"A book like this deserves a no bullshit testimonial: The social media world is so full of it, I really didn't think anybody had the guts to put out a book like this on it. If someone tells you social media is crap, throw this book at them and demand they read it." - Scott Stratten, international bestselling author of UnMarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging "Jason and Erik don't screw around with wishy-washy theories or starry-eyed notions. If you're looking for sound advice on how to use social media to grow your business (and who isn't?), this book is your guide." - David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of Real-Time Marketing and PR: How to Instantly Engage Your Market, Connect with Customers, and Create Products that Grow Your Business Now "I've been famously quoted as saying, '99.5% of social media experts are clowns,' but watching Jason over the course of the last five years makes me feel pretty confident that he's in the other .5%." - Gary Vaynerchuk, cofounder, VaynerMedia; author of The Thank You Economy "Jason and Erik are the real deal. They blend heartfelt sincerity with technical know-how and experience. This book gives you a lot to chew on, and if you let it, gives you a serious step up on your competition." - Chris Brogan, coauthor of Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust "Finally, a book that hits the topic of social media in a way that makes it real, practical, and important." - John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing and the Referral Engine "Social media marketing can drive real business results and No Bullshit Social Media delivers straight-talking guidance to help brands succeed." - Peter Kim, chief strategy officer, Dachis Group "Forget everything you thought you already knew about social media marketing. Chuck it. Start over. Then, turn to page 1 of Falls and Deckers's No Bullshit Social Media guide and learn from the masters." - Todd Defren, principal, SHIFT Communications; blogger, PR-Squared "Deckers and Falls crystallize the relevant aspects of social media marketing in an exciting and informal way. Not just for marketing types, No Bullshit Social Media is a must-read for anyone who has a passion to grow their business by learning how to listen and dialog with their customers." - Scott Applebee, vice president marketing, Travelpro International, Inc. "Finally! A no-nonsense marketing book from guys deep within the social media trenches. This book is a must-read for any business that's struggling with social media marketing." - Michael A. Stelzner, CEO, SocialMediaExaminer.com; author of Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition "I punched the wall with enthusiasm after reading this book! No joke. This is the best bare-knuckled approach to social media marketing I have ever read. Erik and Jason tell it to you straight. Every CEO, entrepreneur, and business professional should read this book and spit out the BS!" - Kyle Lacy, author of Branding Yourself and Twitter Marketing for Dummies "Pop! Finally a book that bursts the hype balloon around social media and delivers a real recipe for how to use it to actually build your business. Falls and Deckers call out the fools and phonies and pull no punches while doing so. This book delivers clear-headed, no-nonsense, proven advice that you'll gobble up like candy - especially if you're a doubter about the whole social media craze." - Jay Baer, coauthor of The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter, and More Social "Jason Falls and Erik Deckers waste no words getting right to what works and what doesn't. You couldn't find two more qualified people to deliver the clear story on how social media can grow your business-using the speed and reach of the Internet to make real relationships. Buy this book now!" - Liz Strauss, brand strategist, community builder, founder of SOBCon "Ripping off a Band-Aid never feels good, but that is exactly what Falls and Deckers do as they cut right to the point and tell you exactly how your company needs to approach social media if it wants to be successful. No kissing your boo-boo in this book!" - C.C. Chapman, coauthor of Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business "Stop. Put this book down! Step away from the book. Honestly, we'd prefer that you not read this book. We're quite happy to continue to run laps around your business, and the last thing we need is for you to start trying to satisfy your customers by applying what you'll learn here." - Joe Sorge, entrepreneur, small business owner, burgerwhisperer, coauthor of #TwitterWorks: Restaurant 2.0 Edition: How social media built a restaurant, a pizza truck and thousands of relationships "No Bullshit Social Media advances and distills Jason and Erik's unique and thought-provoking insights about why, and how, we should use what they so simply demonstrate is the most powerful marketing tool available to businesses today - social media." - Kevin Taylor, aka @telecomtails; former president, Chartered Institute of Public Relations; founder, Robertson Taylor PR; European lead for Global Results Communications "Many business leaders are still trying to understand the value of social media communication. Falls and Deckers take the key questions and challenges head on, back them up with examples, and spare you the frustrating jargon and hyperbole. If you're an executive trying to get your arms around social or need your boss to better understand, this