Online Sales Books

Plug Your Book was recommended to me at a writers' workshop. It is a step by step guide to marketing on line. This is useful information to me, even during the process of writing a book. I use each chapter like a cookbook, opening up a page, opening up a website, and exploring that website according to the principles Weber is explaining. I already knew how to purchase books on Amazon.com. But, through Weber's book, I have learned the process of peer review, how to participate in that process, and how to approach reviewers. All the chapters provide a foundation for me as I write a book. The chapter on author websites explains how an author website is not just an advertisement. There are specific recommendations for designing an author website, or design a website with a newsletter as preparation for publishing a book. I have given myself permission to take as many years as I need to publish my first book. Weber's book provides me, as well as other new authors, with multiple resources for the whole process of writing, publishing, and marketing our work.

This is an amazing source of information. If you are self-published author you absolutely MUST buy this book and read it. Then after you read it, keep it close at hand for ongoing reference.

I had never heard of Steve Weber before buying this book. To be honest, I was a bit put off by the cover art.

But the content is entirely above reproach. It's like having a mentor without the sucking up. It's like having a personal friend in the publishing industry alerting you to all those do's and don'ts that no one else would bother mentioning.

Because I honestly have margin notes and highlights and tabs on virtually every page in the book, it's almost impossible for me to choose the most important topics to share with you. But a few of the top tips include understanding the importance and power of Amazon's Top Reviewers, the key components of an "online press kit," how to create a "book trailer" for You Tube, blogging, podcasting, and so much more...

As I said: buy this book. It's just that good!

J.D. Mosley-Matchett, Ph.D.
Author of A month of Marketing Technology tips

This is the best guide on book promotion I've ever read--and I've read a lot of them! I can't wait to put Steve Weber's road map into play for my own book. If you're an author, don't delay. You need a copy of "Plug Your Book" by Steve Weber!

This book is definitely worth checking out, especially if you are an author and book sales are on your mind. The Net can no longer be ignored as an avenue (the MAIN avenue?) for promoting one's book. Learn all about it by starting here.

Steve Weber has done an absolutely amazing job of sorting out all the ins and outs of marketing online and has boiled it down into tips and techniques that are easy to understand and easy to deploy. I'd say it's a must-have for anyone who has written a book or is in the process of doing so. Whether you're a seasoned blogger and online marketer or a newbie to the world of book marketing on the Internet, Steve's suggestions are detailed, specific and so extremely valuable. He cuts through the "noise" and explains exactly how to be most effective and efficient with your online marketing. Best of all, Steve keeps it real, presenting what could otherwise be complicated and intimidating in reader-friendly, step-by-step simplicity. Thank you, Steve! Your book is a marketing masterpiece.

As an author with a book for sale on Amazon, I had high hopes for this book. My hopes were not dissapointed. When my book was first listed on Amazon, I would get on the page listing it to see if I had moved up the best seller list or not. It occured to me from looking over the Amazon site that there should be things I could do to enhance my book sales but I didn't know where to start. Along came "Sell Your Book on Amazon" and I finally was able to understand what to do and how it would affect my book sales. The explanations and step by step how to advice is what you would hope for and expect from a how to type of book. Too many of them are more fluff than substance but this one has some real meat.

This book is one of the must-have resources for self-published authors.

Brent Sampson offers up a wealth of tips that he actually ranks by effectiveness. So, instead of delivering a "laundry list" of things to do, he actually helps the reader determine just how to apportion that increasing scarce resource of "available time" and create a customized game plan that fits your particular strengths and abilities.

I've never regretted buying this book. I think you'll feel the same.


J.D. Mosley-Matchett, Ph.D.
Author of A month of Marketing Technology tips

As a new author, I suddenly found myself on Amazon but like the fabled dog that caught the car, I did not know what to do with it. My publisher had placed my book on the site but his promotional activities involved media kits, radio interviews, book signing, etc. and nothing to do with Amazon.

Good thing for me, Brent Sampson's book was available. As an author that works full-time for a corporation, I do not have the leisure time to devote to all of the `boots on the ground' promotional activities therefore; I need to rely heavily on the power of Amazon.

The advice in this book is fantastic and I cannot wait to start planting the seeds and see the fruits of my labor. I highly recommend this book to any author publishing with an independent publisher. Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author of Wingtips with Spurs

I have been looking for just such a book. I read the first few chapters and it kept me up all night, thinking of a million ideas. I was planning and strategizing for days.

