I gave a presentation yesterday at the Visability conference yesterday, which naturally included examples of companies that have been very successful using social media. In thinking about the companies to highlight, I tried to stay away from the usual suspects – Comcast, Starbucks, Dell, IBM, etc.

It’s not that these companies aren’t good example, it’s that they are used time and time again to demonstrate the potential of social media, and why companies should be enthusiastically embracing it.

One of the problems is these examples provide a skewed view of how social media works. It gives companies the impression that if they get into social media, they too also enjoy wild success and a surge in popularity. If the old, if they can do it, you can do it too.

The reality is Starbucks, et al are anomalies. Through a combination of luck, timing and smart creative, they’ve hit the social media jackpot. Like a lottery, lots of companies are buying social media “tickets” but few of them win.

Perhaps a better approach in selling the benefits of social media is talking about companies that are enjoying solid success – however you want to define “success” – as opposed to extraordinary success. Maybe we should be talking about companies that have embraced social media, and made it an important part of their business operations.

A good example is Digitcom.ca, a telecom equipment reseller. A year ago, the owner, Jeff Wiener, approach me about starting a blog. I put together a strategic and tactical plan, and helped him set up The Telecom Blog.

Since then, Jeff has really worked it, and made it one of the most popular telecom blogs in Canada. It may not attract a huge number of visitors but the blog has helped bolster the profile for Digitcom and Jeff. It has opened doors for Jeff that may not have presented themselves otherwise, and it’s given Digitcom a bigger digital presence.

In many respects, Digitcom is a social media success story that is a lot more relevant and realistic for companies looking at social media. It provides a better idea of what social media can deliver without setting expectations that are far too ambitious or high.

What do you think? Are we guilty of over-hyping the mega-success stories in social media?