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!

Regular

It’s no secret that Black Sheep loves going to concerts. There’s nothing better than great live music (and perhaps a cocktail), so if you’re looking for us, you know where we’ll be. But, for all the perfection, there’s one concert tradition that we simply can’t stand.

We’re not sure why the practice even exists. After wasting way too much time searching online, the best clue we could find was an un-cited entry on Wikipedia that suggests encores are expected by bands and audiences alike, and that songs played during this time are usually included in the set list. Duh. Of course, our problem with encores is not the extra playing time (we love that!). Answer us this: Why are we led to believe that if we applaud enough, the performer will, out of the kindness of his/her heart, play some more – when in fact, we know that unless we throw tomatoes, they’re coming back? According to the World Wide Web, there’s no foundation for this charade in the first place, so why continue to perpetuate a myth?

Enough with the fake bit, already! If you want to walk off of the stage and take a round of Tequila shots, just say so.

And, everybody knows that if you give a Black Sheep a real-world scenario, they’re probably going to find a marketing analogy to go with it.

This is the perfect example of doing something for no good reason just because it’s always been done that way – the kind of overused protocol that is either irrelevant, pointless or downright inhibiting, especially when it comes to publicity. Like fax machines. So, think about everything you’re doing to build awareness for your brand and make sure it serves some kind of purpose. And that it’s transparent. And that it’s awesome. If not, do one of the following:

Lose it. Elvis never did an encore, and that’s why the famous phrase “Elvis has left the building” became ubiquitous. And if The King can challenge social norms, then so can you. Whether it’s your expensive ad purchases in the back of an antiquated magazine, your cheesy tagline or a misguided media plan, if it’s not bringing you any value, forget about it.

Improve it. We saw Local Natives and The National recently, and even though they stuck to the encore tradition, it wasn’t exactly tried and true. Local Natives pulled people up on stage (seemingly out of nowhere) for a final collaborative ensemble with tons of instruments and energy, and The National, conversely, put down their instruments and sang a capella, almost like a choir. You too can take a typical press release, branding campaign or publicity effort one step further by adding an unexpected element. Maybe it’s social media grassroots outreach or a flash mob in the park – whatever you decide, make it something your audience will never forget.

Replace it. If you’ve ever been to a Girl Talk concert, you know formality is thrown right out of the frantic, delirious windows. Instead of making the final song(s) the climactic moment, Girl Talk forgoes the tradition and gets people up on stage immediately. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to make it this far, you know you’ll never be more thrilled to watch somebody mess around on a laptop. Seriously, he doesn’t even play an instrument. And this goes to show, you don’t have to do things the traditional way to make an impact.

So, if you’re feeling tied down by useless conventions, free yourself! Your business will thank you, and your audience is sure to give a round of applause (no encore necessary). And, music history buffs, if you know more about why we have encores in general, feel free to inform us.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Your Marketing Has Left The Building

Ladies and Gentlemen: Your Marketing Has Left The Building

The encore.