Why is it that someone who is an expert in social media is often referred to as an evangelist or guru?

Do we really need to resort to faith-based arguments to convince people that these new media are important to businesses and nonprofits? Well, I guess if we made stronger arguments based on “the numbers” then we wouldn’t need to ask people to blindly believe.  In the B2B world, more case studies from prominent companies would help.  Until pragmatic managers get a taste of higher customer retention rates, improved SEO, or increased online sales, then social media will be something that is optional (even if everyone is talking about them online).

Try this next time you explain Twitter or LinkedIn to a friend – share a couple of stories about organizations who turbocharged their sales or customer service levels using social media.  Then you won’t have to ask them for their blind faith.