Digital Leadership with Sofie Sandell

http://www.sofiesandell.com/big-data-markting-decision-making Last week I got asked if I know about big data and how you use it in digital marketing. Yes, of course, I do. I’ve been using big data for years when analysing numbers from websites and social media. I’ve also been fortunate to speak at many conferences where some of the speakers are fully trained ‘big data ninjas’, and I’m lucky to know some of them personally. Big data is complex information, and it feels as overwhelming as a huge waterfall. It’s only if you present big data in a meaningful way it helps you to make better decisions. Big data is inconveniently big. It’s hard to handle. Impossible to overview in its raw form. On Wikipedia, you read: “Big data is a term for data sets that are so large or complex that traditional data processing applications are inadequate. Challenges include analysis, capture, data curation, search, sharing, storage, transfer, visualization, querying and information privacy.” Big data and people An acquaintance who is responsible for all digital marketing for a large hotel chain in the US told me about her struggle to start to look at numbers when making decisions. For years, they had been making most decisions based on prejudices, personal experiences, and their ‘gut feeling’. Every hour their hotels have thousands of guests who are in touch with them, either online, over the phone or staying in one of their large hotels. The information they collect about their customers is big data. The information they have about their guests comes in many forms. Some are internal data, and some are external. You have access to the data that you asked your guests for before their visit and during their stay, and then new random data that you collect from your guests. Their challenge was to use all information they have about their customers in a meaningful way so they could make better marketing decisions. To kick this off, they spent several days in a large conference room trying to figure out every possible touch-point that their customers have with them. What they got was a big complex map that told stories where their customers. The map was not easy to overview, or understand. The next step was to set up data collection points that they could follow and then also improve everyone’s web analytics skills. Analytics is a vital phase of the big data cycle. The most common tools marketers use is Google Analytics, and it tells you about your website visitors. With the help of this information, you can understand what was successful in a campaign and how many online leads it gave. You can analyse your conversion rate, and see how many visits lead to a sale or an inquiry. It’s when the data shows you meaningful pattern that you can do something with it. To see those patterns in an excel spreadsheet can be hard. That’s why you use visualisation software to do this, there are amazing and beautiful tools that magically help you visualise data. To start using web analytics in a meaningful way took a while for the hotel chain. It’s not a one-month projects, but more like an on-going continual improvement project where everyone has to be open for new learning and share their knowledge.

http://www.sofiesandell.com/brands-choices-getting-noticed-long-lasting-effects The other week I was on my spring mission: to buy a new pair of sneakers. My mother was with me and we ended up in a large sporting goods store where I tried on a few different pairs. A young man was helping me out and he showed me different styles. The 20-meter-long wall was full of shoes in all shapes and sizes designed for any sporting activity you could imagine. When we were sitting down my mum asked the shop assistant: ‘How can you tell the difference between all these bands and know where you keep them?’ ‘After a few weeks in the job you learn exactly where everything is.’ Then my mother found a pair of simple, classic white sneakers. ‘When I was a teenager this was the only option we had.’ In the end I picked a black pair with a colourful pattern on them. It’s not easy to choose the ‘right’ pair of sneakers or trainers. I wondered what it would be like if there was only one type of shoe. Later in the week I went for a long walk with a friend and we discussed options, choices and making up your mind. It’s not easy to be human and to have to make up your mind all the time. We have commercial forces that are great at developing new products and models and you build your identity based on what you do and what you wear. Confusing for sure. It was a lovely sunny day and with our minds sharp we decided to double the distance of our walk. Our next leg was up a steep hill. My friend was telling me about her son and his new ‘thing’. ‘He is doing boxing training and it’s just five minutes’ walk from where we live.’ ‘Aha, cool. Is it a special kind of boxing or just basic boxing?’ I asked her, thinking it could have been Thai boxing or something similar. ‘No, only basic boxing; lot of discipline. The coach is a big shot from the US.’ ‘Sounds fun.’ ‘There was a trainer visiting them last week and he had been involved in boxing for years. He said that the Boxing Association’s membership is declining.’ ‘Okay, no wonder,’ I said with my marketing hat on. I was thinking of all the new martial arts that have become popular in the last 30 years. ‘He tried to blame the other sports like Kickboxing, Judo, Jujitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, Capoeira, Karate and Taekwondo, and that it’s because of them that there are so few people interested in boxing. But if you look at sport 30 years ago and compare it with today, the total number of young people practising any martial art is much bigger. And that’s good, right!’ ‘Sounds familiar to me,’ I said. All brands, events and activities have so many more competitors these days. Just reflect on the different kinds of holidays you can go on today. Thirty years ago there were only a few options, like ‘cold, warm or city’. Now you have wildlife holidays, walking retreats, silence retreats, and cultural trips or you can go on a long train journey or any other special vacation you can imagine. It’s not easy for brands to stand out in the mix. Importantly, almost all the choices we make are in some ways ethical. Some philosophers say that we become the person we are thanks to the choices we make. Decisions become habits, and habits somehow define who we are.

