I don’t care about social media gurus or experts or mavens or whatever. That whole thing is going to settle itself out eventually, when the good work starts getting more concrete, and the people actually doing the work continue demonstrating and illustrating their learnings and results.
What concerns me far more than some nerd slinging his Facebook skillz around the fishbowl is the fact that in so many disciplines – social media included – we’ve got legions of people out there that are missing fundamental business acumen.
What we need desperately?
People who can craft coherent, clear correspondence that has proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
People who know how a budget is put together, and the difference between profit, costs, and revenue.
People who know the differences between marketing, branding, and public relations, and how they all tie together.
People who can put together a simple plan for getting from A to B, complete with goals and objectives, and explain it to someone else.
People who can see how different areas of the business work together to form a systematic operation.
People who have basic customer service skills like patience, politeness, helpfulness, and common courtesy.
People who know how to communicate clearly, collaborate on projects, and manage people positively.
People who can admit what they don’t know, and seek knowledge or help.
People who can engage in intelligent discourse and discussion instead of self-aggrandizing rants.
Looking back over the list, I suppose I’m illustrating more than a lack of business skills, but also a lack of communication and interpersonal skills. We’re so spoiled by all the information coming to us with a few keystrokes, and we’re losing the ability to synthesize it ourselves and articulate it to someone else.
Filter out the people that lack the majority of these abilities, and you’ve solved a great deal of the guru problem right out of the gate. The businesses that earn progress will apply those filters for themselves. The ones that don’t have problems far larger than their social media expert choices.
At the moment, I’m frustrated. But I’m working on some constructive solutions to try and help solve this problem rather than just whining about it (more on that here soon).
But seriously? The “expert” discussion is only happening with fervor inside the fishbowl it affects. Out there, where the business and economy is moving forward and progress is being made, it’s not more qualified social media gurus that they need.
They need better, more professional, more equipped business people. Not just MBAs on paper, but those with applied knowledge and practice. It’s about time we stopped slinging our internet prowess, and instead spent some time understanding and honing the part we play in the bigger picture.
If you have these business skills, please flex them. Share them. Absorb more. Apply them and teach others. Please.
I promise those are my last words on the expert discussion. I’m all done with that tired subject. Instead, this blog and other projects I’m tinkering with will be focused on not just social media, but on building better business. Better thinking, culture, planning, and idea execution. The stuff that moves not just needles, but mountains.
I’m learning too, and I’m watching and absorbing all the time. But I see something bigger. Do you?
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Amen, sister! If there’s no worthwhile application to real business and real people, then it’s all a waste of time.
Amen, sister! If there’s no worthwhile application to real business and real people, then it’s all a waste of time.
Great post Amber!
I definitely agree that things will sort themselves out and those with substance and creativity will rise to the top.
Great post Amber!
I definitely agree that things will sort themselves out and those with substance and creativity will rise to the top.
You can teach any technologically adapt person to use social media tools, which is what too many people consider the only prerequisite for being able to contribute to a business in the area. As you mentioned, the key is not being able to use the tools.
The key is figuring out how these tools fit into the overall strategy. The real valuable people out there are the ones who can recognize the goals of their business, create the strategy to achieve those goals, and then pick the tools that fit within that strategy.
Another solid post, Amber!
.-= Jackie Adkins´s last blog ..The Importance of Customer Retention =-.
You can teach any technologically adapt person to use social media tools, which is what too many people consider the only prerequisite for being able to contribute to a business in the area. As you mentioned, the key is not being able to use the tools.
The key is figuring out how these tools fit into the overall strategy. The real valuable people out there are the ones who can recognize the goals of their business, create the strategy to achieve those goals, and then pick the tools that fit within that strategy.
Another solid post, Amber!
.-= Jackie Adkins´s last blog ..The Importance of Customer Retention =-.
See, now that just made my day. There are too many confusing social media enthusiasm for expertise, and who are daily trying to “teach” us all something. How ’bout some learning, too? And while it didn’t lead to my position or career to date, I don’t regret getting an MBA for a second. Even a basic grounding in operations and finance can make any would-be marketer a little better able to integrate with teams and work within constraints. But an MBA isn’t necessary.
The number one trait we look for when we interview job candidates is not knowledge, but curiosity. You can’t grow in our organization without an insatiable curiosity to find out what works, what doesn’t and why. I suspect that is true for many other companies as well!
Thanks, Amber
See, now that just made my day. There are too many confusing social media enthusiasm for expertise, and who are daily trying to “teach” us all something. How ’bout some learning, too? And while it didn’t lead to my position or career to date, I don’t regret getting an MBA for a second. Even a basic grounding in operations and finance can make any would-be marketer a little better able to integrate with teams and work within constraints. But an MBA isn’t necessary.
The number one trait we look for when we interview job candidates is not knowledge, but curiosity. You can’t grow in our organization without an insatiable curiosity to find out what works, what doesn’t and why. I suspect that is true for many other companies as well!
Thanks, Amber
This is great, Amber. Your list of skills we need desperately goes on the fridge. Nice focus! Otherwise, I’ve largely ignored the poobah-ha.
Educators in marketing, PR and business should pay special attention to the items you list under “What we need desperately.” A great set of guidelines for preparing students for the real world. I’m sitting in a faculty meeting at Kent State (I’m a PR educator) as I write this, and about half of these items have already been mentioned in discussions about improving the curriculum.
.-= Bill Sledzik´s last blog ..Back in balmy Ohio =-.
Educators in marketing, PR and business should pay special attention to the items you list under “What we need desperately.” A great set of guidelines for preparing students for the real world. I’m sitting in a faculty meeting at Kent State (I’m a PR educator) as I write this, and about half of these items have already been mentioned in discussions about improving the curriculum.
.-= Bill Sledzik´s last blog ..Back in balmy Ohio =-.
Thank you for the excellent post. All too often, business objectives fly out the window in the face of some new ‘buzz’ If it’s not going to serve business objectives, it offers no value. I look forward to what you have in the offing.
Thank you for the excellent post. All too often, business objectives fly out the window in the face of some new ‘buzz’ If it’s not going to serve business objectives, it offers no value. I look forward to what you have in the offing.
Thanks for saying what I’ve been feeling lately. We need more leaders helping others, and less people carrying the “Social Media Expert” banner. You’ve gained a new follower!
Thanks for saying what I’ve been feeling lately. We need more leaders helping others, and less people carrying the “Social Media Expert” banner. You’ve gained a new follower!
Hi Amber,
Well said! Your points ring so true I just had to let you know that you’re not alone. I have come to the internet and more recently social media, from a business first perspective. I am constantly amazed at the lack of real world, common sense business practices out here in the cyber-board room.
How to write business correspondence, grammar, financial planning and reporting, etc., may not be sexy but when you lack these basic skills, you look like the amateur you are and it seems to somehow bring the whole group of us down just a few notches.
