Economics Books

You may never have heard of Frank Bettger (prounced Betch-er)but thousands of sales professionals attribute their success to reading his book, "How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling."

Bettger gives practical timeless advice on improving your salesmanship. Simple things like listen more than you speak, continue your education, act with integrity, think of your customers needs more than your own may sound old fashioned, but they still work wonders.

I read Bettger every year and I never fail to pick up something new and valuable.

Highest Recommendation!

Cheers!

How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling

I have read this book over 15 times in the past 10 years, because it is the BEST book on selling that I've ever read. It is common sense and real world in its approach. It has been in print since 1947, and that speaks volumes.

Every book on sales uses the core principles that Frank Bettger laid out in this classic manual in 1947. These principles remain an effective part of the repertoire of most successful sales professionals. Bettger shows his belief in Dale Carnegie's putting-people-first tactics with his inspiring language, skilled storytelling and bedrock principles. While some of his syntax, especially the gender-specific pronoun use, is dated and the dollar amounts are small compared to today's figures, getAbstract suggests that every salesperson should read and master this basic, practical guide.

My initial contact with Bettger's wisdom was some 27 years ago through an audiotape version of his book. Now, I've been reacquainted with the man through his book. What a timeless nugget of wisdom! This book,in its virtuous compactness, has turned out to be The BEST book from which I've learned much that is priceless in effective communications (sales). In fact, it is so priceless to me that it has become a constant companion, occupying an enviable corner of my briefcase. I recommend this book very, very highly to any serious-minded sales/communications apprentice, anywhere, anytime. Read, re-read, internalize, practice, and watch the positive results materialize, inexorably!! Things (generations, perceptions and culture) may change, yet there appears to be a constant theme and thread common to them all. This book, in my opinion, transcends those boundaries...

This is a classic book on fundamental sales techniques that remains sound after 60 years and dozens of printings. Yes, some of the pronouns are out of date (he assumes that all the sales professionals are men and all the secretaries are women - or that there are even secretaries - and so forth) and the dollar amounts given are made largely irrelevant by the inexorable power of inflation. However, the principles Frank Bettger laid down in 1947 will still work for any sales person working today.

Bettger is closely associated with his mentor, Dale Carnegie and his compelling use of language and story will remind you of the sound of the self-help books of that era. He provides 35 short chapters divided into six parts.

In part 1 Bettger wants you to learn to act with enthusiasm. Even if you don't feel it now, if you learn to act with energy and enthusiasm, you will soon feel it and it will become the fuel of your success. He also talks about the power of making calls. You can't sell until you get in front of people and you need to call a few people to get the appointment (he calls them interviews). Soon you will have a ratio of calls-sales-close that you can study and make more efficient. Bettger also wants you to get over fear and hesitation in talking with people you don't know by taking a public speaking course - one where you actually get to speak a lot and learn from supportive and constructive criticism. He also wants you to plan you schedule by the week so you know what you are doing and then execute the plan. He also tells you to record what you did and what came of it. There are examples planning sheets. However, you can find great day planners nowadays from many different companies.

Part 2 takes you though his sales method. Basically, he shows you ways of finding out what a person wants and providing it for them. Bettger shows you how to find what your client's "vulnerable spots" are. That is, what his motivators and needs are. You also need to learn how to connect with people. One way is to learn and use their name, find out about their hobbies, their family, and so forth. Write it all down and refer to it before you go to see the client so you can ask about his interests and show a personal interest in him. Bettger also takes you through his steps in the sales process, how to overcome objections, why you should ask why to get past the stated objection to the real objection.

Part 3 is all about confidence. You need to be confident in yourself and nothing is more important to that than your personal integrity and honesty. You also need the confidence of your clients, and Bettger shows you how to earn that by being honest, using testimonials, a professional appearance, and a courteous demeanor.

Part 4 discusses the importance of getting people to WANT to do business with you. He advises you to identify young people with talent and to encourage and help them in their career. You are going to be in business for a long time and helping develop these young people will help connect them to you as they rise. He wants you to smile, remember names (and tells you how), warns you against talking your way out of a sale, and how to approach what he calls "big men" - what we might call C-level executives.

