Brains on Fire: Igniting Powerful, Sustainable Word of Mouth Movements

Introduction

IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE, STUPID

Technology is a trap. A crutch. The shiny new object in the room. And while many people think it could be the answer to their prayers, we guarantee that it could also be your biggest detriment. A lot of companies that concentrate all their efforts in the area of technology seem to take the human element out of the equation. But the focus of business is not—and never should be—technology. Rather, it always has been, and always will be, about people. Living, breathing human beings with hopes and dreams, pet peeves, and a whole bunch of emotional baggage.

You will quickly discover that there are no social media how–tos in this book. There are no Twitter strategies, Facebook doodads, or MySpace thingamajigs. Sure, we'll touch on how technology can be used to create long-term, sustainable, profitable movements, but if you're looking for something completely technology-focused, then put down this book and go pick up the latest issue of Wired.

You should also know that while there is a company out there in the world named Brains on Fire, this book isn't named after it. Nothing is named after our company. Brains on Fire is named after what we do—ignite the passion within employees and customers—which is really where brains on fire happen. This book is therefore a celebration and tribute to the courage, vision, and enthusiasm of those companies and organizations ...