I Really Need to Stop Reading Books About Social Networking

Well, I just recently finished reading Pete Blackshaw's book, Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000. I would highly recommend it - I bought a copy for my Director of Business Development & Internet Strategy Justin Cresswell and gave my copy to my friend and top sales rep Brent Zampier as well. It's a quick read and gives a very informative look at what Blackshaw calls "consumer-­generated media". I have been gleaning information relative to social networking from Justin and other staff and sources over the past months and years, but until I read Blackshaw's book, I really couldn't put my mind around the concept or even the practicality or relevance of it.

Now, I am reading PR 2.0: New Media, New Tools, New Audiences by Deirdre Breakenridge and I think I am finally starting to tap in. I have only just delved into this one, so no comment yet - but it seems to be a logical next read for me.

Back to Blackshaw's book, one of the concepts he does well to elucidate (for me anyway) is the importance of transparency in marketing (as well as customer service, general business practices, etc.).

Let me illustrate my understanding of transparency. I have always envisioned this board room scene taking place in a Big Box supply company....

"Well, our delivery service is slow and our fill rates are way below average. How much will it cost to fix it?"

"It will cost us $100 million to fix the problem in operations."

"Wait, if we just spend $20 million in advertising to convince the consumer that our service is actually fast and our fill rates are above average, wouldn't that solve the problem more cost effectively?"

"Great idea, let's do it."

But wait! With the newly empowered consumer, this is beginning to become problematic. Eventually, it may become nearly impossible. You can advertise how great your service is as much as you'd like - but that won't stop the "flamethrower" (another Blackshaw-ism, denoting the angry, vindicative and powerful blogger) from trashing your company with a vengeance. And in a case like this, exposing the truth - and the dishonesty in the company's pitch - the lack of transparency.