Jillian Ney, Head of Research, KILTR

KILTR (K): Describe your typical working day…

Jillian Ney (JN): A typical day! What I’m supposed to be doing is writing up my PhD but I have a lot of other things on the go so every day is different! Some days I am working at KILTR HQ, I’m also working as a research assistant at the University of Strathclyde, and I take the occasional lecture. I’m in the process of designing digital marketing and online engagement courses (university/executive level), writing papers, blogging, researching, reading…

K: As Return On Investment (ROI) becomes increasingly important to any business employing a social media strategy in 2012, what should businesses be considering?

JN: Let’s look at ROI first. ROI may not always come in intended way – while you may only be looking to target end consumers the power of social media may open up new distribution channels, business partnerships or creating awareness without extra revenues. It’s also difficult to measure, as ROI in cash terms will not be overnight. The extrinsic value and the intrinsic value added to consumers and wider stakeholders should arise before increased revenues.

This is important to set social strategy in context and not get carried away with the ‘going viral’ holy grail.  ‘Why do you want to pursue a social media strategy?’ and ‘what do you hope to achieve?’ are two of the most important questions. It’s funny because they also seem to be the most difficult questions for people to answer, and they also need to mirror how the stakeholders want to interact/engage with the business. This may mean that responsibility for social media lies with more than one department because social media success is lead by the consumers and other stakeholders. You can have the most fantastic strategy and engaging content in the world but if it is not how stakeholders wish to interact it will not provide ROI.  The structure of the business should be reflexive enough to handle the information flows and external engagement, a social business.

Exploring the behaviours of the target consumers, who they are, their characteristics, information needs, drivers to engage [intrinsic and extrinsic], purchase behaviours, where they hang out are also important.  The most influential and engaging content about brands are predominantly consumer generated and away from branded social spaces so a need exists to filter the noise out with from branded spaces too.

K: There are countless lists documenting trends for social media in 2012 one being the move towards niche networks. From a personal perspective, what would you like to see happen?

JN: Like social media in general the niche network is not a new phenomenon. Special interest groups and consumer run brand communities have been about for a long time, they really form the history of the niche network. With the flexibility Web 2.0 facilitated, more dynamic, complex and visually present networks started appearing and the power of the niche was forgotten a little. Now individuals are becoming savvier with their time and social networking choices, they know what they want to get out of it. The niche has risen again because of the noise on the general all encompassing networks.

I like niche networks, which is one of the reasons I got involved with KILTR. I think they are more powerful than general networks from the perspective of community membership and shared values. I’m looking forward to the developments at KILTR and watching the community grow – which is a treat for a social media researcher!

K: So, what about ‘Facebook fatigue’? Some commentators believe Facebook will continue to decline.  Will they really make the same mistakes as MySpace through their new advertising strategy?

JN: This is an interesting one; there are a few things at play but I think they will be OK for now. It depends on the ‘herding behaviour’, how fast the first mass series of users desert, where they go to replace Facebook (MySpace users had Facebook), and the current levels of Facebook addiction in users.

Facebook was established for personal communication, a universal network for people to connect. The shift in society to connect and share online motivated individuals to join. The key point is that users were individuals; they wanted to connect on a personal level, away from brand messages. A ‘herding effect’ occurred and the users friends and relatives connected on the same space. Connecting into branded social space and brand generated content was up to the individual user, they controlled their own brand generated content information flows. Users got familiar with the interface and easily knew where the information they wanted was; they could ignore the branded advertisements. There is a theory that we only process the information that is relevant to us, so when we are familiar with an interface we are less likely to look at adverts – think about reading a magazine or newspaper and how you ignore adverts, it’s a similar thing here.  With the proposed changes users will become unfamiliar with the interface and process more information (to begin with). After time the effects of the changes will reduce because users come familiar the interface and know what to ignore.

All the previous changes to Facebook have come with criticism from the community and all future ones will too. People do not like change, especially concerning computer-mediated environments. Facebook has morphed into a community to generally build and connect with strong-tied networks, to pulling brand content, to one where messages are again pushed to consumers. So it depends on how quickly the ‘new’ is accepted, if the format continues to change to increase the exposure for brands, and with those users who do leave how fast this happens to create the herding behaviour that got users onto Facebook in the first place.

K: Further to this, what would you like to see from KILTR this year?

