Sneak Peak of Project 100

I’m impatient and too busy to actually blog, so…. Below is the article I wrote for Project 100. I’m sure the other 99 are just as fantastic, so go buy the book when it comes out!

Everything I Need to Know About Social Media, I Learned in Kindergarten

Sometimes, I wish I worked for an unknown start-up company. Instead, I work for one of the most indulgent, talked about cities in the world… Vegas. If you haven’t been there for a shotgun wedding, a crazy bachelor party or your 21st birthday, your friend has.

As of November 15, 2008, 2,210,092 Flickr photos, 92,000 YouTube videos and 153,640 U.S. Facebook profiles are tagged “Vegas”. Moreover, Las Vegas trip reviews far outweigh those about any other tourist destination, including Orlando and New York City combined!

Despite its popularity, Vegas is not the only thing people talk about. Today, both the real and virtual world are saturated with advertising messages. How do you break through that clutter? Whether you are an individual, a start-up business or a highly talked about Fortune 500 Company, everything you need to know about breaking through the chatter you learned in kindergarten.

SHARE EVERYTHING
If you don’t share, who’s going to share with you? These days, more is garnered from ‘sharing’ than ‘searching’.  Similar to push versus pull marketing, the new goal should be to inspire people to share information instead of searching for it. Make your contribution to the community at large by improving, facilitating and sharing in the conversation. Share anything– ideas, your newest ad or the link to the research study you’re reading. Trust me, if you’re already thinking about it, by the time your competitors catch up, you will be onto the next project.

SAY YOU’RE SORRY WHEN YOU HURT SOMEBODY
The conversations that scare marketers the most are the real gems. Embrace any reaction about your brand, take the leap and respond. There’s no “perfect” answer. Not even those who market for the largest hotels in the world (15 of the 20 largest are located in Vegas) have one. Be honest, admit when you’ve “hurt somebody” and thank those that offer help and suggestions.

The best part about applying the Golden Rule to social media is that online conversations become offline realities. Previously, new ideas, new products and new ways of doing things took years to attain and implement. Today, with the help of Social Media, these things are garnered faster, and as an added, but invaluable bonus, new friendships are obtained as well.

Maybe spending time on the playground was luckier than any of us ever knew.