Generation X, those who were born between 1961 and 1981, are a group of people marketers are trying to reach. Nate Elliott, Principal Analyst of Forrester Research told me what he thought effective social marketing strategies are for this generation. He mentioned that there are many social media channels that work. He said that every marketer should identify their objectives and goals first then work to identify the social media tools. When I asked what program he liked and thought was most effective, he brought up the TV show Mad Men and talked about a launch strategy used to engage viewers when the show was announced. We also discuss how marketers are feeling they are doing in some aspects of today’s social world and that is discouraging news–based on new research marketers flunked themselves–giving a grade of 4.5 out of 10.

Charlene Li, founder of Altimeter Group and formerly the key social media analyst at Forrester Research, talks to Marketing Voices about the latest trends in social media and marketing. Charlene provided these insights:

1. Social media will be like “air.” It will be everywhere and used by everyone. No one will be afraid to use the tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter—sharing information will be second nature.

2. Every employee can be a marketer. From the manufacturing floor to the executive offices of large and small companies, everyone in the company will be using social marketing tools as a way to build brand and visibility.

3. Everyone can be a marketing channel for you. What’s most important is whether these bloggers have the right audiences and have captured the minds and hearts of others.

4. People are putting the technologies (for example, Twitter and Facebook) first—not the business objective. People must first determine what they want to accomplish rather than learn how to use these technologies.

She is writing a new book that will be published early 2010 that is called Open: How Leaders Win by Letting Go. In this book, she explains how leaders in today’s businesses need to understand the need for communication transparency, letting go and not be so controlling in order to succeed.

Since 1999, the world has seen incredible social, technological and economic challenges. However, not much has changed in management practices during this time says Bruce Temkin, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester Research. Temkin tells Marketing Voices about his 6 new management imperatives and one of them focuses on the practice of good social citizenship. Temkin also believes that investing in a corporate culture is an asset no company can ignore today.

Facebook is the future. This is according to many analysts and Web experts. Jeremiah Owyang, an analyst with Forrester Research, believes in the power of Facebook. Jeremiah tells Marketing Voices’ Jennifer Jones how the site works, and how communities are forming there. Marketers need to understand the opportunities that are ripe on Facebook, and to embrace and extend their network through the site.