When People Are the Message

I just finished a book called "Citizen Marketers: When People Are the Message", by Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba. I have been reading it in bits and pieces at the gym and on the airplane a few weeks ago and I realized it was due back at the library and I had better finish it. I just realized that by writing about it in my blog, I am (on a very minor level) taking part in the viral marketing that they write about in the book!

From the inside cover : "The woman sitting next to you at Starbucks focused intently on her laptop may just be determining the next big thing. In coffee houses, offices, homes, dorm rooms, and airport lunges around the world, millions of people use laptops and cell phones to become today's new publishers and broadcasters. Armed with only a broadband connection, these regular citizens are exercising enormous influence on culture and what we buy."

Hmmm, am I about to exercise my influence on you by telling you to read this book??

Yes, actually, this book is a must-read if you are interested in viral marketing. Or, for that matter, in how how people have used their blogs, knowingly or not, to promote something or to get something they want. It talks about how ordinary citizens who are passionate about a product often are the best advertisers of that product. They give significant amounts of their own time, uncompensated, to get the word out about a product because of how they feel about it. They may even create music, art, music, ads or videos inspired by their love of the product, or in some cases, their disdain for the product. It gives examples of how some companies fail miserably at recognizing this and how others really "get it'. There's a lot more to it than my description, but that's a start... (ie. the book is more interesting than my description of it!)

Citizen Marketers fall into 4 categories, Filters, Fanatics, Facilitators and Firecrackers.... did you know there is (or was) a blog titled Slave to Target, about one woman's obsession with buying stuff at Target? And that a link on her site actually increased traffic and sales at Target.com? I haven't looked to see if the blog still exists, but I will! The authors have a blog called Church of the Customer that I want to check out soon, as well. But for now, it's after midnight and I need some sleep.....

If you were going to create a blog or a video or podcast about a product you love, what would the product be?