What I learned...

This has been one of the most valuable classes for me in the entire program. This is primarily because it is so relevant, relatable, and useful. Classes change as quick as they are happening outside the classroom doors because of the content and Joe’s immersion in the subject. The real-world insight and projects helped to solidify the concepts and I especially enjoyed the driving force to be creative. I was especially thankful to see the emphasis on participating with purpose for the greater good of society in all business actions and how this can drive profit. I saw a lot of social media tools in a new light and how to utilize them in new and creative ways.

One of the most important things I learned is how much people want to be a part of a group. This is both in the sense of being a fan of a certain product, company, or service and also in the sense of why people are so drawn to social media networks. This theme came up throughout the course, whether it was regarding word of mouth marketing, socialnomics, or simply being part of facebook. The need for connection and camaraderie is something we can all identify with and I learned that social media marketing is not about exploiting that, but rather developing that relationship in a genuine way. Along these lines, I learned how powerful and life-changing a real-time inventory of our lives is. As we learned in Socialnomics by Eric Qualman, the “What am I doing with my life?” question reveals itself pretty starkly with social media. I learned what this means personally and for a company’s life.

I learned about leverage and simplicity in new ways. Leveraging what is already available in new ways is always a good lesson as is not overlooking simplicity, especially in word of mouth marketing. I learned about the participatory nature demanded from companies or organizations by the client and how this only compliments social media, giving it even more credibility and empowerment. I learned more than I thought I could about the social media platforms and how to use them in extraordinary ways for a variety of industries.

It has been my experience that people think they know a lot about marketing, but what they really know is a lot about bad advertising and traditional marketing gimmicks. I get the same dismayed reactions with unsolicited advice whether I am telling people I am going into politics or marketing…and that is an indication of the state of marketing from the past decade. However, I believe that social media marketing can turn these stereotypes of bad advertising as marketing into relationships and total consumer engagement as marketing.