The magazine for association executives, Associations Now, has another great issue this month (Feb. 2013). The highlight is the article about the social media strategy at the Colorado Oil and Gas Association. The campaign is called “My Energy Truth” and it uses videos, Twitter, Facebook, and even Pinterest. Jill McClure, Chief Operating Officer of Colorado Oil and Gas Association says:

“It’s a shift away from that traditional communications style – here’s what we want you to think – to here’s a conversation we’re having and you can join in, and here are some concepts for us to think about and discuss, and things we can do together. It’s really a shift from an old-school style of communication to really embracing the social media world that we live in now.”

It sounds to me like she’s describing the difference between elementary and graduate school; that’s how big the changes are in association social media.  With visibility comes vulnerability, but you have to open up to stay relevant.