I came across this very enticing video that was made to promote a book. Basically, if you watch the video, I think you will really want to buy the book.

Just like a movie trailer, it hooks you right in. But unlike with a movie, the end product is a different medium,and was produced by different people. Yet, it still works.

Johnny Bunko trailer from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

Writing the book has been a fun process, but it simply increased my itch to write a book for the local, South African market. And then, about a week or so ago, while speaking to Gino (over what felt like, and probably was, our twentieth cup of coffee) I decided that there is not time like the present. Luckily, Gino agreed and he is going to help me write it.

You’ve heard the saying that an idea is a dream without a deadline, right? Well, for me any project is just a dream if it doesn’t have a name. Give me the name, and everything else starts falling into place. So, last night, while writing the UK book, I got a lightbulb moment, and came up with the title of the SA book: Linked by Design.

I am very excited about this. As things stand, there is a great deal of misconception about how social media can best be used to further your brand online. It is mostly the very big players who are dabbling in it with some success, and we think that it is a platform that can serve anyone.

To that end, we are going to target and shape this book as a course or quick study in understanding the social media environment, and using it successfully to achieve certain business goals. I want to emphasize the “leveling of the playing field” and hope to encourage some innovative, creative and successful usage of the online space by South African companies.

But we want you to help. This is going to be a book like no other. Although it will be printed and sold throughout the bookshops, it will be laid-out as a print-out of a blog. We are going

• to have comments,
• related to links (pointing to online content or other pages in the book)
• contributions by people-in-the-know
• local case studies
• mini-interviews
• and yes, maybe even contextual ads.

It will be a challenge to lay it out correctly, in an easy-to-read manner, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Of course, we need your help. Although I am headlining the book with Gino, I want to promote as many social media experts as possible. We want to open up the opportunity that is the South African online landscape, and we invite you to join us.

There will certainly be wikis, where you will be able to post your thoughts and comments, or any other relevant content. Should we use it in the book, you will be fully attributed, of course. We are also looking for some contributors who would like to submit a three-four page case study on effective social media usage, based on their own experience.

The details are still being worked out. They will change a hundred and one times anyway. But you understand how that is acceptable in this environment ☺

I want to get cracking on this book as soon as the UK manuscript is finished, and I am focusing on a tight six weeks to get the draft manuscript finished.

If you would like to help Gino and me by contributing, commenting or simply giving suggestions, please join our Facebook group. We will initially communicate using that platform, and move onto wikis as soon as the outline of the book is finalized.