subtitle

maybe "rants" isn't the right word. these are simple thoughts about my life. some may be more colorful than others. some language may be offensive, but it depends on your definition of offensive. consider this your warning ;)

22 August 2011

General Answers to so many specific questions

Forgive me for typos or crazy formatting, but I typed this on my iPhone...

For one of my hats, I work for the Communications Department of the Forty-Niner Shops, Inc., the auxiliary on campus at CSU Long Beach supporting Bookstore and Dining Services. As recent alumni of CSULB, I'm considerably younger than many of the upper echelon employees who have been with the company for decades. I've come up against much opposition in regards to social media, but my impetus for the majority of my online performance is rooted in my Theatre background. But enough about me...

The more questions I hear about Social Media, the more it sounds like a form of theatre for the 21st Century. Because there are so many channels, methods, and practices online, those who are involved in any way, to whatever degree they have enveloped themselves and their organizations in already, are asking questions about tailoring social media usage specific to their organization (with good reason).

If I could offer general points of advice for Social Media practices:

1. Know your audience, and listen to them.

2. ALWAYS go back to your mission to help create your voice.

3. Dont feel pressured to match the efforts of fish with bigger budgets, if you tell your story honestly and correctly, the spectacle creates itself.

Obviously, there are hundreds of practices, beliefs, and opinions, and I am "only" one man, but my hope is that this will help at least one person (or one organization), if not in progressive action, at least in their sanity while tackling this huge eBeast.

There are practices that have been shared with us that work for those that testified to their success, but your organization is uniquely different, and so your social media practices should be as well.

By no means am I claiming to be an "expert," strategist, or marketing genius, I simply wanted to share my thoughts in this conference/workshop setting.

Marlon D Deleon
Communications Dept
Forty-Niner Shops, Inc

Facilitator
Long Beach Theatre Arts Collaborative

Dailyownx4@gmail.com