Deirdre Breckenridge, author of "PR 2.0: New Media, New Tools, New Audiences.": How does FAS.research help its clients to understand social networks?

Neal Gorenflo, FAS.research: We help leaders understand social networking from a social science perspective using metrics and visualizations.  I think leaders appreciate the value of social networks now more than ever, but they don’t know how to quantify the value or how to best leverage them.  From our perspective, social networking is all too often a curiosity, rather than a real business tool.  Our value to clients, on a high level, is two-fold.  First, we give clients a way of seeing and quantifying the value of networks based on science yet relevant to their business goals.  Second, we give them tools and models that translate this unique insight into action plans that get results.

I can’t emphasize enough the value of the mindset change we catalyze with leaders.  Once a client begins to see their market as a system where people and institutions are connected and influence each other, it’s like turning on the lights.  By making the system visible to leaders, we give them an increased measure of control.  We put spotlights on the levers and gauges.  And when they see how things actually work in their markets, they change what they do and how they structure their organization to take advantage of this more accurate view of reality.

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