Many times, when I speak to a social media “guru” they act like starting a web 2.0. or 3.0 business is all about focusing on getting the traffic. Traffic, Traffic, Traffic, when all I want is real members who come for the concept, the platform, conversations & the all around nature of the site. (yes, it’s possible I have spoken to the wrong ones)
See, maybe I am “old school” (32) freakin years old, I don’t think the primary focus has to be on gimmicks to get people to sign up, paying people to Digg your story, and treating the whole situation as if it’s a virtual reality game.
At the same time, we must keep an open mind and watch how others are achieving success. So, I am listening, gauging, monitoring what people are doing in order to create success. But, is my idea of success the same as theirs ? Maybe not. For me, it’s all about the member the Customer. After owning a restaurant (www.DaddiosFabulousFood.com) for approx. four (4) years, and working in the service industries of banking, real estate, & marketing, I know that to be successful, the focus must be on your CUSTOMERS.
The excitement for me is providing a medium where meaningful conversations can be facilitated and have an opportunity to evolve into real life actions. To me, it’s about the integrity involved in the marketing, social networking, social media, and new media that makes the difference. Communicating a real and genuine message which has been cultivated and crafted to capture the attention of your market. So, to me it’s about knowing who your demographic is, knowing your value, communicating that value in a message which is “sticky” (see www.madetostick.com). Then taking that message and planting seeds in all of the places your market is and where they’re going. Last but, not least, everyone knows this but, your business must add value to their life in some way. Even if others think your business is trivial, if you are staying true and providing real value, march forward and kick ass!
Can you state the value of your business in 10 words? If not, that might be a hell of a place to start..
Then, much like a garden we “cultivate” or (collaborate) in order to stay alive and grow.
So, in this blog I’ll be discussing, marketing, PR, Grass Roots “DIY” stuff, Social Networking, and stuff like Twitter (which I have almost no followers yet) and anything related. Now, on the top of my mind are the following questions:
1: Specifically, who are 75% of my customers, really define them?
2. What do they want / need ?
3. Are we providing what they want better then anyone else? if not, how so?
4. Are we providing our customers with the tools to take our message viral?
This will be a fun personal journey! Yesterday, I was told that, “your lack of patience is problematic and you are too aggressive” Yeah, I guess I should sit back and sip on Makers Mark , and smoke a Partagas black label and wait for some success to fall in my lap.
What are some of the top questions on your mind? would love to explore together cheers!
aronado 