Introducing Our New Social Media Marketing Book: Social Media is a Cocktail Party

Those of you who read this blog regularly know that Lisa Braziel and I have been working on finishing our new book, Social Media is a Cocktail Party: Why You Already Know the Rules of Social Media Marketing. I’m thrilled to tell you that the book is done, done, done, and now available for sale on Amazon.com.

UPDATE: PLEASE DO Buy the Book Today!

I know this is a strange request, but we’re going to try to launch the book in a big way, and raise some money for charity in the meantime. I need your help to do it! It’s one part blatant self-promotion, one part pure philanthropy and one part social media experiment. Here’s how it will work.

  • On November 20th, we’ll officially launch the book. THAT’S TODAY
  • If you’re interested in buying it, please do so that day. (And buy several for your friends!)
  • For every book sold on November 20, we’ll give a $3 donation to Make-A-Wish* to help fund wishes for sick children.
  • By pushing this book on this day, through social networks and you, my friends, we’ll see how high we can get in the business books bestseller list on Amazon.com.
  • And by pushing this book on this day, we’ll see how much money we can raise for a great charity.

How Did The Cover Come Out?

Thanks to the more than 85 of you who voted on the two cover designs. We got great direction, and several of you said you liked Cover 1, but thought we could do better than that design. So we went back for another revision and landed on what we think is a pretty cool look. Let me know in the comments what you think.

Sneak Peeks

Between now and November 20th, Lisa and I will be sharing some sneak peeks of our favorite parts of the book in a series of blog posts. (Sneak Peak #1.) We’d love your feedback on it.

Has Anyone Credible Read this Thing?

What are you trying to say? My mom told me it was quite good, thank you very much! But I do want to thank some actual credible people for participating in the book creation.

Professor Robert Lauterborn, who wrote one of the top 10 marketing books of all times, wrote the Preface for the book.

Lee Odden, CEO of TopRankMarketing.com wrote this review for the back cover of the book:

“Corporate marketers charging into the unfamiliar waters of social media can have the same effect as crashing a cocktail party uninvited and uninformed about the rules, etiquette and people – thereby alienating the very communities they’re trying to reach. That’s why ‘Social Media is a Cocktail Party’ is such a useful paradigm for understanding how best to understand the strategy and tactics for marketing on the social web. Jim Tobin and Lisa Braziel have crafted a clever and insightful guide with practical examples that give meaning and direction for smart social media programs. It’s a must read for marketers and PR professionals in companies of all sizes.”

Andy Beal, co-author of Radically Transparent and founder of Trackur.com, wrote this review:

“You have an open invite to join the social media Cocktail Party. Before you show up, you must buy this book so you’ll know how to enter the room, join the conversation, and engage your audience.”

Chris Brogan, social media advisor, sent us this review for the back cover, which makes me smile:

“Pour me a vodka gimlet, extra lime, and then pick up Jim Tobin’s book. From tons of statistics and real world stories, to ideas that translate well into strategy, Social Media is a Cocktail Party helps you get practical quick. Pick up great advice told in a conversational tone, and learn from mister smoking jacket himself, Jim Tobin.”

But What Do You Think?

Next week, when we hit the November 20th date, I’d love to know what you think of the book. Leave a comment here and/or post your review on Amazon.com. Good, bad or indifferent, I’d love to know what you think.

More to come.

~Jim

*Please note that Make-A-Wish does not endorse this book or this fundraiser. Quite the opposite. I endorse them as a charity, I was recently elected to their Board of Directors, and I thought this would be a good way to crowdsource contributions to them.