Recently, I revisited Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point. It’s a fascinating experience to read the book again and discover new ideas that are tightly related to the work I am doing now with social media. If you ask me to summarize the content of this book via one brief sentence, I would go with the following, “Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do.” So how do you define a tipping point?  How would you achieve that crucial threshold with whatever businesses you are running or whatever products/services you are offering?  With social media, this can be simple.  Here is why.

According to Malcolm Gladwell, there are three rules of epidemics.  In my opinion, here is how we can use social media to implement these rules.

Rule #1 – The Stickiness Factor

Concept: “Messages must have a certain character which causes them to remain active in the recipients’ minds.  Moreover, they must be deemed worthy of being passed on.”

Implementation:

1. Create a unique, sticky, and captivating Facebook fan page that works well with personal branding (e.g. check out Mari Smith’s fan page)

2. Content you provide  on your blog also should be unique, informative, and valuable for your readers (e.g. Problogger.net)

3. You’re passionate about what you’re doing. Your passion permeates through your keynote presentations, videos you share, etc. (e.g. Gary Vaynerchuk)

4. Have a unique proposition in your niche market so you are the first person people think of when they need services you offer (e.g. Brian Clark from Copyblogger)

5. Get attention on social networking sites by getting more recommendations on LinkedIn, get listed thousands of times on Twitter, etc.

Note: These are simply factors that are hard to duplicate by your competitors, which make them sticky and make you unique. And trust me, uniqueness is good especially in a digital age.

Rule #2 – The Power of Context

Concept: “A rule about the environment in which a message spreads.  Small changes in the context of a message can determine whether or not it tips.”

Implementation:

1. Create long-lasting communities via social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.  (Facebook and LinkedIn both let you form your own groups)

2. Use sites such as Meetup to conduct meaningful offline meetings. Meetup allows you to form groups centering certain topics.

3. Fostering a positive learning environment where knowledge flows freely. We just had a social media seminar yesterday where we featured the Meetup founder Scott Heiferman. At the meeting, we especially focused on answering the question “how to create a community that lasts” (review).

4. Creating special reward programs for employees or affiliates to get compensated based on performance. For example, at NY Entrepreneurs Business Network, we are running monthly affiliate programs where special bonuses are given away to members who help spread the word about our community.

5. If you have a website or blog for your own business, make sure your site is created in a way people can share information easily. For example, you can see the Retweet, and Digg buttons are installed on this WebStudio13. Such tools should be integrated on your community sites so sharing information can be a breeze for your members.

Rule #3 – The Law of The Few

Concept: “This law describes how messages are passed through word of mouth. The book mentioned “connectors” and “mavens”. Basically, they are the types of people who help make a message go viral. They are the sources that cause ‘Epidemics.’”

Implementation:

1. In social media sphere, befriend people who are influential in their own niche markets. This single fact indicates they have the ability to lead and deliver your messages efficiently to their networks.

2. Pay attention to the feedback you received for the products or services that you offer. For example, I have a Meetup group. Once an event is finished, I would receive tons of reviews. I’d like to read each of these reviews carefully to see who are serious about networking. Because those people are a select few that I want to build relationship with.

3. Come up with creative compensation programs where people are encouraged to spread your messages or, in my case, become my blog subscribers. Here the real point is to seek out the opinion leaders who’d like to join your community. With web 2.0 tools, you can design a contest which help you select qualified individuals.

4. Be a connector yourself. Be confident that you are the one that connects people.  You are indispensable! You should position yourself as the trust agent that conveys knowledge selfishlessly to others within your social networks.

5. If you are running similar groups as mine via social media sites such as Meetup, be mindful that only few people are qualified to assist you.  In my case, they are my assistant organizers. It could take a long time to identify the right people.  But it’s worth the time.  Be cautious and observant in selecting the right individuals via social media tools.  (Note: take a look at the assistant organizers at NY Entrepreneurs Business Network, a group I am running by using the Meetup platform.

According to Malcolm Gladwell, these three rules are what will eventually start epidemics. They signifies the tipping point. They are the reason why a blog post, a Flickr picture, or a YouTube video can go viral.  Implement them well and there is no doubt your business will soar like viruses do!