This book is incredible for anyone wanting to develop their presence on Amazon. I have spoken to several authors of self published works, and the majority of them knew little of the strategies in this book. It is well written, well layed out and definitely worth reading.

Brent, congratulations!

We live in the best era of technology and have personal access to cyberspace from the comfort of home. Mr. Sampson has brilliantly spelled out how to make this work with all the options available to you through Amazon.

I bought this book a few months ago, immediately following my books released. I was so impressed with the vast amount of knowledge I can implement to increase sales on my Amazon account.

Brilliant book!

Merna Throne

Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!

this book was life changing for me ...creating an epiphany moment of transformation and healing ... truly a must read for every woman !!

This was the first book that I read in Lerner's Dance series
and I must say, it changed my life. The book teaches you how
to break out of the familial patterns that keep you stuck in
one position: the backseat. No, you won't become an overly
angry woman but I certainly felt like that at times. Instead,
it shows you where anger comes from and how to talk to others
without screaming at them. I learned how to become more assertive.

Lerner asserts that it's dangerous for a woman not to speak
her mind, however, society says that speaking out is equivalent
to being bitter or angry or anti-male. This is NOT what Lerner
wants women to learn but instead learn how to take a more
self-assertive position in intimate relationships. If, like
me, you had a problem in the past with being real at all times
and telling others how you truly felt, then please grab this book!

Very insightful. If you can't figure out why you're not getting along with family check this out.

This book is extremely helpful. I often wondered why I give up so much of my own personality to blend in. Now I am working on recovering my personality so I can be a leader and be myself. I am sure there are enough doormats in the world without me being one too. Everyone should read this book!

EVERY married person, male or female, should read this book. Very well written, interesting, and knowledgable. My husband and I agree that if we would have read this book a year ago, we would not be separated and in counseling. I can't wait to read the rest of her books!

Un libro de facil lectura y que te abre la mente, para el desarrollador común como yo.

McGovern illustrates strategies for creating more impactful web content without boring the reader to death. The advice is practical, easy to follow, and timely. I have been very satisfied with this purchase.

I purchased this book specifically to read more about the process for researching usability issues. I am not a market researcher, but I am a web developer who understands SEO, basic usability issues and general web practices. I found this book to be well-written, simple to understand and it provides a pretty good map for researching your web audience. I have actually read it twice now, finding even more the second time around.

I highly recommend this book, I still use it as a resource as I learn more about market research, something I don't particularly care for, but that is essential to my success as a brand manager and web developer.

Gerry is a genius.

Gerry McGovern's "Killer Web Content" *seems* to be a primer about writing "killer content." And it is. He talks about simple ideas (e.g., "killer, not filler," or, on the Net, "in self-service mode, people go on gut instinct") in simple sentences, with lots of words in red so you get the idea. Then you put those ideas all together and think about them. And *then* you start looking at websites created from the grad school universe by professionals, all too often FOR PROFESSIONALS, that leave you - us - Everyman - frustrated or even amused (and that is not the intent). Ah, the epiphany: you realize that too many people are getting paid too much money when they have no idea how to talk to us: the folks who are surfing at 2AM in hotel rooms, trying to learn something for tomorrow's presentation to the Executive Committee. Obviously McGovern has practiced medicine: you listen to the patient, and the patient will tell you what the problem is. You listen to the customer, and the customer will tell you what she needs to hear. You listen to your children, etc.

Of course, the devil is in the details. Would that there were a standard operating procedure to ferret out the words that each of us wants to hear. Then we could fire Sales and Marketing - all they do is get us folks in Technology and Operations into trouble, right? Nope, says McGovern, you have to talk to people, relate to them, listen to them, hear what they say, abstract the content, try it out on your site. Each word is a hypothesis: true or false. Does it work? Does it bring people? You measure, you re-frame, you redesign, you re-relate. Surely it must be easier than this! All Jeff Bezos did is slap some stuff onto a website, and look at him! Right? McGovern just smiles, probably lifts a Guinness - he hints at his pleasure in Ireland - and, secure in the knowledge that you'll reread his book, just goes on about his business, writing and consulting.

Oh, it seems so simple. Oh, it's not really that complicated. Oh, it is so, so worthwhile. Read the book carefully.

David Block MD, PhD
Editor & Publisher, "The RoadeWarrior: every consultant's ezine"
www.roadewarrior.com
david@roadewarrior.com

I work for a Fortune 500 company and was first introduced to Gerry McGovern through one of his workshops that my company was hosting. I really connected with Gerry's passion for both the customer's perspective, as well as his message to get the fundamentals right. Armed with his book Killer Web Content, I left the workshop inspired with new ideas for solving some of the UX issues we were having with our Careers website (strategic business tool for talent recruiting).

I started to read his book the next week and learned enough useful information with each chapter that I finished it. I got a lot of value from some of the techniques described in Killer Web Content. I appreciated the information specific to generating good content using "Carewords" in the right way and at the right time. I also learned from this book that the web user is a different animal than traditional application users. Gerry has a good handle on the machinations that drive this new information hunter's behavior.

I can honestly say that I've quoted Gerry's work in UX meetings dozens of times since first attending his workshop. Since December, I've given away three copies of Killer Web Content to other UX professionals. All 3 have given it rave reviews! In addition to attending one of his live workshops (absolutely awesome!), I HIGHLY recommend getting this book!

I read this book a few years back. This was a great reference book and starting point if you are just getting into internet marketing. It's a fast read you can pick up and start applying some of the recommendations right away.

This is my first review on Amazon. I recently purchased the book Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business or Website by Bruce C. Brown. As a professional artist, my chosen profession is extremely competitive and I've found many artists who have been running successful businesses for many years, which puts a new artist at a big disadvantage. I found this book very user friendly for someone who doesn't have a degree/experience in marketing or seo, but needs to become more marketing and internet savvy.

My favorite sections are:
Generating More Trafic to Your Website
Search Engine Optimization

I found many helpful tips in these two sections. The only suggestion I would make for improving the book would be more resources added and many more case studies.

Any comments or critiiques of this review are welcome via email from my website.
Regards,
Pam Miller
Miller Modern Art
http://www.millermodernart.com

My mother does a lot of research online and is a very active member of places like YouTube, etc. She's been interested in marketing some of her own creative work online and this seemed to be the perfect guide. Although she has found out some of the info contained in this book on her own, this organizes the info all in one place and makes it easily accessible. She seemed very pleased with the book and says it will make her online life much easier.

A well written very informative book, very helpful for someone just starting out. For myself I didn't find a whole lot of new information but I would have loved to have read this when I was first setting up my website.

How to Use the Internet to Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business or Web Site -- With Little or No Money is the winner of multiple book awards:

The National 2007 Indie Excellence Book Awards Business Finalist: How to Use the Internet to Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business or Web Site -- With Little or No Money by Bruce C. Brown

2007 Independent Publisher Book Awards Computer/Internet Bronze: How to Use the Internet to Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business or Web Site -- With Little or No Money by Bruce C. Brown

ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards Finalist: How to Use the Internet to Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business or Web Site -- With Little or No Money by Bruce C. Brown

USA Best Books Awards 2007 Business: Marketing & Advertising Finalist: How to Use the Internet to Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business or Web Site -- With Little or No Money by Bruce C. Brown

Library Journal: Best Business Book 2006 Marketing/Branding: How to Use the Internet to Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business or Web Site -- With Little or No Money by Bruce C. Brow

I must say I was very surprised at how good this book was! Yes there were basic things included as well, as mentioned in another review but there was also tons of new ideas and more advanced strategies. I understand how many people dont know the basics such as my bass player..lol Myself I know alot more than basic and this book gave me lots of ideas.. we already have booked more shows and following is growing for sure as more people are coming to shows..and got a review in the paper! never would of done that without this book! great read, Great strategies, and useful ideas here! Thank-You, Thank-You, Thank-You!

The book has some good ideas, but much of it explains really basic things like how to upload audio and video files. There's simply too much filler. All of the really good marketing ideas could have been written in ten pages or less.

There has never been anything available before that offers such clarity and knowledge of this industry. A must have for someone starting out either as an artist or anyone wanting to get into the field. The author really knows his stuff.

In today's world where music is the number one download on the Internet and connected with the top gift lines of today, making money with it has not been the on the "top of the online businesses to make money" for the average person. Until now.

From basic HTML codes to social networking, this book clearly and simply explains every single step of the way to the bank, with success whistling all the way. Its contents and index provide an easy way to browse through the book to find exactly what you need to know or do, with professional advice and teaching from cover to cover.

The book is written from heartfelt experience, tough roads, and successful insight. I enjoyed reading it, and with the information in this book opening up a new field on line--it would be best to jump in now ahead of everyone else.

I'm extremely suspicious of this book getting 17 5-star ratings. It was alright! Seriously though, any more than 3 stars is generous.

THE BAD:
It's quite basic, explaining how to set up a myspace page, etc. Now, maybe I'm biased because I was not new to MySpace when I purchased the book. I already knew about bulletins and blogs and messages and how things work on MySpace. I was more interested in getting more traffic to my band's page.

Certain things about the book were frustrating. For instance, there is a subheading in one of the chapters titled "Getting on the Front Page." Well, in that section it talks about what a great opportunity it is to get on MySpace's homepage. (Duh.) However, it does NOT tell you how to accomplish this. Instead, it states how unlikely it is, but that it's a "wild dream for everybody." Useless. Basically, the book tended to tell you which things would be good things for you to do but then left you clueless as to how to go about it.

There was a type-o probably every 5th or 6th page, and that REALLY irritated me. It was hard to take the book seriously when it clearly had not been edited.


THE GOOD:
It is a quick read. You could go through the whole book in a day.

It talked a good deal about promotions for your band. Although, most of it involved writing or hiring a writer rather than flyers or other traditional techniques I assumed would be the most proficient.

Nicky Kalliongis obviously has a lot of contacts and has done some great stuff in his musical career. ... but I would not by any means consider him a good author.

Anyway, yeah, 3 stars, no more.

Full of tips easy to use and fuul with tools to sell your web site right away.

Good ideas and well organized but be careful if you are not strongly web knowledgeable as some info is out of date, having been written about 3 years ago. Web is changing faster than books being published can keep current.

This book is very simple for IT guys, But It will be interesting for those IT Experts who are new in Real Estate Online Business.

It covers from A-Z, with details and researches, full of examples and ideas.

There are too much examples and ideas that you will not be able to use all.

I recommend this book to IT Experts who are working in Real Estate Industry, New Real Estate Agents and Brokers, Real Estate Agents who are going to update thier websites (If they had one before ! ), and YOU.

This information will help the new and "not so new" agent understand the principles of working in an online world. From email to web presence, branding to building a business one can sell in the future, this book is replete with tips, tricks, links and insight from some leading real estate trainers and agents. Presented in a clear, easy to follow fashion you can use right now, this is a must read for anyone interested in the "new rules" of real estate.

As a VRA I am always loking for the best ways to market my clients to the Real Estate community. This book has it all when it comes to marketing Real Estate online. It has given me my e-marketing strategies, web site ideas and ways to market Realtors to the online community. It is an A+ in my book.

This straight-talking book is a great addition to any entrepreneur's bookshelf. When positioning a company or a product - or a candidate for public office, there are several rules to follow, among them: Who is your customer? What is important to your customer? And how does your service or product meet the "perceived" needs of your customer? The key words are "perceived needs." You must know what your customer is buying and why, and what they want to buy. You also need to know what they are not buying - and why. It's all about establishing authentic connections, or as Myers, Stull and Scott say, how we tell our buyer that we've solved their problems - so that they listen to what we have to say, buy our products or services, or vote for us. (The reviewer is author of two books:Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing YOU and Top Cops: Profiles of Women in Command.)

I read this book at just the right time - I was in the crucial "needing to test my product on real people" (but not really wanting to) phase, and this book made me buckle down and focus on how important it was to talk with, poll, and listen to your potential customers. i.e. being "tuned in."

The process outlined in the book is somewhat simple, and is likely stuff we've all heard before, but it's presented in a way that makes you realize exactly how important it is to really tune into your customer base - whether you have a company, are a musician, pastor, leader, or just want to market yourself better!

Remove the examples from the book, and you have for the most part a collection of already known high level concepts without much depth. Granted, marketing does not have to be complicated and it should not be, but creating innovative products requires more than concepts. For example, the first step in the authors' Tuned-in "process" is "Find unresolved problems". OK, good point, but I knew that and you probably did know that too! How do I do it? The authors's advice: "ask the customers"! But I knew that too. Tell me more. "Ask your non-customers". Wow,I would never have thought of that. Tell me more. "Go to trade shows" say the authors. I knew that too. Tell me more. "Ask open questions", "Keep an open mind", etc. say the authors. At the end of this chapter and of most chapters, I fell frustrated of not learning approaches or tips I have not heard about before and of not learning more how to do it.

At the end of Chapter 4, I was going to drop the book, but the examples kept me going. There are at least 50 examples of Tuned-in companies from Disneyland to the Maganavox remote control that locates itself to the ubiquitous iPod. These examples are interesting by themselves. They are spread through the book to illustrate each step and to validate the entire tuned-in "process".

I keep putting process in between quotes because what the authors present is not really a process. It is more a framework. In addition, it seems that not one of the examples was actually the result of applying the authors' framework under their guidance. So the whole edifice is an after-the-fact analysis of successful innovations that serves to justify the author's framework. I would have liked to see at least one example of a product that the authors actually helped develop.

The book itself is an example of the framework the authors propose, and in particular of "Step 5: Articulate Powerful Ideas". This chapter develops the idea of establishing "memorable concepts that speak to the problems the customers have". The authors here eat their own dog food, and it is clear that they spent time thinking about how they should name that book and what memorable concepts they should articulate it in. "Tuned-in" is a sgood and simple concept that is repeated over and over throughout the book so that it sticks in your mind. There is an other one that is used over and over; it is "resonators" to designate successful products that resonate with customers.

In summary, the value of this book is probably in this Chapter 5. At least it is for me. We typically underestimate that the least number of words a concept can be described in, the more powerful it is. "Tuned in" is a useful concept to keep in mind to designate that idea that we need to be "tuned in" to the market and the customer. But you will need many other books and workshops to know how to do it. But, that's what the authors' core business is: delivering seminars! No doubt that they will have demand.

Tuned In. Uncover the extraordinary opportunities that lead to business breakthroughs. Craig Stull, Phil Myers & David Meerman Scott. 2008. ISBN9780470260364. I am a David Meerman Scott fan and this book does not disappoint. The book does a very good job pointing out ways to discover your key value proposition, how to clearly articulate it as well as how to get to the present non consumers of your product. A good book for todays marketing challenges with exceptional application to differentiation and finding high value segmentation.
Read about resonators such as :
* clubhub
* RIM
* BillMeLAter
* Nalgene
* TheatreChurch.com
* Boeing's Dreamliner
* ZipCar
* GoPro
* IPod
* Cold Stone Creamery
* Cincom
* Hubspot

I've been through the seminars on Practical Product Management delivered through the authors' firm (Pragmatic Marketing). As a CTO it was an eye-opener to see an approach to Product Management that meshed with the concepts of Agile Development in the software field. The two disciplines work well together to create software products that resonate with customers.

This book is not so much breaking new ground, but distilling years of learning into a simple introductory form for folks who might be interested in moving from an inside-out/command-and-control view of the market. It makes a strong empirical business case for doing things differently.

Highly recommended if you're starting a business, launching a new business unit or product line, or simple want to spark growth in existing efforts. You might even learn which existing efforts are not tuned-in and pull back on their funding so you can invest in products and services that the market wants.

"The moment that organisations lose their personality is when their employees become "people" rather than individuals...".

As many of my readers and friends know. I'm very much in touch with the "human side of business", especially forming a connection with people. Revealing, the honest, sincere and human side of your business to your customers has repeatedly proved to be a good thing. It's the key to delighting them and making sure they stay with us for a very long time.

Rohit Bhargava as an author is right up there with the likes of Seth Godin and Guy Kawasaki. Why? Because he tells it like it is. Jargon is left at the door and the book uses great worldwide examples of excellent personality branding. It's nice to see an American author who shows a refreshing awareness that we all don't live in America!

Wow. I must admit, Rohit actually had me at "hello" with this book. The book brings together, my own personal experiences of business differentiation. Learning, from companies such as Moo and Innocent Drinks (Also mentioned in the book). Rohit did an excellent job of drawing me in with his great writing style and a clear passion for the subject.

Throughout the book he provides many examples of businesses which are successfully using the techniques within the book. The case studies were almost enough to sell me the book alone. However, learning about each technique and then being given an interesting and detailed example of how each idea can be implemented in real life was fantastic. It was was great to see Steve, Hugh and the Blue Monster also getting a mention - Rock On!

Personality Not Included successfully leads the reader through the process of building a company personality. Rohit's approach impressed me in a number of ways. Firstly he outlined all the key elements. I especially liked his "UAT Filter"- the three core qualities of a company personality:

1. Unique
2. Authentic
3. Talkable

Spot on. Secondly, he presented great examples from several companies for each element.

As I finished reading Part 1, Rohit did something that many marketing writers do not usually do. He wrote a "Part 2?. The second part of the book focuses on how to put the discussion in Part 1 into action. To further guide the reader through the process, Rohit provides a number of tools and frameworks to help. The book is broken down into the following chapters:

Part One

Chapter 1 - Faceless used to work because big meant credible. This is no longer true

Chapter 2 - Accidental spokespeople are speaking for your brand - Embrace them

Chapter 3 - Uniqueness plus Authenticity plus Talkability equals personality. Use the UAT Filter

Chapter 4 - Backstories establish a foundation of credibility. You need onq.

Chapter 5 - Fear of change leads to barriers. Finding your authority overcomes them

Chapter 6 - Personality moments are everywhere and unexpected, but you must spot them

Part Two - (Putting Personality into Action)

* New Styles of Marketing (Ten Techniques are Described in Detail)
* Taking Theory Further (Tools and Guides to Accompany Chapters 1 - 6)

The key theme from the first half of the book is that personality matters, because it is the element of your brand that inspires loyalty more than any product feature or element of your service ever can.

Rohit reminds the reader, that consumers aren't just buying a product or service from you. They are buying "into" a whole experience. If they find the experience positive, they are very likely to purchase again, and/or recommend your business to others. As a text book, Personality not Included could also be used to boost your own "Personal Branding".

If you love Seth Godin, or Guy Kawasaki then you'll love Rohit Bhargava. If you are looking for a refreshing and up-to-the-minute business read, then you could do no better.

To conclude, Bhargava's marketing experiences with the world's leading companies has produced the definitive book that explains "Personality Branding", in a practical, understandable and actionable way. I can't recommend this book highly enough for any entrepreneur, business person, or anyone who wants to better understand how `personality' can impact a business.

This is an easy, but inspiring read. How to use your personality and the personality of your product and company to engage customers and build brand in the marketplace. As an unconscious competant (today a CEO and formerly a CMO)I found it incredibly helpful as a way to structure my thinking about this new marketing world. Rohit blends theory with examples in a way that makes the information easy to absorb and retain.

I don't have a long review to post. I do want to say that I hope to be able to help business owners. I currently do not work in the Marketing realm. However, I believe that talking with business owners and sharing good ideas doesn't have to be restricted to their marketing staff. I have been in marketing in the past and I believe that this book has value to the person that is inside the marketing world or outside the marketing world. Lets hope that your "Accidental Spokesperson" took time to read this book and helps your business. For that matter, you should buy this book and read it so you can bring authenticity back to your business.

Personality is defined as "the unique, authentic, and talkable soul of your brand that people can get passionate about. Personality is not just about what you stand for, but how you choose to communicate it. It is also the way to reconnect your customers, partners, employees, and influencers to the soul of your brand in the new social media era."

Have you ever thought about the fact that your business should have a personality? You might not have thought about creating or developing a personality for your business - but in the twenty first century, your business needs a personality. The time for faceless businesses is gone. We have all been told to develop a brand for our business. But, creating a personality that reflects and deepens that brand is taking the idea to a higher level.

Think about your favorite coffee shop or your favorite restaurant. What do you like about that business? Is it the service, the products, the atmosphere, the location, or something else? The personality includes things that set that business apart from other similar businesses.
This book contains six chapters in Part One. Part Two contains learning guides which expand on the content in Part One and other resources.

Throughout the book Rohit Bhargava provides ample examples of businesses which are using the techniques that he discusses. The case studies were almost enough to sell me on this book, but learning about each technique and then being given an interesting and detailed example of how each idea can be implemented in real life was invaluable. For example, we all know that Starbucks is very popular. In Personality Not Included we are given details on what they did right and how the personality slipped away.

Another fascinating section is chapter two when we learn about the many types of accidental spokesmen that can represent a business. In addition, he tells us how each type of spokesmen is effective and how to make the most of their enthusiasm and appeal. I love to highlight the valuable information in books and my copy has plenty of information marked for future use for me and my clients.

Backstory is critical when writing a novel, but have you ever thought about sharing the story behind your business? This chapter explains why you should have a backstory and how to use that backstory. The strangest thing happened as I read this chapter. I usually share my business and promotional background with people when I give my experience, but chapter four helped me begin to develop a new approach. What story do you have behind your business that would attract the public and help them to see you in a more favorable light?

