Wiki‐brands.com
If you do not know what the word “brand malleability” is, (p. 51), that is probably a reason to read the book. The authors do a good job of laying out the tools, and the reasons for them, in which marketers must invest to even be in the game. Right down to the Wikibrands Primer on page 277, readers will finish this book knowing it was worth the money. If they are new to marketing, it will scare them to death; if they are in mid‐career, it will also scare them to death! No matter how long you have been in marketing, whether teaching it or practicing it, this book packs a wallop of information about where marketing is going with the help of media upstarts and how customers expect to be included. The one‐way communication of advertisers is giving way to “a new form of marketing … in which brand managers and sharp executives emphasize customer engagement, brand collaboration, and in some cases, even shared brand ownership” (p. x). Quoting from the book flap is as good as anything at explaining what the reader will get from this book:
- 1.
Engage the customer. Parts 1 (Chapters 1‐3) and 2 (Chapters 4, 5) discuss “The Wikibrands Story” (p. 3, Chapter 1, “The Birth of Wikibrands”) and “Reinventing the Marketing Paradigm” (p. 47, Chapter 4 “The Six Benefits of Wikibrands”). “The litmus test for a thriving business in this marketplace is ‘Does your brand deliver genuine participation?’” (p. 3). Engaged brands are the brands that do and will lead in this wiki (quick) world. Now, instead of creating “products and services and then (pushing) them out to customers using the tools of the period … How businesses create value through brands will be transformed by the relationships and experiences these businesses have with customers” (p. 5). The requirement to have a presence on Facebook and Twitter is an example. From “something you buy” in 1860, a brand is now “something you participate in” (p. 8). Do not forget that customers have much more ability to respond when they are not satisfied. “Driving this … .is the growing ability by consumers to see through ads and persuasion techniques and critique them for a wide and interested audience” (p. 51). “90 percent of global N‐geners will collaborate with and even evangelize companies that make an effort to re‐establish a meaningful two‐way relationship” (p. 29).
- 2.
Create an experience. Part 3 is “The Flirt Model – Building a Wikibrand.” Chapter 6 is titled “Focus.” “Poor strategy plays an equal part in the failures of engaged business building, on par with bad execution and misapplied technology” (p. 83). “Two rules override all others in building community focus: Putting your focus before technology and tools” and “putting your customer before your company” (p.89, 90). This might include content and language. The book provides some good lessons for language and outreach, including, in Chapter 7, “Awesomeness trumps interestingness” (p. 113), “provide a challenge and pose questions” (p. 113), and “content needs to be a benefit” (p. 118).The reader will notice the continual theme of making it worthwhile for the customer to engage with your brand.
The last chapter in Part 3 is Chapter 8, “Incentives, Motivations, and Outreach.” How do you keep people coming back? According to the authors, there are three key customer incentives or motivations: “Making customers look good,” “Making customers feel good,” and “Giving customers something valuable” (p. 124). The authors use an example of MOO cards (small, artistic business cards) to show how these principles are applied and explain how “monetary rewards have lost their attractiveness in modern culture” (p. 126).
- 3.
Build a community. Part 4 is entitled “Incubating Your Wikibrand Community.” A brand community (Chapter 11):
“Revolves around a shared interest in a company, product, or brand.
Connects members with each other.
Connects companies and members with nonmembers and prospective members.
Upholds rituals and traditions that involve public greetings to recognize fellow brand/community lovers” (p. 198).
A good brand community will have members who are more likely to recommend the company to others and to log in more often. One of the examples used is that of Roger Smith Hotel, in New York City (pp. 201‐202). A benefit to this book is the number of examples, from small companies to Dell, Cisco, and Best Buy. Chapter 12, “Internalizing Community and Channeling Tom Sawyer,” begins: “In order to provide a great brand community, it is important for organizations to internalize the spirit of the community” (p. 213). Here, not surprisingly, the authors use Zappos and Amazon as examples. “Managing the Community” (Chapter 13) suggests obstacles and challenges, as well as common mistakes of building and maintaining an effective community. Common mistakes include “focusing too much on technology” (p. 227), where companies think that “just building a community site with all the bells and whistles will encourage people to show up and participate” (p. 227).
Chapter 14 reviews “the imperfect science of monitoring Wikibrand performance” (p. 237). Measuring the impact of social media and connectedness has been one of marketing's biggest problems. Here, the authors suggest that return on investment (ROI) be replaced with “return on influence” (p. 231). There is evidence here that “socially involved customers spend more and drive higher spending among people they influence” (p. 240). As most marketers now know, “click‐throughs” (p. 244) no longer provide a valid measurement.
- 4.
Make a Connection. Part 5 is called “Applying Wikibrands Beyond the Corporation.” “As technology continues to make it easier for people to build their personal brand, the bar for a quality profile continues to rise. To stand out, an individual's brand needs the help of a community” (p. 253). This is detailed in Chapter 15, “The Personal Wikibrand.” Now, whether that community is Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or something else is the subject of the discussion in Chapter 16, and the authors predict that “we do not believe the platforms in their current, isolated format will exist; instead, person‐to‐person communication will happen in real time in a platform agnostic manner” (p. 268).
Who should read this book?
If I were any company trying to figure out how to reach and involve customers, I would read and assign this book to all marketing assistants or those over 30. It is packed full of lists, suggestions, and real‐life examples of what to do and what to avoid. The only downside to the book is that it is long and wordy. Much of what they tell the readers could have been done in less than 318 pages, but that does not dilute the usefulness of this tool for marketers and those who teach marketing.