JN: I’m looking forward to the version 1.0 roll out, the organisational profiles and the recruitment function.  I think KILTR has a great opportunity to capitalise on the ‘community’ within Scottish diaspora; use innovation and technology to work with organisations and professionals alike to build a truly interactive and engaged community where business partnerships can grow.  It makes sense that a platform like KILTR represents Scotland.

The one thing that I really want to overcome is the perception that KILTR is just for Scottish people and for events, organisations and activities inside Scotland. 18% of the users are from outside the UK but looking to make connections inside Scotland.  What the network provides is access to Scottish industries and professionals where partnerships can be built upon, like a destination-marketing organisation (e.g. Visit Scotland) but for the professional world.

Bill Magee is a leading Scottish technology journalist.

by Bill Magee

Industry experts are increasingly stressing that organisations whatever their size – from SMEs to FTSE 100 companies – that fail to integrate social media platforms into their mainstream daily operations are prolonging mistrust in the marketplace and at the same time losing significant new business.

Such a “lack of transparency” gives the impression they have something to hide as they display Luddite tendencies when it comes to including social networking activity as part of a digital strategy. Where some may have a Facebook or Twitter account they are using them in an ad hoc fashion with very little commitment on display on corporate websites.

This is despite numerous calls for openness to recover a far greater degree of trust in the wake of the global financial crisis. Vivien McKee, director of Glasgow’s IA Cubed cloud tech specialists working with Microsoft, Cisco, Hewlett Packard, Dell, Symantec, Ingram Micro and Nokia, says those failing to adopt such social mediums are missing a trick.  She emphasises that social networking should be viewed as part of the relationship management process and transcends the borders of the office desk and leads to business deals.

Standard Life’s group digital director Kevin O’Shaughnessy agrees. He claims that the business end of such social platforms involves harnessing a networking power boosting a firm’s productivity, return on investment and its bottom line. Social business channels and mediums are permeating both external and internal communications and it is the wise organisation that includes such practises when it engages with customers and employees alike.

At the core of such activity is a transparency and with this strong collaboration is much in evidence. Such platforms carry with them a methodology having one factor in common: that of helping people to work better together. “Open social businesses” are the ones more likely to be successful in the future because people will be more predisposed to want to deal with them.

Everyone is moving more online in terms of doing business and so by its very nature, you have to start to show the customer more of the inner workings of your operations. This enables them to make informed and appropriate decisions, and they are then more likely to buy from you rather than one of your competitors.

Think-tank Radley Yelder’s head of digital Richard Coope produced a report last year that showed trust became eroded in corporate companies if they did not adopt a fully-integrated social media strategy. Coope raises the question of whether those FTSE 100 companies reluctant to do so are really committed to open and trusted dialogue with the marketplace.

A note of caution is given by Cisco’s European head of security sales Gordon Thomson who says that in a social networking world supported by a myriad of mobile devices, priority must be given to getting privacy and security controls right.

Colin Kelly

K: Hi Colin, tell us what a typical working day consists of at the moment?

CK: No two days are the same and I like that. At the moment, I’m working a lot with digital solutions company NSDesign running social media training workshops. I’m just back from a session we ran in Manchester featuring representatives from some of the UK’s best known brands. I spent Wednesday fine tuning what we were going to present, went out to buy a suit carrier and spent the evening on the train. Then we ran the session the following day and I got home late last night. Today I’ve got emails and phone calls to catch up on but was pleased to be able to give my wife a lift to school. She’s pregnant and I didn’t want her slipping on the ice so I escorted her to the door which was embarrassing because many of the pupils were arriving at the same time.

If I’m broadcasting it’s a completely different day, arriving at the BBC around 7am if I’m filling in on “Call Kaye”, working with the team preparing the programme, hosting it, then taking part in the debrief and suggesting some ideas for the next one.

In amongst it all I try to keep up with social media, I’ll share interesting news, answer questions and do my bit to add some value to the digital space!

K: You were one of the first broadcasters to embrace Social Media as part of your radio shows, what are the big three changes you have witnessed in social media since those early days?

CK: It’s gone entirely mainstream and the majority of radio and television programmes now have people contacting them via Facebook and Twitter. This is good for audience interaction because people used to have to spend money sending in text messages and now they don’t. The downside is some presenters completely overdo it on-air and it becomes a crutch. It’s “Tweet me this” and “Facebook me that”. The trick is not to mention it much but treat them as separate but complementary channels. John Beattie at BBC Radio Scotland is a master at this. He’ll go on Facebook in the morning and start asking his followers for their opinions on a certain topic and then he goes on air armed with good content. He rarely mentions Facebook on his programme – he just gets on with the show.

