In this last 3 weeks I’ve given little love to my humble blog and it’s because I’ve been busy at a new exciting job. I’ve been working hard giving clients advice, reviewing campaigns, developing strategies and other work related things.
It’s no news to anyone that there is a difference between doing and talking, and a combination of the two is great. However, in the Australian social media arena talking out weighs the doing, see example #234 of 237 from yesterday.
Doing vs talking over time
Are you a blogger or a consultant, an entreprenuer or an academic? Or a combination of them all?
Social Media Marketing in Australia needs all of the above right now, but bring on some more doers. Being a blogger doesn’t make you a Social Media Marketer, using Social Media to spread a mesage for a brand makes you a Social Media Marketer – a doer.
Idea of graphing my thoughts inspired by Jye Smith.
UPDATE (13/04/09): This video is semi-relevant but moreso a nice example of doing, by Honda.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS8S_OJMzh0]
Leave comments here or on Twitter @simontsmall
April 10th, 2009 on 4:27 pm
Hi Simon,
Nice redesign! Simplicity is great.
Interest sentiments… although, it’s strange that you didn’t include the role of the ‘marketer’ in your graph, as from what I can understand you were saying that we need more social media marketers who ‘do’ things.
Also, generalisations from data such as gossip comments aren’t that accurate — as social media is relatively a new marketing discipline, there’s bound to be more talking than doing as people research and find their feet. Not to mention that the people who were contributing weren’t actually marketers themselves.
In society there will be always be people who have certain roles and this diversity is how the theory and ideas (from the talkers) get put into action (by the doers). It’s a symbiotic relationship.
Also one’s person ‘talking’ is another person’s ‘doing’ (e.g. academic releasing papers that make a critical discovery or bring about social change).
For reference, I would count myself as a generalist, i.e. all of the things in your chart.
April 10th, 2009 on 4:38 pm
Hey Kate, thanks for the comment.
A marketer would be in the role of a manager or consultant. The graph intended to be industry neutral.
April 10th, 2009 on 4:42 pm
I’m not sure whether to be wounded by your low placement of journalists, or be flattered by the fact that you put us above academics.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
April 10th, 2009 on 4:48 pm
Tim, best to feel both
All positions on the graph are equally important and as Kate said symbiotic, however, in social media marketing I feel there are currently too many to the bottom right.
Also, I’d say as a manager of a media outlet having left a tired and non 2.0 B&T and setup the community focused Mumbrella, you’re a doer. As a journalist you’re a talker.
April 10th, 2009 on 5:12 pm
Hi Simon,
Talk does not cook rice
Nice to talk to you however I must get back to the doing.
- regards
Sean
April 13th, 2009 on 10:31 am
Very interesting. I find myself blogging about a few ideas I’m yet to execute, but working both as a consultant and within an agency definitely allows me see my ideas from conception through to reality. Great post!