I've been following the growth of social media and its impact on businesses well over a year now. The biggest mistake I made was thinking that a lot of people already know about some of the most basic resources readily available. It wasn't until recently that I realized I was wrong. A lot of people don't have time or the passion to follow it as closely as they need to. What makes it even more difficult is that there are a gazillion articles and tons of research being pumped out everyday because the industry is developing so fast.
I think a great starting point for anyone just diving into the social media scene is to look at case studies or what other companies and organizations have done. Thankfully, Facebook and Twitter now have a dedicated space to share how their tools can be leveraged optimally for businesses.
Facebook Marketing Solutions
http://www.facebook.com/marketing
Lots of yummy information and examples here.
Twitter101
http://business.twitter.com/twitter101
Check out the Twitter 101 Special Guide deck that can be downloaded via the 'Download the slides' link on the left column at the bottom.
