Seth Godin…….
….could be a genius or just an individual who has opened up all the internal gates allowing a stream of clear consciousness.

Either way here are 7 of his gems on the benefits of using social media.

1. If I can sell you something without a sales call or expensive ad campaign, I can sell it cheaper. In every market, there's an opportunity to create a more open sales channel and lower your price as a way of making sales.

2. If the only reason you don't do something is because you never did, that's not a good reason. If the environment has changed dramatically and you are feeling pain because of it, this is a great reason to question yourself, to ask why.

3. Here's one way businesses can profit from a social media presence: make it easy to get hurt.

If you're in a low trust industry (like car sales), a social media presence dramatically increases the opportunity people have to call you out, beat you up, tattle on you and flame you in public. If you have a Facebook page and people can YELL at you there, for all to see, it makes you vulnerable. Do you really think that a Chris or a Guy or Gary is going to risk ripping you off for consulting or wine? No way. Too easy for someone to post a comeback for all to see.

When your staff sees how much power you've given random consumers, they'll freak. And then, magically, they'll start treating customers differently, because maybe, just maybe, this customer is the one who's going to use the power. Suddenly, the answer to, "do you know who I am!!" is, "yes sire, forgive me."

It might not be comfortable, but you can bet it will build trust.

4. Free is something you get, no matter what. A bonus is something you get as an add-on when you purchase something, or trade your attention. The purpose of free is to spread the word, alert the universe and generate interest. The purpose of a bonus is to reward immediate action and to sway the undecided.

5. You're an expert. If nothing else, you're an expert on life, on your opinion, on being a consumer. When I ask you for your opinion I'm not asking you for the right answer. I'm asking you for your opinion.

6. Here are things that you can now avoid: The annual review The annual sales conference The big product launch The grand opening of a new branch Drop dead one-shot negotiation event.

The reasons? Well, they don't work. They don't work because big events leave little room for iteration, for trial and error, for earning rapport. And the biggest reason: frequent cheap communication is easier than ever, and if you use it, you'll discover that the process creates far more gains than events ever can.

7. Your most vivid fears are almost certainly not the most important ones. We pay attention to the loud and the urgent. This can lead us to ignore the important and achievable paths open to us--because we're so busy defending against the overwhelmingly dangerous (but unlikely) outcomes instead.

Thanks Seth…

PG