We had a presentation from Red Barnet today.

A couple of their staff dropped by the Eye for Image office and talked to us in a warm and friendly way about their work.

One of them gave a quick PowerPoint presentation detailing some of their current projects and some facts and figures, including the rather alarming statistic that Denmark currently has more than 90,000 children living below the poverty line.

But for the most part, it was more of a discussion, touching on charity work in general, the best ways to communicate their message, and fundraising techniques.

I told them that having sat with them, and gotten a feel for their passion and enthusiasm, I was about 100 times more likely to start donating than if I had merely received an e-mail or a leaflet through my door.

It’s a simple equation really - people respond to people.

What message is there here for companies?

Well, I guess it’s that the best marketing tools are your people. Find a way to put them front and centre and have them engage with your potential customers and you’ll reap the rewards.

I think what struck me most today was the way I responded to the sheer enthusiasm of our guests. When one gave an anecdote about a recent camp she had attended with work, her face lit up and her obvious joy at what she does shone through. That is real communication.

I know, I know, this is not exactly revolutionary thinking, but for me personally it was an interesting experience to have this simple lesson confirmed in such a positive way.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 at 2:55 pm by Aaron Bateman and is filed under Communication. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.