I appreciate the use of digital media and design to educate a potential customer and tell a story. Well played and worth sharing.
The Unfiltered Truth About Water
I appreciate the use of digital media and design to educate a potential customer and tell a story. Well played and worth sharing.
The Unfiltered Truth About Water
For the third straight year (Year 1 & Year 2) I’m calling all entrepreneurs with a “fire in the belly” to apply to PERC’sEnviropreneur Institute HERE. Similar to last year, I’ll leave you with these words of inspiration from the The Icarus Deception.
The challenge of our time is to find a journey worthy of your heart and your soul.
I’d also strongly recommend reading this book shortly after you apply.
This time last year I reflected on my 11 lesssons of 2011. Although many of these lessons hold true for 2012, I’ve decided to share 1 piece of news for the New Year: a Montana Water Bank Update.
Today, I enter my fourth year of determined effort to establish Montana’s first Water Bank. 2012 ended on a high note with a letter (above) from the DNRC determining our application correct and complete. This is a step in the right direction, but far from the finish line. As we begin this next chapter, I’m reminded of this quote by Benjamin Frankin:
Diligence is the mother of good luck.
Happy New Year!
Additional information regarding this water bank are found in this Ecosystem Marketplace article: Can his water bank help Montana solve its water troubles?
A friend just shared this video from Charity: Water. I thought it was a terrific use of digital media and story structure to convey a message. I also thought it was worth sharing.
Water Changes Everything. from charity: water on Vimeo.
As part of my new emphasis in marketing communications, I’ve contracted with a number of organizations/companies to build, or better position, their web presence. I soon realized the “shoemaker’s children were going barefoot” and decided to repackage my own website. Between the work on my own site and the other projects, I learned some lessons along the way.
1. The website framework clarifies your vision. The website framing makes you consider, clarify, and articulate to the best of your ability your vision. This is challenging, but also provides additional strategic planning value to you and your organization.
2. Focus on your target market. The fact that communication via your page is with anyone in the world makes you change your voice and messaging to anyone in the world. The key is to remain focused on your target market, and make sure your message resonates with this audience.
3. A content management system is key. All of the websites, I’ve recently developed are built on a WordPress platform. My old site was not. This new framework allows me to easily edit the content on each page and create new content as my work evolves. In today’s digital world, content is king and the ability to modify this content is recommended.
4. Content is king. The website is frequently your first “touchpoint” with a potential customer, donor, stakeholder, etc. Developing content on this site via the blog also allows for a richer customer service experience. Creating this content on these specific topics also increases your search rankings.
5. Choose your channels. As I disclosed previously, I use multiple digital media channels. Most of the channels are for listening, and only a few are for sharing. It’s easy to use too many channels for sharing. It’s better to use a couple effectively, than several poorly.
* Disclaimer this post is taken from my alter ego personal blog. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Last Friday, (5/23/12), I had the fortunate opportunity to participate in my first podcast with 406startup. Even better, the topic was MARKETING and the subjects were Big Sky Brewing Company, Lotic Water, and Linsey Corbin – my three favorites. Here is the link to the show:
Episode 3; Chris Corbin of Lotic Water & Corbin Brands
If you don’t have 35 minutes to spare, which I completely understand, the three marketing lessons I presented are:
And, if you do have time? Enjoy the show.
Slightly over a week removed from the Mitigation Banking Conference, I’ve finally found time to reflect on the lessons I learned at this event. The top 5, in no particular order, are as follows:
1. Highly fragmented and localized markets. Wetland mitigation banking success in Florida doesn’t lead to mitigation banking success in California. Similar to the water market, ecosystem service markets vary from basin to basin, state to state, and regulatory office to regulatory office.
2. Face time matters. I sponsored last year’s event and strategically followed up with likely clients. An email and phone call will never replace interpersonal communication–at least for me.
3. Regulations drive mitigation markets. It became obvious the majority of buyers for wetlands, streambank, and species credits, don’t do it because they like the product ( think iPhone or Car). They buy them because they have to. Similarly, simple supply and demand will eventually determine water allocations–and already does in certain markets– but regulatory closures are expediting many of the water quantity markets.
4. Regulators are also a target market. In most traditional markets, you direct your marketing efforts to the buyer. This is where mitigation markets differ. Because regulators are forcing the purchase, they play a critical role in the transaction. In some instances, they drive every deal.
5. I love water. I really enjoyed the conference and have tremendous respect for these markets and their players. I also greatly appreciate my water work within these mitigation markets. Although, time and time again, I was thankful for working in water markets. As cumbersome and inefficient as they be, water rights are assets that have survived the test of time.
