My Phone Will Start Ringing Any Minute Now!

Two narratives I'm contemplating today as I dive further into defining what a truly networked society would look like, how it would work and why partners from across multiple spectrums will work together to catalyze it.

 

The public service Integration Imperative:

 

Human and social service leaders are responding to the changing preferences and usage patterns by developing a range of new digital platforms, including integrated websites, online accounts, and smartphone and tablet apps.

 

The apps have a range of capabilities enabling clients to update personal information, upload documentation, and view transaction histories across a range of programs.

 

Integration, for instance, can remove perverse incentives that cause providers to work in isolation rather than share resources and collaborate to achieve more effective interventions.

 

The evolving nature of PR:

 

I asked him about the state of the PR industry, and he said the challenge for PR pros is this: We're mainly talkers in a world where companies are looking for makers.

 

It’s safe to say that in the evolving marketing communications landscape, PR firms are competing more and more often with ad, digital, social media, content, and whatever new hybrid agencies appear on the horizon. The industry’s challenge is not only to get clients to think about us, but to think of us first.

 

The real challenge for PR is that it's a sales business; a focus on marketing existing value over creating new content is hard-wired into the industry.

 

The biggest challenge of government is that service delivery models are silo-focused; everyone knows they need to integrate, but A) don't know quite what that looks like and B) see integration as a threat to their turf.

 

How on earth do we bridge the gap between what we're comfortable doing and where we need to be going?

 

Sorry, phone's ringing, gotta sign off.  You know where to find me when you're ready to have a conversation!