Part 5 takes you through the mechanics of the sales process and how it begins before the sale. He is totally committed to selling by appointment, how to get "secretaries" (gatekeepers) on your side, why you must prepare for each sales presentation and why you must right down what went well and what went poorly immediately after you leave. You also learn why you should let the customer work your demo, getting leads from new customers, rules for closing the sale, and why you must show up with a prepared order or contract where all the person needs to do is sign the order. Assume the sale!

Part 6 talks about the powerful learning experience you get from failure. You must never let setbacks cause you to give up or quit. He uses Benjamin Franklin's method for moral perfection as a model for perfecting your sales process and then talks to you about why you need to get to work now and how fleeting time really is.

Excellent book for anyone in sales, considering a sales career, or managing salespeople.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

This book is a great introduction to book publishing. The author really knows the back-end process of book publishing well and provides much insight for beginner and intermediate writers. Another good book to purchase would be: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published, 4th Edition. While Terry's book is great, the Complete Idiots guide touches on a few areas in addition. All in all Terry's book is a very good book and worth the money.

Terry Whalin's BOOK PROPOSALS THAT SELL gives aspiring writers a publishing insider's expertise while maintaining a true empathy for outsiders longing to crack the door to the publishing world. The author's longtime industry experience adds a huge portion of credence to his practical, information-packed tips.

The happy ending (and beginning) for my own story came when publishers accepted both nonfiction proposals I wrote using Terry's wise counsel. Thanks, Terry, for all you do to bring those on the outside successfully in!

Just finished reading BOOK PROPOSALS THAT SELL. This book is a MUST READ for anyone who feels called to write a book. You could have a great book already written, but if you don't know how to sell it to a publisher you've just wasted a lot of time and effort.

NOTE TO FIRST TIME WRITERS - this book is everything you didn't know you didn't know.

A friend recently gave me a copy of Book Proposals That Sell. I've read and own several others on the same topic but this book is much better than the others because of the style. It's so friendly and comfortable and, unlike some, doesn't feel like the author is a mighty and impressive expert deigning to help the humble reader, but simply a normal person offering a friendly hand to another.

The insider information about the publishing process is especially helpful.

All considering this book should be aware that it is only for non fiction books. Something not made clear in the advertising, but is revealed by the author in the first page.

If money were a math problem, our nation would not have so many highly educated people so far in debt. We all learned basic math in elementary school. In our culture, money represents value, power, worth, and wealth. Our debt problems are an outward manifestation of the lack of those things inside of us. I cannot believe how many people I know with a PHD or more than one master's degree who are still living in debt and poverty. Until we learn to find our wealth and power inside, we'll live a life of poverty. Chellie Campbell shows you the path to true wealth. This book is life changing, and I often give it away as a gift! I always have several copis on hand on my gift shelf. I also highly recommend Chellie's other book Zero to Zillionare and Money Magic by Deborah L. Price.

Things in life can be very stressful at times, but reading a book like this makes everything a whole lot easier!

I LOVE this book!

I think it should be a must have for everyone!

This self-help book is designed to be used a page at a time for a year. The author intends for her readers to free themselves from debt and take control of their finances. A good book for those who feel they are not in control of their money.

Once in a while, if you're lucky, you happen upon a book that can make a positive difference in your life. "The Wealthy Spirit" by Chellie Campbell is just such a book. Arranged in bite-size nuggets of wit and wisdom, the book tackles the serious issue of eliminating financial worries. Chellie inspires the reader to appreciate his or her personal value, to decide what's important in his or her life, and, with the realization "I can do that" to get moving to take the actions and make the positive changes that can make those worries disappear. While I think just about everyone can get some inspiration from this book, it is especially perfect for every entrepreneur and for anyone contemplating getting off the corporate treadmill. "The Wealthy Spirit" is a daily pep talk. I highly recommend this book.

I was surprised at how relevant this book still is more than 20 years after its initial publication. Depressingly, it seems the authors' suggestions have not been followed by many employers. I recently changed jobs and am in a cubicle for the first time. I have been struggling to think in my cubicle, and this book confirms my suspicion that it is my work space and not my brain that is causing the problem. Even when I am not being interrupted, I am always slightly on edge wondering when I will be interrupted. The down side of the book is that the solutions and suggestions for improvements are quite difficult to implement. I just finished the book tonight - I wonder if I will do anything differently tomorrow because of this book. Probably not - maybe the fun part of the book is grumbling about our common work situations.

