Getting to the point

We all want a voice. Faded, simple antelope still linger on cave walls from long past eras. The printing press legs to our ideas. Social media fills our need to communicate to whomever we want, whenever we want. And it's free.

But how do we get people to listen? Just like entering a conversation or managing a project at work, be intentional and know who you're talking to. We have all progresses a few levels in Angry Birds as our partners in meetings babble on a stream of consciousness. Our listeners are the same way—if we don't get to what mean in time we'll lose them.

Communication drive us, it always has. Social media has out a microphone to your thoughts. You can create an audience of a hours and followers—but first you must compel them to listen.

Content Marketing, A Procrastinator's Story

It's 4:00 AM and my mind's bouncing around the grave I just dug for my GPA—my social media addiction has claimed another potentially productive night. I need help. Someone stage an intervention.

As it's heaped around me, the rubble of my productivity still has a few lessons up its sleeve for me and one big, golden content opportunity for socially conscious brands: content marketing. There's a great big tomorrow for any blogger, entrepreneur, or executive that can save me from myself. If I'm in your market, consider me a person not a consumer—I'll bring you some dollars and I'll even like you when I do it.

The fact is that I'm going to use social media; I don't really mind it. What I hate is wasting time. That's why content marketing is golden and why I want to consume material that helps me be a better, more competent and effective, person. If your company provides a service, don't sell it to me—teach me what I can do to help myself and I'll be knocking at your door when I'm in over my head.

What does that look like? Every consultant sells smarts, but Bain, McKinsey, and BCG sell knowledge first and smarts later. Similarly, plumbers configure pipelines with advanced industry and practical knowledge, but the plumber that teaches his clients enough to make his expertise dispensable should expect many more checks in the mail. We trust our friends because they help us—content marketing makes for very friendly brands.

Make the effort to sow knowledge among your markets and you'll reap brand love, loyal customers, and hefty sales. I speak for the world's chronic procrastinators, we're online and we're willing to learn.

Views? Everybody got time for that

Shortline Dental is flexing its social prowess with an online video capturing millions of views and demonstrating that online platforms truly level the playing field between corporate big wigs and the thrift shop down the road. 

How did the dentist office do it? A big budget production? Disruptive, sloppy make out sessions? To our relief, no. It simply rode the wave of Sweet Brown's famous "Ain't Nobody Got Time For That!" news remix video. With a quick jingle, a short video, and a happy demeanor, Sweet Brown once again connected with millions of online viewers—as a sort of celebrity endorsement for the quick preview dentist.

With one video, the dentist office gave Youtubers back their happy Cold-Pop Queen and stood their ground, intentionally or not, against heavy hitters whose Super Bowl Ads were more easily forgotten (I'm looking at you, Busweiser). David's slingshot still works and its firing pebbles right at Goliath's intimidating face—leaving a social imprint two million views wide in the process. 

Success—how bad do you want it?

I'm inspired by Heidi Cohen's article, "Vince Lombardi Gives Social Media Advice." I love quotes; there's magic in snippets of wisdom from history's great achievers and we can all take those bits of motivation to fuel our fire in pursuing perfection.

Here's a quote from my father, "There's always room for improvement." Consider that mindset in social media  strategy—chase untapped audiences, make deeper connections, and uncover the real, relatable personality within your brand. Your consumers are as human as you are, so a brand can come to life in the social space when we apply principals of personal excellence to strategic consumer engagement.

Here are a few quotes to fuel your fire.

1. "Confidence is contagious, so is lack of confidence." Vince Lombardi. If you're a leader in your organziation or you make sure there's enough creamer for the coffee, your personal confidence will grow into a winning team attitude. Everyone benefits from your belief in yourself
2. "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." Walt Disney. The world is linked on social media, there are markets you might not have explored or even identified yet—find them and engage them. The social space has brought natural human community into a huge arena but ten years ago that was all radical thinking. Think big, bold, and courageous thoughts
3. "Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success." Dale Carnegie. Plans will fail and projects will be scrapped—never lose enthusiasm through failure.