The Power of Community: Four Years of Building a Customer-Focused Global Engagement Programme at Sedex

Today marks my four years as the Head of Community at Sedex. Over this period, I have had the privilege of leading the development of a customer-focused global engagement programme that has not only grown in scale but has also become a key part of our engagement with customers.

With over 180 events, more than 20,000 attendees from 120 countries, and a 91% value satisfaction score, the programme has proven its worth. But the journey has been as enlightening as it has been rewarding.

The Evolution of Community Engagement

When I first joined Sedex, the concept of a robust community engagement programme was still in its early stages. The idea was simple: to create a platform where our customers could connect, share best practices, and learn from each other. However, the execution required a strategic approach that balanced in-person and virtual events, leveraged technology, and fostered a sense of belonging among participants.

In-Person vs. Virtual Events: Complementary Strengths

One of the most significant lessons I have learned is the complementary nature of in-person and virtual events. In-person events, such as our Xplore Sustainability Regional Events, offer unparalleled opportunities for deep, meaningful connections. They allow for face-to-face interactions, networking, and the building of long-term relationships. According to a 2025 study by the Event Marketing Institute, 74% of B2B marketers believe that in-person events are the most effective way to build brand loyalty (Source: Event Marketing Institute, 2025).

However, virtual events have their own unique advantages. They are more accessible, cost-effective, and can reach a broader audience, which consists of thousands of members all over the world . Zoom events, in particular, have been instrumental in our ability to scale our programme. A 2025 report by EventMB found that 80% of event professionals plan to continue using virtual event platforms even after the pandemic (Source: EventMB, 2025). This hybrid approach has allowed us to support customer pain points at scale, ensuring that no one is left behind.

The Power of Small, Regular Touch Points

One of the most impactful strategies we have implemented is the use of small, regular touch points. These touch points are primarily through our series of events, where we come back each quarter to see the progress on key areas like product development or key methodologies. The goal is to keep the community engaged and informed, fostering a sense of belonging and continuous learning.

According to a 2025 survey by the Community Roundtable, 85% of community leaders believe that regular, small-scale interactions are crucial for building strong, sustainable communities (Source: Community Roundtable, 2025). These touch points not only keep the community active but also provide valuable feedback and insights that help us refine our offerings.

Showcasing Success Stories and Championing Regional Champions

A key aspect of our programme has been the focus on showcasing success stories and highlighting champions from different regions. By sharing real-world examples of how our customers have overcome challenges and achieved success, we inspire others and build a culture of mutual support.

Regional teams have played a vital role in this process. They understand the local context and can tailor events and content to meet the specific needs of their communities. This localised approach has been instrumental in driving engagement and ensuring that our programme remains relevant and valuable to all participants.

The Strategic Value of Community Engagement

For C-level executives, the strategic value of a well-executed community engagement programme cannot be overstated. It goes beyond just customer satisfaction; it drives brand loyalty, enhances customer retention, and opens up new business opportunities. According to a 2025 report by Forrester, companies with strong community engagement programmes see a 20% increase in customer retention rates (Source: Forrester, 2025).

Moreover, a thriving community can serve as a powerful advocacy tool. When customers feel valued and heard, they are more likely to become brand advocates, sharing their positive experiences with others and amplifying your message. This organic word-of-mouth marketing is invaluable in today's competitive landscape.

A Heartfelt Thank You

As I reflect on the past four years, I am deeply grateful to everyone who has collaborated, contributed, and turned up for themselves, for the community, and for a better sustainable future. To our core team, subject matter experts, regional teams, and most importantly, our community members—thank you. Your dedication and enthusiasm have been the driving force behind our success.

In conclusion, the power of community is undeniable. It has the potential to transform businesses, drive innovation, and create a more sustainable future.

Xplore Sustainability North America 2024 - Bringing the Community Together

"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford

In an ever-growing remote-working world, with peers all over the world, it’s more challenging than ever, as a ‘people person’ to make the same human connections I used to at work.

