I did an experiment yesterday on Facebook. I posted a quote, unattributed.

And it got a few dozen likes immediately. Ironically, it was a Simon Sinek quote, which a few people spotted.

Martin Luther King was able to get 250,000 people together in Washington DC on that August day in 1963 not because they followed him, but because of his vision. He just happened to be the conduit.

Sinek quipped that it just wouldn’t be the same if MLK said “I have a plan.”
The WHY is more powerful than the WHAT– the dream vs the plan.

Then I tested by posting something informational.
You can build influence by becoming a subject matter expert.

Arguably, the hottest current topic– plus I tagged a thought leader in online marketing.

Yet it got zero response.

Here’s a post from a friend that got almost 300 likes:

Another WHY post. And as much as I like Christine, it’s about what she stands for, not her personal beauty.

It struck me that people who seek to be wealthy or famous as their goal are hollow compared to people on a mission.

This speaks volumes about the nature of influence.

Here is the most popular post of all time on Facebook with over 4 million likes.
Can you guess under what circumstances, as opposed to by who?

People who clicked like did it because of what THEY believed and a celebration of THEIR success.

It wasn’t about the attractiveness of Michelle or Barack, nor the quality of the photo, but of mission.

Mission is shared and owned by many– inclusive, not exclusive; giving, not taking; clarifying, not distracting.

Did you know the Greeks had 4 different words for love?

PHILIA.
A general love via the warmth of friendships and pleasures. I love donuts, ultimate frisbee and episodes of StarGate.  Maybe you really “loved” that restaurant last night?

EROS.
Physical, passionate love tied to a person.  This is where “erotic” comes from. Infatuation creates love goggles, masking lust for other things.

STORGE.
Affection usually between family members, based on acceptance and mutual protection. David and Jonathan had one of the strongest friendships in the Bible. It was not sexual, but one of fulfilling mission– David’s anointing to be the next King.

AGAPE.
Unconditional, sacrificial love. To lay down your life for another man. Continuing to give, and not reciprocal. Spiritual and without sexual implications. Think of the Good Samaritan. Or for Christians, consider Jesus and that “God is Love”.

If Jesus were to be walking the planet in 2014, I’d bet he’d be on Facebook. And I bet he’d be a killer marketer.

Up until a year ago, my life was always about me. I wanted to be in the spotlight as the image of success.

But now it’s about a mission that all of us can embrace.

It’s time for others to step up into the spotlight and for me to be in support.

Dennis Yu

Dennis Yu is a former search engine engineer who has spent a billion dollars on Google and Facebook ads for Nike, Quiznos, Ashley Furniture, Red Bull, State Farm, and other organizations that have many locations. He has achieved 25% of his goal of creating a million digital marketing jobs because of his partnership with universities, professional organizations, and agencies. Companies like GoDaddy, Fiverr, onlinejobs.ph, 7 Figure Agency, and Vendasta partner with him to create training and certifications. Dennis created the Dollar a Day Strategy for local service businesses to enhance their existing local reputation and make the phone ring. He's coaching young adult agency owners who serve plumbers, AC technicians, landscapers, roofers, electricians in conjunction with leaders in these industries. Mr. Yu believes that there should be a standard in measuring local marketing efforts, much like doctors and plumbers need to be certified and licensed. His Content Factory training and dashboards are used by thousands of practitioners.

View all posts