It used to be that if you couldn’t project an professional image, you would fail. Period. Somewhere along the way though, lower standards became more common and acceptable. I believe this is turning around. I think that people’s perspective has been distorted by an overhanging dark cloud of hard times and failure by big business, and the backlash against big corporate has carried over to a backlash against looking like big corporate.
Things are slowly turning around though, and as this cloud clears it is exposing the lack of good business practices where they exist. The people who lack these skills (and they know who they are) had better get studying.
.-= Ian Gordon´s last blog ..Some New Year’s Inspiration From Steve Jobs. =-.
“It used to be that if you couldn’t project an professional image, you would fail. Period. Somewhere along the way though, lower standards became more common and acceptable. I believe this is turning around. I think that people’s perspective has been distorted by an overhanging dark cloud of hard times and failure by big business, and the backlash against big corporate has carried over to a backlash against looking like big corporate.”
I love this statement. I think you hit the nail on the head here and I also agree it is turning around.
Hi Amber,
Well said! Your points ring so true I just had to let you know that you’re not alone. I have come to the internet and more recently social media, from a business first perspective. I am constantly amazed at the lack of real world, common sense business practices out here in the cyber-board room.
How to write business correspondence, grammar, financial planning and reporting, etc., may not be sexy but when you lack these basic skills, you look like the amateur you are and it seems to somehow bring the whole group of us down just a few notches.
It used to be that if you couldn’t project an professional image, you would fail. Period. Somewhere along the way though, lower standards became more common and acceptable. I believe this is turning around. I think that people’s perspective has been distorted by an overhanging dark cloud of hard times and failure by big business, and the backlash against big corporate has carried over to a backlash against looking like big corporate.
Things are slowly turning around though, and as this cloud clears it is exposing the lack of good business practices where they exist. The people who lack these skills (and they know who they are) had better get studying.
.-= Ian Gordon´s last blog ..Some New Year’s Inspiration From Steve Jobs. =-.
“It used to be that if you couldn’t project an professional image, you would fail. Period. Somewhere along the way though, lower standards became more common and acceptable. I believe this is turning around. I think that people’s perspective has been distorted by an overhanging dark cloud of hard times and failure by big business, and the backlash against big corporate has carried over to a backlash against looking like big corporate.”
I love this statement. I think you hit the nail on the head here and I also agree it is turning around.
Agreed! It’s always amazed me how many people who have built up a significant following inside the fishbowl actually have little to no business experience. Within the items you list, I think the most important is the ability to look and the big picture and advise businesses on how and where to integrate social media into their operations – *and then show them how to do it.* It’s time for the concrete.
.-= Kellye Crane´s last blog ..Work from Paris? Oui! =-.
Agreed! It’s always amazed me how many people who have built up a significant following inside the fishbowl actually have little to no business experience. Within the items you list, I think the most important is the ability to look and the big picture and advise businesses on how and where to integrate social media into their operations – *and then show them how to do it.* It’s time for the concrete.
.-= Kellye Crane´s last blog ..Work from Paris? Oui! =-.
Thank you for your common sense dialogue pertaining to every day business. In my professional tenure, I’ve been amazed at the lack of real understanding of how to relate and communicate with people.
You hit the nail on the head, and I appreciate that you weren’t afraid to say it.
Thank you for your common sense dialogue pertaining to every day business. In my professional tenure, I’ve been amazed at the lack of real understanding of how to relate and communicate with people.
You hit the nail on the head, and I appreciate that you weren’t afraid to say it.
Well put. You have (again) said respectfully that it’s not about the tools. The key is getting not only the self-proclaimed gurus to recognize this, but also everyone within an organization. Many organizations fuel the issue by relying only on social media staff to educate them on the latest tools. In my eyes, it’s up to everyone within an organization to stay current with tools that affect their business. As you’ve said, it’s up to the social media business people to understand and convey how those tools help meet business objectives.
Well put. You have (again) said respectfully that it’s not about the tools. The key is getting not only the self-proclaimed gurus to recognize this, but also everyone within an organization. Many organizations fuel the issue by relying only on social media staff to educate them on the latest tools. In my eyes, it’s up to everyone within an organization to stay current with tools that affect their business. As you’ve said, it’s up to the social media business people to understand and convey how those tools help meet business objectives.
Love the post, Amber. Enjoyed listening to your comments at Social Fresh Nashville yesterday.
As a marketing MBA (working on corporate side) and social media enthusiast(notice, enthusiast, not guru, maven, etc), sometimes I find the die hard marketing practitioners dismiss the (to quote Jason Falls) “tree hugging” stereotype of social media as unreliable and unmeasurable, while the “tree hugging” social media purists deem traditional marketing’s demands for metrics and ROI as untranslatable to their warm and fuzzy mediums.
The lesson is that you can have BOTH. Being a social media enthusiast with a strong traditional marketing background does not make you an alien. Being a social media enthusiast who admits to being a business person to trying to use social media to impact the bottom line isn’t a traitor to the tree huggers. We can all learn from one another.
Love the post, Amber. Enjoyed listening to your comments at Social Fresh Nashville yesterday.
As a marketing MBA (working on corporate side) and social media enthusiast(notice, enthusiast, not guru, maven, etc), sometimes I find the die hard marketing practitioners dismiss the (to quote Jason Falls) “tree hugging” stereotype of social media as unreliable and unmeasurable, while the “tree hugging” social media purists deem traditional marketing’s demands for metrics and ROI as untranslatable to their warm and fuzzy mediums.
The lesson is that you can have BOTH. Being a social media enthusiast with a strong traditional marketing background does not make you an alien. Being a social media enthusiast who admits to being a business person to trying to use social media to impact the bottom line isn’t a traitor to the tree huggers. We can all learn from one another.
Dang, does that mean I have to learn proper grammar, and how to spell? I’m screwed.
The main problem is doing what you suggest is hard, actually extremely hard.
Social media is not like putting together a marketing or PR plan, it’s much more complex. To do it correctly you must incorporate almost all areas of your business, and at the very least marketing, PR, customer service, and brand development.
When a social media plan is built it’s much more like building a business plan, and how many people do you know that can do that? Ideas are easy to come up with, and you can see this by looking at all the new business that start up each day. But only 5% of new business succeed for longer than 5 years.
Maybe what you laid out here should be setup as the barrier to entry, to become a social media professional. Back when you needed expensive equipment for video editing only true professional would call themselves a video pro. Today if someone has iMovie and an HD cam they think they are a video professional.
Maybe this post just raised the bar, and should be used to evaluate the worthiness of social media professionals. Let’s hope so.
Kevin,
We could cull the herd of “SM gurus” significantly if we required a grammar/punctuation test 🙂
.-= Bill Sledzik´s last blog ..Back in balmy Ohio =-.
Dang, does that mean I have to learn proper grammar, and how to spell? I’m screwed.
The main problem is doing what you suggest is hard, actually extremely hard.
Social media is not like putting together a marketing or PR plan, it’s much more complex. To do it correctly you must incorporate almost all areas of your business, and at the very least marketing, PR, customer service, and brand development.
