• Do something small

    Posted on April 20th, 2009 by and currently 10 commenting.

    That’s right, I said it. Small.

    The marketing and PR worlds are filled with people trying to do something big. A big social media campaign. A big TV and print rollout. Big media blitzes. Big. Big. Big. We are an industry obsessed with it. Because the bigger, the better, right?


    But guess what we’ve learned in creating movements? That they start with that first, one-on-one conversation. Yes, the IDEA is big, but it starts small. It starts by huddling small groups of kindred spirits together and letting them own it. It’s hard for an individual to feel like they own your latest ad campaign, not matter how touching, personal and compelling it might be. You’re not talking to me. You’re talking to 3.5 million other people and hoping they will upload a video at your site talking about you. That’s big – as in big deal.

    What you don’t want to hear about small, is that small takes a little more time than big. Small takes patience. Small takes a plan that sees further into your strategy than 6 weeks. Small is a lot deeper than big.

    But small grows. Small nurtures the acorns instead of trying to rent the oaks. And small becomes bigger than big. Deeper than big. And goes the distance.

    Small is not the new big. Small is the same small it always was. And if you start small, big gets bigger as you go along.

    *Image from SteveM_61 on Flickr.com

  • http://charlestonparksconservancy.org jim

    This is totally where we are at this time. I have to keep reminding myself to spend the little moments asking people, one on one, what they feel about their park experience and how we can help, how they want to help. The hardest part is feeling like you have to convince the world, when deep down you know they will get there in their own time and place. I am passing this one on to the park Angel Leads..thanks

  • http://www.limegreenbubble.com Ann Abell

    Focused plan with vision. The more defined goal will achieve better results versus a conquer “them all!” plan.
    Something small done with care, dedication, and of high quality will make longer lasting waves in the ocean. :-)

  • http://www.TheresaEvans.com Theresa Evans

    Great thoughts – will walk through a park today and take a picture to post! Don’t think the video of me skydiving on Saturday reads well for a post on the park angels site – Thanks for your thoughts,
    Theresa, Lead Park Angel #2

  • http://brainsonfire.com Spike

    It’s all in the details, isn’t it Jim. And I’m sure no one knows that better than you right now. Those little things lay a rock-solid foundation and WILL convince the world.

    Ann – Great addition and words!

    Theresa, thanks so much for stopping by. Skydiving? I’m jealous!!

  • http://veryofficialblog.com Shannon Paul

    Amen X 5,000

    Reading this was fortification for today — better than a vitamin. :)

  • http://www.worthwhile.com Chris Rackley

    The big ideas take the diligence to do the small things. I think diligence is an attribute too seldom mentioned in marketing. Everybody wants the big things to happen, but not do the little things to make them happen. Everyone would love to be Emeril Lagasse, but nobody would want to be the Emeril that got his start by showing up at the restaurant day after day begging to get hired, and then forced to start off as a sous chef.

    The small things require persistence and diligence. Thanks for the reminder, Spike.

    And dude – what’s up with the “nurturing acorns” lingo. I don’t even know where to take that. :-)

  • http://twitter.com/ericswain Eric Swain

    Nice post, Spike. “Small takes a little more time than big”, it requires patience and nurturing.

    But in some ways it doesn’t take a little more time – because small is about acting, about doing, about immediacy. Big is about extensive planning, strategy formulation, researching. Oh, don’t get me wrong, small doesn’t operate sans strategy and vision but neither does it wait for the strategy to be perfect, to be run past the focus groups and the Board, to be checked and double checked while the opportunity stagnates.

    Small says, “we know where we want to go, let’s get started and we’ll make adjustments and learn along the way.” But the journey is richer, deeper, and ultimately more rewarding for the starting.

    So, while small takes patience, time (and a little faith), the reward is in the doing and the growing.

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