What Chuch Taught Me About Social Media

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As I continue to become acquainted with Tampa, I felt it was necessary to head to a place where people are pulled to a “higher power” and feeling of “community”. So, last Sunday, I took it upon myself to head to church at 7:30 a.m. I wasn’t expecting much, but I was quickly surprised as to what I took away from that hour.

After the priest read the Gospel, his sermon, unexpectedly, taught me a few lessons on business! His message was about no longer labeling each other and truly embracing the potential that everyone has to become something great.

What I took away wasn’t drastically different, however, it did make me think about what we, as marketers, look at when going to market and utilizing social media. Marketers continue to try to segment people and label them with what we think they are. I have a hard time “labeling” people in this day and age.

To me, we as marketers, need to let them decide for themselves, but we guide them by giving them the “tools” to make their decision a little bit easier. We want these people to become our ‘disciples’ and the way to make them advocates (consumers), is not by pushing on them what we think they should be, but by pulling them in. We give them the voice and opportunity to embrace what they could be…to their peers and to us (the brand, the product, the service and so on). You do that by offering free conversation, a place to feel comfortable, limitless and a place to be who they want to be – in essence you are building a ‘CHURCH’.

Unity in Diversity

Again, people are much more than the label we assign to them and often times they need you to believe in them before they believe in themselves. The priest told a story about recently attending a college graduation ceremony where a student spoke to his friends and colleagues and his words were this, “thank you for seeing in me, what I did not see in myself. You contributed to me reaching my goals.” The message is simple, as marketers, see the potential in each other beyond the label. Social media and other internet channels have opened the doors for you to communicate with potential consumers around the globe, so that you can build your ‘CHURCH’. You no longer are bound to the rules of engagement in your own backyard. How can you possibly segment someone up front who is tens of thousands of miles away?

In the ever growing presence of online communities and the search for the Holy Grail of true ROI, I have come to one conclusion about social media. As vendors, clients and c-suite decision makers fight over who controls social media, I have one answer – it’s not you, it’s your parishioners (your disciples, advocates and/or consumers). So, build a place for them to feel welcome and empowered, no matter their differences and they will follow you for the right reasons.

Grail Knight: But choose wisely, for while the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you. ~Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade