The impact equation: are you making things happen or just making noise?

Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, authors ofTrust Agents, are back withThe Impact Equationto show you how to make social media pay.

What can the IMPACT EQUATION do for you?

IMPACT = C × (R+E+A+T+E)

Contrast: Does your idea stand out?
Reach: How many people do you connect to?
Exposure: How often does your audience hear from you?
Articulation: Is your idea clear enough?
Trust: Do people believe you?
Echo: Does your idea connect to your audience?

When Chris Brogan and Julien Smith wrote their bestsellerTrust Agents, being interesting on the Web was enough to build an audience. Now everybody has a platform. But most of them are just making noise.

InThe Impact Equation, Brogan and Smith show that to make people truly care about what you have to say, you need more than just a good idea, trust among your audience, or a certain number of followers. You need a potent mix of all of the above - and more.

As traditional channels for marketing and selling disappear and more people interact mainly online, the very nature of attention is changing. Use the Impact Equation to figure out what you're doing right and wrong. Apply it to a blog, a tweet, a video, or a mainstream advertising campaign. Use it to explain why a feature in a national newspaper that reaches millions might have less impact than a blog post that reaches a thousand passionate subscribers.

The Impact Equationwill give you the tools to guarantee your message will be heard.

'Their advice on the importance of being able to write to make a splash online is solid...when it comes to building a brand online Brogan and Smith have been there and done that' -The Financial Times

Chris BroganandJulien Smithare consultants and speakers who have worked with Fortune 500 companies, including PepsiCo, General Motors, American Express, and Microsoft. They have been involved in online communities and blogging for more than fifteen years. Their first book,Trust Agents, was aNew York Timesbestseller.