The catastrophic blowout that took place on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig on April, 20 has caused a massive amount of damage to wildlife and businesses in the region, which angers me and has inspired me to write this article. Though I’m in Los Angeles, California I feel I must help in some way. But how?
Of all businesses, fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico are getting hooked the worst with Louisiana’s $2.4-billion per year fishing industry coming to a halt (Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina and other states to come). Upstanding, hardworking individuals with generations of fishing in their blood are left on the docks with no means if income (or shall I say temporary income from BP). As opposed to visions of fruitful fishing voyages on the horizon, their future is a grim oil painting that none of us would hang on our wall.
My solution for fishermen — in an attempt to stay afloat during these hard times — is to use the internet (specifically social media) to expand your business in some way. The internet works wonders, and via such a medium fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico have the ability to break outside of their typical business (oyster farming, shrimping, etc.) and survive these hard times.
The Internet can save fishermen affected by the BP oil spill in a variety of ways, and I have listed a few below:
Blogging — Fishermen can create a blog and document their experiences during the catastrophe. The blog can also provide information such as fishing tips, seafood recipes, etc. The goal is to create useful content (with a purpose) and share it throughout the internet. This will increase traffic to the blog and if Google AdSense is placed on the site, with targeted ads, a small profit can be made. The more exposure the site receives, the more such a fisherman will make on the Google Ads.
Expand Offering — If one’s seafood company specializes in a particular type of seafood that is in short supply due to the oil spill, think about expanding to different types of seafood or even freshwater fish. We must adapt to our environment, and if our environment has (unfortunately) been compromised by the BP oil catastrophe, we must deal with the cards we were dealt. When my father passed away in my car from a heart attack, as I was driving him to the hospital, I realized that those were my cards and I must make the best of it. Fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico must do the same. Social media is what made me who I am and I’m content with its ability to help struggling fishermen.
Product Development — I know this may sound odd to some, but fishermen really know how to cook and many have longstanding recipes and traditions that are delicioso. I would love to see fishermen share their techniques, recipes, etc. For example, if a Louisiana fisherman has a recipe for Oysters Rockefeller I want to see it on YouTube. I also want to see it being taught to seafood connoisseurs around the world. My point is that the simplest thing like a Cajun blackening spice mixture or an Oysters Rockefeller recipe can be turned into a product and monetized with social media channels.
The biggest problem is where to start? Fishermen and other Gulf businesses (restaurants, hotels, etc.) have no extra money to invest in entrepreneurial ventures and no knowledge in social media marketing. This, my friends, is where I come in. I am extending an offer to all businesses that are being affected by the oil spill: You are welcome to contact me via phone or email with ideas for your business and The Brainchild Group will help you achieve your goals 100% free of charge.
For all of you marketers that read my blog (yes, all of you out there), please feel free to comment on this post and provide suggestions. I typically do not approve comments on articles, but I will for this one. We’re all in this together.
I look forward to hearing from everyone!
Sincerely,
Aaron Schoenberger
The Brainchild Group
The Brainchild Group is a Beverly Hills Social Media and Beverly Hills SEO Company that provides social media consulting, social media training, search engine optimization and SEO services to businesses around the world.