
never before seen which will alter every aspect of life, work, and play." November 1, 2009
–@clarashih
Read The Facebook Era if you want to...
The Facebook Era is a textbook for the Global Entrepreneurial Marketing course at Stanford University and new social media marketing course at Harvard Business School.
- Learn how social media is changing consumer psychology and behavior, and what the implications are for your marketing, sales, and HR strategies.
- Drive measurable outcomes using Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for customer acquisition, engagement, and loyalty.
- Understand important new concepts such as "transitive trust" and virality.
The Facebook Era is a textbook for the Global Entrepreneurial Marketing course at Stanford University and new social media marketing course at Harvard Business School.
Blog Posts [Archive]
Press Coverage of The Facebook Era

Excerpt from Book Introduction
It was the spring of 2007. Two older men, clearly regulars, sat in the back corner, lanky arms hanging out of wifebeaters, cigarettes dangling out one side of their mouth and toothpicks out the other. They were gesturing animatedly, chattering away in loud Cantonese about this and that. I tuned them out to focus on my steaming bowl of wonton soup. Just then, I heard them just barely: “blah blah blah Facebook.” I sat up to listen. I had not been mistaken—these two men slurping down their congee at an anonymous diner tucked away in a corner of Hong Kong where foreigners never go, were talking about Facebook. Their children who were abroad got them into it, and now they were hooked. I was floored. In that moment, I realized that Facebook had gone mainstream and there was no turning back.
That night, I sketched out the idea for bringing Facebook to business. At work, I'd spent time on sales calls and saw that the most successful reps established immediate rapport with prospects. In my personal life, I had found that using Facebook helped me establish faster rapport with people I'd just met and maintain closer relationships with friends. I decided to bring Facebook to CRM.
With my friend Todd’s help, I developed Faceforce (now Faceconnector), which brings Facebook friend information into Salesforce CRM. Instead of cold calling, sales reps could get to know the person behind the name, and get warm introductions from mutual friends. Our idea— bringing the power of personal networks to business— was a simple one, but changed the world.
It was the spring of 2007. Two older men, clearly regulars, sat in the back corner, lanky arms hanging out of wifebeaters, cigarettes dangling out one side of their mouth and toothpicks out the other. They were gesturing animatedly, chattering away in loud Cantonese about this and that. I tuned them out to focus on my steaming bowl of wonton soup. Just then, I heard them just barely: “blah blah blah Facebook.” I sat up to listen. I had not been mistaken—these two men slurping down their congee at an anonymous diner tucked away in a corner of Hong Kong where foreigners never go, were talking about Facebook. Their children who were abroad got them into it, and now they were hooked. I was floored. In that moment, I realized that Facebook had gone mainstream and there was no turning back.
That night, I sketched out the idea for bringing Facebook to business. At work, I'd spent time on sales calls and saw that the most successful reps established immediate rapport with prospects. In my personal life, I had found that using Facebook helped me establish faster rapport with people I'd just met and maintain closer relationships with friends. I decided to bring Facebook to CRM.
With my friend Todd’s help, I developed Faceforce (now Faceconnector), which brings Facebook friend information into Salesforce CRM. Instead of cold calling, sales reps could get to know the person behind the name, and get warm introductions from mutual friends. Our idea— bringing the power of personal networks to business— was a simple one, but changed the world.
QUICK LINKS
Table of Contents
Foreword by Marc Benioff
Chapter 4: "Sales in the Facebook Era"
The Social Business Imperative [SEQUEL]
Follow Clara on Twitter
Follow Clara on LinkedIn

“This book recognizes that we’ve come to a place where people can represent their real identity--both personal and professional--and use the social filters on the Web to connect with the world around them.”
--Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook
Table of Contents
Foreword by Marc Benioff
Chapter 4: "Sales in the Facebook Era"
The Social Business Imperative [SEQUEL]
Follow Clara on Twitter
Follow Clara on LinkedIn

“This book recognizes that we’ve come to a place where people can represent their real identity--both personal and professional--and use the social filters on the Web to connect with the world around them.”
--Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook
Select Media & Keynote Appearances
Highlight Reel– Clara Shih
McKinsey Expert Series: Customer
Experience is King
Masters of Scale: Be a Painkiller AND a
Vitamin
Women in Product: Your
Leadership Superpower
Hearsay Summit: Omnichannel
Customer Journey
Executive Marketing Summit: Fireside
Chat (2013)
Sequoia Seven Questions with Clara Shih
The Conference Board Keynote (2010)
CNBC Squawk Box: Social Media 101 for CEOs