Kristin Sundin Brandt

Having just wrapped up my presentation at the Indiana Bankers Association’s 2013 Mega Conference, now seems as good a time as any to tackle a topic that has been on my mind for a while now.

PowerPoint.

Or, more specifically, how much people HATE PowerPoint. There are many good reasons to dislike PowerPoint, but I’m here to recommend that we stop blaming the tool, and start blaming the users.

When utilized properly, PowerPoint, Keynote or any other presentation solution, can support and enhance a presentation. Slides give a backdrop and evidence to support a speaker’s point, as well as assist the speaker by providing visual cues.

Slides should not be opportunities for all of us to read along with the presenter, or allow someone to simply skip the session because they can download the slides. They are also not a substitute for a handout with takeaway items for attendees – that’s what the free pads of paper on the tables are for!

And I guarantee this – the quickest way to destroy a presentation, and cause a few migraines among your audience, is to put too many words on your slides.

If you take a look at the slides I’ve uploaded to the Sundin Associates SlideShare, you should notice a theme – lots of images, very little text. In fact, I know I’ve done my job correctly when those viewing my slides without attending don’t know exactly what I was talking about, or more importantly, what point I was trying to make.

I have great respect for those people who are able to speak without the support of PowerPoint or similar program. And I completely understand the frustrations of the PowerPoint-haters. But I continue to believe that PowerPoint doesn’t ruin presentations.

People do.

During a recent girls trip to St. Louis for the Color Run, my friend caught me eavesdropping on a telephone call in the row behind us on the plane (I know, so rude, but some conversations are hard to ignore). Judging from the one side I could hear, it sounded like a marketing person was dealing with the fall out of something having published to the company’s Facebook Page before it was supposed to. The culprit?

Automation.

The passenger mentioned he had accidentally hit “Publish” when working on a new post in WordPress, and although he had unpublished it a moment later, that must have been just enough time for the systems in place to populate the new content to the company’s Facebook Page – triggering the phone call and, I assume, a frantic rush to find a wifi connection when the marketing person left the plane.

As the popularity of social media as a communications tool has grown, so have the services available to make it easier to schedule updates, or to update all your channels in one click. There is a lot to be said for utilizing these tools, but there are also drawbacks, including the one illustrated by my fellow passenger.

So when and how should you automate? It depends on your organization, your goals, and your need to control the content.

Manic Mommies serves as an example of a property where we selectively use automation. As I’ve written in the past, we use MailChimp to automatically aggregate and send a newsletter with new content from our site. We also use a service to automatically update our Twitter feed each time we publish something new to the site.

In both cases, we had to determine if the pros – better done than not at all – outweighed the cons which included limited control of how the content appeared, and in the case of Twitter, the lost opportunity to include mentions, hashtags and other strategies that could help drive traffic or increase engagement.

For most of our clients and here at Sundin Associates, we choose not to automate, but to schedule our updates so they hit how, and when, we want. While most tools allow for one click publishing across channels, we usually chose to create separate posts that take advantage of the best features of each channel. As you will see in the example below, the same update is written very differently for Facebook and Twitter.

In addition to allowing us to plan updates such as office closings and holidays, scheduling gives us the opportunity to present a full editorial calendar to a client for marketing and compliance review.

Of course scheduling doesn’t mean you can “set it and forget it” as there can be occasions where your scheduling tool can misfire, resulting in a post that may not have published quite the way you intended. Monitoring is important so any of these errors can be caught and replaced quickly.

Other examples of automation you should be careful to avoid – mixing business and pleasure (in the past I’ve become frustrated by friends who had their LinkedIn status automatically updated when they sent out a tweet, resulting in too much personal information being shared on the site); and speaking the wrong language (hashtags on your Instagram photos will translate well to Twitter, but rarely work on Facebook).

So should you automate your content? For me the answer is sometimes yes, but carefully and with much consideration.

I read an article on LinkedIn recently about why it was good to do free jobs – of course given how LinkedIn only lets you see updates from the last three days, now when I need the article I can’t find it. But if I remember the article correctly, the general idea was that unpaid projects help an individual or agency stretch themselves creatively by trying new things or working outside of our comfort zones.

