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December 05, 2006
It's B-Day
Today marks the official launch of "Citizen Marketers: When People are the Message," our second book. Book Birth Day. Woot!
"Citizen Marketers" is all about social media and how it's fostering the growth of amateur culture. The early adopters of social media are at the forefront of a societal shift that's rapidly changing the nature of marketing, public relations and corporate communications. The traditional era of one-way message delivery taught in business schools and practiced for decades by all manner of business is being supplanted by two-way and multiple-way message delivery, where everyday people are the messengers as well as the message itself.
What are companies supposed to do when everyone has a blog or podcast, becomes a de facto publisher or broadcaster and has tremendous influence on what's being said about a brand, product, company or people? That's what the book is about.
"Citizen Marketers" also features expanded takes on concepts we've explored here, including the 4 F's of citizen marketing and the 1% Rule, which a number of bloggers and traditional media have picked up on.
This being B-Day, we have several things to announce.
1. Buy the book, get a patch. 
If you're thinking about buying "Citizen Marketers," buy it today. Or tomorrow. Just buy it by Friday, Dec. 8, 2006 from Amazon or 800-CEO-READ and we'll send you this nifty 1% patch. (Update: The offer is now closed.) Why a 1% patch? The people who write blogs, record podcasts or otherwise create content as their hobby of passion are the early adopters, the outlaws of culture. Their numbers are small, yet their influence is growing. (More on the 1 Percenters is here.)
2. Where to read an excerpt.
Brandweek has excerpted "Citizen Marketers" in this week's magazine. The excerpt tells the story of the Niestat brothers, Apple Computer buffs who were insulted by Apple's battery replacement policy for the dead iPod suddenly on their hands in 2003. They created a guerilla campaign that created waves of buzz, but not in a way that Apple appreciated. You can read the book excerpt here.
3. Get your paws on a free book.
This week, our friends at MarketingProfs are kicking off a business book reading club, and "Citizen Marketers" is the inaugural tome. The Divine Ms. CK is the club's Reader-in-Chief. Be one of the first 30 people to sign up for the book (to discuss it), and they'll set up you up with a signed copy.
4. 10 questions with Guy Kawasaki.
For his blog, the godfather asked us 10 questions (it was really 12) about "Citizen Marketers." The interview is here.
Jackie and I had a lot of help writing "Citizen Marketers," from the several dozen people we interviewed, to the dozens of authors, writers and academics whose work we consulted, to the people who've commented on our blog posts starting nearly two years ago when we first posited the idea of a citizen marketer, to the peer review group who read tortured early drafts of chapters and gave us invaluable feedback. We are eternally grateful for everyone's help, and we hope we did right by your participation.
Other blogs that reference It's B-Day:
» Citizen Marketers (Book) from Bessed
What are the best sites about the book Citizen Marketers? Weve started with these. What else should be here?
1. Citizen Marketers: When People Are the Message - Official site of the book Citizen Marketers by Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba offers... [Read More]
» Sample Citizen Marketers for Free from smArts
I was excited to get my hands on a copy of Citizen Marketers: When People Are the Message. I’m teaching a class on marketing and technology at Drexel University’s Graduate Program in Arts Administration starting in January, and social media [Read More]
» Occasional Marketers from Marketing & Management
Jackie Huba and Ben McConnell (authors of [Read More]
» Citizen Marketers: Get the Book from One Man Band
A reading suggestion for all you One-Man Bands out there: Citizen Marketers: When People are the Message. Check out this post by the authors.
Technorati tags: Books, Business, Marketing.
... [Read More]
» Quick Hits December 14, 2006 from e.politics: online advocacy tools & tactics
Web 2.0 edition.
Jaxtr Widget Lets Social Networkers Chat On Real Live Phones. TechCrunch writes up a new widget that connects your phone to your social networking profile and lets people call you through the site without you (or the caller) having to... [Read More]
» Pre-book review: Citizen Marketers and the 1%-ers from kiss2
Last month I ordered another book: Citizen Marketers by Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba. It was more pre-ordering, the book was just launched and it can take a while before it crosses the ocean.This weekend I received a letter and [Read More]
Outstanding roll out of the new book! Whether or not I'm lucky enough to win a free copy - I hope to hear from CK by Friday - that 1% patch is a very cool idea. So I may even purchase a copy to pass along! Keep writing - keep rocking - and keep evangelizing!
Wow.
First, congrats on the book. I'm sure you'll find great success.
Second, yikes! I don't think you understand what the 1%er patch means to real 1%ers. I read the earlier blog entry, and while you have some info correct, other info is a bit more sketchy. My guess is, the biker community probably will resent a bunch of folks who "bought" their 1% patch when they had to earn theirs. (I am not a 1%er, Outlaw biker or even an Patch Holder in a traditional MC, nor do I pretend to speak for that community)
For your education, and that of your readers, please peruse the following info sources:
http://www.roadratroberts1.bravepages.com/What_The_Hell_is_1%25.htm
http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/mb/display.asp?webtag=MC101&msg=2066.1
http://hellbentmc.homestead.com/PatchHistory.html and
http://home.earthlink.net/~rcvsmc-edu/
And, for God's sake, please don't sew that patch on your Levis Jean Jacket and go strolling into your friendly neighborhood biker bar.