Great book on managing people and their space in a technical environment. A must for technical managers.

Nice reminder on what should we do during project.
We all know these things, but often we forget on them.

Quick enjoyable read. Some interesting commentary on team dynamics and the social problems teams encounter. I wish more solutions/suggestions were offered.

I expected the book to contain practical advice. The book covered many undesirable situations and business settings. There were no recommendations made on how to improve a bad situation. The book merely reported on the bad environment. If you are in an unpleasant work environment and want to know there may be others worse off then you, you may like this book.

Aiming at Amazon is a good common sense resource that covers the basics of publishing, building your book, and promoting on Amazon.com. The book is primarily geared for beginners in the book publishing game. However, it has some excellent ideas and resources for someone who already knows the basics.

The decision making process of how to market your book today is tough. You have to get above the Chattering Monkeys so people notice you. I understand there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 400-500 books published today...and that number is probably growing. Also, there are thousands of potential marketing ideas. Where do you start without pulling your hair out? That is the purpose of Aiming at Amazon.

Soooo.....the key question is: With a limited amount of time and resources, which marketing efforts should you pursue? As John Kremer says in his book: 1001 Ways to Market Your Books; 90% of your marketing efforts are ineffective. But, you don't know which efforts are going to be effective. Thus, don't invest too much time and energy in one area. In effect, test the waters with your big toe before jumping in!

Aiming at Amazon is focused at getting the most bang for your buck by using the many resources on Amazon to promote your work. This book accomplishes that task very well. And it costs only your time to market well on Amazon (not counting the money you invest getting your book published).

Just a few of the subjects covered are: Why to choose print on demand, the benefits of publishing with Lightening Source, how to get an ISBN number, deciding on a title and subtitle and designing the cover and graphics. It also covers: Create a real best seller, making it available, getting customer reviews, measuring success, aiming at other Amazons and more.

Overall this is an excellent resource for Aiming at Amazon!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

This book is exactly what an informative book should be: It assumes you know nothing (without being patronizing), explains clearly why the information is useful, gives plenty of pointers and important pieces of information (without being bogged down by them), and keeps a sprightly tone throughout.

If you desire to right in a niche audience, this book is all you need to cover the publishing angle -- highly recommended.

Using the number of dog-eared pages scale, this book should rank much higher than five stars. As soon as the UPS truck delivered the book, I started reading it. Unable to tear myself away from it, I then took it to my favorite reading room--the gym. There I spent two hours riding the exercise bike while I read the first two-thirds of the volume. After I left the gym I spent another hour finishing the 164 page main text. This book is long overdue. It fills in the gaps left by other publishing books such as the classic guides by Fern Reiss, Dan Poynter, Tom and Marilyn Ross and others.
Like any book on "a moving target" like Amazon.com, this volume will be in constant need of updating, but right at this moment, it's just what the doctor ordered for wannabe authors. It's full of surprises such as the title of one early chapter "Forget Bookstores." Other surprises include coming up with titles for books that reflect the exact nature of the subject plus one or two subtitles that while long, expand the list of areas covered in the book so that people searching for those subjects can easily find the title. The more key words and subject areas listed in the book's titles and subtitles, the more likely search engines are to locate the book and direct the potential buyer to it. When the same book comes up in several search areas, it will be higher up on the "final result list' of books the search engine compiles.
Other surprises include the different techniques for cover design. The Amazon listings are postage-stamp sized and have to be designed like a postage stamp, not like a book that will be sold in a bookstore. Much of this guidebook stresses the material that needs to be included in the book that may be different than that of regular books. It compares Print on Demand publishers and supplies numerous websites for further detailed research. Just the comparison of POD publishers is worth the price of the book.
During my first read of this tome I dog-eared at least every other page so that I could come back to it for further study and consideration. Some times I dog-eared both the bottom and top of a page.
Since I don't usually bother to write a review of a book that already has 72 reader's reviews, the fact that I'm doing that, should provide the reader a clue as to how important I found the information contained therein. I can't recommend this short book enough. (The author points out that shorter books are best for marketing on Amazon and why that is so). I've already ordered another book by the same author and will keep an eye on his website for updates. This book will show you how marketing on Amazon is entirely different than what publishers have traditionally done. It will give the writer step-by-step directions on how to successfully promote and sell your books on Amazon and it will provide the secrets for doing all this at dirt-cheap costs.
Be prepared to read and re-read this Hitchhikers Guide to the Amazon Galaxy.