Like most agencies, most of our “freebies” are for friends and family members. Some are in support of causes as with Ryan’s Hope for a Cure, while others are to promote new business ventures like my husband’s business, Steve the Bike Guy.

Planning his marketing and advertising strategy two years ago, we recognized right away that one of the best places to advertise was, literally, on my husband’s back (and front), which is why we bought him a semi-custom cycling jersey from Voler. At $70 a piece, the jerseys are not inexpensive, but the advantage was there was no minimum order, so we could order just one (or two) jerseys at a time.

This year, with my husband and son both needing new jerseys and several friends also offering to wear his brand, we decided it was time to take things up a notch and, if possible, go fully custom. After some investigation, we found Pactimo, a Colorado-based company that would allow us to create a fully custom jersey priced similarly to the semi-custom, and only requiring a minimum order of five jerseys.

After some research, collecting some of our favorite bike jersey designs on Pinterest, we went old school and started sketching design ideas on a template we found online, finally coming up with what you see below:

With the general concept in place, I then worked with Dave Bastille from our Art Department who refined our ideas into a final design that was almost production ready.

The professionals at Pactimo took it over the finish line! As designers, one of the most interesting parts of the process was seeing how Pactimo identifies colors and ensures the end result is going to look and fit as expected.

5 weeks after starting the process, our first order of jerseys arrived, and we couldn’t be happier with the result (as modeled by our son, and future Bike Guy).

There is no question that it would not be possible, or economically feasible, to do free jobs all the time. But I have to agree that jobs like these are a fun way to get a team’s creativity flowing by allowing us to work outside our normal banking box.

It also gets me thinking – how cool would it be to do team jerseys for one of our clients?

I think we can all agree it has been a terrible week. There are no words for the heartbreak and pain many of us are feeling in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings and ensuing manhunt.

But even as our community comes together, there is a risk that companies can appear tone deaf or worse if they don’t think carefully about what, or to whom, they were communicating.

Take for example a tweet sent out by a college friend this morning:

She is completely correct.

And I can’t help but wonder if Melissa & Doug would appreciate being included in my Facebook feed in the context of the other posts:

So what to do? When in doubt, go dark.

This morning, as I sat glued to the television coverage, I logged in to Sprout Social to reschedule or cancel Facebook posts planned for today. We also paused ongoing Facebook advertising, specifically any promoted posts that would hit users’ walls, as in the case of the Plum District example above.

Publicists should also review what they are sending out today, both for the content they are sending and to whom they are sending it.

Today our thoughts should have been with the victims, families and first responders. Companies would be wise to avoid distracting from that.

Readers of  ABA Bank Marketing Magazine might be surprised by the “no holds barred” nature of the message featured in this month’s Idea Bank.

Surprise was the minimum reaction we were hoping for when developing the “Boot Your Bank” campaign for United Bank. Challenged with cutting through the clutter of a new and highly competitive market area where the Bank had little-to-no name recognition, we were looking to shake things up with a message that would raise eyebrows and capture the attention of customers.

Through the creative concept process we collected ideas, influences, current events and advertising trends at the time into a series of vision boards leading to the statement – Your bank is famous for crummy service, outrageous fees, rip-offs, glitches, and screw-ups – and call to action to “give them something back.”

Whatever competitors may have thought of the campaign, the results spoke for themselves with the Bank gaining both name recognition and market share.

It is understood within the financial industry that the first 90 days after a new product is purchased are a critical time for cross-selling additional products or services. It is why so many organizations direct their efforts towards developing onboarding programs designed to increasing wallet share and customer profitability.

But within the onboarding equation, how often do we talk about ensuring customers are satisfied with their purchase?

It is this question that I have been considering since visiting General Motor’s Engagement Center in Austin, Texas last month. As readers may know, my blog and podcast are sponsored by Chevrolet, and it was through this connection that I had the pleasure to be in Austin – it was a welcome escape from the snowy Northeast – and to find out more about General Motor’s commitment to ensure customer satisfaction by proactively identifying and addressing potential issues.