I’ve noticed increased willingness among businesses to “get” social media. We’re meeting less resistance at the top level and they understand social media shouldn’t just be handled by “the geek in the corner” or even the PR or marketing team. When it works best it’s company wide. Many businesses I work with actual use their entry into social media as an opportunity to improve the entire organization. They become more open, more social and strive to give customers better service.

It’s become a more supportive, positive space. The vast majority of people in the world are good. So as more of them join social networks like Twitter, Facebook, KILTR and Google+ it’s only natural they become better places. We hear about the negative side but in my experience there’s a large vibrant community of people helping each other, working together, giving advice, support, expertise and sharing humour on these social media channels.

K: Professionally speaking, what are your plans for 2012?

I’m about to become a father for the first time so right now that’s my focus. I’m also trying to give something back to the media after spending 16 great years working in the industry. I’ve been lucky enough to benefit from help and support from others and now I want to do my bit. I’ve put together a resource on my website at www.colinkelly.net – if anything people should be able to learn from my mistakes! There’s material on there about demo tapes and show reels, how to get the most from work experience, ideas and discussion topics for teachers and an insight into some of the different jobs people do in newspapers and at radio and television stations. I’ll continue building that up alongside some broadcasting and the social media training workshops I run with NSDesign.

K: You’re a well-known music fan, what other hobbies do you pursue outside your media activities?

I thoroughly enjoy my work and I’m very grateful that what started off as a hobby, and then became a passion, has developed into a career. It often doesn’t feel like work at all! Music isn’t part of the broadcasting I’m currently doing so I spend a lot of my spare time listening to my iPod. I’m going through something of a retro phase at the moment with lots of Roxy Music, Duran Duran and Fleetwood Mac and was reliving my youth with some Adam Ant the other night! I read a lot of business biographies but I’m also very into the Lee Child books following the adventures of Jack Reacher. There’s a whole series and I’m working my way through them. Where possible I force myself to go to the gym!

K: There are countless lists documenting trends for Social Media in 2012 – one being the move towards niche networks from a professional perspective, what would you like to see happen?

I tend to ignore these lists! A lot of people good are good at coming up with catchy headlines and sharing theories about “what’s going to happen next” but in reality who really knows? Do we really want niche networks? Is there any point for example in plumbers having a dedicated network to talk to other plumbers? I would doubt it because they’re already talking to each other. The real point in these networks, for me at least, is being able to connect with people I DON’T already know, who do DIFFERENT jobs from me or jobs I didn’t even know existed. What’s more valuable is a community like KILTR where the fact we all have a connection to Scotland is the common thread and then within that I can connect with all sorts of different people. It’s rich and varied but with a Scottish edge. I like that.

K: And what about the Facebook fatigue, some commentators believe Facebook will continue to decline and users will start deserting the network. Will they really make the same mistakes as myspace through their new advertising strategy?

CK: There’s an element within the media that feels very threatened by Facebook and any blip in numbers is seized on because it makes good headlines. I don’t think we are seeing a significant decline on Facebook, I think a few people probably came off as a New Year resolution. Many of them will be back. My hunch is over time it’ll become the way we watch television, listen to the radio, and read newspapers.

K: Further to this, what would you like to see from KILTR this year?

I’d like to see live events, a mobile app and curated, recommended content of interest to the Scottish business community. If all I want is a network of contacts I can get that other places. I think KILTR has the potential to become a real destination for its users and just like any other player in the digital media, the quality of the content will determine how successful it is.

K: Fantastic chatting to you Colin, all the best for 2012!

Bill Magee is a leading Scottish technology journalist.

Anyone in any doubt that Scotland is getting its act together to promote itself as a hotbed of hi-tech activity should check out the new web portal – www.university-technology.com.

There you’ll discover an online database of licensing and tech transfer opportunities originating from each and every one of the country’s universities. “Innovating our way out of recession” is the strap-line and the site has been created as a single convenient location to improve business and industry engagement with Scots research institutions, and hopefully attract fresh investment to Scotland while boosting the country’s reputation as a centre of technological excellence.

It means that prospective investors do not need to trawl endlessly through numerous university websites to find a commercial opportunity, before giving up and moving on to a competitive site possibly outwith Scotland.