If you're looking for a book to help you get started before you've written your book, this book would be good. If you're looking for a book to help you use Amazon as a tool to increase your book sales, I'd skip this one. You're better off with "Sell Your Book On Amazon" or "Plug Your Book".

Other than writing an accurate review and encouraging others to write accurate reviews, from the author's perspective, most of Amazon's marketing programs don't work well. They are either abused to the point that customers find the information unreliable ("staged" reviews), or they don't achieve desired results (SNP or BXGY). So what's the point?

To quote the author, "In fact, the only way to keep up with the ever-multiplying features is to spend time on Amazon." Gee, I thought that was why I bought this book. Because YOU had done the work, and I could take advantage of your expertise. If I have to do it myself, why should I buy this book?

As in every book, if you can find one or two points which are of value, it's not a total loss. And there were a few helpful tools. Plus, the author is very honest about pushing the ethical limits for exposure, which is a fresh approach from other books I've read which encourage excessive, shameless self-promotion.

[...]

I've gotten some very good pointers and helpful hints about publishing my book. There were times that I felt Shepard was pushing Lightning Source and other times he comes across as very cocky about his books overselling others, etc. which is a turnoff to me as I'm not interested in reading that. I only wanted to know the easiest and best way to self publish my book.

Overall, it was somewhat helpful but decided to not use Amazon to publish after reading Shepard's book.

I have read many books from Catherine Ponder, everyone is the complement of the previous ones. Very good job.

I originally bought this book three years ago. I had read the Game of Life by Florence Shinn and I was looking for more info about prosperity. WE have used the laws, specifically the law of vaccuum- giving things away freely,writing things down, visualization, affirmations and the most powerful law- tithing. I can't begin to tell you how using these laws have changed my family's life. It is like clockwork, everytime we use these laws wonderful things come about in unexpected ways. Actually, I have a list of things I wanted in life from three years ago when I bought the book and even though they seemed a bit unnattainable at the time, I can say that as of today, every single thing on that list (and more) have miraculuously came true. Now I stock up on copies of this and the Game of Life and give them to people who need and want to learn the laws.

If I had known Catherine Ponder was a minister, I would never have bought (and returned) this book. If you believe prayer and positive thinking will bring you prosperity, I suppose this book will be fine for you. If you aren't a devout Christian, however, you might find this book hard to deal with.

This is the first Catherine Ponder book I have read and, while I normally read a lot of motivational material, I likely will not read any more Catherine Ponder anytime soon. Her message is certainly worthwhile: making affirmations in your own life will help you to draw upon God's assistance to achieve your goals. She is also a minister, which explains why she draws her approach from a sprirtual angle. While this effort is certainly worthwhile for a reader, her supporting examples are not specific enough to satisfy my need for "proof". In Ponder's book, her examples are full of "a woman I know...", "a businessman...", and other such vague statements. Contrast that with Napolean Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich." Hill's examples are specific and precise: "Thomas Edison tried over 10,000 times...". Napolean Hill and Catherine Ponder both have a similar message in their books. But while Catherine Ponder's message is meaningful and worthwhile, her examples are not down to earth enough to suit my tastes.

Catherine Ponder makes it sound easy - and it is. She relieves us of any old guilt we might carry from christian childhood that leads us to think we have to passively wait and see what god has in store for us. Or that wanting more money, health, peace of mind might be sort of selfish or evil. She knows we're built to go for it and when we don't, we get depressed. It's GOOD to be busy reaching goals.
I've had this book a while and just ordered one for a friend who needs a good shake - her goal is to have "just enough" to exist and no more. So silly. As Catherine taught, the universe is huge, wealthy and generous.

...that will help you make better desisions (or keep you from making all the wrong, costly ones :-).

Pricey but helpful book. A lot of the same information can also be found online by searching "how to create a yellow pages ad".

