What happened to the Neighbourhood Feeling?
Today’s post is apropos, as it addresses the fact that the means of communication prior to the advent of technology began with stories. At the dawn of evolution, stories were spread by word of mouth or drawn onto stone walls to be documented and passed along from generation to generation. I have always said that everyone has a story to tell. The value of that story is priceless when it is authentic, transparent and leads to why something clearly stands out and grabs at your core. A story that says, “this is the way I think, the way the I feel and the way that I want to lead my life.” Social media now provides the opportunity to return back to an earlier time by encouraging people to not only engage one-to-one with the products and services that they value and use, but also with each other.
Chris Brogan is a social media expert and guru in the blogging world. I read his posts and we follow each other on twitter. He has written a great article about the chronology of the process that lead us away from that neighbourhood feeling. His post definately leaves pause for reflection.
How will you find ways to create that neighbourhood feel—that person to person connection with your customers? That “I’m more than just a number” feeling that has been lost over the years as businesses have grown distant thanks to their focus on reaching the masses while ignoring the individual.
Best Nicole
A Recent History of Communication
Several hundred years ago, newspapers were born from broadsides and pamphlets, where information was aggregated and distributed, most specifically to a regional area. Stories were often personal, where many people knew the protagonists and antagonists of every piece. The learned people of a region stayed informed by paying attention to the distribution of various printed materials (as well as through private letters delivered through the postal system).
A hundred or so years ago, the telephone came into play. People used them to communicate. They were expensive at first, but then people figured out ways to cut costs, including the initiation of the party line (where people would all use the same service, but would use different ring types to indicate which house was receiving a call). Phones were very social.
Radio came, and it had a more broad reach. We learned about areas beyond us. Newspapers grew up. Television came. Nationalized content came. Syndication. International.
There’s obviously some good that comes from learning more about the world. I wouldn’t want to go back for anything. Having friends all over the world is really the best thing that ever happened to me. And yet, something happened with business communications.
Missing That Neighborhood Feel
With the ability to reach the masses came the disconnect between businesses needing to reach potential customers and any chance of personalization and localization. It’s hard to do both: reach millions of people and yet seem personal. Is that necessary?
We all want to feel important and unique. We want people to address us personally, to remember us. At least sometimes. I understand that we don’t need a relationship with our gas station (especially since they rarely have mechanics on staff any longer). I realize that we really don’t care to know our telephone company (until we have a problem).
Or do we? Do we like being treated personally? Is it too much to ask? Do we want these kinds of interactions? Which products or services do we want to be personal versus not?
Do we want that neighborhood feel back?
