Members

So, this is my first stab at a more generic blog with regard to CIM.

I thought I would start off with something pretty meaty...
We have approximately 50,000 members globally and, considering that there are estimated to be circa 500,000 people in the UK who have some form of marketing role, we've got just the tip of the iceberg.

Our new Chief Executive, Rod Wilkes, attended an event for Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire branch recently and it has sparked quite a bit of debate amongst the members - http://cimnorthants.blogspot.com/
His main aim is to increase the membership and close this massive gulf.

So how do we do this?

Think about it, we have the world largest marketing department - 50,000 marketers! - yet we are struggling to get our message across and welcome more members. Perhaps one of the reasons is we are our own worst enemy. I have spoken to many members who put the institute down, constantly grumbling that you 'don't get anything for your membership fee' but I have also spoken to non members who hold The Chartered Institute of Marketing in high regard.

How about we stop beating ourselves up, or blaming something called Moor Hall, and get on and market ourselves?

If every member was happy with CIM and talked to others in an upbeat and positive manner we could double our membership overnight. I'm not saying that everything is rosey and we cannot improve, but I am saying lets be positive and stop perpetuating a self fulfilling prophecy.

Let me give you an example - We did a survey in Merseyside a couple of months ago and got a very mixed response. First we asked those attending an event to complete the survey and they were very positive, then we asked people who had not been to an event to complete the same survey and they were very negative. Therefore, we deduced that those that were not engaged with us were not getting the benefit and so were not holding the institute in high regard.

I have said this before and I will say it again, you get out of CIM what you put in, so come on everyone and think positive, act positive and promote your institute, your profession and lets all make this the start of a marketing revolution!

Review

I am now exactly half way through my blogging project and I thought this was a suitable time to reflect.

So far I/Tony and I have –

Converted to energy saving light bulbs

Bought a water butt

Bought pens made out of recycled car parts

Converted to fair trade chocolate – and lots of organic and fair trade products

Planted more plants in the garden to combat increasing carbon dioxide

Written to MPs and George Bush about my concerns over climate change

Resolved to avoid GM foods

Switched to washing with eco balls

Fed the birds that live in the conifers at the bottom of our garden

Committed to recycling more

Read up on what others think about climate change – and learned a lot!

I have enjoyed learning and opened up so many dialogues with people (offline I must admit as my comments here are decidedly lacking!) and widened my horizons. I have to point out that once people find out I'm doing this blog they are very helpful with 'you can put this in your blog...' information. Thank you.

The water butt is settling in nicely since the rain came and the houseplants don't seem any worse for wear for drinking 'recycled water'. My mum even asked for a water butt for Mothers Day!

I must admit that I have become much more aware of what we as a household are/have been wasting and the impact that just two adults and a cat can have.

And still on my to do list is –

Visit CAT in Wales

Switch to green electricity

Get composting (waiting for composting bin)

Visit a farmers market (which I failed to do last weekend!)

On the whole I am proud of my progress and although no-one picked up on my article in the press, I have been asked to comment for a variety of other articles on blogging and sustainability, so I would class that as an overall success.

Week 26: Save your company money by cutting waste…

This started off by finding out more about the Environment Agency’s Waste Minimisation Club at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waste . I believe that in four years 120 clubs have shown 1000 members how to save £20million by cutting waste.

Then I visited www.envirowise.gov.uk, who say they save UK businesses up to £1000 per employee – and for companies with less that 250 employees they will arrange a free visit to help you do this.

The one that really excited me though was www.save-a-cup.co.uk which recycles your vending machine cups into something useful such as pens, delegate badges, key fobs etc, which you can have customised to market your own company! CIM used a lot of branded pens and delegate badges so I have sent this to our facilities manager, events and marketing managers to see if I can get them excited too.

Developments...

Whilst I have been blogging this past six months I have found it amazing how many people have read Directors Cut and am I am very thankful to you.

I have also been tempted to make postings that were not really related to my ‘chosen subject’ but more mainstream CIM stuff, which would be of interest and useful to members. You see I think I have told someone something, a development or such within CIM, and I have in fact told someone else and as a result failed to communicate to all my members successfully. Using my blog as a tool in this way is very tempting and hopefully appealing to members and non members alike.

So, I hope you don’t mind but I am going to expand my blog to run hoc communications to members for the rest of the year and see how it grows – or doesn’t as the case may be. At least then I won’t have to just shut up shop once I come to the end of ’52 weeks’!

Week 25: Look for the invisible…

This is a more indepth revisit of breathe easy week, suggesting we look more closely at the air in our homes and how we can improve it. For example replacing carpets with wooden flooring or using an ioniser or even using water based vinyl paints.

The wooden flooring one is interesting, our counterparts in hotter climates don't have carpets because they retain the heat so perhaps if global warming isn't a myth then it will have a good impact in at least one way!

Seriously though, just opening the windows and irradicating damp patches in our homes can help with our health. In addition I am sure we will see paint companies promoting health options before long. After all a colour is a colour is a colour and not something they can differentiate on.

Another thought

I have been thinking about my last posting and wanted to share those thoughts with you. I occurred to me that Lancashire Council had probably communicated the fact that they provide free compost bins in the many fliers they have put through my door and in the local paper. But until I was in the market I had not noticed. This is a very important point to note for marketers. You cannot just rely on having your message in one place and available for only a short period of time. You need to continuously communicate and make sure that your prospects can find out what they want when they want from you. This is where the internet comes into its own because it is a 24/7 service and no wonder marketers and customers like it accessibility and immediacy.

