By Richard Edwards

“When the people lead – the leaders, they will have to follow…”

- Ben Harper

With SXSW ‘08 a distant, but much beloved memory, it’s time to start focusing our attention on next year’s event.

It’d be nice if that meant weekend club hopping in hopes of discovering the next local act to break at SXSW ‘09, but alas, aside from radio station promotions, or possibly knowing the booking agent’s uncle through a friend of your brother’s girlfriend, we don’t get to pick the music. We DO, however, get a say, albeit a small (30%) one, in which of the hundreds of expert panel submissions will nab one of the coveted presentation slots at the SXSW Interactive Festival!

SO, instead of complaining about the lack of compelling, thought-provoking speakers, get your ass online and VOTE! The deadline is August 29.

We kindly ask that in addition to voting for other stellar panels, you also consider voting for the sessions that include our very own bub.blicio.us and PR 2.0 publisher, Brian Solis.

Against All Odds – A Media Literate World

Additional Presenters: Howard Greenstein, Chris Heuer, Alex de Carvalho

The new “Media Literacy” means understanding the facts, context and perspective of content. When you share, modify, or comment, this shows who you are online and in society. The public record of your search and attention stream will define how you’re perceived. How do we increase media literacy?

A Discussion on the Pervasiveness of Streams

Additional Presenters: Jackie Peters, Greg Narain

The emergence of streams in our digital lives is, in many ways, aligning our thinking in a way that we are only subtly appreciating. Streams represent the end of top-down broadcast and the beginning of a confluence of information and communication exchange patterns that function multi dimensionally.

Love Your Customers, They Love You Back

Additional Presenters: Becky Carroll and special VIPs

Relationships are the new currency in social media. They need cultivation and value from both sides in order to grow into something of value and longevity. Explore engagement as the only way to earn customer respect, business, loyalty, and referrals as we do what matters to earn their friendship.

PR for Peanuts

Additional Presenters: Laura Beck, Porter Novelli and other PR all stars

More and more startups are bootstrapping their ventures, and managing the PR/marketing function themselves. Many of these companies eventually bring a PR firm, and/or a VP of Marketing onboard shortly after the closing of their A round, but nowadays it takes longer and longer for that funding to happen – if at all. Come hear 5 PR pros share their advice for startups – how to bootstrap your marketing efforts and build a solid foundation for later – whether you plan to hire an agency or not.

Don’t forget to add comments!

For other superstar panels, please visit Social Media Club.

Tagged as: austin, briansolis, bubblicious, interactive, panel, sxsw, sxswi, texas, vote