Small Town Superheroes

Just imagine doing something for someone and feeling good about it in the end.

Must appreciate guys who do heroics in their own way. I would consider them small time heroes.

It's great to see everyone's comments on the topic of promoting your "real world" community online. It raises some good points. I've been a "regular" at many different comic stores over the years, and it's amazing how some stores have owners or staff that are "above" mainstream comics. The good shops stick around and they keep my business. My regular shop is in Salem, MA, but I'll take a trip up to Amesbury one of these days to check out Mick's store.

@Sven, I'd love to hear about that particular era of Marvel Comics.

No I haven't. It's something to think about though.

I wrote about how I achieved enlightenment as a result of an interaction with a ladder salesman at Walmart. There are Buddhas everywhere! (here's my junk: http://www.yogamansfield.com/yoga-mama-says/200...

Thanks for this post!

I do!

I try to do it at least once a month (missed dec though) in a series about small, local business and how social media can help them. First I covered local coffee shops, and the last one was about <a href="http://shuaism.com/2009/01/social-media-for-small-businesses-pizzaria/"local pizzarias. In each one I linked to the one(s) I patronize the most.

I see the SB as the backbone of not only our national economy, but our local economy as well. One of my goals for this year is to do more with this series and keep promoting local businesses.

Thanks for this, Chris. When I blog about travel I do like to include local businesses, but it frankly hadn't occurred to me to write about any where I live, in Round Rock (just north of Austin.)

I see an opportunity, though - a new coffeeshop sort of place is opening soon on Round Rock's nice little Main Street (Friar Tuck's Pantry - http://www.friartuckspantry.com/) and I've spoken with the owners about doing some weekly Jelly Coworking there once they're up and running. Now I'll think about a good blogging angle, too. Thanks!

"Have you written about the stars in your town?" - not yet, no. In a coincidence too good not to mention though, I have it on my list of Things To Do to do a write-up about a local comic shop, Comics Warehouse, here in Albuquerque for my Kids and Comics site. I've been shopping there since I moved to this town a couple of years ago, and everyone there is super-cool.

Mick,

Earlier you stated that " one of the best things about comic shops is the variety of people who have conversations with each other. " You are so right.
Providing an environment and creating communities where everyone feels comfortable in their own skin is essential to our well being. Too often people worry about how they are supposed to act, what they are supposed to say, or unfortunately, become intimidated before interacting at all. By being aware of positive areas/social communities/friendly familiarities, we create conducive conditions around us. People enjoy coming to the Toy Soldier because of you. They appreciate the way you make them feel along with the personal customer service you consistently provide. Any one can have a book store, game store, video store or coffee shop...but not everyone has the ability to create "likability". Thats an innate skill and one in which others could learn from you simply by visiting. For each new comic fan you meet, your super powers become that much stronger thus increasing your brand.

Not to turn this into a Marvel thread, but... After growing up with comics in the late 70s and 80s, I sort of lost touch with comic books after the mid 90s. But my girls have gotten into the 90s Spider-Man and Fantastic 4 (and Superman and Batman) cartoons showing in reruns, and I have had a lot of fun getting re-acquainted with the stories. They got me the new Marvel Chronicle book by DK for Christmas. Fantastic stuff.

I would certainly love to see a post from Sven about the marketing efforts in the 90s.

/thread hijack

The strength of cafe-shaped businesses (wonderful phrase) is also their weakness; it is hard to make personal contact scaleable. It's worth asking why every business needs to be scaleable - local success (or translocal, niche success for digital businesses) is enough for many business owners. But it often isn't enough for many purveyors of credit, particularly venture capital, or for commercial landlords. Maybe if access to credit, like blogging, becomes more micro-scale and more social (cafe-shaped lending institutions?), socially-networked businesses will be favored by credit institutions that match their configuration.

Great post, Chris. I'm glad you're thinking about how digital community ties into our real-world neighbors. I've been thinking about the word 'hyperlocal' often in 2009, and not as some obscure, geeky buzzword -- though hyperlocal has certainly merited one or all of those qualifiers over the years. Last year cloud computing and green IT were everywhere, not to mention anything-as-a-service.

Forget the buzzwords.

I think Chris is spot on to turn his attention to what bloggers can bring to local small businesses. Whether it's comic book shops, great local bookstores, bakeries or microbreweries, we now have the ability to give instant feedback through our smartphones on the services, products and people that come within our experience.

All of those reviews on Google Maps, Yelp, Chowhound and the growing location-based social networks add up to something special: a digital neighborhood, with recommendations rolling in in real-time.

Just a few short years ago, a small business still needed to set up a website, hosting, hire a designer and figure out how to update it. That's still important, of course, but the action now is in the social layer of the Web on top of it.

Hyperlocal news outlets are springing up here and there, like MyDedhamNews in my backyard or Rob Curley's growing network of hyperlocal microsites throughout the country.

When you combine that growth with outstanding uberlocal blogs like Universal Hub or Gothamist that monitor, filter, edit and share the best (and worst) of the regional blogs, Twitterers, Craigslist posts, newspapers and video podcasters, it's not hard to see how 'small town superheroes' could thrive in tough economic times.

It's going to be a bit of a bumpy ride while it all shakes out. I'm glad to be along for the journey.

@DJ I sure did talk about comic books. Yep. I'm a girl. I love comic books, have for years. Sue me. :)

There's an element of the comic culture that I think translates so well to all of this social media stuff: storytelling. Comics are graphic stories, and the web is like one giant storybook to me. I'm constantly reading, seeing, absorbing...with both sides of my brain. We comic nerds love debating the undercurrents of our characters, the holes in our plotlines, and speculating about where it's all headed.

Comics move fast. They're in frames, digestible chunks that can be absorbed as such. And to me, much of the beauty of social media is that we can consume the story in frames, issues, and watch as it all morphs in front of our eyes.

But back to Chris' post topic and Mick's comments: comic heads always manage to find commonality in one another. It's uniting in a world when so many other things are divisive. And comic book shops have always had that "come on in and hang out for a while" vibe that so many other retail experiences don't have anymore. It's not transactional, it's social. And it's awesome. Long live our nerdy little hangouts. (Is it Wednesday yet??)

Ha! Loved Sven's comment. Because yes, I live in a tiny village (Silver Lake) in a gigundous city (Los Angeles) and the local shopkeepers need all the props and help they can get, even the good ones.

Just wrote about two of my fave places last night. I think I'll try to write more, now you mention it.

Think globally, act locally, and vice-versa.

I think some of you guys are touching on the fact that comic book shops were an amazing precursor of social media. New comic book day was and still is a terrific example of real world community building. I'm sure many of you have been in a comic store on a Wednesday and been part of the lively discussions about the artistic merits of new releases and related projects/media. One of the great benefits of the web and social media has been the removal of the need for a physical gathering place and the immediate connection that is possible between like minded people. I'm sure this is at least part of the reason for the rise of "geek culture" and the success of mass media like "THE DARK KNIGHT" or 'IRON MAN".

Mike - to your point on Marvel's Social Media outreach efforts. I had lunch with my friend Dan Buckley (publisher of Marvel) a few weeks and he was telling me that the launch of their digital comics effort (and the overwhelming traffic to their site as a result) really opened their eyes to the opportunities in digital media. I'm sure you can expect a lot more to come from them.

Chris - I'm serious about the tour offer. Just let me know.

BTW if anyone is interested about the rise of "shiny covers" or some behind the scenes stories on Marvel's marketing efforts in the '90s just let me know. I'll be happy to post something for everyone.

Chris:
I thought for a second there you were gonna briefly cover some of the approaches to social media that a guy like Mick could use to promote his business online. So many cafe-shaped businesses out there with so much value and no angle.
I think I'm a bit spoiled...your fault!

Later

I did write about someone, just yesterday in fact. A roving citizenship teacher in the Twin Cities, Teacher Ron. He reaches a whole lot of people, often one by one, always with his unique and engaging sense of humor. His latest project is here http://bit.ly/14EUV, and it's kind of time sensitive.

Echoing @Stacy Lukas and trying to not do the tongue thing you hate - http://bit.ly/ngNQ -, you did ask. :)

"Did being a little outside the mainstream help us to better understand different viewpoints? Can social media creativity be linked back to the wonders of the creaking stand-up racks at our local pharmacies and 5 & dimes?"

I think one of the best things about comic shops is the variety of people who have conversations with each other. I don't know how many times I've seen doctors, lawyers, grocery clerks, students, machinists, IT, moms and weirdos all talking to each other while standing in front of the comic wall. That's probably something "social media types" can draw some understanding.

Chris! Thanks for the blog entry - probably the nicest things anyone has said about me and the shop!

Man, how many of us marketing guys were/are comic book fans? John Wall left a comment on my post about marketing advice from comic book superheroes citing "The Boys" (http://onlinemarketerblog.com/7-marketing-tips-...) and I swear Amber Naslund brought up comic books within the last month.

There's got to be a connection between the social media marketing types who also may have been comics geeks (yours truly is certainly in that category) and what Todd Defren describes as the "listening mentality" for social media gurus: http://www.pr-squared.com/2009/01/the_value_of_....

Did being a little outside the mainstream help us to better understand different viewpoints? Can social media creativity be linked back to the wonders of the creaking stand-up racks at our local pharmacies and 5 & dimes?

Are we achieving in the business world the great power with which comes great responsibility? Phew, heavy stuff!

(Chris, you've got to read The Walking Dead TPBs and the 100 Bullets series. Fantastic!)

Hi Chris; always good stuff to read from you in my Google Reader.

I live in a small town, too, and this idea -- of using social media as a cheerleader's megaphone to spread the good news about what small biz owners are doing - is fantastic.

Thanks for once again sparking my imagination.

Mick's store is a treat, and a place I'd love to frequent if it wasn't a few days' drive away. He has the respect of other retailers all over the country (I'm one) because of the cozy, clean, personal shopping experience he created at Toy Soldier. It's a great store with great PEOPLE working there, and a lot of thought goes into everything they do.

