This ain’t our first time at the rodeo, folks.

Amber

Agree — the posers will be revealed and make the real folks look that much more brilliant. My only real concern with them are two-fold.

First, working with “post burned” clients is a pain. They are untrusting, which makes our job that much harder.

Second, and more important, those wannabe web designers you referenced had and continue to have a lasting negative effect on the digital world. They actually made companies believe you could do great website for a fraction of what it should really cost. Which just makes it that much harder to convince clients of the true “value” of what we do and why they should be willing to pay it rather than nickle and dime it down. I fear that same thing may happen in the SM world, which would be a shame because IMO appropriate effort level is one of the #1 most important causes of success or failure in any SM program.

@TomMartin

tom martins last blog post..Testing Seth Godin’s Theory of Ten

Amber

Agree – don’t know if there is an answer other than “don’t be that guy” to quote Mr. Brogan… do it right, and hope others find you/follow you/hire you.

That or call that 1-800-be-a-trucker number. I’d look good in a big rig
@TomMartin

tom martins last blog post..Testing Seth Godin’s Theory of Ten

Great post, Amber. I think you’re right in saying that this will all sort itself out. Right now we’re still at the point in the cycle where some businesses don’t know enough to be able to tell who’s for real and who isn’t, but his will pass pretty quickly.

Soon anyone who is a sophisticated marketer or business person will have at least a basic understanding of social media, which will enable them to recognize the fly-by-night outfits and not be talked into pursuing a tactic that doesn’t make sense for them just because it’s the hot new thing.

Mark Dentons last blog post..Cold Calling Versus Content Marketing

Hi Amber,

Thanks for this post. I don’t want to be a craptastic shiller. It sounds horrible. What I do want to do is immerse myself in social media and learn everything I can as quickly as I can so I can be of benefit to our clients. I’m reading your posts, most interesting. Without a doubt I’m learning a lot from you. The more I learn the more I realize how much there is to learn. We are a Radian6 client. I’m learning more about the software as we speak. I’m going to read more on your site as I continue in my new found role. If you have any other advice I welcome it.

I thank you for being such a Guru!

Cynthia

@cyn_a_min

You’re spot on. This is exactly the same as it was with web designers, digital strategists, user experience designers, etc…

We’ve seen this pattern emerge with many different disciplines at the web as evolved. It is the same cycle.

Hype–>trend–>opportunity = more attention, more money to be made = more people (both good and bad, qualified and unqualified) jumping into the game

Eventually the market matures, clients knowledge on the topic increases, and the market separates pretenders from professionals.

This will occur within the social media space as well, it just takes a little time. Then we’ll all move onto the next trend/wave and start all over.

Nice post Amber. Focus on action and results. The rest takes care of itself.

Ken Burbarys last blog post..Social Media by the Numbers

I’m fairly quick to put on my “I’m with stupid” shirt. I suppose that’s a part of being in a business with no real barriers to entry–unlike, say, the certified professions. I think that’s a trade-off for the great professional freedom we enjoy. If we can tell people are selling snake oil, our clients will figure that out, too. The only thing that worries me is the first commenter’s point (Tom Martin’s), about the unscrupulous permanently messing with client expectations.

I’m just doing a little thinking about social media for non-profit clients and I’m being honest with them that they arre my training wheels.

Amber

Fabulous post! couldnt agree with you more! looking forward to connecting with you at the MidWest Digital Conference next week in Michigan!

I like the idea of identifying the successful and failed ideas in this space. Not to call out the perps, but to analyze why it was or wasn’t successful. If my company or I were the ones who messed up a client program, or mis-proclaimed success, I would want to learn from the mistake and make it up to the client and the industry as a whole.

Marty Hitzemans last blog post..The Marketing Profession and Social Media

So true Amber, I never actually thought of it that way though…probably the pessimist in me. I think a lot of the frustration that comes from those complaining about those who are doing a bad job within the industry comes mainly from being bummed out about not getting a good foot hold in the industry when people who suck are… That’s what I’ve taken from it. I just try to keep a positive outlook and keep plugging away, hoping my good work will eventually get noticed .

Stuart Fosters last blog post..Learning and Listening

Nice post, Amber, and here’s hoping others follow your lead.

I have to be honest: I read and hear from *far* more people criticizing people who call themselves experts — but aren’t, according to said critics — than from actual folks calling themselves experts. Seriously, and by at least a count of at least 10 to 1.

So, I appreciate your approach of putting your head down and doing good work!

Bryan | @BryanPerson

What a great post! I was at a “Social Media” event in Washington, DC this week and was stunned at how little people knew who were billing themselves as “experts.” Call me naive, but I found it shocking that people are selling their “expertise” when they are only marginally ahead of the group they are speaking to! Okay, I AM naive! I have targeted a niche market in real estate and I bring an understanding of the industry, marketing, technology as well as social media to the table. And I remain amazed that people who are “pretenders” manage to sell themselves in that market as social media “gurus.” I’m sure it will sort itself out, and I’m hoping sooner rather than later. BTW, I enjoy your Twitter posts too!

