Customer Reviews

Citizen Marketers: When People Are the Message

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

One of the first things that struck me when I began reading Citizen Marketers, was the ability that Ben and Jackie (calling them McConnell and Huba just doesn't fit) have to take a concept as misunderstood as Social Media, and scale it down to where it is accessible to all, and to do so without talking down to the reader. In fact, the book does such a good job of giving background on the various forms of social media, that it can double as a general primer on the subject.

But where CM shines is in explaining what exactly Citizen Marketing is, who these people are, and what motivates them. I'll be honest, going into reading this book, I was a bit worried that this would simply be a collection of case studies providing examples of citizen marketing, bookended with an introduction and conclusion chapter. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, Ben and Jackie have done exhaustive research into the subject of citizen marketing, and instead of simply rehashing examples such as the CGM buzz behind Snakes on a Plane, Jarvis' Dell Hell, or the liberation of Fiona Apple (quite possibly my favorite story in the book, which I'd never heard of previously), Ben and Jackie talked to all the parties involved, and discovered what they did, why they did it, and who they did it for.

Their conclusion was that they were dealing with, concerned citizens. Citizens whose love of their favorite brand compelled them to take action on its behalf. And thanks to the rise of the internet, and more specifically social media, those concerned citizens not only have the tools necessary to produce their own brand marketing, they have the ability to reach others, and mobilize them to share their cause. One person's blog post lamenting the cancellation of a favorite TV show can blossom into a full-fledged petition drive that saves the series. A bad customer service experience at a fast food restaurant can be recorded and uploaded to YouTube within minutes. Jarvis' post about his dissatisfaction over his Dell erupted into Dell Hell, which eventually forced the Austin-based computer maker to totally re-examine their customer-service, and revamp their policy on reading and responding to bloggers(IOW, creating a policy for reading and responding to bloggers).

But in my opinion, the heart of the book lies in Ben and Jackie's breakdown of Citizen Marketers into four distinct categories, which they have dubbed 'The Four Fs', all with their own motivations for their actions:

1. Filters

The Filters collect all manner of stories, blog posts, podcasts, etc. related to a specific topic, and present them in one place. These filters serve mainly as an aggregator for content in all forms related to a particular topic, but also add their own analysis and commentary on occasion.

2. Fanatics

The Fanatics are very similar to evangelists. They love(obsess?) over their favorite brand/product/person/company, and are committed to informing others about this topic. They are in the truest sense of the term 'Customer Evangelist'. But they also have great love for the brand/company/person, and aren't afraid to criticize any action that they feel is detrimental to its progress.

3. Facilitators

Facilitators are community creators/builders. They bring like-minded individuals together around a central framework, usually an only forum or blog. Ben and Jackie liken them to 'online mayors'.

4. Firecrackers

Firecrackers are the one-hit wonders of citizen marketers. They may create a hit sensation viral video, or a blogging meme, and then never be heard from again. As with their namesake, they burn very brightly and quickly, and burn out just as rapidly.

In conclusion, buy this book. It isn't a marketing book, it's a book about your community of customers. What motivates them, and what inspires them to take action, both on behalf of, and against your brand. A customer is shaken from their apathy toward a brand, and spurned to action either in response to a brand's indifference towards them, or as a result of the brand's reaching out and offering the hand of empowerment to them. Right now your brand likely sits on one side of this fence, and gaining a better understanding of your customers and what gives them the incentive to act, will help you understand how they view you.

In the not-so-distant past, if someone wants to have an impact on the culture at large; launch a new product or win an election their best (and virtually only) bet was engaging traditional print and broadcast media outlets. And whether you were trying to secure an advertising buy or editorial space you also had to deal with "gatekeepers" - those are the editors, producers and sales managers within the media. However, with the continuing rise of the Internet and its democratization of the communication chain - that old-media model is shrinking and eroding daily. Technology and business expert Ben McConnell looks at the juggernaut-like influence and power that has shifted from the old "gatekeepers" to a new class. This new breed of influence peddlers is what McConnell calls Citizen Marketers and it's the title of his book. He defines these individuals as a small group of young, computer savvy hipsters that align their Internet gravitas with any idea, product or brand that happens to fit their particular worldview that day. McConnell stresses that these individuals are influencers in the truest sense since that can quickly mobilize and lead others to action. Soundview highly recommends this book because the powerful phenomenon of citizen marketers will only grow and it can't be ignored.