book is the place to start." - Amber Naslund, VP Social Strategy, Radian6; coauthor of The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter, and More Social "Kick-ass straight-talk about how social media has emerged core to businesses' bottom line success. A must-read, with no holds barred." - Stacy DeBroff, CEO and founder, Mom Central Consulting "This is a book I'm excited about. Not just because it sounds straightforward (that 'No Bullshit' thing!), but because it is. Social media isn't all Rainbow Brite, snuggly puppies, and big group hugs. It's real. It's actionable. It works. So what are you waiting for?" - Ann Handley, chief content officer, MarketingProfs; coauthor of Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business "Jason and Erik offer something often in painfully short supply in the social media world: business sense. No kumbaya, no fluffy talk about engagement or conversation, just real advice crafted with business needs and a bottom line in mind." - Christopher Barger, senior vice president of global programs, Voce Connect "'Yes you can!,' President Obama's slogan from his first presidential election campaign, is an apt label to apply to Jason Falls and Erik Deckers's treatment of social media and its dynamic place in business and marketing. Falls and Deckers pepper their book with credible case studies to illustrate the compelling differences social media marketing can make to any business, large or small. No Bullshit Social Media offers you actionable insights that will help you believe that you, too, can realize benefits that social media marketing can bring to your business." - Neville Hobson, ABC (Association of Business Communicators); copresenter, the For Immediate Release podcast series "Jason Falls and Erik Deckers continue to deliver 'Pristine and Straight Arrow Insights' into social media marketing. Their book No Bullshit Social Media is just that: no B.S. This book is common sense from cover to cover!" - Ramon De Leon, social media visionary and international speaker, Domino's Pizza Chicago "In an era when everyone from kids to grandparents has mastered social media, too many business people are still asking, 'Do I dare?' This no-B.S. read says loudly and clearly, 'Hell, yes!' It's a smart, succinct combo of why to and how that persuasively pounds home its social-media premise: 'You better play, or you're gonna pay.'" - Bruce Hetrick, president and CEO, Hetrick Communications "Enough of the excuses! No more saying that you don't 'get' social media or that you're too old/out of date/not geeky enough to use today's tools to market your business. Get off your butt, buy this book, and start growing! 'Nuff said." --Sarah "Intellagirl" Smith-Robbins, PhD, Director of Emerging Technologies, Kelley Executive Partners at Indiana University; Marketing faculty, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University "Social media has changed the rules of how products and services are marketed, forever! In this book, Jason and Erik throw stone-cold facts at the reader and force you to open up to new forms of ROI." - Arjen Strijker, founder, Somesso.com

Jason Falls is a consultant, speaker, strategist, and thinker in the world of digital marketing and social media. He is the owner of Social Media Explorer, a social media consulting service, as well as Exploring Social Media, a learning community. He works with corporate clients, developing and managing their social media and PR strategies. He is a highly sought-after speaker, traveling around the country to speak to various trade associations, conferences, and corporate groups. Erik Deckers is the co-owner and vice president of creative services of Professional Blog Service, a ghost blogging and social media agency. His company works with both small businesses and large corporations. Erik has been blogging since 1997, and he speaks widely on social media topics for personal branding, business, crisis communication, and citizen journalism. He is also a newspaper columnist and award-winning playwright.

Introduction... 1 Part I: Social Media Is for Hippies. Social Media Marketing Is for Business. Chapter 1: Ignore the Hype. Believe the Facts. 9 Social Media and the Hype Cycle 11 The Problem with What Social Media Purists Preach 15 But Asking About ROI Is Asking the Wrong Question 16 Seven Things Social Media Marketing Can Do for Your Business 19 1. Enhance Branding and Awareness 19 2. Protect Brand Reputation 20 3. Enhance Public Relations 21 4. Build Community 21 5. Enhance Customer Service 22 6. Facilitate Research and Development 23 7. Drive Leads and Sales 23 When You Add "Marketing," It's About Business 24 Endnotes 25 Chapter 2: It's Not Them; It's You! 27 Today's Consumer Is Different.You're Still the Same Old Dinosaur 29 You Never Controlled Your Message 31 If Social Media Can Help Overthrow a Government, What Will It Do to a Company? 32 It's Not About Being on Social; It's About Being Social 34 If You Don't Trust Your Employees, You Hired the Wrong People 36 Don't Blame It on IT, Compliance, or Legal 38 Social Media Doesn't Violate Company Policy. People Violate Company Policy 39 So What Can You Do with Social Media? 40 The Ball Is in Your Court 41 Endnotes 42 Chapter 3: Your Competition May Have Already Kicked Your Ass 43 Your Audience Doesn't Trust You Anymore, Anyway 45 Go Ahead, Buy an Ad 47 But We're a B2B Company; We Don't Count 48 Destroy Your Printer 49 The Shipping Industry Goes Social 50 But It Doesn't Have to Be That Complicated 50 Do You Want to Be Greg Tackett or His Competition? 