The Project 100 is a great initiative.  Jeff Caswell got the idea to bring together 100 contributors across the interactive and social media landscape to share their thoughts on “Marketing in the Social Media Era. Building Dynamic Consumer Relationships.”  The book is available for purchase now and honestly it’s something you should seriously consider ordering.  For roughly $25.00 you’ll have access to 100 great minds offering their thoughts and opinions in the social media space.

I first learned of the project from my colleague Melissa Clark. She came across the initiative via Paul Isakson’s blog and thought I’d be interested in becoming a contributor.  After learning about Jeff’s mission and vision I was hooked.  Not only was the topic something I’m passionate about, but all the proceeds were going to the Susan G. Komen foundation.

It took me about a week to settle on theme and then another 4 days to craft my contribution.  The following is my contribution in its entirety.

You Have a Role to Play in the Community

Why didn’t we see this so called revolution coming? Consumers have always impacted our decisions. Remember “New Coke?” More importantly, do you remember how quickly consumer backlash lead to the reintroduction of “Coke Classic?”

Consumers keep us employed. Without them, there wouldn’t be focus groups to conduct, IRI data to salivate over, nor products to package. I’ve often listened to marketers lament the inability to know exactly what the consumer wants.

Well, we still can’t read minds and crystal balls aren’t very reliable. However, we do have unprecedented direct access to our consumers. Yet, despite that level of transparency, social media frustrates many classical marketers. The concept of investing in something that isn’t predictable or controllable is frightening.

Today, more than ever, consumers are in control. We need to look, listen, read, and take notice. And, it’s easy to do all of that, because today, consumers are openly inviting us into their lives.

The landscape is changing and we need to embrace that change. The Internet is amplifying our voice; making it stronger and letting it reach people across the world. Tools like Facebook, WordPress, and Flickr are accelerators offering platforms for self-expression.

We’re talking less, but interacting more. We’re not just interacting with our friends; we’re interacting with people we don’t even know. We’re seeking, creating, and joining communities.

It’s the people, not the technology, that drive social media. It’s about you, your friends, your family, and strangers intersecting on your terms. Each of us has a role to play in the community. As marketers and brands we need to provide a value to the community…a benefit.

That’s what good marketing has become: marketing as a benefit. The benefits we provide enable consumers to become extensions of our brand. They become the advocates we’ve always wanted them to be.

Simply put, if you want to find success in social media here’s what you need to remember:

• @All_Marketers Social media isn’t a strategy or tactic. Stop questioning it. Embrace it. Your consumers will thank you.
• @All_Agencies Stop the buzzwords. Think beyond Facebook. Be responsible in your recommendations. Your clients will thank you.
• @All_Consumers You have a voice. You have power. You have influence. You can affect change. Demand accountability from brands.

Keep the consumer at the center of the community, provide a benefit, and remember to actively participate. You just might find social media success becomes predictable.

The Image I Submitted

If you liked it, great.  If you think I missed something, please let me know.  While the words above will live forever in the book, I can always make enhancements to what I wrote via this blog.

I want to give a big thanks to Jeff for inviting me to contribute.  He took on a heck of a task in setting up and coordinating this effort.  His commitment should be applauded.  Please spread the word about the book and Jeff’s mission.  The more books we sell the more we can contribute.  My submission was only the tip of the iceberg.  There are 99 other fantastic points of view to read through.  Enjoy.