There is a road marketers often go down when trying to shift their focus from throwing a headline at consumers to creating an environment that supports consumer engagement.
This usually involves a well-orchestrated attempt to reach out, but it fails in sincerity and honesty.
1. In an effort to diversify, we narrow our focus. We find what fits our company or ourselves. Blogs, newsletters, books, conferences, events: every waking moment we entrench ourselves in the subject of our focus.
2. We surround ourselves with likeminded individuals. We start using the social tools that allow us to exchange ideas and increase our knowledge base. Striving to be experts, we follow other experts.
3. The information and new community only serve to entrench us in our beliefs and affirm our attitudes. We move from curious to comfortable.
We begin conforming to the standard. It may not have been the original standard, but it became the standard as the tribe grew stronger. Conformity in industry creates a stagnant environment, and is perfect for breeding competitive business.
How do we avoid this and create a tribe diverse enough to evolve? Start with continuous conversations and connecting. Connecting keeps our tribe moving, evolving, and avoids the status quo.
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