Good luck with the book!
Bob -- Many thanks. Hope you enjoy the book.
Xtabber -- Thanks for the links. We relied on the academic work of William Dulaney for the history of the motorcycle clubs. Like any history, there's bound to be multiple interpretations, so we're glad to have your links in here, too. As for the motorcycle clubs and their members, we have the utmost respect for them.
Congrats on b-day guys! I'm about halfway through the book - it's terrific. Hoping to finish it on today's flight to California. The storytelling is superb (and you know how critically important I thin storytelling is).
Congrats Ben and Jackie. I'll treat myself this Christmas with a little Citizen Marketers.
Best of luck with your launch.
Congrats! I'm moved to remark on the success of your marketing efforts - hopefully they'll translate into huge sales (even though some gurus say sales aren't important). I've run into items 2 - 4 independent of your post and in addition to your 40/40 tour - well done.
If you had the 'utmost respect' for true 1% you would not be selling, giving away or encouraging the wearing of the 1% patch by those who have not earned it. Saying you have respect but treating what is held sacred to another with contempt makes you a lair, a fool or both.
Congratulations!
I picked up the book on Saturday at a nearby B&N store and have devoured the first 40 pages.
I love the content, it's dead-on and I can't wait to dive in more! If you want to mail me a 1% patch, I'd love to have one (just hit me up via email if you can).
Ben/Jackie:
I just read the interview with Guy Kawasaki and found an excerpt of your book on BrandWeek -- you rock! I'll be sending lots of people your way.
Offering that patch TO PURCHASE A BOOK is a slap to the face of some very serious men who have earned the right to wear that 1%er patch on thier cuts (motorcycle vests with their club emblem). To all of you folks out there who are unaware of the 1%ers in motorcycle culture, you should do a web search and take it from there. You will find out who the REAL 1%ers are and what they are about and therefore pass on that patch.
Good luck!
Loco...
Congrats on the birth of your book. I have always found your blog especially insightful and have recommended it to all my associates and friends. Now I can't wait for the book to reach Singapore where I live!
Lizard and Loco -- We wanted to share with a wider audience what William Dulaney discovered in his time as a club member (and later wrote in an academic paper) that club members share strong-as-steel bonds but care little what the rest of society thinks. We want people to know how strongly club members value their clubs.
A post we wrote awhile back (and include in the book) is an homage to the motorcyclist 1 Percenters and a desire to help Dulaney set the record straight about their origins.
The research we did for our book found that people who create content for specific online groups or create fan sites almost always comprise 1% of the total number of visitors. They're 1 Percenters in their own way, yet most mainstream business cultures marginalize them. The online 1 Percenters have bonds and rituals, too; they're just not motorcycle club members. But there's a lot they can learn from the bonds and rituals shared by motorcycle club members.
And my reference to wearing a patch on a smock? Just a fool's attempt at humor.
Your interview with GK was great, I'll spread it to everybody and cant wait your book coming to jakarta
I'd like to buy and download your newest book.
Congrats! Just read the exerpt on Brand week and it looks fascinating. The idea that 'average citizens are creating powerful centres of influence that can directly affect the fiscal welfare of brands,' is one that resonates with some of the issues raised in a recent E-consultancy report on Customer Engagement (http://www.e-consultancy.com/publications/customer-engagement-report/). What's particularly interesting about the whole phenomenon is that whilst many businesses are enthusiastic about the 'amateur culture' fostered by social media they don't really know what to do with it? I think the 3 point answer you give in your interview regarding the appropriate response to a Coke/ Mentos stunt sums up the difficulty businesses face.
And, although I'll buy the book before Friday, I don't think I'll risk the wrath of a tiny percentage of the biking community.
Cheers,
Tim
Just ordered a copy from amzon the question is will you send a patch to the UK?
Congratulations on the second book!!
...or is it Happy Birthday? :-)
I can't wait to read it!
Congratulations you guys! I can't wait to read the book :)
Congrats on the birth, Ben and Jackie...and honored to have you kick-off the book club. In my mind, it's a perfect match.
Here's to it selling like hotcakes....!
All:
I am a fan of the authors and plan on getting the book this afternoon. Are there plans for an audio version?
I currently purchase audio versions of Creating Customer Evangelists for my clients who get our video iPOD marketing videos. I would love to add this audio book to our client appreciation mix.
John Easton
Heri -- Don't know if we'll make it to Jakarta, but ya never know.
Colin -- I'm not sure a downloadable version is in the cards, but you and John Easton might be interested to know that an audio version of the book is in the works. It'll be available through Audible.com in the near future.
Ann -- Thanks a bunch. Having the book kick off MarketingProfs' book club is an honor!
Only just discovering your blog, through Seth Godin - and anxious to learn more as it sounds as if we may share many similar points of view. The book is on my read list.
Toss a book my way and I'll be glad to review it on my blog.
Mary
...an audio version of the book is in the works. It'll be available through Audible.com in the near future.
Any word on this? Doesn't appear available on Audible.com yet. And heaven forbid I have to go back to actually *reading* books. ;-)