Ben McConnell does a phenomenal job of providing an overview of the social media landscape (Chapter 4) as it exists today in it embryonic state. What he brings to life is the truth about the democratization of the media, now that the tools to be publisher, broadcaster, and creative director are in the hands of the citizens at large. This new reality requires anyone responsible for building and marketing brands to take note and read this book.

I'm a fan of these guys [Jackie Huba & Ben McConnel]. As most of you, I also met them with Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force, I even bought the Discussion Guide and follow their Blog everyday.
The fact is that this book covers really great experiences of lots of industries. One of my favorites is placed in the Record Industry, I thinkg that if they'd wrote the book these days, RadioHead would be a great case for the book.
More interesting lessons come every chapter, and more than a "Handbook", it's a Review one. And it will definetly be a classic record of our new marketing era.
So... Old School Marketing guys... this could be a book that shows you that Marketing is not the same, since several years ago.

I can't believe this book came out at the end of 2006. I just read a brand new book on a similar subject which referenced a lot of the same examples. No wonder Ben and Jackie have quickly become the authority on social media and new marketing.

Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba provide plenty of examples of how people like you and me are changing the face of marketing in their new book "Citizen Marketers: When People are the Message." The book is cram-packed with stories of people who have created their own ads for a company simply on account of being a fan of a product. Or how enthusiasts have created online communities where they and people like them can trade stories and tips. Or how dis-satisfied customers have done irreparable damage to a corporate reputation by sharing with their online audience a bad experience they've had.

McConnell and Huba touch on a few key points. First, people are sometimes so moved by their love of a product or company that they are motivated to create their own pseudo-marketing content as a way to express that. Second, people are always seeking out a community of like-minded people and, if one does not already exist, they'll create their own. Third, customer service is no longer a closed loop between a company rep and the customer. Now bad customer service experiences wind up online for all the world to see. Fourth, a company that knows how powerful their community is can achieve great things, as long as it never forgets that community has the potential to crush them if they start making missteps.

To amplify those points and show just how important it is for companies to monitor what the community is saying about them, companies need to remember a few things:

1) Google never forgets and it is an impartial tool, remembering both the good and the bad.

2) The tools that allow people to broadcast their opinions and enthusiasm have never been more prevalent, cheaper or easier to use.

3) Google loves those prevalent, cheap and easy to use tools.

4) Every company needs to figure out how to engage the people using those tools.

By giving examples of enthusiastic self-publishers such as Mike at HackingNetflix, the guy who runs TiVoCommunity and the two Jakes who run Threadless, Ben and Jackie hammer home the fact that not only are non-marketing people now largely responsible for corporate communications but that these people are creating companies of their own based on a new idea. Mike doesn't know everything and so looks to the community to tip him off to things. The TiVoCommunity is based around the idea that people contributing to a hive-mind can help everyone enjoy their TiVos more. And Threadless lets members decide what shirts get made by running weekly contests. When was the last time you heard an old-fashioned marketing guy admit he didn't know the answer to something?

Ben and Jackie hammer home the point that, whatever the motivation, citizen marketers are a powerful and influential group so often and so well that, quite frankly, you'd have to read the book with a sort of willful ignorance to not be moved to some sort of action after reading it.

Just make sure it's the right sort of action. The book offers examples of companies that fully engage, only do so privately and then disavow that action publicly, offer grudging acknowledgment or ignore completely. It makes me shake my head when I read about the latter three. I don't get non-engagement. I just don't.

If you take the opportunity to read Citizen Marketers and really absorb the lessons Ben and Jackie have to offer I'm sure you'll shake your head at companies like that as well, even if yours has been one of them in the past. And if you want even more lessons on how to do this sort of thing right make sure you're reading their Church of the Customer blog on a regular basis.

