Seriously, why the @%*k should I believe you?
It’s felt at times, since the rude arrival of Covid, as though we’ve made a weird evolutionary handbrake turn; during which it’s become quite normal for people to tell me that they ‘can’t’ or ‘won’t’ believe or trust anything, or indeed anyone.
That seems problematic to me, not only cos it sounds like you’ll have a pretty insane adventure whenever you leave your home – anything? Anyone? But also because we’re humans. And trust really matters to us, across every aspect of our lives. And for the duration. And right to the very last.
But who do you trust? I always say that it’s important to know who not to listen to, as who to listen to; some people other than yourself would also like to see you win and be happy. If you trust them, and they’re real, they may just be able to help you succeed.
Yes, a long intro, but I’m coming…
If, however, they’ve sought your trust before, and you’ve invested it in them time and again to no benefit, and maybe to your detriment even, then your cynicism may make some sense.
When they come again, the questions naturally arise, ‘how can I trust you?’, ‘why the @%*k should I believe you?’
These are a couple of important yet basic human questions young people ask when deciding whether or not to invest in an online relationship with a business. Judgement can be swift and brutal, and a business rarely gets a another chance to put their best foot forward. It may be some negative story that’s already travelled their networks and set a perception of the brand, where endorsing or amplifying would be a social no-no; for reasons the brand may never know.
For we humans, the same trust rules apply to business - easily lost and hard to regain.
‘How can I believe you? How can I trust you? What’s my ROI?’
Answering these questions shaped the partnership Slenky created between Wembley Stadium and its local community. Naturally, our focus was upon young people, creating access to the home of football, raising awareness of behind the scenes operations, and maybe kick-starting an aspiration to participate or work within football. I shared a bit of why this is important to me in a previous post; creating early aspiration… legitimate expectation… the business of football…
Who you choose not to listen to, when you’ve seen or heard through generations that a certain sector excludes you, probably includes a lot of businesses that might just actually be getting real right about now…
A lot’s going on to improve football’s diversity, to welcome new people and communities into a more inclusive game. Reflecting that diversity within football’s workforce from top to bottom; players, managers, coaches, refs and senior administration of the game, has got to be the real goal. My belief is that those aspirations can be sparked very early, tomorrow’s football bosses are already out there. Pretty much everywhere.
Slenky’s had a good relationship with the Stadium/FA for a while now, and we’ve partnered on various activities, including events that invited very frank public discussion on the issues of diversity and opportunity, long before 2020’s general awakening.
The FA has been involved in Slenky’s test platforms, and we’ve strategised together on new pathways into football and into careers that underpin football. The exclusivity of Slenky’s positive relationship was something we were keen to share with others.
Who you choose to listen to
So, our idea was to create real social advocacy - not likes - entirely new relationships between the FA and organisations that young people already know, and trust, to introduce them to FA opportunities. The attraction digital, and the engagment experiential; working together, we created a new and unique range of opportunities to engage with the Stadium/FA.
And even during the stop-start of a pandemic, that social advocacy sparked early engagement and positive Stadium/FA experiences for thousands of young people (Note: many of their parents also grew up locally and yet have never been inside the Stadium.) Young people are connecting via their relationships with organisations they trust also want them to win.
Wembley Stadium
I’m a believer in real social advocacy and the power of a trusted recommendation. The absence of the ‘real’ has me grinding my teeth when I see some businesses’ stomp into deeper issues, rolling out an ‘Influencer’ and then disappearing when the news cycle changes.
Or huge businesses announcing a few ring-fenced internships in the mainstream media, and not actually getting it - they’re still ring-fenced whilst moving in their ‘connected’ network. However, I respect all efforts ;).
The internships and other opportunities to engage with a business are out there when businesses, like the FA, flip Einstein’s insanity thing - and partner outside of their comfort zone, and outside of their often outdated networks.
A really good start
Kudos to the FA senior management team for the integrity, with special mentions for Mark Burrows, Anthony Angol, Liam Boylan, Funke Awoderu and Dal Darroch. You asked the questions about how the Stadium and the FA were being perceived; listened and collaborated on an honest and mutually-rewarding response. A response that supports a vision for an inclusive business.
Looking forward to more FA Shots on Slenky's upgrade shortly. Massive thanks to the organisations that brought their gifts to the table – AQ Arts, Chalkhill Community Radio, Hearts of Talent, Jason Roberts Foundation, Ultra Education, Youngs FC.
I’ll intro AQ Arts in my next note. Invest a little trust. #achangeisgonnacome
[Slenky is giving the Stadium’s Community Partners subscription-free access to the new Slenky platform and app, sparking more connections between their young networks, the FA and other businesses.]
