My new book has the working title of Blurring Boundaries. It's a title likely change, but accurately depicts the key point that the boundaries between big companies and their customers are blurring because of social media.
The book attempts to answer two tough and nagging questions.
The first comes from social media professionals. These are Kool-Aid drinkers like me. They believe in social media’s business benefits. They ask:
“How do I convince my boss that social media is good for our organization?”
The second comes from that boss. It is the deal maker/breaker I call it the Jerry Maguire challenge, in reference to the memorable 1996 movie:
“Show me the money,” they demand.
These are traditional manager and professionals. Their job is primarily to keep the trains running, to make quarterly goals and to make sure all resources, including human stay focused on the business at hand.
Guys like me and other Kool-Aid drinkers may hate the question, but it is more than legitimate. It is essential. To answer that question in a way that satisfies doubters and skeptics is to open the enterprise floodgates to social media; to elevate it from a low-budget skunkworks to a mainstream and essential component of the modern organization.
I know lots of Kool-Aide drinkers. Chance are you are one. However, I need to find some Jerry Maguire challengers. I am looking for some enterprise managers who still need convincing that social media is good for their business.
I want to interview them for my book and I'd like them to articulate the best possible cases against social media. I want them to explain what they would need to see, to turn around and embrace it.
I don't want to argue with their point of view. I want to understand it. I will post their comments on this blog and I will include some of it in the new book.
Please help me find some Jerry Maguire challengers. Email me, tweet me or post a comment here. If I use who you refer me to, I will add you to the book's acknowledgments.
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Hi Shel,
I saw you tweeting about Jerry Maguire so had to figure out what you were talking about, ...since I'm all about movie references.
As I've shared social media and its strategies with the B2B electronics industry, I end up answering a different question. Managers and CEO's ask, "What problems will social media solve?"
This takes a different view on social media. Is social media a type of giant marketing promotion where one can measure direct ROI or is it an Internet system that can be leveraged to help with total company ROI?
Oh I have no doubt its co-incidental, that why I found it very interesting :) You are still uniquely brilliant and you are taking it a step further. I can't wait to read your next book. I bought Twitterville and truly enjoyed it. I always recommend it especially to those who are not yet sure if they want to try Twitter or not.
Thanks Liza. I'm sure the shared reference is coincidental. I thought I was being uniquely brilliant when I came up with it a few days ago.
Oppss, bad link on that first comment. Try this: http://www.lizas-eyeview.com/2009/01/show-me-money.html
I am a Kool-Aide drinker and my husband is a Gerry McGuire. Funny that you are using the same analogy that I used on this post a year ago
http://www.lizaseyeview.com/2009/01/show-me-money.html (great Kool-Aide minds think alike?;) Anyway, I will help you find a Jerry McGuire (a lot of corporate owners here on Maui are still skeptical of SM). I'll tweet or DM you when I find one that would be willing to share their concerns with you.
Liza
A Maui Blog
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