How The Small Can Make a Big Impact
Reddit.com founder Alexis Ohanian, is a great example of one idea that got away from its creators and ended up becoming something bigger than they ever could have hoped — once they learned the benefit of letting go. Watch this!
How LIVESTRONG Has Used Social Media to Make an Impact
In 2004, a yellow bracelet raised awareness and brought $70 million to the cancer cause. A stunning six years later, the bracelet movement has gone virtual, making further change a reality. Keeping a cause’s momentum going for several years is a huge feat. LIVESTRONG, a foundation dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by cancer, now focuses on using social media to present its message, advance its mission and strengthen its movement. The social media revolution has helped LIVESTRONG further its impact and reach, through social media’s power to foster communication, connection and a call to action.
In 2009, LIVESTRONG hired Brooke McMillan to work full-time on its social media. Brooke manages LIVESTRONG’s blog as well as its Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr accounts. This use of social media has given LIVESTRONG a far-reaching and powerful impact, helping to spread the word, support those affected by cancer, raise money and create change.
The voices of LIVESTRONG are the founder, cyclist and cancer-survivor, Lance Armstrong; the CEO, Doug Ulman, also a cancer-survivor; and the Social Media Director, Brooke McMillan. All three spread the word about the LIVESTRONG foundation and the cancer cause through their twitter accounts and other social media. They tweet, blog and post about upcoming fundraisers or about new information pertinent to cancer patients and survivors.
Quick Social Media Fun Facts:
Twitter: Messages tweeted three to six times a day by Brooke, Lance and Doug
• @livestrong (68,563 followers)
• @lancearmstrong (2,512,326 followers)
• @livestrongceo (997,838 followers)
Facebook: Updated frequently with LIVESTRONG news and links to other media; responses given several times a day to questions and stories posted by fans
• http://www.facebook.com/livestrong (liked by 834,666 fans)
Blog: Daily blogs posted with news about cancer research, testimonies of survivors, etc.
• http://livestrongblog.org
YouTube: Videos posted monthly of cancer-survivor interviews, treatment information, and news on LIVESTRONG events
• http://www.youtube.com/user/livestrongarmy (videos receive hundreds to thousands of views)
Flickr: Photos of LIVESTRONG events and fundraisers are posted, as well as photos of supporters wearing their LIVESTRONG bracelets
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/livestrongarmy (1,800 photos posted)
Communicating the Message
Social media have allowed another voice to be added to LIVESTRONG–the most influential and inspiring voice. It is the voice of the community of cancer patients and survivors. They post their stories to the LIVESTRONG blog and Facebook page. Instead of wearing a LIVESTRONG bracelet on their wrist, supporters of LIVESTRONG wear a virtual one on their Twitter avatar–a yellow LIVESTRONG band created to stretch across the profile picture. It is seen by all who read their tweets.
Social media are effective at spreading the message, because they inspire dialogue. Nobody likes a one-sided conversation. LIVESTRONG is not robotically feeding out information. Its social media give it a personality, create conversation and encourage story-telling. Social media expand the reach of LIVESTRONG’s message through meeting its audience in a convenient place it visits frequently, the internet. Social media throw a pebble in the water, initializing communication and causing others to pick up the message and pass it on until it reaches the furthest banks of society.
Connecting to advance the Mission
Through the communication of social media, LIVESTRONG began a conversation that connected with its audience and created a community. LIVESTRONG’s mission is to help those affected by cancer and to get others involved in the cause. LIVESTRONG actualizes this goal daily by means of the community created through interaction with its audience in social media.
LIVESTRONG uses social media to give cancer patients and survivors the information they need. On sites such as Twitter and Facebook, the cancer community can ask questions or respond to information given to them. Because LIVESTRONG has this connection with its audience, it can respond to feedback and answer questions, making all it communicates pertinent and useful.
Social media adds many helping hands to LIVESTRONG. For example, people will post accounts of what they are going through on the LIVESTRONG Facebook wall, and others will respond with offers of support or present information that could be helpful. Cancer survivors post their stories and experience to comfort and advise those currently affected by cancer. The community fostered in LIVESTRONG’s social media ministers to cancer patients; it lets them know that they are not alone, that people care about what they are going through, and that a cure is being actively sought. This reflects how a real-life community shares stories and life-experiences, connects with others, responds to needs and shows care.
Social media spin a web of contacts and connections. When one thread of information is touched on, it vibrates the many criss-crossing strings of informants, advisors, and companions. Discussion grows. Word spreads. Information is learned, and questions are answered. Relationships build. This is the power of social media.
