March 2025 wrap-up
What have I been doing and learning this month? This blog post triples as my notes, a status update, and a way to share the things I found interesting this month.
Watched
The Marketing Meetup webinar: Graphic design tips for busy marketers without a design background - Dave Officer
A really helpful talk for those of us who aren't trained designers. It included some great practical tips, and a strong focus on readability and clear communication (so a great watch for tech writers!).
Association of Netnographic Research webinar: Liquid consumer security
The talk looks at how consumers respond to systemic insecurity when the traditional response (solid consumption) is no longer available. It uses digital nomads for its case study.
Key points:
- We live in an era of systemic insecurity.
- Traditionally, consumers respond to insecurity with solid consumption (purchase long lasting goods, form long-lasting connections with brands, anchoring themselves in family and home ownership).
- However, these are out of reach to people today. Middle classes are affected far more than in previous generations.
- Today, solid consumption has become a source of risk. People don't have certainty, so can't risk taking on a mortgage, bills etc.
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Instead, people are reaching for liquid consumer security:
a form of felt security that stems from avoidance of solid consumption and its risks and responsibilities.
This means: absence of ownership, attachments, or rootedness.
Worked on
Setting up consultancy offerings! A lot of the website content is new or refreshed - including a whole new Services section. This has been my main focus this month. In addition to the visible work on the site, I've done a lot of behind the scenes work: preparing document templates and starter kits, wrestling with pricing decisions, and digging out good learning resources (I've just placed an order for a bunch of books, so expect reports on them in the coming months).
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