Editor’s note: Today’s guest author, Troy Costlow, a graduate student who likes books and math, was a winner of our 9 Marketing Trends for 2011 contest, in which we asked readers to submit the ninth trend for our upcoming webinar of the same name, which will be held on December 15. (It’s not too late to sign up!) Following are further thoughts on his submitted trend, pre-cognitive social sharing. In the webinar, we will discuss how to adjust your business to leverage all nine trends.

Social media is making us better people. Those of us who chose to opt in traded our privacy for a network of peers, mentors, leaders, and friends who provide advice, counsel, and endless entertainment.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely, yes. It improves existing relationships and builds new ones. Of course it’s worth it.

Quicker and more accurate information will continue to improve these relationships – and today social media’s biggest limitation is that we can only share things we are aware of. Using social media is not an automatic act: We think first, and share afterwards. (more…)