Not All Audiences are Created Equal

There are some great conversations happening at and around the ConnectNow conference. And something keeps plugging away in the back of my mind. It’s about conversations, audiences and transformation. What do we do when we are faced with a “no”. What happens with, say, social media, when you run up against a brick wall? But more – what if this same thing applies to other aspects of your business?

I have never been a fan of trying to change the mind of a naysayer. It’s hard to convert a fanatic. I have always been more interested in dealing with people who are impatient, the ones who want change and want it enough to make it happen. And I think this was instilled in me a long time ago – when I read the British playwright Howard Barker:

"Because you cannot address everybody, you may as well address the impatient" (49 Asides for a Tragic Theatre).

Essentially I am always getting started with social media. And I would say this to you – remember that we don’t make decisions on our own. We do so in a social ecosystem. You don’t need to deal with the naysayers – step aside and work with those who influence the naysayers at an arm’s length remove. Go further into the network. Let those networks work for you.

And because not all audiences are created equal, they will lead you in directions that you are not expecting. Go on. Give it a try.