"Please TIP me over and pour me out..."

"The Tipping Point," by Malcolm Gladwell is an author's insight into an idea, or phenomenon, known as "the tipping point."  According to the book, the "tipping point" is the moment when something changes within an epidemic, that, in turn, makes it "tip" and spread like wild fire.  The book also offers three rules of epidemics:  The Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor and the Power of Context.  When I read the book, I kept trying to put my own examples or thoughts into application.  For instance, did you ever think about Ashton Kutcher's show, "Punk'd?"  Remember how he always wore a trucker hat?  It wasn't long after that all the major clothing stores were stocking up on trucker hats.  Abercrombie & Fitch, American  Eagle, and other clothing stores offered trucker hats.  Suddenly there was a "boom" or a "tip" in trucker hats.  The Law of the Few may have exhibited to this sudden rise in sales.  

One of the first things I related this to in my own life was my quest to find an internship.  When I went to interview for mine, I brought stuff that would help me prove I could do the job.  I knew the organization wanted a person who exhibited a strong knowledge of press releases, so I brought along clips of published articles.  I knew he wanted some creative touches, too; So, I brought along fliers and brochures from last semester.  This allowed me to "tip" myself to ensure I was the best candidate for the job.  Luckily, I "tipped" myself well, and now have the internship for this summer. 

Our Public Relations & Administration class is busily working on administering an event for the Georgia College & State University athletic department.  We are working on an auction and each have our own tasks to make everything run more smoothly.  However, there is definitely a team-like atmosphere, because we frequently rely on one another to get the job done.  We are "connectors" with one another, as well as our client.  The PR person is the two-way communicator and connector. 

The Law of the Few will definitely be our best theory for getting our jobs done in the most responsible, and efficient manner.  This will help us "tip" the auction.  The idea states that society can be driven by just a handful of people.  I keep thinking about the trucker hat example I gave above, but also the book's own example of the Hush Puppy shoes.  It only took ONE Manhattan store to pave the way for an epidemic rise!  People wanted the shoes everywhere!  The shoes were not only comfortable, stylish, but inexpensive, too!  With the bad economy, our struggle will be to convince others our auction is the best out there.  We can, as PR planners execute the idea that spending money in a bad economy benefits all involved.  It will also be a good idea to use the salesmen idea.  We can help our potential guests feel at ease at coming to our auction, without, of course, coming off as money hungry loons!  

Speaking of salesmen, the book offers readers the ideas of different types of people in society.  They are:  connectors, mavens, and salesmen.  It was difficult at first for me to decide which type of person I am.  However, after reading the chapter more than a few times, I decided I am a maven.  My personality is one of very selfless behavior.  I would rather see my friends, family, and even strangers I come in contact with happier than I am.  At times, however, I believe I am guilty of being a people pleaser, or a push over.  I frequently want and need to be the host when others are around.  I seek to help others, share my insight on particular subjects, and offer solutions.  The book also states that mavens are encouragers, and I definitely exhibit that trait.  I love when my friends and family succeed.  

Sadly, however, I think I am also a salesmen.  I don't think it's necessarily, bad, but I don't think it's a good personality either.  Sometimes a salesmen can come off as fake, like car salesmen!  I definitely do not want to be known at the Billy Mays of PR!  However, on the good side, I am good at making people feel at ease, and I am extremely outgoing.  I find I can connect with people almost immediately.   Oh, but that means I'm a connector too... whoops.  Maybe I'm all three?

On the subject of the relations of a "tipping point" to social media, I feel social media has become a type of "connector" for those using it.  Facebook, for example, allows its users to connect with one another on topics of interests and different agendas.  Someone can post a note on Facebook, just as someone, like our PR class posts a blog on Blogspot.  Through these different mediums of social media, we can all be connectors with others outside our group of contacts.  Before the Internet, only a selected few could become mass communicators.  Now, however, that's changed.  Anyone with an Internet "connection" can "connect" with the world.  Twitter, for example, continues to grow in popularity day by day.  We as Twitter-ers can connect with users in our class, read news feeds, hear about job openings, and more.  The benefits of being a connector in social media continues to grow.  It's up to those who are the communicators to "tip it over and pour it out..."