning

This is the first blog I have ever written. I'm doing this as research for Photolink Creative Group (http://www.photolink.co.uk) in Manchester where I am Commercial Director and have been for the last 5 years. With the continued evolution of the Internet Photolink recognise the importance of social media and this is my attempt to further understand it.

Last year Photolink also ventured into India for the first time (http://www.photolinkindia.com/) to launch a home shopping catalogue and website for Hypercity Argos (http://www.hypercityargos.com/). As I am learning, the Internet has been embraced by Indian communities to communicate with other rather than travelling. I can really understand this following my last few visits to Mumbai last week. It took me a good 3 hours to travel from the north to the south of the city by car. If you want a insight into India then read Holy Cow, it's a great book.

Over the next few months I aim to build dialogue with social networkers who live and breath social media and also try some of the many different sites and applications that are now available, with a view to linking all my personal contact points together on the Internet. I have set up my own Linkedin account www.linkedin.com/in/stuartowens and my own Facebook page, we are even trying to get Photolink listed on Wikipedia.

From a personal perspective I have already benefited from getting back in contact with some of my very best friends from my younger years. I think I would be a little hesitant to meet with some of them face to face now but it's great to chat online and to share pictures. It's funny how all the years in between seem to disappear.

My final thought for today is that I am trying my upmost to get back into reading. I've spent many years coming home from work, spending time with the family, eating, then watching tele and going to bed. I'm now making a conscious effort to read more. On recommendation I have just read the Kite Runner in three days. This is a captivating book that has motivated me to read more. So I'm on the look out for the next good book. I do play tennis a lot as well just in case you were thinking I'm a couch potato.