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I received the 2nd edition of David Meerman Scott’s “The New Rules of Marketing & PR” in the mail several days ago.  It’s a good read.  The 2nd edition has been completely revised and updated compared to the previous version.  Here, I decide to do a brief review about the book and share my thoughts about certain topics mentioned in the book.

Apparently, we all know the reason why David Meerman Scott started to write this book in the first place.  In the digital market, the “New Rules” indicate a paradigm shift as far as marketing & PR is concerned.  As mentioned by David himself, in the past before the Web came along, there were only three ways to get noticed: buy expensive advertising, beg the mainstream media to tell your story for you, or hire a huge sales staff to bug people.

So what has changed? David went on to use himself as an example.  The process of promoting his new book is exactly like a live demo illustrating how David lives up to the “New Rules” depicted in his book. He did not spend a buck buying the ads and promoting his book through PR agencies.  Instead, he sent out hundreds of free copies in advance to other influential bloggers in exchange for their reviews.  This kind of practice is commonplace in today’s world because of the “long tail” phenomenon, which says our marketplace has been dramatically democratized and everybody now can be a reporter and publisher.

David’s book can be organized into three parts

I. A rigorous overview of how the Web has changed the rules of marketing and PR

II. Details about each of the various media

III. Detailed “how-to” information and an action plan to help you put the new rules to work for your organization

Essentially, the message in the book is plainly simple and easy to understand: cut off all the inefficient layers in between you and your buyers so you can reach them directly.  But I would suggest you treat the “New Rules” as a how-to book and implement ideas introduced by the author.  In addition, I particularly enjoy the following aspects covered in the book, including topics such as social media, video/audio podcasts, news releases, blogs, search engine marketing, etc.

Overall, the 2nd edition of the “New Rules” is one of those “5-Star” books I would recommend.  Not only because it contains great information about how to use Web 2.0 tools.  Most importantly, it is written by someone who is extremely experienced in the world of social media marketing.  If you are in business for yourself but not reaching your buyers directly yet, there is no doubt you should get this new & improved edition.  As a matter of fact, WebStudio13 is designed to make people aware of all the new rules mentioned in David’s book.  Get the new edition now before other people do.  You can thank me for writing this review later.

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Yesterday, as I was ranking the Amazon Top 10 Web 2.0 Books, I promised to write another review for the book The 4-Hour Workweek (4HWW). This book is authored by Tim Ferriss. In fact, the book was published in 2007.  Therefore, I am not going into the things people will write when they review a book. Instead, I would like to extend the ideas of the book to the Web 2.0 context.  In this post, I will illustrate why I think 4HWW has great tips for Internet entrepreneurs (Infopreneurs). So here we go.

A Brief Summary of the Book

The 4-Hour Workweek is about lifestyle design. As far as I am concerned, the author Tim Ferriss is the ultimate master of escaping 9-5, and living a mobile lifestyle. Here are the four main components of this book:

1. Definition – Define what it is that you truly want, stop following the majority, and join the new rich;

2. Elimination – Prioritize things based on its importance. Make a to-do list of the things that matter the most to you and demand great attention from you.

3. Automation – Hire a virtual assistant, and outsource the daily tasks that are not essential to you and require your repetitive efforts.

4. Liberation – Create a streamline process of getting things done without your presence.  I like to call it passive residual income.  Embrace a mobile lifestyle.

If you have read the book, you know what I mean by those four points. Otherwise, just bear with me as I will draw parallels between 4HWW and an Internet business in the following.

Connecting the Dots

There are mixed reviews about 4HWW. For example, on Amazon,  some people say the book is flawed in that it does not specify how to achieve a mobile lifestyle. Most people have no clue when it comes to outsourcing.  While the author’s own story is fascinating, most readers don’t know how to do it.  In this post, that issue is not my concern and shouldn’t be yours. In the following, I would apply the 4HWW theories to the Web 2.0 context. I have broken it down to specific points below. Here let’s go through each one of them.

