We already know what old school marketing can teach you about social media. But hey – let’s have some fun. My good pal Alex Fayle likes to use pop music as a source for inspiration. I say it can also teach us about business (as Seth Godin would say, look at the edges of the box). One of my favourite songs that we can use to learn a bit about good social media practice is the New Radicals, You Only Get What You Give:

Lessons Learned

Here’s a few things I picked up from the lyrics of this video:

“I’ve got the dreamers disease“

So called ‘permission marketing’ or social media marketing is about making your brand unique, interesting, and discussion-worthy, as often mentioned in Monday’s TOP Radio podcast.  So, why don’t YOU get dreamers disease.  If you’ve read our 7 Common Mistakes People Make Online (free with our newsletter), one of the pieces of homework was to think of some CRAZY ways to promote your business.  Could you change your prices?  Could you turn your products upside down or your services inside out?  Get some dreamers disease and see what you find.

“Don’t let go – you got the music in you.“

This is kind of like the persistence effect mentioned in the old school marketing article.  If you’ve done your dreaming and found something that you’re passionate about and that you think your customers will rave about, just showing up doesn’t command an audience.  You need to keep showing up, and you must keep reminding people why they should pay attention.  Remember that old tired advertising cliché that your customer needs to see your message like 20 times before they pay attention?  Yup.  Same thing.  So keep humming the tune.  Someone will hear you.

“We’re flat broke – but hey we do it in style.“

Most small businesses are cash poor but time rich.  It doesn’t matter which one you are as long as you know where you fall.  But if you are flat broke, social media is awesome because it’s FREE — free like free speech, NOT free like free beer. So work with what you’ve got, and do it in style.  Shake your hips.  Dance.  Sing your song.

“Can’t forget – we only get what we give.“

This is my final and most important point.  Social networking is about RELATIONSHIPS.  Good hospitality is about PEOPLE.  If  you treat people with respect, encourage them to be a part of  your community, and treat them as you’d want to be treated, it will come back to you.  Don’t forget – we only get what we give.

A Silly Suggestion

Here’s a silly suggestion for you. Does your business have a theme song? You don’t have to tell anybody – but wouldn’t it be nice to have a little tune, something upbeat, that you could play on those days when you think “this will never work”?

Try it. Rally around it. Your business is remarkable, so figure out how to tell everyone.

To Learn More

Need help figuring out your theme song?  Take our free business assessment.  We’ll help you start humming the right tune to small business success.