The best thing I can say about Citizen Marketers is that it should be on every marketing practitioner's desk. That way, when a nervous boss asks why they should engage and embrace the consumer-generated-content being created they can offer this book up as evidence. It offers a counter-argument to just about any skepticism.

It should be noted that I participated, albeit in a small way, in the book. Ben and Jackie put out a request looking for people to read rough drafts of some of the book's chapters and offer suggestions and comments, a request I was more than happy to respond to. There were a dozen or more of us who did so, including fellow Viral Community member CK and others and we're all given shout-outs at the end of the book. That's a great idea they had and certainly goes a long way in showing just how much they believe their own preachings.

Thanks to Ben and Jackie for allowing me to participate in the shaping of the book and for providing a review copy for my perusal.

I flew through this book. Not because it was light reading, because it was so engaging. Ben and Jackie found a thorough way to explain what motivates people like you and me to function as micro-agencies that work on the behalf of - or against - brands.

And they really make their theories digestible. Consider how they name and explain The 1 Percenters, the 4Fs (Filters, Fanatics, Facilitators + Firecrackers), and the 3 Cs (working with citizen marketers through contests, co-creation and community building). They're all easy concepts to wrap your head around, presented with real life explanation-example-consequence examples.

What really spoke to me, though, came in Chapter 7: How to Democratize Your Business. This is where they introduce the 4 Cs. Thinking about my own clients, this chapter provides ideas and smart insights on how to engage consumers and get them talking. The examples they provide and the companies used to show how to do it right are real eye openers. Converse, Ban, Shakira, The Beastie Boys, Lego, Discovery, Microsoft, New Line Cinema, to name a few, have all embraced their fans, and either got them involved or embraced their existing involvement to great effect.

Here's the lesson I took from the book:

You can't sit back. People are working on your company's behalf as a hobby to promote, generate excitement and just talk about the aspects of your business that excite them or drive them nuts. Whatever the case, they're out there and you've got to embrace them. Listen to them. Hear what they're saying, good or bad, and make room for their thoughts and ideas in your organization.

As the tools to self-publish become easier to use and high-speed connections become more and more accessible, the numbers of everyday people out there sharing, connecting and promoting will rise exponentially.

Never mind being ready then. The time to get in with these powerful people is now. After all, they are your marketers.

Citizen Marketers is a worthwhile, interesting read for those both new to and familiar with social media. The book covers multiple themes and trends in a digestible, reader-friendly format--and through a conversational flow.

The book gives a balanced perspective through many recent, relevant (and sometimes, humorous) examples of companies getting it right with social media and those foundering in this bottom-up, everything-democratized world...where one person can have a BIG impact. Don't go into the blogosphere blind--let McConnell and Huba be your guides.

McConnell and Huba delivered on the promise of an insightful and practical manual to navigate the vagaries of today's marketplace with panache and a heavy dose of realism. This is important because today more than ever, business needs to reengage with life as the roles we fulfill have mixed and in some cases overlapped.

What we have called the experience economy with Pine/Gilmore and the conceptual age with Pink has now become a conversation. One where content and product producers, delivery channels, audience and customers come together to define the future of work and the creation of meaning; the meeting of the minds resulting in commercial and intrinsic value.

The new culture is one of personal identity and ownership; individual meets environment and thanks to advancements in technology makes sense of the proliferation of information to deliver her/his message. People want to count, not be counted.

This book is the springboard to new thinking and a valuable resource to learn new behavior-- a required reading to navigate today's complex market dynamics and make new customers in the process.

For many people using social media and blogging regularly, many of the ideas behind Citizen Marketers you'll be used to. Of course, you'll get a more in depth examination of what you might already have a somewhat good understanding.

The biggest value in the book is the extreme wealth of real-world examples to relate your knowledge back to. Even someone heavily invested in blogging will have their share of "ah ha!" moments that can be put to use immediately.

It's nice to spend so much time in a book excited about the possibilities it presents.