* WINNER * 11th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards You can dive into social media head-first and see what happens, or you can take the time to research, evaluate, plan and execute your approach. I choose the second option.

It's easy to get carried away and blindly create profiles on new social media platforms, regardless of whether your target audience is even present. With a smartphone in your pocket, it's easy to post content and release it to the world. But, what's the point?

There are lots of 'how to' books on social media, and no end of blogs, but there are few that address the fear that many people have about using social media - the fear of not really knowing what to do, and not wanting to get it wrong.

My aim, in writing this book, is to bring the business of social media back to basics: to compare the new with the traditional, to adopt a planned approach, and to ensure that you know how you can get results for your business.

Who is this book for?
If you're a marketer or a business owner, director, manager with responsibility for marketing, this book is for you. If you're involved in customer service, recruitment or sales you will also find this helpful to your day-to-day role. You'll probably be using social media already, but know you could be using it better.
Wherever the future lies with social media, it's only one channel of communication. So relax!
The only thing we can be certain of with social media is that it will change, so let's embrace change and focus on knowing where we want to be, and on developing a plan that will help get us there.
About the Author: Luan Wise is a chartered marketer with more than 15 years' experience of working with clients including Hilton, Royal Mail, Panasonic, and the University of Cambridge. Luan's career in marketing started 'web first', managing content and building online communities. She helped many businesses to produce their first websites. For most of her agency-side career, Luan worked for Hilton, planning and managing complex multimedia, multi-site promotional campaigns for its national and international chain of health clubs. In 2007 Luan switched to become a client-side marketer, joining a new business operating in the newly liberalised postal marketplace. With Luan's support, the business's annual sales rocketed from £3 million to £60 million over the next five years. In 2009 Luan discovered social media, and hasn't put a smartphone down since. Her practical marketing expertise has awarded Luan many invitations to speak at business events. She's also won many accolades, including being named one of the top five female marketers by LinkedIn UK for its International Women's Day campaign, and being included in the South West's '42 under 42' list of the region's brightest talents. Luan is an active ambassador for the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Direct Marketing Association. Today, Luan runs a successful marketing consultancy, providing marketing advice, practical hands-on support, and training. Luan is known for her enthusiasm. Her audiences also refer to her as 'inspiring': she makes things happen and gets results. Luan is also an author for LinkedIn's online learning platform, Lynda.com (see http: //www.lynda.com/luanwise). When not working with a client on the sustainable growth of their business, Luan can be found with her head in a book, a coffee in hand, or buying more shoes she really doesn't need.