Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 460,503 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,240 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,097 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,240 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,097 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,210 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 460,503 cutting edge ideas.

Chris Smith, Founder of Swarm Communications (INTERVIEW)

PR Consultant for Social Businesses

— January 14, 2012 — Social Good
Today we're featuring our interview with Chris Smith, founder of Swarm Communications, a media company we profiled recently that helps promote organizations doing good in the world. In addition to his consulting practice, Chris blogs for the Guardian Social Enterprise Network and is a registered mentor with the Media Trust, and Unltd, which in 2010 named Chris mentor of the year.

In the answers below, he shares the inside scoop on what it's like to help social enterprises get the word out through marketing, public relations and other communication services.

4 Questions with Chris Smith, Founder of Swarm Communications


1. How did the idea for the business model come about?
There’s no reason why social enterprises should struggle to get heard or get short changed on service just because they can’t afford the mega fees of the big PR agencies -- but I’m afraid they often are. I came up with the idea for Swarm after working in some of these big agencies myself and feeling that I wanted to take what I’d learnt and apply it to working with people that I admire and find personally inspiring. My business is very lean and virtual in nature and whilst that’s a turn off for some, it attracts people like social entrepreneurs who care more about the outcome and the service rather than whether they can visit some plush offices in the city.


2. How did you decide to join this sector?
Over my career, I’ve worked with all kinds of organisations from big consumer brands, blue-chip businesses, government departments to campaigning charities – but it’s social businesses that really inspire me. For me, social enterprise take the best bits of the charity world (the wish to change the world) and the best bits of the business world (drive, innovation and creativity) to make a really inspiring (there’s that word again) combination. I’m a big fan of stories and storytelling and most social enterprises have got great stories behind them too. The people behind enterprises are normally really passionate people and I’m a big fan of using these stories to help them define themselves in the market and differentiate themselves from the competition. For a start-up, reputation is everything so it’s really important that they do everything possible to manage it effectively – right from the beginning.


3. How do you get your inspiration?
I really enjoy working with people who are entrepreneurial, have a passion for what they do and who have big ideas. I’m lucky enough to work with some pretty outstanding people and it’s usually from them that I get my inspiration and hopefully, my creativity. New ideas don’t just pop into your head from nowhere – I think you need to spend time talking to people, discussing new solutions to problems.


4. How do you reset yourself to be creative? Do you have any rituals?
I don’t think we were designed to sit at desks or work in big offices -- I know I wasn’t! I’m lucky enough to live in a beautiful part of the UK so when I’m feeling a bit phased (or out of coffee!), I have to get out of the office, walk up a hill, go for a run, get some air into my lungs.
Trend Themes
1. Social Enterprise Marketing - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new marketing strategies specifically tailored for social enterprises to help them overcome communication challenges and reach a wider audience.
2. Lean and Virtual Business Models - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create lean and virtual business models that offer cost-effective communication services to organizations that cannot afford the hefty fees of big PR agencies.
3. Storytelling for Social Enterprises - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Use storytelling techniques to help social enterprises define themselves in the market and differentiate themselves from the competition, leveraging their unique stories to build reputation and attract customers.
Industry Implications
1. Marketing and Advertising - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop innovative marketing and advertising strategies that serve the unique needs of social enterprises.
2. Public Relations - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Provide affordable and high-quality public relations services to social enterprises, addressing their communication challenges and helping them gain visibility.
3. Business Consulting - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Offer specialized consulting services to social enterprises, helping them navigate the complexities of the business world and develop effective communication strategies.
1.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness