I Launched a Facebook Application

I can already hear you yawning. But, as an online marketing guy, I need to know more about the moving parts of this social strategy.

Plus, I had an idea that needed to be implemented. I'm actually very proud of it.

I want to start by talk about what I'm learning, not what the application does. Bear with me (or scroll down) to learn what the application is about.

My Un-Facebook Application

Those who have implemented successful Facebook applications will tell me that I've already committed a couple of enormous errors that will doom the application to failure.

First, I'm not interested in understanding an advertising business model, so we aren't looking for advertisers nor are we displaying any advertising. We expect the application to be self-funded based on affiliate fees.

Second, I want the content to be the reason people tell others, not that they forgot to click "Skip" when asked to invite all of their friends. So, we aren't going to ask you to share with your friends. We want you to share it with all of your friends, so we better have some damn good content.

Yes, we may be doomed.

But comments by Zuckerberg at the SXSW conference and sources like Allfacebook are hinting that this strategy may actually work in our favor. We keep the SPAM down.

Other than that, we're a mashup application that relies on the contributions of users to create the content and spread the word.

Selling My Facebook Application

I have to admit that, despite all of my supposed marketing genius, I find it difficult to know how to coordinate my marketing approach. There are many ways to spread the word.

What would you do?

The Application

OK, so here's the skinny on the application.

It's called BookLobby. Please install it now and give it a whirl.

BookLobby makes it easy for you to send a book of your choosing to an elected official or politician of your choosing complete with your commentary. Will the politician read it? Well, his staff might. They're more likely to read it than any form email you send.

What's more important is what Facebook brings to the picture. Your commentary becomes part of the public conversation fueled by the social machinery of a major social network. It's power politics from the ground up, and I'm very excited.

You can read more about the booklobbies over at the BookLobby Blog. I'll try to limit my commentary on Customer Chaos to what I'm learning about marketing a Facebook application.