Matthias and Wolfgang from 2be and Gerd from Stadtreklame Nürnberg in front of a joint result

AI lectures and workshops: We are right in the middle of it all!

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2 Min.

What do “der Klub”, Sparkasse Nürnberg, Stadtreklame Nürnberg GmbH and BWV Bildungsverband der Versicherungswirtschaft have in common? – Quite simply, they were all participants in workshops on the subject of AI, in which we were also involved. As we were able to experience, the prerequisites for getting started with AI were the same for everyone involved: not only an open ear for new topics, but also the willingness to actively help shape them.

Gerd, Wolfgang and Matthias at the

We are glad that we got into the subject at an early stage and have acquired in-depth knowledge, particularly in the area of image and video processing. Based on this, we have now defined three groups that should definitely be interested in our talks, presentations and workshops. So: “Team Deckchair” loves convenience and wants to replace as many human tasks as possible with artificial intelligence.

The “Team Nutzen” views artificial intelligence primarily in its function as an assistant for a more efficient working day or as a replacement for hard-to-recruit personnel. “Team Krawalle” sees AI primarily as a threat to human work and social interaction. This is another way to generate action!

Gerd, Wolfgang and Matthias at the

Gerd, Wolfgang and Matthias at the

In any case, it is important to understand what significant changes AI will bring about in our future. That’s why: Make sure you get on board and see where the train is heading!

Curious now?
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 51
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

“We will definitely continue to use LinkedIn intensively” – Interview with Adrian Flachenecker

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5 Min.

Whether for customer, partner or personnel recruitment, the results of the first company-wide LinkedIn campaign impressed LK Metallwaren’s Head of Internal Sales Adrian Flachenecker so much that he has been using the tool regularly for professional purposes ever since.

Adrian, why did you at LK Metallwaren decide to launch a LinkedIn campaign?

Recently, we had been struggling more and more with the shortage of skilled workers in the company – which is now the rule rather than the exception for an agile, medium-sized company with limited HR resources. However, the problem with filling some positions was so virulent in the meantime that we briefly discussed hiring a headhunter.

What was your user behavior on LinkedIn in the run-up to this decision? To what extent did you use it for sales or recruitment?

For us, the use of LinkedIn as a corporate tool for external communication was virtually uncharted territory. Although almost all of our field staff had their own account, we admittedly used them rather sparingly. For example, we didn’t realize in the slightest what opportunities there were to focus on a specific target group on LinkedIn by filtering search functions and then actually being able to address them via the platform. In our collaboration with 2be, after some initial scepticism, we then recognized the potential it offered and, at the same time, saw the need to position and present ourselves more strongly as a company there.

What expectations did you have for the start of the campaign? What were your goals?

For us, the speed factor was very important. This concerned both the launch of the campaign and the progress we hoped to make in terms of tangible results, as one position we had advertised did indeed urgently need to be filled. At the time, we had set ourselves a time frame of two months to get the campaign rolling and to be able to benefit from it. In the first few weeks, we concentrated on the search for personnel, then mainly on the leads that we were able to generate. The results were initially rather sparse, but after a few weeks the campaign really got rolling. Even now, several months after the launch, the effects are still being felt positively and we are still able to add new participants to our existing network.

How did you personally use the tool during the campaign?

I initially used LinkedIn directly on my desktop. It’s much more convenient for me to join the chats and exchange ideas with users from other companies. Since the launch of our campaign, I have been active on the platform on average once or twice a day, mainly via mobile devices. This is unlikely to change, because I acquired a taste for it with the first results and have really enjoyed it ever since.

Now that some time has passed, how would you sum up the campaign and the results you were able to achieve?

Previously rather skeptical, I have since been very impressed by the opportunities that LinkedIn offers users and us as a company. At first, I was almost “lost” in the face of the mass of chat that was rolling towards me. Then, however, I managed to scan the incoming news and information and remember my original intentions. In dealing with LinkedIn, I benefited greatly from the knowledge and experience of 2be, whose support I was able to call on permanently before, during and after the campaign.

In any case, I can conclude the following for professional use:

  1. LinkedIn is a really useful and effective platform for medium to long-term use. But that also means that I would start even earlier for the next campaign: six to eight weeks for the implementation is very ambitious.
  2. By increasing our visibility, we were able to significantly increase our customer and partner base.
  3. The “scattering effects” that could be achieved quasi-collaterally via the campaign were extremely valuable. Our networks have grown in every direction and our corporate brand has also become more visible as a result.
  4. However, you must have employees for such a campaign who enjoy interacting with others on this platform and have at least a small time slot free for this: This is the only way to achieve success.

