I've read the first 1/3rd of the book already…and so far I'm very impressed. I also enjoy the “deleted scenes” and extra content here on the web that you've pointed out in this post.

Fantastic thus far Brian.

I was thinking it would be a beginner book/how to book. But this is more like hype and smoke and mirror BUT
until I got to Chapter 17. Part IV WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS is a winner.

I wish you have a workbook to go with this book.

Overall this book is a great reference guide but not a how to guide. But it is slowwwwwwwwwwwwwly growing on me. I just need my handy dictionary nearby.

Cheers!

While I can understand that, I don’t ever discuss case studies with clients because there are too many variables. For example, the tools change everyday. I wouldn’t point to a year-old FB case when some of the functionality is fundamentally different.

Likewise, it would be impossible to duplicate a successful campaign because there are so many moving pieces and so much of it runs on people. Success could boil down to having a community manager who was born to make friends vs. a community manager who got drafted for the job because she knows how the technology works.

I do think case studies are helpful in teaching social media marketing. The people in my class are newbies and often don’t even use the tools yet. They need a crash course in what’s possible.

But clients? Not so much. They need to become leaders and define what’s possible. With my help, of course.

@CarriBugbee

the problem Brian is that whether it was an accidental misstatement during your speech, or a misinterpretation by others, it was clear that people are out saying that you said we dont need case studies and we shouldnt do them… that is clearly not the case

the point is not to rely on case studies as a perfect blueprint for what you should do – indeed, if you replicate what someone else does, you may well exact the exact opposite results

there are some cases for instance in PR where you dont want to give a story any oxygen, and other cases where clearly you need to address the story head on…

If you go back to our conversations from 4+ years ago and in the time since, you may recall the emphasis I place on the fact that everything is situational – that we must put it all in context and understand the different variables unique to each situation. While we can not really duplicate the exact steps of another in every case, we can, indeed we must, adapt the lessons learned for our particular need. Indeed, this line of thinking you promote above is very much inline with what I have been telling companies (and you) for many years. But to do so in a way that says throw out case studies is not correct and ill advised, especially given the obvious hypocrisy in the statement when you are out sharing those stories and case studies so often as part of your professional speaking life.

I love you man, but I gotta disagree with your approach here…

That said, I also love the fact that you reinterpreted my well known mantra in that other post. As you know very well, I have long said “There is no box” (which was inspired by the kids in The Matrix saying there is no spoon and all those people saying 'think outside the box'). So your more exact explanation here is heart warming Brian: “Sometimes it’s easier to think outside the box, when there isn’t a box to begin with…”