Week 24: Make soil and save Earth…

This weeks challenge is to start composting food scraps, cardboard and waste paper, such as kitchen towels.

I remembered from when I bought the water butt that www.recycleworks.co.uk talked about this so I visited them again. But apart from selling the compost bins (not cheap!) and other items I couldn’t find much about what to compost and other handy tips to get me started.

So I did a Google search and came up with www.recyclenow.com which has a 5 easy steps page on the do’s and don’ts of composting – just what I needed. So now I know what to do I need a bin and guess what? I typed my postcode into their site and they came up with offers in conjuction with my local council and I have now ordered a FREE composting bin! What a fantastic way to incentivise good practice.

I can’t wait to start collecting my ‘greens’ - vegetable peelings, fruit waste, teabags, plant prunings and grass cuttings. Apparently these are quick to rot and they provide important nitrogen and moisture. – and ‘browns’ - cardboard egg boxes, scrunched up paper and fallen leaves. These are slower to rot but provide fibre and carbon.

And maybe next year my garden will be blooming lovely!

Week 23: Get out and get fit…

I am pleased to say that me and Tony are already doing this weeks challenge. Instead of jumping in the car to go to the corner shop we walk or cycle. We are lucky in that the shops are very handy so it isn’t torture, but very pleasant. Also, when Tony has his hand in plaster and couldn’t cycle we made a habit of walking around the block each night. It was really relaxing and we enjoyed just walking and talking.

We got a leaflet through our letterbox at the weekend too hinting that we may get a cycle path along the river, which would be super so fingers crossed.

To find out where your local cycle routes are visit www.sustrans.org.uk which stands for sustainable transport. It is a very inviting website, bright and cheerful with loads of useful information.

Perhaps E. F. Shumachers pleas were just waiting for the internet?

Week 22: Start a snowballing snowdome campaign!

This week the book says I should send President Bush a snowdome to emphasise what’s at risk if the USA does not sign up to international protocols on climate change.

Before leaping into action, I did a Google search to see if anything new has been written about Bush and this subject and I found this –

WASHINGTON, May 31 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush, under fire for resisting tough action on global warming, on Thursday called on 15 influential countries to agree by the end of 2008 on a long-term goal to cut emissions.

The proposals, announced before a summit of major powers that will consider the issue, stressed new technologies to make energy use more efficient and restated Bush's rejection of firm caps on carbon dioxide emissions that many of his allies want.

Critics dismissed the strategy as a diversion and a delaying tactic but some European leaders and a U.N official expressed hope that it might be a first step to more action.

You can read the full article at - http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N31237010.htm

So do I send him a snowdome or not? Actions certainly speak louder than words and I feel Bush is yet to act. I opted for the cheaper, carbon friendly alternative of emailing him a picture of polar bears stranded on melting ice and thanking him for his intentions.

You can send your snowdome/message to president@whitehouse.gov

Week 21: Be well fed…

This week it is time to get out of the house and visit a local farmers’ market. These were originally set up to give producers a better chance of getting a decent return for their products but now I believe they are helping to beat global warming by helping us purchase local food.

I visited the recommended website www.farmersmarkets.net and very easily found that the nearest to us is at Ashton Market Ground, Bow Street, Ashton-under-Lyne the last Sunday of every month, which unfortunately we have just missed! There was a weblink, which unfortunately didn't work, so we are going to have to go blind in a couple of weeks - I'll let you know how we get on!

Small is Beautiful

Firstly, I have to apologise because I haven’t blogged for two weeks, naughty person that I am! I had extra time off over the Bank Holiday and as a result my halo has slipped, I’m sorry.

However, I can report that the simple and effective method of the library texting when my book was ready really worked and within two days! I collected the first book - 'Small is Beautiful' by E. F. Shumacher - which promised to encourage the reader to think hard about their lifestyle and cost to the environment. It certainly did that. I found myself becoming more and more depressed as I read the detailed text. I must admit that is isn't the easiest of reads. But never the less it investigates some important stuff, that although it was written over twenty years ago is still relevant - perhaps event more so today. It was with stark contrast that I spent my holiday sitting in the garden enjoying the sunshine, fresh air and bird song that I read about the perils of over farming the earths finite resources.

Take for example the idea that economists shouldn't be ruling the world. What if we weren't striving for a better GNP or profits and growth. But instead were were striving for human health, wealth and happiness, for peace, for everyone to have a role in their community, for nil unemployment. It certainly puts a different complexion on things doesn't it?

A case in hand, congestion charges. Instead of putting these charges in to place and thinking that will solve the problem - always fiscal you notice courtesy of the economists - what if we considered why people were travelling into cities and clogging them up? Commuting is a phenomenon of modern working, especially in the UK - not in Spain. The Spanish still have their siestas, but we couldn't do that because we have to travel on average an hour from where we live, so it wouldn't be practical. Therefore the Spanish live and work in the same local area and the roads are a dream to drive on. In this age of technology and ease of communication most people could work from home - like me and Tony - and there wouldn't be the need to have congestion charges. Tell me if you think I'm an idealist!

I don't think the book said anything new in particular, but it crystalised various thoughts. Hopefully, with the sway in public opinion and individuals actively making changes we are starting to see some of Shumachers pleas answered. But we have a long way to go and now even less time to do it in.

I recommend this read if you are serious.