How will you now use the new knowledge you have gained?

We will definitely continue to use LinkedIn intensively. We are already doing this today by regularly posting valuable content there. The LinkedIn Sales Navigator is now one of our standard sales tools, which we use primarily for cold calling. This simplifies our work as sales staff considerably.

Our interview partner

Adrian Flachenecker
Head of techn. Internal sales department
LK Metal goods

 

Curious now?
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 51
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Kathrin Hasseler
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 54
hasseler@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Does copyright protect images generated via Midjourney? We want to get to the bottom of this question.

Midjourney: For whom AI is worthwhile + legal situation

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2 Min.

Generative AI has been the talk of the town since early 2023. With the development of ChatGPT, other applications have been established that open up new avenues in content creation. One of them is
Midjourney
.

In the following, we will go into more detail about Midjourney, for whom the application is suitable and what the current legal situation is with regard to copyright. We also present helpful tips for practical implementation.

Digression: What is Midjourney?

Midjourney is a text-to-image tool. Content creators give the AI a description (“prompt”) and the application develops an image in response. The tool was only developed in July 2022 and is currently still undergoing a test phase.

Who is Midjourney suitable for?

Midjourney is suitable for all content creators who want to emphasize their messages on social media with appealing images. Midjourney is also a handy tool for blog visualization.

Images created via AI are also a good alternative to expensive stock photos.
There are alternatives for this like Canva, but Midjourney images are more individual and abstract – which makes them more eye-catching.

Midjourney does not replace professional photo shoots, but the images are suitable as templates. Ideally, content creators combine the strengths of AI with the creative impulses of professionals.

Does copyright protect images generated via Midjourney?

No, images generated via Midjourney are not protected by copyright.
This only applies to the author’s own intellectual creations (Art. 2 II UrhG). In the case of Midjourney, however, images are created using AI algorithms. Therefore, there is no own performance that establishes the intellectual property.

Users have only limited control over the outcome. If several people enter the same command at Midjourney, different designs are created. Due to this circumstance, Midjourney images are not subject to copyright.

Conclusion

Midjourney offers a good alternative to stock photos. Within no time, the AI provides appealing photos that can be used for blogs or social media. However, it is not a substitute for photo shoots or professional designs.

Curious now?
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Kathrin Hasseler
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 54
hasseler@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Katharina Zauner

Katharina Zauner
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 53
zauner@twobe.de
LinkedIn


Sources:

Both distribution and the further development of one's own brand often resemble an irrepressible

Mastering jungle trails in sales and brand development as part of a team

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2 Min.

Jungle paths in sales and brand development are usually much better mastered as part of a team than as a lone fighter.

In other words, in markets where products and services are becoming increasingly complex, both creative and technical cooperation are becoming more and more important in order to survive in these markets. This makes joint teamwork more important than ever.

Together we can thereby:

  • generate new products and services to meet emerging or existing market demands.
  • Supplement existing products with additional new modules and enhancements, thus ensuring that the corresponding offers in the market are more interesting for potential customers or also – with regard to your specific requirements – more market-oriented
  • Integrate into existing or newly generated projects via joint work with other partners, thus putting the “icing on the cake” on each of these projects.

What is central to this?

The transparent and functioning exchange over longer distances, which must always be linked to the goal of creating a tangible advantage for each other or with each other as employees, partners, customers and end customers. Partnerships that are too one-sided will sooner or later fail due to the frustration of the partner who is supposedly missing out.

Important: The mutual exchange, the joint implementation and the alternate leadership can also lead to a mutual dispute at times. All the better! Direct confrontation with each other’s requirements and demands often yields better results than communication that is primarily geared toward harmony – a graveyard atmosphere. The success of many joint projects with our favorite customers, employees and partners, both externally and internally, has shown us this.

So: thumbs up, plan and implement!

Current events on this topic

B2B Sales & Campaign
November 16, 2023 – 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Register now for free

Curious now?
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 51
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Accelerate internal processes with ChatGPT and Midjourney

ChatGPT and image generation: our AI workshop and the future of visual and textual content

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2 Min.

The results that applications of artificial intelligence have yielded in a variety of different environments have recently surprised even notorious AI skeptics. The opportunities that have opened up here now extend far beyond a purely technical level (for example, in the area of digitization or automation) and seem to be establishing themselves in other core areas of companies or institutions as well. This also includes the “creative and creative” part , especially when it comes to generating texts, images and videos. The goal here is to hand over the “unloved” tasks to the AI in order to be able to devote more time to the creative and productive challenges.