When a social media plan is built it’s much more like building a business plan, and how many people do you know that can do that? Ideas are easy to come up with, and you can see this by looking at all the new business that start up each day. But only 5% of new business succeed for longer than 5 years.
Maybe what you laid out here should be setup as the barrier to entry, to become a social media professional. Back when you needed expensive equipment for video editing only true professional would call themselves a video pro. Today if someone has iMovie and an HD cam they think they are a video professional.
Maybe this post just raised the bar, and should be used to evaluate the worthiness of social media professionals. Let’s hope so.
Kevin,
We could cull the herd of “SM gurus” significantly if we required a grammar/punctuation test 🙂
.-= Bill Sledzik´s last blog ..Back in balmy Ohio =-.
Amber — Thank you for another frank and concise post. I am very much looking forward to the end of “social media” as a buzz term. Those who are hunkering down to do the real work, while others are still busy slapping each other’s asses or slinging mud, will win soon. 🙂
.-= Veronica Sopher´s last blog ..1% or 100%? =-.
Amber — Thank you for another frank and concise post. I am very much looking forward to the end of “social media” as a buzz term. Those who are hunkering down to do the real work, while others are still busy slapping each other’s asses or slinging mud, will win soon. 🙂
.-= Veronica Sopher´s last blog ..1% or 100%? =-.
Amber, Great post, and I couldn’t agree with you more. A rampant lack of basic business skills is unfortunately nothing new. Also unfortunately, the only way to truly know what kind of person you’re dealing with is to deal. For that reason, I try to go very slowly with new business relationships. Still, from time to time I get caught up in my enthusiasm and get involved in a “dream project” that turns into a nightmare.
.-= Brad Shorr´s last blog ..Tight Title Tags Attract Twitter Traffic =-.
Amber, Great post, and I couldn’t agree with you more. A rampant lack of basic business skills is unfortunately nothing new. Also unfortunately, the only way to truly know what kind of person you’re dealing with is to deal. For that reason, I try to go very slowly with new business relationships. Still, from time to time I get caught up in my enthusiasm and get involved in a “dream project” that turns into a nightmare.
.-= Brad Shorr´s last blog ..Tight Title Tags Attract Twitter Traffic =-.
Hi Amber,
OK, You got me on this one, I know what you are trying to say but lets look at who we are talking to in this environment. Forgive me if I come off ranting.
I am only going to draw from my experiences of being here online since the late 80’s when Gohper and WAIS were the tools of the day, FTP was the strongest tranfer tool ever!
It will appear like I’m tooting my own horn but really I’m not, like you, my hearts desire is that I could share my experiences from the trench building sound I.T. Strategies, showing Blog readers how a traditional ROI is calculated, and show you how to determine your businesses breakeven point, but that’s kind of boring me thinks.
Walking through an I.T. Strategic Plan, the steps you should consider working through to at least set the foundation for that plan, that’s not all that exciting either. You can find the above on my Blog, not in great detail but at least at a high-level approach.
There are literally hundreds of, if not thousands of sites on how to do a proper business plan too.
Everything you mentioned plus mine above are badly needed from a professional perspective, but my experience so far, here in Social Media circles anyway, people are not that serious about how to do those things. This is still a place to escape to after the day job, or even during the day job.
The How to build a good blog, how do I monetize it and make millions, the how do I get 10 million followers and so on seem to be the lions share of Internet users and scammers today. Even I want to learn some of those things.
My point is, right now, I would love to see what you have so brilliantly articulated but the reality is, the circle is still too small. Why? Business owners still don’t fully understand what they have in their hands when it comes to the Internet.
You & I know many of the same great people working hard to change the mindset, we want to educate and arm business owners with the right tools, metrics and perspective to succeed here. The problem is, they still don’t take this platform seriously enough, it’s still recreation.
Sorry but I had to get that off my chest. There’s more but it’s a moot point.
So what’s the answer, I think you & I and host of others must stay the course, continue to fight the battles we can win, do our best to educate the business owners if they’ll listen. This is going to take a little longer than I would like to see, but I know eventually this environment will have to be taken seriously because the shift is well under way.
It’s not that different than trying to save people from going to hell, business is changing rapdily, if you don’t change with it, your out of business.
“The problem is, they still don’t take this platform seriously enough, it’s still recreation.”
That’s exactly the point, Owen. They don’t take it seriously because it’s largely being perpetuated by a bunch of hacks that don’t know a P&L from D&D.
We have to continue to educate, yes. But there is a place for personal accountability in individuals. It’s not that the resources aren’t out there. It’s that we have to be willing to take *ourselves* and our industry seriously enough to commit to learning them.
I love how we agree with different words : )
My wife finds that frustrating.
The problem will ly in how thinks they are the ones to hold those accountable, vigilanty thinking? I think the truth will still cut through with most, a good set of case studies reflecting positive outcomes. ROI is one positive outcome and is most likely the one business owners want to see. Therefore, these frauds out there won’t have a clue how to proceed.
Owen Out!
Hi Amber,
OK, You got me on this one, I know what you are trying to say but lets look at who we are talking to in this environment. Forgive me if I come off ranting.
I am only going to draw from my experiences of being here online since the late 80’s when Gohper and WAIS were the tools of the day, FTP was the strongest tranfer tool ever!
It will appear like I’m tooting my own horn but really I’m not, like you, my hearts desire is that I could share my experiences from the trench building sound I.T. Strategies, showing Blog readers how a traditional ROI is calculated, and show you how to determine your businesses breakeven point, but that’s kind of boring me thinks.
Walking through an I.T. Strategic Plan, the steps you should consider working through to at least set the foundation for that plan, that’s not all that exciting either. You can find the above on my Blog, not in great detail but at least at a high-level approach.
There are literally hundreds of, if not thousands of sites on how to do a proper business plan too.
Everything you mentioned plus mine above are badly needed from a professional perspective, but my experience so far, here in Social Media circles anyway, people are not that serious about how to do those things. This is still a place to escape to after the day job, or even during the day job.
The How to build a good blog, how do I monetize it and make millions, the how do I get 10 million followers and so on seem to be the lions share of Internet users and scammers today. Even I want to learn some of those things.
My point is, right now, I would love to see what you have so brilliantly articulated but the reality is, the circle is still too small. Why? Business owners still don’t fully understand what they have in their hands when it comes to the Internet.
You & I know many of the same great people working hard to change the mindset, we want to educate and arm business owners with the right tools, metrics and perspective to succeed here. The problem is, they still don’t take this platform seriously enough, it’s still recreation.
Sorry but I had to get that off my chest. There’s more but it’s a moot point.
So what’s the answer, I think you & I and host of others must stay the course, continue to fight the battles we can win, do our best to educate the business owners if they’ll listen. This is going to take a little longer than I would like to see, but I know eventually this environment will have to be taken seriously because the shift is well under way.
It’s not that different than trying to save people from going to hell, business is changing rapdily, if you don’t change with it, your out of business.
“The problem is, they still don’t take this platform seriously enough, it’s still recreation.”
