I’ve spent a lot of time at skateparks lately, and the culture around skateboarding is really fascinating. I don’t mean how skateboarding influences culture generally, I mean the culture shared among skateboarders — something I wish I could find in more communities.
Skateboarding has a strong culture of support. Skaters cheer each other on, and hype each other up, as they try the next trick on their list to level up. They openly share knowledge with each other, how fast to ride that ramp, how much pop you need to clear that rail. Skaters will ask each other for tips on technique and receive them without question. Reputation is earned by the way you skate, not by the brand or your deck or the car you drove to the park in.
The way skaters help each other is really different from the way most people teach, or are taught.
- Show, don’t tell. Skaters will demonstrate a specific technique, teaching by example
- Guidance is specific, not abstract. Not “do this, generally”, but “do this, exactly, right now, before that other thing”
- Tips, not classes. Advice is short and direct. No lingering. No philosophy. No thought leadership.
- Bring your own steez. Tactics, technique, and style are all different things. Even with expertly given tactical advice, making a trick smooth and steezy is still up to you.
And there’s something else really important about how skaters share knowledge. You have to show up and skate, in order to receive it. You can’t just read about it or watch a video. You gotta show up. You have to try it yourself. Demonstrate your effort and dedication. And then you’re in a position to get that advice.
Good marketing is challenging. We’ve all been there, staring at a blank page and feeling like you just can’t see the best path forward. I’d love to have that sort of support for folks that are feeling stuck with their marketing. Folks who could use an outside perspective. A little boost.
So we’re setting something up:
The Reify Boost
We’ve helped 75+ companies with strategic and tactical marketing consulting over the last 4 years, and we want to help you, too.
If you are doing some form of marketing and are feeling stuck and looking for expert advice, we’re here for you.
Book a 30-min Session with Reify Right Now
Really. We’d love to help out. Get steezy!