A couple of months ago I wrote a post about some of the reasons why some of my projects (and maybe yours) don’t come to fruition – why they don’t ship. At that time, I was working on a new project, which has just launched.
Several months ago I began working with Geoff Storm and Garrett Ingraham at the Tramontane Cafe in Utica to start the Utica Firefly – a live storytelling showcase. Our first event was held in May and was a tremendous success. Members of the audience can put their names in a hat and if chosen at random, take the mic and share their story in front of the audience. No winners, no losers, just a night of sharing great stories.
What started as a one-time event has evolved into a project of a much grander scale, and I’m using some of the principals discussed in the earlier post (A Commitment to Ship) to avoid delays, failure and push through a project I can be proud of.
Blueprints
The Utica Firefly (as Geoff and I see it) will be something where we will ship projects regularly for a period of 12 months and evaluate its success at that point. We’ll continue to hold live storytelling showcases throughout the year at the Tram, and this will remain the cornerstone of the project (our next live event is Dec 28th). Additionally we will be creating a series of ‘firefly features’ where we’ll showcase some of the people, places and stories that make upstate New York unique. We’ll take suggestions from the local (and online community) as we seek out stories to develop as features. Everything will be posted online and will be easily sharable.
Infrastructure
In October I developed Uticafirefly.com – which will be the hub for all live and curated content. We felt we needed a centralized location for the curation of stories in addition to uploading our videos through YouTube, Vimeo and via our iTunes podcast. It’s important for this project to be seen as a professional endeavor. Though our first live event was shot on an iPhone, we’ll be producing features and live event recordings with high quality audio and HD video to give our users (and those who share their stories) the best experience possible. We’re taking the time to do it right.
Goals
I’m hoping that throughout this project, the Utica Firefly live events will become increasingly popular and that a community of storytellers and live performers develops in Central New York. I’m hoping to use this project to show off the uniqueness of where we live, the diversity of people here and counteract some of the negative perceptions that have developed over the past several years.
Finally, I really believe the people who are going to succeed in business and marketing over the next 10 years are the ones who can effectively tell a good story, to lead, and actually build out their ideas, prototyping singlehandedly if necessary. This project is a way for me to learn to shoot and edit video, work to build a community online and offline, and share some damn good stories in the process.
I’ll be updating the progress of this project throughout the year on this blog and would love it if you checked out what has shipped so far. Below, please find our first ‘feature’ – and myself and Geoff’s first attempt at filmmaking. “JoeCart” – is a story about John Ossowski, who is trying to foster social connections and combat urban decay – one cup of coffee at a time. Enjoy!
I wish we’d stop getting caught up on platforms when it comes to social media and community interaction. Do you HAVE to be on Facebook? Do you HAVE to be on Twitter? That depends. Where is your community?
Lots of different businesses want to drive the conversation to their blog or website, but they may not be seeing a ton of traction, do to inconsistent content, or promotion, etc. That’s the downside – the upside? They may have a very active Facebook Community. Twitter isn’t far behind. That’s a win.
I’m asked all the time what platforms businesses should invest their time and resources on. The real answer is…. it depends. I think it’s important to put up listening stations on as many platforms as you can manage, because a user on twitter is just as valuable as a user on Facebook or a blog commenter – and we need to meet those users where THEY want to be met.
That’s one of the dilemmas of social media. Brands don’t get to control where people will talk about them, or where like minded people will set up shop. You don’t get to decide to drive them through one communication channel anymore. In short, you are always the Away Team.
That shouldn’t scare you. It’s just a fact. I really believe that to run an effective social media campaign you have to be comfortable being the away team – interacting and playing on fields that are not your own website. That includes, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Quora, and forums. (By the way, forums are still most definitely a part of social media, and in my opinion hugely under served by brands. Big opportunities there, but that’s another post.)
So, get on the bus. Listen. Then listen some more. Help people solve problems on their turf and maybe, just maybe you’ll be invited back.