Call to Action Creates Movement
LIVESTRONG desires to both give and get. It gives support to cancer patients and seeks to get others to do the same. Thus, LIVESTRONG uses its social media to present a call to action. That call was answered in 2009 with an amazing $10.8 million in funds raised and 70,000 signatures collected for a healthcare reform petition.
The community of followers in LIVESTRONG’s social media builds momentum and movement through its stories and support. Social media spread the word and build excitement about fundraisers and events. Event times are tweeted, fundraiser information is blogged, and merchandise is displayed in Facebook posts. These fundraisers and events have existed since the beginning of the LIVESTRONG foundation, but social media reaches a wide audience quickly, helping LIVESTRONG fill events and meet goals. In 2009, LIVESTRONG sought change by making a political statement. It asked people to join in and support the LIVESTRONG Healthcare Reform Petition. 70,000 people responded by signing the petition. LIVESTRONG asks; the community answers. Movement results.
The phenomenon of social media is revolutionizing the way organizations raise awareness and achieve change. Social media are effective because they reach a wide audience in a convenient way through a variety of mediums (words, pictures, audio, and video). They are 24/7; they never sleep. They are current. They are viral, growing conversation and community. They cause action. Social media are impactful and important.
After six years the Livestrong organization seems to only be getting started.
The Underdog Story
I love the underdog story. Today I get to write about one that is close to my heart. I want to introduce you to Daniel Nava. If you are a sports fanatic than you have probably heard the buzz about his first game in the major leagues. More on that to come. I grew up with Daniel. We both went to a small school in San Carlos, Ca where we shared a passion for sports. He was a couple years younger but had a magnetic personality making him a super likable guy. Daniel and his whole family are amazing people and have been as long as I have known them. His dad, who we all affectionately called, “Coach” never ceased to provide a healthy balance of encouragement and “bust you in the butt” pep talks. He’s the real deal.
Daniel was so athletic and gifted in sports that there wasn’t anything he couldn’t play and do well at. The thing was, he had a small frame in Jr high and high school. I think he was around 4’11″ 70lbs his freshman year. His whole life people told him he was too small but he never quit.
Initially cut as a walk on at Santa Clara University, Nava went to JC and excelled, ultimately returning to Santa Clara for his senior season. He went undrafted and again proved the doubters wrong by doing extremely well in independent baseball in 2007, earning the spot as Baseball America’s #1 independent prospect. He then proceeded to win the California League batting crown in 2008, albeit at the age of 25. Following an early-season injury in 2009, he went on to dominate the Carolina League and the Eastern League in limited at-bats.
He was called up to Majors to play with the Red Sox. The rest is history. His first time at bat, first pitch, he hits a grand slam home run. He is the 2nd person to ever hit a grand slam on first pitch.
Watch this!
Leadership and The Hair Stylist
The Hair Stylist
The other day I had a conversation with the gal who cuts my hair. She was talking about her hair salon and wondered how technology and social media might play a part in connecting with and building her client base. She felt a little overwhelmed with all the options of Twitter, Facebook, myspace, Linkedin etc. She’s not alone. Our conversation reminded me that it’s about leadership first, technology second.
Leadership First
There are thousands of books out there that define and describe leadership for us. Let’s just start with Wikipedia’s definition for now,
“leadership is the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.”
This definition takes the concept of leadership out of the clouds and into your shoes. That’s why I like it.
The truth is, leadership is not tied to any one occupation or position. It’s extensive and inclusive. So a hairstylist, for example, is not excluded from using leadership to accomplish stuff. Like anyone they have to identify their process of social influence and then get to work.
What’s your PSI (Process of Social Influence)?
This may vary by occupation, but at a fundamental level, your process of social influence has to have at least 2 things:
1. Engagement (how do you get people involved?) or as Wikipedia states “enlisting their aid”
2. Empowerment (how do you give people a chance to contribute?) or as Wikipedia states “enlisting support”
Engagement + Empowerment = ACTs (Accomplishment of a Common Task)
The “lowly” hairstylist that values the community enough to enlist their aid and support with the goal of making her practice (cutting hair) better, will always improve if feedback is taken to heart. The truth is, we (customer) want you (hairstylist) to lead. Lead through your website. Lead through your posts on Facebook and Twitter. Invite us into the conversation. Lead in person. Educate us on your world.The salon, after all, it is your domain. You know it. You are the expert and you are the key to a good or bad experience. Do this, and we’ll follow – assuming you are good at cutting hair too. :)
