Local Community Is The BEST For Your Business
Social Media has given people the illusion that, despite having built no meaningful ties outside of a single post, we're deeply connected to each other. Don't get me wrong... "Upvotes" and "Comments" are awesome (even more on Steemit than ANYWHERE else!!) Yet even the best online relationship has barriers that a physical, one-on-one live relationship usually has no problem overcoming.
Point in case. I was trying to get my son to school this past Monday when, to my great frustration, I discovered that the battery on our Ford Fusion was DEAD! We had to be at school in 15 minutes, and we live 10 minutes away.
My wife was across town. In-laws were unavailable. Short of calling an Uber to come bail me out, there was little chance that he'd make it on time until... I did something I don't usually think of doing.
I looked at the house NEXT DOOR.
My neighbors. I've known them for 10 years, and yet aside from a few brief conversations coincidentally walking together to collect the mail, we've never talked much.
I rang their front door and the elderly lady (early 70's perhaps) opened with a smile. She said she'd be happy to drive us to his school, and in an instant of quick thinking... we were saved. I should point out that my son was a little disappointed, believing in his 10-year-old mind that he would be allowed to simply skip class that day. :)
Why do I share this story? Because so often in our businesses, we feel inclined to reach out to all sorts of folks online and cultivate relationships. And yet we frequently don't know all the people on our own street. At least, I'm guilty of this... Am I the only one?
I live in sunny, warm Arizona... it's a BEAUTIFUL part of the world! And there are so many people to reach out, shake hands with and do business with RIGHT IN MY OWN BACKYARD.
Sure, I love being able to click a button and extend across oceans to engage with people I'll likely never have the privilege of meeting face to face. But I also have learned a valuable lesson... while it's important to extend whatever message we're passionate about as far as we can, we must also be sure and take time to fellowship with those within distance of a firm handshake and warm embrace.
I live an ocean away @marketdisrupters but I wholly get your point. I'm retired now, but I remember one of my first jobs as a teenager was to walk, knocking on doors and being accepted or rejected, in the now, face to face. I actually made a living selling original oil paintings, and went on to sell, door to door, Encyclopedias. It was a very good, fast learning curve, and stood me in good stead later allowing me to listen and interact face to face, or eye to eye. Many youth today seem to have difficulties speaking With people, rather than To people. Yours is a good story. 👌
Thank you for sharing that... it's become a bit of a problem, not just for the youth but I believe for the entire world. We're so satisfied carrying on in the comfort of our homes that we can often forget the beauty right next to us.
It's FASCINATING that you were door to door selling encyclopedias... but even more that you sold original oils! What was your favorite subject to paint?
Oh, I didn't paint. A whole team of practiced (like sign-writers) artists, painted on velveteen. The entrepreneur ran a happy shop, and I was one of just a car full who would go out in after work hours until about 8 pm, walking the garden paths, braving the dogs, and with charm and knowledge, being asked in eight of twenty-four, and selling to (my average) about five of eight. Pay the boss, who had his painters to pay, and with a varying price between AUD$25 - 100, I could in fifteen to sixteen hours a week make from $30 - 65, with an occasional week of over 100, and an occasional short week of 25$. Considering at the time a factory job paid me $29/wk in canning, and only $37/wk at Fords spotwelding, and I was having fun! It was but a season, and then with the heat, I followed the sun north to a job haul-out driving on the sugar-cane fields, and got my first machinery lic. prior to going on to trucks, then semi's, than Hazardous Chemical Tankers.
Beauty is there always, every day on the road is new scenery, new atmospheric sky, and new faces at every stop. The townies seem to escape from beauty by walking around dressed in business grey, and looking at the ground before their feet in case they accidently smile in reply to someone smiling before their eyes. A little box called work at which they delude everyone there they are fine and laugh at same style chatter every same day, week. Drive unseeing to another little box in which they delude their families that all's ok, with occasional ventures to local shops where they might briefly shine for a minute before a professional greeter behind a till taking their units of sweat and tears. 😂 😂 😂
Sorry, carried away with the glum life. 😉
I agree. The sense of community is something that is disappearing with the advance of technology and a lot of new social environments. Frequently, we don't know our own neighbours... Maybe we could learn a lesson or two about it with our fathers and grandfathers.
Great point. Yes- I'm sure we could learn a thing or two from those who came before us. Thanks so much for the comment!
I upvoted and resteemed your post so you will get more upvotes. If my upvote didn't work it's because my voting power is too low right now.
Hello - thank you for doing this!