Social media requires a real budget

This is great... " While many social media tools are free, knowing how to use them takes experience and perspective. " Sez B.L. Ochman. She has a great post on Adage, "Six Reasons Companies Are Still Scared of Social Media". Check it out if you have second thoughts about social media.

Here's more... "The boss' friend's high school or college kid can't integrate social media into the company's overall marketing. That requires experience and perspective. Having a large social network and a stellar online reputation helps too.

Just as there are carpenters who can knock together a bookshelf and master carpenters who can create objects of genuine and lasting beauty, there are thousands of social-media gurus (of all ages) who've never worked for an actual client. Hire them at your own peril."

Although, B.L. is talking about social media and how it applies to marketing, the same can be said about using the so-called free tools, especially the open-source ones. Many people now the basics but few know how to integrate them with CRM and other applications as well as "create objects of lasting beauty".