True Confessions Of A Marketing Intern

This is a visual representation of the me2everyone virtual world.

I recently noticed a discussion post on a LinkedIn group in which I am a member.  The post was listed under the header “Jobs” and read “100 FREE Shares & Employment Options with a new Internet business”.  While I am not currently seeking employment, I was drawn in by the title and I clicked to learn more.

The post went on to describe the “job” as:

“Takes 30 secs to get the gist. www.me2everyone.com/409376 A 3d party investor for a creative new internet business (ebay meets Linkedin) is offering 100 FREE shares for a free membership and 200 for referrals. It’s simple, quick, there’s no financial cost or risk to you. www.me2everyone.com/409376″

What I find particularly interesting about this virtual world, called me2everyone, is the focus on business (you can view the landing page video below).  I did click through and register, mostly out of interest in emerging virtual worlds.

The landing page immediately discusses how you can make money and find jobs inworld.  Even the hook to get new members involves offering shares, which is obviously business related.  After I registered I learned that the world is not yet active.  They are building a solid base before launching this summer (2009).  This is presumably an attempt to overcome many of the pitfalls that Second Life has encountered.

This focus on business may attract businesses and marketers, but will it scare away users?  Will it become spam filled?

I really like the idea of giving out shares as a way to attract people to the world.  Not only will it draw entrants, it is a great way to ensure people will return to the world.  By offering shares people feel invested in the success of a company and are more likely to promote the world and to return once it has launched.

The world also appears to be less graphically intensive than Second Life which may help retain users once they register.  I am very interested to see where this world is headed.  Is this the virtual world we’ve been waiting for to make virtual world marketing mainstream?  I guess we’ll have to wait until next year to know for sure.  Of course, who really knows where technology will be in 365 days….

When I was 20 years old I did the unthinkable.  I quit school.

I had been attending university for 2 years and I did not know what I was doing.  I had ideas.  I had a lot of ideas in the 2 years I was in academia.  I was going to be a teacher, a child psychiatrist, an anthropologist, a nutritionist, and the list goes on and on.  Ultimately, I did not know what I wanted and until I figured that out school was getting me nowhere.  At the end of my 2 year sample of everything university had to offer I quit.

I faced the usual throwback from family and friends.  I was told that quitting school would ruin my life, that I would never make above minimum wage, that I would never return to school again, that I would have goblin children, etc.  None of this turned out to be true.

After quitting school I began working at a call center and quickly became a supervisor.  This helped me realize that I was really interested in business, particularly human resources.  It was also while I was working there that many of my friends started graduating.  They were graduating with huge debts and no jobs.  I decided then that I would return to university, but not until I could afford it on my own.

I am now 3 years into a double major in Business Commerce and Religious Studies.  I eventually decided on Marketing as opposed to Human Resources but it was in working that I found direction.  While quitting school isn’t the path for everyone it is definitely what I needed to find the right career for me.  I am now on my work term and I am more certain than ever that I made the right decision.  My life wasn’t ruined, I always made above minimum wage, I did return to school, and I never had goblin children (but that remains to be seen).