Conclusion

This book has stressed the dynamic nature of social networking systems. The sheer volume of information and the number of new tools and systems precludes anyone from knowing everything there is to know about social networking systems. Don't fret. Social networking is a journey that requires an ongoing investment of your time to drive the maximum value. Use some of the tips included here to nurture your knowledge quotient around these systems. The best tactic is to simply use these social networking systems on a regular basis. In Malcom Gladwell's 2008 book, Outliers, he says that studies have shown it takes 10,000 hours of practice to achieve true mastery in anything (basketball, writing fiction, composing, and so on). That's about 20 hours a week for 10 years, and most of the social networking systems deployed today haven't been around that long. So, know that you are in good company as you continue developing your prowess with social networking systems.

This book is meant to be a baseline primer on social networking systems presented in 10 steps. You do not have to follow these in linear order. The key is to use these steps so they align with your particular business case. Given the dynamic nature of these systems, I've created a companion blog to support ongoing dialogue and discussions. You can see it at http://soc-net-for-biz.ning.com.

Follow me on Facebook—www.facebook.com/darin.hartley

Facebook Group—10 Steps to Successful Social Networking for Business

Twitter—http://twitter.com/soc_net_writer

NING—http://soc-net-for-biz.ning.com/

LinkedIn—www.linkedin.com/in/DarinHartley