--- title: "Chris Brogan: Focus On Interactions, Not Social Media Tools" id: "14386" type: "post" slug: "chris-brogan-focus-on-interactions-not-social-media-tools" published_at: "2012-11-12T21:50:21+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T19:21:36+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2012/11/12/chris-brogan-focus-on-interactions-not-social-media-tools/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2012/11/12/chris-brogan-focus-on-interactions-not-social-media-tools.md" excerpt: "Social media is boring if you over-emphasize the tools, says Human Business Works’ Chris Brogan. Also: Give big organizational changes time to simmer." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "civic engagement" - "Leadership" - "Marketing" - "Social Media" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Chris Brogan: Focus On Interactions, Not Social Media Tools Look, you might find a really fancy cutting board during a trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond — but, ultimately, what matters is the meal. Right? Now apply that logic to social media. Follow? That and more in today’s Social Media Roundup: ### Another New Tool? *Zzzzzzz* > Social Media Isn’t Dead: It’s Boring by [@chrisbrogan (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/chrisbrogan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [http://t.co/3xR6cMgZ (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/3xR6cMgZ) > [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Dave Lutz (@VelChain) [November 12, 2012 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/VelChain/status/268011771879636992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **The meal is what’s important:** Chris Brogan, the CEO of Human Business Works, says in his latest blog post, “[Social Media Isn’t Dead: It’s Boring (opens in a new tab)](http://www.chrisbrogan.com/boring/) ,” that the real problem with the medium is that there’s too little focus on the content and too much on the tools. “When we talk about restaurants (the tools), we mostly talk about the food (the content),” he explains. “When we talk about bands (tools), we talk about whether the music resonates (the content). When we talk about a good book (the content), we never ask what type of computer it was written on (the tools).” Instead, he says the tools should be focused on the goal: reaching your audience with compelling content. Think Brogan’s advice is sound? *(ht [@VelChain (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/VelChain/status/268011771879636992) )* ### Slow Down the Sales Pitch > Take the Emotion Out of Change [http://t.co/4lIkPP1R (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/4lIkPP1R) > fr [@Dave_Phillips7 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/Dave_Phillips7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#association (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/association?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#management (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/management?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#asae (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/asae?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#EI (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/EI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Kate Nasser (@KateNasser) [November 12, 2012 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/KateNasser/status/267960054072897537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Big ideas shouldn’t mean emotional reactions:** Trying to make drastic change? Listen to Dave Phillips, CAE, who suggests that you don’t force the change drastically but [give it time to go through (opens in a new tab)](http://www.blogaec.com/2012/10/12/take-the-emotion-out-of-change/) — and as a result, avoid emotional reactions from your members. “Each issue needs a certain amount of time to go through the cycle of reaction to change: emotional rejection, intellectual engagement, and obvious acceptance,” he writes. “Allowing time to go through the cycle will take the emotion out of change.” *(ht [@KateNasser (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/KateNasser/status/267960054072897537) )* See anything interesting online lately? Let us know about it in the comments! [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#civic engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/civic-engagement/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Marketing](https://associationsnow.com/tag/marketing/) [#Social Media](https://associationsnow.com/tag/social-media/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoRecap from the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 19, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/19/recap-from-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoSneak Peek: Highlights from Day 2 of the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 14, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/14/sneak-peek-highlights-from-day-2-of-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoDaily Recap: Day 1 from the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 13, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/13/daily-recap-day-1-from-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoSneak Peek: Highlights from Day 1 of the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 13, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/13/sneak-peek-highlights-from-day-1-of-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2012%2F11%2F12%2Fchris-brogan-focus-on-interactions-not-social-media-tools%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !