We have just started working with the Foundation who describe themselves as, “…process doctors who can help you transform the productivity of your marketing communication development and production processes.”

We’re hoping to transform the levels of traffic to their web site.

Planet Positive is working with key members of David and Associates to develop its brand identity and marketing material. The lead agency M-A-D-E, headed up by Mark Andrews, is being supplemented by other senior team members including David Hughes, Lindsay O’Hagan, Dominic Rutterford, Sue Singer and Mike Everett.

A key component of PP’s service delivery is a new web site: http://www.beplanetpositive.com

The service helps SME’s reduce their environmental impact through a simple, quick and cost neutral 4 step process that involves measurement, reduction, positive action and communication.

Businesses get an internationally recognised accreditation that will help them pursue new business opportunities and fulfill tenders. It’s a simple online process that avoids the need for expensive consultants and can deliver certification within as little as 4 weeks. Throughout the process the registering business is in control of a process that is both transparent, quick and cost-effective.

There are many benefits:
- Reduction in running costs
- An aid to winning business via environmentally sustainable and accredited business practices
- The knowledge that your participation is making a distinct and measurable contribution to local, national or international sustainability projects.
- And last but not least, the tools to promote employee engagement and behaviour change helping to reduce your carbon emissions still further.

Everyone’s emissions are measured by the same internationally recognised system so there is real credibility surrounding the certification process. Certification will help small and medium sized businesses demonstrate that they are committed to being environmentally sustainable. And any business can Be Planet Positive. It’s positive news for business, the bottom line, your employees, the local community and the planet.

January 20th saw the second in a series of talks I’m giving focusing on different aspects of social media and getting to grips with the major platforms. The Wednesday session took LinkedIn as its subject and specifically how this online networking tool can best contribute to sales and marketing efforts.

It was aimed at those about to register on LinkedIn but not sure of the benefits and those that may have been registered for some time but still unclear about how to make it work for them.

In the event the audience spanned those completely unfamiliar with the service at one end and a few that could be considered as advanced users managing their own groups and having migrated to fully paid-up subscribers, at the other.

My intention over the course of this two hour session was to bring some clarity and structure to making the most of this excellent social media and business networking tool. This aim wasn’t helped by losing all my carefully prepared screen-shots about two hours before the start of the talk. This meant that the session was delivered live on the internet rather than canned. And possibly the better for all that if the feedback is anything to go by. Here are a few of the comments made:

“David’s workshop on LinkedIn was clear and concise and exactly what I needed to get me started. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this seminar to anyone interested in making the best out of this site and I look forward to attending his other workshops.”
Mary-Jane Maybury Photographer

“The session was an excellent insight into LinkedIn and how I can make the most of networking opportunities it offers.”
Mike Goldwater Photographer

“I came to the session totally bewildered about how to utilise LinkedIn for my business. I left with an understanding of the power of Linkedin and how I can access that power to improve my sales. Excellent value for money.”
Duncan Morrison Upstream

“The course was a revelation! I can highly recommend David’s seminars to anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of social media.”
Ian Freeman Freelance Journalist

“David really knows his stuff and his sessions are excellent value for money and highly recommended.”
Lin Sagovsky Play4Real

“Invaluable course which every business owner, networker, should attend, even if you are already a Linked-in member and are active, as I am. I got some helpful tips and I met some really interesting people too. The course was very well presented and good value – very worth my time. I am looking forward to the next one.”
Adria Bannocks Infinity Associates

“David brought linked in alive for me – so I now see the benefits and can start using it as a business tool.”
Liz Emtage Liz Emtage Ceramics

“The presentation was informative and concise and delivered in an informal style. LinkedIn – previously perceived by me as a complex business website for people skilled in online networking has turned into a user friendly online resource that will now hopefully become one of the many ways that I create new business leads. Well done David!”
Brigitte Halliday The Core Process

It wasn’t a unanimous vote of approval. I had one delegate who didn’t think I’d done that good a job and I’ll be working on the particular criticisms for next time. Speaking of which the attendees voted for YouTube and web video generally, to be the next subject for exploration. I’ve yet to set a date for this but it’s likely to be towards the end of February. If you’re interested you can drop me a line and I’ll add your name to the circulation list.

Keren Lerner of Top left design kindly recommended us to SAV Mayfair Developments Limited a building contractor providing residential building services in London. Thankfully they took up her advice and we are now helping them build a larger and more qualified stream of traffic to their website.

The London School for Small Business has appointed David and Associates to work on developing its web site and marketing material for it’s video-based small business training course. The school, set up by Lisa Temperley and Peter Goonery, has been established to offer high quality online business education at low cost. It provides a series of video-based training modules to ensure business owners make the biggest possible impact on their business results in the shortest possible time.

Given the current economic climate, the timing couldn’t be better.

Currently they have a special launch offer that saves clients £150 off the regular course price. They also have free downloads available on subjects such as time management and attitudes and traits of successful business owners.

This month the David and Associates HQ moved from Whitfield Street to Grafton Way. So it’s goodbye to ‘tenants village’ in the Saatchi and Saatchi complex on the corner of Chitty and Whitfield streets and hello to 68 Grafton Way, W1T 5DS. We’re now sandwiched between Cafe Rio on the one side and The Grafton Arms on the other.

Currency UK first approached us in early 2006 soliciting advice about how best to develop their marketing activity. However the first project to come out of the relationship is the development of the look and feel for a new web-based Foreign Exchange application.

The pilot project is to be deployed in-house before being trialed with an existing client.

Jane Wake worked with us on her original site for body-a-wake and has returned to with a brief to revitalise the main site and develop a second site: Baby A-Wake, focused on pre and post-natal fitness and well being.

Not so long ago, Mike was asked to help production company New Moon with the films they were making for the London 2012 Olympic bid.

As you probably know, that bid went rather well. And now Mike and New Moon have scored a second Olympic victory, creating the films for Russia’s bid for the 2014 Winter Games.

It was a tough job. Sochi, the Black Sea resort chosen as the Russian candidate city, was the long-shot candidate. The ones to beat were the established experts in Salzburg, and a vigorous bid from PyeongChang in South Korea. But there was a powerful story to tell. Because this was a chance to transform the future of winter sports in Russia.

Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Russia’s winter sports facilities have been decimated – a terrible fate for a nation still holds the most Winter Olympic gold medals.

So the Russian government had already pledged to spend billions of dollars regenerating the slightly dilapidated resort of Sochi – perfectly located at the foot of the Caucasus mountains – into a world-class winter sports resort.

Sochi’s combination of balmy coastline and reliably snowy mountains meant the Russians could offer the most compact, efficient Winter Games ever – as well as revitalising sport for the nation.

Mike was closely involved in the creation of the films showing the infrastructure of the Olympic Village, and a more emotive film capturing the spirit of the bid. And it worked: Sochi was recently announced as the host of the 2014 games.

I don’t tend to keep tabs on our clients’ other suppliers but the news that Garrard has lost its position as Crown Jeweller did catch my eye. It’s a position they’ve held for more than 160 years. An amazing and enviably long tenure first granted by Queen Victoria in 1843.

The current holder of the post, David Thomas was the Crown Jeweller at Garrards when Piers and I were producing the souvenir guide of the Crown Jewels for Historic Royal Palaces. He was the only one allowed to touch the precious pieces during the photo-shoot. Now he’s handing over the white gloves to a Mr. Harry Collins who runs a small family run business in Tunbridge Wells.

Apparently the Queen’s decision to change is as a result of a recommendation from a friend and has nothing to do with Garrards decision to appoint Christina Aguilera as it’s new face.

Just goes to show – the power of word of mouth marketing can even overturn a 160 year relationship.

David Thomas with assistant curator Barry Sanderson in the old Jewel House, Waterloo block, HM Tower of London