Social Media Snake Oil

For nearly two weeks we've been up to our hips in the quicksands of Social Media and if you find yourself slip sliding away, too, then this blog's for you.

So much has happened all at once so let's start with some truth from the top of the mountain by our trusted advisors at Marketing Profs.  We love the Daily Fix and this one on Social Media Marketing: Who's Full of Hot Air? Who's The Real Deal?  will make you feel like Dorothy, going behind the curtain to discover the real Wizard of Oz.

That story takes you to B.L.Ochman, the publisher of What's Next Blog and president of whatsnextonline.com, an Internet marketing strategist.  From B.L's lips to your ears, "While there is no shortage of consultants who blog, talk, present at conferences, and preach about social media marketing, only a handful in the world have actually created successful campaigns for actual clients."

Well, thank you B.L. Ochman!  The moment that statement hit my brain, I realized I'm in that handful who actually do this and know it's not easy.  It is essential and it's where the customers are,so learning this and doing it well is not an option.  Failure is not an option either--for me, for you, for our customers.

What hit me recently is that I've been doing this social media for as long is it's been a concept and practice.  So let's get that on the table before I tell you about my Social Media Immersion lately.

What qualifies me to guide you? I a proud to be a pioneer/consultant with Peppers & Rogers Group/Carlson Marketing, and pioneer/authorized coach with Duct Tape Marketing--both were doing social media marketing before it had that name.  That means before it was the hot buzz of 2007 it was happening on a less massive scale inside visionary companies and organizations for more than a decade (1995-2007).

It gets better.  How about this? "I will dedicate my next 100 posts to a specific mission: helping you grow the value of your social media and social networking efforts. "That comes from Chris Brogan,Vice President, Strategy & Technology, CrossTechMedia, who advises businesses, organizations and individuals on how to use social media and social networks to build relationships and deliver value and tells us, in Cafe Witness

There's nothing involved in social media that isn't already obvious to the average person. There's nothing awe-inspiring about aggregating followers, spreading a message or spurring individuals to action. We like to think there is but, truth be told, humans have been doing that since the Stone Age.

Even so, there is a feeding frenzy going on.  My customers and everyone else I know can't get enough of anything pitched in the name of social media. For example, in the certification industry, which is all about community and the value of a credential, went wild over the social media presentation by Chris Carfi, a speaker at the December 2006 Certification Network Group.  A year later, the group wants more and invites Kevin Jerge of The Port Network to bring social networking and practical examples of what works, to the gathering of 100 or so decision makers.

Also at the first of December the American Society of Association Executives and the Center for Association Leadership comes out with a printed, special insert on "Social Media" to their 23,000 members--mainstream business as represented by every profession and industry on the planet. My friend, Andy Steggles, fellow ASAE member and Chief Information Officer, Risk & Insurance Management Society, Inc.,volunteers his time and expertise to share his experiences and success stories with social media with us. Andy is out there as the pioneer on Facebook doing an association of association space.  So in addition to our traditional networking through a dues-paying association, we also have the association community on Facebook and all that costs is our time and commitment to come back and keep the community vital.

Social media--we're doing it and making it vital to our marketing efforts, every day.  There's a lot to learn, a lot to practice and a lot of snake oil salesmen pitching social media marketing.  So let's come back here for further discussion on this, shall we?

Comment if you are wondering about social media marketing or if you have the answers.

Comments

[Chris Brogan...]

Hi Georgia-- It's so exciting to see you talking about this and laying it out there. You've certianly got lots of "street cred" in getting the message out there, and helping companies understand the other ways they can get their voices heard. I believe you understand the new landscape of it being more conversation-based, and less control-of-message based, but that with your skills and experience, you've got the ability to take people through a successful experience.

I'm glad you've proclaimed. I believe Duct Tape Marketing did it back before it was cool, so you certainly have lots to bring to the new buzzy shiny snake oil party that will dispel the silly and bring the noise.

Glad to read your post.

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There are hues Snake Oil In Social Media.Rightly so, he questioned me and my application of the term “expert” to my experiences and understanding of the space. In this community, it’s important to question and be critical and keep our motives and our expression of these things clear and transparent.

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