News flash: news spreads faster through a crowd than to a crowd. If you want to break news, whisper it into an ear and see what happens. If there is a positive word that describes our age, it’s community. Seth Godin knows this. Chris Brogan understands it. Motrin learned it the hard way. People talk.

The bad news is, people aren’t always accurate. Remember that game where we whispered something in an ear then let it travel around the circle? The story at the end was always rather embellished. We have, however, figured this out enough that we’ve become one of the most discerning and skpetical societies in history.

What are the advantages of engaging people through social media?

• Connecting with disconnected people.
• Immediate and bold feedback.
• Marketing of the viral variety.
• Popularity, re-distributed.
• Profit for the good of all, not for the sake of self.

I know these are abstract ideas, so here’s a more practical way to approach social media…

• Get a Facebook account.
• Tweet on Twitter, and learn the rules.
• Read, comment, and discuss.
• Offer, give, share.
• Don’t stress out – you can’t rule every network.

Will you succeed in this new arena? It’s really not up to you, it’s up to the crowd. But the crowd just might listen if what you whisper is worthy.

Chris Brogan is one of the very few people whom I would say “get it” when it comes to social media. I read him daily and soak up all I can about how to communicate with the world at large. He’s written an excellent post about finding three words that express your goals for 2009. His are pretty cool. Mine, more general. They were Focus (on the future). Love (people and show it). Serve (in ways that require effort and sacrifice). Read his article and comment (there, not here) about your three words for 2009.