Social media is fundamentally a conversation involving various stakeholders like customers and employees, facilitated by platforms such as blogs and social networks. This conversation is vibrant, informal, and not under the control of traditional businesses, which emphasizes the need for companies to listen and engage authentically with their markets. The Cluetrain Manifesto highlights that markets are now self-organizing and require companies to communicate in a human voice to build meaningful relationships.

1. Social Media is…

2. Blogs Wikis Podcasts RSS Mashups Social Networks

3. Well… sort of.

4. Social Media Really is…

5. a Conversation…

6. That is powered by…

7. Blogs Wikis Podcasts RSS Mashups Social Networks

8. It is a conversation between…

9. Customers…

10. Employees…

11. Investors…

12. … People!

13. And guess what?

14. The social media conversation is…

15. Not Organized

16. Not Controlled

17. And not on message.

18. The conversation is…

19. Vibrant

20. Emergent

21. Fun

22. Compelling

23. and full of insight…

24. … if we choose to join.

25. To join the conversation, we need to be…

26. Present.

27. We begin by listening.

28. If we listen, we will learn.

29. It may get messy …

30. … but it will allow us to join the conversation!

31. But why do we need to listen before we join the conversation?

32. Consider what the Cluetrain Manifesto has to say.

33. “ Online Markets... Networked markets are beginning to self-organize faster than the companies that have traditionally served them. Thanks to the web, markets are becoming better informed, smarter, and more demanding of qualities missing from most business organizations.” The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual : Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, David Weinberger; Perseus Books ©2000

34. 1. Markets are conversations. 2. Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors. 3. Conversations among human beings sound human. They are conducted in a human voice. 6. The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that were simply not possible in the era of mass media. 9. These networked conversations are enabling powerful new forms of social organization and knowledge exchange to emerge. 10. As a result, markets are getting smarter, more informed, more organized. Participation in a networked market changes people fundamentally. 25. Companies need to come down from their Ivory Towers and talk to the people with whom they hope to create relationships. 34. To speak with a human voice, companies must share the concerns of their communities. 75. If you want us to talk to you, tell us something. Make it something interesting for a change. 94. To traditional corporations, networked conversations may appear confused, may sound confusing. But we are organizing faster than they are. 95. We have better tools, more new ideas, no rules to slow us down. We are waking up and linking to each other. We are watching. But we are not waiting. 95 Theses of the Cluetrain Manifesto

35. Social Media is…

36. … a brand new way of understanding markets, not just another messaging channel.

37. Are You Listening?

38. Credits http://www.flickr.com/photos/smartbrother/44226712/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve-brandon/414392862/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/ten0fnine/345525410/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/apophysis_rocks/376467264/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/missrogue/619781610/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/decrepit-telephone/280291545/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephareno/478105646/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/practicalowl/433659667/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/brokenpixels/108547742/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/kalisah/63911359/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoguewhite/70721003/in/set-1475994/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoguewhite/127756979/in/set-72057594105805030/ Photo by : Lee White Presentation by : Lee White http://www.flickr.com/photos/occupantproductions/422326914/