Image via Wikipedia
A recent article in the New York Times tells of how the Benedictine monks of Portsmouth Abbey in Rhode Island are using the internet to try to avoid a long, slow descent into oblivion.
This is the great example of how social media has the power to humanize a brand (o.k. calling the Benedictine monks a brand is a stretch, but I think it applies.)
Today, there are only 12 monks and the youngest is 50 years old. If they don’t act soon, they will literally die out. What can blogging and setting up a Facebook page do for this group of religious men live such an insular life and whose focus is on matters decidedly beyond technology? It can do for them, the same thing it has done for others–bring their mission to light and to life, through videos, FAQs, and storytelling.
No advertisement for becoming a Benedictine monk can convince a person to make the kind of commitment necessary to bring a new member. But sharing the story about the benefits of the lifestyle through a multimedia approach and getting that story disseminated could.
By playing the music of Gregorian chants, describing in photos the benefits of the location on Narragansett Bay, by showing the accessibility of the monks, and by sharing what they find beautiful about the lifestyle through video and Facebook conversations, the Abbey has a chance of adding to its ranks. Today, 336 people “like” their Facebook page (one of many pages of Benedictine monks.) That number will grow and of those who read that page and visit the site, a percentage will decide to ultimately (after spending much time learning about the lifestyle) decide to join. It will only take a small handful of the people who follow the monks to make a significant difference in their future.
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