I even splurged for an airport shoeshine on my way.
I’m on a 10-day California journey that will culminate with a water rights presentation at the National Mitigation and Ecosystem Banking Conference. The take home message for the presentation is this:
water rights will play a critical role in ecosystem service markets of the West, so understanding and managing these assets should remain a top priority.
This previous post expands on this vision and role of water rights in these ecosystem service markets. I hope to see you there or along the way. Safe travels.
One of the many benefits of water markets is their ability to rapidly adapt to changes on short notice. Enter the Colorado Water Trust (CWT) and their implementation of “REQUEST FOR WATER 2012.” Faced with a 38% of average snowpack, this Denver-based nonprofit is actively pursuing short-term instream flow leases in priority basins. I’m obviously a fan of this market response to an anticipated water challenge and had the chance to ask CWT Executive Director, Amy Beatie, a couple of quick questions. Questions and answers are as follows:
1. It appears the Engineer must approve each loan, do you know how long this approval process will take? THE STATUTE DOESN’T PROVIDE TIMEFRAMES FOR SOME ACTIONS, SO WE DON’T EXACTLY KNOW. WE HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE STATE ON THIS, THEY KNOW LEASES ARE COMING, AND THEY KNOW, AND APPRECIATE, THAT THE IDEA IS TO GET WATER QUICKLY INTO RIVERS. SO, WHILE THERE ARE NO DEADLINES, THEY ARE PREPARED TO MOVE FAST AND SO ARE WE.
2. At 38%snowpack how will CWT ensure they are targeting water rights that won’t be called by senior users? WE’VE ASKED IN THE INITIAL OFFER FORM FOR THE WATER USER TO LET US KNOW IF THEY HAD WATER AVAILABLE IN 2002. THAT’S THE BEST WAY FOR US TO DETERMINE WITHOUT MORE ANALYSIS IF THE WATER RIGHT WILL HAVE WATER AVAILABLE THIS YEAR. IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT AN OFFERED WATER RIGHT’S RELIABILITY, WE HAVE ALSO BUILT A TEAM OF TECHNICAL EXPERTS (CONTRACTORS AND VOLUNTEER ENGINEERS AND HYDROLOGISTS) TO HELP US PROCESS THE OFFERS, SO THAT WE DON’T LEASE “PAPER WATER.” THEY ARE ALL ON CALL FOR TWO WEEKS STARTING ON MONDAY, MAY 14 RIGHT AFTER THE INITIAL OFFER FORM SUBMISSION DEADLINE TO HELP US PROCESS THE TECHNICAL ELEMENTS OF THE OFFERS FOR LEASES.
3. What is the ultimate goal for this request in CFS or AF? NONE. WE ARE STILL RAISING THE MONEY SO WE WILL LEASE AS MUCH WATER AS WE HAVE MONEY TO, AS LONG AS THE WATER OFFERED MEETS THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS. BEFORE WE PUT OUR REQUEST FOR WATER OUT, WE THOUGHT MAYBE TWO OR THREE LEASES WOULD BE A SUCCESS. WE’RE THERE ALREADY SO WE WOULD CONSIDER THIS A SUCCESS NOW IF WE COULD, SAY, ENTER INTO ONE IN EVERY BASIN? WE DON’T KNOW. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE’VE DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS. MAYBE THE NEXT TIME WE’LL HAVE A GOAL. WE JUST WANT THE PROGRAM TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE THIS SUMMER.
One of my all time favorite Montana Water Right references is the Water Rights in Montana Handbook. Revisions to this publication closely follow the latest legislative session and the changes that it brings. This year of course, the state passed the the “Marketing” bill (AKA: My favorite bill ever). Here’s what the handbook has to say on this subject:
Marketing for Aquifer Recharge or Mitigation
The 2011 Legislature allowed existing water rights holders to change all or part of an appropriation for use as aquifer recharge or mitigation (section 85-2-420, MCA). Part of the appropriation may be marketed (e.g., leased) or sold. The appropriator may continue the authorized beneficial use until the change in use is completed.
The appropriator’s flow rate and volume at the point of diversion would then equal the initial beneficial use minus the amount sold or marketed. Changes to an appropriator’s right must be completed within 20 years. The appropriator must notify the department within 30 days each time a portion of change is completed.
The water purchaser or leasee would still be required to submit an Application for Beneficial Water Use Permit.
In short, the book was released today and I felt inclined to share.
