At World Wide Creative we get a fair amount of requests for things like ‘viral campaigns’, ‘building communities’, and, of course, ‘a site sorta like Facebook crossed with YouTube’.
Sometimes, some of the ideas that these requests are based on, are pretty good. The problem arises when the entrepreneur / manager behind them thinks that those ‘ideas’ are enough.
They’re not. Ever.
Ideas are easy. But great companies are not built on great ideas. They’re built on great people implementing great ideas.
This especially applies to digital marketing – and we’re making the leap from a cocky digital marketing agency that thought ideas could move mountains, to a cocky digital marketing agency moving mountains on the back of ideas.
The saying “1% inspiration, 99% perspiration” may seem, erm, obvious, but believe me there are enough examples of companies who believe that their idea will float no matter what. Look at what’s involved, after the boat is cast into the water:
Monitoring- Measurement
- PR and Syndication
- Responding
- Filtering
- Forwarding
- Secondary Conceptualising
- Reviewing and redirecting
In the same way that viral campaigns are seldom just about just the idea, community management campaigns may start on a great premise, but they require blood, sweat and tears to gather sufficient momentum to make it successful (and profitable).
At World Wide Creative, we’re learning from experience. We now know to communicate clearly to our clients – well in advance – how difficult effective these campaigns are to run.
Great ideas are essential, but they take work to work.
Read more posts by Fred Roed
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Very good read… tx!
Thanks AJ – and thanks for your ongoing support of The Heavy Chef community.
Completely agree with you Fred. It is amazing how many people think they are entrepreneurs because they wake up one morning with an Idea. Its all about implementing that idea and taking it further than just a brand and website (which like you say, often means “blood, sweat and tears”)
Amen to that James.
On an aside, it’s sometimes interesting that there are more than a few entrepreneurs who’ve built their company / community / brand successfully, then downplay how bloody hard it was to do.
This quote by Ashleigh Brilliant sums it up nicely – “Good ideas are common – what’s uncommon are people who’ll work hard enough to bring them about”
That’s excellent Zibuka – too right.
Awesome article. No substitute for hard work
Preaching to the converted, have seen many an idea go nowhere due to lack of actual work being done. That being said I have also seen some great idea’s flourish due to good old fashioned elbow grease being put in.
Great read, thanks Fred!
WELCOME TO THE LAND OF FAME, EXCESS