The Collaborative Economy: Local is the New Global

I want to tell you the story of local and global implications. On the global level, it’s the story of the internet and social media. On the local level, it’s the story of a young boy with Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities, who has a chance at a better life because of the internet.

The new collaborative economy and the implications of how it intersects with the digital space is something that’s been on my mind a lot lately. When I got started working in the area of social media marketing a few years ago, I wasn’t much different from most of the other practitioners out there. But my thought process and business model have evolved significantly, and I’m spending more time thinking about what it means to be in community in the digital age, and what that means in terms of how we live our lives.

With the internet, we have so many more opportunities to learn about what is going on in the world, and to give to global causes. But for me, the exciting thing is the ability we have to come together and act as communities on the local level in even greater ways than before. And we have the ability to take local causes to a more global level. I can share someone’s local need, and they can get support from people anywhere in the world.

We’re told to think local and act global. Now we can think local/global and act local/global all at the same time. We can bring global causes down to the local level, while lifting local causes to a global level. We see this happening every day on social media. The plastic jug next to the cash register at a local store that is used to raise money for a local kid with cancer, can be taken online to raise more money in a shorter period of time from a larger geographic area.

• The collaborative economy is responsible for my friends Ryan an Ryan, two guys from Lancaster, PA, seeing their crowdfunding campaign raise more than twice the money they needed to put Creative Clash, the game they invented, into production. While the game isn’t finished yet, you can order your copy of Creative Clash now.

• The collaborative economy is responsible for my friend Deni Gauthier getting the money he needed to put the finishing touches on his upcoming album, Quiet Town. The album was recorded last year and will be released this Thursday, May 1, and you can order a copy online.

These are just two examples of how the internet and social media are allowing a diverse group of people, many who don’t even know each other, to band together to make things happen. But there are many more great causes and worth efforts in small towns and cities across the globe. Many of these needs will be met via social media. That being said, I have two I’d like to bring to your attention; two very different causes.

Help Tell a Story

First, my friend Andi Cumb0-Floyd, whom I’ve written about before, has recently written a book, The Slaves Have Names , which was funded last year through a Kickstarter campaign. Now, Andi is looking for a bit of a publicity boost so that more people will be able to hear the story she tells. To that end, she is using a platform called Thunderclap, which is new to me.

Thunderclap allows you to gather the social network support of friends who commit to sharing your message to their friends on platforms like Facebook or Twitter. Andi is seeking to get 100 people to commit by April 30 to share her message, and as of this writing, she has 89 people signed up to give that message a reach of more than 92,000 people.

If she gets the needed support, the “Thunderclap” will happen on Wednesday. At that time, all those who have signed up will send out a blast on their social networks telling others about the book. It’s a pretty cool concept that will hopefully have great results. I can already think of many ways I’d love to see people using this platform.

By the time you read this, she may already have the number of people she needs, but I’d love to see even more sign up. So head on over to her Thunderclap page and become a part of getting the message out.

Help Change the Lives of a Local Family

This one is a bit more serious, and the need is much greater. My friend LJ is a single mom. Her son, Elliott has Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities. As Elliott is growing older, it’s becoming much harder to lift him in and out of a car, and also to fit his wheelchair in a standard car. LJ works hard to take care of her son, and she does a great job. But life would be a lot easier if they were able to afford a wheelchair accessible van.

The cost? $50,o00.

This is where you and I come in. We can make this happen. In fact, I know with the combine reach of all of our social graphs, we could have this funded by the end of the month. To this end, LJ has sent up an account at GiveForward.com to raise the needed funds.

This isn’t tax deductible. It isn’t something that will get you any real publicity. It’s just a good thing to do.

There’s something to be said for just doing the right thing. Doing something good. Helping other people out, even if you don’t know them.

It’s your turn

There are so many things we can do online. I work with small businesses and nonprofits on a daily basis, helping them with their online presence and marketing. I love helping them with this. But despite all that, what I love the most has nothing to do with marketing things for people who pay me.

What I love the most about the internet is the way in which we can connect with one another in truly meaningful ways. Helping people change lives. Helping others do great things. Helping friends, and strangers, see their ideas come to fruition.

As you look at your Twitter feed and Facebook newsfeed, look for opportunities to help others. Support the efforts of your friends and their friends.

Take some time to check out Andi’s Thunderclap and support her efforts. Head on over to LJ’s GiveForward page, and consider donating a few dollars and sharing it with your friends.

Let’s collaborate and do something wonderful. Let’s take these small, local efforts, and make them global.

Are you in?

via Business 2 Community http://ift.tt/Re4xyG