That’s exactly the point, Owen. They don’t take it seriously because it’s largely being perpetuated by a bunch of hacks that don’t know a P&L from D&D.
We have to continue to educate, yes. But there is a place for personal accountability in individuals. It’s not that the resources aren’t out there. It’s that we have to be willing to take *ourselves* and our industry seriously enough to commit to learning them.
I love how we agree with different words : )
My wife finds that frustrating.
The problem will ly in how thinks they are the ones to hold those accountable, vigilanty thinking? I think the truth will still cut through with most, a good set of case studies reflecting positive outcomes. ROI is one positive outcome and is most likely the one business owners want to see. Therefore, these frauds out there won’t have a clue how to proceed.
Owen Out!
Well said, Amber! One of my new irritations is Twitter bios, blog bios, etc. with the word “guru” in them. There’s also no place for them on LinkedIn profiles anywhere. The word is so over-used that it’s like white noise. The other points are already discussed here, but I think it also is important to say that we need businesspeople who can spell, too. Nothing I hate more than looking at a blog post with typos all over. Spell check is built in to most of these, people!
Keep up the great work, Amber!
Well said, Amber! One of my new irritations is Twitter bios, blog bios, etc. with the word “guru” in them. There’s also no place for them on LinkedIn profiles anywhere. The word is so over-used that it’s like white noise. The other points are already discussed here, but I think it also is important to say that we need businesspeople who can spell, too. Nothing I hate more than looking at a blog post with typos all over. Spell check is built in to most of these, people!
Keep up the great work, Amber!
We are still in the hype stage of social media for business. The dust will settle and the cream will rise to the top. There is a no long term market for the incapable, but there will always be one for talent.
Great post.
.-= Eric´s last blog ..Planning for your personal brand. =-.
We are still in the hype stage of social media for business. The dust will settle and the cream will rise to the top. There is a no long term market for the incapable, but there will always be one for talent.
Great post.
.-= Eric´s last blog ..Planning for your personal brand. =-.
BRAVO!
Thanks for writing. I’m sharing now…
BRAVO!
Thanks for writing. I’m sharing now…
I couldn’t agree more. And, I’d add that we need professional communicators who understand a client’s business fundamentals, know the competitive set, are familiar with the distribution channels of their products and how they get to market (or how services are marketed and sold), and who can actually read a company’s balance sheet and grasp its implications. Twenty years later, I’m still grateful that my first PR agency boss drilled into me the importance of actually knowing your client’s business and being a business person in general.
Great post.
.-= Dorothy Crenshaw´s last blog ..Lady Gaga and Polaroid: Beautiful Music or Bad Romance? =-.
I couldn’t agree more. And, I’d add that we need professional communicators who understand a client’s business fundamentals, know the competitive set, are familiar with the distribution channels of their products and how they get to market (or how services are marketed and sold), and who can actually read a company’s balance sheet and grasp its implications. Twenty years later, I’m still grateful that my first PR agency boss drilled into me the importance of actually knowing your client’s business and being a business person in general.
Great post.
.-= Dorothy Crenshaw´s last blog ..Lady Gaga and Polaroid: Beautiful Music or Bad Romance? =-.
Interestingly enough, I had this exact conversation with my 7 year old last night as she was frustrated with homework that had nothing to do with social media. You learn every day. Forever. It doesn’t end at any specific point. And you share what you know, or don’t know sometimes, and it makes the world a better place. But no one knows EVERYTHING.
Don’t fake it. Don’t pretend you know what the ‘Long A’ sounds like if you aren’t sure. Ask. And grow.
Loved this post. But I love learning.
Oh believe me, that’s inherent in my message. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post.
Interestingly enough, I had this exact conversation with my 7 year old last night as she was frustrated with homework that had nothing to do with social media. You learn every day. Forever. It doesn’t end at any specific point. And you share what you know, or don’t know sometimes, and it makes the world a better place. But no one knows EVERYTHING.
Don’t fake it. Don’t pretend you know what the ‘Long A’ sounds like if you aren’t sure. Ask. And grow.
Loved this post. But I love learning.
Oh believe me, that’s inherent in my message. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post.
I love this post. The irony, though, is that people who are pseudo “business people” will never know this post is about them. At the risk of offending those who have commented, I’d bet 90% of them are exactly the person you described.
To your point, it’s only a matter of time before the cream will rise to the top and the space will normalize a bit. I just hope my work and the success of my clients will give me staying power. Time will tell.
“The irony, though, is that people who are pseudo “business people” will never know this post is about them.”
Justin, you inspired my post for tomorrow. Thanks for that. You’re deadly right, and I’m going to talk about exactly that.
I love this post. The irony, though, is that people who are pseudo “business people” will never know this post is about them. At the risk of offending those who have commented, I’d bet 90% of them are exactly the person you described.
To your point, it’s only a matter of time before the cream will rise to the top and the space will normalize a bit. I just hope my work and the success of my clients will give me staying power. Time will tell.
“The irony, though, is that people who are pseudo “business people” will never know this post is about them.”
Justin, you inspired my post for tomorrow. Thanks for that. You’re deadly right, and I’m going to talk about exactly that.
I’ve been ranting about this too lately, although far less eloquently than you have done. I am so frustrated with having my billable time wasted by people who – even 10 or 15 years ago – would never have been allowed to finish a freshman internship, nevermind run a business. It does worry me about where the future lies, when it seems like for every one good client, we have to sift through 9 bad or non-clients and their self-centred, semi-literate ranting.
.-= Heather´s last blog ..7 words that tell me you’re not serious about your business =-.
I’ve been ranting about this too lately, although far less eloquently than you have done. I am so frustrated with having my billable time wasted by people who – even 10 or 15 years ago – would never have been allowed to finish a freshman internship, nevermind run a business. It does worry me about where the future lies, when it seems like for every one good client, we have to sift through 9 bad or non-clients and their self-centred, semi-literate ranting.
.-= Heather´s last blog ..7 words that tell me you’re not serious about your business =-.
Amber,
It is a problem across the board with not only marketing/social media gurus who have never marketed anything aside from marketing their marketing guru-ness, but with web “designers” who bought some software, learned how to use it, but know nothing about basic principles of design, and “writers” who can type but don’t know how to put an articulate sentence together. Unfortuanately, those are the ones who often seem to be able to convince unwitting small businesses that they can supply businesses with some special skill. Price always seems to win out. Low level talent can get away with a low price, and in this economy, price seems to be the key to businesses that don’t have the acumen to smell a foul guru from a rose.
.-= Cheryl Andonian´s last blog ..The Lawlessness Of Twitter’s Wild West =-.
Then you know what? That’s their problem. Honestly. If you’re a business that can’t do the homework and due diligence to figure out what you need from your staff and consultants and demand performance to a set of standards? If you’re a slave to price alone and not willing to let your goals win out over your budget? You deserve what you get. Shills and crappy practitioners have existed in every industry since the dawn of time.
