DISQUS

Ken, nice job on this. Listening continues to be so underrated and often overlooked when companies are getting started in social media. In fact, in the big social media blueprint, *participating* actually comes toward the end. Listening and laying other groundwork - like assessing risk, taking the temperature of your culture, considering scalability and other things - have to come first, otherwise the participation component is bound to fail.

We're eager to jump in and start talking first, because we're worried that if we don't, no one will hear us or someone else will get there first. But sustainable social media means treating it with the same gravity as any other business endeavor, and preparing for it by understanding the landscape fully is the best investment of time and effort you can make in your work.

Thanks for continuing to put the focus on practical aspects of social media implementation. We need more voices of reason in this very noisy space.

Ken, nice job on this. Listening continues to be so underrated and often overlooked when companies are getting started in social media. In fact, in the big social media blueprint, *participating* actually comes toward the end. Listening and laying other groundwork - like assessing risk, taking the temperature of your culture, considering scalability and other things - have to come first, otherwise the participation component is bound to fail.


We're eager to jump in and start talking first, because we're worried that if we don't, no one will hear us or someone else will get there first. But sustainable social media means treating it with the same gravity as any other business endeavor, and preparing for it by understanding the landscape fully is the best investment of time and effort you can make in your work.



Thanks for continuing to put the focus on practical aspects of social media implementation. We need more voices of reason in this very noisy space.

Dude, You're not nearly as weird as you think you are. I also might have gone to culinary school had life been different, but restaurant hours SUCK. :) Thanks for being a good sport and sharing. I love knowing all these interesting things about people, especially those I've yet to meet in person. Good stuff. :)

Dude, You're not nearly as weird as you think you are. I also might have gone to culinary school had life been different, but restaurant hours SUCK. :) Thanks for being a good sport and sharing. I love knowing all these interesting things about people, especially those I've yet to meet in person. Good stuff. :)

Scott - plain and simple, you're just about awesome. Here's hoping that 2009 brings us the chance to meet and share a toast. It's been my pleasure to get to know you a bit on the crazy interwebs, and I'm looking forward to more fun and friendship in the coming year. My best to you and yours. :)

Scott,

Boy am I with you on the Lisa Hoffman fanwagon. She's a gem. Not only does she get the whole intent of this space, but she's so genuine and real, it's impossible not to like her. I'm so glad that you countered Mr. Me above with someone as dedicated and awesome as Lisa. Good on you.

Mark - I think you've hit on something that's the frustration of many new bloggers who are trying to get their voices out there. But with hundreds of millions of blogs, just how, exactly, should you matter? (And let's not even give credence to the naysayers that urge you to quit before you've started for this very reason).

I'm focused on bloggers because it's a prevalent theme, but it really applies to just about any type of content, especially on the web. But look at it this way. Each of our homes is basically a pile of bricks and sticks. It's what we do inside the walls to make it our own that transforms house to home.

I'm sure that the topics I'm writing about aren't unique. I know they're not. But my own individual experiences and insights shape how that topic is seen through my eyes, and mine alone. The hardest part for many content creators is having the courage to LET that unique viewpoint shine through, to take the time to really chew on what they're thinking about a topic and put it out there, unabashedly.

There may only be three primary colors, but ah the hues and shades you can create with a little nuance.

Mark - Thanks! I've so enjoyed getting to know you on Twitter, and look forward to a 2009 full of hijinx and fun. Thanks for including me on your list. :) I think you're swell, too!

"Remember, it’s the age of DIY, and success can’t happen unless YOU are the one doing".

This is critically important. DIY says "DO" as the first word. The overwhelming amount of information and knowledge available to us can trick some into being complacent, content to absorb and hope that the hard work will come through osmosis.

It doesn't work that way. So to me, the critical component of making the myriad connection is the step that comes after: taking that knowledge and doing something with it. Today. Rolling up your sleeves and refusing to wait until someone else guides you, but blazing a trail for others to follow.

Thanks for a well-thought post, Ken.

<abbr>Amber Naslund’s last blog post..ROI Begins At The End</abbr>

"Remember, it’s the age of DIY, and success can’t happen unless YOU are the one doing".

This is critically important. DIY says "DO" as the first word. The overwhelming amount of information and knowledge available to us can trick some into being complacent, content to absorb and hope that the hard work will come through osmosis.

It doesn't work that way. So to me, the critical component of making the myriad connection is the step that comes after: taking that knowledge and doing something with it. Today. Rolling up your sleeves and refusing to wait until someone else guides you, but blazing a trail for others to follow.

Thanks for a well-thought post, Ken.

<abbr>Amber Naslund’s last blog post..ROI Begins At The End</abbr>

Ok, well clearly we all know my stance on junk click stuff, so I won't belabor that point here.

Look, you're right. Personal interaction isn't scalable. But, uh, should it be? Isn't that the POINT? I'm a small business, and I get over 200 emails a day, I'm on twitter constantly, I blog on three blogs (four on a good week), I have a phone that rings, a Facebook page, a LinkedIn account, a feed reader with blogs to comment on...and client work to do. But dammit if I don't bust my butt to be as personal as possible with everyone I connect with. why? Because it's the human thing to do.

