Brains on Fire
Igniting Powerful, Sustainable, Word of Mouth Movements
By: Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, Geno Church, Spike Jones
Published: August 31, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 184 pages
ISBN-10: 0470614188
ISBN-13: 978-0470614181
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
"People don't buy your company, product, or service first, they buy people first", write word of mouth and identity marketing experts at Brains on Fire, Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, and Geno Church, and Spike Jones, in their advice laden and engaging book
Brains on Fire: Igniting Powerful, Sustainable, Word of Mouth Movements. The authors describe how marketing is not about the latest technology, but is really about connecting with people who are seeking you out to add value and meaning to their lives.
Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, Geno Church, and Spike Jones move beyond the focus on technology and on the various social media tools. Instead, they place their emphasis on what truly matters in marketing. The gaze their focus on people. The authors understand that people resist marketing, marketers, and their marketing messages. With so many marketers talking at the prospective customers, the authors recommend talking with and engaging people to inspire their passion. The old school marketing idea of a controlled message is no longer effective, as the customer is empowered and energized to seize the message in any way they choose. Control is futile in the modern social media world of building and maintaining relationships and personal engagement. The marketing landscape has changed, but people still prefer to buy from people who they know, like, and trust.
Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, Geno Church (pictured from top to bottom in photo left) and Spike Jones present the concept of starting a movement. For the authors, a movement energize a group of people around a product, service, or cause. The overarching characteristic of a movement is the passion of the participants. For a movement to be sustainable, and not short lived, the impassioned supporters of the cause or company share their ideals with one another through online and offline interaction. This viral word of mouth carries from person to person, having been ignited through the shared empowerment and passion. The authors share ten critical lessons for going beyond the mere creation of a movement, but for the ignition of a self-perpetuating movement. Through their ten points, the authors show how ownership of a movement evolves, creates a unique identity, and empowers its advocates. Once a movement begins, the force it generates is almost unstoppable.
For me, the power of the book is how Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, Geno Church, and Spike Jones develop the concept of the impassioned movement as a powerful offshoot of word of mouth marketing. The emphasis of the book is squarely on the relationships between people, based on trust. Without trust, no movement or any other human interaction is going to be a success. This basic premise is the driver for the entire movement phenomenon. The authors back up their theoretical framework with ten practical step by step lessons that any marketer can utilize to ignite a movement. Of course, igniting a successful movement, write the authors, is far more complex and personal than merely creating a movement. The former is authentic, while the latter will be viewed as contrived. The authors point to successful movements in both the social sphere and in the business sector, demonstrating that their concepts work in real world situations. The change in emphasis, away from marketing and a tools focus, to one of people is engaging and empowering for everyone.
I highly recommend the humanization of marketing guide book Brains on Fire: Igniting Powerful, Sustainable, Word of Mouth Movements by Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, Geno Church, and Spike Jones, to anyone seeking an alternative to the technology-centric marketing approaches, that are often presented as the only option, for moving away from the failed controlled message model. Instead, the authors present a third option. Their concept is one of igniting a word of mouth based movement composed of impassioned and engaged kindred spirits. The interaction and sharing between people can take place in any format, both online and in the brick and mortar world.
Read the book that considers marketing to be really about connecting and trust between people, Brains on Fire: Igniting Powerful, Sustainable, Word of Mouth Movements by Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, Geno Church, and Spike Jones, and change your outlook on marketing forever. Indeed, you may never again consider yourself a marketer, but instead a connector and facilitator of ignited movements.
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