Check out the event highlights here:

In October, whilst delivering Xplore Sustainability North America, I was reminded of the power of teams. The collective energy that comes together around a common cause and how people step up to play their part.

But it's not just about the work, it's about the coffee chats, it's about sharing life moments, creating memorable experiences. It’s about the jokes, the different perspectives, and it's about the bond.

Also, being away from your desk and screen, or even a meeting room, means you have time for the discussion to move past the immediate 'job-to-be- done', to the natural birth of ideas, the honest space of people’s anxieties and you leave feeling like you made a deeper connection.

Half of the team on the ground were my core peers, those I interact with on a daily basis, and we went beyond what could ever be possible in the office. And the other half were my North American colleagues, who I met for the first time and now have created such strong bonds that we're excited to work together again and will be there when I'm trying to unlock a challenge.

It reminded me of the annual off-sites we used to have in previous companies and just the importance of being together, in-person, in a different space.

A huge thanks to this brilliant group of people for making this experience one I’ll be looking back on with such fond memories. You reminded me of why I aspire to lead, and that together we can do so much more than alone.

The Power of Partnership

A couple of days ago I had a much-needed re-connect with Navanath Shinde and Ray Kimble, as we discussed the progress of Rainbow Boosters and the Kuma Labs computer lab that we installed in a small rural village in India last year.

Recently, with work, summer holidays and a house renovation, I’ve had little capacity to focus on Rainbow Boosters and ensured that this cross-continent call (India, UK, USA) stayed in my diary, as I needed to hear if progress was being made.

At the end of the 30 min call, with tears in my eyes, I felt the true power of partnership. Having trusted partners, brothers in action, I felt the support of others lifting me up when I needed the support to know that the wheels of motion that we put in place are still spinning.

Navanath Shinde shared how our 200 students have been using the lab every day, to learn vital digital skills and are now gearing up for exams to showcase their growth which would advance them 4-5 years ahead of their better-off peers.

He shared how the school has attracted over 45 new students from neighbouring villages because of the higher level of education and facilities now being offered.

He shared how other organisations have joined in an effort to make our school a beacon for the state, donating a STEM and Engineering lab too.

Ray Kimble shared news of the second Kuma Lab opened by the Kuma Foundation in Virginia, USA, offering the same opportunities to students in his community.

Being connected to those with similar values, to share journeys and experiences with others is like going on a road trip with friends. We all drive at different points, we all have our part to play - some organise the snacks, others curate the playlist until it's our turn to take the wheel.

This is an incredibly special road trip we are on and at each stop someone else jumps in the car, which has slowly grown to a minibus. My hopes are soon we'll be in a coach with a stronger team, singing along at the top of our voices as we continue to impact the lives of many through our ideas and actions.

I'm grateful for this partnership between Rainbow Boosters, the Pandit Abaji Panshikar Foundation and Kuma Foundation and look forward to what we do next.

If you are looking for a place to make a direct impact, do make a small yet transformative impact in someone else's life then join us.

Donate here - https://lnkd.in/dffZQaZD

Or drop me a note and we can discuss the ways you can get involved.

🌟 Give a small yet transformative boost this International Women's Day 🌈

Today, on International Women's Day, I am proud to share how we are taking concrete action to #InspireInclusion and support women and girls in their pursuit of quality education and training.

At Rainbow Boosters (www.rainbowboosters.com),through the Kuma Lab, we firmly believe that access to education is a fundamental right that should be available to all, regardless of their background or location.

In rural India, we have witnessed the immense potential and determination of young female students. However, we also recognize the challenges they face, particularly in terms of limited resources and opportunities. That's why we have taken it upon ourselves to bridge this gap and empower these young women to thrive in their dreams.

