Question: Why are I Love Lucy, Gilligan’s Island, and The Andy Griffith Show considered the best loved television shows of the fifties and sixties?
The Likely Answer: They’ve been in syndication and therefore in a near constant state of rerun for 50+ years. That keeps it fresh in people’s memories.
Radio didn’t fare as well.
In general, radio had no real technical way to rerun, especially after the invention of television. My father, who lived through those days (high school class of ’50), talks of how fun the old days of radio were, but only in very general terms. Almost no specific shows come to mind. Science fiction, mystery, sports recaps, news, his mother’s soap operas, westerns, etcetera. Why nothing specific?
I’d argue: No reruns.
Now, here’s my point, though maybe a little skewed:
Suppose you are a marketer of your life as a show. What kind of show is it? I don’t mean science fiction, mystery, western, adventure, et al (latin for “and the rest”). I mean marketing-wise how are you communicating across your networks that you are available to help others?
Are you selling a radio show that’s heard once and enjoyed once or are you selling a television show that’s in syndication, with episodes repeating every few months?
Communication across your networks needs to be like a rerun: Offering help to those that may not need it, but will remember that you asked. In the words of the great Seth Godin: “When all jobs are commoditized, what will be left? Trust. Only trust.” Who are you going to trust, and who trusts you?”
Your friends.
Communicate regularly (quarterly, per Manager Tools: Building Your Network [this podcast can change your life for the better, listen, listen and listen some more, I’ve heard it 5 times, going on 6]) with each friend in your network(s) (personal friends, LinkedIn colleagues, Facebook school chums and Twitter followers). You can help them in ways unimagined! They can help you too, but it starts with you. Give, give, and give some more. It’s all about relationships!
All you need to do is communicate better than everyone else (and they’re all particularly BAD at it)! My network is presently at 1% communicating to me first! I hope it gets better, but no luck so far.
Cheers!
Charles McCrumb, Office Automation Expert
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