Social Media 101 for Business

I only have one real rule in the classes I teach: No. Question. Is. Stupid.

OK – there is another rule: we all have to learn something.

Last night’s class taught me that the future of social media is looking good if future participants are any indication.

There still exists a natural curiosity around social media. For those of us in social media, it sometimes seems as though everyone participates in social media. While that’s increasingly true, there still remain a large number of people and businesses who aren’t quite “there” yet.

But just because they weren’t first to jump on the bandwagon, doesn’t make them less strategic or curious or entertaining for that matter. My class last night at Pacific New Media was not only a great time, but a great example of the natural draw and curiosity that surrounds social media. My students last night were curious, engaged and alert, exactly the kind of people we need MORE of in social media.

Perhaps the next wave of social media adopters will be even more interesting than the previous waves. Perhaps this group of people have been doing what social media professionals have been recommending to their clients: listening. By listening and watching, they’ve had the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by others. They are busy gathering up the finer points of social media and they’ll take us all by surprise with their efforts right off the bat.

I look forward to more classes like last night’s, which was geared towards those who aren’t living in the “social” experience everyday. And in the meantime, I’m honored to return to Pacific New Media to teach Blogging for Business on November 9, 2012. I taught that class last spring and it was a hit with everyone who attended. I’m very excited to share the latest information on blogging this fall.

In the meantime, last night’s presentation was interactive and filled with tidbits and tips about social media. PS: If you can’t see the embed, here’s the link