A young student on a zoom call at the Rainbow Boosters Project in Belar, Pune, India

Through our initiatives, we are providing these students with access to the internet and digital literacy skills. We firmly believe that digital literacy is a crucial tool in today's world, opening doors to endless possibilities and opportunities. By equipping these young women with the necessary skills, we are enabling them to navigate the digital landscape confidently and empowering them to shape their own futures.

On our recent trip to the school, we were inspired in the difference we saw amongst these girl students. Through the internet, they have started to create, visulise and dream alternative, better futures for themselves. To aspire to be the top ranking police officer in the state, to be a world famous artist or a doctor.

A group of students taking part in the 'Journal of Dreams' workshop where they shared and discussed thier dreams and how to achieve them

Rainbow Boosters in partnership with Pandit Abaji Panshikar Foundation (@Navanath Shinde) and Kuma (@Kuma Foundation) are committed to designing and building infrastructure that meets the specific needs of women and girls.

By focusing on education and infrastructure, we are not only empowering these young women but also fostering a more inclusive society. We firmly believe that when women and girls are given equal opportunities, they can contribute significantly to their communities and drive positive change.

Through our philosphy of Conscious Giving, (donating funds and time), building connections with those we help and using the technology we have implemented, we are making a profound impact on these students lives with very little amounts.

On this International Women's Day, be a Ray of Sunshine, in their lives and support our work to empower them and commit ourselves to #InspireInclusion through action.

Join our mini-movement in supporting young students in rural India and let's encourage them to dream big, achieve their goals, and become the leaders of tomorrow. Together, we can make a huge difference!

Donate as little as a cup of coffee here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rainbow-boosters2024?utm_term=wdDnEa369

By providing women and girls with access to quality education and training, we are not only transforming individual lives but also building a brighter and more equitable future for all.

#InternationalWomensDay #EmpowerWomen #EducationForAll #InclusionMatters #GenderEquality

Thank you

Pritesh

My Mini MBA in Marketing Experience

The last 3 months have been full on, not only because of work; planning our first in-person event in Chicago, launching our Diversity & Inclusion Committee or life in general with a 3 and 5-year-old, but because I took on a Mini MBA in Marketing with Mark Ritson (through Marketing Week).

I took on the challenge because I wanted to see if what I've been doing for the last 18 years was right or not, to gain a foundation for current marketing thinking (and the complexity that now brings) and to obviously learn new things.

I had no idea how challenging, interesting, fascinating, annoying, rewarding, eye-opening, entertaining and connecting it would be for me. I met so many like-minded people over the three months as we helped each other understand the module, debate the direction of the case study or laugh about how painful we found the exam.

I would have been happy with a pass - It was always going to be added value being exposed to such great content.

Then when I submitted the exam I secretly hoped that I would get a B (apparently only the top 20% get As). The three intense weeks of building the marketing plan, sitting in the problem to find the answers, getting to my answer, sleeping on it and then completely changing my answer, made me feel I was considered in my rationale.

Then as I landed from Chicago and checked the app I saw that I got an A - I was and am still over the moon with that result. I decided to not do the exam in a group to reveal how much I get it and was willing to hear the harsh facts if it went the other way.

I will continue to be curious, continue to advocate for Marketing as a company's superpower and look forward to many more years in this space.

Where I find my inspiration

I N S P I R A T I O N

We all want to be inspired but are we allowing ourselves to be in the environments to be inspired? Or are we hoping it hits us like a lightning bolt?

Here's when I'm inspired, overtime I've realised that these are the places that work for me.

So now, on purpose:

+ I carve out time and curate what I listen to on my walks.
+ I actively seek out songs I've never heard in hope of a new feeling or perspective
+ I follow, sign up, message and speak to people I believe I can learn from
+ I have a Remarkable2 (digital note taker) on my bedside table to capture all my ideas as soon as I wake up
+ I find being with my thoughts, drawing in the steam on the window in the shower always generates new ideas
+ I didn't always like reading but now I know other people's words stimulate a response in my mind
+ I use my commutes to watch videos of those I find motivating

As a result, across my week I have more opportunities to be inspired!

