John Warner needs your input about how to sell the need for a new economic strategy broadly throughout South Carolina
Submitted by: John Warner on Jul 08, 2009 at 11:28 am
Tagged with: economic developmetn, Entrepreneurship, Innovation
Source: Swamp Fox
Seven years ago, following the first meeting of the Carolina Crescent Coalition which evolved into InnoVenture, I met with the Greenville legislative delegation to update them on exciting innovations emerging in industry and academia in the state. I was giddy from spending a day with best-in-the-world talent who live in our community. I'll never forget the first question a SC legislator asked me that instantly brought me back down to earth. "John, how does this impact ordinary people?" Seven years later, that question still lingers.
Recently I wrote an editorial in the Greenville News outlining a comprehensive economic and education vision for South Carolina, which was very well received by leaders in the state:
- This is really superb; many thanks for sharing.
- Very well done. A thoughtful and comprehensive approach that will payoff, if carefully implemented.
- Great prescription for where we need to be and how to get there. We need you for Governor! Hope you will run.
So the choir is singing off the same sheet of music with me. If you're reading this, I'm sure you're in the choir too. To get implemented as public policy, the need for a new economic strategy musty be core to the discussion about who we should elect as our next Governor in 2010. To do that, we need to crystallize this into a message that resonates broadly with ordinary people across the state.
I have been having a discussion about this with two friends, one who is a political pro and the other a marketing pro. The political pro's reality check is:
- Some of your language that you use (“enlightened self interest” for example) is frankly too intellectual in its tone. It is not that the intent is bad, in fact I find that your positions and proposals are very sound. With all due respect to the people of the state, you are going to have to dumb down the message considerably to get much traction.
In discussing the need to find a visceral, emotional trigger that resonates broadly, my marketing friend's advice is:
- I would just continue collecting and journaling stories. Stories that demonstrate the power and promise we want to celebrate and replicate all across the state. Stories of awakenings and beating the odds that tap into that fierce independent streak that makes us South Carolinians. Stories that make us proud of each other, deep inside.
We can win the public policy debate about a new, modern economic strategy only if we identify the visceral, emotional message that gets discussed around breakfast tables, in business meetings, and in classrooms all across the state.
So this is where I need your help. What is that simple, powerful, emotional message that parents will discuss with their children, or co-workers will discuss over lunch, or teachers will discuss in their planning meetings? It's not what we tell them, but what they talk about with each other that is the key. Even more importantly, it's what will influence ordinary people in the primary voting booths on June 8, 2010 selecting the Republican or Democratic nominee for Governor.
Leave me a comment below (you have to be signed in as a free member of the community to see the comments), or contact me directly at 864-561-6609 or at JohnWarner@SwampFox.ws.
Thanks for your input.
John
| Organizations | Swamp Fox |
|---|---|
| Source | Swamp Fox |
| Submitter | John Warner |
| Tags | economic developmetn, Entrepreneurship, Innovation |
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Hi, John,
Your basic South Carolinian has a unique "personality". (I'm one, BTW). No one can tell him or her what to think or what to do. He or she has not trusted the government since the Revolution, never mind the Civil War, which didn't help that mindset even a little bit. So selling a role for government as an important player in creating the right climate for economic growth ain't happening.
You'd think that all that independent mindset would make us South Carolinians prime players in entrepreneurial startups. Well, you'd be right if you are thinking of very small businesses. No high tech, no dreams of billions of dollars. Dreams of hundreds of dollars only.
The culprit is the mindset of poverty. The economic catastrophes that followed both the Revolution and the Civil War persist to this day in the form of depressed wages and educational levels. People who are accustomed to poverty don't think about getting rich. They can't afford to think about investment. They only think about survival and being sure nobody puts one over on them.
I think we need to make "natural" steps. We need to put enough techonology into schools that students view it as "natural". We need to start entrepreneurial thinking with starting a dry cleaners, but with better technology; starting a restaurant but with enough marketing savvy to label it "green". Or "not green", whatever floats yer boat.
To establish this, we will need government input. To achieve that, we will need to convince elected officials to take their reward not from the masses but from the entrepreneurs who benefit from the improved economy they create. In other words, from a "new elite" of people who make money and get active early.
We need to educate the "new elite" as to what they need for success, who to thank when they achieve success, and how to thank them in meaningful ways. Yes, I'm talking about the evil dreadful campaign contribution. In our society, politics is a balance between money and numbers. Advertising can offset statistics.
Before the message, let me mention the opportunity of the social media vehicle to get a message like this out. The *free* abilities of social media to make an impact on our government, educational system and public at large are truly amazing. The newer generations are now open to developing relationships online... and then following that up with face-to-face or community type meetings. The use of this tool can assist you with getting the message out in a grass-roots kind of way.
Now to the message. We are literally on the verge of amazing things in our world, country and state (I believe within 10 years). The rise of knowledge workers, and the ability of technology to make any small business BIG are simply mind-blowing. "Small" can now compete with BIG. Realizing these truths and harnessing the facts behind them can change the face of a simple business, school or person. And, through social media, this one school, one business or one individual can literally reach out to the world tomorrow.
So, I think it follows to be a simple (but long) process:
1 Understand the facts about newer technology through educating everyone about what technology can do to their own lives,
2 Let businesses, schools and individuals know that "small" can be "BIG", and
3 Use social media, stories and grass roots efforts (the way Brains on Fire does it) to make the message viral.
I hope that sparks some additional thought.
Jason M. Blumer, CPA
Prez, Blumer & Associates, CPAs
www.blumercpas.com
www.thriveal.com (blog)
Well, if you want someone who mastered the concept of common language for politics, then look no further than Thomas Paine, who has a small connection to this great state. There is certainly something to be learned each time one peruses "Common Sense."
Fast-forward to modern times, and I think the analogy of analog and digital might be the example we all can see and experience. Digital is clearer, sharper, and faster when compared to the old analog. In the same way, we need to digitalize our economy. Those analog manufacturing jobs are not going out the door, they are already gone. While I understand that the "common folk" might have some trouble with analogy, people do seem to understand that this changeover brought new technology to the mix, and this technology improves it all. I think we need more common language to realize what I said before, that the old analog jobs (the manufacturing, textile, etc.) jobs are gone. The only way to get more jobs to this state is to harness the power of the digital era and the knowledge economy. It's no longer about what only what you DO, it's about what you KNOW TO DO. Capitalize on the recent Boeing acquisition in N. Charleston and how this event epitomizes SC. For instance, rumor has is that this may be part of a larger move for the new 787 "Dreamliner" that Boeing will build. This is an example of what South Carolina can do, by being at the forefront of aviation like our neighbors to the north were originally.
As one admittedly of the conservative persuasion, why not make it so that we can show Government that they aren't needed in everything? Isn't this the best argument one can make? We have some brilliant minds here in SC, the state is full of Calhouns in their respective industries. The technology is coming quickly, as manifestations like Innovista illustrate. The key is that technology advances more rapidly as time goes on. For those of the liberal status, this technology improves the lives of everyone. Think about the quality of life 200, 100, and even 50 years ago. How far has it jumped each time? How do you become greener? How do you remove foreign dependency on oil? Technology.
All of this spending is worrying the folks about their children. Well, China, Japan, and a host of other countries are just as dangerous to the children. If they are not properly equipped to wage the war known as commerce, then they will lose. This all begins with a proper education both at home and at school. We cannot do much about the former, but we control the latter as a state. We've proven we're not the 49th dumbest state, now it's time to prove we're easily one of the smartest, like we all know we are at heart.