Announcing Twitterville--My Next Book.

It is with excitement that I announce that I'm writing a new book, Twitterville--How Business can Thrive in the new Global Neighborhoods. Charlene Li will be writing the Foreword and Chris Brogan will author a guest chapter on Twitter tools. My publisher is Portfolio, a respected Penguin Books, imprint. I start writing later today.

Like Naked Conversations, Twitterville is primarily a business book. It is filled with examples of how people in all sizes and kinds of business are using Twitter to thrive in these tough times. It explains how Twitter and social media shine some light to the exit from the current economic tunnel. These are times of enormous constraint. History shows us that constraints always lead to fundamental change. Old ways die and new ways emerge and thrive. Twitterville argues that in these tough times, certain business practices--those that have become bloated, inefficient and ineffective will fall by the wayside only to be replaced by newer, better ways. New, cheaper, faster technologies almost always replaces ones that have become frayed by modern times.

Picking up on a theme of Naked Conversations, Twitterville argues that we have already entered into a new Conversational Era, one that is replacing the old Broadcast Era, whose approach is simply too costly and ineffective. This has been going on for a while, but now, businesses wishing to survive these tough times, wise businesses will accelerate their migration to social media. Their second choice is to take a one-way trip to Jurassic Park to join other fossils who could not meet challenges for change in their times.

Twitterville champions all social media and recommends that businesses choose the right combinations of tools that are now in the vast social media arsenal. But it points to Twitter as a tool that almost no company should overlook. Why? Because it is the most intimate of social media tools. It lets people in business get closer with customers, partners and other ecosystem members. It is fast, inexpensive, the barriers to entry are close to non existent and the community is quick to forgive and forgive minor gaffes to new Twitterville community members. 

Most important, Twitter, lets people behave online almost exactly how they behave in real life. Conversations often start on everyday subjects--as they do in real life. Two people chat about weather, sports, movies and yes, what they had for dinner. Over time they get to trust and understand each other. They begin to recommend to each other items to buy, watch, listen to or visit. They influence each other in ways that no advertisement can compete with. These simple, frequent conversations dwarf the influence of a newspaper ad.

I call it Twitterville, because it has the feel of a small town, a place where neighbors know each other by name and reputation, help each other through a sense of community a place where the greatest influence is achieve, not by a branding budget, but the contributions made to the community.

But Twitterville may be the world's largest and fastest growing small town. There are at least 3.5 million people there and it is growing faster than any megalopolis in the real world. The people of Twitterville come from scores of countries and speak many languages. Yet it remains a small town. Twitterville resides only in cyberspace, where geography is almost irrelevant. The space is virtual, but the relationships being formed their are real and powerful and have already begun to reshape businesses.

Twitterville is primarily a business book. It looks at more than a score of examples of people in global enterprises and in home offices; people in retail, service, emergency preparedness; candidates and shows how they are using the small town, personal, transparent little teaspoonfuls of conversation to transform their businesses even in these tough times. They may not be thriving today, but as times get better, as businesses get closer to the inevitable light at the end of the tunnel, they will be in a better position to thrive than entities that fail to meet the urgent challenges of change that these tough times require.

Writing this book will be my fulltime endeavor for the next few months. This book needs to get out fast. I am hoping that you will help me as much as the blogosphere helped Scoble and me to write Naked Conversations. I'll be talking about this book here and on Twitter a great deal. I want your feedback. I want you to tell me what works and what sucks. Mostly I want you to share with me great examples of businesses and organizations who are using Twitter in innovative and effective ways.

Because of the focus necessary, I am tabling two other projects for the next few months. The Social Media Global Report's weekly interviews will be put on hold until after the book is written. I will keep paying attention to China, but as of today, I will be writing about it less. I expect to return to both in the Spring, after this book is completed.

I look forward to hearing your comments and ideas.

Comments

[Kristie Wells]

Congrats on securing the book deal Shel!

[Alan Weinkrantz]

Shel, If Twitterville is as good as Naked Conversations, I will again offer a money back guarantee as I did many moons ago.

Good luck on the writing. I am sure it will be great stuff.

I am making lots of real life friends in San Antonio where I live in our own Twitterville. We have a thriving community of Social Media people and we even connect with the Austin community.

All great stuff.

