Emails have led to more than their fair share of misunderstandings in the workplace. A new survey says business leaders would much rather meet with staff in person. But getting together face to face, especially if your association has more than one office, isn’t always possible. Have video- and teleconferencing tools improved enough to provide onsite benefits in a virtual format?

That, and more, in today’s Lunchtime Links:

Face time: A recent survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit says 82 percent of business executives feel better understood after in-person encounters. The survey, first reported on by BizTech Magazine, was sponsored by Cisco Systems and considered in-person, face-to-face meetings as well as virtual teleconferences using the company’s TelePresence technology. The company said the technology “combines the best of both worlds by allowing for remote work without sacrificing the subtle strengths of face-to-face, real-time collaboration.” Business leaders said tone of voice, gestures, and body movements are all part of the communication process. Is it possible for your association to get the same benefits of face-to-face interactions via the latest in video- or teleconferencing?

A different approach: A few months ago, we reported that social media is a key marketing tool for nonprofits, largely due to its low cost. Many nonprofits are experimenting with social networks in innovative ways—and that’s a good thing, says nonprofit marketer and blogger Colleen Dilenschneider. Where associations and other nonprofits tend to get themselves into trouble is by failing to develop distinct strategies for social media efforts and traditional marketing. “Many of the marketing best practices of the past are directly at odds with today’s practices, and leaders who can evolve their own thinking may be the most successful in leading their organizations into the future,” she writes. Dilenschneider lists five reasons why social media marketing should be approached differently than traditional marketing. Does your association make a distinction between the two?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk

Emotional intrigue: Beauty product brand Dove recently achieved a major win with an unconventional advertising campaign. Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches ad asked a group of women to describe themselves to a sketch artist. The artist drew two sketches: one based on each woman’s descriptions of herself and another based on how others in the group saw her. What resulted was “the “most-watched ad of all time,” Huffington Post reports. What was the secret to the campaign’s viral success? Jay S. Daughtry, relationship development manager at TMA Resources, says the series used intrigue and storytelling. “The result is a winning content marketing strategy. They’ve challenged people with how they look at themselves and managed to attach their brand to the process. I think what they’ve also been able to do is intrigue and engage the audience,” Daughtry writes. How does your association use storytelling to create emotional connections?

What are you reading today? Let us know in the comments.

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