This covers all print media and strategies for developing your marketing (complete with examples of what a strong ad looks like vs the "not so good"). If you need or want more assistance Barry and company offer their service (paid of course, but their fee structure is comprehensive and reasonable) includes analysis of your ad, suggestions for improvement in addition to (re)designing your ad to reach your target audience.

The two most important bits of information we came away with are these:
1. Unless you are in the ad design field you should _seriously_ consider hiring someone who knows their trade WELL. We needed to make some minor changes to our YP ad from the previous year, and although we started the process "early" (at least what our rep led us to believe was early - 2 months out from their `deadline') we still have NOTHING from the phone companies "design team".

The following sage advice rings true "...yellow page graphic artists are required to output a lot of work in a short period of time. Even the best artist cannot do a great ad in 30 minutes. You honestly want an artist to spend the entire day working on your advertisement, and you want to pay them for it... Graphic artists study art. They do not extensively study business, or copywriting, or marketing, or business law. They do not know about your company, your customers, your capabilities, or how you make money. If you really want effective yellow page advertising, hire the best graphic artist and the best advertising professional you can find [and afford - my emphasis]. Do not leave it for a kid with a computer".

At this point we would be glad to have paid for a quality job done because it would have saved us time lost in having to constantly call our YP rep to find out when the "design team" would have our ad back to be proofed (and our rep's boss wasn't any more helpful either -- this from the "leading" directory in our area, tsk, tsk, tsk), not to mention frustration in having to go through all of that nonsense. We are a small independent music teaching studio and we would have been better served and saved money in the long run by hiring a professional than leaving the design process to some over-worked, under-qualified and probably under-paid novice from the phone companies "design team".

2. Publishers carefully monitor phonebook circulation and usage data. They know exactly how much their book is being used and by whom. If they are not volunteering that information, be extra careful. Alternatively, publishers should also be able to give you information about their competitors. Ask how their book compares to their competition's book. Be persistent and insist on getting this information from them - you're paying for it (by way of placing an ad in their phone book).

This is the reason we are still trying to work out our yp advertising with the "leading" phone co/publisher. They're the one most used in our area. If that was not the case we would have dropped them like a hot sweaty sock!

Barry's book covers so many salient points about YP advertising and the industry that you could read, and re-read it and still find ways to improve your YP ad. A very good investment for any business owner (and the online source above compliments it well - MOO).

Good luck and fortune in all your business endeavors everyone!

If you want to create professional looking Yellow Page ad designs that will dominate your Yellow Page advertising competition, you should read this book. While it was written in the eighties, the concepts are still very important today.

--A.Strange, Founder, Ad Revamp * Yellow Page ad design
Personal service. Proven methods. Toll-free advice. www.adrevamp.com

Just so no one misunderstands, since the publisher's description of "Getting the Most from Your Yellow Pages Advertising" has disappeared from this page, we (the author's office) posted both the media quotes below and the book description that follows. Neither of these is meant to be an impartial review but rather a description of what's in the book and what various media outlets have said about it.

These media quotes about "Getting the Most from Your Yellow Pages Advertising" are being posted by the author's assistant, Steve Wilson, to show what the media thinks of the book. And we've got far more of these than we could ever post. The book truly is "the bible on how to advertise in the Yellow Pages."

"The definitive word on the subject."
-Home Office Computing magazine


"Barry Maher is the nation's leading independent authority on Yellow Pages advertising"
-Simba Information, Inc.
(Publishers, Yellow Pages & Directory Report)


"Discover effective design, layout and copy writing techniques . . . Learn how to design an ad that will get YOUR business the call, even when surrounded by others ads selling the same product or service."
-The Small Business Administration's Success Symposium


"Businesses may be spending 25% of their gross [in the Yellow Pages] and be spread too thin, or they may be overspending at 1%. To make key decisions to best business advantage, an independent and authoritative perspective is crucial. Barry Maher, offers [just that]."
-Retailer News


"This is the best information there is and should answer your questions as well as save you lots of time and money."
-Terry Johnson, President, Dial One


"Maher takes the mystery out of Yellow Pages Advertising. He tells you how to make it work and what to do when it doesn't. A great new resource for small businessmen."
-Ray Schultz, Editor, Direct Marketing News


