Tonite I got a chance to hear an accomplished, best selling author speak to us “social media folks” in Nashville. Scott Stratten, the author, owner and thinker of the ideas in UnMarketing, has a pretty strong grasp on what it means to be “present and authentic” in your own universe.
He spoke a bit about viral marketing, a bit about handling hecklers and even more about the perception and reality of your “image” across electronic wires. Despite all that good stuff, the one thing that struck me was his insight into “going viral”. His experience tells him that throughout the history of time, the only things that have gone viral have been the things that struck an emotional chord.
Now here’s the crazy thing about that. Besides retweeting his great quotes (like “engagement is unscalable on an authentic level”), the thing that struck an emotional chord with me was a story he told us. After an unsettling discovery on Twitter, Scott sat on the sidelines for a couple days wondering how to handle the situation.
After words from a friend, do you know what got him back in the game? Music.
Yep. Scott’s got a playlist that gets him pumped up and ready to go. What a silly thing for me to connect with, eh? I mean you see football players and athlete’s like Lance Armstrong sporting the iPod earbuds all the time. Perhaps it’s because Scott’s not a professional athlete, or because we weren’t talking about sports. I honestly don’t know.
But I can tell you I have a playlist, too. And the idea that his playlist brought him “back to life” mirrors the value I place in mine. Whether it was new schools growing up, the trepidation that comes just before a cross-country race or just low times, I’ve relied on my playlist to get me pumped up and back in the game, too.
Keep in mind that I went to hear Scott Stratten speak about UnMarketing, but what I walked away with was an appreciation for his humanity. Scott was a great speaker, but just as he said in his “viral” insight, people pass on what they have an emotional tie to. While Scott spoke about the need to engage at the business, social and entertainment level – his anecdote about his playlist has me “spreading the word” now.
So be yourself, because it’s sometimes the little things that connect us – and keep us engaged.
MY GET PUMPED PLAYLIST:
Go For It! – Joey B Ellis
Come Baby Come – K7
Boom Boom (Shake the Room) – Will Smith
Lose Yourself – Eminem (to which I really dig into these lyrics):
- “So here I go, this is my shot.
Feet fail me not cause this may be the only opportunity that I got
You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo”
