2014
Autospeak-Straight Talk contains articles covering digital and social media marketing social communities and events marketing
I was inspired to write this by a couple of retired academics that I have been meeting with during my stays here in Colombia, SA to discuss the differences in our respective languages and to solve the world’s problems and also some articles I’ve recently read to which I have  linked to throughout this article.It is sometimes it is important to break from the norm, take a broader view and point out that social media is not only an effective marketing tool but also a news dissemination tool that can often show the darker side of the human species and the suffering that it brings with it.
It is a sad fact that money and power are and always will be driving forces of the human condition and there are some that will stop at nothing to have it. This includes destroying whole countries in the process and inflicting mass suffering on its population.
Social Media can effectively get out the news of how greed and the quest for power will stop at nothing to maintain control at any cost which includes the most atrocious offenses against humanity. From our neighbors in the Middle East to Venezuela social media can be a powerful weapon against this oppression and we sometimes tend to unconsciously block it out in our own quest to get ahead to improve our own lives and even some that need to quench that thirst for money, prestige and power.
And is social media just another media form that further desensitizes us as the grave injustices we talk about today are forgotten to embrace the next news media headline tomorrow?
 And “Is there something else that happens in these times of crisis that reveals a dark side of the human condition. When something like the Boston bombing happens, we tend to turn into sheep. Yes, we need to discover critical information. Yes, we need to help each other grieve and overcome. But beyond that, we become sheep for the media. I don’t know about you, but having the media serve as our shepherds during times of crisis doesn’t comfort me one bit. Sure, the media might break important news – and sometimes may get it right – but trust me when I say that the media doesn’t really care about you. It doesn’t exist to inform you. The media (all media) exists to sell advertising. Period. Informing you is a byproduct of this main goal. So whether it’s a hurricane bearing down on the Gulf Coast, or a bomber hiding out in a neighborhood, when you’re glued to the television or computer to satisfy your need to consume this critical information – you’re giving the media exactly what they want. Eyeballs. I read a piece on Slate last night that offers an excellent alternative to becoming sheep during time of crisis. I highly recommend reading it so that the next time a crisis occurs (and it will definitely occur) you don’t become a mindless sheep that’s led around by an evil shepherd that profits from your human fallibility.†Jim Mitchem a writer on the human condition stated in an article.
None of us have all the answers and I for one would not attempt to give solutions to these afflictions that are part of the human makeup. It’s just a good thing once in a while to remind ourselves and to think about the things that are most important to us as a society and to give us some perspective in our daily lives and in how we see, deal with and treat others as people, employees; associates and neighbors and maybe be a little less concerned with power, prestige and money and more concerned with sharing, communicating and connecting.
William Cosgrove
Bill Cosgrove Straight Talk
Another relevant article you might like:
How Social Media Helps Keep People Oppressed
Most discussion on the generic topic of social influence centers on persuasion in a social environment.Through an active online presence of blogging, commenting, participating in forums and on social networks or through word of mouth we all are in a way looking to influence and find influencers. Those that are actively involved in particular areas may be researching, simply voicing opinions or trying to draw attention to a product or service albeit from a positive or negative aspect.
Using influencers to increase market awareness of a firm amongst target markets is a method that can accelerate your visibility and culminate in getting known in circles that can have a huge impact on one’s success.
All of us who are actively involved in social networking whether it is online, offline or a combination of both are all looking to further ourselves or our company in some way.
Getting noticed by an influencer whether it be a decision maker in a company with whom you would like to do business, one who is well connected with key people in your industry or a current or potential customer can often act as an accelerator for business.
Influencer Marketing, as increasingly practiced in a commercial context, comprises four main activities:
Identifying influencers and ranking them in order of importance.
Marketing to influencers to increase your awareness within the influencer community
Marketing through influencers, Marketing with influencers and turning influencers into advocates of the firm.
Influencer Marketing is enhanced by a continual evaluation activity that sits alongside these four main activities.
Exactly what is included in Influencer Marketing depends on the context (B2C or B2B) and the medium of influence transmission (online or offline, or both). But it is becoming increasingly accepted that companies should be identifying and engaging with influencers.
As marketing experts Keller and Berry note, “Business is working harder and paying more to pursue people who are trying to watch and listen less to its messages." Targeting influencers is seen as a means of amplifying marketing messages, in order to counteract the growing tendency of prospective customers to ignore marketing.
Onsite social communities and newsletters are an effective and low cost method in which to engage with and gain valuable knowlege from influencers both in B2C and B2C.
Social Communities allow businesses not only to connect and follow existing customers but also to engage with their employee base. This is a centralized way in which to communicate with, retain and turn your existing customers and employees into marketing influencers and brand ambassadors.
On the B2C side Newsletters help to connect with influencers to draw their attention and educate them on the value of your company and what makes you unique.
But a large part of the problem is that many companies view social technologies as yet another tool to be implemented rather than as an enabler of organizational and marketing transformation.
It is said that one in every 10 Americans is what they call an "influential." These people have a tremendous impact on the rest of society because their ideas and opinions are sought out by the colleagues, friends, family and community members around them. The conversations they hold and the examples they set have the power to shape the community's behaviors and attitudes.
Based on this statistic, how many untapped influential customers or employees might already be in your database or working within your organization. And with a one in ten chance of finding an influencer and making them an advocate for your business through that newsletter, onsite community, forum or professional group it is an economical avenue worth pursuing that can provide substantial long term rewards.
William Cosgrove