"The nation's foremost authority on Yellow Pages advertising."
-Dealer Communicator


"The inside scoop on how to make your Yellow Pages advertising dollars pay off . . . Find out what the sales rep won't tell you. Design an ad that really pulls."
-Business Opportunities Digest


"You'll learn how to design an effective ad, keep score on your ad and deal with the sales people when they goof."
-Rudolf Solomon, San Francisco Examiner


"Takes on the topic of Yellow Pages with zeal and humor-while offering practical help in getting the directories to work for you."
-Instant & Small Commercial Printer


"Invaluable insights."
-Restaurant Management Today


"[Maher] has helped thousand of businesses turn their Yellow Pages into gold . . . a complete, step by step program for developing Yellow Pages ads that get the call."
-SBC


"A comprehensive approach to planning and implementing a successful Yellow Pages advertising program."
-Dentist


"Guides [business] on how to get the best return from their Yellow Pages advertising . . . improve response, enhance profits."
-SNIPS


"Provides the stimulus to get your advertising in gear."
-The Competitive Advantage


"Last year, American businesses spent $8 billion dollars on Yellow Pages advertising. For many small businesses, it was their only form of advertising. Yet many small business owners are unsure about how to get the most out of their Yellow Pages advertising. To help them, Barry Maher . . . [offers] a practical guide to Yellow Pages advertising . . . [providing] insights and advice for small business owners."
-Los Angeles Times


"If you now make use of yellow page advertising in telephone directories, you will be especially interested in what [Maher] . . . has to say about choosing the right ad size, creating the ad that will generate the most response, and how to select the right categories to advertise [under]."
-In Business


"[Packed] with cost cutting tips . . . a super resource. [From the author of] the bible of Yellow Pages advertising"
-Save Your Business a Bundle: 202 Ways to Cut Costs and Boost Profits Now by Daniel Kehrer, Simon & Schuster


"An informative overview of the entire process, including evaluating and selecting the right Yellow Pages book, choosing the right ad size, determining how many ads to run, creating the ad likely to generate the most calls,, and dealing effectively with the phone company and sales reps. He also offers guidance on tracking ads."
-Professional Electronics


"Practical advice on the complete process, from deciding whether to advertise at all to turning callers into customers . . . The advice is detailed and . . . should help improve the reader's directory-buying decisions."
-Fitness Management


"Anyone who has dealt with the Yellow Pages people would welcome the [information]. Wise ad people have said placing a substantial schedule in several phone books is only slightly more complicated than dealing with the U.S. Army."
-Des Moines Register

"The best yellow pages investment I've ever made, making every cent I'm spending on phone directory advertising the most effective it can possibly be. Eliminating every bit of waste. I fully intend to recommend it to all my associates. And none of my competition."
-Dr. S.R. Pampalone, Chatsworth Dental Center


"Many useful tips . . . I am looking forward to getting more clients from yellow pages advertising and, at the same time, saving a great deal of money."
-Vincent A. Lloyd, Lloyd, Hoskins & Pierce


"Tremendous insight into Yellow Pages advertising."
-Dr. Gregory S. Keller, Cosmetic Surgery Center


"An invaluable resource on getting the most bang per buck in advertising . . . [Maher] clears the way through the jungle of options and clearly delineates what is as well as what isn't effective. I recommend it wholeheartedly."
-Michael Parker, President Parker Plumbing


"PIP Printing's retail centers rely on yellow pages advertising to reach business printing consumers every day, but without following a carefully planned strategy, our yellow pages messages could be easily overlooked. Maher offers . . . straightforward guidelines for insuring maximum effectiveness for yellow pages advertising."
-Susan Falk, PIP


"A complete guide to creating a results-oriented program for advertising in the Yellow Pages. It's got everything from how to write an effective ad to where, when, and even when not to advertise."
-B. Dalton Bookseller


"A very valuable resource as I communicate with members of the American Rental Association on ways they can use the yellow pages most effectively."
-Frederick Anderson, American Rental Association


"Cash in on Yellow Pages advertising with [Barry Maher]."
-Pharmacy Newswire, NARD Journal

I would have never thought a book titled GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR YELLOW PAGE ADVERTISING would make for compelling reading, but I was wrong. Author and former yellow page rep Barry Maher grabbed my interest on the first page and held it firmly to the end. I would consider this book essential for small business owners or anyone who is interesting in producing yellow page copy.

