What’s more important than a shiny website, dope graphics, and Pabst Blue Ribbon sponsorships? Truthfully, not much. But there is one thing that I would like to pass along to any new Southern streetwear brand* trying to get on:

Come to THE BIG MIX

Accessibility is the key.

In our everyday struggle to gain any edge over our competitors I think sometimes WE forget (yeah, I forget it sometimes too) that if people can’t touch you–then you aren’t real. And if you aren’t real then you can’t monetize that cool website you just developed or that clever graphic you just put on your tee shirt.

Let me say this, I’ve only recently learned this nuance as H1GHER LEARNING has grown so I don’t want to give anyone the impression that I know it all. I’ve gained knowledge and I’m sharing it with my folk.

That’s how I roll.

*My blog is geared toward Southern streetwear brands but, for sure, these ideas can be applied to almost any up-and-coming brand (streetwear, Southern, or otherwise).

1. Un-Social media.

So you’ve got a blog, a website, an account with Linkedin, a personal Facebook page, and a Facebook page for your brand. Your company has a MySpace page, you use Foursquare like a pro, you got Vimeo for all your videos but you still utilize Youtube because, ya know, EVERYONE uses Youtube.

Not to mention you’re SO next level that you use both Skype and oovoo and are thinking about joining Friendster and Blackplanet!

Let’s not forget your Tumblr in which you post those random artsy photos you love that don’t necessarily have anything to do with your main blog.

Have you ever stopped to think why, even with all those forms of communication, no one knows who the eff you are?

I’d like to think it’s because a lot of us take “social media” for granted. Like just having a Gowalla account makes you “social”.

Don’t depend on a social media website to make your brand relevant. When you’re just starting out, like myself–one year and some change for H1GHER.com–YOU ARE YOUR BRAND (my Mama taught me that).

I know I’ve said this 100 times already but stop hiding behind your computer screen. Get out there and meet people.

Use the internet as a way to START and MAINTAIN connections but not as your sole relationship builder.

It’s just like using  a dating site to find a girlfriend. Yes, many of them boast that their “scientific methods” provide very high compatibility rates but you won’t actually know if you have anything in common with the other person if you don’t go on real date.

Treat the rest of the ‘net the same way!

2. Your brand is being devoured.

You know what the problem is with reading website’s full of “useful” tips and suggestions? They are built to garner hits not HELP you. Having tons of Facebook fans and Twitter followers is great but how does that help your business grow?

It kinda doesn’t, honestly.

Just because you can sign up, for free, for all these amazing Social media platforms that doesn’t mean you should. I mean, have you ever even stopped to figure out why you’re on some of these sites in the first place? I bet you haven’t. Shoot, until recently, I hadn’t either. A lot of these sites are indeed helpful but have you taken the time to determine if you’re reaping any true benefits or are you just adding to the digital noise?

I’m starting the process of finding out which social media platforms are best for me and I’d advise you to do the same.

Some of yall are getting extra comfortable with your exaggerated internet presence and if that’s the case, it’s the beginning of the end for your brand. I believe that unless you’re a huge company with a broad reach you should make an effort to narrow the channels of communication between you and your consumers.

Having 12 different accounts slows you down. You’ll be spending the majority of your time updating stuff instead of shaking hands and kissing babies. We are small start-ups, we need to be quick and nimble. Chaining ourselves to all these extra outlets is working towards our demise and keeping us from reaching our true potential.

3. Beware of “Facebook Living”.

I read an interesting post by Ev Bogue that pretty much summed my sentiment about Facebook: it’s not all that anymore.

Now, I am by no means ”anti-Facebook” (like Ev seems to be) but I must admit over the last year my interactions with the site has dwindled down a lot. I was feeling like I wasn’t actually connecting with people. The message of my brand was being put out there but I just wasn’t getting the impression that anyone was actually listening.

My messages promoting the intellectual consumption of Southern streetwear culture was competing for time against advertisements for “Shorts and Stilettos” parties. Call me crazy but I don’t think I should have have to fight that battle. The wildest thing was even though I wasn’t really building relationships with REAL people, Facebook was still taking up the majority of my time.

So one day, I deactivated the Facebook app from my Blackberry. I haven’t looked back since.

