Return on Influence - Best Metric Ever

Chris Brogan and Julien Smith have put together a little manifesto regarding the uneasy silence between advertising and the rise of social networks. At the risk of sounding like a barnacle, I would wholeheartedly encourage you to take the time to read it - It’s all of 10 pages long, and one of those is the colophon, so you’ve got no excuse.

For those who can’t live without an executive summary, the central argument is on page 7:

Think about it like this: In a time of starvation, people hoard their food. These days, we are starved for time. That means it’s harder to get someone to try your service, or read your blog, or even have a conversation with you - all that takes attention we don’t even have.
You solve this by creating value before you need it. That imbalance helps people realize what you’ve given them, and it makes them want to give you more of their attention. If you use that wisely, you’re well on your way.

This is excellent, as is the decision to coin the phrase “Return on Influence” as the new metric for investment into social networking. The memetic potential is off the charts, and it comes at a time when companies are beginning to realize that their investment into social nets is both vital and more taxing than previously imagined. Brogan and Smith argue that the time spent developing relationships and adding value to the social sphere will yield a much higher return in the long run then making everyone a friend and bleating. Bleating appears inauthentic, intrusive, and generally useless.

Did I mention it was 10 (actually 9) pages? Go get a copy and give it to your boss.