University Technology is driven by what’s been billed as a “unique collaboration” of Scots universities. Derek Waddell, the director of research and commercialisation at University of Edinburgh, says it’s all about working together to help companies find what technologies are available for licensing and collaboration opportunities, in essence to solve their problems and help businesses grow.

I repeatedly bang on about how tech can significantly boost an enterprise’s productivity, ROI and bottom line, and so it’s heartening to witness this occurring as a reality. Recent university-based opportunities include a modular reconfigurable robotic system, chemo/anti-cancer therapeutic compounds, and optical microfluidic sorting techniques.

The portal also simplifies the technology transfer process by making it easier through providing a set of standarised documents and agreements covering confidentiality, licensing and collaborative development. There’s a customisable plug-in tool to each university’s website where latest opportunities are highlighted from one, or more, sectors.

Check it out…

www.university-technology.com

James Thomas is CEO of Internet Light Industries, based in West Lothian.

The company creates web software for consumers and business and has just launched its first product, broch, an innovative online life management hub.  From home and belongings to travel and health, broch helps to keep all important life matters secure and up-to-date in one place, under control and at your fingertips.

K: Typically, how do you spend your working day?

JT: Per William Blake’s advice, I try to think in the morning, act in the noon, eat in the evening, and sleep in the night. The reality, as many entrepreneurs will attest, is more of a complicated jumble of the first three and very much less of the fourth! The Internet helps – there are so many useful, timesaving tools out there for small businesses and individuals, it makes sense to leverage that resource as much as possible. I like to think that broch is one of those tools.

K: Professionally speaking, what are your plans for 2012?

JT: My entire focus for 2012 is building on the success of our January product launch and continuing to develop and improve broch. That means a lot of communications work to introduce broch to a wider audience, to let them know how it can help make things a little easier, and getting out there to meet with the business community so we can develop our partner channel.

At the same time, we have started development of the next version of our product. This will take us into an emerging space around personal data control and monetisation. We are talking to the Scottish investment community to see where we can find support to realise this vision.

K: Outside of work, what are your interests?

JT: Answering this question is like trying to tack interesting things onto the end of your CV in an effort to impress! Fact is, in a start-up business, most personal interests are parked for a while. I do like to travel, and I try to make the most of the rare opportunities I have for a holiday. I visited New Zealand last year during the Rugby World Cup. That was a great experience.

K: What content/functionality would you like to see from KILTR this year?

JT: That’s a good question. I think that the true value of a networking resource like KILTR is in the value everyone derives from using it. KILTR has an opportunity to be different for reasons other than just its “Scottishness.” I think it should promote collaboration between KILTR users rather than, like so many of its predecessors, simply becoming a marketplace where everyone is selling and hence no-one is buying. How you transform that rather broad answer into actual features, I will leave to you.

www.brochonline.com

K: Describe your typical working day

MM: Well, I live in Edinburgh, but spend a large slice of my working week in Glasgow, so my day starts at 7am with me boarding a Citylink bus (other bus services are available..). I use that journey time to catch up on the latest social media and digital marketing blogs, it’s a great time to focus and catch up on some important reading. The rest of the day is taken up with social and digital strategies for a really diverse client base, from whiskies to transport companies. We’ve got a great team at BIG and it’s always a pleasure to get in to the office.

K: BIG are one of the largest PR agencies outside London, how do you think you stand out from the competition?

MM: The quality and experience of the people at BIG really is second to none. There aren’t many business types or sectors that the teams across our four offices haven’t worked with/on and that knowledge pool is an invaluable asset. We are also fully committed to an innovative and highly measurable approach which ensures a quality and efficient service is always delivered.

K: Professionally speaking, what are your plans for 2012?

MM: I’ll be looking to help our digital marketing division continue to grow and innovate and build on my skills and knowledge. My marketing experience is very varied, but I starting using the social media channel for clients at the beginning of 2009 and no other channel has grabbed my imagination as much as social. I fully intend to keep it at the centre of what I do. I love speaking at events and will be looking to build on my experience over the coming year, I’ve got a few lined up already but room for more!

K: Outside of work, what are your interests?

