Why should I pre-order?
Pre-ordering not only ensures that you receive We First at a discount as soon as it comes out, it also entitles you to free benefits including instant access to this month’s training video and tips, a free We First white paper on the ‘7 Keys to Brand Positioning for the Future,’ a free podcast on 'The Future of Ad Agencies,' and 10% of the book price will be donated to the United Nations ‘Girl Up’ Foundation. That way you start changing someone’s life for the better immediately.

How do I make sure the donation was made?
All you have to do is click on the Cause button at the top of the page and you’ll see a running tally of how much is being contributed and the names of those who participated. You can also watch the video in which the director of Educate Girl’s Globally, Lawrence Chickering, and I discuss the great work they’re doing and how we ensure full transparency of the donations and their maximum impact in the lives and education of young women.

When do I get my book?
We First will be available the week of June 6th 2011. So you should receive it that week or the week immediately after.

What can I do in the meantime?
We invite you to enter your email on the We First homepage to receive free white papers and training videos on how to build your brand community, profits and a better world. We also invite you to subscribe to the We First blog where you’ll receive up to three free articles a week on social media and companies creating change. Finally, we invite you to subscribe to the We First You Tube channel that will soon feature videos from top CEO’s, CMO’s, social media specialists and non-profit leaders sharing what they have learned about how they put social technology to work for them.

Why did you write the book?
I wrote the book for several reasons. Firstly, as a dad I wanted to make sense of my time on this planet and to make a contribution to the world that I leave my children. Secondly, I was deeply concerned about the current economic crisis and the long-term issues destroying the lives of billions of people around the world. Thirdly, I was overwhelmed and excited about the potential of new social technology. Finally, the catalyst for me committing to We First was a speech that Bill Gates gave to the World Economic Forum in 2008 in which he said that governments and philanthropies can’t fix the world on their own and that the private sector must get involved. Having been an ad guy whose job it was to re-characterize business problems as creative opportunities, I saw this as an important challenge.

Why do we need We First now?
Everyone is very aware of the economic crisis we are in and the multiple global challenges we face from disease to child mortality to damage to the environment. Yet despite the wake-up call of 2008, we see many politicians and wealthy Wall Street firms returning to old habits that leave too many people out of the prosperity equation. As such, consumers need to assume greater responsibility and leverage their buying power to persuade corporations that we need to shift our practice of capitalism before the entire system is irreparably broken. The time to create a new sustainable practice of capitalism is now because social media enables us to connect and act together in new ways.

How will We First become a movement?
It starts with people like you. People who care enough about our world and the future to invest the time and money in a book like this. It grows through your friends and colleagues, either through you recommending the book or simply talking about the issues it addresses. It takes root when each of us changes the way we see our roles as shoppers, parents, citizens, employees, shareholders or bosses. It compounds as companies respond to customers, just like you, sharing what they want. Then other companies follow, and just like the green or recycling movements, over time we see a fundamental shift in business practices. Big brands are already waking up to this challenge because their profits depend on it.

What’s the goal of We First?
My hope is that We First lends a strong voice to the rising chorus of thought leaders, politicians, economists and concerned citizens calling for a shift in how we run the planet. The daily cost to the lives and happiness of so many people is unconscionable. There is no time to waste. We must start putting each other first.