Or as Mark Ruess, president of General Motors North America said “The core of our success will come from satisfying our customers better than anyone else. One by one, person by person. I’ve set a personal goal that we are working to have the best customer service in the automotive industry.”

Of course customer satisfaction matters, but what General Motors came to understand was that the first 90 days of vehicle ownership offered the best opportunity for enthusiasm, engagement and education of vehicle features. Education which, as anyone who has become frustrated trying to pair their Bluetooth device to their car knows, has become increasingly important given the high tech nature of new vehicles.

They also determined that increased customer satisfaction led to increased customer loyalty which added up to bottom line results. In fact, a 1% increase in sales retention equaled close to $700 million dollars in additional revenue.

Which brings me back to the question that has been kicking around my head since my trip. What can we do to cultivate customer satisfaction and enthusiasm for our organization within the magical 90 days:

Educate customers about how they can use the new accounts or services they have purchased through both individualized attention and educational resources such as frequently asked questions and informational videos.

Monitor internal (call center, branches, contact forms) and external (social media channels) conversations with the goal of identifying customers who may be experiencing difficulties.

Address issues one-on-one with customers.

Identify additional pain points and proactively look for ways to resolve or reduce the impact on customers.

While we look at the first 90 days as the most critical, the truth is improved customer service will not just benefit new customers, it will positively impact your entire customer base.

We are pleased to welcome Michael P. Flynn of Melrose as marketing assistant/junior strategist.

In this new position, Mike will work with the account management team in areas including client support, project management, and managing and monitoring multiple branded social media accounts, with a special focus on creative strategy.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Providence College and achieving United States Professional Tennis Association certification as a teaching professional, Mike joined the staff of Winchester Indoor Lawn and Tennis Center as an instructor and marketing administration assistant. He later also joined the Winchester Swim and Tennis Club, where he advanced from assistant director of tennis to director of tennis, managing staff, conducting clinics, planning and promoting special events, teaching, and coaching, as well as managing marketing and communications responsibilities.

He also served for five seasons as a volunteer for the Saugus High School girls tennis team, assisting the coaches during tryouts and practices.

While enrolled in the Professional Development program at the Bertolon School of Business at Salem State University, Mike co-founded Foreevo LLC and designed and developed the ChargedUp™ Tennis portable glow-in-the-dark tennis kit, raising funds for the project through Indiegogo crowdfunding. The nighttime tennis kit, comprised of rechargeable phosphorescent strips and markers, is now sold online and will be available soon at local tennis clubs.

Sometimes it feels like we are so busy working for clients, we don’t take enough time to take a breath and look back at some of the projects we’ve completed!

Take for example, the new series of commercials we produced for St. Anne’s Credit Union in Fall River. Developed in partnership with a local special effects professional with Hollywood credentials, the spots use voice overs, digital effects and a dash of humor to capture the attention of viewers.

We all have our favorite of the four spots – but I’m particularly partial to the one with money flowing from the refrigerator. I only wish that would happen at my house!

Having trouble seeing the videos? Check them out on YouTube.

I wrote recently about my dissatisfaction with my LinkedIn profile, and more specifically, the Summary section.

After many rewrites and re-readings I have (finally) posted a new description – but before the “big reveal” let’s discuss what I wanted to change.

Here’s what I was starting with:

As Vice President at Sundin Associates my responsibilities include managing client accounts as well as guiding all internet and new media projects for the agency, including web site development and management.

With my neighbor and friend, Erin Kane, I began co-hosting “Manic Mommies,” a new-media weekly podcast and blog popular with parents trying to manage the chaotic combination of work and family in 2005. The podcast is regularly featured in the top Kids & Family podcasts in Apple’s iTunes Store.

I enjoy teaching individuals, businesses and other organizations how they can harness the power of popular social media tools to communicate with customers and prospects.

While the description is accurate, except where I said I was Vice President long after I had been promoted, it is also incredibly boring.

With my new Summary, I was looking to create a description that told part of my professional story, showed my personality, and left someone with an impression of who I am, what I can do and why they might want to connect with me – which I felt was especially important if the reader was coming to my profile either through a LinkedIn search or because we met at some point and exchanged cards.