• Definition: Look at the Internet new rich, including some very well known blogs such as TechCrunch, Mashable, etc.  For them, serving the masses with fresh news content is their mission.  They define success as reporting on-time news about social media and tech products.  In my case, I define my passion as offering tips about tweeting, blogging, and social media marketing. It’s a great feeling to see other people benefit from your efforts.  So first step, you gotta know what it is that you are passionate about.
• Elimination: I am now able to eliminate the tedious tasks I used to have to face everyday while working in Corporate America. My lifestyle now is designed to grow my business or increase the traffic on my site. Everyday is a new day with something to learn. Most importantly, I don’t have to worry about doing the non-relevant tasks that are considered a waste of my time.  The ability to eliminate gives you the joy and power to concentrate whatever appears most essential to you.
• Automation: In the Web 2.0 era, “automation” basically means having other people pay you while you enjoy what you do. If you are a blogger, the traffic you are able to accumulate on your site eventually will bring you sponsors, potential customers, or even opportunities to speak at major conferences.  In other words, automation enables you to enjoy passive residual income.

• Liberation: This is the dream of every Internet Entrepreneur. After your Web business has got to certain scale, you’d be able to free up your time by hiring people or even using high-end sofoware. For example, if you have tons of photos to upload to Flickr everyday, they can outsource it to an overseas assistant. Let’s say, someone in Philippine. In my case, I have a Meetup group. I would love to have someone help me handle the administrative tasks, such as replying emails and answering phone calls.

Some Extra Things That Have Inspired Me

If you followed me on Twitter, you would know I am a fan of personal development. I love to tweet quotes every now and then to share with my Twitter community. Tim Ferriss has some great quotes that I’d like to share with you here.

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain

“Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.” – Oscar Wilde

“An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field.” – Niels Bohr

“If you can free your time and location, your money is automatically worth 3-10 times as much.” – Tim Ferriss

“Once you say you’re going to settle for second, that’s what happens to you in life.” – John F. Kennedy

“If it’s important to you and you want to do it ‘eventually,’ just do it and correct course along the way.” – Tim Ferriss

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” – Benjamin Disraeli

“Nine to five for your working lifetime of 40-50 years is a long-ass time if the rescue doesn’t come. About 500 months of solid work.” – Time Ferriss

“Tomorrow becomes never. No matter how small the task, take the first step now!” – Tim Ferriss
“It is far better for a man to go wrong in freedom than to go right in chains.” – Thomas H. Huxley

“What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task.” – Viktor E. Frankl

“If you don’t make mistakes, you’re not working on hard enough problems. And that’s a big mistake.” – Frank Wilczek

If you have read the book, I would like to hear what you think about 4HWW. Do you think there are enough parallels to draw between an Internet business and 4HWW?  Please share your comments below.

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A major reason why I like social media is the learning process that comes with it.  Besides Googling for information online, another great resource for me to get information has always been Amazon.  Amazon’s got some great books on Web 2.0 and Social Media topics.  To be honest, I have benefited greatly from reading them in the past. In this post, I would like to sort through the readings I’ve done and make my top 10 picks for your reference.

Feel Clueless about Social Media? These 4 Books Can Help You Make the Transition!

1. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich – Tim Ferriss

Back when I worked in Corporate America, reading this book has absolutely inspired me and broadened my horizon to see what’s possible out there and what I am truly capable of.  Tim Ferriss, the author, introduces the concept of “New Rich” in his book.  Tim runs a multinational firm from wireless locations worldwide. He particularly speaks of the critical role that the Internet plays in order to design a desirable lifestyle.  I will do a review on The 4-Hour Workweek book tomorrow (Review the post).  So subscribe to our RSS feed so you won’t miss it after I publish it.

2. The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly – David Meerman Scott

This book is my favorite Web 2.0 guide that actually helped me tremendously in terms of adapting to all kinds of new media tools.  What I like about it is the fact that David Meerman Scott has covered, one by one, the most important Web 2.0 tools in this book, including Blogs (Chapter 4), News Releases (Chapter 5), Podcasting (Chapter 6), Forums/Wikis (Chapter 7), Social Media (Chapter 19), Search Engine Marketing (Chapter 20), etc.  If you are new to Web 2.0 and not used to this entire paradigm shift, this book can get you introduced to all these new concepts.

3. Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us – Seth Godin

Seth Godin is probably one of the most popular Web 2.0 gurus.  Having founded Squidoo, he authored several influential books, including Purple Cow, The Dip, Permission Marketing, Small Is the New Big, etc (All Recommended).  The book ‘Tribes‘ says change is good.  Seth argues that lasting and substantive change can be best effected by a tribe: a group of people connected to each other, to a leader and to an idea, and the best tool to accomplish this is the Internet (Twitter and Facebook in particular).  This is another mind-blowing book that is guaranteed to help you see the world in a new light.

4.  Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More – Chris Anderson

Chris Anderson, the editor of chief for Wired magazine, wrote this great book about Internet marketing.  It’s an important guide book for anyone who wants to understand internet commerce or innovation in services.  In his book, Chris examines the new economics that comes with the Internet age.  He proves his points through illustrative examples and persuasive language.  It’s an excellent read.

6 Books about Blogging, Search Engine Marketing, Google, and Twitter

5. Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers – Robert Scoble and Shel Israel

Amazon Has Some Kick-Ass Books!

For small business and companies that have already embraced blogging, this book is an essential guide to best practice.  Robert Scoble has probably maintained one of the most popular blogs on the Internet.  According to the book, there are six pillars that set blogs apart from all other communications channel – Publishable, Findable, Social, Viral, Syndicatable, and Linkable.  On the contrary, if your business is not blogging, use this book as a discussion starter for deciding whether blogging is right for your company.  All things considered, Naked Conversation is a very helpful guide book.

6. ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income – Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett

For anyone who wants to build an online business or blog for income, this book is a must-read.  Darren Rowse is the owner of Problogger.net , a website where bloggers worldwide go for advice and information on enhancing their blog’s presence.  In a nutshell, here are the monetization methods elaborated in this book:

Direct Monetization:

• Advertising
• Sponsorships
• Affiliate commissions
• Paid reviews

Indirect Monetization:

• Freelance writing contracts
• Book deals
• Speaking engagements
• Consulting opportunities
• Service contracts
• Sell your own products

7.  Twitter Power: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time – Joel Comm

A great book to read if you want to understand how Twitter works.  When I first started out with Twitter, this book has been an indispensable resource for me.  The insightful information it presents will certainly set you apart from other Twitter starters who haven’t read the book, helping you conduct highly effective social media marketing campaigns.

8. What Would Google Do? – Jeff Jarvis

I have just finished this book recently. It’s a bold and vital book that asks and answers the most urgent question of today: What Would Google Do? Internet expert Jeff Jarvis, in his book, illustrates the new worldview of the Internet generation: how it challenges and destroys, but also opens up vast new opportunities. His findings are counterintuitive, practical, and thought-provoking, giving readers a glimpse of how everyone and everything – from corporations to governments, nations to individuals – must evolve in the Google era.

9. Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords: How to Access 100 Million People in 10 Minutes – Perry Marshall and  Bryan Todd

The title of the book is pretty enticing and self-explanatory.  Initially, I bought the book because of the stunning reviews I see on Amazon. It’s hard to resist.  Having finished the book, I have to admit that the information presented is indeed very useful. I would encourage all Internet marketers/business owners get their hands on this book as soon as possible, because if you don’t, your competitors will.  Here are some key points in this book:

• Build an AdWords campaign from scratch
• Identify keywords that entice people to click on your ads
• Get the lowest bid prices on your keywords
• Defeat click fraud and other scams
• Use search engine optimization techniques
• Turn clicks into customers

10. Search Engine Optimization For Dummies – Peter Kent

If you are new to SEO (Search Engine Optimization), I highly recommend this book. This handy guide shows you how to get more visitors by getting more visibility for your blog or Web site. A couple key concepts covered in this guide include:

• Plan a search engine strategy
• Build pages that offer visibility
• Make your site rank high with the most important search engines
• Avoid things that search engines don’t like (and tricks that might actually get your site penalized)
• Use Google universal search, image search optimization, XML sitemaps, and more
• Choose the right keywords
• Track and measure your results
• Increase your exposure with shopping directories and retailers
• Boost your position with popular links and social networking sites
• Use pay-per-click in ways that get the most bang for your advertising buck

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