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Big Mouths – Little Else

posted on March 5, 2009

I seem to be having the same conversation over and over with a variety of people lately. Each time it is a bit different, but there are a couple of definite themes that keep popping up no matter if I’m talking to a CEO in his office, a friend over lunch or via skype with a connection half way across the world.

  1. There are way to many people out there talking more then doing.
  2. People seem to only be interested in talking to people in their comfort zone where people already understand them. (aka The Fishbowl)
  3. Lots of individuals are “selling” themselves as companies and making promises that I’m worried they can’t keep.
  4. For all the talk of conversation out the in the open, there is a LOT more happening on the back channels then most people realize.

Cassie's MouthI’m sharing this mainly to sort of open that last point. To put it out there and see what people think.

Have you had conversations around these topics? I’m sure it can’t be only happening in Boston and NYC.

The business world has never been a fan of people who do nothing but talk. We’ve all hired that consultant that got us excited about the next great thing, but then when it came time to put it into action there was nothing there. In today’s economic storm it is more crucial then ever to deliver results. No one wants to pay for talk. They want to pay for results.

As I watch people preach about social media, I’m not seeing many people stretch beyond the already converted. I’m eager to speak in front of rooms of people who have no clue who I am or what it is that I’m bringing to the table and teaching them about. That is the teacher in me. The shaman way of thinking. I want to talk to the people who don’t have a clue about the space I play in and enjoy every day. But, I keep seeing people out there over and over saying the same thing to the same people. I just don’t get it.

I’m riding along the Acela and that gives my brain time to unwind and unleash. This isn’t a rant, a negative nanny bitch session or anything like that. It is an observation. One that I wanted to share. Something I’m very curious what other think.

But, what do you think? Are you having similar conversations? Yes, I get the irony in asking you to talk about something here. *grin*

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Categories: Rambles
  • eric goldstein

    just posted a clip from your post. I agree with what you’re saying and respect your willingness to say it. i personally find the social media space to be way to introverted – and i certainly feel that there are way too many talking heads trying to be heard. I personally am at the opposite extreme (not a good thing), as i am trying to do cool things to help people share with others but rarely (if ever) come out of the ‘lab’ to promote myself. In all honesty, i wish i had more of that in me.

  • Kara

    I feel as though the conversations I have read on the web and had in person are similar to a revolving door, they are not getting us anywhere. I also feel translation to a wider audience has not happened yet. The average person is still getting familiar with how to use their Facebook account and are “thinking” about getting on Twitter. I feel as though until conversations start happening around how social media can be implemented on a wider scale, we are going to keep circling round and round.

  • http://www.scottmonty.com Scott Monty

    Very timely, my friend. Getting out of the comfort zone is so important.

    I’ll take a slightly different angle here, with people who may still want to stay in the fishbowl: use different fish food.

    As I get invited to speak at a number of conferences, I’m finding that the level of interest – even among people who may not be completely familiar with the practice of social media – is moving from the theoretical to the practical. People want to hear less pontificating and more case studies.

    Over and over I hear, “Okay, I *get* social media – but *how* can I put it into practice at my company? Give me real examples.”

    And that’s where the so-called “experts” will have their feet held to the fire. Those who are all talk won’t be able to back it up with experience. They’ll certainly be able to reference other peoples’ case studies, but the actual practitioners are the ones who will be trusted and respected the most.

  • Sierra Inman

    Hi CC,
    I did like this blog, it’s a wonderful muse and I think that you do get it. Yes, I agree that there is much more happening in the background – for some, and others – nahh. Am I having conversations about it other than this-not really, and I think that’s because many may be saying the same thing over and over without the proverbial stretch in their actions, but-at least some action-if it’s all they have, in this economy is better than nothing- and who knows they may find someone/a business(?) who hasn’t heard it over and over and they in turn may nibble and take a little bite of that shiny and polished apple-there may be hundreds of them out there all sparkly and new like-promising all kinds of knowledge, but it only takes one Adam to bite just one :-) . Peace – btw – I love the looks of that poached pear – yum

  • http://doughaslam.com Doug Haslam

    Thanks CC– I think about this every day, because as a PR guy working with social media providers, we have to reach outside the fishbowl to get to their business targets.

