The Cookie Cutter Expert.

There is a group that has developed up here in Portland called S.M.U.G. Group. It's the Social Media Usability Gurus (http://smuggroup.com) and pretty much they call out all the "experts" around here who "tell" you how to use social media. (Are you one of the "from away" SMUGers? I could see that...)

I think one of the most obvious flaws in a Public Relater/Marketer/Blogger/etc is TELLING people how they should represent themselves online. That's like telling every person in the world they should wear neon green tweed jackets always (bet no one would lose their jacket that way!) There is no perfect fit for what SHOULD be done because it is different for everyone. Every blanket post of ways to get followers/hits/clients/etc is simply diminishing the only SHOULD in social media. You SHOULD take the time to develop relationships, create excitement and be the best YOU you can be. A good Public Relater/Marketer/Blogger/etc will encourage this SHOULD above all else.

I do close to nothing right online (ok, maybe one or two things sometimes...) But I recently got a comment saying "I love that there is no reading between the lines, you put out there what you are." I figure that's a pretty damn good place to be!

There is a group that has developed up here in Portland called S.M.U.G. Group. It's the Social Media Usability Gurus (http://smuggroup.com) and pretty much they call out all the "experts" around here who "tell" you how to use social media. (Are you one of the "from away" SMUGers? I could see that...)

I think one of the most obvious flaws in a Public Relater/Marketer/Blogger/etc is TELLING people how they should represent themselves online. That's like telling every person in the world they should wear neon green tweed jackets always (bet no one would lose their jacket that way!) There is no perfect fit for what SHOULD be done because it is different for everyone. Every blanket post of ways to get followers/hits/clients/etc is simply diminishing the only SHOULD in social media. You SHOULD take the time to develop relationships, create excitement and be the best YOU you can be. A good Public Relater/Marketer/Blogger/etc will encourage this SHOULD above all else.

I do close to nothing right online (ok, maybe one or two things sometimes...) But I recently got a comment saying "I love that there is no reading between the lines, you put out there what you are." I figure that's a pretty damn good place to be!

There is a group that has developed up here in Portland called S.M.U.G. Group. It's the Social Media Usability Gurus (http://smuggroup.com) and pretty much they call out all the "experts" around here who "tell" you how to use social media. (Are you one of the "from away" SMUGers? I could see that...)

I think one of the most obvious flaws in a Public Relater/Marketer/Blogger/etc is TELLING people how they should represent themselves online. That's like telling every person in the world they should wear neon green tweed jackets always (bet no one would lose their jacket that way!) There is no perfect fit for what SHOULD be done because it is different for everyone. Every blanket post of ways to get followers/hits/clients/etc is simply diminishing the only SHOULD in social media. You SHOULD take the time to develop relationships, create excitement and be the best YOU you can be. A good Public Relater/Marketer/Blogger/etc will encourage this SHOULD above all else.

I do close to nothing right online (ok, maybe one or two things sometimes...) But I recently got a comment saying "I love that there is no reading between the lines, you put out there what you are." I figure that's a pretty damn good place to be!

There is a group that has developed up here in Portland called S.M.U.G. Group. It's the Social Media Usability Gurus (http://smuggroup.com) and pretty much they call out all the "experts" around here who "tell" you how to use social media. (Are you one of the "from away" SMUGers? I could see that...)

I think one of the most obvious flaws in a Public Relater/Marketer/Blogger/etc is TELLING people how they should represent themselves online. That's like telling every person in the world they should wear neon green tweed jackets always (bet no one would lose their jacket that way!) There is no perfect fit for what SHOULD be done because it is different for everyone. Every blanket post of ways to get followers/hits/clients/etc is simply diminishing the only SHOULD in social media. You SHOULD take the time to develop relationships, create excitement and be the best YOU you can be. A good Public Relater/Marketer/Blogger/etc will encourage this SHOULD above all else.

I do close to nothing right online (ok, maybe one or two things sometimes...) But I recently got a comment saying "I love that there is no reading between the lines, you put out there what you are." I figure that's a pretty damn good place to be!

Hmm.. thought I left a comment where.. where did it go?

I am always suprised at how little passion some local professionals have for their chosen fields. I once met a lady who handed me a card that said something like "Copywriting expert" and I asked her who her favorite copywriters were? She had no idea, couldn't think of any. I ask her if she knew any good copywriting books so I could learn more - she didn't know any either. Yikes.