Maximum efficiency through AI

Value creation processes improved or accelerated through the use of artificial intelligence form a key here for taking sales campaigns and brand enhancements to a new level. But how can our customers create clarity for themselves as to where they can use AI in the most beneficial and maximally efficient way within their individual environment?

In order to get an exact overview and insight into the different applications and the possibilities, we offer either half- or full-day workshops.

Self-experiment: We asked Midjourney to reinterpret our brand wall. The results were very interesting and inspiring. Would you have recognized our brand wall?
We asked Midjourney to reinterpret our brand wall. Would you have recognized our brand wall?

Master AI applications in our workshops

In our AI workshops, we not only demonstrate the current tools and possibilities of AI in design drafts and concrete creation, in the construction of videos or in the creation and translation of text content: we also work with you on concrete practical processes in which we show and train with you how to use ChatGPT, Midjourney can be precisely tailored to your needs. This ranges from faster research options and the creation of impressive scribbles to full image generation and drafts for editorial copy!

Curious now?
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 51
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Katharina Zauner

Katharina Zauner
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 53
zauner@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Find qualified personnel through targeted networkingAlex – Stock.Adobe.com (423408046)

Personalkampagne auf maximalen Erfolg getrimmt – Linkedin trifft odoo als Bewerberdatenbank

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5 Min.

Finding qualified personnel is one of the most important tasks facing German companies in their own country today – regardless of the industry in which they operate. The urgency with which the battle for competent, motivated and, above all, capable heads is being waged has recently increased almost exponentially. For many companies, the need to find suitable applicants for vacancies is so great that their own economic survival depends on it in the short to medium term.

Recruiting: bundling success factors

Parallel to the increasing relevance of personnel acquisition, the importance of HR in the respective companies has grown. The central challenge of recruiting is to establish and consistently follow a process that focuses on broad acceptance and high visibility, on maximum transparency and the greatest possible efficiency. Only when all success factors are bundled and brought to bear on the market is it possible to acquire the personnel that is actually needed.

Promote employee search through targeted networking

Together with our customers and partners, we at 2be die markenmacher have developed, refined and supported such a process in many ways over the past 15 years. We have long since become so well versed that – when realistic parameters and goals are set – we can claim that it works regardless of the industry, the size of the company, and the range of products and services.

Here are a few of our findings “in a nutshell.”

1. use LinkedIn as a launch pad

An essential component for the successful establishment of a recruiting process is the use of tried and tested tools with a sufficiently coordinated range of functions. Our starting point is always the business network LinkedIn, which has long ranked far ahead of all business networks. We help our clients (or take full ownership of the process) to directly reach out to suitable potential candidates via LinkedIn. The cover letters we develop for this are equally targeted, but are also aimed at a large number of potential applicants.

2. concretize employee search

It is important that this process is already qualitatively and quantitatively tracked, documented and thus permanently optimized. How many addressees can/would we like to reach with it? How many responses result from each cover letter (absolute or percentage) and how many of them are qualified or usable? How many of the qualified responses eventually result in actual interviews, which in turn result in how many applicants to the advertised positions? And last but not least: Did the selected candidates actually succeed in their respective positions in the end (by successfully passing the probationary period, for example)?

Recruitment dashboard - All applicants who have applied via the website come in here and can be managed accordingly

Recruitment dashboard – All applicants who have applied via the website come in here and can be managed accordingly

3. use professional tools

One of the essential tools that we also use for personnel recruiting – often in joint coordination and use with our customers – is Odoo. One of the many advantages of this CRM software is that we can record there all the details of the identified people, applicants and continue to use them as needed. In direct interaction with LinkedIn, Odoo (e.g. via a landing page) actually offers an excellent combination of modules that we can use optimally in collaboration with our customers to get the best possible results. This extends to access to the calendar, where, for example, appointments for job interviews can be booked in.

Odoo Dashboard

Odoo Dashboard – The complete process is controlled from this center

4. involve employees in the process

However, the precise use of functional tools is not sufficient unless internal/external commitment from the company side is sufficiently guaranteed. Odoo also only works if all parties involved in the recruiting process play along. I.e. show their full commitment. This ranges from the selection of the “right” target group to the willingness of department heads, for example, to communicate directly with the selected applicants.

Overview of all open jobs with respective status

Overview of all open jobs with respective status

5. evaluate feedback

Important at the end of any recruiting process is the evaluation of the entire process, especially in relation to the use of financial resources. What were we able to achieve in filling the position with the use of our budget? Has it been enough, can it possibly even be reduced, or do we need to invest even more in further attempts?

Miro with Recruitment Review: At regular intervals, the current status is documented and evaluated.

