Is social media the only tool we need to communicate with?

There's been some polite sniping on Twitter amongst the people I follow regarding the role (and power) of social media in communicating with an audience. There have been a number of bold (and sweeping) statements about the state of traditional communication. Rather than continue trying to argue the case for and against in 140 characters, I wanted to invite people to have their say. So, come on, what do you think... Is social media the only tool we need to communicate with?

I'll get things started. The answer is no.

I think it's a great tool, and as a business we use it a lot to engage with our audience. But for us it's only one communication channel. We encourage our clients to use it too. We're developing a couple of brand communication strategies for clients at the moment, and they both involve social media. But not in isolation. It's being used as part of a coordinated strategy to reach the audience.

As a business we spend all of our time either communicating with our clients, or communicating for our clients. As a result it is easy to get wrapped up in communication tools and channels and the opportunities they all present to engage with an audience. But what's routine for us (and we're by no means the most sophisticated users of social media) is still a big, big jump for a lot of people - both businesses and consumers.

So, is social media the only tool we need to communicate with? No. But I'd like to know what you think.