MM: Well, my side project, The Social Penguin Blog takes up a lot of my time! It’s a blog about all things social media and digital marketing. I just celebrated its second birthday and I can’t believe the pace at which it has grown. It now has a large and truly global audience which amazes me at times, I’ve never put a penny behind it and I’m not scared to say I’m very proud of it. Other than that, I’m a big music fan, always keen to find something a little bit different. I treated my self to a DLSR camera at Christmas and can see a photography addiction on the horizon. I love to travel and have been fortunate enough to see a lot of our planet – that may be on hold as my wife is expecting our first child in May which is truly fantastic!

K: There are countless lists documenting trends for Social Media in 2012 – from a professional perspective, what would you like to see happen this year in Social Media?

MM: I think that the business world needs to start realising that social media is just another channel, it shouldn’t be treated as a stand-alone activity. At BIG we always ensure that our clients consider it as part of their overall marketing mix. I think the big players like Facebook and Twitter will continue to dominate and Google Plus will have its place – its importance to SEO cannot be overlooked. I’ll be watching the growth of Instagram, it’s rate of uptake has been huge (over 14 million users in one year) and it only exists on one platform so far – the iPhone. The photo based network, Pinterest is also an interesting beast.

K: Furthermore, what would you like to see from KILTR this year?

MM: KILTR has made great strides in 2011 and I hope to see the continued growth of an engaged community. There is a massive amount of knowledge within the users and I hope to see that represented in the production of original content.

K: Connect with Mike McGrail on KILTR & follow him on Twitter (@mike_mcgrail)

Thanks Mike!

Michael Feeley, Head of Media Relations, KILTR

Michael Feeley, KILTR’s new Head of Media Relations, explains why he believes in the power of “the Scottish connection”…

Around ten years ago, I was lucky enough to be awarded a travelling scholarship by the Scottish branch of the English Speaking Union (www.esuscotland.org.uk) and, as a result, I visited New York to attend the ESU’s annual global conference. My girlfriend (now wife) Samantha accompanied me on the trip and one day, after an afternoon exploring and shopping in downtown  Manhattan, we decided to stop in at the bar of the Tribeca Grand Hotel for “one drink” before returning to our midtown hotel.

As I stood at the bar and ordered a couple of drinks, I noticed that a man a few years older than me was sitting at the bar, watching my interaction with the barman closely.

“Hey man,” he called to me, in what I would shortly discover was a Californian drawl. “Are you Scottish?”

I nodded and explained that I was from Glasgow and Samantha from Greenock.

The Californian smiled and said: “My old man is from Paisley. My mother is from Renfrewshire.”

Like me, this was the gentleman’s first time in New York. He was in the travel business and had just concluded a big deal for his company. I bought us both tequilas (his drink of choice) to celebrate his success – and he later reciprocated by sending two fishbowl margaritas over to Samantha and me as he was leaving.

Our “one drink” thus turned into two and we then started watching a guy who we ascertained was the maitre d’ of the hotel’s restaurant. He looked busy, harassed and not in the best of moods. Nevertheless, as he scurried past our table we both smiled at him and he smiled and said hello in return.

“Hiya,” said Sam and I in unison.

The man stopped dead in his tracks and his face lit up.

“Oh my God, are you guys Scottish?!” he said breathlessly. Yes, we said, we were from Glasgow.

“Oh my God!” shrieked the increasingly excited maitre d’. “I spent 3 years in Glasgow, studying at the Royal Academy of Music and Drama!!”

His name was Querelle and, at his invitation, we ended up back at the hotel’s restaurant the following night, both with shocking hangovers, queasily trying to swallow a plate of complimentary shell fish!

By this point, the hotel bar was filling up fast with young trendy New Yorkers and we were soon joined at our table by a young couple who revealed that they were actually on their first date. The guy, Bobby, would dissolve into hysterics every time I opened my mouth. “You sound and look exactly like Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons!” he told me through the tears of mirth.

To cut a long story short, the evening went so well that neither Sam nor I could remember getting back to our hotel that night, thanks in no small part to our “Scottishness”. The warmth and friendship we were offered by one stranger after another, almost all of whom would claim some link to Scotland, was incredible.

