Growing Your Social Media:

I like to refer to social media as “growing bamboo.”  John Lennon was once said “We’ve got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve got to keep watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.” That sounds a lot like social media to me.

You have to keep watering your social media accounts.  They’re not going to drive traffic to your website or brick and mortar or influence individuals to buy or use your product without paying attention to your social media platforms.

Social Media and Bamboo:

“The bamboo groves of autumn are beautiful. Each bamboo tree stands independently, growing straight and tall toward the sky. Yet in the ground, out of sight, their roots are interconnected. In the same way, true friendship is an enduring bond that connects self-reliant individuals.”  Buddhist words of wisdom from Daisaku Ikeda. 

Let’s look at each of your social media platforms, the should be independent, standing straight and tall, look at me, but when you look deep you can see how they are all intertwined.  The website with Facebook, Facebook with Twitter, website with Pinterest, and all of them with your blog, social media is meant and works best interconnected from the roots.

How It Works…The Frustration The Enjoyment of Bamboo and Social Media:

photo credit by: Gee

  • When growing giant timber bamboo, prepare the ground, plant a small bamboo seed, water and fertilize it for over a year and except for a tiny sprout, Nothing Happens.
  • Continue to water it regularly for a second year, and then to your amazement, Nothing Happens!
  • Year three you’ll water it, fertilize it, clear away the weeds and then….Nothing Happens!

How discouraging… You planted your seeds with love and hope.  You watered it faithfully, your reward… Nothing Happens!

  • Year four, you water it, your fertilize it and continue to care for the seed you planted and…. Nothing Happens!
  • At this point you want to pounce on it, stomp the life out of it, then just when you’re ready to call it quits and lay down your water can during year the fifth year… GROWTH!
  • In the six weeks that follow the bamboo can grow three feet per day until its ninety feet tall.

A lot of lessons in growing bamboo can be converted to how you manage your social media accounts.  Social Media success doesn’t happen overnight.  For every story of a viral campaign there are thousands of brands/businesses that have given up.

Greg Bell wrote a book titled Water The Bamboo regarding growing your potential in business, it’s a favorite of Oregon Duck Football Coach Chip Kelly and a great read and can bring a lot of lessons from the book to social media as was done above.

Is Social Media The Silver Bullet:

Social Media is not the marketing silver bullet for businesses.  It’s as some people will put it as a necessary evil. Much as they looked at traditional media for years.  Social Media alone is not going to drive business through your doors and create the need for expansion, but keeping at it, day after day, watering and fertilizing it will help your business grow..

As an example here is what can begin to happen with posts after constant watering:

The Butte Creek Mill is a flour mill in little Eagle Point Oregon, Population 8,000.  They are a Southern Oregon Tourist destination.  They have just over 1,000 people that ‘like’ their page…  A typical post would get about 15 people talking about it, twelve ‘likes’, and three ‘comments’ but after watering and watering this is what happened this weekend..

We have the first post with more than 190 likes, 71 comments, and 84 shares followed by a post with 46 likes, 17 comments, and 2 shares… With the 86 shares this weekend came more than 50 new likes and over 600 people that are ‘talking about this’ not bad for having just over 1,100 ‘likes’ check out their Facebook page.

Summary:

For those who continue to do the right things and not get discouraged, for those who are persistent, success in Social Media can follow.  So be persistent and water your social media the appropriate way.

See what Facebook tools will work best for your business, promote, scheduled posts, offers, etc.

Any questions on how you’re doing with your social media just let us know

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About the Author:

Mike Frey

Before co-founding Paradux Media Group, Mike spent more than 15 years in the world of marketing and advertising. While working with hundreds of locally owned businesses, he developed an appreciation for minimizing clients’ dollars while maximizing tangible results for those clients.

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4 Comments

  1. amy swanson on July 16, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    Quite an educational blog here, Mike! First of all, I had no idea that’s how bamboo grew and I had never thought to connect it to social media. You’re totally right though with your statement, “Social Media alone is not going to drive business through your doors and create the need for expansion, but keeping at it, day after day, watering and fertilizing it will help your business grow”. There’s so many social media accounts that just seem to be abandoned, or they’ll post something every few weeks! Doesn’t give fans much incentive to visit it or keep up to date on your company news.

    Great information here, thanks so much for the great points!

    • Mike Frey on July 16, 2012 at 1:40 pm

      Thanks Amy, if I was able to school you a bit then I must have done a really good job. BTW loved your last blog on coffee, but I tend to love lot’s of things about coffee, oh but I digress, we do actually have the bamboo quotes in our office… I’m thinking I’m going to have to do a better job of weaving John Lennon quotes into more blogs :). Thanks Amy and when ever you feel like guest blogging again just let us know.

  2. Harry on July 22, 2012 at 9:17 pm

    So the lesson here is that patience, persistence and enthusiasm are the keys to your success. Keep trying and a little of good luck will make thing more easier.

    • Paradux Media Group on July 22, 2012 at 9:28 pm

      Thanks for stopping by Harry and indeed it is about all the things you mentioned…When it comes to good luck remember that the harder you work the luckier you get. Thanks for the read and the comment Harry

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