The CMO's Social Media Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide for Leading Marketing Teams in the Social Media World

found that because Apple’s millions of customers used the products a great deal more than Apple could, they helped the company build up an incredible knowledge base of what worked, what didn’t, and what to do about it. The

This is why it’s so important to create content that users care about—which is usually content about them, not you—and to engage them with ongoing conversation

Putting creative control in the hands of fans

The three primary customer benefits of social media are self-expression and sharing oneself; making and connecting with friends; and getting attention.

But the greatest power of social isn’t talking at people, or even one-on-one dialogue. It is creating a space where people get value from access to each other; where they get to express themselves, make friends, and get attention.

very good litmus test to see if your brand is be-ing social is whether or not your program is encouraging conversations among and with your customers—in other words, generating new connections and a whole bunch of dialogue between customers, not just responses to your posts. This is how we build relationships and affect how customers think and feel.

believed then and still do today that in the long run, you can make more money by selling less and helping more.