Why am I blogging?

It's been a year since I started my new career as a blogger. I did it in Finnish, with a purpose of trying out something new. I wanted to promote the awareness of my employee's top products in my professional networks.

Semi-private, semi-professional..

I started with a question on what is the "reason to market in the public sector"? (F)

Earlier this year a network friend of mine, Nathan Hangen, encouraged me to do it in English. So did a Greek entrepreneur-friend of mine. Yes, they were right: I do have a lot of colleagues all around Europe, business acquaintances all around the world. We share a lot of thoughts but it's impossible for them to read me in Finnish. The final push came from another network acquaintance. Morten Juul asked in his blog: "What will you commit to today?" .. Sure, why not?

The biggest minus at the moment, is that I severely suffer from lack of time. Our recent projects, the big change we're in middle of.. all too much! But I look forward to a time of better balance, though.

Benefits of blogging

Anyway, this last year has been incredible in so many ways! To find something interesting has become of bigger value: I want to stash it in a more organized manner in order to be able to return to it when I need it. After all, everything is connected, and this piece of information is connected to that sector of A and B and now is the time to blog about it.. You know, how it goes. Thinking according themes is something I've grown more into, and more systematic search of information is my constant aim.

Writing is an excellent way to organize one's thoughts, too! Professional (even semi-professional so) networks are pure gold in exchange of information and other support. The biggest reward, however, in my everyday work, would be the collaboration that has emerged in this new media between different government agencies.

How to find the courage?

So thanks Hanne(F), for your share! You came up with the back door: if it's not nice, you can always stop, saying it was a project that lasted while the main product was on for the audience. No shooting ahead, should I fail. Loved it!

Thank you Anja(F): you offered me a concrete here's-what-you-need-to-do-plan for setting up a blog in your book Blogi tulee töihin(F). Thanks to your book, it only took me a weekend or so to get things going.

Thanks Merja! You were the impartial outsider who could point out the outstanding example I was able to set for many alikes in the public sector. Thank you for your warm support. Our network is brilliant.

"Why on earth should a public sector agancy market anything? Tax customership?! Fiddle-dee-dee! You don't have a choice! So what is there to market for?" Let's see..

The answer for the need of marketing is, with a year behind me, is that marketing really is about networking, relationships, creating value to others. Not looking for leads but seeing people. You can't do it in your chamber! And more than that, you just can't own all the wisdom needed in your (lonely) head. It's time to get out: open the door and step out to the market to grow wise.

Spread your wings and start networking!

Blogging is one way to get out in the market. There you can reach and embrace the wisdom of crowds. Let your passion catch fire with others like you! I chose my knowledge and experience as my currency. The big question was How do you network? How big is the net I already have? But most importantly, how do I bring along the whole organisation?

It was a bit like pioneering in the wild wild west. It's good to have someone out there first, and then let's see how things will work out for her. After that we learn from her mistakes and can start the business with smaller costs. There are a few sparks already in the air: top management chose blogging as a way of sharing the new strategy. It was too early to launch a novelty with blogging. Instead, customer service caught fire!

Customer service is spreading its wings!

A couple of tax offices, or rather, their communications, marketing and service managers chose new media. Since there simply is not enough people to answer all the phone calls one at a time, they chose to get out there where their customers already are gathered. The means are an Ask us -column (F) in the biggest network society in Finland and a blog (F) in one of the biggest web journal communities

Trust is the main thing. You must have passion for your cause. But, in addition, the most solid currency in this new media market is the ancient nobility of helping thy neighbors. Those who can, have open ears and they are willingly helping those in need. Trust is being born. You want to recommend someone that you trust. Word of mouth creates the most powerful marketing. I rest my case.

So spread your wings and start networking. Your expertise is needed!

Earlier posts on new malls, R & D and experts and brands, unfortunately in Finnish:

Markkinointi muodostaa asiakkuuksia (16 Jou 2009)
Jokainen on brändinkantaja (4 Kes 2009)
Asiakas on laumaeläin (26 Tou 2009)
Ajatuksia asiakaskeskeisestä tuotekehityksestä (Haku)

Great thinking on trust and sharing:

Protect your ideas or launch them by Nathan Hangen
Future of Search Is More than Social by Baekdal

Social media drives green values to business (Vol.4)

Turning environment..

Let's move on from environmental challenges to new business ideas evolving from the need of sustainability.

I believe the only way to weave environment into business is by looking at the entire environment of the business through value chain thinking.

Environmental value chain analysis offers a way to manage the business processes as an entity that takes environment into consideration.

..into new business ideas

Passion drives change. BSAG was born of the relentless passion of Ilkka Herlin. Same passion drives environmental investments in Canada.

Private passions that have driven the environmental movement for decades are now spilling over into mainstream business ventures.

Material efficiency is often the key factor in cutting variable costs. But that efficiency should be looked at as a bigger picture: one must optimize the entity. It is possible to streamline the use of a certain ingredient in the production process and, at the same time, increase the cost of its final waste disposal. There, too, the answer lies in life cycle analysis.

Material efficiency should thus be connected into the management system, as is often done with the energy efficiency. Efficiency thinking should be based on value chain analysis, says professor Juha Kaila, Helsinki University of Technology (InnoSuomi 2009). R&D is facing the challenge of how to get the most out of the raw material in its total life time. The scope is about to change as the life cycle cost must include also the cost of recycling.

A change toward non-tangibles?

How about Slow movement? It offers yet another view in consumption. Slow life allows room for services that do not exploit the environment. Non-tangible services are bound to burden less than producing tangible goods. An excellent example on that are different charity projects: Buy a cow - donate a well - buy a vaccine - or plant a tree are all examples of a non-tangible gift (F) to someone who already has everything.

As you can see, sustainabity makes sense. It also opens new horizons for innovation.