Users, Not Customers: Who Really Determines The Success Of Your Business by Aaron Shapiro DATE: TUESDAY, Feb 28, 2011 TIME: 6:30 LOCATION: Hop In Brew Pub House (213 – 12th Avenue SW)* *We are attempting to contact the author to see if he will speak with us, via Skype. If we are successful in making these arrangements, we will have a different venue. ABOUT THE BOOK: If you’re still chasing customers online, you’re looking at the challenge backward. Aaron Shapiro helps companies build thriving digitally driven businesses. In his firm’s extensive study of the Fortune 1000, a clear pattern emerged: the most successful companies drive sales by focusing on users instead of just customers. This is a fundamental strategic shift. Rather than trying to get people to buy stuff online, these companies home in on the user experience. They’ve realized that building relationships between people and their brand has huge value, even if those users aren’t spending a dime on their products (yet). It’s no secret that Internet-based companies like Google and Facebook thrive by building their user base before turning to monetization. Shapiro’s big insight is that offline companies can successfully do the same, integrating offline products with an online presence and building platforms that create a lasting relationship between their brand and their users. Shapiro provides a strategic approach to refocusing your business in every way, from technology infrastructure and management to product design and marketing. Available at: Amazon | Chapters | iTunes