Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition

How to Succeed with Social Media: A Brian Solis Interview

I recently interviewed Brian Solis, author of the new book Engage: The Complete Guide for Brands and Businesses to Build, Cultivate and Measure Success in the New Web. He is also co-author of the book Putting the Public Back in Public Relations.

During this interview you'll gain great social media insight, discover some key mistakes businesses make, and learn which corporations are excelling with social media.

Mike: In your book, you made the following statement: “We are forever students of new media. We should never strive to master something that evolves much faster than our ability to grasp its lessons.”

Can you elaborate on what you meant?

Brian: Yes. We can't rest on our laurels based on the successes of others, because with this medium, the processes, the techniques, the cultures of social networks are evolving quickly. So applying templates to them or assuming confidence in past experiences doesn't last long enough for them to be promising for the future.

Mike: What you're really saying is that you should constantly make sure you are experimenting and studying what others are doing, to ensure that you're on the edge?

Brian: Yes, but not just on the edge. You must be able to bring what's on the edge back to the center. In the process, you actually contribute to the evolution of the industry.

Mike: I know you're a big advocate of blogging for business. Can you give us some of the biggest mistakes you see corporate bloggers ...