This past weekend I attended a viewing party for TEDx Manhattan – Changing the Way We Eat, which was put on by The Foodshed (an awesome local website / group which supports local agriculture). I’ve been huge fan of TED for several years now but this was my first opportunity to watch a livestream with a group context, with individuals who were looking to be inspired and who want to work towards changing the way we eat. I was not disappointed.
Take away what is by default awesome about TED (incredible speakers with inspirational messages and amazing ideas)… and you’re still left with something remarkable. Our party was one of over 135 viewing parties around the world who were simultaneously taking in TEDx Manhattan. Throw in all of the people watching the livestream on their computers at home, and all those who were exposed to those messages in real-time via social media. It scales pretty quickly.
What amazes me is the velocity at which these ideas and experiences can be shared by people all around the world in real-time. We’re hundreds and in many cases thousands of miles apart, but are all sharing the experience. It can be digested, remixed, re-uploaded, amended and shared again in so many forms of media which hopefully will inspire people to act to bring about change on a large scale on issues ranging from sustainable agriculture to factory farms.
We’ve seen this in Egypt and Tunisia. Now I’m not giving credit to Facebook and Twitter to for starting the revolution – but they were without a doubt the conduit with which people could spread ideas at the speed of light, organize, and get their message out to people around the world. A way for us all to share their experience. I also believe that the speed at which these ideas and movements spread really helped to minimize casualties and violence in Egypt. Speed and communication was everything. And because of this communication, ordinary Egyptians were able to bring down a government that had been in power for 30 years in - about 18 days.
Always remember that these tools work just as well for micro movements as they do for major movements. Are you ideas, content, and brand messages easily shareable? More importantly, are they worthy of being shared?
Speaking of sharable ideas – here’s one talk that was shown during TEDx Manhattan that I especially liked:
I, like many other iPhone and iPad users am still disappointed that Flash still hasn’t made its way onto those devices. Yes, I’m aware of ‘Frash’ but the big thing that’s missing in that package is the ability to play Flash Video – which is really all I care about (#iwantowatchTheDailyShow).
But what I’m really sick of is the whining on both Apple and Adobe’s part. Apple complains that flash is a closed, antiquated system (see Jobs’ open letter – Thoughts on Flash), and Adobe complains that basically Apple is the one who is using a closed system and basically doesn’t support Flash out of a grudge – and they’re moving on.
Hey Adobe – have some faith in your users. It amazes me that Adobe has just thrown their arms up. If they believe so strongly in Flash’s need to be on iDevices – just build it. Build it as an app or a plugin. And let the market decide (I can’t believe I said that, being a bleeding heart liberal). As someone who helps develop websites and other web based solutions, the lack of even a public beta also makes me less likely to suggest anything Flash based to clients. I recognize how many flash-disabled devices there are out there and by giving up plans to develop a solution, Adobe also is not giving anyone an incentive to continue to use their technology.
Between the U.S. Copyright Office officially sanctioning jailbreaking your phone and the ease at which you can do so thanks to jailbreakme.com – there’s now nothing preventing you from (legally) getting your iPhone to run flash. Just Adobe (well, and a little bit of Apple).
There are also plenty of avenues for distribution via Cydia or Rock that could bring an official Adobe Flash plugin to millions of users, should they choose to install it. Hell, I (and I’m sure many others) would gladly fork over a few bucks for the privilage of having flash capability (especially on my iPad). For the first time, Adobe could actually make money by distributing what has traditionally been a free plugin.
So I guess this is my open letter to Adobe. Put your money and your devs where you mouth is. Don’t take your ball, whine and go home. Like any other business, if you build a product that kicks-ass people will download it – they’ll even tell their friends. Again, have faith in your community. If Adobe truly believes that they have a great product, they should stand behind it and let the community decide. Maybe if they build it, we will come….and download.