51 Endnotes 52 Chapter 4: Here's the Secret: There Is No Damn Secret! 55 Social Media Marketing Is Not About Technology, It's About Communication 56 Tools Change; the Need for Messaging Won't 57 Social Media Is Not an Advertising Medium, but Social Platforms Can Be 58 This Ain't "Rocket Surgery" 61 Starting in Social Media Is Like Asking an Investor for Money 61 Social Media Marketing Is About Planning and Measuring 64 Five Mind-Set Shifts That Make Successful Social Media Marketing Managers (and One Caveat) 65 Part II: How Social Media Marketing Really Works Chapter 5: Make Some Noise: Social Media Marketing Aids in Branding and Awareness 71 Your Brand Is What the Community Says It Is 73 Traditional Marketing and Its Metrics Have Lied to You for Years 77 Why We Can't Measure Traditional Marketing and PR 78 Why We Can Measure Social Media 79 Compare Costs Between Social Media and Traditional Media 81 What Traditional Marketing Costs 82 What Social Media Marketing Costs 83 The 500 Million Water Coolers Are Now One Big One 84 Putting Metrics Around Branding and Awareness 86 Endnotes 89 Chapter 6: It's Your House: Social Media Marketing Protects Your Reputation 91 What Is "Crisis Communication"? 95 You Just Can't Wait for Traditional Media to Catch Up or Get It Right 96 When You Don't Listen or Respond, You Get Chi-Chi'd 98 Six Steps for Dealing with Detractors 100 But It's Not Always About the Negative 101 Protecting Your Reputation Has a Technology Side, Too 102 Putting Metrics Around Protecting Your Reputation 104 Endnotes 107 Chapter 7: Relating to Your Public: Social Media Marketing and Public Relations 109 Public Relations Is Not Only About the Mainstream Media Anymore 112 Journalists Are Using Social Media, Too 115 Social Media Lets PR Skip the Gatekeepers and Editors 116 Quit Waiting for Traditional Media to Catch Up 117 Avoiding the Filter of the Traditional Media 118 The New Media Relations Landscape 119 Crisis Communication Starts Months Before You Have a Crisis 122 Dealing with Detractors 123 Putting Metrics Around Public Relations 125 Endnotes 127 Chapter 8: The Kumbaya Effect: Social Media Marketing Builds Community 129 Understanding Different Types of Communities 133 There's More to Building Community Than Just Making Friends 135 Measuring Community 136 You Can Even Build Community Around Scissors! 138 But What If Our Competition Shows Up in Our Community? 140 Okay, So How Do You Do This and How Much Will It Cost? 142 Endnotes 145 Chapter 9: It's About Them: Social Media Marketing Drives Customer Service 147 Why Do You Want to Hear from Your Customers? 150 Putting Your People Where Your Mouth Is 151 You Can't Help Everyone 152 You're Not the "Jackass Whisperer" 153 Sometimes It's Just Two Little Words 155 Putting Metrics Around Customer Service 157 Measuring Customer Service Savings 159 Endnotes 161 Chapter 10: Get Smarter: Social Media Marketing Drives Research and Development 163 Collaboration Is the New Black 164 Collaborating with Customers Breeds Customers 165 Let's Collaborate About Scissors...Yes, Scissors 166 Papa's R&D Is in the House 168 Measuring Research and Development 169 It's Adding R&D to Your R&D 171 But We're a Small Business;We Don't Do R&D 172 How to Plan For Research and Development 175 Endnotes 177 Chapter 11: It's All About the Benjamins: Social Media Marketing Drives Sales 179 Nothing's Wrong with Advertising 182 Advertising Is Outbound. Social Media Is Inbound 183 Case Studies in Social Media Marketing for Sales 184 The PIs and the KPIs 185 Putting Metrics Around Sales 187 We Know What It Can Do; Now How Do We Do It? 190 Endnotes 191 Part III: Get Off Your Ass, Would Ya! Chapter 12: Remedy Your Fears with Sound Policy 193 Why Do We Need a Social Media Policy? 195 The Question of Ownership 198 What Can Employees Do at Home? 199 Telecommuting Is Not the Same as Personal Networking 200 What Should a Social Media Policy Include 200 What Should You Do About Privileged Information and Avoiding Giving Advice? 204 Trust Employees, but Not Everyone Should Speak for the Company 205 Who Should Enforce It? 205 Let's Be Clear on the Responsibility 207 What If People Spend Too Much Time on Social Media? 208 Endnotes 209 Chapter 13: Assign Responsibility and Be Accountable 211 The Question of Ownership 212 A Quick Review of the Pros and Cons 213 Marketing 213 Sales 214 Public Relations 214 Customer Service 215 Who Should Not Be in Charge 215 The Ideal Setup 216 Social Media Management Is for Senior Staff, Not Interns 217 Who Are the Ideal Social Media Practitioners? 218 What If Your Employee Becomes a Social Media Rock Star? 219 The Models of Social Media Management 221 Hold Your Team Accountable 223 Chapter 14: This Is NOT a Sandbox. It's a Business. 225 You Know What It Can Do, Now Decide What You Want It to Do 226 Done Is Better Than Perfect 228 Turn Your Plan into Action 229 Planning for the Unexpected 231 Sometimes You Can't Do It Alone 233 Endnotes 236 Chapter 15: Being Social 237 Being a Social Business Makes Customers Proud to Wear Your Badge 238 Social Media Marketing Is More Than Just Business 239 Five Kickstarters to Change a Traditional Mind-Set 241 Kickstarter No. 1--Hear, Then Listen 242 Kickstarter No. 2--Share, Then Solve 243 Kickstarter No. 3--Launch, Then Learn 243 Kickstarter No. 4--Trust, Then Adjust 244 Kickstarter No. 5--Give, Then Get 244 In the End, It's a Business 245 Endnotes 247 Index 249