Miro with Recruitment Review: At regular intervals, the current status is documented and evaluated.

After the recruiting measure is before the recruiting measure. Means: Of course we keep all information stored (via Odoo) in the system. This allows us to benefit from the pool of previous contacts or applicants for upcoming search assignments and additionally improves our LinkedIn presence.

Curious now?
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 51
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Sources:
GRIMM Gastronomy Supplies GmbH
What is “Customer Relationship Management (CRM)”?
Odoo

Matomo vs. Google Analytics 4: Which is better?

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4 Min.

Online marketing without measurable data? Unimaginable! Whether insights into buying behavior, visitor numbers or dwell times – web analytics tools provide all the important information for process optimization in marketing. And as of July 2023, Google is setting a new standard with GA4, which offers contemporary solutions. Artificial intelligence is at the heart of the new version, but the focus is also on user experience.
Besides the “big player”, however, there is another solution in the field of web analytics: Matomo. Many have never heard of the application, but it offers a promising alternative. Below we compare the two applications and answer the question whether either Google Analytics or Matomo is the better web analytics tool. We also contrast the strengths of both tools.

A duel at eye level

Both Matomo and Google Analytics essentially fulfill the purpose of a web analysis tool: Evaluate user data. Matomo is more practical here because everything happens within the application. To evaluate media, for example videos, with GA4, on the other hand, the link to the Search Console is required. However, this is not an elaborate process.

Google Analytics is completely free, while the use of Matomo costs from 19 € / month. While there is a free plan, it severely limits usage. The good news: for the price, your company gets a lot. One of the most interesting features is the heatmap – it shows where users spend the most time on the website. And the Session Recording even reproduces users’ stay in video form.

Furthermore, Matomo promises more independence, because the application runs on its own servers and data is stored indefinitely. In addition, Matomo attaches great importance to privacy, data protection and security. The display in your own branding is also a nice feature.

With Google Analytics 4, the focus is primarily on sustainability, user experience, and the use of AI to analyze relevant data. The latter is particularly interesting because machine learning creates a better understanding of users’ buying behavior. In terms of AI analysis, Matomo does not yet offer an in-house solution.

Google Analytics 4: The problem with data protection

“What about data privacy?” – it’s probably one of the first questions you ask yourself before using a web analytics tool. And with Google Analytics 4, there is no satisfactory answer. Tracking is permitted via the user’s explicit consent, but this is not always granted.

The use of Matomo is theoretically possible even without consent, because the tool works with reach analysis through log file analysis, whereby stored data remains only with the provider. In addition, Matomo does not store IP addresses and offers tracking without cookies.

The Google universe is a power

Google is the undisputed number 1 in the world of search engines and the evaluation of user activities. And this position promises advantages. Google Analytics 4 can be easily linked with other Google applications. Among them the Search Console, Search Ads and the own cloud storage. Matomo offers regular linking with Google Ads.

Since Google does not want to push other search engines, integration with Bing and Yahoo, quite unlike Matomo, is not possible. A disadvantage? Hardly. Yahoo is currently pushing its return, but the search engine lost its importance years ago. And Bing has yet to prove itself competitive either – while the hype around ChatGPT enabled a stronger competitive position, Google’s market share remained at nearly 88% as of May 2023.

Matomo and Google Analytics 4 in comparison

Matomo Google Analytics 4
DSGVO compliant Yes No
Location Own server Own server or cloud
Price 19 € / month Use free of charge
Duration data storage unlimited 24 months
Machine Learning No Yes
Campaign & Website Tracking Yes Yes
Media tracking (e.g. video) Yes Only when linked to Search Console
E-commerce tracking Yes Yes
Bing & Yahoo Integration Yes No
A/B Testing Yes Yes
Heatmaps Yes No
Integration Google Marketing Platform No Yes
Support Yes Yes

 

Conclusion

Google Analytics 4 and Matomo are among the best web analytics tools and offer companies sustainable solutions for process optimization in marketing. Matomo is much more compact and also offers solutions for keyword research or video tracking. For these functions, you have to use Google’s (free) Keyword Planner or link Google Analytics with Search Console. Matomo is also ahead in terms of data protection and storage.

However, Google Analytics offers a cost advantage and GA4 takes into account metrics relevant to marketing such as user experience and sustainability. GA4 is also pushing the use of AI to deliver efficient solutions. So there are advantages on both sides.

Are you looking for a contact person who is very familiar with web analytics tools? Someone who provides clear direction and collects data that sustainably exploits optimization potential?

