Why do you do what you do?

We brush our teeth because it we know prevents gum disease, tooth decay, and keeps our breath smelling fresh. We go to school to learn stuff, which leads to getting a job, and the ability to buy things. And then someday, we can afford to take vacations and relax, spend the money we’ve made and forget about brushing our teeth for a day or two (gross, jk, don’t do it).

I was thinking today about why we do the things we do. What I’ve said above isn’t rocket science or particularly insightful, but it shows the thought process behind an action or an inaction. That being said, can you back up everything you do with a reason?

In thinking about the “why” factor, how do you know when a communications strategy is working? What makes it a success? Well, that all depends on what your stated goals and objectives were before the project began. Was it to strengthen relationships, increase SEO, secure speaking engagements, drive Web site traffic, etc.? And even if you know your objectives, how do you know it’s time to adjust your expectations or definitions of success?

I often see blogs, wikis, Facebook groups etc. that have turned into ghost towns and wonder “what happened?” This is especially true on Twitter. People create accounts, tweet once, and go into hiding or something. I just want to ask “where did you go?!”

We often see people refer to their own personal social media successes for “duh!” reasons I won’t get into. But I’m interested in some real social media failures. Social media can be scary, so I know they’re out there. Own up; it’s ok to go there.