Years ago, Seth Godin published a short ebook via his blog entitled "Flipping the Funnel".  Godin's words of wisdom came back to me this week after I experienced the harsh realities of what occurs when Social Marketing brainstorming collides with the human-propensity to fight change and avoid the slightest risk or failure. 

By nature, we have a propensity to maintain a high level of comfort and continue to operate in established patterns.  However, in terms of social marketing, online marketing and the utilization of social media, no organization can afford to maintain the "status-quo".  Electronic communications and marketing weapons are continuously evolving and those organizations that take a "wait-and-see" approach will consistently find
 themselves behind the "rest of the pack".  Nowhere is this more apparent than within political campaigns and non-profit organizations which are often unwilling or unable to make rapid decisions or delve in the unknown. 

During the Presidential campaign of 2008, President Obama harnessed the power of social marketing by breaking this pattern of entrenched territorialism and risking his campaign upon the idea that social marketing could generate votes and dollars.  Regardless of your political ideology, the President effectively "Flipped the Funnel" and as a result, created a fundraising and volunteer machine that was previously unheard of.  The success of President Obama's 2008 campaign led to a new generation of companies, politicians and non-profits attempting to harness the power of the online community.  Unfortunately, many of these companies will fail because of a lack of patience, lack of decision making, failure to take inconsequential risks and failure to truly understand how to "Flip the Funnel".

Read Godin's Flipping the Funnel absolutely free below (there are three versions)

Flipping the Funnel for nonprofits 
Flipping the Funnel for politics
Flipping the Funnel for businesses/individuals