[Veronica Wei Sopher]

"This book needs to get out fast." I couldn't agree more. Congrats on the book deal and thanks for writing. Can't wait to read it!

[JR Moreau]

I can't wait until this comes out! I know SO many businesses value Twitter's content. It's amazing how trends evolve in social media and such.

[Yael Beeri]

That's wonderful! Indeed the relationships are real and business is being made there, every day. Will be on the lookout for the book, the perfect gift for so many. Good luck.

[Sampad Swain]

Congrats!

Would be looking forward on how it shapes up. Please keep on updating about it.

---
Sampad

[Twinkie R.]

I look forward to your new endeavor. I wish you much continued success.

Twinkie R.
Writer

[Kyle]

Shel, this is great and needed, looking forward to helping out. Certainly have plenty of info on how a start-up tech company uses Twitter to engage a community and win business :)

Kyle

[shel Israel]

Alan,
So good to hear from you. It has been a while. Did you ever have to refund someone their money for Naked Conversations?

[shel Israel]

Kyle, I have lots of room for good stories about startups using Twitter. Please email me: shelisrael1@gmail.com

[Michael Barber]

Shel...Congrats and I look forward to reading the book. I would encourage you to reach out to twitter users who have had personal experiences with businesses on twitter. It will help business people understand the value, personalization and brand connection that twitter provides.

[Bob LeDrew]

Excellent news! I have no doubt that it will be as great a read and as valuable a resource as Naked Conversations.

[Connie Reece]

Congrats on the book contract - so happy for you. Let me know how I can help. Have to be sure the senior citizens of Twitterville are well represented.

[shel Israel]

Connie, Thanks. You will be in the book. I will be writing the Susan Reynolds story of which you play a major role. But if you have more good stories I'd like to hear them--unlss they involve a pink boa.

[Melany Gallant]

Congratulations! Looking forward to the read. :)

[Gillian Brouse]

Congrats! A suggestion -- a cool business applications would be recruiting. It is only being used haphazardly now for this purpose (eg. my buddy at company x is looking for a web developer), and I think companies should create job streams, separate twitter accounts, to engage with prospective employees... Lots of opportunities to refine this idea with great results.

[shel Israel]

Gillian,
I would love to write about Twitter being used for recruiting. The book will report on wht businesses are doing rather than have me pontificate on what they SHOULD do. So if you find me a case study, I would be very grateful.

[Elliott Ng]

Shel, I'm glad things worked out for Twitterville and I think the focus on how new media and Twitter can help companies and individuals succeed in difficult times represents a much needed handbook for all of us.

UpTake is building up 5 blogs to support our core travel search business and have almost exclusively recruited bloggers and lead editors through Twitter. In fact, my rule is that if the person isn't on Twitter I'm not really that interested in hiring them. :) Reason is that blogging is about making your voice heard and involvement in Twitter indicates who gets it and who doesn't.

Anyway, best of luck, and I'd be happy to help you keep the China flame alive if I can during this period.

[BL Ochman]

Wonderful news Shel! Congratulations. I look forward to your book and am sure it will be great.

And I'll be happy to help in any way. Got lots of examples for you.

[Geoff Livingston]

Way to go, Shel. I can't wait to read it. This is big!

[Melanie Notkin]

Shel,
You and I met on Twitter, as you know. I think we started connecting when I introduced you to @breakingnewson when that terrible earthquake happened in China. We had lots of great back and forth and you even helped me reach some people at Disney.

That was March when I was first getting active on Twitter. Now I have close to 3000 Follows and can honestly say that without the support of Twitterville- including people like you - SavvyAuntie.com would not be the success it is.

So good luck with your book. Let me know if or how I can help. And of course I am looking forward to ordering an autographed edition the day it is published!

[shel Israel]

Elliott,

Thanks for your role in the China 2.0 tour. Trust me the flame will not die out. As I commented earlier, I am very interested in Twitter & recruiting, so Uptake might have just made it into the book. I'm also very interested in Twitter usage in China, if you can help there.

[shel Israel]

Melanie, Of course I remember you, Savvy Auntie. Can you email me more about how Twitter has helped you in business. Maybe it will fit into the Twitterville book. shelisrael1@gmail.com

[John Cass]

Hi Shel, sounds like a great book, and I am glad you will be writing it, as you will bring your talent for story telling to the table. Check in with Jim at Rubbermaid, I think he has a great case study on twitter.

