I wrote the below post in April 2012, but never published it:
Years ago, I declared to my then-girlfriend that I was an expert in social media. (I think she would have preferred a declaration of love; maybe that’s one reason we’re no longer together.)
In any event, I made my case as follows. I directed the social media department of an international PR agency, I wrote op-eds for PRWeek, and I lectured at Georgetown.
She was unconvinced. This was a good start, she said, but I needed more.
Today, I’m happy to report that my credentials have blossomed. I’m frequently quoted in the media; I write for Mashable; I give paid presentations; and I’ve counted as clients the national trade associations for public relations and marketing.
The first point is especially important, in that it requires breaking through the echo chamber wherein many so-called pundits ply their trade. Indeed, not only is being quoted gratifying; it’s also the quintessential attribute of an expert.