Now, ten years later, as I take up my position as Head of Media Relations for KILTR, I know that the same warmth and goodwill felt towards Scotland by those overseas is a powerful and valuable resource that, if properly harnessed, can lead to the creation of new friendships, relationships and opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

I hope to play my part by raising awareness of KILTR globally and helping to make those new relationships happen.

feeley@kiltr.com

Brian Hughes KILTR CEO & Stewart Fraser KILTR CTO. Photo by Michael Jones

Bjorn Sandberg KILTR Communications Manager & Author Alan Bissett at Social Media Week Glasgow. Photo by Andrew McKenna

KILTR Dev Team at KILTR Hub Social Media Week Glasgow. Photo by Andrew McKenna

Brian Hughes KILTR CEO & Stewart Fraser KILTR CTO. Photo by Michael Jones

KILTR Team. Photo by Michael Jones

K: Describe your typical working day

AS: wish there was a typical one. Or then again, probably not . I have many roles: no two days are the same . I can be flying to London or the Midlands to catch up with clients down there, or seeing journalists to keep our National profile up, or, in Marketing meetings with our consultants, strategies, Press, Social Media, KILTR, Website. Writing articles, doing client meetings  here, working with my advisors for their clients, many of whom were mine before. Etc. Then there’s the fund management and economic research – I’m in charge of that to .

K: Professionally speaking, what are your plans for 2012?

AS: 2012 ? I plan to pass over the remaining clients that I’ve looked after for years now, by the end of the year, thanks to new laws passed by academics who think passing new exams makes you a better adviser. I will only be able thereafter to help clients behind the scenes. So selecting the most suitable advisor to work with each client is essential this year

That apart I intend really getting to grips with the marketing opportunities available through Social Media.

K: Outside of work, what are your interests?

AS:  Interests? Boring really. I love music , and closet moothie player, travelling, reading, great red wine, relaxing…. sloth really!

K: To what extent does Social Media play a role in your business interests?

AS:  Social Media I struggle with – but maybe that’s because I’m pulled in too many directions. But I see it as crucial in communicating our message to clients, and potential clients, especially as life for them is increasingly complex ,they seek someone they can trust and with whom they can also have fun . So this is the year we need to grasp this media fully.

K: Where do you think the potential lies for businesses in using a professional social network like KILTR?

AS: I hope there’s a big potential . Scots like dealing with Scots . And others do too , for we have a reputation for honesty and canniness —so KILTR can help build relationships that used to be easier in the old days when small communities worked better .

K: What new content or functionality would you like to see from KILTR in the future?

AS:  Don’t really understand that question —but it would be interesting to get members to embrace more the groups. Maybe it would be an idea to encourage a pile of us to form a focus group and actually meet up to build more relationships – An Up yer KILTR evening for example or an Out of KILTR Experience?

Connect with Alan Steel on KILTR and visit his website. Alan Steel dot com

In 1995, Paul founded the IT recruitment business, Direct Resources, which he sold in 1999 to NASDAQ listed Mastech Systems Corporation for £3.4 million. During this period he also launched a spinout business, RecruitmentScotland.com, which was sold to TMP Worldwide in 2000 for £9.0 million

Paul has subsequently forged a career as a professional investor with the estimable Par Equity LLP, an investor firm that backs potential high growth businesses with innovation at their core.

We caught up with Paul to find out how KILTR has benefited him and where he sees the future for the network.

K: Describe your typical working day…

PA: My days are spent either talking to current or new investors of Par Equity or in discussions with our various portfolio companies. I also spend some of my time talking to new potential investment opportunities.

K: Professionally speaking, what are your plans for 2012?

PA: To continue building Par Equity’s investment portfolio and also grow our investor base and extend its reach into England and Ireland.

K: Outside of work, what are your interests?

PA: I play squash, socialise with my friends, but mostly spend time with my family.

K: To what extent does Social Media play a role in the success of your business interests?

PA: Social media plays an ever-increasing role: Par Equity has engaged with a number of new investors via KILTR so far. KILTR’s planned recruitment channel will also be important for a number of my/our invest companies. I also use linked-in but generally only as an easy access to new contacts.

K: Where do you think the potential lies for businesses in using a professional social network like KILTR?

PA: There is strong potential in a number of respects:

1. Finding new contacts from a business development standpoint.

2. Finding people for businesses to hire and for job hunting.

3. As a communication mechanism for news/blogs/expert features etc

K: What new content or functionality would you like to see from KILTR in the future?

PA: The job functionality is highly important and I expect this to drive traffic to KILTR. I would like to have access to a dashboard that shows me the views within the groups I am a member or administrator of. I would also like to have a KILTR button that links to my profile to add to my emails and various web sites. Both these items will, I believe further enhanced the interactions and help drive traffic to the site.

K: Thanks for your time Paul.

Connect with Paul Atkinson on KILTR and visit the Par Equity website.