Blending intimate with universal

#lifeisgoodclo
Image credit @gapingvoid

After having read “This Is Generation Flux: Meet The Pioneers Of The New (And Chaotic) Frontier Of Business”, I definitely decided to embrace my different sides, without boundaries of “professional” or personal or whatever other artificial frontier. No, we are all made of multiple facets, every one nourrishing the other ones.

Once again, it is an intimate event that forced me to take a slight distance with my usual “stance”, to take a step back.

And it finds its natural place here, where I aim at bringing together convergent tracks.

It’s a story about a loss. Such a big loss that one cannot keep going as if nothing had happened. Because the world will no longer be the same. Never. Ever.
Loss means “hole”. Disbalance. Dizziness. Grief.

The risk is seing the hollow instead of the full. To fall into the hole.

But one can also chose to see the “full”, the bright side, what has been received, more than what has been lost.

That’s what I have decided to do.

Being of that “Gen Flux”, it naturally came to my mind to mix different elements in order to achieve a result full of meaning, diving into the intimate to extract some universal sense. A sense of humanity. Of sharing.

Strangely, it brings me back to the origins of this blog, initially created at the death of my uncle, a visionair.

So, this project is called “Ursulove”, to celebrate what I received from my 27 years of friendship with my friend Ursula, who so tragically passed away 2 months ago. This is the intimate part. I will share some bits of thoughts via Instagram, linked to a tumblr blog.
Why this format? Because I very often have thoughts to share, but never have the time to build them more consistently. So I thought that an addition of pictures, augmented with texts, related by a common tag, #ursulove, would create, in “the end”, a true story rich of meaning.

But, I’ve been thinking, too, that personal losses have a universal side. And that it would be enrichening to have in addition testimonials of other people about what they have “received” through similar events, losses. So I would like to encourage people to share their stories on Instagram, with the tag #lifeisgoodclo. Or to participate to the blog.

So that it wouldn’t be just a personal testimonial of a loss , but a sense of universality in this experience. That coul be helpful or inspiring to many other people.

The project URSULOVE is HERE.

It is just in its raw shape.

But if you feel like participating, adding your voice, your own experience, I would love to add it to the blog. So contact me at cbenassi at convergenttracks dot com.

The project is in French, but open to any other language.

One of the first presents that I received through this experience, is the need to connect back to a passion: writing.

But I am forever grateful to my friend for every second shared together, for every smile, laugh, worry, for her children smiles, for connecting back to old friends, for being her, simply. I will cultivate the flowers of this garden.

Acquisition and loyalty: the digital marketing mix


How to gain more customers and how to make them come back? Those are the key objectives when it comes to marketing. How can marketing contribute to achieve business objectives?

Traditionnally, you have the 4 P’s of the marketing-mix: Product, Price, Placement (distribution), Promotion.

With new technologies and new media, the 4 P’s remain, but they can be influenced and enhanced in new ways: internet has deeply modified the distribution channels, technology can augment information about the product and the experience with the product (or the brand), you can have more price segments and price calculation, such as dynamic pricing (think of EasyJet), and last but not least, the promotion opportunities have grown exponentially, bringing along huge progress (segmentation, tracking, social graphs, etc..).

But considering the contribution of new media & communication tools to the above mentioned objectives, coming back to the basic sometimes cannot hurt.

And for me, explaining the different aspects, in a very simple (yes, a bit simplistic, too!) way would be as in the image. From there on, you can dive into details, explain the points of convergence, how social media mechanisms impact almost all aspects and how to leverage them in an optimal way according to your company’s objectives. But at least you can get the big picture.

The mobile is in grey, but it could be illustrated in another way, as it permeates all aspects of communication, now.

Do you agree with the general idea? What would you add or change? And why? I would love to know!

Happy 2012

This time is dedicated to celebrate joy, love, even for a little tiny second, it matters.

Life can be stolen so abruptly, sometimes, it’s good to remind the moments of “fullness”, to be thankful for what we’ve got and stop a second to think about it.

In a period where I can feel the loss, where a part of me has been teared away, making the ground uncertain, bringing waves of saddness, I want to see everything that has been sowed and that I can cultivate.

And, from there, I’d like to share with you some thoughts, on what to cultivate in 2012, for any of us, to make it sparkling & joyful:

* the joy of a smile
* a kind word
* listening
* giving: time, attention, a thought, a gaze
* opening the space

For, every moment cultivated in that spirit will help make the following come true. And it matters:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” -Maya Angelou*

I felt good so many times thanks to my friend. To her, I say “Thank you”.

And other friends and family help me feel good, and to them I say “Thank you”.
And to all of you: A Happy 2012.

* Quotation offered by a friend. :-)