I've got to learn how to network like this more (on and off line). I've always been a bit of a loner but there are some great small businesses here in town. My wife is always good at getting to know the people who work at them -- even people in the big places like W*lM*rt.

I need to make more of an effort to connect with the people in my community like this -- and promote them.

Thanks for the encouragement.

I also just realized that I neglected to share my thoughts on your post itself. In regard to Mick and his efforts to stay engaged with individuals, I had a similar experience with a comic book store in a town about an hour away from where I live. Although I have a comic book store in town where I used to make my purchases, I was never impressed with the impersonal service there (which treated customers as if *they* were the hassle more often than not). Then, in an "emergency situation" (as far as comic needs go), the shop about an hour away was unbelievably helpful and treated me like I was the first customer they'd had in years. From that point on I've taken my business twice a month to the store an hour away and they've always been great. Consequently, that's where I tell all my friends to go when they ask about comics, so I agree entirely that a little bit of personal touch and care can make a huge difference and is certainly worth the extra effort.

I don't do this often, but, seeing as you're a fellow comic book fan, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Marvel's extensive social media efforts over the past few months. I wrote a blog post a few months ago sharing my thoughts on the insane level of community building they've engaged in online with fans - http://www.wisdomsmouthpiece.com/2008/12/marvel... - They've got nearly 100 employees and affiliates using Twitter (as well as a VERY interactive @Marvel account that engages rather than pushes, content), they constantly and consistently update their social media networks, and they work hard to keep fans like me engaged (including sending me a personalized, signed by Joe Quesada hardcover of his Daredevil run with Kevin Smith after he came across my post). Like I said, this is the first time I've ever posted my own blog in a forum comment section, but I felt your appreciation of comics and the online/social media industry were a relevant place to share it and ask for your thoughts on their efforts.

@Sven - don't make me love you. Laughed at the "shiny comics days." Man, variant covers. You were brilliant! : )

Don't know if you would consider Brooklyn a small town but my neighborhood of Park Slope is pretty notorious for our support of independent businesses over chains. I think it's a growing trend in a lot of America's big cities (as well as small towns).

BTW Chris, I didn't know you were a comics fan. I used to be Director of Marketing for Marvel Comics back in the '90s (yes, the "shiny cover" days). Drop me a line the next time you are in New York and I'll set up a tour of the DC or Marvel Comics offices for you.

I used to blog about the locals in Worcester, MA when I lived there (worcesterdiaries.blogspot.com). Lots of videos there. I think everyone has a story to tell. These small shops are more interesting and relevant for most of us than the huge conglomerates are. Thanks, Chris.

Glad to see you jumping back into small businesses and small towns, Chris.

The test of success of social media is when it offers a real benefit to real people, like the local community or your parents. Communities are going to be increasingly under pressure and local newspapers are going to disappear. Introducing the community to the benefits of social media has to start with a real person in their store starting conversations.

Thanks for sharing. That's a lost art in human relations and business. It has become so impersonal in the last couple of decades. Very little interaction. Blogging, to a degree, has more interaction than most client-business relations with commenting and regular readership.

I've spotlighted a number of local, Massachusetts-based wine shops and wine drinkers. But one guy I admire is Lenn Thompson of http://lennthompson.typepad.com/lenndevours/ This guy has made it his mission to promote the wines from the state of New York. He tastes them, promotes them, and now is even making them! He is the tireless champion of New York wines and I think that state owes him a debt of gratitude.

Yes, I created a page for my town on Squidoo, http://www.squidoo.com/Lithopolis-Ohio.

This is a great example of a small business using size to their advantage. These kind of micro, personal interactions are what people value, and remember. This is an area where small businesses like Mick's can excel, way above the likes of their big-brand counterparts.

In answer to your question, I haven't written about the stars in my own town, apart from recommending the services of the suppliers I use. My blog isn't as well suited to doing this I guess.

Anyway, great post which should remind people that the medium is NOT the message. These kind of personal interactions are precisely what makes social media so powerful but we should all remember that the formula can be applied just as effectively offline.

This makes me miss my comic shop where I live we had one in my town for years and one day it burnt down, reopened and then it closed in late 2007. Many of the people I spend time with now are people that I met there. It was a microcosm of people that I could relate too. The town only has a few blocks of stores but every business here is personal, if you've been somewhere more than 2-3 times their going to recognize you.

Although I've written about my town and the people that others might recognize outside of the area. I've never thought of writing about the people who I interact with weekly, let alone daily. Something I'll have to look into, thanks Chris.

Actually, yes I have. Back in November I wrote a piece called "What My Small Town Dentist Can Teach Us About Social Media." (Not to be a "click my junk"-er, but you asked.)

I live in a very small, tight-knit community and am very active in my chamber of commerce. Most of the businesses I interact with are café-shaped businesses, especially the. . . well, cafés. And I love the area I live in for that. But yes, I'd be a little surprised, too, if anybody from my little town told me they were a regular reader of what I wrote online. The internet is still a foreign land to most of these people, and they pay attention to when I'm published in the local paper but this "internet thing"? Heh ... no way.