I don’t know how many of you have moved when you were a child. I did. And boy was it interesting. My parents moved us out of a fairly urban area into what they thought was suburban, and we thought was the woods. I felt a bit like fish out of water. We were new to the town, new to the school and totally new to the concept that the school was shooting for. The elementary school had been built in the 70’s (Not that the orange ribbed carpet wasn’t a dead give away). The concept of the school was that there were to be no barriers between the classrooms. There were floor to ceiling perimeter walls between the classrooms and the elements outside but, in each of the classrooms, merely a two or even three-foot wall existed. Each student could not only peer into the class next to his or her’s, but they could see clear what the next grade was doing! This revolutionary idea didn’t seem to take off with my sister and me immediately. How on Earth, after 5 grades of school learning in a virtual box could I possibly ever get used to this? It was ludicrous! I thought I was being cheated out my education. The classes were harder here and now they are going to add the challenge of not listening to the 80 other voices around me? Good grief.
The first few weeks were a challenge but as time went on, I noticed what was going on in the classes next to me. I even began to be focus on just what I was learning, as opposed to wondering what was in store for me in the upcoming grade. Well, needless to say, after a few weeks, I was surprised that a change of perspective occured. It was if the walls had never been there. In the end the biggest barrier to adjusting to this new environment was merely mental barriers I had in conceptualizing this new set up. It was clearly working for the kids I went to school with. They were all able to work, listen and focus... soon enough I was able as well.
As I went on to college and then into the work force, I have to say that school has been more beneficial then I could ever imagine. I can sit in Grand Central Station at rush hour and read books, write documents and conduct research all as if a symphony is playing in the background. The noise that I hear in crowded places never affects my work in a negative manner. Strangely, I enjoy going to places with Wi-Fi that are loud and lively just to have that stimuli back. I guess you can call me a convert.
I look at social media in the same way. When I meet with clients there always a curiosity into learning of how it works, but skepticism and doubt because marketing hasn’t really been done this way before. It’s a totally new concept. Up until just a few years ago, marketing never existed like this. It is sometimes best to look at social media brand prevalence and acknowledgement sort of like looking at a Picasso. You could put a price on it, but are you sure it’s accurate? Social media allows you a reach as no other media could before. The incredibly unique users, groups, influencers and champions you can garner through social media couldn’t be bought with a spokesperson deal, a TV commercial or a radio ad. What does it cost you as a company to get onboard with a revolutionary idea that is clearly working for others? How do you can you concisely valuate a media that has reach to nearly 60 million people?
Much like the self-actualization I had about school, it’s possible that just because it’s not the “way we have always done it” doesn’t mean it doesn’t have legs. The statistics that you see in daily articles and the stats that we post weekly on the Social Matrix Marketing facebook page show a definite trend in social media growing and becoming an accepted part of a holistic marketing program. Each day more and more brands are making strides in converting those online users to offline purchasers.
We are moving towards a flat world with no walls and a view of the future. It may be a bit strange at first, but if you let it grow on you, you'll see the future of your marketing can be even better than you thought it could be.
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