Why Would Social Media Folks Help?
Raising a barn needs a leader, a plan, and a community of people with skills.
The beauty of enlisting a social media community from the start is that communities only have time for ideas that will work.
When we reach out — talk to people — about our compelling idea, the social media community responds. They let us know what works for them and what doesn’t.
If the idea we have to offer is truly compelling, the folks we’ve formed relationships with can offer us help more than we’d ever imagine. Why? Social media folks participate for many reasons. Here are just a few.
- Some will be inspired by the idea and want to make it a reality.
- Some will want to work us and the folks who take on the project.
- Some want more experience and new skills a project can offer them.
- Some have skills to offer and like to teach what they know.
- Some will want to save us from the mistakes they made.
- Some will like us and want us to succeed.
How does that happen?
How do we get a community to be inspired, to want to work with us, to want the experience our project has to offer, to want to teach what they know, to want to save us from the mistakes they’ve suffered, and to want to help us succeed?
Bring a plan their minds can buy into. Bring a dream their hearts can hold. Bring a reason each one of them will make a particular difference.
Be a leader who’s a learner.
Reach out with head, heart, all the meaning behind what you’re building.
Don’t be afraid to them how and why their part is important to the whole.
Bricks and mortar don’t make a business. Code and design only hold attention for so long. People make a business happen.
We’ve got all the tools. We’ve had ’em. Can you see how to bring the people in we from the start?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to build barn? Work with Liz!!
Image: Haussler Cluster Raising in CA
If we do not participate, how can we learn? What a sad looking barn I’d have for the cows if others did not share their experience, the how to’s…
Seeing this is my feedreader first thing this morning was the inspiration I needed!
A friend and I are planning to raise a couple of barns in the near future, and we can’t wait to invite the townsfolk to come by and participate. We often wonder if there will be any takers, but posts like this always remind us we’re not alone.
Thank you!
in addition to the learning and the teaching it’s more fun to work with friends. @liz barn raisings always have a huge table of wonderful food where people gather, exchange more ideas and enjoy companionship between and after the barn is built. wonder how you can bring that idea into the mix.
Hi Richard,
Everyone in my life has taught me something. You’ve taught me so much already … those cows aren’t the only lucky ones.
Yeah, Deb,
We do need a reminder that folks are with us, especially when the days get a little shorter and grayer … Can’t wait to hear about these barns you’re going to raise.
Hi Toby,
Thank you for bringing that challenge about food and commardarie. I’ll be thinking on that all day. A little singing and celebration too, perhaps?
Hi Liz,
Yeah, I like the idea that people make a business. Code and bricks and mortar can only support so much.
So what’s your favorite way to get a barn raising started? Twitter? your blog? what are your thoughts? I know building relationships is the foremost thing (no matter what the social medium). But I’d be interested to see how you go about initiating a barn raising?
Great post, and a good list for people to ponder 🙂
Hi, Liz – I like your perspective. I’m writing a proposal today based upon these principles. This will help a lot!
Hi Todd,
I start with plenty of thinking, picturing and wondering. Then it’s saying “I have an idea.” I talk to the people who are left after everyone else runs away. Lots of phone calls and one-to-one conversations — lots and lots of listening at the beginning — long before twitter or a blog post enters the picture … I want an idea to have a little shape before I bring it online. Then every idea gets a slightly different strategy.
Thanks, Diva!
Alex,
That’s excellent. I’m delighted to hear that!
Thanks, Liz. I’m getting the picture. That helps a lot. I’d be interested in hearing a few names of some past projects that you’ve done that way, just to give me an idea.
I agree with you Liz about getting the idea formulated before bringing it on-line for a number of reasons. The great thing about having a social media network is we have strong relationships that can be reached out to for a one-on-one.
Hi Todd,
SOBCon is a great example. Every year the form it takes, the content, the speakers, the specifics of the event activities get molded by conversation to meet the needs of the attendees. But the start as seedling ideas.
Hi Linda!
I like to get the feedback from people in all sorts of “walks of life.” That enables me get a rounder picture of how my idea really looks. Other people’s questions make me think more deeply. Social media networks have made me “smarter” that way. I agree. 🙂
you round up people because you give them something first to by into. Liz your absolutely right about this. Every networker and successful sales person has said that you got to give value first to someone before asking about what they can do for you. This is what thomas stanley’s book marketing to the affluent is all about. Well, other than write so that people will see you as an expert
Hi there! im a newbie blogger. You have a nice blogsite.
maybe you can give me some tips how to increase my traffic in my own site.
Can we exchange links together? if it is ok with you. tnx