My “relationship” with Facebook now is pretty much all business but even that has been lacking lately. I’m a new brand starving for attention and dying to learn something new everyday and Facebook just isn’t filling that void. Or am I the only one that feels that way?

You know what really killed my gung-ho attitude about Facebook? Twitter. Ever since I joined Twitter it’s been harder and harder for me to view Facebook as my primary source of contact.

Keep in mind, to fully reap the benefits of Twitter you have to USE it. You can’t have a static profile and expect to get things poppin’. For example:

  • Twitter brought me in contact with Strictly Fitteds. I posted an article about my love/hate relationship about leather fitted caps and Nai (the founder of Strictly Fitteds) reached out.
  • Twitter helped me get in touch with Atlanta Got Sole. In fact, my PHONE (not GoogleTalk) conversation with Sean of AGS inspired this post (and another possible post).
  • Twitter has provided a tremendous push in awareness about my attempt to gather Southern streetwear brands and enthusiast into one location during Charleston Fashion Week. You may be more familiar with the event’s proper name, THE BIG MIX. Just about everyday a new Southern based brand is hitting me up about either participating or just to tell me “Thanks” for creating a website with their interest in mind.
  • I even won a free tee shirt by interacting with the Firefly Vodka brand on Twitter!

If I wanted, I could go on and on compiling a list of things that have happened from my interactions with Twitter but that’s not the focus of this post so I’ll keep it moving. The point is Facebook doesn’t help facilitate anything like that nor has it turned many of my internet interactions into real life experiences.

It is those real life experiences that are going to make our businesses boom, not our random status updates that no one is reading (contrary to what Mark Zuckerberg would have you to believe).

4. A sense of entitlement: GET SOME!

The issue with the internet in general–and this is NOT an issue limited to Facebook by the way, in fact, it’s probably more egregious on Twitter–is that it gives people a false sense of entitlement.

You know what I’m talking about. I bet you can name at least one dude on Twitter/Facebook/ReverbNation/MySpace right now that would have you believe that he’s a WAY bigger deal than you know to be true. It’s an ugly side affect of our easy accessibility to technology.

“Internet gangster” is the term that comes to mind.

The dude that spouts off extra harsh anytime anyone says anything that he doesn’t agree with is not too far removed from the brand that thinks they’re the next Ralph Lauren because their website is fancy and they’re on every un-social media platform known to man.

Being connected to the internet doesn’t make your brand successful. Being good at what you do and taking care of your customers does that.

Don’t allow the internet to suck you up (that’s what she said) into believing the hype. Only portray online what you can in real life because increasingly people are interpreting what they see on the internet as legit. If you brag about poppin’ bottles when you’re in the club you damn sure better be doing it when I see you.

For that matter don’t be afraid to put your face on your website. Make sure people can identify you with your brand. Besides, it’s real hard to talk that slick shit when people know what you look like.

History has shown that soon as people find a discrepancy in your brand you will become discredited and in the entire history of the World Wide Web only Rick Ross has been able to survive such a hit.

“But the internet makes it so easy to be something your not, KJ!” I hear ya but believe me this is a trap, bruh.

Don’t fall for it!

5. Break out a triple beam!

“..lampin’ in the Hamptons like ‘What that fcuk is a hammock?’ / the chef up in the kitchen like ‘What the fcuk is a sammich?’ / I’m like ‘We gotta find middle ground, we need balance…’”

- Lil Wayne, “Knuck If You Buck (remix)“ - No Ceilings mixtape

YOU MUST take back control of your brand from the internet.

Find a happy medium between your online outputs and your real life interactions.

Use the internet to find other like mined people but make sure you trying to met these people or at least speak with them on the phone.

And you know what? It’s perfectly fine NOT tweet or blog every once in a while. Decompress by turning off your phone for a couple hours once a week. Let that rush of information we get punched in the face with everyday roll right on by sometimes.

It will allow you to think clearer, less influenced thoughts.

Give yourself permission to figure out what YOU what to do with your brand. There is nothing wrong with getting ideas from other sources (I do it all the time) but stop and take the time to figure out if those ideas are good for you.

We control the interwebs, not the other way around! Put your foot on the neck of the information super highway and show it who runs your brand.

Throw some gang signs while you’re at it.

Just don’t Twitpic them. You’ll look stupid.