If you can’t see this video, click here, or watch on YouTube.

This 20 minute talk from MC Hammer on Social Media marketing was an unexpected useful find this week for me. MC Hammer is quite the entrepreneur, so to hear a man who has been at the height of entertainment for over 30 years talk about Social Media was very insightful.

What I particularly enjoyed was Mr. Hammer describing how the music industry “goes from grass roots from mainstream”, and how when he is in the moment writing a song, he is already thinking about how the music video will go, how the tour will go, etc. This “long term view, short term execution” is something I learned from my friend Yann Gourvennec, Head of Internet and Digital at Orange Business Services, at the Like Minds Summit in February, and I think it rings very true with Social Media.

We are in an emerging industry that is still quite immature (as you know, Social Media is very distinct from Broadcast Media, and therefore I consider a new industry within the creative industry), and this video reminds us to have our eye on the bigger picture and the end product in a rapidly changing arena.

The skills of an entrepreneur are to see the opportunity and ability to create value here, keeping an eye on the overall landscape, whilst adapting to the ever shifting tools, methods and trends.

So, for your Sunday watching, take in this 20 minute talk and ponder it as you go about relaxing today.

Your Leading Thoughts

  • What is your number one take from this video, and why is it pertinent to you right now?
  • How are you with “long term view, short term execution”?

Cheers,
Scott

Archived Comments

  • http://twitter.com/98rosjon Jonny Rose

    I know you asked for one thing, but I’m not a man of moderation so I’ll give you THREE things instead:

    EASE – Low start-up cost and ability to “insert yourself into the conversation”

    EQUALITY – SM is a great equalizer. You don’t have to book meetings through PAs or slog it through official channels, the immediacy of SM means you are able to engage straight with the Michael Hyatt’s (i.e. CEOs) of this world.

    But the main thing that really struck me was Mr Hammer’s repetition of the word ENTRY and his repeated stressing of “opportunity”.

    It was an overwhelming positive conclusion on the state of business at the moment.
    It showed how business can be open, accessible and welcomes new ideas and innovation of old ones too. Although the talk was specifically geared towards entrepreneurs, I think it would serve as a great talk for all audiences and not just those interested in wealth-creation/commerce.

    How is this is pertinent for me?

    As someone who wants to launch a digital publication sooner rather than later, all three of the above points give me reason to be enthused and optimistic about the project. What’s brilliant about the three points above is that even if one fails, the other two are substantial enough to continue to justify engaging with new media!

  • http://twitter.com/VelChain Dave Lutz

    Scott, very interesting video! I think the key take-away for me is that things that happen in your life while you’re a youth have such a dramatic impact on what you can accomplish. Would Hammer have been as successful without being part of the Oakland A’s. Maybe? But, I’m thinking that without that he wouldn’t have been too legit to quit.

    On long-term thinking and short-term execution…no question that is a strength of any business that needs repeat customers for long term growth. It’s the only way I know.

  • / Scott Gould

    Jonny,

    Good thoughts. I particularly like ‘entry’.

    Social media has afforded me the ability to do what I could never do
    before with starting up and building a community.

    The key thing here is the ability to create relationship – with
    customers, influencers, partners, supplier, etc.

    Consider the example of this blog- the relationships I’ve built with
    the people commenting means I have valuable connections with key
    people around the world.

    Scott

  • / Scott Gould

    Dave,

    Agreed. The things I’ve been exposed to in my youth (at 26, I’m still
    in it I guess) all effect what I do. Now that I think about it,
    everything that I do now seems quite linked to my experiences and I
    can’t think of anything that I do that I didn’t do it some way when
    younger.

    Interesting….

    Scott