I first dipped my toes into the social media waters a few years ago, with the idea that I needed to stay abreast of how they affected public relations. If clients were to ask about incorporating social networking into their marketing efforts, I wanted to have a foundation of information and insight so I could answer any basic questions.   There’s a balance between being a know-it-all and answering questions like Sgt. Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes,  whose famous phrase was “I Know Nothing.”  I didn’t want to transform into a social media consultant, but I do want to be viewed as a PR professional with a solid understanding of the tools, the technology and the trends that impact my clients.   Just like with other aspects of my consulting business, I knew I could outsource to a specialist if necessary.

I first dipped my toes into the social media waters a few years ago, with the idea that I needed to stay abreast of how they affected public relations. If clients were to ask about incorporating social networking into their marketing efforts, I wanted to have a foundation of information and insight so I could answer any basic questions.\u00a0\u00a0 There’s a balance between being a know-it-all and answering questions like Sgt. Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes<\/em>,\u00a0 whose famous phrase was “I Know Nothing.”\u00a0 I didn’t want to transform into a social media consultant, but I do want to be viewed as a PR professional with a solid understanding of the tools, the technology and the trends that impact my clients. \u00a0 Just like with other aspects of my consulting business, I knew I could outsource to a specialist if necessary.<\/p>\n\n