I’m all done with the notion that there isn’t enough information out there to make an intelligent choice on hiring someone to help you, especially with social media. It’s about time we start making both individuals and businesses accountable for exercising their brains, and putting their money where their mouth is, on both sides of the table.
Amber,
It is a problem across the board with not only marketing/social media gurus who have never marketed anything aside from marketing their marketing guru-ness, but with web “designers” who bought some software, learned how to use it, but know nothing about basic principles of design, and “writers” who can type but don’t know how to put an articulate sentence together. Unfortuanately, those are the ones who often seem to be able to convince unwitting small businesses that they can supply businesses with some special skill. Price always seems to win out. Low level talent can get away with a low price, and in this economy, price seems to be the key to businesses that don’t have the acumen to smell a foul guru from a rose.
.-= Cheryl Andonian´s last blog ..The Lawlessness Of Twitter’s Wild West =-.
Then you know what? That’s their problem. Honestly. If you’re a business that can’t do the homework and due diligence to figure out what you need from your staff and consultants and demand performance to a set of standards? If you’re a slave to price alone and not willing to let your goals win out over your budget? You deserve what you get. Shills and crappy practitioners have existed in every industry since the dawn of time.
I’m all done with the notion that there isn’t enough information out there to make an intelligent choice on hiring someone to help you, especially with social media. It’s about time we start making both individuals and businesses accountable for exercising their brains, and putting their money where their mouth is, on both sides of the table.
Currently, I’m working on learning how to do all the things you mentioned and, hopefully, learning how to do them well. At least for me as a young professional, I’m trying to learn as much as possible about business in general and how all of these things work in practice, as well as in theory. Though I am not a PR pro, I see things that PR pros are doing well – especially those I am friend with on Twitter and whose blogs I follow – such as practical education and internships, externships, mentorships, open and honest Twitter chats and online professional networking groups on LinkedIn and other sites, as well as great interpersonal networking opportunities with conferences, events, and individual get-togethers. I think it’s those types of cooperative, rather than competitive environments that create professionals who are proud of their work, get things done and inspire the next generation.
This is a little off-topic, but do you have any advice for professional mentoring in fields outside of PR? I’d love to know your thoughts.
.-= SaraKate´s last blog ..056. Making Room =-.
Currently, I’m working on learning how to do all the things you mentioned and, hopefully, learning how to do them well. At least for me as a young professional, I’m trying to learn as much as possible about business in general and how all of these things work in practice, as well as in theory. Though I am not a PR pro, I see things that PR pros are doing well – especially those I am friend with on Twitter and whose blogs I follow – such as practical education and internships, externships, mentorships, open and honest Twitter chats and online professional networking groups on LinkedIn and other sites, as well as great interpersonal networking opportunities with conferences, events, and individual get-togethers. I think it’s those types of cooperative, rather than competitive environments that create professionals who are proud of their work, get things done and inspire the next generation.
This is a little off-topic, but do you have any advice for professional mentoring in fields outside of PR? I’d love to know your thoughts.
.-= SaraKate´s last blog ..056. Making Room =-.
Amen, amen, amen… amen, amen, amen and amen!
In conclusion, amen.
We share the same pain. And it is actual pain, mind you. Not figurative pain. Every week, I seriously consider leaving all this behind and becoming a carpenter or something, just so I don’t have to keep beating my head against the wall anymore.
But then I remember that I can’t fault people for not knowing any better, for not knowing how to actually do their jobs, and even for not having the humility and professional huevos to just admit it and do something about it.
I can’t quit because I can’t quit them. Or you. Or any of this.
I’ll go do something else when these issues no longer come up and I am not needed here anymore.
I meaning we.
😉
.-= olivier blanchard´s last blog ..Will the world’s best Social Media case studies please stand up? =-.
I don’t mind sharing and teaching and educating someone with the intent to learn. Hell, I have plenty to learn myself. It’s not educating I resent. It’s willful ignorance and self importance. The notion that you have nothing to learn, and no need for skills other than the ones you have.
That I have no patience for.
Amen, amen, amen… amen, amen, amen and amen!
In conclusion, amen.
We share the same pain. And it is actual pain, mind you. Not figurative pain. Every week, I seriously consider leaving all this behind and becoming a carpenter or something, just so I don’t have to keep beating my head against the wall anymore.
But then I remember that I can’t fault people for not knowing any better, for not knowing how to actually do their jobs, and even for not having the humility and professional huevos to just admit it and do something about it.
I can’t quit because I can’t quit them. Or you. Or any of this.
I’ll go do something else when these issues no longer come up and I am not needed here anymore.
I meaning we.
😉
.-= olivier blanchard´s last blog ..Will the world’s best Social Media case studies please stand up? =-.
I don’t mind sharing and teaching and educating someone with the intent to learn. Hell, I have plenty to learn myself. It’s not educating I resent. It’s willful ignorance and self importance. The notion that you have nothing to learn, and no need for skills other than the ones you have.
That I have no patience for.
YES. Thank you.
Professionalism, thoughtfulness, goal-driven activity and communication skills have gone out the window for FAR too many people, and as a writer who requires positive communication to deliver a good product, nothing drives me more batty than rudeness, people who can’t articulate their ideas and needs (not because they tried and failed, but because they don’t try), and people who don’t understand that their success is INTIMATELY connected to how well they communicate with others and contribute to larger goals.
.-= Meg´s last blog ..25 things i want more of in 2010. =-.
“not because they tried and failed, but because they don’t try”.
Yes.
YES. Thank you.
Professionalism, thoughtfulness, goal-driven activity and communication skills have gone out the window for FAR too many people, and as a writer who requires positive communication to deliver a good product, nothing drives me more batty than rudeness, people who can’t articulate their ideas and needs (not because they tried and failed, but because they don’t try), and people who don’t understand that their success is INTIMATELY connected to how well they communicate with others and contribute to larger goals.
.-= Meg´s last blog ..25 things i want more of in 2010. =-.
“not because they tried and failed, but because they don’t try”.
Yes.
Amber,
So much bigger. Great post.
No one without the credentials you list will be capable of helping companies make the transition from where they are today into the socially engaged businesses of tomorrrow.
Amber,
So much bigger. Great post.
No one without the credentials you list will be capable of helping companies make the transition from where they are today into the socially engaged businesses of tomorrrow.
OK once again I’m late to the party and I don’t want to beat a dead horse here but “You go, girl!”
Rather than tell you how much I agree with you, I’ll just confess that reading this reminded me of one of my favorite scenes in Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion, where they walk into a diner in the middle of nowhere wearing business suits and say, “Excuse me, do you have any businesswoman specials? Because you know, we’re businesswomen… we’re doing Tuscon later.” You can dress up like a businessperson and even claim to invent Post-Its, but you’ll eventually be found out.
.-= Stacy Lukasavitz´s last blog ..Social media is way too smurfy these days. =-.
OK once again I’m late to the party and I don’t want to beat a dead horse here but “You go, girl!”