Read the post here: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sofie-sandell/lack-of-safety-in-online-dating_b_9296906.html In Oslo, Norway 40% of all rapes are connected to the use of dating apps. In the UK there have also been an alarming number of reports of crimes connected to online dating apps. In 2013, there were 55 cases of criminal activity reported and in 2015 this number increased to 412 cases. Social media is connecting people. Unfortunately, not everyone has good intentions. We need to talk about online dating and crime. Why isn't the online dating industry forced to check who they let in before they allow people to start using dating apps? Having rapists and criminals pretending to be 'the honest guy' in the world of online dating is just awful. Would online dating be safer if you had to show your true identity? Online gaming services have identity processes in place that you must satisfy before they let you play. You must prove you are over 18 years old. On most dating sites there is a total lack of identity verification processes. Is the design of apps wrong to start with? Is the lack of security because the app developers are men and they aren't bothered about security? Or is it because governments around the world have not 'got it'? Maybe because it's harder for a politician to use dating sites so they never get first-hand experiences themselves. I know that the women-only dating app Her asks its new users to verify that they are who they say they are. Apparently, many men have been trying to get themselves an account on Her in an attempt to fulfil their erotic dreams, so the app needs this process. In the beginning, this was done manually by calling users they suspected were men, now they have developed a technology to make the verification easier. An idea for the dating industry is that you can still use a username but in the backend you need to be verified using your passport and matching social media networks. It can't be more complicated than being verified for a PayPal business account. Verifying the users on all dating websites and apps should be a vital safety factor. If you have a verified account and have actually made the effort then you could get a verification badge next to your profile. Verification badges are the small blue symbols with a tick inside them that you see on social media. I'm guessing that these users would be very popular to connect with. 2016-02-23-1456227525-4680125-Onlinedating.jpg Photo Fotolia © weedezign Since the major dating apps still haven't got their act together to put safety before profit you have to be cautious about how and where you meet people. The police suspect that a large number of rapes and crimes go unreported. People feel ashamed after agreeing to meet up with the perpetrator beforehand. The online world is full of scammers, stalkers and rapists and you need to stay safe. Your own safety is key in all your relationships. If your gut tells you that something is wrong, something probably is. Stay away.

Read the post here: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sofie-sandell/you-are-the-average-of-th_b_8332376.html I was scrolling through Twitter yesterday and saw that one person I follow shared a quote by Jim Rohn: "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with". Really? How could Jim Rohn be so sure about that? I've heard the quote used over and over again by motivational success speakers. They have even suggested that you must get rid of some of your old friends and family members to reach the next level of success. Is that a sustainable solution for personal development and becoming successful? Let's look at how we spend our time throughout life. When we are growing up a big chunk of time is spent with parents, carers, siblings, teachers and other people we have around us. After you finish school you have more freedom to decide who you spend time with. Can you choose your family? No, sorry, it's not possible, and you have a different outlook on life depending on where you grew up. If you want to be more successful should you then ditch your family if they aren't ambitious enough? A few years ago a friend of mine used this method at a weeklong conference. He told me that he loved the energy he got from hanging around the 'leaders' who were attending the conference. Those of us who were part of his 'normal' peer group found his behaviour pretty annoying; he was acting like a crawling worm around his new friends. Did he increase his success by spending time with people in a leadership position during this conference? No, absolutely not, he was still the same person, but he managed to brand himself as a backscratcher with a brown nose. When it comes to how we pick friends, it's a complex process. Looking back at life, all the relationships that we've had represent a myriad of connections. 2015-10-19-1445273206-3904382-friendsphotomontage915130_640.jpg Image Pixabay by geralt Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler, both scientists, suggest that you choose your friends because you have similar genes. We also have friends that have been in our lives for a long time. If we stop spending time with them it changes the way we look at ourselves. It is harder to connect to certain memories and experiences. For many people losing a dear friend is very painful, and getting rid of a few friends so you can improve your 'average' and become more successful will cause a lot of mental distress. One person I know is an injection of energy in many people's lives yet he has suffered from depression for many years. Should his friends say goodbye to him because of that? No, I wouldn't suggest they did so. He has been a lovely friend, sharing his knowledge and wisdom freely, and maybe it's his struggle to find a clear path for himself that makes him a good mentor that other people listen to. And, of course, if someone is totally draining you, you should consider if the relationship is worth keeping. When a person makes up their mind to change something in their life they need support to make it happen, whether it is starting a business, improving their health or learning how to produce music or become a confident public speaker. It's easier to learn and develop together with others who have the same interests. That's why joining a club, peer group or mastermind group can help a lot to expand your mind and can help you focus. You don't become successful by abandoning your other relationships. It's time to stop listening to the idea that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. The reality is far more complex than that.