    And forget the irony. We still need to talk to each other– we just have to get these issues outside our circle as well.

  • http://twitter.com/philjohnson Phil Johnson

    C.C., You’ve created a wonderful rallying cry for anyone that may be making some form of business out of social media.

    Not to sound ridiculously dorky, but I went to a high school with the motto, “Let Your Lives Speak.” I feel that way about conducting business. The best social media practitioners are living case studies for the efficacy of these new technologies and communication strategies. If the “experts” can’t bring the experience to life through their own actions, I’d apply the charlatan tag.

  • http://www.whitneyhoffman.com Whitney

    There are tons of opportunities that abound, especially where verticals overlap- but if you are all horse, not hat, all talk, no action, simply forget it.
    Your mama taught your this lesson and now it’s time to take heed:
    Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Period. If you can’t keep one you’ve already made, tell that person. Be honest. People respect you more for saying you screwed up than trying to hide it, hoping for a miracle, whatever.

    It’s easy to say, sometimes hard to do, but it means all the difference between long term success and failure. When you say you are going to do something, can people count on you??? Can you count on you? Is it like taking money to the bank? (perhaps the wrong analogy in this economy) but you should be as trustworthy as the most trustworthy soul on the planet.

  • http://elvigilanteblog.com Snow Vandemore

    There is risk involved in delving into topics or theories with which you don’t have much experience. But that’s called learning by doing. Writing, talking, conversing about ideas that are new is sometimes frought with unknown results. That’s where the rut sets in.

    Pushing yourself for results is admirable, but pushing others to connect out of their comfort zone can be equally as challenging. Teach me about something I don’t know and I’ll reciprocate if we are both genuinely receptive to new ideas and exploring them together. I find that very exciting and a worthwhile endeavor.

    Thanks for the opportunity to share.

  • http://inoveryourhead.net julien

    aha, but of course everyone will say “yes absolutely CC, we totally need to get out of the fishbowl!” (nice pic, btw.) but another interesting aspect to this is that selling yourself WITHIN the fishbowl is *easier*. the people inside have already gone through the process of self-reinforcement that you would normally do with them, telling them how your service would help. so from a profitability perspective, isn’t it better to be in here? :)

  • http://altitudebranding.com Amber Naslund

    Hey CC,

    Yep, that’s happening. I think it’s partly what you describe: folks who are wanting to be in this space, but really only have the theoretical to draw from. Part of that’s endemic to how few companies still HAVE practical experience to point to (much less people who have done it). But there’s another issue at hand.

    We’re lousy translators. It’s much easier, as Julien pointed out, to hang out in the fishbowl because you don’t have to try as hard to put things into words that transcend the medium. In other words, can you talk to a business that knows nothing about social media and skip all the cliches, all the overdone words like “conversation” and “community” and really TELL them why it matters? Show them how and what you’re doing for their business?

    As for the how, I think that problem is going to start solving itself. As Scott says, the practitioners are going to be leading by example, not by rhetoric. They’re actually going to be ever quieter inside the fishbowl, because they’re going to be out there, working and executing. The results are what will speak.

    And part of it is the responsibility of both businesses and colleagues in our industry to be insisting on accountability. I, for one, would rather be answering the hard questions and doing the dirty work. Then it won’t be a matter of me having to prove what I’m capable of, but a matter of others proving instead that they’ve got a foundation to shore up those million preachy blog posts about what everyone else is doing wrong.

