8 Letters, 60 Years, And A New Frontier
This is a story of how numbers and people intersect.
Yesterday was my mother’s 60th birthday. Since she lives 13 and a half hours ahead of me, I was up early to wish her. I typically log on to Twitter first thing in the morning, to catch up and generally confab with my “tweeps.” While I was doing this, I noticed a tweet discussing the fun one could have with a made-up hashtag like #SHTYMFM (Say Hi To Your Mother For Me).
I thought it would be fun to tweak that and ask people to wish my mother; she’s been grappling with the emotional roller coaster of officially retiring on her birthday from a long teaching career, while still a vibrant resource for her students. All they had to do was reply to me and include the hashtag #SHBTYMFM. (You don’t need me to spell that out, do you?)
I’ve experienced, over and over again, how generous “Twitterville” can be, but even I didn’t expect for 24 people, none of whom have ever met my mother, to wish her. That number includes a few who sent good wishes her way before I introduced the game, used #SHTYMFM as a hashtag, and one who sent her a virtual birthday cake.
My mother was touched and overwhelmed. She has also created a Twitter account. I don’t expect her to become a social media maven overnight, but I am excited that she is taking the plunge into what is, for her, a brand new frontier. On the other hand, she’s quite a remarkable woman, so I wouldn’t put anything past her. And to everyone who responded, again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Filed under Communication, Personal, Shonali Burke | Tags: communications, community, Twitter | Comment (1)Point. Click. Connect.
Truth be told, I didn’t expect to be writing this post at this very minute; after all, one wants one’s first blog post to be slightly more than just “why I’m here” blather, doesn’t one? However, I was given so much help today in working out some WordPress kinks by Joe Perez of Zealous Marketing, it reminded me all over again of the power of connection that we, as communicators, possess.
Why do we do what we do? And by that I mean “public relations,” “social media,” whatever you want to call it… I’m going to call it “communications.” It’s not the easiest of lifestyles – one is often on call. And it certainly isn’t for the money, though of course there are those who have made a most lucrative business of it.
Well, I do it because I love being able to use my talents as a communicator to bring people together and figure out how to use communications to reach a shared goal, to achieve common objectives. It’s not always easy, since everyone doesn’t start out talking the same language at first. But it sure is fulfilling when we finally get there.
I believe – at least, I hope – that’s the reason most of us do it. Good communication enables powerful connection. And that connection can have a positive impact on lives at micro and macro levels which, in turn, can influence the way the world turns.
That power of connection blew me away today, when thanks to my Twitter community, I received expert help within minutes, and that was just for an issue I was having with this little blog (if you’ve been plagued by similar issues, by the way, check out Joe’s “Installing Google Analytics on WordPress” video). Imagine that power of connection at macro levels; what great possibilities lie within a communicator’s hands.
Filed under Communication, Shonali Burke | Tags: communications, community, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter | Comments (30)
