"Juliette Powell has provided a timely crash course on how to leverage your business's online presence. A must-read for any aspiring entrepreneur, activist, brand manager, or c-level executive."
-Jeffrey Stewart, Serial Technology Entrepreneur; Founder, Mimeo, Urgent Career, and Monitor110
"Reading Juliette Powell's book is like perusing the secret trade documents of the most connected social butterfly. Upon first meeting Juliette, she immediately grabbed me by the arm and introduced me to the most important person in the room. When you pick up her book, it's the same experience. She reaches through the pages and gives the reader entry to the halls of power through online networking."
-Amy Shuster, Editorial Producer, MSNBC
"Juliette knows her way around a social network; she regales us with tales and practical advice from the plastic porous mediascape of today."
-David Thorpe, Global Director of Innovation, Ogilvy & Mather
"If you are in business or starting one, and wonder what the heck all this talk about social networking is about, this book is the best quick guide I've seen. It's full of juicy stories, backed up by sound social science, lucidly explained."
-Howard Rheingold, Author, Smartmobs; Professor, Stanford and Berkeley
"The exciting new world of online social networking is demonstrating the profound power of these truths to change the very fabric of society as we know it. Our interactions, relationships, and values are changing faster than most of us can comprehend. For some, the pace of this change is alarming. For others it is empowering. In 33 Million People in the Room Juliette Powell takes us on a funfilled tour of this rapidly changing hypo-manic digital ecosystem simultaneously providing both practical advice and an insightful commentary on the increasing importance of authenticity in modern culture. Along the way we meet a hilarious cast of characters and gain a behind-the-scenes glimpse into real social networking success stories showing how to leverage the power of this modern phenomenon to achieve meaningful social and economic results for you and your business."
-Michael Spencer, CTO, ASMALLWORLD
"Juliette Powell has captured the strength, excitement, and opportunity of social networks in this compelling work. Opening with an arresting saga about Chris Anderson's debut as the new TED owner, she deftly sketches vignette after vignette that will have you thinking-why not me? Social networking power is awesome for those who have experienced it-but most people remain skeptical, guarded, and untrusting. Give up control? All control? Well, as she explains-YES! I've tried it, using six hundred fifty 'coauthors' to write a book-a book no one could have written, but to which 'everyone' could contribute. It was hard, very hard at first, to relinquish control, just as Powell describes. But the benefits she outlines are real. Try it-you'll see!"
-Chuck House, Executive Director, Media X, Stanford University
"Digital society is all about expanding and energizing connections between people and ideas in ways we are just starting to understand. 33 Million People in the Room shares the perspective of an insider and shows us how business, entertainment, and politics all connect in the brave new world of social networking."
-Kenny Miller, Creative Director and EVP, MTV Network Global Digital Media
"If you thought social networks were just for kids, or geeks, or simply too frivolous for your time, then think again. Juliette Powell reveals the power of connections, the strategies to gain audience and the best practices to build community in this brisk-paced canter through the new tools and techniques for doing business. It's jargon-free and an easy read for those who have never dipped a toe in the water, but even experienced networkers will find wisdom in its pages. Real-world examples make a compelling case for her notion that social capital makes sound business sense and when successfully established can translate into capital in the bank."
-Paul Brannan, Deputy Editor, News Interactive, BBC
"Juliette Powell has written a book that will advance your understanding of social networking whether you're a nerd, Luddite, a savvy teen blogger, or, most importantly, a business person trying to gain an edge by embracing the latest Internet phenomenon."
-Joel Dreyfuss, Editor in Chief, Red Herring magazine
"Juliette Powell's book 33 Million People in the Room is the perfect book for the class. Powell understands that social networking is the best way to find like-minded people online, either to pursue an interest, reach a particular goal, create or grow a business, or just to help establish a sense of community among people online and beyond. Bravo Prof. Powell for a job well done!"
-Bill Sobel, Sobel Media, NY:MIEG, www.nymieg.org
"Juliette Powell has brilliantly answered in rich dimensions why you should be deeply involved in this new communications fabric. Through vignettes with the true leaders of this revolution, Juliette has set forth all the energy and steam you need for your boilers to get going and enter the room."
-Chris Brogan, Business Advisor, chrisbrogan.com
"Juliette Powell has delivered a wonderfully succinct snapshot for embracing social computing as a way of doing business, not just the latest technology trend. Whether you are new to making connections online or are a social computing technology veteran, Juliette encapsulates the themes, concepts, and ideas that are most relevant for anyone in business interested in working in or exploring social computing."
-Jeffrey Dachis, Cofounder, Razorfish, Inc.; Cofounder, Senior Partner Bond Art & Science; Chairman, Producers Guild of America New Media Council
"Social networking is just not for breakfast anymore. 33 Million People in the Room demonstrates how it transcends marketing and promotion, connecting people and companies in ways none of us dared dream. Thanks to Juliettte for putting this in perspective, and to social networks for so many of my restless nights."
