TWITTER as a networking tool is developing fast. Once again, I found out how useful it can be this week.
Trusty ol’ twhirl lit up green one morning: an @ reply to a Tweet! Exciting – particularly as it was from someone I didn’t know.
@JoshBensonGV picked up on some random price list musing I was Tweeting – that Volvo only fits heated seats as standard to the sportlich R-Design variant of XC60 compact SUV – with a smiley ribbing.
Smiley back from me: but who was this chap? Turns out, he’s a Brit FFord racer, who’s using social media in some very canny ways.
Typically, being British, he has little money to go racing. Typically, too, he’s pretty good. Just as Anthony Davidson should be in an F1 seat*, Benson’s stats show a fair turn of speed when he’s actually able to race.
So, he’s solving his cash quandary by being innovative. With the aid of Lesley at oneplusonemarketing, he wants to do for motorsport what the Arctic Monkeys and MySpace did for music.
Namely, create a Groundswell. Become the people’s driver. Gain a following, a community – level the playing field, ensure that talent gets you the seat, rather than the plain power of the corporate dollar.
‘The control of what we hear is over,’ reckons Lesley. The motorsport intent here is similar: to enable the good guys, who just so happen to be pretty good, get their chance.
Things hopefully kick off for Benson on 1 April up at God’s own motorsport garden, Oulton Park. I’ll try to be there – but, even if I’m not, Twitter will mean I’m as good as.
It’s certainly one for us social media devotees to follow. Now, who’s going to be the first to develop a motorsport section for MySpace?
* Little Ant may not be in an F1 seat, but if we’re being selfish, we can say he’s doing something even better: once again pairing up with Crofty on 5Live. They cover pretty much all the track action of F1 throughout the weekend, for the commentary pairing of your dreams. Tune in, stream it, podcast it, Tweet it, do anything to listen when the racing kicks off in Bahrain. It’s brilliant.
Great piece Richard thank you for the mention from both Josh and I, and, for your support.
Barack Obama ran his canditature through Social Media, we choose our music through My Space, X Factor produced Will Young the ‘peoples Pop Idol’…..why not motorsport? Indeed!!
The community spirit is once more injected into life thanks to the tools available to us and the technology that goes with it.
Josh is one of many, and a lesson I hope is to be learned here. There are many out there that doubt my mission’s success but we have chosen, followed and admired throughout our lives and this affects everything from politics to sport and beyond.
Every day people achieving great things is something we warm to – so I am aiming at a strong following to make our driver a true hero within his area of expertise and to be a inspiration to others out there.
We can take control of where we want to go, and get there by building communities, gathering their support and voice.
I need investors, it is true, and I hope that what we are doing and what have planned for the future will be a dangling ‘carrot’ and perhaps enough for any would be investors who can see the bigger picture here.
Return on Investment is the sticky glue everyone gets caught up in. This is a long term opportunity, to follow this young man through his journey to success. The more Josh is known, talked, tweeted and blogged about the more his profile is raised. Can you imagine the PR value to any investors who join us now as Josh’s career progresses?
The ‘founding fathers’ – some business men/women, entrepeneurs who wish to invest in his future and see the whole picture rather than just the immediate ROI. Not altruism, just 21st century fact.
Anyone wanting to join in, contribute, share ideas can contact me Lesley@oneplusonemarketing.com