Ine Marien & Company

Ine Mariën & Company initiates 4 new company projects on image and stakeholdermanagement at Ghent University

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:27:01 +0000

Subsequent master students conduct research and develop recommendations for Flagey, the Floralies of Ghent, the National Lottery and Febelfin as part of their company projects.

Ine Mariën & Company has proposed four company projects to the Subsequent Master in Multilingual Business Communication (MTB) of Ghent University. The projects will be coached by Sander Laridon and Lore Vandoorne in close consultation with Ine Mariën.

At the request of the Brussels’ cultural institution Flagey, an image survey will be conducted among the general public. This should result in a list of recommendations for an appropriate image and communication strategy in which online and social media play an important role.
The Floralies of Ghent ordered an investigation into the image and perception among all the stakeholders, such as the local and regional governments, the partners in the floral industry, sponsors, etc. The Floralies of Ghent, that take place every four years, traditionally are a true blockbuster but suffer from an outdated image and audience. The study should therefore lead to a repositioning and a new communication strategy.
A third project involves a stakeholder survey on the perception and the communication of Febelfin, the umbrella federation of the Belgian financial sector. The research project aims to formulate recommendations for the communication towards the stakeholders.
Finally, Ine Mariën & Company assists in a Public Affairs and communication research on online gaming and gambling for the National Lottery.

Every year since 2000, Ine Mariën has assisted in company projects of the Subsequent Master in Multilingual Business Communication. On the one hand, the collaboration provides the students with a practice-based and strategic framework from an expert. On the other hand, the company projects are the perfect opportunity for Ine Mariën & Company to maintain a constant contact with young professionals and their fresh approach to communications. In their recommendations the subsequent master students very often show a completely innovative approach to a 2.0 communications, resulting in a confrontation or an interesting challenge for the companies involved.

Read some background information about the collaboration between Ine Mariën & Company and Ghent University (in Dutch).

Read more about the Subsequent Master in Multilingual Business Communication (in Dutch).

The impact of volatility on communication

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:20:23 +0000

On August 22, Ine Mariën was invited as one of the keynote speakers at the Belgian Executive Seminar in Bordeaux, organized by Unisys, PwC, Microsoft and Top Management. The theme of the seminar was ‘Sustainable Development in a Volatile Economy’.

Ine gave a keynote speech about the impact of volatility on communication and its consequences on building and maintaining a strong & sustainable reputation in a volatile market context.

Ine shared thoughts about the impact and effects of the most striking and powerful driver of volatility: technology, and its consequences: speed, the new media landscape, the power of the crowd, and the consumer’s almost desperate search for a new form of hold and certainty.

This led to reflecting on one of the key challenges of CEO’s and companies in a volatile world: building and maintaining trust in a complex and ever changing environment. Ine commented on how trust is intimately related to a strong corporate and/or brand positioning and reputation, and how smart companies can learn from this.

If you’re interested in Ine’s slideshow, please let us know via sl@inemarien.eu

The High Council of Justice selects Ine Mariën & Company for developing a stakeholder strategy & communications plan

admin — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:48:27 +0000

The High Council of Justice has selected Ine Mariën & Company from among the other participants competing for this assignment to work together with the Bureau and the Head of Communications to develop a stakeholder strategy and communications plan for the organisation. The plan aims to bring clarity regarding the position and role of the High Council of Justice in the political and legal landscape, increase the transparency of its operations, initiate a continuous dialogue with stakeholders and citizens and set up an efficient internal flow of information within the organisation.

Ine Mariën & Company will adopt a phased approach to this assignment and work in close collaboration with the Head of Communications. In the first phase, a mini-scan of the current communication processes will be performed. This will be followed by a survey conducted among the key internal and external stakeholders. The insights gained from this will enable Ine Mariën & Company to formulate a strategic communications plan that directly contributes to achieving the long-term plan of the High Council of Justice.

The High Council of Justice is a constitutional body, composed of magistrates and non-magistrate members, which is fully committed to optimising the operation of justice at the service of the citizens. In this respect, the High Council assists the parliament, the government and the judicial world. The High Council of Justice was established in response to the Dutroux case and the related crisis of confidence and dissatisfaction among the public regarding the inadequate and archaic functioning of the Belgian police and judicial systems.

