Both Connie Reece and I contributed chapters to the latest version of the groundbreaking, multi-author book Age of Conversation2 - Why Don’t They Get It?
The book is a follow-on to the very successful Age of Conversation, to which Connie also contributed a chapter.
That’s right — this year, 239 authors from 15 nations banded together to wrestle with why so many still don’t understand and in fact are NOT big fans of the Age of Conversation.
Why are so many folks nervous about, or even downright afraid of, those two-way discussions with customers….anything with a Comment box underneath it?
You know - social media.
AOC2 has Manifestos to challenge our thinking about what it means to live, work and participate in today’s two-way world. There are also sections about Accidental Marketers, A New Brand of Creative, Life in the Conversation Lane, From Conversation to Action and some bloopers in My Marketing Tragedy.
My chapter asks why should people get it - what’s in the conversation for them? I wrote:
“Why doesn’t Joe Six-pack or Jane Latte understand social media? Because we, the go-go Web 2.0 evangelists, forget to address some basic problems….”
Connie’s chapter draws an analogy to the Texas two-finger salute from drivers:
“Twitter is like the two-finger salute, 140-character snippets of conversation conducted in passing. Blogs are the truck stops of the Information Superhighway, where newcomers mingle with long-time online friends….”
The book is actually a fundraiser for Variety, the children’s charity, so when you click here to buy, your money goes to their good works.
Leave a comment below about why you think so many folks “don’t get it” about social media, and you’ll get a chance to win a copy of the book that is autographed by both me and Connie. Using the cool tools on Random.org, we’ll pick a winner on Christmas Day, December 25, 2020 (ho ho ho) and we’ll mail it to the winner anywhere in the world.
For more about the ideas behind the book, including interviews and podcasts with the authors, we recommend the Age of Conversation2 blog, and here is a full list of the talented authors who joined us…..
Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock,Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Chris Brown, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Schawbel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Dave Davison, David Armano, David Berkowitz, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, Gareth Kay,Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins,G. Kofi Annan,G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne & Todd Cabral, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, John Herrington, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kristin Gorski, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw and James G. Lindberg, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tim Brunelle, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem
Thanks for your support!
December 21st, 2008 at 6:51 am
A lot of people don’t get it in technology because they don’t get it in real life! They don’t want a two way conversation and they are afraid of other people’s ideas. They like to tell others what should be done and why their stuff is the best, but the don’t like criticism and they can’t stand ideas different than their own. Add to that it is a change in the way they have always done things, and they just don’t get it!
December 21st, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Congrats on the new book.
I think a lot of folks don’t get Social Media because of the intimidation factor. It may be that they don’t have a blog and are feeling left behind. It may be that they feel leaving a link to their blog might be considered spam. Perhaps they are fearful that their comment left is not witty or insightful? It may be that they don’t see the value in social networking.
Perhaps after reading Age of Conversation2 - Why Don’t They Get It? they’ll get it?
http://twitter.com/Nancydbrown
December 21st, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I was talking to a woman at a mixed reality (virtual world/real world) show we did at a gallery a couple months ago, and she said she’d never use a virtual world, and she didn’t like email. She liked “real conversations.” And then she went on to tell me how she calls her grandchildren on the phone at least once a week.
I tried to point out to her that her parents, or at least her grandparents, wouldn’t have found the telephone to be “real.” But she just couldn’t understand what I was trying to explain to her. And I’m good at that kind of thing. Flummoxed!
To me (and I’m about her age, nearly 50) it was inconceivable that you would think a phone call was “real” but virtual worlds, email, and chat systems were not.
Ultimately, it’s about comfort, whether you are a grandmother or a business — and comfort is about memetics (or less politely, groupthink).
My own mother, who is 87, will never like a touchtone phone, won’t use voicemail, and has never used an ATM by stubborn choice. Yet she can take apart and reassemble any (non-computerized) sewing machine. But ask her — that doesn’t make her handy with machines! That’s for the men in her life (and me!).
The ideas that buoy up the culture change slowly but inexorably. The companies will change to social media when they feel comfortable and safe — and that means that they believe (whether or not it’s true) that their customers are comfortable and safe with the media, and that their reputation and profits won’t suffer.
