Lindy,

You asked me a specific question - "How does Carrotmob, or how could Carrotmob, be of an advantage to you in your business?" (Keep in mind my specific answer applies to me and my business - not you and your business.)

Being involved in marketing, there are numerous ways I could benefit from helping to put together a Carrotmob event. For one thing, I am affiliated with a professional video production company. I might be able to get them involved in documenting the event for use on TV and the Web. If you went to the Carrotmob web site you would see that many of these events are documented on video. And, in watching the videos it is pretty obvious those videos were not shot with webcams or cell phones. In many cases (not all) professional equipment was used.

Since I am a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner and my column focuses on small business, any Carrotmob event is worthy of my column's attention. Therefore, a Carrotmob event - whether successful or a flop - is a source of revenue for me.

Now, why should Lindy Asimus be involved with a Carrotmob event right down there in Australia? Because even if you are not one of the five businesses competing, you can become an activist for the event's success and draw positive press for your business in the process. There has to be a reason why people set aside two months of their free time to make these events a success. This is not some kind of "happy accident." This is a precisely designed and orchestrated activity that has long-term benefits for those who choose to get on-board in the early stages.

The Carrotmob idea focuses on the fact that it is better to reward small and large business concerns with something of benefit to both them and their community than it is to punish them for doing something harmful. This is not rocket science. This is not even a "new idea." Road races do this all the time. Only one person can win Atlanta's famous Peachtree Road Race every year on July 4th. Question: If only one person can win the race, and thousands of people want to run the race, how can you possibly be fair at the starting line? Answer: The race is not about how you start out. The race is about how you finish. Every person who "goes the distance of the race and crosses the finish line gets a t-shirt. The race is not about who is first to cross the finish line as it is about who goes the distance.

The Peachtree Road Race is about "lifting people up." Likewise, a Carrotmob event is about lifting a business up. Like road race fans on the sidelines of the Peachtree Road Race who stand and cheer the those running, Carrotmob activists in the local community garner support for a specific business for three hours on a specific day. They help to help to improve the financial profit of that business. They help make it more eco-friendly to the environment.

Would an administrator for a Ning network make a good Carrotmob activist? I think it's possible. What do you think? Watch this - Enticed by the Carrot.

Lamar Morgan
CDMM - Synergistic Business Marketing
(707)709-8605
Need PR?...Call Lamar!

Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901 (new win)