Crack the Fishbowl and Flourish
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The Fishbowl
If you’ve spent any time in the social media space you were bound to hear of the ‘Fishbowl’ or ‘The Fishbowl Effect’. This term is a way of saying that we, The Digerati or Early Adopters are basically talking and marketing to ourselves all day. That the only people that comment on blogs, tweet on twitter, listen to podcasts, and get involved with all of this general geekery are swimming in a big fishbowl talking to themselves all day. In this article I’d like to explore the many reaches of the fishbowl and maybe even talk about how you can smash the fishbowl to create further success in your business.
A little 101
Something that I talk about a lot, yet seems to be lost on many marketers and companies getting involved in the social media space is this simple rule.
Never approach your network or the individuals in your network with a selfish one sided agenda!
I’ve spoken about this time and time again, but I truly believe that nothing good comes out of being ‘That Guy‘ This being said, it does not mean that you cannot generate great business leads and contacts using social media tools. You can!
What’s Wrong with the Fishbowl?
I beg to ask the question that if your business focus is in emerging technologies, digital marketing, publishing, and a slew of others….What’s wrong with the fishbowl? This area contains like minded people, valuable conversations,research, customers, resources, and opportunity that you might not otherwise see in your day-to-day offline business. They say, fish where the fishes are right? However remember the rule from above and become a resource for others. That’s real where opportunity lies.
Is it a fishbowl? or a Membrane?
I’d like to say that the social media space is more like a membrane. New people are arriving every day to dip their feet in the waters. Some take to it like fish to water while others just don’t get it. It’s o.k. that this happens as for it is part of the overall evolution and learning process. Others jump in for a while seemingly swimming with the fishes and then hop out of the water never to be seen again. Lastly, there are folks who hear about the social media membrane pass through and generate massive amounts of value to the community and contribute for many years. With this analogy, I feel it is more a porous membrane than the hard glass of a fishbowl.
Stuck in a fishbowl? Break it!!!
So you’ve been swimming in the social media waters for quite a while now posting videos to YouTube, Blogging and Twittering. What have you learned? Have you seen things that have worked in your business or in the business of others? Have you seen the power of sharing your story and process with others? Have you gotten so drunk on the social media cool-aid that you have forgotten that there is a corner store and that you don’t need to make all of your purchases online? Break the fishbowl and get your ass out into some different spaces. Social media is a hot topic! Twitter is making news headlines and your Aunt Millie is friending you on Facebook. There is power in that!
Suggestions to break the Bowl
Like I said earlier, there is nothing wrong with having a good firm grip in the social media space, but opportunity lies everywhere! You just have to open your eyes to it. Here are some suggestions on how you can blend the online and offline worlds in your business.
-Seminars – Have a seminar talking about social media to your company or to companies that you recognize are dipping their toes in, but not ready to swim yet. Rent a room at a local restaurant and charge a few dollars a head to talk to people who have heard of twitter and blogging, but really have no clue how it might help them. This may lead to suggestion #2.
-Private Business Consulting – So one of the companies that attended your seminar was interested and wants to learn more. This is an opportunity to step outside the fishbowl and change teh way a traditional brick and mortar, or even technology based company seeks out opportunity, hires and recruits, and structures their marketing.
-Niche Groups and Independents – Most small business owners, artists, Real estate Agents, and people involved with local niche businesses have a great story to tell. Many big companies right now like Ford, Best Buy and Citrix are getting involved in the social media space. However, I think the power of being able to tell a genuine story and sharing artistic and creative processes for small companies and individuals is where the main body of power lays in the social media spaces. Who doesn’t love a true rags to riches success story? Who doesn’t like to root for the underdog? Teach people how to share of themselves in the online world to convert successfully in the offline world!
-Integrated Business Plans – True story! I talked to a local shop owner in my neighborhood that sells yarn. She told me that her business seemed to be dropping due to the fact that many folks are finding cheaper deals on the internet. After a bit of chatting we talked about twitter, the possibility of opening her own online shop, and some other things that might help her close the gap on the percentage of sales that she seems to have been losing. She has decided to do a video podcast of some of her knitting techniques as well as open a twitter account. Her plan is to have sheets that ask people to follow her on twitter and they will be direct messaged a link to a coupon page. She will be able to track hits to that page as well as coupons coming back in the store. I will do a feature on her as soon as she sets it all up. (A few days)
This is just a quick foray for this yarn shop owner into digital marketing. We will test how things work and make changes as needed. Can you think of any niche small businesses in your area that might benefit from something similar? (Full Transparency: This woman is a close friend and I am doing this for free as an experiment for my blog as well a to help her get her feet wet.)
I’d like to hear some other suggestions and ideas! How can you break your fishbowl to gain more success in your business or expand your reach. Please leave a comment!
Photo Credit: The Wu’s Photo Land
Keith Burtis is a social media and digital marketing professional. If you or your company are looking to REV THE ENGINE on your digital efforts contact Keith today! Specialties include: Blog design/Integration, Custom Facebook Pages, Social, Digital and Interactive Content strategies.
I appreciate your charity towards those who “just don’t get it.” There are those obsessed with feigned regard for ROI and “what’s in it for me” when it comes to engaging on social media. Politicians and wannabe politicians go out of there way to disagree with my calls for them to engage on Twitter (start with following your followers, for instance), saying that “not everyone is interesting.” You made me feel a little better about “them.”
Please do continue to encourage giving versus getting. This is an opportunity for us to fundamentally redefine what it means to be members of society/members of a community. It starts with the balanced insight you present here.
http://twitter.com/treypennington