What do you do to give yourself the best opportunity to be inspired?

#inspiration #ideas #environment #productivity #proactive #thoughts #whatdoyoudo #podcasts #walks #books

That month when Will Smith was my personal guru...

I spent a month with Will Smith, virtually, and he didn’t know it, but I learnt a lot….my key takeaways are here and the full story below. I wanted to share my thoughts and all the links in the hope someone else finds a nugget of wisdom that will help them, like they helped me.

So, in the one month that I was listening, watching, learning from Will Smith, what were my main takeaways?

  • You build a wall one brick at a time – just focus on the next brick

  • The best things in life are on the other side of fear (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0xijHHvN2I)

  • Surround yourself with ‘ride or die’ people – they will make all the difference

  • Everything will change, always – so plan for the next wave before it gets here

  • Invest your time in knowing about others before you think about making a judgement on anyone

  • Understand the responsibility of how you make people feel

  • If you’re going to love – then do it whole-heartedly, everyone involved is better off as a result

  • Say hello and goodbye like it’s your last time because for some people it may be the last time you actually see them

Here’s the full story…

I feel like Will Smith has always been in my life. When I think back to when I was growing up, The Fresh Prince is always on the TV in the background of my memories. There was a period when he always had a hit song out and then there was that onslaught of huge blockbuster hits every year between 1995 and 2008, one after the other. From Bad Boys, Independence day, Men In Black, I Am legend, The Pursuit of Happiness to Hancock, he was always on a screen nearby.

The very first rap I knew off-by-heart was Boom! Shake the Room. I remember being sat in the back of my dad's royal blue Volvo, on some family trip, and my mum being amazed at my unknown rapping ability.

Yo back up now and give a brother room
The fuse is lit and I'm about to go boom!
Mercy mercy, mercy me
My life is a cage but on stage I'm free
Hyped up, psyched up, ready for wilin'
Standing in a crowd of girls like an island…

The thing I loved about Will Smith the most was the way he made me feel. Oozing positivity, an upbeat attitude, and that infectious smile. I found it fascinating how he always managed to make you smile and feel happy.

A couple of years ago, when he realised that to maintain his title as the ‘biggest entertainer of all time’, he’d need to connect where people consume content and started his own YouTube channel. He proactively created new content where I felt a stronger sense of connection to him, his attitudes, and his discipline. I saw how he constantly pushed himself to try something different, or ridiculous. He showed another side, a human side to his stardom.

In Dec 2021, I came across the interview he did on Jay Shetty’s ‘On Purpose’ podcast. (You can watch/listen to it here - (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDYMizH73cc / https://open.spotify.com/episode/1A3sjeBKf5qHjQ1VQgJO3t).

In this interview he shared many aspects of his life and I gained so many insights into his commitment to his family, the way in which his family proactively spent a year studying each religion to be able to have a real understanding of others and perspectives on love and relationships. Even within the depths of this conversation he manged to make me laugh, the way in which Will describes how the story of Arjun from the Bhagavad Gita moved him (around 1 hours 13mins into the interview) and his articulation of that moment made me think, wouldn’t it be incredible if my inner voice sounded like Will Smith, and if my outlook was a bit more like his!

Soon after, I saw YouTube were promoting his new series ‘Best Shape of my Life’, where he battles the physical and mental challenges of getting to a place that would make him feel confident, after ‘letting himself go’ during the pandemic, at the same time as writing his autobiography Will. (You can watch it here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9WDEFtSU_M&list=PLtb5OOwnB8RoCzJz57R0jrCUzYF6Yunw9). I was glued to the series, to see the turmoil and drama, as well as juggling so many plates and going through this real journey of emotions, made me feel a real connection to this superstar, or as my boys call him, The Genie.

One lunchtime, my wife and I, watched him describe the overwhelming feeling when you first see your child. The weight of the world on your shoulders and the commitments you make to them and yourself in those moments. I looked over at my wife and we were both in floods of tears, having both been transported back to that hospital room in 2016, when we had the same interaction with our first son. Will had reminded us of those commitments.