Then contact us!
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Kathrin Hasseler
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 54
hasseler@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Katharina Zauner

Katharina Zauner
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 53
zauner@twobe.de
LinkedIn


Sources:
Matomo Analytics vs Google Analytics
Matomo vs. Google Analytics 4 – webbrand GmbH

Our partner experts will be happy to assist you.

Digital transformation: What is the real benefit

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2 Min.
  • What can digitization do within an organization, and in which areas can it really be used profitably?
  • How can the concrete benefits of digitized processes be determined at all?
  • And most importantly, does this benefit actually exceed the investment required to implement it?

We have noticed time and again that our medium-sized companies in particular approach this topic with skepticism. A question that comes up regularly:

Are the costs that need to be invested in proportionate to the promise of digital transformation?

Not entirely unfounded, because not in every case does a“transformation of analog to digital processes” deliver what is promised, especially when the latter have functioned smoothly for years and decades. But where exactly are the advantages that can help you answer the question of whether digitization is worthwhile for you?

Through digitization, companies can, for example, partially or even fully automate their production processes and thus produce faster and more cost-effectively. Communication with customers, business partners and internally can also be made more efficient through digital channels such as e-mail, ERP systems or social media. The use of cloud services and online tools for collaborative work can also not only facilitate but also enormously accelerate collaboration within the company.

Apart from internal benefits and optimizations, digitization may also open up completely new business opportunities for you and enable medium-sized companies to tap into new markets. By using e-commerce platforms or developing your own online stores, you can also offer your products and services internationally.

However, when introducing digital technologies, SMEs should always make sure that they do not overextend themselves and that they always use their resources wisely. Good planning and a step-by-step approach can help to make the best possible use of the opportunities offered by digitization. In addition, there are grants from the government that provide financial assistance for these very steps. We are at your side with our partner experts when it comes to supporting you in this audit. Together, we find out where exactly and to what extent digitization makes sense for you, your employees and your company.

If you yourself have case studies of the environment in which you were able to profitably implement digital transformation in your company:

Get in touch!

We are ready to incorporate your example into a sophisticated Success Story!

Curious now?
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 51
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

A height-adjustable desk alone not only helps to prevent back problems but also increases performance, concentration and motivation

Working more mobile means living healthier!

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2 Min.

Collateral damage from pandemic restrictions and lockdowns included the immobilization of broad segments of the population. Sitting became – almost unnoticed – the preferred (one’s) position in life, the newly created home office options contributed the rest to more immobility, and the associated health problems were not long in coming.

The fact that “back” is not only detrimental to the person suffering from it, but also to their employer, is increasingly becoming a matter of public awareness. This goes hand in hand with initiatives that aim to strengthen the health and well-being of employees at their workplace. We at 2be_die markenmacher expressly support this and have ourselves initiated a small circle of companies and institutions that are concerned – especially around the digital routine – with more health in their own workplaces.

Accordingly, our tip is to carry out a workplace check together with your employees. Are there possibilities to make this more mobile or at least more ergonomically adaptable by means of a height-adjustable work table, a standing desk or, for example, a connectable treadmill?

If so, take the opportunity to make an investment or two: It will certainly pay off!

Curious now?
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 51
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Kathrin Hasseler
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 54
hasseler@twobe.de
LinkedIn

The DeepL plug-in provides translations from German into more than 30 languages within Odoo and WordPress

Automated translations with deeple in wordpress and odoo16

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2 Min.

Automation where possible – high quality where necessary: This is a target-oriented benchmark when it comes to processing one’s own tasks in administration, sales and marketing as efficiently as possible. A significant part of the time normally spent in the content area on the creation and correction of translations can now be taken over by software. In particular, we have had really good experiences across the board with the use of the universally beloved translator “DeepL”.

However, the advantage is not only the usable quality (at relatively very low prices), but also the integrability of DeepL plug-ins, such as content applications within Odoo or WordPress. DeepL provides translations from German, now in well over thirty languages, and can be used for all website content in most cases.

In our view, the best possible combination of automation and cost efficiency, while ensuring high quality, has been the use of DeepL in conjunction with checking or proofreading (by a professionally proven native speaker). This even often works in highly technical areas, where the use of translation software previously often seemed to make little sense.

DeepL for WordPress: On this interface you can easily translate the text into the respective language manually or at the push of a button

DeepL for WordPress: On this interface you can easily translate the text into the respective language manually or at the push of a button

Would you like to get an impression of the capabilities of DeepL? Then just click yourself through the website www.lk-metall.de , where we have used the appropriate plug-in for translation into English and Czech – and see for yourself the quality of the many-used translator DeepL.


Curious now?
Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 51
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Kathrin Hasseler
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 54
hasseler@twobe.de
LinkedIn