-David Blumenstein, Cofounder, The Hatchery
"Juliette Powell puts a human face on the social changes being wrought online, whether describing new tools like MySpace and Facebook, or key concepts like viral communication and social capital."
-Clay Shirky, Adjunct Professor, NYU's Graduate Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP); Author, Here Comes Everybody
"We all recognize that social networking and the technologies of connection and collaboration are an enormous phenomenon. But what do they mean? How can they, how will they be used to create social and economic value? Drawing on her own experience and on the insights of The Gathering Think Tank, Juliette Powell has developed a powerful set of answers to those critical questions. Full of clear explanations, helpful examples, and accessible advice, 33 Million People in the Room is an important tool for managers and citizens alike-a sourcebook for the next economy."
-Lawrence Wilkinson, Cofounder and Vice Chair, Oxygen Media; Cofounder and President, Global Business Network; Cofounder and Chair, Heminge & Condell
"Juliette has done a terrific job of capturing the power of and the opportunities presented by social networks. Whether you are looking to maximize the impact of 'You Inc' or a global company, there are important lessons in this book. Things have changed, again, and this book will help you capitalize on it."
-Doug Zingale, General Manager of Strategic Partnerships, Zune, Microsoft Corporation
Social networks are no fad. They're a permanent reality: one that offers immense opportunities to smart, innovative businesses. Now, top social networking consultant Juliette Powell reveals how dozens of innovators are driving real ROI through
social networks-and how you can, too.
Powell's wide-ranging research, including coverage on Barack Obama's successful online strategy in his bid for the presidency, focuses on technology, media and gaming companies, leaders in fashion, beauty, publishing, finance, retail, event planning, and beyond. These powerful narratives illuminate the reality of doing business on today's social networks as never before. Through them, Powell introduces new best practices, shows how to avoid crucial pitfalls, and helps you prepare for the newest trends in online social networking.
Drawing on the latest research, Powell connects the dots, uncovering the human dynamics and patterns that consistently underlie successful social networking initiatives. Along the way, she offers practical tools and advice for optimizing every stage of your own social networking initiative-from planning through measurement, and beyond.
Getting on, getting started, and making social networks work for you
Defining and implementing your optimal social networking strategy
Leveraging the amazing power of the microcelebrity
Achieving worldwide impact in the niche that matters to you
Transforming social and cultural capital into financial capital
Be generous, build your trusted personal network-and discover all you get in return
Profiting from the knowledge you never knew you had
Opening your organization's own social networking channels- inside and out
Juliette Powell is a social media expert and Founder of The Gathering Think Tank, Inc. (http://www.thegatheringwebsite.com), an innovation forum that connects technology, media, entertainment, and business communities.
Her decade long career began as a teenager, working in live broadcast television and naturally expanded into interactive/new media content and formats, bolstered by a lifelong interest in people and community-building.
With her deep knowledge of the people and technologies at the forefront of social media, Powell, a serial entrepreneur, has gained a solid reputation for discovering the latest developments and distilling their social and business implications. Her consulting services have been employed by corporate, government, and new media organizations, including Red Bull, Mozilla, Microsoft, Compaq, Trump International, Nokia, the United Nations, the Department of Justice, Paltalk, and Rocketboom.
She has served as a guest speaker at MIT's Innovation Forum, NYU's Interactive Technology Program, and the Producer's Guild of America's New Media Council. She has also assisted in the production of the world-renowned Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED) Conference. Powell began her career as a television host, producer, and founder of Powell International Entertainment, Inc. (PIE, Inc.), an integrated media production and development company that produced special reports with newsmakers such as Nelson Mandela, Prince Charles, Sir Richard Branson, Steven Spielberg, and Tom Cruise. She also worked on projects with The Biography Channel, Women's Entertainment Television, E! Entertainment Television, Cirque du Soleil, and Bravo. Most recently, Powell created Canada's first cross-platform interactive show designed for TV, Internet, radio, and mobile applications.
Juliette is a dual citizen who lives in Manhattan, NY and maintains a residence in Montreal, Canada.
For more information about the author, visit juliettepowell.com
Chapter 1 The Power of Social Networks 2
Chapter 2 Getting On and Getting Started 16
Chapter 3 Making Social Networks Work for You 30
Chapter 4 The Strength of the Microcelebrity 42
Chapter 5 The Need for Authenticity 52
Chapter 6 The Feedback Loop 62
Chapter 7 Social Capital ?Cultural Capital?Financial Capital 74
Chapter 8 Virality and Communities: Opportunities in Distribution 86
Chapter 9 Crowdsourcing and Cocreating: Opportunities in Production 100
Chapter 10 Opening the Channels, Inside and Out: Opportunities in Communication 112
Chapter 11 Success Is Where You Find It 122
Glossary 132
Index 142
