Mike Stiles
On July 4 in a suburb of Cleveland, about 1,000 teens showed up and starting fighting at a fireworks celebration. They organized over the social networks. In London, rioting and looting has been escalating all week, blamed in part on Twitter, texting and instant messages. The National Retail Federation says 10% of the companies they surveyed were recently targeted by groups of thieves who planned and organized on the social networks.
Philly?s Mayor condemned teen flash mobs that left several injured in recent weeks. The deputy mayor for public safety said, "They can communicate and congregate at a moment's notice. That can overwhelm any municipality." And I don?t have to remind you about what happened in Egypt, right? Government dynasties that have ruled for generations?gone?in a flash. Would anyone care to argue with me that social networking isn?t the single most powerful communication force we will ever see in our lifetimes?
There are one of two ways to react to all this. One: ?Lord of the Flies? is playing out right before our eyes, and we have to ?control? this social networking thing. Indeed there?ve been efforts, as in Cleveland, to criminalize flash mobs. The mayor vetoed it because that?s kinda unconstitutional. Efforts to convince this genie to go back in its bottle are laughable. Anyone whose strategy is to ?keep a lid on this thing? represents a naivety that is dangerous in a management position.
The other reaction is to have, what to me, is a rather obvious thought, ?How can I make my station a driving force for positive flash mobs?? There?s always a need in your community?always. On any given day you can find a person or organization in need of help. Why not use your station?s sizable social community to come to their aide with a ?flash rescue mob??
Whether it?s a charity that just had all the toys they collected stolen, or an old woman getting hassled by the city because her yard needs to be cleaned up, what happens when hundreds of your listeners team up and respond? I?ll tell you what happens.
? BIG publicity for your station?that?s free.
? More people want to be your Fan or follower because you?re making good things happen.
? Members of your social community meet and get more connected to each other.
? You make your town a better place.
? Advertisers like you more and want to be included in future flash rescue mobs.
After the riots in London, other Londoners used social media to organize clean-up teams to come in with brooms and restore the streets. Please tell me your station thinks like this so it can remain relevant and valued in your market.
Mike Stiles is a writer/producer with the social marketing tech platform, Vitrue, and head of Sketchworks comedy theatre.
Check out his monologue blog, The Stiles Files.
Find him on Facebook
or on Twitter @mikestiles
Add a Comment Send This Story To A Friend
