Citizen Marketers by Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba
In the olden days (i.e. everything before 1995), marketing was relatively straightforward. Brand managers largely controlled their marketing message: by creating national TV spots, designing magazine ads, working the press, and holding high-profile events, they wielded almost total control over their product’s public image.
No more: the internet has shifted marketing power to the people. Citizen Marketers is simultaneously a history of the development of social media and a primer on how to benefit from active participation in the new online marketplace.
One of the critical insights here is that you can no longer control the message: your customers have just as much influence over your image and reputation as you do. If you meet your customer’s needs and exceed their expectations, you’ll be publicly lauded. If you treat them poorly or deceive them, expect a harsh and public rebuke.
You’ll learn about the four main types of “citizen marketers”: Filters, Fanatics, Facilitators, and Firecrackers, which are useful archetypes for thinking about the value people create online. By way of example, the Personal MBA has elements of all four archetypes: I’m a Filter for the best business books, a Fanatic about the value of self-education, a Facilitator of discussion via the PMBA Member Forums, and the PMBA Manifesto is a Firecracker that’s designed to attract massive amounts of attention very, very quickly.
Social media and user-generated content is still in its infancy and will change dramatically over time, but Citizen Marketers will bring you up to speed on the current state of marketing and the role of consumers in shaping public perception of products and services.
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