DISQUS

Chris, I would only add to your list the following: Be prepared to share first (at no cost) some initial ideas as a way to educate target audience. Not everyone gets SM (yet.) We still need the basics available for various industries.

Just make sure you don't make the mistake and assume 7-10 lbs. for example means that's the diapers maximum capacity - huge mistake!

Chris - you paint a very hopeful and progressive future for education. For parents I recommend reading Marc Prensky's "DON'T BOTHER ME, MOM -- I'M LEARNING" : How Computer and Video Games Are Preparing Your Kids For Twenty-first Century Success -- and How You Can Help!

In it Prensky refers to the youth as digital natives and the older generations as digital immigrants which is a very telling way to express the differences in comfort-levels with technology.

I work in education (Communication/PR) and would love to see SM integration in and beyond the classroom.

Great conversation starter as always.

Jason,

I think what this shows us is that there still are business models to be developed and integrated in social media consulting and delivery. This is nothing more than a blip on the radar for these two strong organizations. It is quite encouraging for small start-ups to see the potential for larger conversations is possible if not probable. The SMG/Livingston consolidation was exciting at first, but then it just seemed like it could be one in a number of future SM business deals as early adopters become entrenched and late adopters keep learning and help spread the conversation.

I agree with Cameron on the listening tools point. In many cases you can use these as an early warning device for issues that would otherwise blind-side you and/or your organization.

I noticed the majority of these steps relate to blogging (or at least they seem to me to be related to it.) I think this makes a lot of sense because blogging is such a good entry point into using social media tools. Plus, if done effectvely, can show the human-side of businesses/organizations. I think that people trust people not companies. Thanks for sharing.

In my opinion this is a positive I.D. of early social media in act. Consumers/users/customers/community members/etc. weighing in on something that is important to them using a format (phone call) that is open.

I read Now is Gone and in the middle of Groundwell. Both excellent choices. New Influencers and Naked Conversations are already on order.

The one thing practitioners need to remember is, we need to be involved and experiment with the various social media technologies, tools, and theories before giving advise on them to clients and/or companies. Knowing your craft is different from knowing of your craft.

Thanks for post.

Hey cool. Count me in Jake.

This takes me back to my days in the service industry as bartender and waiter - the best restaurants/bars that I've had the pleasure of working in or being in treated people as "guests" instead of a herd of cattle. My guess is that people who disagree with the elimination of "user" never worked in the service industry (or if they did, they were not very successful).

...first steps into social media? Had a vague understanding, then heard a presentation by Geoff Livingston on integrating social media into communications plans. Read his book (Now Is Gone) and have been totally geek-ing out on SM ever since

...early people you admired and followed? Geoff Livingston, Kami Huyse, Lauren Vargas, Brian Solis, Giovanni Gallucci, and others

...get started? Started with social networking sites MySpace then graduated to Facebook. I put some ideas to work in my first blog. Presented a Social Media for school districts for some fellow school PR professionals

...advice? jump in, the water's fine

...next few months with social media? I've been asked to give a Social Media for Newbies presentation for Fort Worth PRSA. Things are looking good so far. I am excited to see where this goes.