Credit: Post_It originally posted on Reddit by GlitterintheAir
I belong to a secret society or two, do you?
One of these secret societies, Love Drop, shared a really powerful message from the grave. It was a Post-It Note that a man, named Pat Bowland, kept in his cubicle at work to remind him of what was important as he fought brain cancer, which ultimately claimed his life. Not surprisingly, the note went viral after his death.
Social media has made it possible for us to share with each other at a level and a distance that we never have before. Sometimes, as marketers and PR professionals, we forget why people use social media.
It’s about connections, connections with people like Pat. A man none of us will ever “know,” but whom we now can know through his co-worker who posted his inspiring goals, through his own personal blog and Twitter account, and through articles written about him after his death.
It’s not much, but it is enough to inspire people to share, and perhaps to gain a little perspective.
We shouldn’t be surprised to learn that people aren’t listening so much to brands on Facebook and other social media arenas. In as much as they are listening to them, it has more to do with their own agenda than the brand. The brands that connect at the personal level understand this.
Why should they give their attention if brands can’t connect to them what matters most in life?
Here is Pat Bowland’s List of 7 things that really mattered to him. What are yours?
- Love life, friends, family and God
- Smile – Walk tall – Dress sharp
- Be passionate
- Say, “I love you” and “thank you” more often
- This is a challenge not a disease
- Set GOALS
- FIGHT
