Real Communities Win on the Internet

I got an interesting call the other day from a Rabbi, “Hello, is this Melissa Pierce?”

“Yes”

“I would like you to help my school win a Facebook contest.”

Huh?

The school flew me out to Brooklyn for a meeting, I taught them how to build a Facebook page, I explained twitter, I explained that when I helped Friendship circle in the Chasegiving campaign they were relentless in getting votes. I explained that it would be hard, very hard, for a school that had no social media presence or persistance to make a Facebook contest work. They said they would give it their all. I flew back to Chicago.

Two weeks have passed since then, and there hasn’t been much happening with their Facebook account, or their twitter account, or with their PR efforts, yet  they stay in the top twenty of the Kohl’s Cares contest, which is all they have to do to win the $500,000 Kohl’s is giving away… huh? (again)

I ask them, “What are you doing to get these votes?”  They tell me, “We sent out an email to the parents and donors, we’re walking with laptops at events and in shopping malls, we’re asking diners at restaurants we frequent, we’re reaching out to our community.”

DUH! Why didn’t I think of that! Community: Holy freaking crap. Even without all the social media mumbo jumbo that gets spewed all over the internet about engagement and community online, they are winning a Facebook contest without it. They have a real life social network, and it’s winning… on the internet.

Go figure, and go vote for them, the word all over the street is that the school needs a new roof and all you have to do is vote of Facebook to help them. Of course, if you live anywhere near Crown Street in Brooklyn you’ve probably had a bearded fellow in a kippah approach you with a laptop already.