Though certainly geared toward business owners, writing professionals will also find a tremendous amount of applicable information. Maher gives a brief history and evolution of yellow pages, then moves through a logical progression of determining need and on through the process of the finished product. For writing professionals, read through this and then thumb through the yellow pages and see the enormity of a market just screaming for professional assistance. I believe this a market largely untapped by commercial writers.

An outstanding feature of this book, and one found far too seldom, is an abundance of margin space for making notes and good, thick paper that highlighting doesn't bleed through. Business owners will pay for the price of this book a hundred times over and copywriters will find a resource for a niche market rich with possibilities.

I think that this book can be very helpful to any writer that wants to sell his/her book. I am using several of the ideas that I recieved in the book to sell my book 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques and collectibles. it has increased my sales. Daryle

I've never read a more informative book. It not only points out what you should do to promote, it actually gives you the tools to do it. Both phone numbers and websites that will really help you. It is the first self help book that doesn't tell you what it is going to tell you, IT JUST TELLS YOU. How novel. It will take me weeks to implement all the information, but each step is clearly presented. If you write to sell you need this book as flowers need rain.

The position of a first-time self-published author is not an enviable one; you've already written your manuscript, invested money in typesetting, cover design and an initial print run, you've purchased an ISBN number and your book is in Ingram's database, so it can be ordered in stores. You wait a week, and then another, for book sales to start coming in. Finally, realization begins to set in - just because it is possible for someone to walk into a book store and order your book, it isn't very likely that it will happen, because nobody knows about it.

Marilyn and Tom Ross have written an excellent resource for self-published authors and small publishers who want to get their book sales going, and their techniques are considerate of the budgets that most self-published authors are constrained by.

If you successfully self-publish your book, there are three steps for you to follow:

1. Write a solid, clear and engaging book that people will enjoy reading. Refer to books about clear and effective writing.

2. Work your way through the publishing process. Refer to Dan Poynter's "Self-Publishing Manual".

3. Get the word out about your recently published work - this is exactly what the Marilyn and Tom Ross show you how to do in "Jump-Start Your Book Sales".

In short, if you are a self-published author, are considering self-publishing, are a small publisher, or even if you're a traditionally published author who wants to take a more active role in the promotion of your book (which most publishers will expect you to do anyway), you should read this book.

Danny Iny
Author of "Ordinary Miracles - Harness the power of writing and get your point across!" (ISBN 1-4116-7252-6)

through the self publishing process of my new book. More than a notion, self publishing is very rewarding but extremely time consuming, and SUPER hard work. I thought writing the book was hard. Ha! That was the easy part!!! Thank goodness I bought this book, as its given me many great ideas for marketing and promotion. It's wonderful to have written the best book in the world, but it doesn't mean anything if no one knows about it! Thanks Marilyn!!!!

Do you know when you should start marketing your book? Marilyn Ross does, and in "Jump Start Your Book Sales" she reveals the answer. (Hint: It's before you start writing it!)

Before, during, and after -- in fact. Regardless of where you are in the writing and publishing process, book marketing should be at the forefront of your thinking. Is your book even marketable? What is the market? What length of book are those people used to buying? Why would they buy yours instead of (or in addition to) all the other similar books on the market? What will differentiate yours? These are the kind of questions you should be asking yourself even before you put pen to paper, or fingers to keys, as the case may be.

These strategic concepts are the bread and butter of the pages comprising "Jump Start." Don't be surprised if you find meat in the middle that you can really sink your teeth into. This isn't another rehash of duplicative information available for free from countless websites. This is the real deal, written by the co-founder of the Small Publishers Association of North America. Highly recommended reading before you start writing, before you start publishing, and after you think you've marketed it all. - Brent Sampson, author of Self-Publishing Simplified

If you read one book on networking, this is the one to read. Burg's system focuses on how to network correctly, thus enabling you to build a pipeline of qualified, A-list prospects for your business. This book is a must-buy for anyone striving to build business referrals that will continue the gift of giving in the long haul. The questions Burg outlines in Chapter two are a key component of how one should begin to network from this day forward. In addition, he shares the one question that will change your networking process forever. It's a question so few know to ask. And if you use this question at your next networking event, you will immediately establish yourself as an expert who knows how to deliver value to your prospects and your customers -- and to the networking process itself. This book is extremely thorough in outlining a proven system for networking anywhere any time. Most important, Burg shows you how to enjoy the process. This book is a seminal part of my professional library. I use it daily as a reference to build my business.

