Cannonballing into the social media pool made a pretty big splash for me. Recently I’ve been introduced as a “Social Media Expert”, “Digital PR Expert” or “Engagement Expert.” Each time, my palms begin sweating any my hands shake a little.
Me? An expert? Ha!
I’m no Chris Brogan or Guy Kawasaki. I would digress to giddy school girl antics in the presence of Jason Falls, Danny Brown or Amber Naslund – unable to utter a complete sentence outside of, “Oh my god! I’m, uh, like, totally your biggest fan!” Yeah, NOT impressive.
So, what DO I know? Perhaps the three most important things. How to build a successful relationship, how to understand and use media and how to learn.
I ‘m a relationship expert.
With more than 10 years working in agency PR, I’ve got a wealth of experience in building relationships with both media and clients. I take the time to get to know people and companies because I enjoy it. I thrive to find ways to help people succeed, whether it be by writing a great article that their readers enjoy or figuring out a strategy that can help them sell more products. I think of myself as a connector – I connect people and great ideas.
Relationship building isn’t something that happens overnight and it’s not for everyone. For success, you have to really, genuinely care and want to do the best for other. Otherwise people will see through it or you will burn out. I think this takes a certain type of personality and I’ve got a knack for it.
I’m a media expert.
My PR background has also required a deep understanding of the media. I understand different forms of media – digital, broadcast, radio, print and how you need to interact with each. Beyond just what time of day to call the reporter, I understand how to help them create a story that their particular audience will want to hear. I know the tools they’ll need to tell the message – video, messages, photos, interviews – and I know how to get them efficiently and make them effective.
I’m a learning expert.
Now, learning and how you learn is the other piece of the puzzle. If you’re going to be an early adopter (as I think most of us in social media would still be considered) you have to CRAVE information. You have to search it out. You have to spend sleepless nights reading hundreds of blogs and thousands of tweets to draw in the information. Then you have to jump in the deep end and ENGAGE. Ask questions, dig deeper, explore the great ideas you read about further.
When I become passionate about something I’m all in. I read everything I can find on the subject – incessantly. I stop sleeping, I talk about it non-stop and I find all of the people that can help me learn more faster and I hound them. People either love this or hate this about me, but I learn a lot and I learn it fast.
Relationship Expert + Media Expert + Learning Expert = Social Media Expert (sort of)
So, what I’ve deduced is that the sum of “relationship expert,” “media expert” and ”learning expert” may indeed qualitfy me for the junior ranks of social media expert.
If social media was a ski slope, I’d consider myself just about ready for my first black diamond – sweaty palms and all.
Where are you at in becoming a social media expert?
For being a “definitely maybe expert”, you certainly hit the nail on the head for all the “expert” knowledge in social media, Rebecca. Yet are there really any social media experts? Or are there different levels of expertise?
With the amount of new uses, tools, applications and more that constantly appear in the social media fishbowl, it’d be impossible to keep up to all that’s going on. Even if you were to give up sleep altogether and just eat once a day, the social media train would still be one station ahead of us.
Yet if we all open our ears and our minds to new ways of thinking, like you say, it can only place us in a better position to take advantage of the tools and in return be able to help others better.
As for “giddy school girl antics”? If we’re ever at the same conference in the future, give me a heads up beforehand on what makes you laugh – I’ll be sure to wear (if it’s an outfit); quote (if it’s a movie line) or sing (if it’s a silly song). That should do for an icebreaker, no?
Danny, great point on expertise. I think that’s a great way to think of it. Trying to be an overall expert would be impossible – a feat even Superman couldn’t handle. There are just too many developers out there that make new tools by the second.
As for the same conference, I’ll definitely have to let you know if that were ever the case! Oh the fun!