This is the current view from my balcony in my adopted home in Biloxi, MS.  I show this not to say how beautiful it is or how fortunate I am – both true.  I post it here because this could be the last time we see it this way.

Mid-day while watching CNN I was shocked when I realized they are broadcasting just to the right of this picture.  A clear reminder that no matter how beautiful, disaster is still looms a few miles out in the Gulf.  The background is Deer Island which was devasted by Katrina and will not return to its previous beauty and full growth for more than a decade.  It may soon be covered in oil.

I hope I never see CNN outside my window again.  But, I’m betting this is not over and I may see them again. 

Last night as police escort a trailer filled with booms to protect us from the oil, we all wondered if those orange things will keep the oil at bay.  We’re pretty sure they won’t if the wind changes  or picks up.  Veterans of this area laugh at the efforts but are helpless to come up with another solution.

Surviving disaster is in the local’s nature, but this is not something with which they can easily deal.  A whole way of life is coming to an end if the waters become so poluted they can’t make a living.  Somber thoughts and my prayers go out to all affected.

How long does it take to research all the possibilities of FaceBook apps and widgets?  Answer:   Two full days to filter through all the salespeople, charlatans and non-working links or expired pages.  Then you find some answers.  You get excited – the site you stumbled upon has valuable information which relates to what you want.  And no where is there a word about “for only $39.95 I can make you a star”.  Excellent!

But wait; can you trust this information.   You must try it - then see if it works as the expert says it will.  It does.  Fabulous.  Let’s try another widget – it works, yes.  I’m on my way. 

Then you think …  oh, dear … will it look the same when I login tomorrow.  And if it doesn’t, will I be able to fix what I’ve done.

It seems there are thousands of applications and widgets to help you build your profile page into something you can take pride in. One should not go head strong into the development of the page without caution.

Chris Brogan and Julian Smith’s book Trust Agents was interesting when I read it.  I have a great deal of respect for both.  However, when you experience that feeling of trust after disappointment and misinformation, you really understood what being able to trust the information and/or opinion means. 

I am so appreciative of the information and help to accomplish my goals.  Once I complete the research, I’ll share – once I’ve made sure my applications and widgets are dependable. 

My trust is building along with my FB page

This information was more than I could handle.  I was not prepared for what was being said.  My reason for attending was to learn the basics of twitter and build confidence.  Ok, my expectations and reality were worlds apart and it took me a while to get over it. 

There is so much more to twitter than answering the question:  ”What are your doing” which has recently been changed to “What’s happening”.  If you plan to incorporate twitter in your business and want your followers to read your tweets because you have something to say that is important to them, you really have to know more than I wanted to know.  That’s a fact and it takes many hours of research on your own to get there.  Or does it?

I still believe that a group can gather, start with the basics, become familiar with terms and build confidence within a group workshop.  I am confident a beginner group workshop will result in saving lots of time and research for all.  To date one does not exist.  The knowledge you need is online in twitter manuals and YouTube videos but time management is the problem for most of us. 

With full-time jobs – whatever field – how do you “get up to speed”, as Joe Spake says, before you jump in and test the water.  I don’t think we have the luxury of testing the waters in business.  Our reputation is too important to make mistakes or tweet something that draws a lot of negative comments to our business.  Worse yet, our message might be ignored totally and we won’t be able to figure out why.  We need to know the whys first so we can target, be effective and manage our time.

If you have the money, you can hire a consulting firm to do all this for you.  Some of my business associates have this budget.  Most do not.  Small businesses, start-ups and sole proprietors along with mid-level corporate employees and managers – even upper-level management and owners of large firms – need a fast track to get them started.  Hands on participation to get there is essential.  The need for this is simply because of the urgency to get the information then quickly become productive without hours and hours of research or trial and error.

My goal is to stop everything, read the user manuals, find the answers and then share them in a logical, step by step manner that will bring a group up to speed all at the same time.  Learn together, build together and grow together is on my blog banner.  This is the example I need to follow. 

If you are advanced and want to know about searching twitter, management applications like TweetDeck and Seesmic or search statical data from TweetGrid, Klout and TweetBeep, (this was just the first quarter of the outline!)  Social Web Learning has a training class that will blow you away.  There is so much information in the outline that  Joe couldn’t get through it in two hours.  We will be extending it to four hours next time.  Fabulous outline for experienced users who want to take their twitter experience to the next level.  I was blown away.  He lost me in the first half hour.   I was in over my head and I hate it when that happens. 

I don’t want to feel that uninformed ever again.  I pledge to do my research, read the manuals and outline a group workshop that beginners can enjoy.  If you think this is a good idea, thank Joe Spake for showing me the way and forcing me to do my homework.  I’m hoping it will benefit many and that  Joe will agree to teach those of us who are at my level.  I know he will – he always agrees to help anyone who wants to learn about social media.  We just have to tell him what we need.

There will be a new descriptive name for the existing, advanced course and it will be scheduled again soon for those who are at that level.  Email or comment if you want to be notified for this “blow you away” session.  Beginners – hold on, your class is coming.

January 13, 2010, Joe Spake presents his Social Media Series at Real Estate Success Center - Poplar & I 240.  The course content of this first class touches on Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn and the terminology, etiquette, culture and philosophy, real estate laws and regulations, professional ethics, syndication, power tips and applications that go with all three.

 Joe wrote and designed this series of Social Media Courses specifically for Real Estate Success Center.   This is an overview of the tools and communities where Social Media is growing.  Subsequent advanced courses will focus on each networking tool and mastering the application of each.  More in-depth and hands on courses will interest advanced users seeking specific information.  Join the first Intro class and continue to grow as the series is presented throughout the year. 

 Introduction to Social Media’s content covers small business concerns, helps administrative staff get up to speed using new networking tools and helps business owners and real estate professionals find ways to better communicate with customers and clients.

 **View Joe’s latest national interview at Roost Blog recorded at NAR, November 2009 where he’s asked what Social Media means to him and his business.

 Should you be using Social Media tools in your business in 2010?  

Register and begin 2010 with new knowledge and new attitude.

The success of every small business involves Public Relations in some important way.  It may be conversations with your clients/customers or how your business is received in your market.

Fortunate enough to be nudged in his direction, I’ve followed Brian Solis since I first heard the term “Social Media”.   As a thought leader of Social Media and a participant in its surge in business use, his Blog posts, Tweets-@briansolis  and videos with Robert Scoble  are valuable to all students of social media.  He unselfishly offers his knowledge and experience to anyone who cares to listen – and many do listen.   

Congratulations to Brian Solis for earning this award and for showing us how to graciously accept it.  This post is a study of good conduct in social media communication.

 2009 PR Blogger of the Year