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July 30, 2014
30 Jul 2014

“Growth Hacking” – Ignore the Hype

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Growth Hacking

There is a dangerous idea being shared in marketing, community management, and start-up circles in San Francisco – “Growth Hacking.”

Image: daryjeki via Tumblr, CC 4.0

According to Neil Patel, the history of the term comes from a successful Silicon Valley executive who helped organizations achieve substantial growth specifically in acquiring a user base. However, this version of the story neglects to mention the long-term life-cycle of the companies and how complex successful communications programs really are.

There is no mention of whether this style of growth worked for the organizations to really achieve what they’re looking for. There is no mention of which specific companies have employed this approach successfully, nor analysis of the return on investment, customer retention, or perception data.

The term seems to be applied as an umbrella for a range of Internet skills and tools, from social media engagement, to measuring site traffic, to content site partnerships. Using social media and Internet tools to amass a huge user base can create as many problems as it solves, because engaging with lots of people means more stake-holders, each of whom bring their own expectations to the table.

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Waxing UnLyrical in Your Inbox

Waxing UnLyrical in Your Inbox

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March 19, 2013
19 Mar 2013

How Socially Responsible Communications Maintain Your Community Cool

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

ArtsWave patronsI recently received a notification from another influencer marketing tool seeking to engage me by flattering my ego, which will inevitably re-stir the frenzy of excited tweets, criticism, and everything in between.

Communicators often find themselves torn between the desire to embrace innovation, and the need to give their clients responsible advice. Criticisms against the dizzying array of marketing tools vying for communicators’ attention and loyalty reminds me of journalists’ gripes about “what not to do in PR.”

No one enjoys having their value reduced to a number, or bid for at an auction.

Those who are frustrated with these circular conversations will be heartened by economist Umair Haque’s impassioned plea for greater responsibility in a recent Harvard Business Review article titled Business Should Focus on Sociality, Not Social ”˜Media’: Read more →

Waxing UnLyrical in Your Inbox

Waxing UnLyrical in Your Inbox

15 Comments/in Community, Public Relations /by /#permalink
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Heidi Sullivan

Heidi SullivanHeidi Sullivan is a global marketing and product management executive who specializes in transformational implementation of marketing programs, go-to-market strategies, product portfolio management and change management for rapid-growth SaaS businesses with in-depth experience in Marketing Technology.

Heidi has a track record of success in P&L management, corporate strategy, product marketing and top line growth, and spent 14 years in leadership roles at Cision, during which time she oversaw the company’s integration and multiple product marketing strategies through its seven acquisitions.

Heidi was named one of PRWeek’s “40 Under 40 Rising Stars,” “Influencer of the Year” by The Hub in association with LinkedIn, and one of the most influential people in PR by PRWeek’s “Global Power Book.” She was also co-host of the popular “Influence Pros” podcast on Convince & Convert, which was named one of the top 20 marketing podcasts of 2016 by Hey.com.

Jennifer Zingsheim Phillips

JenJennifer Zingsheim Phillips has worked in communications and public affairs for nearly 20 years. Her background includes work in electoral politics, government, lobbying, and public affairs PR work. She also brings nearly eight years of experience in digital and social communications and media analysis to her role at 4L Strategies.

Jen began her career doing campaign work in Missouri during the 1992 election cycle. After two years of political party work, she joined the office of a Missouri state senator and served as his legislative aide for two years. In 1996, she joined the Missouri Chamber of Commerce as Research Director, where she lobbied the Missouri House and Senate on issues such as workforce development, welfare reform, and education policy. She was also responsible for the weekly newsletter highlighting key issues relevant to Missouri Chamber members.

In her spare time, Jen is a voracious reader, and enjoys cooking and baking. She also likes to write fiction, and has had two pieces of short fiction and one piece of flash fiction published in various publications. She has also self-published a children’s book.