I just finished reading a book that I want to recommend to anyone and everyone that uses the internet. That's right, EVERYONE.
This book is called the Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business As Usual.
I first learned of this book a month ago when I was reading infamous blogger Chris Brogan's recommended reading list for things to take on vacation with me. (Unfortunately, I can't find that list to link to, but I did find another link for helping people to understand social media, which also has the two books I bought from his list. I also figured I bought the books for that purpose, so this link works just fine)
This book talks about how businesses can't operate the way they have for the past 100 years with the cold stone face hidden behind cute and fuzzy marketing. That just doesn't work anymore. People don't want to be told anymore. They want to talk. They want to be heard. But, they're also willing to listen.
This book is about how there's a new revolution (already started), and if companies want to survive, they're going to have to change and adapt.
It's written before the renaissance known as Web 2.0, but you would never know it except for the lack of mention of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
Because I could probably write for a day on the things I think about what this book said, I'm going to point out to two great things and then let you read it yourselves.
The first thing I loved that was brought up throughout the book is how the web has transformed the world into a giant ancient marketplace. People can enter and leave when they like. They can walk around and shop around for things. They can also ask others what they think about things. The marketplace becomes a place where conversations happen, instead of advertising being thrown at you. You can talk to people around the world on their thoughts about companies and products, or you can talk to companies themselves and let them know what you think. It also gives them (companies) a chance to respond, and it's their loss if they don't, not ours.
The other part I loved is a chapter that speaks about how on the web, everything is hyperlinked. Another way the Internet puts power in the everyman. The web isn't like a half hour TV show where you know the order goes intro, lead up, commercial, climax, commercial, resolution, commercial. Hyperlinks allow people on the web to move around freely from topic to topic, spending as much time on any one thing as they like. The people are back in control.
GO READ THIS BOOK!
If you don't want to buy it, you can actually read the entire book for free at cluetrain.com.
I actually finished the book yesterday morning and had brought it with me to give to a friend that evening. We were going to a Social Media conference/seminar thingy. It put a little smile on my face when one of the guest speakers, Toronto blogger and teacher Boyd Neil, recommended several times that everyone in the audience read this book.
It's not just me.
Seriously, go read this book.
40deuce
