Organizing Collaboration

Today was the first meeting of the Social Media Engagement Forum of the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce. It was a conversation about the application of Social Media in marketing and advertising, a conversation that will continue in the months ahead.

The group was small and diverse; we had participants from business, military, and education sectors. Not everyone was an active user of Social Media, but most had at least “stuck their toe in.” Highlights included a discussion of the use of Facebook as a tool of public information and using Twitter on a website. We heard success stories about the use of web-based promotions and using Social Media interaction to answer inquiries.

Information and “tips” were freely exchanged and it was evident that there were a lot more stories to tell from those in the room. There will be another forum next month and we will keep the conversation going.

In a broader sense, this was also about learning to collaborate: to work together toward a common goal. The real value of these sessions is in getting to know each participant; the elements that are important to his or her enterprise, and to develop a positive regard that can be used to help all succeed.