Groundswell : winning in a world transformed by social technologies

 by Charlene Li. Kudos to Li and Bernoff (both, Forrester Research) for this jam-packed guide to using social networking sites to market products and services and engage customers. Timely and accessible, Groundswell provides an insider's look into the Internet world of blogs, online communities, wikis, discussion groups, tweets, and more. The book is filled with stories of companies that have successfully harnessed the power of the Internet to connect with customers and build relationships. For example, Blendtec, manufacturer of a $399 blender, used the "Will it blend?" video on YouTube to show its industrial-strength blender chewing up everything from wooden two-by-twos to Apple iPhones--and increased sales by 20 percent. Accounting firm Ernst & Young built a Facebook "wall" to recruit new accounting graduates. Procter & Gamble created the Beinggirl.com community to connect with teenage girls, answering their coming-of-age questions while steering them to the company's tampon products. With its techniques, strategies, and how-to advice on tapping into the online social networking movement, Groundswell is a must for today's marketers. See related, David Meerman Scott's The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly (CH, Dec'07, 45-2127). Summing Up: Highly recommended. --Choice (Check catalog)