In my last post, I was hoping to get people thinking about what they are doing to help others, as well as get some ideas myself. But most of all I was hoping to start a conversation on the topic. And I was so impressed by the stories that were shared in the comments or on Twitter and Facebook. I wanted to share a few of them in the hopes that they’ll inspire you to get involved.
One commenter (Heather) told me about the work that she’s been doing on her own to provide furniture to refugee families who end up in Utica (where we both are from).
Yesterday i helped drive 2 loads of furniture to two separate refugee families that have NOTHING. It was so sweet and they were so grateful. It would be great if you could spread the word on how bad I need mattresses, tables, and other furnishings for these people. Until it’s donated to them, they are literally sleeping and eating on wood floors right here in our city of Utica. How can a child pay attention and get educated in school if she sleeps on a hard wood floor uncomfortably all night? Same goes for a working father, how can he work with a beat up back? I’m sure you get the point. East Utica is looking great in the areas where the refugees that have been here for a while have worked their way up the social ladder.
So if you’re in central New York and have furniture that you would like to repurpose, leave a comment and I’ll be in touch to help coordinate. I’ve already been in contact with Heather offline and am trying to get some furniture together.
Likewise, @Johnmatthews sent me a tweet about an organization that he is involved with called Operation Photo Rescue – where a volunteer network of digital photographers, photo journalists and designers repair photographs damaged by natural disasters and house fires – free of charge. I never would have thought an organization like this existed and they’re doing amazing work at the moment with the flood victims in Nashville, TN. You can get more info on the official site – or talk to John on Twitter.
Virgina Reuter hit me up on Twitter to tell me about how she is building an e-newsletter pro bono for Village Hope Core International which is a non profit that deals with micro lending to family-based enterprises in the village of Chogoria, Kenya.
I should also mention an organization that I’ve been involved with for a few years now called Hope House which works to feed people within the city of Utica. They do amazing work and I’m hopefully going to be doing much more with them in the coming months. You can hit up their website for more info about their mission and their needs.
I was also reminded of the everyday things that are done to help family and friends that often times get overlooked. So there are tons of amazing people doing amazing things online and offline and I’m really grateful that peeps have been sharing their stories. If you’ve got one you’d like to share, drop a comment below.
I want to forget about business blogging for a moment here and move the focus to something that is really more important entirely. What did you do today to help someone else? I’m not talking about in terms of your job either. What did you do TODAY to help someone outside of your comfort zone?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Most of what I’ve been focusing my energy on in terms of off the clock time has been personal projects, creating things and generally enjoying myself. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t have ‘me’ time but if someone came up to me today and asked what I’ve done TODAY to help someone else, I wouldn’t have an answer. That bothers me.
I do a lot of reading, writing, tweeting about business, tech, and social media. In fact I’d venture to guess that one of the top subjects on social media channels on any given day is…..social media. We’ve got these amazing sets of tools to connect with others and we seem to put in a lot of time talking about the tools themselves as well as talking to each other about how profit from them – instead of really thinking about how to leverage them for the greater good.
That’s not to say that this isn’t happening. I’ve loved Beth Kanter’s posts on how she helps non-profits through the use of social media. Mark Horvath’s Invisible People project is using the web to highlight the plight of the homeless in America. There is amazing work being done – but we need more of it, online and offline. Let’s face it, your local shelter might not necessarily need a Facebook page – they need funds and volunteers. While I think we should use our talents to help others, (which might include helping a non-profit with their social media outreach) sometimes we forget that we need to get out from behind the computers, listen to the needs of the community, and put boots on the ground. It has an impact – and let’s face it – it’s good for business.
I don’t have an answer here. Just a question. What can I (we) do that will have a measurable impact on someone else’s life (whom I know or don’t know) on a regular basis? I’ve getting some ideas together on how I can use some of my time to give back to organizations I care about, so I’m not paralyzed by indecision….just hoping to get you thinking too. What are YOU doing? I’d love your suggestions and stories, so fire away in the comments. Thanks.