Great post! I'm going to share it with my friends. I love the comparison to the "one trick personal branding pony." We have to know how we can bring value to the company. And just like you've re-iterated throughout this post, "passion" is key! If you're not passionate about it, it's going to be hard to succeed. :) Have you thought about creating a http://bit.ly/4bybHr poll for your readers? I find them pretty useful and also fun for voting!

Ah!--re: new method, we'll have to talk about my fox and hedgehog model of work when we meet for lunch....

But I think your key phrase is here: "people who have expertise in other areas who are then taking that knowledge base into social are doing a far better job then those of us who just know social at the moment." As is likely obvious, I didn't know jack about social media before about March of this year (and I still don't claim any expertise, nor will I)--but I do know people, how to communicate with them, and how to make change happen through a combination of both.

So I approached learning social tools as a road to doing what I already do, better (and to learning about other ways that I didn't already know about). Ultimately, time will expose the fact that some people have picked up the tools but have no idea what they're building.

You know what you're building, and that kind of clarity *will* cut through the noise.

Christ that's complicated. Let me try and answer this:

I want to create a new method for measurement and achievement in the agency world. I think this model can be best effected with a social/open agency take. (People coming in and adding value=More responsibility. Aka sliding scale based on work).

Being able to bullshit your way through a large portion of the space right now is an extremely easy thing to do. Most people can't tell the difference between real accrued knowledge and the knowledge gleaned from reading 3 Chris Brogan posts.

I'd say that people who have expertise in other areas who are then taking that knowledge base into social are doing a far better job then those of us who just know social at the moment. Mainly, because a lot of us haven't figured out quite how to monetize our knowledge on a consistent basis.

It's easy to go backwards and learn cool shit when you have monetized. It's another thing entirely to play in a space without a clear direction/skill set to go off of.

It's a trial by fire. I wouldn't have it any other way though.

I'm curious about your basic thesis, Stuart: what is it that you want to have happen--or want to have happen differently?

Is this about self-titled expertise (a false construct, as I don't consider "expertise" to be a subjective, or even relative, concept)? Or is it about what it takes to be successful in this space (however you choose to define it)? Or, perhaps, is it about the fact that some non-experts, despite what they call themselves, are finding (no doubt temporary) success in place of folks that have can contribute real value, based on expertise transferred from other areas?

Agreed. Glad you noticed that (and called me on it).

I'm still trying to articulate and perfect this argument/mode of thinking. It is NOT fully baked at this point. I think one of the main issues? I still haven't found an answer that truly meets my standards and until I do I won't be able to write through this concept.

I'm in transition between consulting for myself and developing an entity that moves beyond just me. It's a difficult, messy and often ugly process. But it's one that will make both my clients and myself stronger. You can't do shit unless you do it for someone else.

Still thinking.

Stuart:
This post started out strong and faded. Like the idea of personal branding not being enough to do it for clients and company. But you lost focus at the end. Should have concluded with how to take the skills you've developed as an individual and explained what is relevant to working on behalf of clients, along with all the other things you need to know, i.e. consumer relationship to brand/category and content, the idea not only of listening/engaging but creating content, the knowledge that none of this works in isolation but is part of larger branding picture, the connection between organic and paid search, etc. I'm on the move not to agree with everyone anymore, so I have to tell you this didn't go far enough. But if there's anyone out there among your generation who'll get it there, it's you. Think harder my friend.

You can fake it for a lot longer here though. The knowledge gap is still VAST. As is the lack of understanding the potential for awesomeness.

I think this is a really important topic, and as you've mentioned, it's being dissected by loads of 'pros' as we speak. I am far from 'expert' at SM, but I am finding an increasing number of people with the passion it takes to move it from being a fad, to an effective means of communicating your brand and company's message with your target audience. If you're not already following them, I highly recommend the work of @ShannonBoudjema, @DannyBrown, and @ShannonPaul; people who get that it's but one piece of the marketing pie, but are looking a community building as the focus, resulting in measurable outcomes. Passion is the theme of the work all of three.

I think it's typical in many fields to interpret limited personal success as evidence of a broader skillset that may not actually exist. I would say that one shouldn't have the hubris of assuming this skillset unless you can devote yourself fulltime to the PR work. Twitter use can be a hobby/social tool (as it is for me), but that doesn't immediately translate to real work, as you point out.