Black Sheep Book Club: Socialnomics
Everybody ready for round two of the Black Sheep Book Club? We are, because this week the book doesn’t totally suck. We selected Socialnomics by Erik Qualman, which, according to the book’s blog (books are now bloggers?) is “an essential book for anyone who wants to understand the implications of social media and how businesses can tap the power of social media to increase their sales, cut their marketing costs, and reach consumers directly.” And that is a fair description.
Many of the points made through various cases and examples were not unlike the points we make in the Black Sheep blog, so we won’t rehash all of them – but, if you need a little extra convincing, it’s still very interesting. Instead, we picked out some details that made us say “Huh!” and sparked some thoughtful discussions.
Level Playing field. We’ve all complained about the inability to customize certain aspects of social media, which makes it more difficult to brand and attain a unique presence. Yet, even as those obstacles are slowly deteriorating and updates to the various platforms reveal themselves, you have to wonder – is this a good thing? Qualman notes the specific advantage social media offers to start-ups and low-budget businesses. All of a sudden, Coke and Apple have to play by the same rules as the boutique on the corner or a local restaurant. They can all start a Facebook page, a Twitter account and register on Foursquare. They all have the same power to add content and interact with customers. There’s no silver spoon head start or hand-holding. And regardless of your views on economics, that shift in access is not something to be overlooked.
Customer Service 2.0. We’ve mentioned before that real-time social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are an excellent way to keep a pulse on customer satisfaction and to manage complaints. Qualman tells the stories from JetBlue and Comcast that you’ve probably already heard, but in a new light. What’s different is not that a disgruntled customer magically received attention from a Tweet. It’s that this experience is EXPECTED. Customers don’t think they need to call you or write in. They assume that your business is out there monitoring approval and waiting to solve problems. So whether you think this model is fair or not, it’s here to stay.
Virtual Reality. We touched on this subject last week, but Qualman elaborates quite a bit. Where critics say that people using social media are putting their best face forward and liken social media to reality TV, he has a different point of view. He explains that because the lines between work and home, friends and family are fading, people are actually happier because they get to be themselves. He describes the pre-social media world as schizophrenic – a place where people were forced to lead multiple lives. Facebook destroyed that option, and in doing so, these folks became more comfortable in their own skin. And, conversely, Qualman suggests that this lack of privacy has encouraged better behavior out of fear of job loss, legal repercussions or just plain embarrassment, and that shift has created a more thoughtful society in general.
All in all, we think Socialnomics is a good read for those who love social media, and especially for those who don’t quite understand it. Best of all, it’s timely, well written (even for a marketing book), and full of engaging stories that don’t need to be read all at once.
Have you read Socialnomics? Share your thoughts on the book in the comments, and don’t forget to make a suggestion for next month’s read!