Rather than tell you how much I agree with you, I’ll just confess that reading this reminded me of one of my favorite scenes in Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion, where they walk into a diner in the middle of nowhere wearing business suits and say, “Excuse me, do you have any businesswoman specials? Because you know, we’re businesswomen… we’re doing Tuscon later.” You can dress up like a businessperson and even claim to invent Post-Its, but you’ll eventually be found out.
.-= Stacy Lukasavitz´s last blog ..Social media is way too smurfy these days. =-.
Very good annual review and great constructive focus for 2010.
Very good annual review and great constructive focus for 2010.
Amber, this is brilliant. Thanks for getting on top of a chair and blowing a fog horn here. Amazing how things can get out of hand per se and the fundamental basics are left by the wayside. There’s a saying “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” and you’ve eloquently communicated it here (as always). I think one has to make a conscious effort to try and keep it simple every day and not lose sight of the basics like writing well, picking up a phone to speak to someone or just giving their child a hug and kiss.
.-= Anna Barcelos´s last blog ..Tweetsgiving: What I’m Thankful For =-.
If fundamentals were so very fundamental, we wouldn’t have to keep teaching them, it seems. But in a world populated by shortcuts and instant gratification, we often miss that the enduring things take work.
Amber, this is brilliant. Thanks for getting on top of a chair and blowing a fog horn here. Amazing how things can get out of hand per se and the fundamental basics are left by the wayside. There’s a saying “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” and you’ve eloquently communicated it here (as always). I think one has to make a conscious effort to try and keep it simple every day and not lose sight of the basics like writing well, picking up a phone to speak to someone or just giving their child a hug and kiss.
.-= Anna Barcelos´s last blog ..Tweetsgiving: What I’m Thankful For =-.
If fundamentals were so very fundamental, we wouldn’t have to keep teaching them, it seems. But in a world populated by shortcuts and instant gratification, we often miss that the enduring things take work.
Amber you raise one very interesting and very essential point: the need for a foundation. A degree does not supercede experience and a tweet does not a guru make. Personally, I believe that part of the issue lies with expectations and impatience rather than honing, developing and evolving. As someone who has been in the marketing and communications business since ’84, I’ve observed lots of wonderful and exciting changes. But I’ve also observed a lack of commitment to learning and engaging the fundamentals. Everything old is really new again; it’s all in the spin and the technology. Thank you for this post.
Amber you raise one very interesting and very essential point: the need for a foundation. A degree does not supercede experience and a tweet does not a guru make. Personally, I believe that part of the issue lies with expectations and impatience rather than honing, developing and evolving. As someone who has been in the marketing and communications business since ’84, I’ve observed lots of wonderful and exciting changes. But I’ve also observed a lack of commitment to learning and engaging the fundamentals. Everything old is really new again; it’s all in the spin and the technology. Thank you for this post.
Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes! For the Longest Time, I Have Been Arguing This in PR…basically saying that any kind of hype, promise, etc. that you throw out is gonna get shot down…especially if you have nothing BUT smoke and mirrors working with you.
It’s a bad scneario, any way you look at it. And big GRACIAS to you for sending out this great reminder that, regardless of what we may do in communications or social media, we have to work in BUSINESS.
Narciso Tovar
Big Noise Communications
@Narciso17
.-= Narciso Tovar, Big Noise Communications´s last blog ..After a Little PR Nirvana… =-.
Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes! For the Longest Time, I Have Been Arguing This in PR…basically saying that any kind of hype, promise, etc. that you throw out is gonna get shot down…especially if you have nothing BUT smoke and mirrors working with you.
It’s a bad scneario, any way you look at it. And big GRACIAS to you for sending out this great reminder that, regardless of what we may do in communications or social media, we have to work in BUSINESS.
Narciso Tovar
Big Noise Communications
@Narciso17
.-= Narciso Tovar, Big Noise Communications´s last blog ..After a Little PR Nirvana… =-.
Amber, very well put, as everyone else has said. I’ve recently finished my MBA and found so many in my classes that lacked simple business concepts, common sense, and honestly believed that they were going to make it because they knew how to schedule events in Facebook and tweet every inane thought that came to mind. Thank you so much for this post!
Amber, very well put, as everyone else has said. I’ve recently finished my MBA and found so many in my classes that lacked simple business concepts, common sense, and honestly believed that they were going to make it because they knew how to schedule events in Facebook and tweet every inane thought that came to mind. Thank you so much for this post!
This is awesome! I want to print this and tape it to my wall. I think everyone should print it and tape it to their walls.
This is awesome! I want to print this and tape it to my wall. I think everyone should print it and tape it to their walls.
Thank you for this, Amber. You’ve hit it dead on and I hope this helps people come around and move forward, as you suggest. This is what it’s all about – not who’s using Twitter or not.
.-= Tim Jahn´s last blog ..Foiled Cupcakes =-.
Thank you for this, Amber. You’ve hit it dead on and I hope this helps people come around and move forward, as you suggest. This is what it’s all about – not who’s using Twitter or not.
.-= Tim Jahn´s last blog ..Foiled Cupcakes =-.
Amazing! This actually stopped me in my tracks! So true! The truth of the matter is that the cream usually rise to the top. My head is about to explode with all of this talk about how this “Social Media” revolution will change the earth as we know it. Maybe it will. I look at it as another tool to communicate. No more no less. One’s stream of consciousness between sales and the gym are starting to get old if you haven’t noticed.
Amazing! This actually stopped me in my tracks! So true! The truth of the matter is that the cream usually rise to the top. My head is about to explode with all of this talk about how this “Social Media” revolution will change the earth as we know it. Maybe it will. I look at it as another tool to communicate. No more no less. One’s stream of consciousness between sales and the gym are starting to get old if you haven’t noticed.
Yes Yes Yes!
But who does what you are looking for as daily task hardly have the time to share it outside. It is also possible that some of them are sharing their knowledge, but they are outside the fishbowl 🙁
Yes Yes Yes!
But who does what you are looking for as daily task hardly have the time to share it outside. It is also possible that some of them are sharing their knowledge, but they are outside the fishbowl 🙁
Very true, and not often said at the moment. Remember not too far back when everyone was an ‘Executive Coach’ or ‘Life Coach’? Before that they were probably web gurus, MLM genuises (genii?) and now they’re likely all social media experts!
That’s not to say there aren’t some extremely talented folk out there who do know their stuff and can bring the right level of business experience to the table. But there sure are a lot of Walter Mitty types too!
Very true, and not often said at the moment. Remember not too far back when everyone was an ‘Executive Coach’ or ‘Life Coach’? Before that they were probably web gurus, MLM genuises (genii?) and now they’re likely all social media experts!
That’s not to say there aren’t some extremely talented folk out there who do know their stuff and can bring the right level of business experience to the table. But there sure are a lot of Walter Mitty types too!
Amber – well said.
Did you see the “Bad Apples in PR” post (http://is.gd/64xjL) – going a bit further in a similar direction: “The reason that PR agencies must continually defend their value is because there are a lot of shitty PR people.”
Amber – well said.
