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Instead of considering the proper use for a Facebook page, some business owners, or, I hate to say it, marketers, treat Facebook as just another way to slap advertisements and promotions in front of their fans. But if they really understood the platform, they’d realize Facebook is an opportunity to get on the same playing field as their customers. This is where information can be shared, conversation exchanged and feedback given. Suffice to say, this is more than a little scary to some big brands that aren’t used to open communication and public opinion.

When the weather finally breaks and the sunshine is more appealing than your cubicle walls, it can be easy to fall prey to summer slacking. Clients or bosses may be taking vacations, easing the pressure on your workload, but it’s important to take advantage of any summer down time. Take a short vacation this summer if you can afford to, but don’t take a vacation from being productive and proactive.

Earlier this month, my friend Nate Riggs invited me to speak at the 2011 Ohio Growth Summit to a room full of entrepreneurs and companies interested in expanding their involvement in the digital space. While the event’s other speakers focused more on digital tactics and strategy, I had the opportunity to discuss building marketing budgets that incorporate social media and other Web platforms. While my presentation’s focus was not as fun as the more common social media discussion topics, I found it to helpful for companies who truly wanted to connect all the dots of their digital strategy.

Social networking site use is continuing to grow, both for personal and professional purposes. As of April 2011, the breakdown is as follows: 92 percent use on Facebook, 18 percent use on LinkedIn and 13 percent use on Twitter (source: B2B Social Media Guide, hat tip to Arik Hanson for using the stat in this post).

Regardless of the number of statistics and case studies that surface proving that the use of social media has exploded in recent years, top executives continue giving push back to employees who want to test the social media waters. From my experience working with companies from various industries, there are two main reasons why executives aren’t thrilled about employees and the company using social media: (1) They don’t understand the business value and think social media does nothing but produce unproductive employees and (2) they’re scared of the vulnerability and transparency that comes along with giving up total control when utilizing social media for business purposes.

You’ve done the appropriate homework. All strategic recommendations have been outlined and prepared. There is a clear action plan containing desirable outcomes and key metrics. Based on your findings, you know social media is right for your company. Now comes the hard part: “closing” the deal. Selling the value of social media isn’t easy. In [...]