I have been investing a lot of time recently reading about various strategies and theories on how to market/influence in our new landscape. I am not a marketer or expert, however, I have a desire to learn about creating influence. If you don’t begin understanding how influence works you will become part of the herd and I believe as technology grows your voice will get even quieter. It is a scary thought.

SXSW – Missed Collaboration

Christina Kingston is a cool social media blogger and player on the social scene. Her bio reads:  writer of fiction and non-fiction who has also worked in film and TV production, spending time both in front of and behind the camera. She has written professionally on fashion, gossip and music for E! Online and E! Mobile, served as a travel and nightlife scribe for Playboy.com, penned an advice column for Teen magazine online and did a stint as a radio commentator for NPR. Known as @CTK1 on Twitter, she’s been in and out of social media since 2000. And a social media strategist since 2008. Ct recently finished her first novel (a dark comedy) and is working on the next (a darker comedy). She recently went to SXSW and was not beaming with excitement about her experience. I feel this girl gets the social aspect of social media and I imagine if I ever run into her in real life she would be all, “oh hey what’s up, how are you?” (engagement). The point is she is a writer and new media strategist that gets what influence is all about. Her experience spans from writing professionally to film and TV production. Her career paths give her a unique perspective and one I feel will begin to have a substantial impact on society via the Internet. Her comment on a the blog post, ‘Your Thoughts-Are You Tired of Hearing About Social Media?‘ via The Production Side summed it up best: “My best friend said about the Social Media peeps, “It’s like they escaped the cave and ran straight to their computers.” And I agree wholeheartedly.”  Her participation at the promising networking conference SXSW was negative and left her with a bad taste in her mouth. In my opinion, that seems like a BIG fail because the opportunity for her to collaborate, engage, and possibly change the world with serious influencers was missed. This is just a sample of a missed opportunity due to the PR mentality polluting new media and the new way of creating relationships.

I have been to social media events and was struck by the same thing. All these tall blonde PR women in their Prada shoes and bony exteriors tapping on their blackberries acting aloof and like look at me I am so fucking cool because I have 30,000 followers and get paid obscene amounts of money for my time. I checked your stream Cherrita and no one is listening to your ReTweeted unoriginal rhetoric and sooner than you think companies will begin to face the fact that your services are no longer needed. You add no value other than you probably look good naked and have great hair. I am over it.

Information Brokering That Works
In contrast, Colin Alsmeimer, who is what I like to call a true information broker in the Dallas Social Media scene gets it and gets it right. He hangs with the cool kids; you know the ones who act oh so very important. When I ran into him, I asked him if he knew anything about developing mobile apps; without hesitation he introduced me to an experienced mobile developer. BAM! I needed information, he facilitated and it was easy. Him and his partner, Alyssa Gardina are participating in the Ford Fiesta Movement in Dallas and I believe they are going to have a big impact. The impact will be positive. Colin understands how the social landscape works and is a gifted information broker. They both are doing it right. They get it. It isn’t about look at me I am so fucking cool and no you cant sit with us, they are come on over, participate, join us, we like you. If you are going to be in Dallas April 9th come to the Dallas Mural Project Party and meet them. I promise you will walk away with the same feeling.

It slays me to imagine people on the outskirts of the “social scene” participating because they just want to find out more information and to be hit with stuck up, glorified PR people, with their old school mentalities thinking they run shit because why? Maybe because they learned the philosophy fake it to you make, only the fake part stuck because they solely focus on immediate monetary value to clients. Instead, of helping them rethink and understand the cycles of social media and how powerful REAL influence cannot only have on their bottom line but the community they are servicing. It is more about long-term influence than instant gratification. No matter how the system works today, it is my opinion that the customer will begin to realize that exclusionary attitudes and stuck up bravado engages no one. We are sick of it. Companies are already on it and are beginning to understand how it really works. Pretty soon the PR people of the past will either change or be pushed out.

