The Age of Conversation is here!

Today is the day. The Age of Conversation, a groundbreaking collaboration between over 100 writers across the world, is now available for sale here.

From the store:

In what began as a half dare, the editors, Gavin Heaton and Drew McLellan challenged bloggers around the world to contribute one page — 400 words — on the topic of “conversation”. The resulting book, The Age of Conversation, brings together over 100 of the world’s leading marketers, writers, thinkers and creative innovators in a ground-breaking and unusual publication. And in the spirit of conversation, you can follow-up and extend your interest in the topics covered in the book at the Age of Conversation blog — www.ageofconversation.com.

All the proceeds from the sale of this book (less printing and shipping) go to Variety, the Children’s Charity. We thank you for supporting this initiative with your purchase.

The fact that this book even exists is a testament to the power of social media. Drew and Gavin came up with the idea on a lark in the comments of Drew's blog, and a few weeks later, they had brought on over 100 fellow authors and thought leaders from around the world. And not just writers, but bloggers and marketers and creative thinkers that are actually using these amazing tools and participating in these online communities. People that have leveraged the power of social media to carve out a level of respect and authority for themselves in record time. People that know the power of this Age of Conversation that we have entered, and are going to show you have to master it as well.

Social media is a game-changer. Blogs, podcasts, wikis, and messaging services such as Twitter and Pownce give everyone a much greater ability to find, share, and spread their voices. The flow and control of information has suddenly been shoved violently in the direction of the community. The smart companies are the ones that are today exploring ways that they can join this community, so that they don't face irrelevance tomorrow.

Here is an excerpt from my chapter, entitled 'Breaking Marketing Barriers from the Top of a Harley':

The problem is that in many cases there are two communities; the company, and its customers. Each community has its own wants and needs, and its own way of talking to each other. As a result, neither group really understands or trusts the other.

But when a company makes an effort to join its customers in its space, that barrier begins to fall. The ideas and language of the company begins to seep into the customers’ space. Likewise, the thoughts and opinions of the customers start to become understood by the company, and shape its marketing messages. Slowly, the line that divides a company from its customers begins to disappear.

The Age of Conversation's cover is designed by David Armano, and all proceeds from the book benefit Variety, the Children's Charity. The Age of Conversation is dedicated to the memory of Sandra Johnson Kerley.

Here is some information on Variety:

Variety the Children's Charity is dedicated to promoting and protecting the health and well-being of children around the world. Through our network of 50 Tents (or Chapters) in 14 counties, Variety reaches into communities across the globe to offer financial assistance and services to children and organizations that serve children with special needs. Through hard work, thoughtful stewardship, and single-minded focus on the needs of the young, Variety strives to make a lasting difference in the lives of children, their families, our communities, and the world...one need at a time.

I am extremely touched and honored to be a part of this project, and thank Drew and Gavin for spearheading it. By purchasing The Age of Conversation, you will not only receive invaluable insights from some of the world's top marketing and creative thought leaders, but you'll also know that you are helping to save and better the lives of children worldwide. Again, all proceeds from the sale of The Age of Conversation, minus printing and shipping, go straight to Variety.

Here is the all-star lineup of authors for The Age of Conversation:


Gavin Heaton
Drew McLellan
CK
Valeria Maltoni
Emily Reed
Katie Chatfield
Greg Verdino
Mack Collier
Lewis Green
Sacrum
Ann Handley
Mike Sansone
Paul McEnany
Roger von Oech
Anna Farmery
David Armano
Bob Glaza
Mark Goren
Matt Dickman
Scott Monty
Richard Huntington
Cam Beck
David Reich
Luc Debaisieux
Sean Howard
Tim Jackson
Patrick Schaber
Roberta Rosenberg
Uwe Hook
Tony D. Clark
Todd Andrlik
Toby Bloomberg
Steve Woodruff
Steve Bannister
Steve Roesler
Stanley Johnson
Spike Jones
Nathan Snell
Simon Payn
Ryan Rasmussen
Ron Shevlin
Roger Anderson
Robert Hruzek
Rishi Desai
Phil Gerbyshak
Peter Corbett
Pete Deutschman
Nick Rice
Nick Wright
Michael Morton
Mark Earls
Mark Blair
Mario Vellandi
Lori Magno
Kristin Gorski
Kris Hoet
G. Kofi Annan
Kimberly Dawn Wells
Karl Long
Julie Fleischer
Jordan Behan
John La Grou
Joe Raasch
Jim Kukral
Jessica Hagy
Janet Green
Jamey Shiels
Dr. Graham Hill
Gia Facchini
Geert Desager
Gaurav Mishra
Gary Schoeniger
Gareth Kay
Faris Yakob
Emily Clasper
Ed Cotton
Dustin Jacobsen
Tom Clifford
David Polinchock
David Koopmans
David Brazeal
David Berkowitz
Carolyn Manning
C.B. Whittemore
Craig Wilson
Cord Silverstein
Connie Reece
Colin McKay
Chris Newlan
Chris Corrigan
Cedric Giorgi
Brian Reich
Becky Carroll
Arun Rajagopal
Andy Nulman
Amy Jussel
AJ James
Kim Klaver
Sandy Renshaw
Susan Bird
Ryan Barrett
Troy Worman
S. Neil Vineberg

You can purchase The Age of Conversation here, or by clicking the logo above.

UPDATE: Google Blog Search already has over 5,000 results for the term "Age of Conversation".

Nother UPDATE: MediaPost has an article on the project.

Yet another UPDATE: The Age of Conversation is now TechMeme's top story.

Tags:The Viral Garden, Marketing, Age of Conversation


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