Chasing the Long Tail
December 11th, 2006 by MarionRun. Don’t walk to buy The Long Tail by Chris Anderson. One of the benefits or miseries of working at GCI (depending on your perspective) is the GCI Book Club. Throughout the year the team reads business books and we discuss them as a group and hopefully the occasional passionate argument or knock ‘em, drag ‘em out fight will break out that means people are really engaged. The Long Tail has incited that type of reaction (no actual fights yet but I am hopeful).
No matter how you may feel about new media, The Long Tail is very well written by a very smart guy (editor of Wired). Anderson gives an extremely compelling overview of the disruption that has occurred in mass culture, through new media, the loss of traditional barriers to entry and the subsequent empowerment of individual creative types and microentrepreneurs.
December 14th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
I found you ! Tag–you’re it! Gimme an ipod!
xo
Lynne
December 14th, 2006 at 5:13 pm
Hi Marion - I agree. I’ve not yet read the Long Tail, but I’ve been a longtime subscriber to Chris Anderson’s blog (he’s in my rss feed). It’s been interesting to see what the feedback has been to the concept - which I generally agree with - and know there are at least two books being planned by separate authors in agreement/disagreement with Chris.
From what I understand - and again, I haven’t read the book - the Long Tail is really only a back-end phenomenon. Marketers who think the concept is going to generate front-end sales will likely be disappointed. Does that mean as PR professionals we should focus on what’s down the Long Tail? I think the answer will be, it depends.
December 14th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
Technology moves so fast … wonder what the next thing will be?… Bet he’s already working on the book for that one…
December 14th, 2006 at 6:25 pm
We are starting a GCI Read-Poland book club the beginning of the year. This book sounds interesting and shall add to our suggested read list-i love to watch fights break out!
Thanks for the tip.
-marla
December 14th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
This book is going like gangbusters. I know about five people reading it right now so people are running for it alright!
December 15th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
We need a book club in the chicago office…
December 16th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
No fighting please!
December 16th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
I found you too!! Question - do you have other reading recommendations? I would love to hear if you do.
Amanda
December 18th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
iPod me…
…and on the topic of books to read, I HIGHLY recommend “A Whole New Mind” by Daniel Pink. Should be required reading for all of us at GCI Group. More here: http://www.danpink.com/aboutwnm.php
December 19th, 2006 at 11:43 am
I’ll have to look into both of these books. I have a habit of reading 90% of my material online. As for “A Whole New Mind,” as a left-brainer, I better start exercising the right-side more often if I want to achieve world dominance…
December 19th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
We do a book club in the New York office - sounds like this would be an interesting choice for us.
Kelsea
December 19th, 2006 at 12:26 pm
I think it’s amazing you have time for a book club … admirable, but amazing.
December 19th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
I’m still waiting for the next book to start up in New York, but this could be a good candidate whenever it does!
December 19th, 2006 at 3:30 pm
Great reading suggestion. Hmm…we need a book club in the ATL.
Becky
December 21st, 2006 at 8:26 am
I’m only on Chapter 2 and already my husband and I are fighting for the one copy we have (and that copy isn’t even mine… thanks Sarah!!). So far, I’m finding it to be an extremely relevant and insightful read.
December 21st, 2006 at 2:06 pm
Wanted: Raffled Ipod
December 21st, 2006 at 4:44 pm
Always appreciate new recommendations, thanks!
December 21st, 2006 at 5:32 pm
Buzz! Me for a vPod!
The book sounds interesting…book clubs are fun *sigh* wish for more time to read
December 27th, 2006 at 5:28 pm
Great Stuff - IPod me too, eh!!
December 28th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Crossing my fingers for that iPod…
December 28th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
You’re a hard one to find - but i did it!!!
For people who run book clubs, here is another one to consider: The Loyalty Effect: The Hidden Force Behind Growth, Profits, and Lasting Value, by Fred Reichheld of Bain & Co.
Now gimme that iPod!
December 28th, 2006 at 6:07 pm
Matt-
I agree, let’s start a Chicago book club. I know Jim will be on board and have plenty of time to read whatever we assign:)
December 28th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
The Long Tail sounds great. I’ll look for it this weekend. I’m reading a book now called Word of Mouth Marketing by Andy Sernovitz. It’s designed to be a practical, hands-on guide to get happy customers talking about your company. This issue came up in a recent meeting, when the client realized they spend so much time appeasing unhappy customers, but they don’t do much to thank happy customers and get them to tell more people. The book provides good (although seemingly common sense) advice. Read more at www.wordofmouthbook.com or www.wordofmouthbook.com/blog.
January 2nd, 2007 at 8:53 am
Happy New Year! That’s a good idea to recommend books, tell us more!
We once had a “bookclub” here in Mannov, Århus, Denmark, buuut that was in the days of the Cluetrain Manifesto
so maybe it is time to wake it up now.
My best book-experience in 2006 was Jared Diamond’s “the third champanzee” - but that is more about being alive than about PR. Read that and understand much more of the world!!
(and yes - Ipods works in Denmark too :-)) Best regards Marianne
January 2nd, 2007 at 10:36 am
Sounds like a good read…thanks for the recommendation.
January 2nd, 2007 at 11:28 am
Happy New Year!
January 2nd, 2007 at 11:39 am
Yeah - I found you! We should discuss starting the book club for the Atlanta office.
January 2nd, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Count me in for the Atlanta book club… and an ipod too!
January 3rd, 2007 at 1:26 pm
True Professionalism by David H. Maister is another good read. It was a John Pyne recommendation.
January 3rd, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Thanks for the tip. I’ll have to get this from my library.
January 11th, 2007 at 7:20 am
Thank you colleagues for the idea of a book club and titles suggested.
But I’m afraid one of Paul & Marion’s vPods will have to be sent to Holland, because of the following idea:
Why don’t we make an rss feed on the GCI-wire site where we can publish all our reading tips (on- and offline) through the network. I’d subscribe, and contribute!