6. “A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.” Albert Einstein “If men could only know each other, they would neither idolize nor hate.” Elbert Hubbard “If you stop learning, you will forget what you already know.” Proverbs 19:27
7. gather & filter TRUST >> ask opinions >> search >> web site >> check reviews
8. out IN >> connect >> cultivate >> personalize >> coach >> liberate >> publicize >> control >> push >> censor >> capture
9. basics of SURVIVAL >> who’s on 1st & what’s the win >> progressive dinner vs potluck >> watch & learn >> give more than you receive >> you are not a robot
10. MO basics of SURVIVAL >> not an afterthought >> hot light isn’t always on >> keep it simple >> nurture the community >> chatter matters
11. where it HAPPENS >> blogging >> facebook/twitter >> mobile/video >> apps
About me …Thanks for coming …And all those pleasantries …Today’s local church doesn’t have communication models built for today’s reality. Information overload, pressure to keep up, subculture alliances, global neighborhoods, mass distrust of big business and organized religion, etc., has moved us past the industrial age through the information age to the interconnected age. The “social” (a.k.a. new media, virtual communities, global neighborhood, Web 2.0) is a significant piece of two-way communication in today’s society. This topic isn’t breaking news; the Blogosphere is 11 years old, Facebook is six and Twitter is three. Yet I’m still hearing from church leaders almost daily who are either overwhelmed by, passionately against or inappropriately using social media. Adaptability is hard for any organization, especially one steeped in tradition like the church. So here I am, advocating the redemptive value and responsibilities of participating in “the social.”
The hope, encouragement, training and life transformation we have to offer through the local church is as relevant now as it ever has been. That doesn’t need to change. We just make it too hard for people to engage in the story.Worse? We’re not even in the environments where conversations are already happening. Last week, someone left this comment on my blog. “Pull the computer out of the wall, and go out into your community. Shake some hands, learn some names, invest actual time in people and earn the right to be heard. That's how you minister to your community, not by eavesdropping on what they're saying on Twitter.”Maybe you don’t agree with this point of view, but I’ll bet you know someone who does and you don’t know how to convince them otherwise. We all hear the hub-bub about how the internet is making us stupid. Or, how people need to get a life and turn off the computer. Ignoring the social is a fast pass to unhealthy and completely out of touch. SO WHERE DO YOU FALL?OverwhelmedUnderwhelmedMisdirected
The internet isn't any more of a cop-out to real life than a car is to walking. A healthy reality doesn’t embrace all or nothing. I like how Phil Cooke puts it in his book, Branding Faith; “Like most areas of life, the greatest dangers often come out of the strongest positives. And we don't stop using good accounting principles because of the bookkeeping abuses of Enron.” These virtual communities and spontaneous new social structures are increasingly becoming some of the most important places to “earn the right to be heard.” When we listen, learn about and acknowledge people in their online spaces, we are developing relational collateral for offline space. How people gather and filter trust…: (source Moosylvania Insights)Ask people they trust for opinionsUse search to find informationVisit a “brand” siteCheck reviews to see what others are sayingCircle back to trusted sources for final opinionsPeople follow a sequenced process before they put their trust in something. Sure some steps co-exist and are accessed simultaneously, but people move through the steps at their own pace. Are you strategically looking for ways to help people advance through the ladder?
A change in approach starts with a change in mindset. Our communication efforts will be exponentially more effective if we fine-tune our M.O.—online and off.Prescribe (influence)Fear (wonder)Conform (channel)Send (release)Getting feedback (providing service)Broadcast (listen)
But, the practical questions still remain—where do I fit in the social? What part can my church play? There’s so much advice out there and nobody’s an expert (don’t believe anyone who tells you they are). Just like people “offline” there is no one-size-fits-all approach to people “online.” However, everyone—regardless of skill or style—can learn, leverage and grow in the social with a few basics of survival. Who’s on first and what’s the win? What audience is most important? Who are you learning from or caring for? What’s your main objective? Is it listening, learning or sharing? Don’t try to include everyone and everything at once. Focus your attention on a primary audience and outcome. Think progressive dinner, not potluck. Youdon’t have to do everything, everywhere, all at one time. Pick one tool, start slow. Find what’s comfortable for you before you add more. Be slow and deliberate; it’s a process, not an event. Watch and learn. Lurking is a good thing. Observe others before you interact. Play the role of spectator to pick up cues, discover the do’s & don’ts and find your groove.If you treat it as an afterthought, you will be an afterthought. Don’t look at it as an add-on, be intentional and make it part of your schedule and flow. One hour a week or 10 minutes at the top and bottom of your day can make a dramatic difference. Give more than thou receive: Promote others more than you promote yourself. Don’t ask “how can I get more people to my spot” but “how can I make people’s lives better?” This is particularly important when responding to criticism and complaints. You are not a robot. People can smell fake. What you put online should be an extension of who you are. Demonstrate you are human, not a censored organization or sterilized avatar. Honesty is more important than genius. The hot light isn’t always on. Make it do-able. If you have the space, engage. If your schedule is jammed, don’t sweat it. It’s not all on, all the time. Keep up when you can, don’t freak out when you can’t. Everyone has their own pace.Keep it simple. The whole point—keep it minimalistic and digestible—for you and others. Nurture the community. Teach your offline networks how to connect online. Don’t be afraid to let staff people use social media during office hours. Network offline, connect online. Network online, connect offline. It’s a continuum. Chatter matters. Success isn’t measured by a list of stats, but an unfolding narrative. The whole picture is made up of numbers, connections, trends, conversations and stories.
But, the practical questions still remain—where do I fit in the social? What part can my church play? There’s so much advice out there and nobody’s an expert (don’t believe anyone who tells you they are). Just like people “offline” there is no one-size-fits-all approach to people “online.” However, everyone—regardless of skill or style—can learn, leverage and grow in the social with a few basics of survival. If you treat it as an afterthought, you will be an afterthought. Don’t look at it as an add-on, be intentional and make it part of your schedule and flow. One hour a week or 10 minutes at the top and bottom of your day can make a dramatic difference. The hot light isn’t always on. Make it do-able. If you have the space, engage. If your schedule is jammed, don’t sweat it. It’s not all on, all the time. Keep up when you can, don’t freak out when you can’t. Everyone has their own pace.Keep it simple. The whole point—keep it minimalistic and digestible—for you and others. Nurture the community. Teach your offline networks how to connect online. Don’t be afraid to let staff people use social media during office hours. Network offline, connect online. Network online, connect offline. It’s a continuum. Chatter matters. Success isn’t measured by a list of stats, but an unfolding narrative. The whole picture is made up of numbers, connections, trends, conversations and stories.
At the end of the day, it’s about creating great environments online that inspire real people offline. If you boycott the social (intentionally or carelessly) you risk making decisions based on incomplete information and have less impact on the world around you. Be social.BloggingFacebook95 million users/65 million mobile users/65 languages50% active on daily basis/5.75 hours per month54% Male/66% 13-35/ 33% over 35Avg of 130 friends [SCREEN SHOT] Facebook insights pageCauses (Events, Sampling, Commenting, Sharing, Connecting, Apps, Fans--dominant home pages)Twitter30 million unique users per month/85% publish fewer than 1 update per day (majority keeping up not speaking out—consume content versus distribute)75% mobile54% female/ 43% 18-34/ 29% 35-4993% follow fewer than 100 people/have fewer than 100 followersBennies (Speed, Sound, Freaky Fast, Good Samaritan,Theology of Twitter)MobileMore people in India have access to a cell phone than to a toilet, according to a U.N. report. (yesterday)Ecommerce (Location retail & services/ Transparent pricing)ApplicationsVideoYouTube/YouVersion/Yelp/Online church