Cannot imagine how I have made it this far in business without this book. Bob Burg's advise is priceless.

If you're looking to sharpen up your sales skills or expanding your contact base, this is a great resource and offers a ton of tips that can be easily implemented. It's more than just a networking book, although that's one of the main components, it's about getting to know people, forming relationships by genuinely caring about people. Everything in life is based on forming and building relationships and the people that have figured out how to get along with people, are usually more successful and just plain happier people. It doesn't matter what you sell or what company you represent, ultimately, you are the product. If you're wondering how to meet more people, get more leads, earn more business ... you'll learn these and more in this book.

This book has excellent and well developed ideas. Only criticism is the author gets a bit full of himself at times.

A recent editorial in Fast Company Magazine complained about the lack of meaningful and actionable content in many best-selling business and professional development books. The editorial talked about books that, quite simply, fail to deliver on their promise because they are all theory, no detail.

Luckily, some best-selling business books do sell a lot of copies, such as Bob Burg's Endless Referrals that has sold more than 150,000 copies.

And, deservedly so. Not only does Endless Referrals point out the numerous different options available for building referrals, but it describes specific, actionable steps that you can take to implementing a desired strategy.

By being willing to "dirty his hands" with specific details, Bob Burg provides the missing link between good intentions and taking action in a positive direction every day. A great book, extensively underlined when I finished reading it.

After 8 years in the financial services industry, a friend introduced me to this book. Over the last 7 years I have been applying Steve Moeller's principles and marketing methodology. I am just getting around to saying "thank you" for this book. My professional and personal life has been transformed thanks to Steve's message. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who desires to incorporate proven, authentic strategies into their business. Applying these strategies will yield highly profitable business results and more importantly, a balanced and fulfilled life.

Steve provides a clear, concise, no nonsense approach of how to be successful in the financial services industry. His approach is well thought out, professional, and sorely needed in a somewhat dysfunctional industry. It provides me, as a new advisor switching careers, confidence that I can be myself and succeed in this business. Effortless Marketing is a must read for anybody trying to truly distinguish themselves in the independent financial advice and asset management businesses.

If you are attempting to grow you Financial Advisory business, this classic writing has new age advice that will ease the burden of identifying better ways to grow your client base. If you are an active producer, plan on coming back to this book periodically for it is loaded with those little pearls of wisdom that only someone who has been there and done that can convey so well. If you are a manager looking for ways to improve your associates' closing rates, read this and become the teacher. Unlike many "sales manuals" Effortless Marketing focuses on becoming in touch and happy with one's self and using that awareness to focus on what your prospective client wants...competent advice of course, but more...a connected, emotionally present advisor. If you're ready to move beyond product sales to consulative relationships, Effortless Marketing is an outstanding starting point. Keep this one on your bookshelf and refer to it when you're wondering how to improve your and your firm's marketing.

Steve Moeller's "Effortless Marketing" has it all. From determining clients' values to overall marketing strategies and niches, Steve has thoroughly put together a great resource for the financial services industry. I have read a lot of other books over the years and this is the one that is set apart from all the others. The book is an easy read and well laid out. You can focus on a few sections at a time and begin to implement the strategies the next day. Steve has definitely fulfilled on his title.

For anyone wanting to build a fee-based financial advisory practice Steve Moeller's work is required reading.
I read this book for the first time in 2007 and was amazed (considering it was written almost 10 years go) how far ahead of the curve these concepts are. People here in the UK are only now starting to adopt the type of approach that Steve has been advocating for years.
I have read a great many books on how to best market my financial planning business and while a number of them have been helpful this book is really the only one you will ever need.
By concentrating your efforts on implementing the ideas put forward in this book it is not only probable you will dramatically increase your revenue but you will also enhance your client relationships and your enjoyment of life.
Martin Turbin CFP