Category Archives: Social Media
Practical Social and Digital Integration: Chicago Shovels
It snowed last week in Seattle. Having grown up in the area, I will attest that it was a significant storm for the area but far less concerning than the reports that were put out across the wires.
As many of my friends in these parts are also Chicago transplants, we shared a collective chuckle around the mesmerizing general reaction to what is typically referred to as “slight snowfall” on an average winter day in Chicago. One of the main issues is that it simply does not snow but a few times each year in Seattle (good thing) but when it does, the city shuts down completely due to a lack of resources and preparation. It had me recalling some messy mornings from my old life in Chicago where I was simply unable to dig my car out.
Snow-filled Seattle last week.
Fittingly, a friend pointed me towards Chicago Shovels last weekend - a new initiative by the City of Chicago that provides an interactive resource to help residents deal with the city’s typically treacherous winter.
My expectations were low knowing that I was about to visit a city run site – notorious for poor user experience and slow technology adoption. I was wrong. What makes the site strong in my book is the degree of practical social and digital integration. There is a “Plow Tracker” to help residents keep tabs on real-time street clearing activity as well as a number of integrated apps (including a Tow Tracker to help you find where your car has been “relocated” – imperative in a city that loves to tow) and even SMS alerts to stay updated.
While my bet would be that an agency helped the city with some of the marketing content, full kudos to the team for developing useful video content to help users navigate the site.
Though Seattle does not have the frequency of snow to warrant a full on platform like this, Chicago Shovels is a great model for other snow-laden cities to follow in implementing a smart communications platform that fits the baseline communication needs for residents.
The Matt Green Super Secret to Great Storytelling
Yes, great storytellers are great writers. They understand narrative structure, setting, how to grab attention, how to humanize and build tension and ultimately, how to bring it all full circle or provide a call to action. In our digital world, great storytellers possess the technical skills to build and manage a blog, shoot photos, record audio, create good videos and maximize use of our favorite social media channels.
That aside, stories first need to be discovered and explored. Great stories also typically require time to evolve and develop in order to properly match a storyteller’s vision. So what’s the super secret to drumming up a great story??
Take a walk and explore.
Step away from the computer. March outside and start walking. Look around. Delve into the details and take note of all the happenings and your surroundings. You’ll be amazed at the plethora of story ideas that you’ll encounter.
Need a lesson in how it’s done right? I was ecstatic this morning to learn that Matt Green (man behind I’m Just Walkin’ who most recently documented his walk across the U.S.) is embarking on a new walking trek exploring every public street in NYC.
When I originally discovered Matt’s blog, I couldn’t help but immediately jump into marketing mode analyzing Matt’s blog template, assessing why he wasn’t utilizing Facebook/Twitter/YouTube to further build community and enrich his story, determining whether he was tying his walk into a larger cause-related effort, jostling back and forth about why shoe and outdoor gear brands hadn’t jumped onboard to sponsor, etc. I quickly caught myself.
After following along for a few days, I came to recognize the purity of Matt’s approach to storytelling as he spent day in and day out capturing the finer details in life that we often overlook or simply never experience. I was drawn in by Matt’s simplistic approach, authentic tone and great photos. Key ingredients frequently found among great storytellers.
For those questioning why Matt ever completed his first walk, give this post a good read. One of Matt’s key takeaways from his journey was proving that despite all the horrible stories we hear about in the media day in and day out – people are inherently good natured. Unfortunately, we’ve learned to shy away from interacting with strangers or exploring new areas based on preconceived notions of danger. As Matt notes:
It’s only when people are isolated from some potential danger that they really begin to fear it in a way that’s totally out of proportion. When we let our expectations of danger make decisions for us, we end up avoiding the very experiences that have the power to change those expectations. In that way, our fear of the world is self-sustaining. We never give ourselves the chance to learn that our fears are baseless, because we isolate ourselves from the situations that can challenge our fears.
Great storytellers step outside their boundaries. They talk to strangers. They explore unfamiliar locations. They look behind the door. They face fears.
While marketers are naturally drawn to the bells and whistles of building community and making a story sing, the truth of the matter is that good stories stand on their own when told in an authentic manner.
In 2012, strive to be a great storyteller. Focus on starting with a great story. Embrace the world and approach one another with initial trust that we’re all good people and most importantly – go take a walk.
p.s. If you are a shoe/outdoor gear brand, may be smart to drop Matt a line as he’s seeking a bit of financial support. Just sayin’.