Thanks for sharing such a healthy perspective. Rather than getting upset, I’ll keep my nose down, do good work and trust that the rest will take care of itself. I worry too much about protecting people who should know probably know better anyway.

Thanks again for the pep talk.

Shannon Pauls last blog post..We know each other, sort of… bad PR pitches and feeling dirty

Kudos for writing this. We see people complain all the time, self appointed this, expert that. It doesn’t matter. What matters is what you’re doing to make a difference. There are plenty of bad recruiters in my industry, I can’t spend anytime worrying about them.

The cream always rises to the top!

David Benjamins last blog post..Voices of Detroit #18 Adoption and Photographic artistry

Yes – focus on what you have the ability to control – yourself. The good – bad – ugly scenario is not unique to Social Media. It exists everywhere – religion, politics, business – you name it. Life is far to short… I don’t have time to worry about what others are doing or not doing.

Rick Morgans last blog post..Radian6 and Social Web Monitoring

Well said. Focus on the positive.

And “new” industries tend to attract the type you speak of.

Jim Estills last blog post..Cats – The Nine Lives of Innovation

Hi Amber, had to stop in… gotta love anyone who references Mommie Dearest!!!

steve olenskis last blog post..This Brand Is Your Brand – Part Deux

There’s the other angle as well – communicating with those “in the wrong”. Ask why they use that particular method and how it’s working for them, and suggest other ways they could work.

If they don’t listen, then fair enough, at least you tried.

Of course, who’s to say “our way” is right? There are a host of different strokes for different folks, and I’m sure a lot of the audience for “the shillers” appreciate what they’re doing. So if it works in some form, does that automatically make them bad?

Danny Browns last blog post..The Six Directions of Social Media

Echoing Danny’s comment above mine, I’m an American and there are certain customs that define my and your actions and behaviors.

For instance, if I present you my business card, you will probably (to make a stereotype based on the actions and behaviors of others) take it with one hand, glance at it, maybe ask me a question, and then pocket the card or throw it in your purse.

Are you familiar with the Asian custom? I visited China in 2006; and their custom is when I present them a card, I present it with two hands, pseudo-bowing in the process. The Chinese person accepts the card with two hands and studies it for many moments, and, if we’re sitting at a table, positions the card in front of him while looking at me.

While our collective WASPish actions are viewed as normal, they are viewed as abnormal to the Chinese. And vice versa.

So, that due diligence you ask the so-called experts to perform might be an act we should perform, for, in Chinese eyes, business cards are an extension of the human body and ought to be handled with reverence.

As Danny writes, there is no “right” or “wrong.” Just different ways of conducting business.

Ari Herzogs last blog post..How Craig Kessler Has His Pulse on ROI

That’s a great point, Ari. International audiences and cultures have a different way of interacting – what may be seen as “old school” to us may be “new media” to others (and, of course, vice versa).

I wrote a post on this recently:

http://dannybrown.me/2009/03/11/international-bright-young-thing/

I guess, as Ari says, it just goes to show that we can’t take anything for granted. If we do, then do we become as shallow as these we criticize?

Danny Browns last blog post..The Six Directions of Social Media

Very much a “cream rises to the top” approach, which is the right one. It’s so tempting to go for the gold and not appreciate the amount of time it takes.

Just wanted to say thank you for the inspiration and motivation to stay the course.

jeremys last blog post..Save Some Time…Learn From My Mistake

You’re so right Amber, this is not the first time that snake oil has be peddled to the uninitiated and unsuspecting, and surely won’t be the last.

But what I think is different this time around is a new sense of ‘prove it to me’ that came out of that initial internet surge, where everybody and their mother (literally) called themselves a web guru.

The market is now savvy enough to realize that the new world of social media needs to play in the same sandbox as old world PR & marketing.

Will some folks make bad decisions, yep. Will some (as you astutely point out) skip the vital due diligence process, yep. But most will want to understand how it all fits together, and when they finally see the light, the value of adding more communication channels to the mix become apparent.

Global Patriots last blog post..Global Patriot @ South by Southwest

23rd!!!

They’re doing it wrong. That’s all.

Chris Brogan…s last blog post..Forget Beyonce- Here Are the Stars

@Chris – Yep. So, apparently, are we. Bugger, that.

Amber Naslunds last blog post..This ain’t our first time at the rodeo, folks.

This post is SO refreshing and I just wanted to send you a quick note thanking you for it. I think I’m at the point where I’m getting pretty tired of the “I hate social media experts” posts written by “social media [synonym for experts].” It reminds me so much of high school when you try to get popular by putting others down rather than focusing on being as awesome as possible yourself. Sure there are people out there doing it wrong. Forget about them. Do it right, do it well and you have nothing to worry about.

Katie Van Domelens last blog post..When NOT to Ask Your Customer

@Amber. I don’t think it’s a case of saying you’re “doing it wrong”, Amber (and I’m not sure if that was in response to my comment or Ari’s, or both).

It’s more in the sense that everyone works differently and, yes, the proof will be in the pudding.

But it’s clear that some of the tactics and approaches we don’t wish to use are working for some, so are they really “craptastic” if they’re successful for people that use them?

Danny Browns last blog post..Soundbites and Snippets