Engage Me – A Visionary
Someone I believe is probably one of the greatest Social Media visionaries of our time is Brian Solis. He is a Public Relations Executive who has taken it to the next level. I have been consuming his blogs and recently ordered his book, ‘Engage’. The more you read his blog and published material the more you begin to understand this isn’t just about sitting around typing out bullshit to the masses. This is important and this is going to change our world in a ways I still cannot imagine. The overall feeling I get when reading anything that he shares is this man has great integrity. When you are an influencer at this level, you must be someone of great integrity. He takes the job of ‘Thought Leader’ seriously and responsibly. It is all too seductive and alluring to not get caught up and be ego driven. He understands the reach of how information is used today and how what he shares influences others in a serious way. I am just some girl in a city far away, who isn’t a social media heavy hitter or even in the business of social media and I am influenced by his information. That is powerful. That goes beyond the demographic of your business. That goes into society. It is the mother, the brother, and the old lady in trailer with an Internet connection. It is important and he gets how everyone listening has value. To me that is how influencers should handle the business of social media. Be responsible. Have integrity and understand your reach is farther than just your target customers.

The Fashion Industry – Light Bulb Moment (I thought of this first)
PR people need to begin to shift their values about how they use these mediums and tools. Bloggers today have great influence over our society. This isn’t the 90’s where all we cared about was ourselves and ego was valued. We have hit hard times. People are re-assessing what is important to them. Their money and their time need to serve a greater good. Meaning, we are stretched thin and what motivates us to buy or invest in something has to have more of a value than it did in yesteryear. We need to see you care and are interested. Casie Stewart is a 20 something blogger from Toronto. She travels in this cool blogger clique. I have been following her since I joined Twitter over a year ago. I watched her from a far “BLOW UP” with her new stint at MTV along with a billion other fantastic projects. She is still Casie, fun loving girl from Toronto. She stays true to herself and has not allowed the “I am a rock star” mentality to pollute her message. She has influenced me in a way that  has direct value to the companies she talks about. She did a demo about vibrating mascara. I bought that mascara for my teen as a result. She shows off her rain boots all the time. I have gigantic feet and really not made for any other boots but heel boots. However, before this spring is over I am fucking buying me some rain boots giant feet and all. She isn’t just a nerd girl. She has a kinky side that I think should be supported by fetish designers having her wear crazy outfits to her many events. Why hasn’t Kelly Cutrone seen the potential in pairing designers with popular bloggers to get their lines out to the masses? You know how many other social geeks would be wearing hot latex at otherwise boring events within 12 months? Who knows all I know is I want to fly to Toronto if this idea is ever picked up just to see that shit in action. Another Toronto blogger that I respect and who isn’t caught up in the ME mentality is Lisa Charleyboy of Urban Native Girl. She is seriously beautiful and she is NATIVE. Hello! Designers. Wake UP. Opportunity knocking. I am part native and am moved by what she shares and inspired. We don’t see women like her in ads or media. Do you see the potential in how this girl wearing your fashions could inspire the masses by just her wearing it or is this just me? The potential for provocation is mind blowing. The fashion business hates to spend a bunch of money getting their wears out to the public, I imagine this is probably the cheapest route, but one that has incredible impact. My hopes for both of you girls are don’t listen to the chatter or get caught up in the hype. Hear your own voice and follow it truthfully like you have all this time. The others don’t get it and “we” really aren’t paying that much attention. Eyes are on you.

What would it look like if the light bulb went off in PR professionals brains and their salesmen mentality and stuck up attitudes shifted? Instead of asking the question how do I get others to support this product/company/message? The question should be; how do I engage others in a way they value and as a result begin to believe in this product, this company or this message. Your attitudes are so 1990 and this is 2010, we are on to you and we are turned off. That cool table that you reserve for the cool kids, we actually don’t want to sit at anymore. The reality is, see that group over there, buzzing about, you know the one where the masses are, that is where you need to be; those are the individuals you need to reach. These are just my observations and thoughts. I am just a gal who lives in a city, who sometimes buys stuff and sometimes shares those things with, at the very least 1,818 other people across the world. I am a tiny drop in the society of today’s bucket.

Photo Credits:

Paris Hilton: on Found
Christina Kingston: http://ctkingston.com/
Colin and Alyssa: http://www.fiestamovement2.com/dal/team-profile/team-dallas/
Brian Solis: http://briansolis.com
Casie and Charley: http://urbannativegirl.com and then I photoshopped it