My First Week At Blue
August 11, 2009 – 8:47 pm | by Daryl TayI really wanted to write this up over the weekend, but I got hit by a flu bug (and fever) and was literally knocked out all weekend, so better late than never.
Challenging
Week One at Blue has been really challenging, but fulfilling at the same time. As much as I know I can bring some knowledge to the front end of things, the extent to which Blue has the back end of things nailed down really, really blew me away. These are the hardcore people who will slice and dice your email database, implement a targeted (not shotgun) approach to executing a campaign, calculate the predicted results to +/- two standard deviations, prove it makes financial sense across the board, and go right ahead to do just that. From day one I’ve really felt that what I know is like 2% compared to what my colleagues know.
Accountability
It shouldn’t be surprising to me that this is a big deal at Blue. After all, their tagline is “the measurable marketing company”. But on the second day I was told accountability and results are “something we hold close to our soul”, and I’m reminded about that every day. (By the way, that would make a great Blue t-shirt). The whole kumbayah soft approach “engage customers” and all that is thrown out of the window and I am really having to dig deep to find powerful, compelling and trackable ideas that come from well-regarded sources.
Data data and more data
On Friday I was introduced to the “listening” tool we use at Blue and it took me close to six hours to get familiar with the terms, what they do, what I should look for, the story it tells and how it makes a difference to our clients. The sheer power behind that tool and how we use it is just staggering. I’ve always kind of flipped through Avinash Kaushik’s blog for stuff on analytics, but I’ve never read them word for word. Needless to say, I am now, for every single post. (And his posts are long).
One thing I’m sure of is that my decision to get into digital or social media over a year ago was the right one. There is no way I would have ever been picked for this job if I graduated from school with what we’re being taught in marketing classes these days. Understanding how social technologies empower marketing and conversations and conceptual understanding of how the back end stuff like SEO and optimisation has really saved me a lot of pain. And you know people ask me all the time why I never monetised Social Media Breakfast, the answer is plain as day: It created a platform for me (and anyone interested) to meet industry practicioners who were dealing with this stuff every single day. Many of whom I respect and are happy to call friends. I don’t think that would have happened if I made them pay $20 a session. Hell, I couldn’t buy the experience and exposure I got from it if I tried.
Tags: accountability, avinash kaushik, blue interactive, blue singapore, challenging, close to our soul, engage customers, financial sense, first week at blue, fulfilling, marketing classes, measuring marketing company, new job, optimisation, SEO, social media breakfast, standard deviation, targeted campaign
11 Responses to “My First Week At Blue”
By Mark on Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
Glad ya like ya first week! Wondering besides you, Dorothy and me, who else can we link to from SMU now working in this space.
By Isman Tanuri on Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
Sounds like an immersion of fire
I do read Avinash’s as well, long posts yes, but the best bits are in the comments sometimes
I have to agree. Nothing in marketing school I went through went anywhere close to SEM or SEO or web traffic. In fact, I can’t remember ’social media’ being uttered in class ever.
By Daryl Tay on Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
@Mark: Hmm off the top of my head I can only think of Amelia… but I’m sure there’re a few more if we think hard enough!
@Isman Tanuri: It really is! But i’m greatly enjoying it. I know don’t even talk about terms like SEO or SEM in school… it’s an utter injustice that they’re teaching about print ads and what not which are becoming increasingly irrelevant.
By Daphne Maia on Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
great to hear u’ve had a great week, hope there’s unlimited great weeks where u are.
hope to learn more from ur sharing on ur blog.
i always have been. jia you!
By Daryl Tay on Aug 12, 2009 | Reply
@Daphne Maia: Thanks! I hope so too! I’m sure sooner or later the stress of work will hit in, but I think there’s lots to be happy about. Glad to be of value!
By Daphne Maia on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
yup! it’s a wonderful feeling to have a job that you love. monday blues? nah. doesn’t exist in our world. hehe. ok bed time! haha. nite!
By Jo Jordan on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
Good to hear… just one thing … teacher here… check a detail in para 1. 2SD’s means 95% of the normal curve. Non-information in other words.
It is more likely they use a standard error – variation in the mean rather than the data itself. You might like to keep an eye out for the two terms SD and SE std deviation or std error.
Might be wrong tho, then you can explain another time!
Sounds good – will be watching and learning.
By Dor on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
haha I like this post. =)
@mark i am very curious abt the other SMUers out there too!!
By Daryl Tay on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
@Jo Jordan: I think they mean that by calculating 2SDs they’re 95% confident that the results will fall within that range? Am I remembering this right?
@Dor: Don’t you like all my posts?
By Jo Jordan on Aug 13, 2009 | Reply
You are right. 2SD’s = 95% of people – but as that is just about everyone, it is not very interesting. Unless the behaviour is very concrete and meaningful – like size of army uniform and we have to order the uniforms in advance and make a system for the 2.5% people at either end.
But 2SE’s around the mean tells you the range about the average or the range abouta prediction.
So as a psychologist, I will say your job performance will be Y +- 2 SE’s. That’s no good as 2SD’s becuase that is the range of everybody’s perf. 2SE’s tells me with 95% confidence the range you are likely to perform in.
Or if I want to see if two means are different, I make sure the spread defined by 2SE’s don’t overlap too much.
We are getting deep now. And without knowing the situation, probably overcomplicated.
Thought I would just flag it in case they meant Std Error and with all the stuff you are taking in, you encoded the more familiar Std Dev. Worth keeping an eye out for the difference, just in case. If not, then I should keep my ’school ma’am’ comments to myself.
So glad you are enjoying it.
By Daryl Tay on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply
@Jo Jordan: Good point. What if it was for the purpose of predicting say, conversion rates on websites? So we’re 95% sure it’ll fall between 1% and 3% say?
I suspect my freshman year statistics fails me. I will pay attention the next time this comes up and what the specifics are