“Paul Gillin has written a terrific book entitled “The New Influencers: A Marketer’s Guide to the New Social Media.” Books often don’t seem relevant in this RSS-driven world of ours, but I strongly recommend this one to anyone trying to divine the big picture in 21st century communications. I’m about a third of the way through the book so far but already can tell it’s a winner. I began reading it on a jetBlue flight from Oakland to Long Beach and was disappointed that the flight wasn’t longer. When’s the last time you wished your flight was longer?”
“Recommended. Drawing from interviews with well-known Web writers and vignettes of successful blogs and podcasts, Gillin illustrates the power of these new media tools as well as the downfalls of the amateurs…General readers and practitioners new to Web marketing tools will find this book useful.“
Choice magazine, Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, Sept., 2007
“Networking University Faculty Recommends.”
Networking Times magazine, Moving the Heart of Business, Sept./Oct., 2007
“New technologies are transforming the future of Marketing, disrupting existing go-to-market models and putting the customer more in control than ever before. In his book, Paul Gillin goes beyond much talked about trends such as blogging, podcasting or social networks to look at the underlying dynamics of influence and conversation marketing. Marketers need to understand, embrace and participate in this brave new world.”
Eric Kintz
Vice President, Global Marketing Strategy & Excellence
Hewlett-Packard Company
“Paul Gillin gets it. I don’t know how to put it any other way. He not only sees the the new social media like blogs, podcasts and social networks as tools to be used in the transformation of business, he has what I see to be the clearest perspective on the actual cultural impact these are having and how they are going to transform the way we do business, and even more so, the way we actually live. Paul is prescient and, oh yeah, he knows how to write really well too!! This book is a must read – either in print or otherwise.”
Paul Greenberg
Author, CRM at the Speed of Light, 3rd Edition
Managing Principal, BPT Partners, LLC
Executive Vice-President, CRM Association
“By showing what methods work and which ones tank, he tells us how to gain media exposure. Experimenting with novel techniques is a great way to climb toward triumph.”
“Also, for anyone blogging or working to understand how bloggers influence the market, this is a must read. It is packed full of examples of winning blogs, descriptions of who has made key products successful, and how to both make use of new media and avoid being killed by it. It should be a primer for anyone in marketing — or anyone planning to enter the field. It’s a quick and easy read without fluff and lots of very interesting observations. Titled The New Influencers, and written by the legendary Paul Gillin, with a forward by the even more legendary Geoffrey Moore, this is my product of the week. It probably should be my product of the year.”
“A fundamental shift is underway. Individuals, armed with technology, are seeking out others like themselves and are sharing their opinions with the world. While the specific channels and theater of operations will change, the underlying trend is here to stay. There’s a new breed of influencers and they’re talking about your brand. In this book Paul Gillin has managed to capture the essence of trend and what it means for marketers. Even better, he did so without focusing on any one specific technology. He has masterfully created a mosaic that tells the full story about why this is one of the most exciting periods in history to be a communicator.”
-Steve Rubel, MicroPersuasion
“In his monthly guest column for BtoB magazine, Paul Gillin has given business marketers a series of thought-provoking glimpses into the new worlds of social media and user generated content. With The New Influencers, he goes much further. Instead of another how-to book on blogging, Gillin expertly unwraps the dynamics behind this fast-evolving phenomenon—and its profound implications for marketers. Using a large number of case studies, he shows how “influencers” are changing the marketing equation, and how the savviest marketers engage these people and, by extension, their customers and prospects.”
-Ellis Booker, Editor, BtoB magazine
“This is a benchmark book on the anatomy of influence in our rapidly changing world. Paul brings his engaging and most times brilliant journalistic style to a profound topic with flair and thoughtfulness. Read this book.”
Larry Weber, founder of The Weber Group and W2Group
“Whether or not your title is marketer, your company’s success–and likely your job–hinges on understanding the sea change of control and communications occurring across your markets. Between consumers transforming into producers, branding occurring not in the boardroom but from the bottom up and customers, not CMOs, calling the shots, today’s companies are presented with a choice: embrace these tools to improve and innovate or face irrelevance in this evolving landscape. Through sage counsel and real-world case studies from this era’s most influential voices, Gillin illustrates why social media heralds a permanent shift in the ways companies must begin listening, collaborating and selling to their markets. End game, your customers are already using these technologies…when will you?”
Christina Kerley (“CK), ckEpiphany Marketing , MarketingProfs blogger
“Prior to the Web, organizations of all kinds—including corporations, nonprofits, educational institutions, rock bands, churches, and individuals—had only two significant choices to attract attention: buy expensive advertising or get third-party ink from the media. But the Web has changed the rules. In his terrific exploration of The New Influencers, Paul Gillin shows, using real examples, how organizations are communicating directly with important constituents. Gillin’s book is an important riff on how the Web has made public relations public again, after years of almost exclusive focus on media.”
David Meerman Scott
Author, Cashing in with Content: How Innovative Marketers
Use Digital Information to Turn Browsers into Buyers
As “word of mouth” loses opinion-forming power to “word of blog,” companies are faced with a revolution in how their brands and corporate image will be shaped in the future. Paul Gillin provides a very insightful and well-written guide on how to effectively benefit from these dramatic changes. A must read!
Patrick J. McGovern, Founder and Chairman, International Data Group (IDG)
