I found this SlideShare presentation this morning and couldn’t resist reposting it. J.D. Lasica of socialbrite.org first posted his presentation at socialmedia.biz on Sept. 16. I shared the link on our Twitter stream but wanted to discuss my own key takeaways. The presentation is targeted toward journalism professionals in particular, but the ideas really apply to anyone — including association professionals.

Don’t start with the tools. Start with a plan. It’s so simple, but oftentimes so overlooked. Don’t dive into social media without listening to what’s being said about your organization. Your plan doesn’t have to be totally concrete, but you should have a strategy and destination in mind.

Dare to fail. I think it’s a good thing to know what works and what doesn’t, and you’ll never find out if you don’t try different things.

Steal good ideas. Build on what’s come before. This threw me off a bit at first (um … isn’t that called plagiarism?) but it’s actually a good thing. If someone posts a blog that you agree (or disagree) with, respond. Add your thoughts, and ideas will evolve. The Web has revolutionized how ideas develop and there’s more opportunity for growth and interaction than ever before.

It’s no secret Twitter is great for real-time conversations. How will your association take the available social media tools and use them to its best advantage? The possibilities are (practically) endless.