Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (And Other Social Networks) [Paperback]

Dave Kerpen (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 7, 2011

THE NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

The secret to successful word-of-mouth marketing on the social web is easy: BE LIKEABLE.

A friend’s recommendation is more powerful than any advertisement. In the world of Facebook, Twitter, and beyond, that recommendation can travel farther—and faster—than ever before.

Likeable Social Media helps you harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing to transform your business. Listen to your customers and prospects. Deliver value, excitement, and surprise. And most important, learn how to truly engage your customers and help them spread the word.

Praise for Likeable Social Media:

“Dave Kerpen’s insights and clear, how-to instructions on building brand popularity by truly engaging with customers on Facebook, Twitter, and the many other social media platforms are nothing short of brilliant.”
Jim McCann, founder of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM and Celebrations.com

“Alas, common sense is not so common. Dave takes you on a (sadly, much needed) guided tour of how to be human in a digital world.”
Seth Godin, author of Poke the Box

“Likeable Social Media cuts through the marketing jargon and technical detail to give you what you really need to make sense of this rapidly changing world of digital marketing and communications. Being human—being likeable—will get you far.”
Scott Monty, Global Digital Communications, Ford Motor Company

“Dave gives you what you need: Practical, specific how-to advice to get people talking about you."
Andy Sernovitz, author of Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dave Kerpen is cofounder and CEO of Likeable Media, an award-winning social media and word-of-mouth marketing firm with offices in New York, Boston, and Chicago. Likeable was named one of the best places to work in New York City by Crain's in 2012

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (June 7, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071762345
• ISBN-13: 978-0071762342
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (299 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,202 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Computers & Technology > Business & Management > Social Media for Business
  • #1 in Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Marketing
  • #2 in Books > Business & Investing > Marketing & Sales > Marketing > Web Marketing

More About the Author

Dave Kerpen is the cofounder and CEO of Likeable, an award-winning social media and word-of-mouth marketing firm comprised of communications and consultancy agency Likeable Media, and software platform Likeable Local. Dave and his wife Carrie lead a team of over 60 people in working with brands, organizations, governments, and small businesses to better leverage social media to become more transparent, responsive, engaged, and likeable. Likeable was named to both the 2011 and 2012 Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies in the United States.

Dave is a frequent keynote speaker at venues around the world and a contributing writer for Mashable, Inc, Fast Company, The Huffington Post, Forbes, and The Washington Post. His work has been featured on CNBC's "On the Money," ABC World News Tonight, the CBS Early Show, BBC World News, and the New York Times, among others.

Dave is proud of his Likeable business accomplishments but prouder of his other joint venture with Carrie: Charlotte and Kate, their two daughters at home in Port Washington, New York.

[e-mail]
FB.com/DaveKerpen
@DaveKerpen

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

108 of 115 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best social media book out there June 22, 2011

By David Bowers

Format:Paperback

I've read and reviewed a lot of books on Social Media and this is the first one I've given five stars. It's that good.

I'm a marketer, specializing in the digital realm and I've become increasingly annoyed at the self proclaimed Social Media Experts (SME's) out there. Most are full of hot air and sell snake oil. This is not the case with Dave Kerpen.

This book is clearly written with great examples by someone who has a vast knowledge of this area. Even better, he uses examples of his actual work within the book for us all to learn from (most social media books don't). Each chapter also ends with exercises for you to start considering how to implement the concepts into your business.

There are two aspects that separate this book from the rest. 1. Dave comes at it from the point of the user receiving the marketing and 2.Dave can easily be found on all social media sites giving out free advice, using the methods he describes in the book to grow his readership and business along with it. He walks the walk.

While I don't agree with every element of the book, my quibbles are not worth your time. Just understand that this book is worth purchasing.

I will be suggesting it to everyone I work with that suddenly wants to enter the social media space, but isn't sure why.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from McGraw Hill.

123 of 145 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars star inflation on Amazon? February 11, 2012

By Will K

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

There are 169 reviews on Amazon for this book and 165 of the reviewers gave this book 4 stars or 5 stars. I give it 3 stars. Only one person gave it a lower rating than I gave it.

I just don't see how it merits more than 3 stars. That's not to say that it's not a good book or that I didn't get something out of it. There were some good examples used. In general, I agree with almost everything the author had to say. But when I got done reading it, I realized that I hadn't bookmarked many passages. I realized that for the most part, things I already thought or already knew might have been reinforced, but I wasn't really asked to think about anything in a new way.

Also, I should add that, due to my profession, I tend to rate books higher when they are applicable to smaller businesses. Many of the examples used in this book were more applicable to larger brands. I'm not sure that people who run small businesses would get much usable strategy from this book.

Also, not that it impacted this review, but when I went to the facebook page for the author's business--a small business--the only real reference to local businesses contained one link...and it was a broken link. To be fair to the author, I pointed it out in a facebook message, to which he replied very quickly. Not sure if it is fixed.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Future Social Media Marketing Textbook May 22, 2011

By by Lisa Jo Barr

Format:Kindle Edition

This book is likeable. It's a two-thumbs up easy read, chock full of important social media marketing strategies that have a down-to-earth quality full of integrity.

"Listen carefully, be transparent, be responsive, be authentic, tell great stories--the qualities that would make you the hotshot at the party--they'll make your organization a likable one on social networks." --Dave Kerpen
The author is right on the mark.

What else about this clever book, you might ask?

1. It shines new light on how to use social media right--stay true to yourself which is great advice for a better world.
2. It's target readers are widespread--from those with their feet wet in social media to neophytes.
3. For those new to the scene or those wanting a review--there's fun content in the back of the book-- 25 pages of thorough explanations, simple ways the different social media platforms can enhance and expand communication with potential and established customers.
4.A chapter on tapping and using your listening skills full blast which you'll need if you want to enter the world of social media; it can make or break.
5 Approaching marketing projects at times like a child--with a sense of wonder, curiosity and super-creative out-of-the-box strategies.
6. Dave teaches sophisticated social media tools and approaches in an easy-to-understand and respectful way.
7. The book is written in a very refreshing and positive light.

Highly recommended. I can see LIKEABLE MEDIA become THE social media marketing textbook. Good for students too. This book to all those who want to hone their social media skills through learning the mechanics of online tools and the new-world marketing strategies that will drive your business to new heights.

45 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Business Owner's Dream June 15, 2011

By A. A. Cohen

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a business owner, this book is just what I want. it cleared up all the confusion I was feeling about social media. Like 95% of small business owners, I'm so clueless about using social media for my business (I'm great at posting photos of my kids and me hiking) that I would not have even read any book on social media if I didn't know Dave (full disclosure - we're good friends, but no one is making me write this review, and I'm being 100% honest, which is easy in this case, thank goodness. Silence was always an option). I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the same man who machine guns concise tweets and posts all day long can also write long-form so engagingly and informatively. The book is easy to read, complete with useful action items at the end of every chapter, and loaded with real-world examples. From Verizon Fios to United Airlines, practical stories of real-world online successes and failures fill the book. His explanation and definition of how a company needs to be engaged with it's customers is worth the price alone. It's part 21st-century marketing manifesto and part social media owners manual. If Anthony Wiener had read the appendix on using Twitter, he might not be in trouble today.