Social Media, Rock (or Country!) Stars & Engagement

Why do we keep doing this social media thing? After all, it’s about volume isn’t it? There are professionals who say we need more followers on Twitter and Facebook. I don’t think so…but am striving always for better engagement. Why?

Because like Madonna and Lady GaGa we don’t have to have the majority of the market. I don’t need to reach 308million people who eat every day. If it was purely selfish, it’d be the right 200 people to sign up for food choices but I enjoy connecting beyond just selling stuff.

As a member of the board of directors of the AgChat Foundation, I saw some time ago how social media could broaden our reach, and have continued to grow that along with bunnies, chickens, peppers and tomatoes! We’re not out to be the biggest or the most volume. If every one of our Twitter friends and Facebook friends signed up for a farm share right now, we couldn’t accommodate everyone, so it’s not just about us.

It’s beyond us. I love what we do and want to share it with others, not just the rushed and busy times but those where we reflect on simplicity and sitting on the front porch or around a bonfire. Virtually of course! Maybe someday in person, but for now just whatever works across technology!

So I’ve watched and waited for a while at news of Mack Collier‘s project, a book called “Think Like a Rock Star” and have been honored with a preview. How cool is that?! I sometimes lurk on #blogchat and a couple of years later (it does not seem that long ago since fellow agnerd Janice Person told me I should check out this chat!) it’s directing some new ideas.

I haven’t gotten all the way through yet so will save a review for when I can do one thoroughly. That said, this is the new siding on a foundation already in place, so to speak. It’s right up the small town, community alley because I *don‘t* need to worry about the majority – but I think I can, again, add to things and make it even better. With that said, I know there’s some fellow small farms in other parts of the country that also follow the blog, and I know there’s some AgChat friends who do, and perhaps some with other businesses.

Order this book. It’s every day language with real life examples and it lets you find things that work for you to apply it. It engages trust. That can be a tough thing sometimes, having seen friends attacked on their blogs for producing food for others, be it large farms or small. At the same time, we can’t demonstrate not fearing food if we fear people. We can’t fake what we do – some like it, some don’t.

We’re not rock stars. Country is more our thing, but you might catch some REO Speedwagon occasionally in the CD player. We’re not young and blonde like Taylor Swift, and perhaps to some are more Miranda Lambert than Lady Gaga – but that’s ok. Why? Because each has a market – and we can love the work of one or all. As I’ve said many times, it takes all of agriculture to set the table. Rock stars indeed!

Even if we’re country.