I recently met Robbin Phillips and received a copy of her book Brains on Fire at the CXPA conference. After meeting her and hearing her speak on one of the panels, I knew there was an interesting story to be told and I moved her book to the top of my queue.
Brains on Fire is about creating movements instead of ad campaigns. If you want loyal and enthusiastic customers, they say you should try to create a sustainable movement rather than just a campaign. A traditional ad campaign works for a period of time, maybe a few weeks or months. Then, people move on to the next big thing. But, by engaging with your customers, supporting what they are interested in and having them participate in creating your products, you can build a strong movement with passionate fans who will support you over the long run. The book uses a variety of examples from companies like Fiskars and Best Buy to non-profits like Rage Against the Haze and Love146.
Here are some quotes from the book that might give you a sense of the message.
“Your company is the stories people tell about it” Greg Cordell
“It’s about people. When it comes to technology, what’s exciting and shiny today will be frickin’ dead tomorrow.” Chris Sandoval
“Do you want your ideas and creative concepts to see the light of day? Then don’t start with the customer ‘in mind’, but actually with the customer.”
“The American Revolution was ignited by word of mouth and it wasn’t on the Internet.” Sally McConnell
Brains on Fire is an easy and enlightening read. I recommend it.
Brains on Fire is available on Amazon.
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