Summary: “The groundswell is a social trend in which people use technologies to get the things they need from each other, rather than from traditional institutions like corporations.” Groundswell, page 9 Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff, principal analysts at top research firm Forrester Research, have written an invaluable how-to guide for organizations and businesspeople on how to approach social media. Grounded in meticulous research, Groundswell is written clearly and simply. Each chapter opens with a personal story and contains multiple case studies, making it incredibly easy for readers to understand and absorb the book’s insights. Although Groundswell was published in 2008 – and three years can seem like three lifetimes in this fast-paced technology world we live in – the book remains highly relevant for anyone seeking to make sense of “this social media thing.” Golden Egg Relationships Are King “Concentrate on the relationships, not the technologies. In the groundswell, relationships are everything. The way people connect with each other – the community that is created – determines how the power shifts.” Groundswell, page 18 Li and Bernoff make it very clear from the beginning: it’s about relationships, not technology. The technology changes faster than we can keep up with. Take social networks, for example. First, we had Friendster and MySpace, and now we have Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Regardless of the technology, one common thread remains: people want to connect; they want to maintain and build relationships. The book describes many instances when these powerful groundswell connections and relationships have successfully challenged the status quo. New Line Cinema had to include a new line in the movie Snakes on a Plane for its star, Samuel L. Jackson because online fans demanded it. Fans of the NBC show Jericho postponed the TV series’ cancellation by banding together online and coordinating the delivery of $50,000 worth of peanuts (that’s 20 tons!) to the producers of the show. There are hundreds of these stories being created and distributed, and they cannot be ignored. To do so would be at your organization’s peril. GEM # 1 Shift Your Thinking “Marketers tell us they define and manage brands. […] Bull. Your brand is whatever your customers say it is. And in the groundswell where they communicate with each other, they decide.” Groundswell, page 78 The groundswell gains its power from its community, its users. Your organization can say they make the best luggage in the world, but if customer reviews complain about the zippers breaking and the exterior plastic cracking, then your marketing is as good as nonexistent. Why? Because the rise of the internet and free flow of information has enabled and encouraged consumers to obtain information from each other, which they view as more trustworthy than the information they receive from companies trying to sell them products in the first place! The groundswell is happening, whether you want it to or not. To embrace the groundswell, your organization needs to undergo a significant mental and oftentimes, strategic shift. Particularly for your marketing department, it means a shift from simply shouting (traditional advertising) to listening, talking, and engaging (groundswell marketing). Becoming a part of the groundswell may mean hearing things about your brand that you might not want to hear. It may mean having to admit you’re wrong or having to respond to customer complaints. But it can also mean gaining strategic insight to improve your product or create marketing that resonates with your target audience. Your organization needs to be ready and willing to accept both outcomes. Your customers are talking about your company, brand, and products, whether you’re present or not. Wouldn’t you rather be there to listen, be a part of the conversation, and act when necessary? GEM #2 P.O.S.T. “I saw that Sears has started [an online] community,
