Everywhere, All The Time

Recently at an event, I heard six words that were like a clarion: You need to get out more.

The words were juxtaposed atop an image of the wilderness. Its dual implication was funny and I laughed: of course! But as I listened and considered, the inner message unfolded, becoming much deeper and more clear: the concept of “getting out there” was much more involved than simply being seen or simply listening. It was about interacting on a number of levels. What I was doing at this event was part of getting “out there.” The uptick in communication that usually cascaded from the event and others like it were part of getting “out there”. In fact, everything I was doing to further my knowledge about my industry and those who engage with it — attending events, reading and commenting on posts, responding to emails with requested guidance, paying attention to the flow of communications on the pages I manage — these were all part of “getting out there.” The question that arose in my mind was, Why am I not doing this more? Or rather — Why is this not valued more?

Stop being an observer and become a participant.

The speaker who issued the directive, Tom Webster of Edison Research, was addressing a very specific usage — how brands have an imperative to understand what their clients, followers, and patrons need or are seeking to find. Sometimes it’s a product, sometimes a service, other times just a point of view. At all times, however, we must know what our audiences — existing, desired and also departed (in the figurative sense) — are saying and how they are feeling in order to understand how to address them effectively. Part of acquiring that knowledge can happen in social, but oftentimes, it’s through old-school methods: just getting out there, everywhere you can, anytime you’re able.

Related: At the risk of being cliché, I need to give the following example — a brief homage, really — to a master of the full-coverage/buckshot approach, who did exactly that: Boston’s late beloved mayor, Tom Menino, who was everywhere, all the time. As the city’s longest-serving mayor, he made every possible appearance, no matter how small, over the course of his 20-year term. He had an intrinsic understanding of how important personal attention and presence is to connection — his constant presence reinforced the perception that no issue was too petty for his attention. The city I live in now is at the forefront of intellectual, medical, and technological thought — a direct result of his efforts. [As an aside, it’s been interesting to watch our new mayor, Marty Walsh, don the mantle, albeit more virtually — cultivating a strong social media presence (with the help of a formidable social media strategist.) Mayor Walsh is doing his best to follow the example of his predecessor, being everywhere — if not all the time, at least as often as possible. His effort shows in the work he’s doing, and is certainly evidenced in photo opportunities.]

All the components are necessary.

We can talk all day long about how to create the next viral sensation, how to create streams of engaging content, how to measure success. And often, we hear (and repeat) that social media is seen as an inexpensive way to get the message out, to get in front of people — which is true. But no amount of engaging content or witty/sticky campaigns will perform how we want them to if we don’t invest in all the components, including getting out there. Brands — giant or small, commercial or nonprofit, personal or not — need to actively invest in being present: in the mix with potential clients, existing clients, past clients, friends, frenemies, and competitors. Without engaging in real life from time to time, we rob our work of relevance and context, and risk silo-ing our ideas — to our detriment.

This was evident to me a recent Social Media Breakfast. Yes, there could be clients lurking nearby that I should meet and connect with, and maybe even pitch. Yes, there are thought leaders munching on breakfast pastries, who do amazing and thought-provoking work. But the true value, in my opinion, lies in being able to simply listen to other voices—to best practices, learnings from mistakes, and other ideas and approaches—and see how to apply new knowledge to old assumptions. This is how important connections begin to be made between people and ideas, and how ideas evolve and are shared. I spend the time listening and broadcasting, sharing thoughts and ideas, and conversing with others on what I learn both on and offline. I return to my work refreshed, revitalized, repurposed, the hour hearing other perspectives having allowed me to internalize and catalyze creative processes (I like to call this process “cross-pollination” — and that would be the Midwesterner in me). And I realize that the only way to do this — to understand the landscape, your place in it and how to improve or change it — is to get out there. Stop being an observer and be a participant. Get out there more — more often, and with more passion.