The Buzzword Trap
The Buzzword Trap
Ammon Johns on misusing buzzwords inappropriately. In this case, influence.
Originally shared by Ammon Johns
Critical Influence
The words "influence" and "influencer" are bandied around readily in recent times. A thousand blog posts spew eloquent but empty rhetoric about how to become an influencer.
For example, take this one from Social Media Today: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/google-how-become-influencer
Now, leave aside all irony of how few followers the author has on the platform discussed or how little engagement is garnered. Assume he does far better for clients and let it slide.
Fame or popularity alone do not make one truly influential, while some of the most influential people in the world go unrecognised as they dictate and advise on global policies of all kinds.
No, what deserves the real focus is the blind, unsupported assertion that everyone needs to be an 'influencer'.
Quote: "Not only is it essential that you understand the capabilities that Google+ offers you and your business but it is also critical for your continued professional success that you do everything in your power on Google+ to position yourself as an influencer. It will carry you and your business to new heights."
Now, there are some ways and areas where influence is important to your business.
It matters that your sales people influence buyers to sign quickly and on better deals than they otherwise might have.
It matters that you customer service team can actually influence future policy, and not just be apologetic mouthpieces for empty rhetoric.
But beyond that, what the heck use is being an 'influencer' really?
You influence your employees? Of course you do, you're their boss/manager.
You influence people to buy from you? Oh wow, you've just discovered Marketing, but not yet discovered it already has a name.
You influence your market (Competition)? Well, that's a really poor and distant second to having no real competition, or maybe keeping your mouth shut and not continually giving them your ideas.
He'd have been a lot better off cutting the whole piece down to the tiny bit that was right in all his assertions:
"it is also critical for your continued professional success that you do everything in your power on Google+ to position yourself"
Positioning is critical, but what as, is dependant on your market and your business.
Influence is usually a red herring, most-often spouted by the kind of people whose only success is getting follower numbers, and thus have a desperate need to make it sound like it meant something or had value.
How influential would you call the CEO of McDonalds? Yet you've most likely bought from McDonalds. How influential do you actually need to be? You don't. What you need to be to be successful is successful, which means spending less time chasing the latest buzzwords, and more time focusing on marketing, being what the customer needs and wants.
Because when was the last time you said to yourself, "Oh I really wish someone would come and influence me right now"?
http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/google-how-become-influencer
Ammon Johns on misusing buzzwords inappropriately. In this case, influence.
Originally shared by Ammon Johns
Critical Influence
The words "influence" and "influencer" are bandied around readily in recent times. A thousand blog posts spew eloquent but empty rhetoric about how to become an influencer.
For example, take this one from Social Media Today: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/google-how-become-influencer
Now, leave aside all irony of how few followers the author has on the platform discussed or how little engagement is garnered. Assume he does far better for clients and let it slide.
Fame or popularity alone do not make one truly influential, while some of the most influential people in the world go unrecognised as they dictate and advise on global policies of all kinds.
No, what deserves the real focus is the blind, unsupported assertion that everyone needs to be an 'influencer'.
Quote: "Not only is it essential that you understand the capabilities that Google+ offers you and your business but it is also critical for your continued professional success that you do everything in your power on Google+ to position yourself as an influencer. It will carry you and your business to new heights."
Now, there are some ways and areas where influence is important to your business.
It matters that your sales people influence buyers to sign quickly and on better deals than they otherwise might have.
It matters that you customer service team can actually influence future policy, and not just be apologetic mouthpieces for empty rhetoric.
But beyond that, what the heck use is being an 'influencer' really?
You influence your employees? Of course you do, you're their boss/manager.
You influence people to buy from you? Oh wow, you've just discovered Marketing, but not yet discovered it already has a name.
You influence your market (Competition)? Well, that's a really poor and distant second to having no real competition, or maybe keeping your mouth shut and not continually giving them your ideas.
He'd have been a lot better off cutting the whole piece down to the tiny bit that was right in all his assertions:
"it is also critical for your continued professional success that you do everything in your power on Google+ to position yourself"
Positioning is critical, but what as, is dependant on your market and your business.
Influence is usually a red herring, most-often spouted by the kind of people whose only success is getting follower numbers, and thus have a desperate need to make it sound like it meant something or had value.
How influential would you call the CEO of McDonalds? Yet you've most likely bought from McDonalds. How influential do you actually need to be? You don't. What you need to be to be successful is successful, which means spending less time chasing the latest buzzwords, and more time focusing on marketing, being what the customer needs and wants.
Because when was the last time you said to yourself, "Oh I really wish someone would come and influence me right now"?
http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/google-how-become-influencer
Dawn Rae Thank you for all the Plus Love. :)
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