Do I miss people? I'm sure I do. But I don't feel warmly embraced by someone that sends me a "hey, thanks for following" DM, or a "personal" introduction for getting their newsletter. I feel embraced by someone when they take the time to read and comment on my blog, respond to my comment on theirs, return an email or just call to say hi.

Relationships aren't automated, and I don't intend to open the door to them in an automated fashion. I'm here for a reason, and I embrace this space because of the one to one relationships that it creates. Yes, it's time consuming. No, to me there is no alternative.Otherwise, I have no credibility for telling businesses that relationships should matter to them, too. It scales when your business grows and you have more faces to add to the mix and encourage THEM to reach out and be connecting, too.

Hey Ken - thanks for the shoutout. Twitter is still NOT a mainstream business tool and as much as I'm an evangelist for it's uses in business, it's not for everyone. And it's much more important that a business adopt whatever tools work for them and, more importantly, their customers. It's about establishing the underlying philosophy for social media in the first place - better, more open communication, lasting relationships with customers, brand loyalty and a human face to the logo. If you embrace those tenets, the tools you use are completely secondary.

Thanks for sharing the presentation!

Hey Ken - thanks for the shoutout. Twitter is still NOT a mainstream business tool and as much as I'm an evangelist for it's uses in business, it's not for everyone. And it's much more important that a business adopt whatever tools work for them and, more importantly, their customers. It's about establishing the underlying philosophy for social media in the first place - better, more open communication, lasting relationships with customers, brand loyalty and a human face to the logo. If you embrace those tenets, the tools you use are completely secondary.

Thanks for sharing the presentation!

I really want to comment and say something brilliant, but Beth and Cam did it all. If we want to continue establishing the credibility and viability of social media, we ought not be hitting the panic button every time someone does something we don't like - either within social media or without.

We keep thinking that everyone lives by our Web 2.0 rules, and they don't. And you know what? We need to start ushering this stuff in with a sound mind instead of a sledgehammer if we ever hope to convince anyone that this world and sound tenets of traditional marketing and PR can live under the same roof.

I knew I liked you, oh smart and savvy BNL fan. :) I really enjoyed your take on this. And I think many of us are still navigating our way through nebulous waters, but in the end, i'm thankful for anything that brings people together and lets us all see a bit more of each other. And as for experts, that's all relative anyway. Someone always knows more, but then it's my hope that I can help those that know less. :)

Thanks for a fun read.

Kat, Excellent points. I'm particularly fond of #4. It's sometimes tempting for "consultants" to be yes men, running around and jumping all over every idea because they see dollar signs. (Sorry, guys, there are those people out there). But sometimes the healthiest thing you can do for a client is to say no, and explain why a particular tactic isn't right for them. In fact, turning down an entire gig in the name of making sure you're doing right by the company is truly adding value, especially if it prevents them from wasting time and money and setting themselves up for disappointment.

Thanks for keeping us grounded.

Something that continues to frustrate me is that we've spent millions of dollars over the years taking our clients out for dinner or to a golf game, and we understand the inherent value in developing that relationship, even if that one transaction (or interaction) didn't drop to the bottom line. The understanding is that if I develop my relationship with this person, I'm deepening their affinity for me as a person, and therefore my brand and my company. I can't remember the last CEO who demanded that the straight line be drawn from the golf game to the account buy. Why can't we make the same connection in social media?

Relationships - the currency of social media - are unique and distinctive, and the lifecycle of each follows a different path. Perhaps if we weren't so concerned about getting directly from Point A to Point B, and more comfortable with the idea that point A might lead to B, C, D, E and maybe even F before we see a dollar sign, we might be more inclined to find a measurement that makes sense. I know there are exceptions to this rule, but I'd be inclined to say that more often than not, cultivating a relationship over time is never a waste.

I'd put an analogy here about how many times you go on a date before you get to third base, but I'm going to resist that temptation.

Hey Jason - good stuff, and I'm delighted to be a subscriber of four of the five already! So I'll be checking out Avinash's blog...thanks for the recommendation. A few of my faves:

The Viral Garden
CK's Blog
Beth's Blog by Beth Kanter
Servant of Chaos
Techno//Marketer

'Course this means I'm leaving off dozens too but hopefully someone will fill in more blanks. Thanks for bringing some attention to some super smart people.

Hey Jason - good stuff. I'm attending the Marketing Profs Digital Mixer in October for this very reason. Much of the content is focused on social media and the new horizons it creates, but the audience is going to be filled with corporate marketing and communication professionals who are just beginning to understand the role these tools and practices play in their business.

Personally, I'm hoping to focus heavily on local events in industries that have need for better understanding of communication practices in general, and hope that social media becomes part of the conversation there. Teaching each other has value, but our real contribution to the business world needs to be in sharing our knowledge with those who don't have it.

Thanks for shaking the trees yet again, my friend.

Freaking beautiful. Seriously, I've gotten myself so amped up about many a conference, only to be brain damaged by said sandpaper poultry and mind numbing, scripted and canned powerpoint presentations. I go to a conference to be smarter, to meet other smart people (hopefully smarter than me), and nothing deflates me more quickly than realizing I've been duped. (Ok, maybe not deliberately buuuuutt...)

I'm especially YAY about #6 and #7. There are so many smart people out there and so few speaking slots. What say we relive a bit of a discussion forum and let the ideas emerge? I mean, hey. It works for Twitter.