Passion!

I do this thing, but really - What is it I am "doing"?

More to the point, what GOOD am I doing? I'm promoting the good works, good causes, and good messages of good people - true, enough - and I'd like to think in time I will contribute to the conversation with regards to social media engagement.

But, aside from those things, what is it I believe in? What are my causes? What is it I stand for?

You gotta have PASSION. Maybe it's a passion for your one and only true love; doing good; pets; reading & learning; teaching; skydiving; or, comic books. SomeTHING must grab you, hold you, speak to you. You can't live with out it because it hurts when it's absent. It compels you.

Granted, we should temper our passions. It makes them sweeter, and there are some passions that are unhealthy and even danger compulsions, e.g. neuroses and psychoses. Your passions simply cannot harm others. It's just plain wrong, and this is one of maybe a few things about which I am absolute (not relativistic): DO NO HARM.

(I once was passionate about politics - but that drove my blood pressure up high and ran off some friends. I tempered that passion, and I'm better for it.)

So our causes - those things we believe in so ardently, so fervently, so adamantly that we serve them without question - and, thus, our STANDS are the functions of passion. They can be exclusive of our careers and incomes. In fact you pursue them without regard of cost and time.

The question then, for me is "What am I passionate about?"


In no particular order to imply importance...

• Family
• Community
• Justice
• Fairness
• Liberty

Broad passions - yes. I am working to stand for them all.

Join me, won't you?

Social Media Engagement for Causes

I realize I need to write more: content is king!

That said, I'll begin to roll-out what I consider a framework or methodology of Social Media Engagement for Causes (in particular) that I've been developing as a matter of trial-and-error, some research, and deductive reasoning.

I am NOT a social media expert! In fact I take exception to the word "expert" in the context of the new frontier "social" represents, as well as "best practices." Once upon a time experts insisted the world was flat and best practices included bleeding to balance humors.

Of importance to my thesis is the distinction to be made between engagement as a variable of social media MARKETING (an exploit of what I term Big Marketing), and engagement as a function of relationship communications.

The first rule of social media engagement is: BE HUMAN. I did not make this up.


The first letter of my framework is M.

M is for...

MONITOR

Engagement suggests the building of social relationships. In order to engage you must be aware of where you exist in the virtual conversation. This is both more or less an understanding of your own SEO in practice. Monitor your social, inside and outside. Pay attention to who Follows you, Likes you, +1s you, etc. and writes anything at all about you and your cause. Just Google it!

Failure Analysis

For a little over a decade I've been trying to make a "go" of it in the entertainment industry, with mixed results. I'm finally at a place in my life, and, with myself, that allows me to admit it's just not gonna happen. Totally fine with it - I've got lots going on that fulfills me.

So I'm trying this thing.

I work long hours most of the week and when I get home I really just want to spend time with my loved ones. That said, blogging and other social media activities are a weekend distraction, a proper hobby. The fact is I was never really able to commit to the time and effort demanded of the Biz, even as I worked to "promote" and publicize the work being done in Texas (mostly Austin). Without regret or apology: I won't sacrifice the little down time I have attending events, volunteering my analyses, and "networking." I guess I'm kind of a curmudgeon.

I do enjoy writing, I love Texas entertainment, and I really dig social media - not as a job, come to find out. I found almost no satisfaction in promoting people's work that really didn't *need* the help. All-in-one producers are DIY to the death it seems, for good or for ill. More power to them. I'd rather help those who need it and want it, and, frankly, appreciate it.

So what EXACTLY is this thing?

My hope is that it becomes a community of cause-driven, civic-minded organizers ("dugooders") AND production personnel: a meeting place for the two to come together, get introduced, and work with one another. In addition, I'll offer perspectives and plugs on a variety of topics, especially as pertains to Social Media, non-profits (broadly conceived), community efforts, and Texas media production.

Social Media Engagement is the tool I'll employ to build awareness - and I hope others will join me. It's not about volume - it's about the quality of Followers, shares, Likes, +1s, etc. 

I like to think much can be gained from a sincere failure analysis - unflinching introspection. Ignoring what doesn't work and elevating the successes is, in my experience, a recipe for disaster. I've got many opinions & bones to pick, so, occasionally I'll take the role of gadfly and social critic. I like to rant, which some find entertaining, too!

Find me on Facebook - Like & post. Follow me on Twitter, @TexSHO - I follow back! 

Later today I hope to post on Social Media Engagement, and to highlight some upcoming events and opportunities to give back.