[David Brodie]

Shel - great idea for a book although you certainly will need to move fast given how quickly Twitter and other social networks are evolving.

I think one of the most interesting things about Twitter at this point is that although the over all audience is still quite small, the community is over represented amongst journalists, bloggers and public relations professionals and because of that has already had an impact on mainstream media. It is a tool that has enormous value for anyone involved in any aspect of the news business.

[David Brodie]

Also I have some great examples of Twitters impact on politics in Canada if you would like.

[Brian Bailey]

That's wonderful news, Shel! Congratulations! I have no doubt that it will be fantastic.

[shel Israel]

BL, Love to hear your examples. Please email me at shelisrael1@gmail.com

[Fran_Magbual]

Sounds like it's going to be a great book. You have a whole Twitter community waiting to read it!

[Budi Putra]

Just sharing my social networking manifesto:

"Facebook is a hall, Twitter is a corner of coffee shop."

http://twitter.com/budip/status/1012660887

[andrew]

sounds like this wont sell many copies. i can't think of dumber idea.

[shel Israel]

Thnks for the really constructive advice, Andrew. So why don't you have the cajones to use your full name?

[Ari Herzog]

Mazel Tov, Shel! If there's any way I can help out, please let me know.

You may enjoy seeing a series of tweets I made about Twitterville, especially the few near the bottom: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=ariherzog+twitterville

[Justin Thorp]

Shel, congrats!!! That's so exciting. The book is definitely needed. I can't wait to read it.

Let me know when it goes up on Amazon for pre-order. I'll be first in line to buy my copies. :-)

[Betsy A]

Hah, I heard about your new book, of all things, on Twitter (Hugh McLeod tweeted about it and I was of course curious!)

It sounds awesome so keep us posted! Let me know if you ever come back to rainy Seattle for a signing or whatnot.

Cheers,

Betsy

[Mary Flaherty]

Hurrah! I'm looking forward to reading. I'm constantly looking for case studies of professional services firms using social media. Will happily share any I come across.

[iGoByDoc]

Shel,

I look forward to reading this book... Great idea!

- Doc

[Igor The Troll]

Shel, excellent choice of subject.

Social Media is very important aspect of our society, not just for businesses but for everyone.

I agree with you that it is all centered around Twitter!

It is like this little park where we go to meet others that we may or not have met some place else, on the Net and in physical space.

A place to say, what's up!

Here is an interesting phrase for your book.

"Twitter water cooler" Hang out there long enough, and you never know what you will accomplish!

[Lucretia Pruitt]

Congrats Shel!! You know you will always be in my Twitterville!
:)

~geekmommy

[Damien Mulley]

Absolutely thrilled for you Shel. Well done! Look forward to the book.

[David Meerman Scott]

Good luck Shel. I know what it is like to start a new book (I'm working on number 5 now). But it sounds like an excellent idea and one that needs to be told.

[Jim Minatel]

Congrats and best wishes Shel. Looks like I'll have to buy this one.

[shel Israel]

Jim Minatel,

In your case, I';; give you an autographed copy in a fashionable steak house on the Valentine's Day of your choice. That would be a small thanks to what you contributed to Naked Conversations as my Acquisitions Editor.

[Nicole Simon]

@Shel congrats! :) I'd be happy to give an insight about the usual language / internationalization barriers.

@david I have to disagree. Having just finished my german book on twitter I have done some research over the last months and was quite surprised to see the uptage outside of the echo chamber. Somebody said it is like "businesses want to manage this stuff fast because they missed out on blogging".

Also there _is_ a difference in how this affects business and personal communication style. While it may not be limited to twitter in the business sense, but more being about microblogging per se (until twitter implements a kind of corporate solution), I do not think that this will go away fast, but has a bigger potential to shake things up than blogs had.

Simple example: Being a ceo blogger is time consuming and not really sexy to do. Being a ceo twitterer on the other side is way easier with better results. And the list goes on. :)

ciao
Nicole

[Benito Castro]

Don´t forget the Spanish edition. Best.

[Michelle]

This is very timely. Will you cover government uses as well? Would be very helpful to see case studies of how government agencies can use Twitter. Quite a few have begun to experiment with it judging by all the follwers I see on the usagov twitter page.