Did you see the “Bad Apples in PR” post (http://is.gd/64xjL) – going a bit further in a similar direction: “The reason that PR agencies must continually defend their value is because there are a lot of shitty PR people.”
«I’m learning too, and I’m watching and absorbing all the time. But I see something bigger. Do you?»
You said it all in this line. Nice straight post.
.-= Konstantina Zoehrer´s last blog ..ThirdEye3: RT @TrendyFreddy 3d issue, featuring: Manolis Zoulakis, Giannis Roubanis, @katrinpi, Iliana Baferou and me http://bit.ly/8mnC4P =-.
«I’m learning too, and I’m watching and absorbing all the time. But I see something bigger. Do you?»
You said it all in this line. Nice straight post.
.-= Konstantina Zoehrer´s last blog ..ThirdEye3: RT @TrendyFreddy 3d issue, featuring: Manolis Zoulakis, Giannis Roubanis, @katrinpi, Iliana Baferou and me http://bit.ly/8mnC4P =-.
Amber:
We all make the mistake of thinking that communicating is having something to say and then saying it, so we spend lots of time focusing inwardly, developing our thoughts and then coming up with clever ways to publish them. (That’s what I’m doing right now!) The problem is that everyone else is concerned with their own thoughts, and challenges, worries, etc., and not your own. Communication begins and ends with listening. If I want to impact what you are doing, I have to understand what that is and I have to be willing to admit that I don’t have the answer that you are looking for, but that maybe together we can get a little bit closer to it. Hard to call myself an expert when the first thing I say is “I don’t know.”
Your broader point about skill sets is spot on. Having something to say is difficult, finding a way to say it that makes it compelling is infinitely more so. Beyond the bare technical necessities of grammar and punctuation, written communication is especially hard because it is all too easy too assume that the reader is privy to the conversation that is going on inside one’s head (or forgetting that they are not.)
Amber:
We all make the mistake of thinking that communicating is having something to say and then saying it, so we spend lots of time focusing inwardly, developing our thoughts and then coming up with clever ways to publish them. (That’s what I’m doing right now!) The problem is that everyone else is concerned with their own thoughts, and challenges, worries, etc., and not your own. Communication begins and ends with listening. If I want to impact what you are doing, I have to understand what that is and I have to be willing to admit that I don’t have the answer that you are looking for, but that maybe together we can get a little bit closer to it. Hard to call myself an expert when the first thing I say is “I don’t know.”
Your broader point about skill sets is spot on. Having something to say is difficult, finding a way to say it that makes it compelling is infinitely more so. Beyond the bare technical necessities of grammar and punctuation, written communication is especially hard because it is all too easy too assume that the reader is privy to the conversation that is going on inside one’s head (or forgetting that they are not.)
Great post Amber. I studied business and I found one of my passions is business. This post portrays what is needed right now in the business environment. I think this is a list of abilities we need to grow in ourselves and teach to others in order to have great business and open up more opportunities in the future.
There is enough data to back up the importance of business skills in the social media area and there’s also a need for people that are able to link social media with objectives and not just people that take the buzz generated to label themselves as an expert.
If someone is an expert it won’t express by word of mouth, it will express by WOFO (Word of F’n obvious), as Kathy Sierra says.
.-= Jorge´s last blog ..User Controlled Privacy Settings =-.
Great post Amber. I studied business and I found one of my passions is business. This post portrays what is needed right now in the business environment. I think this is a list of abilities we need to grow in ourselves and teach to others in order to have great business and open up more opportunities in the future.
There is enough data to back up the importance of business skills in the social media area and there’s also a need for people that are able to link social media with objectives and not just people that take the buzz generated to label themselves as an expert.
If someone is an expert it won’t express by word of mouth, it will express by WOFO (Word of F’n obvious), as Kathy Sierra says.
.-= Jorge´s last blog ..User Controlled Privacy Settings =-.
I think you echo the feelings of a lot of people (well, at least the ones who can think for themselves). Social media, as transparent as it is, can have a muddying effect on someone new to it. The flashy glitz and glamour can be disorienting to a newbie who is just getting on Twitter, for example. The place is overrun with many “gurus” and “ninjas” who have no marketable skills other than being on Twitter (which is not a marketable skill, by the way). The only reason they are popular is because they were at the right place, at the right time. But guess what? Just because they were able to create a following on Twitter that one time for one person, doesn’t mean it can be replicated.
Unfortunately, in some ways, social web is a popularity contest, where good, solid content is sometimes sacrificed for the immediate gratification of a tweet that can get “eyeballs” for all the wrong reasons (I think this is symptomatic of our entire ADD / Fast Food culture).
And guess what… we as a community perpetuate this behavior. Twitter lends itself to some faddish, cultish behaviors. I also think we have an unhealthy obsession with follower counts as a measurement of “influence”, which leads to a delusion that if someone has a lot of followers, well, he must be an “infuencer”. A lot of the problem is also that we are so focused on tools that we forget to think why we are using those tools, what the end goal is. Having a lot of followers doesn’t absolve us from being thoughtful. If Twitter was to go away tomorrow, where would half these experts and Twitter celebrities be? We shouldn’t be focusing on just Twitter (tool) and how to be popular on it, but rather how to adopt business communications and corporate cultures to the new realtime, transparent and social communication paradigm. Tools will change, measures of influence will change, but the paradigm is changed forever. Just like with every business cycle, the bubble will pop, and what will be left will be the stuff grounded in good ole’ business principles and disciplines like marketing, branding, revenues (gasp! we need a business model for that!), profit and cost centers, market research, finance.
My 2 cents.
.-= Maria Ogneva´s last blog ..Exciting New Announcement – New Career Move for Yours Truly =-.
I think you echo the feelings of a lot of people (well, at least the ones who can think for themselves). Social media, as transparent as it is, can have a muddying effect on someone new to it. The flashy glitz and glamour can be disorienting to a newbie who is just getting on Twitter, for example. The place is overrun with many “gurus” and “ninjas” who have no marketable skills other than being on Twitter (which is not a marketable skill, by the way). The only reason they are popular is because they were at the right place, at the right time. But guess what? Just because they were able to create a following on Twitter that one time for one person, doesn’t mean it can be replicated.
Unfortunately, in some ways, social web is a popularity contest, where good, solid content is sometimes sacrificed for the immediate gratification of a tweet that can get “eyeballs” for all the wrong reasons (I think this is symptomatic of our entire ADD / Fast Food culture).
And guess what… we as a community perpetuate this behavior. Twitter lends itself to some faddish, cultish behaviors. I also think we have an unhealthy obsession with follower counts as a measurement of “influence”, which leads to a delusion that if someone has a lot of followers, well, he must be an “infuencer”. A lot of the problem is also that we are so focused on tools that we forget to think why we are using those tools, what the end goal is. Having a lot of followers doesn’t absolve us from being thoughtful. If Twitter was to go away tomorrow, where would half these experts and Twitter celebrities be? We shouldn’t be focusing on just Twitter (tool) and how to be popular on it, but rather how to adopt business communications and corporate cultures to the new realtime, transparent and social communication paradigm. Tools will change, measures of influence will change, but the paradigm is changed forever. Just like with every business cycle, the bubble will pop, and what will be left will be the stuff grounded in good ole’ business principles and disciplines like marketing, branding, revenues (gasp! we need a business model for that!), profit and cost centers, market research, finance.