They’re missing the Cluetrain all over again. We saw it with the web, and we’ll see it again, whatever comes next.
December 21st, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Looking forward to reading AOC2, and trust it is even better than AOC. Your chapter on “why people should get it ” is a great conversation to have. Why don’t they?
1. Change .. today’s conversational world is different to manufactured mass communications and people resist change
2. Fear .. We have been taught to fear open conversations, either because we don’t really know our corporate identity, or because we are punished for any open engagement made on behalf of a brand.
3. Legal departments often prevent engagement. We know that people overwhelmingly want conversations with companies, and yet only about 17% of the Fortune 500 have a corporate blog.
4. Knowledge and Experience. I think this is perhaps the hardest obstacle to overcome. Everyone has a hobby / passion, and I think people should start learning about open conversations there. The positive experience can then be used to bring conversations to the corporate world.
I think we are reaching a tipping point, perhaps even brought forward because of the economic climate.
http://twitter.com/ifarmer
December 21st, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Is either one available on Audible.com?
December 21st, 2008 at 11:56 pm
I think they don’t get it because they don’t want to. And they don’t want to because - a) It’s about losing authority/control that one had because of a position they held rather than knowledge they have. This is especially true of enterprises. b) Silos are easier to live in rather than opening up everything to the world. c) Change is always most difficult to deal with - go back to times when things were getting computerized from paper worlds and think of the resistance, think of when the internet came and when online banking/shopping came about and some people just did not want to get it.
All the best for the book! looking forward to reading it!
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:17 am
A history of not-getting-it… in comments
“Why would anyone be interested in reading my view of the world?”
“…and even if they are interested, I am scared of telling the World what I think - they might get to know things about me”
“Wait, you want me to share things first - so that others benefit from my own ideas? I don’t think so”
“What, you mean there are others who share some of my interests…. never!”
“Hold on, I think I am starting to get it… so by sharing a little bit, and taking a few steps to find seeking others, I can start to access their ideas too. I don’t might taking, but I am not sure if I want others to take my ideas!”
“OK, so now I am giving a little more - and have found my corner of the Internet Community who share some of my interests. There are some mad people on the Internet!”
“…I now have my own blog, but I don’t understand micro-blogging! why would I EVER do this?!”
…but wait, were each of these comments not an example of micro-blogging…?
;o)
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:33 am
Hello,
I am a fan.
But, how do I register for a free book?
Pat OMahony patrick.omahony@gmail.com
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:46 am
Sheila, congrats to you and Connie for contributing such terrific chapters. AOC2 is a goldmine of wisdom and I am so looking forward to diving in - vs. skimming - over the holidays. Thanks for getting the word out and sharing your enthusiasm. Happy Holidays!
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:40 am
Thanks for all of the great comments so far!
For Paul W. Swansen - I know that the editors want to develop an audio version, but as far as I know it isn’t done yet. I’ll forward your request to them….
For Patrick OMahony - By leaving a comment, you’re entered for a chance to win a copy of the book autographed by me and Connie. If that doesn’t work out, you’ll need to order it directly from Lulu.com at http://stores.lulu.com/ageofconversation
All book profits go to Variety, the children’s charity.
December 25th, 2008 at 11:14 am
It’s a fundamental communication issue, I think: those in the know on social media don’t realize that there are even people on the outside — after all, we found this information totally accessible. Why don’t others?
I’ve seen the same issues with everyone from librarians to engineers: we all get used to the tools we use on an every day basis to the point that we don’t remember that there was ever a learning curve.
December 25th, 2008 at 11:40 am
I think it goes back to high school. The “in” group and the “outsider” group. The danger lies in the “in” group using jargon, dissing those who don’t get it, and continuing to emphasize their status as being in the know.
Outsider, fearing further ostracization from not “getting it” try to dismiss it as elitist, or claim that it’s all bunk.
There’s plenty of truth on both sides.
It’s not the conversation that’s scary — it’s some of the people and attitudes — on both sides. Just like high school.
January 12th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Update on an audio version of the book - it should be ready sometime in January, planning on an iTunes version.