One can use social media to learn new stuff, get new customers, join a community--or all of these choices. Or, like 99.9% of the population, choose none of them.

This is one of those start-at-the-beginning posts (a very fine place to start). While a lot of my readers already know what I cover in the course of this post, many others--around 99.9% of the population--don't just yet. Remember, new media is new...and social media even newer.

To that end, with social media comes CHOICE.

There are many social media tools to choose from (e.g. blogs like this one, microblogs like Twitter, social networks like Ning, podcasts, videos, Wikis and plenty more). There are also many formats from which readers can choose to consume the information that is created by using social media tools. They can read the information at the actual blog...subscribe to receive the information through an RSS reader...or even sign-up to receive posts in their inbox.

But people can ALSO choose what they want to use social media for; and there are many choices, to wit:

#1: Increase one's knowledge or explore one's passions. One can read blogs to increase their knowledge on a certain subject or profession, explore their passions, or learn about most anything (there's over a million blogs out there and they truly run the gamut of subjects).

#2: Listen to one's markets so as to improve current offerings or innovate altogether new ones. One can monitor conversations by their target markets across a variety of social media platforms--and then can turn the information into actionable intelligence. To date, social media provides the richest sea of unbiased, wide-ranging information on market preferences and patterns just waiting to be heard and acted upon by the savviest of marketers. Net net: It's amazing what your customers will teach you, if you let them. (A PDF on the value of listening and what to listen for is located right here.)

#3: Market one's business. This might be through a blog that communicates a consultant's smarts or promotes a company's really-cool sneakers, a 'co-creation' endeavor that polls consumers for ideas on new or improved offerings, or by facilitating an idea exchange in an online forum where customers are free to communicate their likes, dislikes, wants and needs.

But how a company uses social media to increase their business, is a case-by-case strategy for every single organization: it always depends on each company's goals, audiences, offerings, competition, comfort levels (the legal department needs to define parameters) and the professional resources (internal or retained) that each company can post against the initiative. It takes forethought, ongoing care and optimization.

#4: Participate in active communities. This is at once exciting and perplexing. And for good reason. Many of my clients, colleagues and friends don't readily understand WHY people would "trust people they meet online" or HOW anyone would feel comfortable in "so publicly sharing information about themselves."

These are extremely logical concerns.

And it's not like everyone has the time, or wishes to make the time, to become active in a community.

Sure, there are bound to be some "bad apples" out there. But those cases are rare as communities have a way of looking out for themselves. I can only give you my experience. In two years of choosing to use social media to participate in a community, I have gained:

• New expertise added, but better at my core one. Not only have I been able to add an expertise in social media to my portfolio, I have become better at my "base" craft of marketing strategy and program development. Astonishing the gems that experts share, and for free.
• Informed and current. I am never concerned that I'll miss out on a marketing development, new tool or newfound methodology. In this sense, I have many scouts all over the world who "feed" information to me, and for free.
• Increased exposure. I've been able to increase the footprint of my message to other outlets because they have stumbled upon my blog and like what I have to say, and how I say it. (At least I think that's why).
• Debate development. I've learned how to better craft an argument and have participated in ultra-productive debates that were active, but not at all nasty. As I work primarily in BtoB I have to "argue" a lot, per se--because thought leadership always argues a new or better way of doing something. So honing my debate skills is a necessity for my work.
• Larger pool of professional resources. I have retained several professionals in my community to do work for me and will continue to do so in the future. And many have generously given me great ideas when I've been in a jam or faced a block (and the advice has made me look smart).
• Breaking out of the bubble. I have learned about places and countries that seemed far to me 24 months ago. But now not so much. When it comes to public policy, it sure helps to understand how other lands run their systems and how effective certain laws or freedoms have been. Because otherwise, as much as I love the land of the free and home of the brave, it can become one big bubble.
• Online moves off-line. I have made more off-line relationships because of meetups or events that I've either created or attended--and when I'm traveling and have any free time I also get to meet people while in their city...as they do the same when they're in mine.
• True-blue friends. I've had people help me out, even to the point of taking-off work, when I had to suddenly fly far from my home, plan a funeral and pack-up a house. Many more have provided solace.
• Teachers from all over and of all ages. I can honestly say that I've learned as many lessons from twenty year-old kids who live in the Middle East as I have from seasoned NYC professionals in their 50s.
• New business prospects. I have increased my rate of "inbound leads" from these new colleagues referring work my way or introducing me to business prospects that have a need for my talents.
• The opportunity to create and experiment. I have a core passion to create and the community I participate in is very supportive when I try new ideas.
• The reward of pushing others to higher places. I very much enjoy giving ideas, making connections and introductions to others in efforts to further their business or cause. After all, they do so much for me.
• More confidence. I've definitely become more comfortable, somewhat more articulate and more confident since I started blogging and sharing ideas with others. And I'm no longer afraid to be wrong in voicing my opinions "publicly" because hey, I learn--and anyone that shows me a new way, or even points out a flaw in my reasoning is doing me a huge favor. Again, when professionals have different takes the discussion can be passionate but it needs never be nasty.
• Joy. I truly enjoy the connection, idea exchange, support and even silly times that come with connecting with such unique people from all over the world.

That said, had anyone told me I'd be active in a online marketing community two years ago, I would have thought them absolutely bonkers...so I can understand why my friends and colleagues might think the same of me ;-).

The lesson, again, is choice: choice in which social media tools one uses and what they choose to use them for--be it personal and/or professional gain.

And that choice is up to every person and company.

Now ain't choice grand?

PS: If you're new to social media, there are plenty of goodies for you archived right here.

Comments

[Jun Loayza]

Hi CK,

Those are A LOT of great choices that we can all choose from! I think this is a very valuable post that I can show undergraduate students. You see, I recently graduated from UCLA and have been blogging for a little over 6 months. I now understand the true value of building your personal brand and communicating with the blogging community.

My goal is to get as many of my peers to start blogging, but they need to do it for the right reasons. Actually, I should write a post on my blog and link back to this one so that my readers (who are mostly undergraduates) can find out the true value of social media (besides facebook)

Great stuff and I look forward to reading more of your posts.

- Jun