300 is a perfect score in ten pin bowling. A very rare feat. But the comms equivalent to 300 is delivered quite regularly from what we get to see through the comms2point0 lens.
Because I am sad and I count these things, I happen to know that this is the 300th post to appear on comms2point0.
And so it seemed a good time to reflect on the brilliant case studies and posts I’ve featured along the way and the lessons we’ve learned.
That was the number one reason that I decided to create comms2point0 back in 2011 - to create a community, to help, to be helped, to listen, to talk, to share and to have some irreverent fun along the way. To help make a bit of sense of a fast-changing landscape and take the opportunity to share the learning. To share the love.
Anyways, here’s my magnificent seven - a mix of things I’ve learnt, quotes I’ve remembered and posts I’ve loved and referenced, from our special little bundle of 300…
1. Favourite quote
“If I trust my officers with a baton. Why wouldn't I trust them with a twitter account."
by DCC Tayside, from the brilliant, Trust me, I'm a follower by Carolyne Mitchell.
2. Most useful post
That’s a bit like saying what your favourite album is but the one that has been most helpful to me in my day job is probably has been What if? by Helen Reynolds benefit-busting post on opening up social media access in an organisation. As she puts it: "We did it, and the world didn't end." And Helen's, and Monmouthshire's, relaxed and happy attitude in pointing towards mistakes sets them apart, in a good way.
By the way, this is our all-time most read post so I guess I'm not alone in thinking it ws pretty good.
Most inspiring post:
3. Most challenging post
Has got to be Adrian Short's, How to fix council news. Hard-hitting, makes you think and carries more than a grain of truth.
4. The post I most wished I had written
Jim Garrow, In a Verve ‘The Drugs Don’t Work'-style assault, claimed that campaigns don’t work in 'Death to the Campaign. This one hits you right in the comms gut, a real body blow against all that many have held very dear for a very long time. I urge you to read it. You might not agree with it all, that’s fine, but as a minimum it should stop and make us all think about the way we sometimes switch on, and then off, some of our comms activity. Brilliant stuff.
5. Most effective use of a post
Goes to those clever guys Neil Jones and Gareth Phillipsfrom Torfaen Council. Not only did they create the award-busting Elvis in the Depot but they executed a pretty nifty comms plan to promote it too, this post being just a small cog in a much bigger plan and thus reminding us all how to deliver great comms.
6. Favourite post
All of them, every single one of them. You are all winners!
But seriously, the best thing about comms2point0 is that in its own small way it has given a platform to many a comms person who previously had nowhere to really have a say. Seeing people stretch their creative, digital legs here, and then go on to do bigger and better things, is actually a little bit rewarding for us and makes all the late nights worthwhile.
Here's to the next 300.
p.s. If you manage to bowl a '300' game you are awarded one of these. How cool would that look sat proudly on your left hand during a work meeting?
Darren Caveney is creator of comms2point0 and Vice Chair of LGcomms