It was a no-brainer that when my brother asked what book I wanted for Christmas, I immediately sent him the link to Will. Will Smith’s autobiography. (You can buy it here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Will-Smith/dp/1529124158/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4NNJKTV6PYEA&keywords=will&qid=1644875649&sprefix=will+%2Caps%2C68&sr=8-1).

Over the Christmas break Disney Plus has a series called ‘Welcome to Earth’ hosted by…you guessed it, Will Smith. (https://disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/welcome-to-earth). It sees him traverse the Earth confronting his fears in the most beautiful places on our planet. I was hooked, not only by the fantastic cinematography but his storytelling. It was a reminder of power of the place in which we all live and the importance of appreciation for life.

January hit, the kids were back to school, I had committed to a ‘no phones upstairs’ routine and I was ready to dive into my new book. In one week, I completed it (which is unheard of for me!). I couldn’t put it down, I was excited to get into bed to read the next chapter, to learn more, to find other words of wisdom. I’ve since heard many other reflect on this book, that this multi-billion-dollar movie star, arguably the best and first to do many things, had the same challenges and problems as I do. The dynamics of his life, the choices he had to make were relatable to me and my life. The learnings and reflections felt profound to me and have made a significant impact on my life.

Ok so I didn’t personally hang out with Will Smith for a month, but I was immersed in so many aspects of his work, life and experiences that it led me to share my thoughts. He set out with the intention to help others with his stories in his book and he definitely hit his goal by reaching me, and I’m a little better off because of it.

Career Conversations with Charlie Fey

In 2020, I went through some coaching, with career coach Charlie Fey, at a point where I was really confused about which direction to go in with my career.

I learnt so much from the coaching and had such a positive experience (as well as landing my next role) that I felt I wanted to share some of the key tips and first-hand case-studies with my network.

Simply it's an attempt to help others or at least start a conversation for those who may find themselves in a similar position in such tough times.

Below you’ll find the 4 areas we discussed:

Part 1 - How to effectively job search in the current market Part 2 - The value of a Career Coach

Part 3 - How to prepare well for an interview Part 4 - How to nail an interview in a Covid-19 world

GSMA Wrap Up!

I joined the GSMA in 2015 and had no idea what an incredible journey I was about to go on.

Through various campaigns and events, I got to tell some great stories, impact some change, travel around the world and meet some amazing people.

It was challenging at times and I’ve definitely grown and learnt much about myself .

This video encapsulates some of the key moments from my time at the GSMA.

My Case For Change Journey - The 7 things I learnt from #CaseForChange

2017…during an intense and enthralling Mobile World Congress in Barcelona I was set a challenge. ‘We want to shine a light on the amazing impact mobile operators are having around the world and shift the narrative through video and social media’. I was simply asked ‘We want to do something like ‘Around The Mobile World in 80 Days’ and need to figure out if it will work…what do you think?’

Campaign showreel - discover the campaign that was Case For Change

The importance of connectivity may seem obvious in the current circumstances, with mobile becoming everything to every one of us in lockdown, but remember this was four years ago. When we didn’t really think about these things and the reputation of the mobile industry was surprisingly poor.

Over the course of three months, through learning about audiences, researching initiatives, brainstorming with creative agencies, building strategies and thinking about how to leverage all the tools and platforms available to us, Case For Change was born. 

2020…Three years on, this global awareness campaign, aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has travelled to over 40 countries and told 60 stories of transformative change thanks to mobile connectivity. (You can see them all at www.caseforchange.com). The content from this campaign has reached over 320 million people and the 35 films created have been viewed over 40 million times.

With campaign launches at huge events, time zone and language barriers, logistical and production challenges at every turn and a constantly evolving campaign, the team has had quite the adventure. Learning so much about so many facets within a modern marketing environment, witnessing first hand people’s everyday reality and meeting some of the most incredible people around the world, working with them and hearing their stories.