Seven courses of action to restore trust in the financial industry

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 16:36:14 +0000

Ine Mariën presented her recommendations to Febelfin a year after her appointment as independent chairwoman of the Consumer platform to restore trust in the financial industry. By taking actions such as conducting a far-reaching digital consumer survey and establishing a new dialogue amongst stakeholders, quite some work has been done already but nonetheless there is still a long way to go for the banks and financial institutions. The recommendations from the Consumer platform have been laid on the table and it’s now time to put them into practice.

Watch the short video for more information concerning the activities and results of the Consumer platform.

Don’t forget to consult Febelfin’s digital annual report either for more information related to the Consumer platform and other platforms to restore confidence.

Ine Mariën develops a stakeholder management and a new communication strategy for the INBO

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 16:35:59 +0000

The Research Institute for Nature and Forest, or INBO for short, has chosen Ine Mariën & Company to map out the organisation’s new stakeholder management and related communication strategy. Ine Mariën’s work will be based on the reviewed 2009-2015 Strategy document, and she will focus on developing a clear positioning for INBO as an objective centre of knowledge within the Environment, Nature and Energy Department, and vis-à-vis related policy areas such as Agriculture, Tourism or Open Space, the social society and the various pressure groups.

Ine Mariën & Company will approach this assignment in stages. In phase one a mini scan will be performed of the existing communication strategy followed by a survey to be conducted among the main stakeholders, such as scientists, authorities, politicians and members of parliament, social society and pressure groups. The findings will enable Ine Mariën & Company to develop a clear market positioning, and more efficient and more effective choices when it comes to communication, in order to strengthen the INBO’s B2B market position and reputation.

INBO is the Flemish research and knowledge centre for all aspects relating to nature, biodiversity and sustainable nature management. As an Internal Independent Agency within the policy department Environment, Nature and Energy, the INBO performs strategic research and supplies this knowledge to anyone involved in preparing, implementing or who has an interest in policy.

Ine Mariën is appointed member of the Committee of Experts for the repositioning of Flagey

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 16:35:43 +0000

Ine Mariën was appointed as a member of Flagey’s Strategic Committee of experts by its Board of Directors. The committee consults with the Chairman and Vice Chairman to work out a strategic orientation plan for the Flagey Music Hall.

Ine was asked to join the committee because of her expertise in market positioning and her comprehensive knowledge of the cultural landscape in the Brussels region.

The other committee members come from the culture and media worlds: Hugo Vanden Driessche (General Director of the Kaaitheater), Jacques Dubrulle (Director of the Ghent Film Festival), Jan Hautekiet (Director of Culture for the VRT), Bernard Meillat (RTBF – Director of musiq’3), Jean-Pierre Rousseau (Director of the Liège Philharmonic Orchestra), and Jacques De Decker (Columnist and Secretary General of l’Académie de Littérature / the Royal Academy of French Language and Literature).

The Strategic Committee will present its recommendations to the Board of Directors before the end of 2011 and these will be fundamental in launching an era of renewed vigour for this Brussels cultural temple in 2011.

Everything about web communication: from web writing to web management

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:49:52 +0000

Paul de Groeve, our expert in corporate storytelling and web writing has recently published a handy guide in Dutch, called Alles over webcommunicatie: van webwriting tot webmanagement (Everything about web communication: from web writing to web management).

This book provides an overview of all new communications means and analyzes how they contribute to the profitability of a company. E-mail, chat, direct messaging, websites, …: it extensively discusses all new online communications tools.

It focuses on the way the reader can efficiently start to work with these new means of communications: how to write targeted e-mails? How to present your company in online communities? What should you keep in mind when writing texts for the web?

The starting point of the author is his everyday practice, in which he looks for the most efficient ways of integrating these online communication tools in an organisation. His concrete tips are always supported by an in-depth theoretical knowledge and innovating, relevant insights.

You can order it here .

Febelfin asks Ine Mariën to be Independent Chair of the Consumers Platform

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:41:35 +0000

At the annual meeting of Febelfin which was held on 1 March 2010, Ine Mariën was appointed as Independent Chair of the Consumers Platform. The Consumers Platform is part of regaining of customer trust in the banking and financial system, one of the priorities of the financial sector. The main aim of the Platform is to ascertain people’s expectations and needs and on the basis of this make recommendations for new sector commitments. These new sector commitments should enable Febelfin to anticipate the plans of the European Commission.

