Comments on: Why the Business Community Must Become Community Organizers http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/ How to turn prospects into buyers with content marketing Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:31:36 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Content Marketing Today » Why the Business Community Must Become … | Update Small Business http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/comment-page-1/#comment-8157 Content Marketing Today » Why the Business Community Must Become … | Update Small Business Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:13:06 +0000 http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/#comment-8157 [...] here to see the original:� Content Marketing Today » Why the Business Community Must Become … Share and [...] [...] here to see the original:� Content Marketing Today » Why the Business Community Must Become … Share and [...]

]]> By: Small Business Marketing http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/comment-page-1/#comment-7715 Small Business Marketing Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:42:22 +0000 http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/#comment-7715 One of the best ways to get this done, is through a coalition of small businesses and the universities and colleges. In those certain areas where small businesses really represent a large percent of the local economy, the universities and colleges, especially the schools of business must ensure that they are training their students to go to work for small businesses and this takes a different approach than getting someone ready for work at IBM or one of the big companies who have the time and financial resource to train them before they can become productive. One of the best ways to get this done, is through a coalition of small businesses and the universities and colleges. In those certain areas where small businesses really represent a large percent of the local economy, the universities and colleges, especially the schools of business must ensure that they are training their students to go to work for small businesses and this takes a different approach than getting someone ready for work at IBM or one of the big companies who have the time and financial resource to train them before they can become productive.

]]> By: Mona http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/comment-page-1/#comment-7665 Mona Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:54:04 +0000 http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/#comment-7665 Newt, Great response to yesterday's Project Innovation event. There could be a "New Collier Innovation Center" online. There doesn't have to be a building, it can be a grassroots movement online connecting people. It's time to start challenging the status quo by finding the people who want to invest in this community and what its going to take to get them to do it. Yesterday Jim Fields said that we need to make Collier county a destination that wants to make people invest in our community by making it a cool place to be. I think its a cool place to be, I call it home, thats why I choose to invest in this community. I'm excited about the Blue State Digital comparison and hope that we can follow that social media lead. Again, excellent follow up story! Newt,
Great response to yesterday’s Project Innovation event. There could be a “New Collier Innovation Center” online. There doesn’t have to be a building, it can be a grassroots movement online connecting people. It’s time to start challenging the status quo by finding the people who want to invest in this community and what its going to take to get them to do it. Yesterday Jim Fields said that we need to make Collier county a destination that wants to make people invest in our community by making it a cool place to be. I think its a cool place to be, I call it home, thats why I choose to invest in this community. I’m excited about the Blue State Digital comparison and hope that we can follow that social media lead. Again, excellent follow up story!

]]> By: Tonia Ries http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/comment-page-1/#comment-7656 Tonia Ries Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:32:36 +0000 http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/#comment-7656 Great comments, Cyndee. I love the idea of business as community organizer - it really clarifies both the tactical benefits and the attitude required to be successful in this new media landscape. Great comments, Cyndee.
I love the idea of business as community organizer – it really clarifies both the tactical benefits and the attitude required to be successful in this new media landscape.

]]> By: Cyndee Woolley http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/comment-page-1/#comment-7654 Cyndee Woolley Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:26:18 +0000 http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/#comment-7654 Newt, I wholeheartedly agree that SWFL is in need of a grass-roots integrated marketing campaign... and a significant part of that will be Social Media. I definitely believe it is time for a change. I also believe it is important to target any campaign... meaning a social media campaign, for the sake of the campaign is not going to accomplish anything. One of our biggest assets over the past few years has been one of our biggest vices. There was enough money going around that businesses could open and thrive because the people were there to spend the money. It weakened us as a community because we forgot about core values like customer service, connecting with our customer on a personal level... and perhaps the most important identifying WHO our customers are. I've heard 'social media' described as weeding through 1,000 pounds of crap to find the 1 pound of value...which is totally the wrong attitude to take. Joining a social media like Twitter and Facebook is no different than joining your Chamber of Commerce or a local sports club. You have to get to know the people to build the trust and the relationships that will get you business. And guess what? It takes a little time. You will have to give a little to get a little. Here is the lesson that these online communities can teach businesses... It is time to get back to the relationships. Why should companies care about these online communities? Because it is a change in our society... 20 years ago, people didn't hang out in coffee shops to socialize... Then Friends & Starbucks came along... All of a sudden it was THE spot to socialize. Why is Starbucks struggling? Partly because those people that used to socialize in the coffee shop are NOW socializing online. Instead of meeting 5 people in the corner store, they can chat with 100's of people globally. What can we do to influence local businesses in SWFL to jump on the social media bandwagon? Educate... Educate... Educate... WHO spends money in SWFL? HOW are YOU going to reach them? HOW are YOU going to connect with them? HOW are YOU going to give them an experience so powerful, they tell all of their friends... and keep coming back? I am excited to be a part of this future. There is so much potential! Newt, I wholeheartedly agree that SWFL is in need of a grass-roots integrated marketing campaign… and a significant part of that will be Social Media. I definitely believe it is time for a change.

I also believe it is important to target any campaign… meaning a social media campaign, for the sake of the campaign is not going to accomplish anything.

One of our biggest assets over the past few years has been one of our biggest vices. There was enough money going around that businesses could open and thrive because the people were there to spend the money.

It weakened us as a community because we forgot about core values like customer service, connecting with our customer on a personal level… and perhaps the most important identifying WHO our customers are.

I’ve heard ’social media’ described as weeding through 1,000 pounds of crap to find the 1 pound of value…which is totally the wrong attitude to take.

Joining a social media like Twitter and Facebook is no different than joining your Chamber of Commerce or a local sports club. You have to get to know the people to build the trust and the relationships that will get you business. And guess what? It takes a little time. You will have to give a little to get a little.

Here is the lesson that these online communities can teach businesses… It is time to get back to the relationships.

Why should companies care about these online communities? Because it is a change in our society…

20 years ago, people didn’t hang out in coffee shops to socialize… Then Friends & Starbucks came along… All of a sudden it was THE spot to socialize.

Why is Starbucks struggling? Partly because those people that used to socialize in the coffee shop are NOW socializing online. Instead of meeting 5 people in the corner store, they can chat with 100’s of people globally.

What can we do to influence local businesses in SWFL to jump on the social media bandwagon?

Educate… Educate… Educate…

WHO spends money in SWFL?
HOW are YOU going to reach them?
HOW are YOU going to connect with them?
HOW are YOU going to give them an experience so powerful, they tell all of their friends… and keep coming back?

I am excited to be a part of this future. There is so much potential!

]]> By: Jon McLeod http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/comment-page-1/#comment-7653 Jon McLeod Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:09:27 +0000 http://contentmarketingtoday.com/2009/01/16/why-the-business-community-must-become-community-organizers/#comment-7653 Newt, Great comments. Another issue we face here is the resistance to change. Too many times I see people rely on "tried-and-true" methods, or worse yet, a 1-2 prong approach to marketing (more on that topic this weekend). Social Media will be a force for the foreseeable future. Today, college kids get there news online, research online, listen to music online, and download movies online. Very few watch tv or read traditional media. That is the future of this country - and that future is here already... Regards, Jon Newt,
Great comments. Another issue we face here is the resistance to change. Too many times I see people rely on “tried-and-true” methods, or worse yet, a 1-2 prong approach to marketing (more on that topic this weekend). Social Media will be a force for the foreseeable future. Today, college kids get there news online, research online, listen to music online, and download movies online. Very few watch tv or read traditional media. That is the future of this country – and that future is here already…

Regards,

Jon

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