Communication Overtones Comments
Right on! I will have to remember the comeback line of "worship paper" - what a hoot! You are correct. We are communicators and we need to remember the basics. Social media is not the end-all.
What I have noticed is that so many people are intimidated by those in younger generation more familiar with social media. Don't be! Just because these people can log on to Facebook does not mean they know how to communicate! Remember who you are.
This is what I find myself explaining constantly, so thank you for saying it. The online world is not the totality of the real world, and online communication is not appropriate or useful for all situations. On the other hand, if you are a professional communicator or an educator of future professionals, I think you have an obligation to be conversant with the online landscape and know how to use the tools effectively.
Some people take extreme positions on either end, which baffles me. Perhaps it was the same in the early(ish) days of TV and radio, too.
Let's just say that new media consultants can be obnoxious if they are not careful.
A vast majority of my work is done in online communities these days. At the same time, I don't drink koolaid and try to kid myself that my practice subordinates communications, marketing or business strategies. Rather SM should fit within froma corporate standpoint.
Regardless, the whole I versus we, us vs. them attitude that SM divas propagate just makes me laugh. And rip out my remaining few hairs. It bastardizes what could be a powerful medium, and twists corporate minds around into a get mentality, which does not help anyone. New media, communication principles, and just common sense all fail to the wayside.
Geoff; Keep those hairs intact there Geoff.
Dawn; Would love to have heard the discussions around those technologies when they launched. All I know is that attention can be heady stuff and its easy to lose perspective.
Lauren; Absolutely, I think we have given too much power away as we have negotiated these new tools. But as Dawn mentioned, it is our duty to learn new comms tools - not to worship them.
What an eloquent post, Kami! I think we're all seeing more organizations become aware of social media. So it's more important than ever that communicators remember what we're here to do: communicate, regardless of the platform. I'll be quoting from this post often.
Agreed, Kami. Amen. Any meeting w/ self-annointed evangelists & experts makes me want to run the other way. It is cult-like.
An issue that IMO too many self-anointed cheerleaders don't share, if you're popular with only 15 people - and they are the 15 influencers you need - then you're popular enough. Too many of the evangelists still see social media as a one-to-many effort. That is, them to many - and nothing much in return.
All that said, if you're in Slapout, Alabama (a real town), social media won't mean much at all for you in a local business sense. It is 'still' too new. I dream of the day that one of the evangelists shows multiple examples of brick-n-mortar hometown businesses using SM with success. There still aren't enough examples.
Well said, Kami. As a social media consultant (and I do consider myself one), I am still a communicator, first and foremost. Even with a fairly sizeable following on social networks, you only have to step outside of the "social media fishbowl" to realize that popularity counts for little when people have not been introduced to the basic tools.
Thanks for re-iterating this, Kami. I've got close to 20 years marketing experience behind me. Long enough to know that the goal and strategy must come first, and THEN you pick the tactics. If social media fits, then great; if not, stick with what is appropriate to achieve your goals. I LOVE the power and potential of social networking and social media. But, they are only two types of tools out of many that should be assessed when deciding how to execute a strategy.
Kami,
Thank you for this post. All too often we get caught up in the moment and lose direction.
Social media is a set of tools that can help individuals and organisations to connect and communicate online. They present great opportunities (and challenges) but they are merely part of the tools we use to communicate.
The constant stream of "old xx is dead" posts continue apace across the blogosphere so there's a constant need to reiterate the reality.
Social media is part of the bigger picture.. and not the replacement!
Well done
Tom
I feel at home here in this crowd! Lots of rational observations of the value of social media without the cult-like fanaticism that some embrace.
The concern I expressed on the Roundtable show was over how many people were embracing Bob's defiance of his superiors because he -- and they -- "believe" in social media.
It's one thing to believe it's a good thing, but it becomes cult-like when that reverence leads one to dismiss common sense, respect, and even reality.
It's all communications- whatever your vessel is. I'm all for worshiping someone who has consistently great ideas (well, maybe not worshiping so pardon hyperbole- how about, reaffirm good ideas and pass them along with credit)- but I am sick of the few who make baseless pronouncements, butter up their "personal brand" with out anything behind it (again,, nothing against personal brand, many - such as you Kami, and many of the commenters here - do it well), and follow "shiny" versus substance.
Are those of us who evangelize (another overused word) social media responsible for creating the Bobs out there (btw; has Bob been fired yet?)? Do we temper our enthusiasm for social media tools with reasons for using them?
Yah, happy holidays to you all too 
.
(btw, that marvelous band is "Living Colour" - no "In" - sorry, can't resist correcting- it's an impulse)
Connie; Nothing against the "social media" consultant moniker per se, though for me it is limiting.
Kelley, Adele, Tom, Robert and Chip; I am just a "middle of the road" kind of gal in both politics and my approach to work.
Doug; Thanks for catching it, the "in" is now "out." And you call it out correctly, I am criticizing from a decidedly glass house. I guess I do have a "personal brand" of sorts, but it is not my focus. My focus is on effective strategy for my clients, and learning the social media tools is only a part of that.
I believe in Social Media.
I believe that snakes have oil.
I just don't trust anyone peddling either to cure my ills, not unless there is a diagnosis, a treatment plan, and a mix of ingredients designed to meet my needs.
Ike; And a doctorate degree? 
I think that we are a long way off from being "experts" of anything. Some of us have just been playing a bit longer than others and with a purpose to learn everything we can. I think the key is to stay humble, flexible and creative. Not an easy mix.
Awesome post. So many great insights and quotes, but ultimately, it IS all about communication.
Hey Kami...
The tribal medicine man had no certification. Of course, if enough of his patients died (or were related to the Chief/King) then he was killed.
The medicine man might not know exactly why everything works, but he's got history and performance backing him up.
He certainly didn't have to roll from town to town, and set up a tent to hawk his wares. The sick came to him.
Ike; I get your point and it is the thing that is most the most thorny for me as well and why I wrote this post.
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