Here are a few things that I’ve learnt along the way:

1. Mobile is more than you think…

In the research phases, as we searched for the most transformative impact stories to showcase, the team and I checked every corner of the world for different types of applications. We must have reviewed over 400 different initiatives. Through this process I learnt about so many uses of mobile connectivity that would surprise me, impress me or sometimes just blow my mind. Occasionally, it was the innovation but most times it was the simple unique use of technology which had the biggest impact and was the most impressive.

The list below is by no means extensive as to where mobile connectivity is impacting but it covers some of the main themes from #CaseForChange:

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  • Mobile money services helping those with little income to access fundamental services

  • Connecting the unconnected in the most rural parts of the world

  • Digital training skills for women and children

  • Education platforms for children in refugee camps and with disabilities

  • Digital birth registration services giving the next generation an identity

  • Supporting HIV patients with effective medical supplies visibility

  • Monitoring the impact of climate change through sensors

  • Cleaner energy and water solutions for millions through innovative connected devices

  • Analysing bee behaviour to preserve our food chain

  • Providing invaluable infrastructure post natural disasters

  • Monitoring sea life and forests to protect animals, nature and humans

  • Teaching new languages both for new countries and for new digital skills

  • Inspiring young talent to follow their dreams in ICT

  • Connecting the blind and prosthetic limb users with more options through technology

  • Using drones to save those in distress

  • Supporting farmers to track and nurture their animals and crops

As technology and innovation continues, it will be amazing to see the next phase of how connectivity will shape our lives, especially in the realm of 5G, Internet of Things, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence.


2. Everyone is different

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I was fortunate to grow up around people from different places around the world, I studied International Business management and the GSMA is an extremely diverse company internally and externally. So I was pretty exposed to some cultural differences going into this project but nothing prepared me for my own journey with each story.

When working in different countries, rather than just visiting the tourist sites, I learnt that people conduct business differently, some like face-to-face only whereas some prefer a WhatsApp message. The way to engage with those in schools, refugee camps, hospitals, governments all follow different protocols and the only real way that we were able to navigate it was though the help of local teams who could share the right way of doing things. We didn’t want to offend anyone or cross any lines and when you’re digging into people’s lives it’s an easy thing to get wrong. Layer that then with corporate politics, brand and tone differences and you start realising that everything and everyone one is completely different, all with completely different stories. 

The things that actually fascinated me the most was the realisation that of the 3 billion smart phones in the world no two phones are the same. The apps on that device, the layout, background, case, music, images – everything is so unique it really is the equivalent of your digital thumb-print.


3. Everyone is the same

Having said that, one perspective you get from working on a global project and traveling to different pockets of our globe is a sense of universal humanity. Wherever you go, people are fundamentally positive, good and are happy to go out of their way to help others. We as people smile the same way, love the same way, support others on their endeavors in the same way, regardless of language or background.

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There were times when we were sat in a Tanzanian refugee camp or in a field in rural Sri-Lanka and families invited us in for tea seeing how long we’d been out filming, or we’ve been sat with teenagers who have had some troubled experiences but a joke and a smile about something trivial, regardless of our inability to communicate, making us all burst into crazy laughter.

On numerous occasions we found ourselves in sticky situations, the worst was having one of the production teams escorted out of a Pakistani village with a police escort for fear of their safety, but at every intersection it’s people who went out of their way to support us and they did it at a personal cost and with a smile on their face. It’s given me a stronger sense of hope for the world we live in and the future that we’ll leave for our children.


4. The art of listening in storytelling

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The focus on this campaign was to present how connectivity is transforming lives. To be able to do this we had to find a method of extracting compelling stories. With every scenario being different, sometimes we weren’t able to pre-interview or cultural barriers meant digging too deep on a video conference call wasn’t appropriate.

