Marketer addresses social networking for businesses issues

Posted by Elena del Valle on June 26, 2009

The Whuffie Factor book cover

While millions of people have online profiles and are active in well known social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, reaping measurable advantages from the profiles does not necessarily follow. Some companies and individuals are convinced these networks are the future and that for those who know what to do and how to do it all the coveted goals will become a reality. As the social networking craze continues a wave of new experts is stepping up to the plate to share their insights with amateurs who want to build a business, develop their presence online or generate business benefits.

In The Whuffie Factor Using the Power of Social Networks to Build Your Business (Crown Business, $25), a 312-page hardcover book published in 2009, Tara Hunt, who has spent the past 15 years participating in or building online communities addresses how-to and best practices issues. She titled the book for the word “whuffie” which refers to the social capital of a person based on his or her actions and contributions to a community and what other people think of him or her.

The book is divided into 10 chapters: How to Be a Social Capitalist, The Power of Community Marketing, Turn the Bullhorn Around and Create Continuous Conversations with Customers, Building Whuffie by Listening to and Integrating Feedback, Become Part of the Community You Serve, Depositing into and Withdrawing from Your Whuffie Account, Be Notable: Eleven Ways to Create Amazing Customer Experiences, Embrace the Chaos, Find Your Higher Purpose, and Whuffie IRL.

Hunt, also known as Miss Rogue, co-founded Citizen Agency, a San Francisco community marketing consulting firm. She now leads the marketing efforts of Intuit’s partner platform.