And I wanted to achieve these goals within the LinkedIn-imposed 2,000 character limit.

It took me a few weeks, and more than a few edits – the character limit proved to be a challenge I hadn’t considered in my original drafts – but I finally published my new Summary this weekend:

I am a professional communicator wearing almost as many hats as Bartholomew Cubbins.

I joined my father, Roger Sundin, and the team at Sundin Associates, a marketing & advertising agency, on April Fools Day 1996, opening myself up to many potentially hilarious practical jokes. I give all much credit for not taking advantage of the opportunity.

Now president of the agency, I work with our clients and team to craft compelling communications of all shapes and sizes, utilizing a range of mediums and media. I also oversee an ever-expanding suite of online services offered by our agency.

As my professional life expanded, so did my personal, and I now have two children who astonish me with their own communications skills. When you have a moment I’ll share some of the “love” notes left for me by my daughter.

In 2005, an interest in exploring what is now known as “new media,” inspired me & my neighbor Erin Kane, to start Manic Mommies – a podcast and blog for moms managing the chaotic combination of work and family. Eight years later, the show has been downloaded over 3 million times, and attracted the attention of brands such as Chevrolet, Intel, Brooks Running & Real Simple.

Having come up with the name “Manic Mommies” on the spur of the moment, I am still amazed to learn that many moms now use the term to describe themselves & their lives.

Growing up, I wanted to be a teacher or perform on Broadway. Having achieved neither of these career aspirations, I’ve found a way to channel my desire to do both as a presenter. Whether speaking to clients, colleagues, or at conferences, my goal is to tell a story that both educates and entertains my audience.

The other hats you might see flying off my head as I dash by? I am also an amateur photographer, marketing coordinator for my husband’s business, Girl Scout leader, triathlete, friend, sister, social coordinator, and chocolate chip cookie aficionado.

But enough about me. I’d love to connect to find out about you.

With my new Summary complete, at least until I decide to edit it again, I will be taking another look at the my profile to see what other improvements I can make. On the table – a new headline, a new photo, and additional information about projects, publications and causes.

One of the great blessings of the internet, and more specifically, social media has been the ability to find talented individuals whom, in the past, I would never have the opportunity to meet. And few things give me greater pleasure than when I have an opportunity to work with, and pay, these individuals for their work.

Take for example the Annual Report we produced for Jewett City Savings Bank in 2008 (I know, feels like ages ago for me also).

Working on the report during the snowy days of January 2009, we were looking for a photo to featuring on the cover. Something supporting our theme of “Hometown Banking” that anyone from the area would recognize.

Searching through the photo sharing site Flickr, we ran across a gorgeous photograph of the barn at Buttonwood Farm in Griswold. After a short e-mail exchange with Tom Kaszuba, a “photography enthusiast” living in the area, we were able to retain the use of the photograph for the report.

It’s a strategy we’ve used several times since, “meeting” photographers from as far away as Indiana, and as close as a few towns from our office. Each time we were careful to reach out to the photographer before using the photos, or even showing them to the client, to ensure we will be able to use the photos and to find out rates or fees.

Our goal is to both ensure we don’t promise something to the clients we can’t deliver, and to avoid any potential issues as in the case of an ad agency using images from Flickr without permission. Speaking with a photographer recently, I was saddened but not surprised when she thanked me for asking because “most people just take the photos.”

In most cases, the talented people we have met are skilled amateurs with no interest in “going pro,” or are just transitioning from their “real” job to their dream gig. There are also those, as in the case of two illustrators we’ve worked with recently – Len Peralta and Scott Johnson – I’ve met through outside activities and interests.

Living in Ohio and Utah respectively, the chances that I would meet either before social media would be slim. But because of our mutual interest in podcasting (their list of shows are too numerous to mention here), a connection was made that eventually led to illustration work for both.

If you’ve seen our “Thank you” graphic, you have seen Len’s work:

So the next time you are looking for something (or someone) new for your project, take a moment to look at how you can find talented individuals – even those living in your town – online.