"Hope you enjoy the book (by the fireplace)"
Such read the handwritten note enclosed with my review copy of Citizen Marketers. Ben McConnell from Church of the Customer was referencing a joke I had made earlier when he offered me a copy of the book and I initially said something like "sure—I always need paper for the fireplace".
But this is one book you'll most likely burn through as opposed to burn. I just started reading the book tonight and I'm nearly half way through it. Ben and Jackie describe the different kinds of Citizen Marketers through their snappy "four F's":
Filters
Fanatics
Firecrackers
Facilitators
See more about these descriptions here
They reference a bunch of real-world of case studies throughout the book to help make their points, and from what I can tell the book has cross appeal both for those already participating as well as those grappling with the gi-normous changes in marketing. Here is one of my favorite excerpts so far:
"The 1 Perecenters is an apt analogy to describe citizen marketers. They, too are outlaws of culture. What they do is well beyond the norm, but with innate talent and a lot of passion, citizen marketers are building considerable audiences. Like the outlaw motorcycle clubs, citizen marketers usually work outside the boundaries of a corporation or sanctioning body. Sometimes there is little recognition for it, but they are dedicated to and protective of their work and the community they create."
OK, they had me at outlaw motorcycle clubs.
Seriously, I'm enjoying the read so far and can't wait to take it with me on my trip back home next week. That is, if I don't finish it before then.