Ine Mariën’s approach covers three fields of action – qualitative and quantitative market surveys, a digital listening and dialogue platform and an advisory forum consisting of various representative stakeholders of consumers and society as a whole.

Due to her extensive experience with problems of trust, her objectivity and strategic insight Ine Mariën was asked to head the Consumers Platform. Ine Mariën explains it thus: “Our approach is both targeted and inclusive. ‘”Targeted” because we want to implement the most important points for improvement of financial products and services from the point of view of consumers and “inclusive” because we believe in an arrangement in which dialogue with society is the main focus.”

More information: www.febelfin.be

AmCham Women Leaders: Ine Mariën gives her outlook on the challenges of top women

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:12:34 +0000

On the 23^rd of February, Ine Mariën was invited by the ‘AmCham Women Leaders’ to kick off a debate amongst women CEOs on the new challenges of top women in business. Ine was asked to unfold her personal recipe for successfully going into a leadership role and outline her vision on the new challenges of leading women in business. The event, titled ‘Women in Business, New Challenges for New Leaders’, was hosted by Mr. Howard W. Gutman, US Ambassador to Belgium.

On the topic of the unique challenges facing top women in the business world, Ine believes that the business climate is changing and that the economic world is coming to a realization that it is in need of more women. More so, as the economic landscape becomes more complex and more global, organizations become less hierarchical and more loosely organized around matrix structures. According to Ine, this works in the favour of women leaders: “The global business world has a need for a more inclusive, collaborative-focused form of leadership. Women are perfect fit for this need.”

After Ine’s outlook, Baroness Mia Doornaert (Expert, Office of the Prime Minister) moderated a lively panel debate on the new challenges of women leaders with Mary Pitsy oude Hendrikman (Managing Director, Boyden International), Dominque Leroy (Managing Director, Unilever Belgium), Béatrice Delvaux (Editor in Chief, Le Soir), Lieve Verplancke (Managing Director, Bristol Myers Squibb) and Ine Mariën (Managing Director, Ine Mariën & Company).

AmCham Women Leaders, headed by Lieve Verplancke, is a new initiative that aims to create a network of high level national and international career women under the auspices of AmCham Belgium, where leading women can exchange opinions, experiences and expertise with other women leaders in order to stimulate creativity, efficiency, and innovation in business.

More information: www.amcham.be

Dialogue marketing, the newest buzzword in town?

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:47:04 +0000

Brands that connect with consumers: it appears to be the newest trend in communication. However, dialogue marketing is more than just another hype. Quite the contrary is true: if we want to reach a new generation of consumers, we need to switch from traditional one-way to two-way communication, and that’s were dialogue marketing comes in.

Meet the on-demand generation

The latest generation of consumers is a difficult customer. Or to be more precise, they are difficult to reach. Young consumers ignore traditional media, consider e-newsletters out of fashion and the 1-on-1 advertising trick doesn’t work for them either.
So, how do you reach these young consumers? The answer is quite simple: you don’t have to reach them; they will come to you. Because, when they need you, the on-demand generation goes online to look for the best and quickest solution. And when they do so, your brand should be ready to perfectly answer their questions and to solve their problems. And afterwards, you have a chat with them…

So, what do you want to talk about?

If you want to have a fun conversation, you need a good subject. Content is king, also when it comes to dialogue marketing. The starting point for content is ‘What does the consumer need?’ and not so much ‘What do I offer him?’.
Once you have met the expectations of the on-demander, it is vital you keep on giving him pertinent information. By offering pertinent content, you increase your chances of getting interesting information in return. As a result, you always stay in touch with your customer.

Which medium?

You can use any medium to start up dialogue marketing, but it is of course extremely handy to use your own website to quickly offer relevant content. Afterwards, it is best to keep the conversation alive via social media or profile websites.
But dialogue marketing is not just an online tool. Customer magazines are for instance an ideal medium to offer pertinent information, next to the efficiency of direct mail. Because the on-demander will read direct mail, as opposed to an e-newsletter. This is due to the fact a tangible letter stands out more, whereas an email just disappears in the massiveness of our inbox or junk mail.

Paul de Groeve
Expert Corporate Storytelling Ine Mariën & Company