Read more: http://www.sofiesandell.com Last week in Sweden the privacy and harassment issues associated with the app Periscope were raised. Children and teenagers using Periscope are sending each other challenges such as 'show your bra when you've reached 20 views', and when fishing for more 'likes' young girls are promising to take off their sweaters if they get 100 likes. Also, in schools, the app is used to stream lectures by teachers, and many teachers feel unsettled by the idea that what they say and do can be watched online by anyone. A third issue is that the app is being used by students to film each other getting dressed for physical education lessons. The live streaming app Periscope helps you to run your own live online show. Anyone can get a glimpse into your life. As a user you can search for live broadcasts all over the world and see who is using the app right now. I did a search on the app yesterday evening and I landed in a living room in Sweden where three girls were looking at themselves on the app. In another broadcast I could watch what was happening outside Buckingham Palace in London, and there was also a live lecture in Boston. Then I did a new search during the day and found a young girl streaming live from her bedroom. There were many sweet comments and lots of 'hearts' sent to her. It's very easy for 'groomers' to find victims online, and online streaming apps are just one more way for them to connect with kids. Periscope is an open app that allows anyone to watch every broadcast and comment on your video if you are not actively changing the settings. As always, technology moves fast and humans are slow to adopt it and learn how it all works. Last week I spoke to an acquaintance who has ten-year-old twins. In the last few years, he has refused to get involved in any social media networks himself 'because it's totally meaningless'. 'Do you know what your kids are up to online?' 'Well, sometimes I ask them.' 'Okay, do you think there are any risks that they will download and explore any new apps?' 'Erm, yes, maybe.' I can assure you that two creative children who like to explore the world are downloading new apps and trying them out themselves and with their friends. Their father spends a lot of time in denial of the impact online life has on his children. As with its owner, Twitter, there is no function on Periscope to stop harassment and grooming. Periscope's terms of service clearly state that they do not take any responsibility whatsoever for the content on their platform, and you as a user are expected to understand that you may be exposed to content that is offensive or harmful. Thank you for making this clear to us, Periscope. Periscope has been around for almost a year and new similar services will launch in the next few years. Live streaming videos are going to be as common as good old YouTube in the future. These apps bring with them great privacy issues and can put vulnerable people at risk. There is no way we can filter out the bad from the good, and it's really up to every one of us to educate ourselves about the risks of video streaming. Next time it might be someone you know who is exposed to grooming. Or, it may be you who is filmed when you are getting dressed in the gym. Tips for safer use of Periscope and similar social media networks If your kids are using a new app, download it yourself and see what it's all about. If you behave like a technophobe, never trying out new technology, your kids will probably not take your thoughts about technology seriously. To protect your privacy it can be good idea to use a fake name when using Periscope. In setting you can let only the people you follow chat with you, and you can hide your location as well. Norms about how to behave that are applicable in real life are relevant online as well. Discuss these with your children.

Sofie Sandell talks to Linda Chandler, Managing Architect for Cities at Microsoft, about technology in cities. How can technology make a difference in cities? And how can leaders for cities improve it's architecture?

http://www.sofiesandell.com/9-key-insights-from-the-digital-leadership-insight-interview-with-otoabasi-umonting/ Social media is about people, not technology. I met Otoabasi through a public speaking club we both went along to called Pony Express. We are both passionate about social media, branding and marketing strategies so we have a lot to talk about. Otoabasi is a Nigerian-Londoner and as an expat living in the UK he knows what effect social media has on your connections online, new and old. For businesses, social media adds a new layer of potential connections and you can make your brand reach further. In this interview we will be sharing some amazing social media tips with you, so tune in. Read more about Otoabasi at http://www.h264media.com & https://www.facebook.com/H264MediaLimited Nine key insights from the Digital Leadership Insight Interview with Otoabasi Umonting Social media connects us on a global level with one click. I met Otoabasi Umonting, a social media trainer and consultant, at an event about public speaking and I had the chance to interview him recently on my Digital Leadership Insights Interview talk show. 

We are both Londoners, but with different backgrounds. Otoabasi grew up in Nigeria and I in Sweden. Being able to use social media to keep in touch with people all over the world makes life easier as an expat and when you want to stay in touch with all the friends and people you meet in business. The internet and the World Wide Web are here to help us to share our knowledge, insights and skills, and to help us to connect with each other. I am sure that we are just at the beginning of what will come, and I encourage you to explore new ways to connect and collaborate online. In this post I will share some of the insights from the interview. 
 1) How to stay on top and keep learning We started the interview by talking about change and speed. The speed at which social media platforms evolve is very quick, they are improving and changing all the time and it’s hard to keep up-to-date. 

‘It’s the human rules of interaction that you need to learn to master social media tools’, says Otoabasi. We love to stay connected and our ability to connect has driven humanity forward to where we are today. 

Otoabasi added that when you have basic fundamental knowledge about how social media works you will find it much easier to use all platforms; even new platforms and those that tend to continually change. 2) Don’t procrastinate when it comes to your social media presence In many cases brands avoid social media because they are afraid of being judged by their audience. They remain quiet and prefer to keep a low profile. 

This strategy is not very productive; you better get over your shyness and define who you are and what your core values are. Otoabasi and I discussed the importance of you as a brand creating content that tells the world who you are. If you don’t do this there’s a risk that other people’s views and comments will be featured online and will be more visible than your own message. 3) Your promise to your customers
‘Your projection to the public defines your brand’, says Otoabasi. How you deliver your content will determine how people perceive you as well as how they connect with you. This insight led me to think about how you must help people to connect with your brand and that everyone is different. Some like to call you on their phone, others prefer Twitter.