We built a simple framework to support a good documentary structure, ‘problem, solution, impact’. We built an extensive questionnaire, used existing material and the internet gave us the meat that we applied to each production. We were able to lay a strong foundation before each production but the magic (as any producer/director will tell you) is in the moment.

Every time we filmed someone face-to-face we found layers and depth in their story which made the story come to life. One of the directors taught me a simple trick, when you’ve asked all your questions, pause (but really pause, like those uncomfortable pauses) and then ask ‘is there anything else you’d like to add or say?’ and leave space for a response. Then listen and give them the space to share.  Almost every time they responded with something extremely powerful, which we always included.

My lesson here is to ask ‘what else?’ more, listen and leave room for the magic.


5. Drones can add an amazing perspective.

A film using the drone footage from #CaseForChange productions

Drone footage is still one of my favourite things to work with. Storytelling is all about perspective and being able to shift perspective from wide views to something more focused, adds layers not only to the design of our films but the way people think about the story their watching.

We opened some of the films with some incredible clips and what I saw was a shift in perspective makes people sit up and watch but they don’t realise they are doing it. Because it’s so pleasing to the eye with lakes, mountains, forests, or cityscapes you feel like you have this birds eye view, like out of an airplane and it’s almost impossible to ignore it.

Drone footage gives you real sense of scale with huge wide shots to smaller intimate spaces. I collated some of the best, most breath-taking shots in this video. This is a personal favourite because I also was able to fly drones in many different locations.


6. The power of paid media

Within most organisations there are varying opinions around spending marketing budget on social media posts. Some see it as wasted money and others deem a social campaign pointless if you don’t have a paid media strategy involved.

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We ran strategies across YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Tencent and Weibo, over the course of many months in all major markets across the world. We used big and small agencies and our in-house team supported by a healthy budget.

Here are main takeaways that I implement now in campaigns:

Ask critical questions early:

- Define what content outputs you want and if social is included then create a plan for it.

- Why are you using social? Awareness, lead generation, drive to website, engagements?

- Where are your target audience? What platforms do they use?

- Define what success is, then identify if you can do with organically or you will need spend.

 We had no community to build on, so everything we did was awareness to build one and to get critical information in-front of our target audience, predominately the next-generation of change makers – Millennials.

Putting the same amount of budget for the same post in different regions doesn’t work. You need to identify how costly each market is and bespoke how much you spend per post. Optimise as you go, social media teams are getting so much better at reviewing post performance, tweaking copy, re-defining audience demographics through a live campaign that you can learn what is working and shift strategy in the middle of a running campaign. This is a smart move, rather than just letting something run and hoping it does well.

The biggest thing I learnt was to test your content with small budgets then amplify. Our smaller agency partner introduced me to a great model of micro-budgeting for posts. You spend £25 on a post in a market, you get a profile of the sort of people that engage with that post based on the algorithms, you can try other posts with different thumb-stopping content in the first 3-5 seconds and once you identify how your target audience is engaging you can put a lot more money behind a more targeted approach meaning your content is reaching the people you want it to. This in turn will drive your conversion through the roof.


7. Good content keeps on giving

The final thing that I saw first-hand is how far good content can go. Organisations spend a lot of money on short corporate videos and once it’s served its purpose it’s done. This campaign showed me that capturing content, having a multi-channel approach meant we found ourselves sat on essentially a library of footage that then kept on giving.

We have been able to re-edit and re-purpose all the footage time and time again for different relevant videos in other parts of the business, under a completely new skin for a different audience and as b-roll in other corporate and social films. The extra investment in time and money initially will give you at least four times returns in the long run.

Content is and will always be king and with the right approach can be amazing.

 This campaign was cool on so many levels and these powerful stories will always stay with me. Seeing first-hand how connectivity is defining our world for good gave me a personal sense of pride to be in this industry and also opened my eyes to so many new things.

As everyone knows, our current situation is concerning to say the least, but I am excited to see how we move forward and how technology advances in my lifetime.