My 2 cents.
.-= Maria Ogneva´s last blog ..Exciting New Announcement – New Career Move for Yours Truly =-.
Amber,
The ‘experts’ spend resources (time, money, credibility) to then prove they have a value. They then are unable to take any other stance than propagating their expertise. The MBA meant something when it was rare, now it’s regularly decried- except for those who’ve done the hard yards getting one.
Social media experts are in the same boat- as soon as the technology is unremarkable and widely utilised their ‘expertise’ will disappear.
When we are dealing with the ‘new’, people seem to want to devalue the old skills that were valued. My position is why don’t we value equally the old and new skills.
Amber,
The ‘experts’ spend resources (time, money, credibility) to then prove they have a value. They then are unable to take any other stance than propagating their expertise. The MBA meant something when it was rare, now it’s regularly decried- except for those who’ve done the hard yards getting one.
Social media experts are in the same boat- as soon as the technology is unremarkable and widely utilised their ‘expertise’ will disappear.
When we are dealing with the ‘new’, people seem to want to devalue the old skills that were valued. My position is why don’t we value equally the old and new skills.
i came out of a sales/marketing/management background. Without those skills, the social world would seem more like a bunch of random chatter. But i have no fear of sitting in a board room with c-suiters to discuss what we can do the help them understand the social antics of their business and customers.
i came out of a sales/marketing/management background. Without those skills, the social world would seem more like a bunch of random chatter. But i have no fear of sitting in a board room with c-suiters to discuss what we can do the help them understand the social antics of their business and customers.
This really should be the last word on this “tired subject,” Amber, because you’ve perfectly captured the frustration of dealing with the self-proclaimed experts who have little going for them other than a technical command (sometimes) of the tools. As a longtime marketing guy, I’ve been amazed at the mileage some have gotten out of social media when they have no real understanding of the fundamentals of marketing and communications, let alone basic business principles. Thanks again for this post. It’s one we should all print and hand out everywhere.
.-= Dan Hutson´s last blog ..Looking in the Social Media Mirror =-.
This really should be the last word on this “tired subject,” Amber, because you’ve perfectly captured the frustration of dealing with the self-proclaimed experts who have little going for them other than a technical command (sometimes) of the tools. As a longtime marketing guy, I’ve been amazed at the mileage some have gotten out of social media when they have no real understanding of the fundamentals of marketing and communications, let alone basic business principles. Thanks again for this post. It’s one we should all print and hand out everywhere.
.-= Dan Hutson´s last blog ..Looking in the Social Media Mirror =-.
Social media is just another way of communicating, it doesn’t negate the fact that all of the skills mentioned by Amber should be ignored, now more than ever they are massively important to surviving the tough times. And like any marketing channel, social media has to remain commercially viable to businesses, have ease of useability and ensure relevancy or it will cease to exist.
Do not despair though – there are some experts out there who have realised that you still have to make it work in business – for example I have come across a Twitter expert who is all about Twitter and Business and how to make the two work for you – he just gets it. His website is http://www.markshaw.biz/ if anyone is interested, he has really honed how we approach our Twitter strategy and only having started out Twitter account in September, we had won our first client by December – not a bad sales cycle in the design agency world if you ask me.
Thanks, Lena. Though I echo the sentiments of Amber’s post and much of the commentary, your link is my carrot:) I’m just dipping my feet into the world of Twitter and appreciate the resource. Take care!
.-= Beth Coetzee´s last blog ..What are you doing for others? =-.
You are most welcome Beth, I hope Mark can help you, he has little mini clinics on twitter about once a week where you can ask questions so if you are signed up just follow him on @markshaw and maybe he can help guide you that way initially.
Social media is just another way of communicating, it doesn’t negate the fact that all of the skills mentioned by Amber should be ignored, now more than ever they are massively important to surviving the tough times. And like any marketing channel, social media has to remain commercially viable to businesses, have ease of useability and ensure relevancy or it will cease to exist.
Do not despair though – there are some experts out there who have realised that you still have to make it work in business – for example I have come across a Twitter expert who is all about Twitter and Business and how to make the two work for you – he just gets it. His website is http://www.markshaw.biz/ if anyone is interested, he has really honed how we approach our Twitter strategy and only having started out Twitter account in September, we had won our first client by December – not a bad sales cycle in the design agency world if you ask me.
Thanks, Lena. Though I echo the sentiments of Amber’s post and much of the commentary, your link is my carrot:) I’m just dipping my feet into the world of Twitter and appreciate the resource. Take care!
.-= Beth Coetzee´s last blog ..What are you doing for others? =-.
You are most welcome Beth, I hope Mark can help you, he has little mini clinics on twitter about once a week where you can ask questions so if you are signed up just follow him on @markshaw and maybe he can help guide you that way initially.
I found this thread through LinkedIn. I understand Amber’s frustration, but I focus I the 80% who are intelligent. Mass media has seemed to have brought the uncommon to the surface. In other words, when you only had contact with 10 people, 2 people were the issue. Now with the Internet, you may have contact with 10,000 people, so 2,000 people are the issue. It seems like an epidemic now, when it was always this way.
I found this thread through LinkedIn. I understand Amber’s frustration, but I focus I the 80% who are intelligent. Mass media has seemed to have brought the uncommon to the surface. In other words, when you only had contact with 10 people, 2 people were the issue. Now with the Internet, you may have contact with 10,000 people, so 2,000 people are the issue. It seems like an epidemic now, when it was always this way.
You are SO becoming one of my favorite bloggers. Great article and in complete agreement.
.-= Eric Weaver´s last blog ..In the Defense of Marketers =-.
You are SO becoming one of my favorite bloggers. Great article and in complete agreement.
.-= Eric Weaver´s last blog ..In the Defense of Marketers =-.
at last! so, Mr. McLuhan, the medium ain’t enough after all. I too am sick of the lack of message and too much focus on process. Thank you.
at last! so, Mr. McLuhan, the medium ain’t enough after all. I too am sick of the lack of message and too much focus on process. Thank you.
Ditto Eric Weaver above – you’re definitely becoming one of my favorite bloggers! My Google Reader Trends tells me so too; 🙂
Your post is insightful – and very timely. Thanks for sharing your insight. Best wishes,
Glenn
.-= Glenn Friesen´s last blog ..WordPress; Curiosity; Google, Kansas =-.
Ditto Eric Weaver above – you’re definitely becoming one of my favorite bloggers! My Google Reader Trends tells me so too; 🙂
Your post is insightful – and very timely. Thanks for sharing your insight. Best wishes,
Glenn
.-= Glenn Friesen´s last blog ..WordPress; Curiosity; Google, Kansas =-.
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