I had a great group of people in my Twitter class yesterday and we had some awesome discussion about how to use it for business. One theme that was recurring was how it leads to sales. It's a great topic and I think there are some misconceptions out there.

Social media will not fix your marketing strategy. It should not replace your current efforts or cause you to shift all of your time onto Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. If your marketing strategy is broken, you must fix that first - social media will not save it. At the same time, it is a mistake to ignore it and continue the status quo.

Social media is a set of tools that augment, supplement, and assist as a component of your marketing strategy. It can give you a competitive edge. Social media can give you more effective ways to build relationships with your customers, prospective customers, and networking partners.

Remember that social media is not a magic bullet. However, ignoring it is also a mistake. Find the most appropriate ways to augment and supplement your marketing strategy with social media and enjoy the benefits of a more full-featured marketing toolbox.