Fr. Felix is the Pastor at Our Lady of the Rosary Church. Last week (Easter) was exceptionally crowded – people filled the church, the basement, the lobby and were listening to mass outside. In fact, at a time when lots of churches are closing or consolidating, Felix packs in people week after week, mass after mass.
He has a small army of parishioners that help him distribute communion. He uses lots of humor and personal stories in his homilies – which are delivered in the aisle rather than a lectern. After each mass, he hangs out in the lobby to meet and greet anyone that wants to have a chat.
Most importantly, Fr. Felix knows just about EVERYONE’S name that walks through those doors. He asks about family, thanks people for coming, and is a staple at family & community events.
Symeon’s has been one of the most popular restaurants in our area since they opened in 1973. Good food and really friendly staff. But go there on any given day and you’re likely to get a table-side visit from Symeon or Symeon Jr (pictured), who own the restaurant. I’ve gone there since I was a kid and they are always going from table to table, making sure everything is ok, asking about what’s new and asking how they can help make the experience better. They are on the front lines. While they’re in the restaurant business, Symeon and Symeon Jr. are in the customer service and community building business. They just do it with handshakes instead of Friending and Following.
Is it any wonder why Fr. Felix and Symeon have succeeded where others haven’t? Is it because Felix’s message is different from the other Catholic churches? Nope. Is it because Symeon’s Souvlaki Platter is the best on earth? Nope (but it is good). It’s because they both devote lots of energy to letting their community know that they actually care, even after they walk out the door.
They realize the enormous power of How Are You, Thank You and You’re Welcome.
How many people are you friends with on Facebook? Of those people, how many do you interact with on a regular basis. My bet is that it’s a small fraction (I’m guilty of it too). Maybe it’s time we put more focus on those micro-interactions and personal connections with larger parts of our networks. I think you’ll be surprised as to how much you’ll learn about your friends, fans and community and will be surprised at how those connections will produce better business and more importantly better friends.
So, in your networks online and offline – who are the people that do the best job of interacting and caring? What makes them special? Fire away in the comments, please.
If you have some time on your hands, take a look at this slideshare presentation from Netflix. It lays out some pretty interesting approaches to hiring, retaining, and attracting kick-ass employees as well as some unorthodox (but effective, and cool) policies regarding vacation, salaries, dress, etc. It’s long, but worth your time, I promise.
I love the piece on slide 68 regarding vacation and dress:
Netflix Vacation Policy and Tracking: There is none. Employees are able to take the amount of vacation they think they need.
Netflix Clothing Policy: “There is no clothing policy at Netflix, but no one has come to work naked lately.” – Patty McCord, 2004.
Lesson: You don’t need detailed policies for everything
I think these kinds of things are great. They promote responsibility and treat employees like adults. We need more of that.
As I talk to companies about the use of social media one question always comes up. Always. And that is what do they do if an employee starts Tweeting / Facebooking / MySpacing / Blogging / Texting or Smoke Signaling statements that reflect negatively on the company. What kinds of policies do we need? And I think the answer to that is relatively simple. If that’s happening, it’s not the fault of the technology. You don’t have at Twitter problem – you’ve got an employee problem.
See, when you see these kinds of comments, remember that they’re saying them in a public forum. So if it’s out there online, I promise you they have been saying all of those things (and most likely worse things) in private. If they post about how much they hate your business or their job on facebook, they’ve got a dartboard with your face on it already, and their pissed that you make them wear a tie everyday.
What I’m getting at here is that lots of brands and companies want to use Social Media tools to ‘be part of the conversation’ ‘participate in the community.’ But if you can’t build community within your business or foster conversation within your own walls, how the hell are you going to succeed at it online? Start by empowering your employees, make them matter and they’ll become that first line of business eveangelists that will help you succeed in this new environment.
A couple of months ago I wrote a post about some of the reasons why some of my projects (and maybe yours) don’t come to fruition – why they don’t ship. At that time, I was working on a new project, which has just launched.
