Goal: Stamp Out Social Media Poseurs in 2010.

I’m on a mission. Please join me.

You know what a “poseur” is, right? I don’t have to define it – it’s one of these things, like “art” or good graphic design. You know it when you see it; and, when you see it, in the case of Social Media Poseurism, you don’t like it.

Let’s band together to stamp out Social Media Poseurs in 2010!

If you see any of these 17 behaviors, actions or tweets — report them! Or, better yet, just stop following, unfriend them, and move on. Life’s too short.

Here’s the list:

1. Calling themselves a “guru.”
2. Calling themselves a “rock star.” (Actual rock stars may call themselves rock stars.)
3. Calling themselves a “ninja.”
4. Tweeting the same 15 things over and over again, usually from multiple accounts.
5. Unable to provide an actual business case study for any social media usage – even if it’s from someone else.
6. Saying they were a CEO many times, as if you’re supposed to be impressed. (I’m a CEO, have been a CEO. I’m not impressed by my own title.)
7. 100% self-serving tweets. Twitter is the closest thing to the Social Media Party that your kids warned you about. Talk WITH people.
8. Any automated “machine” approach to any of this SMM stuff.
9. Selling you Multi-Level Marketing Crap via Direct Messages or Facebook Spam.
10. LinkedIn LIONs who are Social Media Experts. (I have 10,000 people I’m connected to, therefore I am a Social Media Expert.)
11. Anyone who calls themselves a Social Media Expert. See 1, 2, and 3 above.
12. Anyone who has all the answers.
13. Unable to provide a business example where their assistance has added – be it % of sales growth or more leads or added phone calls to the call center. (Thanks, @mattdollinger.)
14. USING ALL CAPS TO GET THEIR POINT ACROSS.
15. WORSE, USING ALL CAPS IN THEIR TWITTER USER NAME. (Sorry, @CHRISVOSS, that’s a foul.)
16. On the part of brands, having a “social media expert” on staff and refusing to figure out why they’re there. (Customer Service? PR? Sending out coupons? Have a point!)
17. Anyone who claims to be a “Word of Mouth” expert and is not using Twitter properly. By properly — at least 1000 followers, following the same number, and engaging 10x a day. Thank you.

Okay, 17 reasons could probably be 170 with a little more thinking. The point here – don’t be lame. We’re all trying to make a buck — myself included. Fine, there’s room for a good many of us to explain this Social Media Marketing landscape to those who want to learn it, have to learn it, or are somewhere in between.

Happy New Year! (Even to the Poseurs; just start being real, okay?)