Posted in Week With Whuffie
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3/06 2009

Week With Whuffie: Embracing the Chaos

I have a problem. It is something that I have dealt with my entire life and no matter how many times I try to change… it never goes away. I am unorganized. I have papers everywhere and I try to keep my room clean but it never happens. Now, there is a method to my chaos and I would like to say it is being chaotically organized. I am creative! Give me a break! And I have a brilliant staff and partner at Brandswag to keep us running and me sane.

Tara Hunt, the author of the Whuffie Factor, talks about the importance of embracing the chaos when building out a social media plan and strategy:

“Embracing the chaose of community mean letting go of the need to plan everything and the fantasy that you can control any given situation. Instead of building up plans and structure, you should be building flexibility and environment awareness into campaigns. You need to be hyperaware. ” (pg 205)

Sometimes this is a hard thing for business owners to swallow.

“You mean… You want me to not plan, structure, and prioritize everything?”

It is important to remember that social media in and of itself is organized chaos. There are millions upon millions of people intermingling and communicating on a daily basis all over the world. Now, it is important to remember that strategy plays a huge role in the success of a social media plan but if you do not let the COMMUNITY drive the STRATEGY… you will be at a loss.

As marketers, business owners, advertising executives, and sales directors… we are not here to broadcast a message. We can no longer control the organized chaos of the consumer. The consumer now controls the message. If we do not let nature take its course… we will be left holding a balance sheet..

and mark my words… it will be red.

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  1. Help Desk
    3/06 2009

    Innovation and creativity are clearly the by-products of the work environment you place yourself in each day. When your assets are intellectual property it is even more important that you invest in a home work environment that generates as much innovation and creativity as possible. Once I decided to purchase modular office furniture for my home office my business has been on a very positive trajectory.

  2. Oberata
    3/06 2009

    Kyle:

    While I appreciate and sometimes practice the "feet firmly planted in midair" approach, we've got to understand the purpose of a tool like SM, else there will be abuse; e.g. if you handed a cell phone to a cave man, he might use it as a hammer.

    I'm no authority on social media (and even if I were I'd never admit it). But I have to disagree with this section: "We can no longer control the organized chaos of the consumer. The consumer now controls the message. If we do not let nature take its course… we will be left holding a balance sheet.."

    I'm not entire clear what that means. I know you like to keep your posts short for the readers' sake, but this needs more qualification.

    You mentioned the importance of having a strategy for use of SM – without which you are toast. You have also in prior posts broadcast the need to embrace SM for marketing, building relationships, innovation, and staying relevant to your customers. I agree! But none of these can be done apart from having an infrastructure (e.g. plan, organization, systems) that supports your vision (what you're really here for.)

    That message doesn't change. And while I do understand that the medium IS sometimes the message, the core message should never change.

    Brandswag IS a message. Oberata Consulting IS a message. Kyle I've read enough to know that YOUR values/message don't change by the whimsy of consumers. Hell, you're the very merchant of cool in all things SM. But your post suggests that since there are hungry velociraptors on Main St., we should take our hands off the wheel and look for a spaceship.

    I agree, though, that the medium to communicate our expertise and value are changing (thankfully!). This is one reason I've followed your content with such curiosity . . .

    The main idea is that people will always pay for value. And yes it is our job to jump into the stream where those we serve best are . . wading / waiting :) This seems opposite to the statement of "letting the community drive the strategy" . .

    Thanks for your research and hard work, and I look forward to hearing more from you.

    Jeff Timpanaro