    Cheers,
    Amber

  • http://doughaslam.com Doug Haslam

    Julien– so, you have the scratch for an enterprise social media solution? ;)

  • http://www.topazpartners.com Tim Allik

    Thanks CC, you’re a breath of fresh air. It’s boring and monotonous to keep hearing the same conversations in the same vague, nebulous terms about who “gets social media” — without seeing the dialogue evolve into something more concrete, tangible and useful. Give me case studies. Give me examples. The logrolling just doesn’t do it for me anymore.

  • http://inoveryourhead.net julien

    to add to what was said above, it’s also ok to let the power of what we do speak for itself. after all, google (or facebook, or whatever) never reached outside the fishbowl– they just let what they do speak for themselves. if it’s worth embracing, it’ll get embraced.

    or will it?

  • http://www.connectedworldmedia.com David Jacobs

    I meet every Thursday morning with a group of people who couldn’t be more out of the fishbowl. Many of them did not have a Facebook account, let alone LinkedIn. Twitter? hu? What’s that?
    It couldn’t be more gratifying meeting with these people and I’ll tell you they are hungry for information and help. But it’s a very different experience talking with these people. They don’t care about the hype and the promise. They want to know where the rubber meets the road.

  • http://www.cc-chapman.com C.C.

    Thanks for all the feedback. For sure, talking IS easier then doing and that is why we all do plenty of it. Hell, I do as well ever time I fire up the microphone.

    But, I’m working hard on the DO part as well. The Advance Guard makes sure of that and I know there are plenty of others out there working hard as well.

    It is going to be an interesting year. That much I know for sure.

  • http://www.TheBostonHomeTeam.com Will Brokhof

    I’ve felt this way as long as I can remember. Nothing has changed of late either. From my neighborhood association to my office environment to local politics to the men’s group that I conceived – no one wants to be the first one to pick up the shovel. I’m over it though (after mucho therapy). I have very low expectations of others now. I’m trying to focus on what I’m doing and saying rather than others. I have no control over them.

  • http://www.debworks.com Deb

    I’m no longer new in learning social media. I’m at the stage where I want to go out into my local community and teach others how to use it. I’ll be teaching a beginners class at the local community college for starters (in May).

    Here’s my question – I’m not finding very many people writing about how to implement social media in their local communities. Wouldn’t it be brilliant if all small businesses used it? Unemployment rates today are 8.1 – what if we could help lower that? I want to read blogs by people who are out in the field doing it! I want to know what they are doing! I’m not asking for trade secrets – just a little practical advice. I do know that if I don’t get that advice – I’ll make my own way and figure it out. You bet I’m gonna write about it.

    Thanks CC – I think we just might agree.

  • http://www.directmarketingobservations.com Marc Meyer

    CC, mad props to Bob Collins from Shift for indirectly pointing me to this post after he had mentioned something that David Scott had written about and ironically, I had written about. I’ve been maintaining for quite some time, that If you want clients, go where they are. Don’t hang here talking to a bunch of people who are just like you-You’ll never be wrong and you’ll always have plenty of friends telling you how great you are and how much YOU know about social media, marketing and PR.

    Lets see how many can do it for next to nothing. I say put your money where your mouth is. Case in point, I’m getting ready to do a fairly good sized project for a client for next to nothing. Why? because I believe in what I know and I’m showing the client that not only am I willing to be paid on performance, but I also am showing them how much I believe in how successful this will be for them in the long run.

    Boom

  • http://howigotmyjob.com Daniel Johnson, Jr.

    I see a couple of things going on:

    1. People in this space need to chat with one another about what’s going on and sharpen their tools and skills. So much time is indeed needed to be in the fishbowl. It’s a safe place to rejuvenate and be renewed, in a sense.

    2. People in this space need to spend time outside of the space to interact with others and share what we know. “With great power comes great responsibility.” and all that jazz. That’s also where the value to what we are learning can be had.

    Perhaps we feel so strongly about this because we’ve been around it longer than many others who are new to the space.

    By the way, this situation is not unique to social media. It happens in churches all the time. Congregations need to get out and evangelize, all the while meeting together to be renewed and learn, etc.

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