Unveiling my new focus; The Social Organisation

This feels a little like cutting the ribbon at the opening of a new store or whipping the silky drape off a brand new car. But then I remember we’re in Lockdown, so yes… it started with a Zoom call.

65 people from our Telstra Purple team, Zoom-ing in on a sunny Thursday evening for a short company meet-up gave me the opportunity to share my new role amongst our team, and so now I’d like to share it with my network here.

We have launched what I believe is quite an extraordinary programme to explore social media as a place for closing distance between our clients, our remote employees and our future recruits.

Social media has fundamentally changed not just how we chat but how we consume information and how that information helps shape our decision-making process.

It’s become perfectly normal to read a review on Trip Advisor or Amazon from someone we’ve never met and let that advice shape our decision. Or to read a review on Glassdoor and perhaps trust this information more than the brand messages on our potential employer’s website. And to check in on LinkedIn before deciding whether we take a call from someone.

But somehow the enormity of this shift hasn’t changed the behaviour of most companies. Many are stuck doing things that we did 10 years ago.

Brands today are people. We trust our fellow humans, and so helping our people to be heard and to listen well, will be central to my role.

Where will we start at Telstra Purple?

Our first phase pilot launched on 1st April. We'll spend a lot of time on this platform initially (LinkedIn), and our kick-off team includes some really talented people...

• Adrian Spink, Bill Trim and Joe Breen are the Executive Sponsors leading the charge and developing the capacity and performance programmes our people will need to be fully supported.
• Daniel Rendell, Duncan Kaye, Paul Mullen & Joe Gilligan represent the Account Management team. As the orchestrators of the right people at the right time for clients they will be piloting ways to have a positive effect on all the people involved, and on the business outcome i.e. revenue – we believe they are intrinsically linked.
• Bradley Hopkins, Ed Bullen & Yafaa Ahres will be pioneering a new programme to develop the Influencer voice amongst our Subject Matter Experts and establishing the role they play within our @Data Journeys community, ensuring one cohesive strategy.
• Jordana Sherman will be helping us establish how the programme can be scaled.

I have an unshakable belief that we’re on to something genuine and good for me personally, for Telstra Purple and for businesses in general.

With a 5 year heritage in marketing at Telstra Purple, I’ve been exploring many alternatives to the product-led marketing approach including the development of communities to help people better connect with us as an organisation so they can accelerate their change programmes.

It has required me to reflect on my own personal transformation and I led my team through a year long development programme to become ‘front of house’ community managers as opposed to back office marketers.

Embracing an authentic approach to social media, where everyone was encouraged to use their own voice resulted in some incredible outcomes.

I’ve seen it help us deliver a 295% increase in community membership applications, a 50% uplift in event attendees and watched our ClubCISO “Live Vote” seats sell out in 24 hours – so I have an unshakable belief that we’re on to something genuine and good for me personally, for Telstra Purple and for businesses in general.

So now I’ve handed over my marketing role to the very capable Jordana Sherman to commit 100% to this new venture and I invite you to join me on this journey. All you need to bring is an open and positive mind.

This is uncharted territory, and I’m feeling pretty chuffed (and maybe a little trepidation) that Telstra Purple has the courage to get behind my vision. 

Interesting times ahead.