When I think of inventors I think of all the images of the crazy, crack-pot individual locked away in an attic, a basement, or a laboratory, and tinkering with things until something explodes. I've never really met an inventor in my life, at least not that I'm aware of, so I knew that the audience was going to be a unique mix of dreamers, idea makers, driven creators, and that's exactly what I got!
Bringing Awareness to the Tools
It was amazing to be standing in front of qualified programmers, engineers, software developers, technicians, industrial designers, all of them focused on one thing, their longing for understanding on the new ways they can establish a fan base and promote the word on their ideas and products. Many of them were seeking funding and needed new avenues to attract attention to what they were doing.
The world of online media has grown tremendously and because of the ease of accessibility, it's become a virtual gold rush as people, brands, corporate entities, and entrepreneurs all attempt to make sense of the space and find ways to make it work for them. Like any of the other marketing plans and advertising platforms, there are some general guidelines and rules in developing a consistent and interested community for what you are doing. That is what I shared with them last night.
I informed them that social media is a medium where the door swings both ways. As good as it can be for someone, it can also hurt brands and damage reputations. I shared with them the good and the bad, but the hopeful and optimistic ways that they can truly develop keen interest in what they are doing, find funding, and establish a possible customer base by targeting key markets that would be interested in what they have to offer.
I could see eyes widening, questions were being asked, many of these amazingly brilliant people were intrigued at the opportunities that lay before them. This motivation was generating ideas, and as inventors I wondered what innovative ways they would use their profiles and if they would go so far out of the box that they themselves would be leaders in trend setting.
Never Discount
I had an amazing time last night. While I spoke for an hour, I encouraged questions during my presentations, and in the back of my mind I was hoping that those that had previously discounted online networking and online tools as something frivolous and not for them would reconsider their approach. The idea for my presentation was to hopefully open those doors for conversation and questions.
These are people doing great things from the big to the small, creating something tangible that makes the world better. It's truly interesting to see how the online world has opened itself up so quickly that boundaries and borders that existed once and segmented our communities have been torn down and now allows the easy ebb and flow of communities to overlap and learn from one another.
A huge thanks to the Alamo Inventors Group for allowing me to be a part of their evening, and taking care of me. I hope to see more of them and encourage other groups, not just inventor groups, but any group out there to invite someone to speak to them about the opportunities available to them online. Make sure the individual is credible and has work online to shows they know what they are talking about, but after that due diligence is done, get them to speak in front of you and be ready to learn!
