[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNM9kA1bSHk] Gary Vaynerchuk knows how the social media works and I agree completely with this guy's approach. Two things to take away:

1. Create content that people want. It's not just about having a Twitter account and being on Facebook, it's a whole lot of hard work getting to know the community and giving them great content that they will thank you for. If you don't have anything good to say or the time to invest, you won't go anywhere.
2. The message is not what you tell people, it's what they think about your brand. Traditional marketing communications teaches us to "control" the message in your announcements, but in the social media you've got to look at it from what your customers are saying. Their voice is way louder. Your only way of influence is to respond with honesty. Respond with spin and your customers will know you're lying through your teeth.