In the opening chapter and introduction of the book I was patting myself on the back because I've used many of the ideas that are presented. Then Rohit Bhargava said something that really got my attention. He mentioned that just learning to create a personality isn't enough. You need to learn the best way to implement that personality plan in your business and learn to identify even more ways to find opportunities to develop this personality even further.

When you read the book, definitely take the time to read the learning guides in Part Two. There are many "guides" in the book which give you additional information on how to get the most out of the ideas and techniques in the book.

I highly recommend this book for any entrepreneur and business person who wants to understand the need for a business personality. Business managers can also learn so much from the content in this book. It is also for the person who wants to find the different ways to develop this personality. Your business can stand out from the competition in amazing ways - it just needs more personality. When you read the book, keep your eyes open for the interesting ways the author has woven a unique personality into the pages of the book.

I recommend this enlightening book on a number of counts. In an increasingly crowded (and sometimes superfluously smelly) elevator of social media and marketing how-tos, Rohit Bhargava sets himself apart: one of the most noticeable distinctions Personality Not Included has is its non-linear, self-referential structure, which makes it easy (and rewarding) to skip around if you're compelled. I didn't, but the option is there, which can't be said for less adventurous texts.

The book largely deals with personality (of course) and the looming ennui of "faceless" companies that don't connect with their customers, which benefits no one. It sounds obvious, but as staples like The Consumerist hammer home time and time again, even the glaring gets forgotten. I suspect this is due to "idealogical incest", the echo chamber of corporations copying each other on the WRONG things, compounding their screwups by being over-cautious and de-humanizing themselves!

Why did I pick this up?

I read PNI to do some professional development at my job as Resident Enlightenment Manager at Linden Lab, since just about everything I do in Second Life is avatar-centric, and hence, personality-driven.

In solidarity with Seth Godin's teachings, PNI makes a strong case for the benefits of storytelling to compel and intrigue your customers. What I learned within wasn't entirely new, but it did affirm, and reaffirm some independent ideas I had been cooking up for some time -- and now feel more confident about, knowing I'm far from alone here.

I especially found comfort in the overall presentation of PNI: from the colorful cover depicting a unique, rainbow-mohawked rooster who stands out from his peers to the fresh, well-spaced typesetting inside, these details all add to the overall readability and value. These are in themselves aspects of personality which a lot of people experience, yet have a difficult time articulating. Even if you can't put your finger on it, they make a positive difference in aggregate!

Other benefits include valuable numbered lists (e.g., types of company spokespersons) which are punchy, clear, and non-trite (an all-too-easy trap to fall into) and the practical exercises found in Part Two (intriguingly, Part One ends after Chapter 6 since Rohit reasons where this is where the "sweet spot" is). Also see his fresh approach to a non-bibliography, while still backing up his claims. It's rare to see such a self-aware "breaking the 4th wall" perspective in a serious-yet-fun business book, and I must mention the well-designed companion website, which may in itself serve as inspiration for future campaigns you'll do.

It's also nice to see Rohit practices what he preaches: I emailed him with kudos and a correction (he misspelled "Jaron Lanier" as "Jared Lanion"... what a spoonerism!), and he warmly contacted me back, encouraging me to review and spread the word -- here I am!

I liked this book. It seemed to be written for an audience of older timer marketing professionals who have not taken the plunge into the Internet world. The target audience seems to have followed the rule "If it ain't broke, then don't fix it," and they followed that rule too long and now they are not very effective marketers. Such people will get a lot from this book if they intend to continue working as a marketing professional. It covers Internet Marketing, and how to get comfortable doing it.

The book is comprised of just 9 chapters:

1. They're doing wonderful things with computers
2. New wine in old bottles
3. Marketing is a conversation
4. Going over to the dark side
5. The new customer relations
6. Customers vote with their mice
7. This doesn't work for me
8. This doesn't work where I work
9. This stuff changes too fast

It is well organized and well written. And it was very easy to read. My first pass on it involved reading the summary of Section 1 which lead me directly to the chapter summaries for chapters 1 to 3. Then I read the summary for Section 2, which lead me directly to the chapter summaries for chapters 4 to 6. Lastly I read the summary for Section 3, which lead me directly to the chapter summaries for chapters 7 to 9. It all made perfect sense. And in no time I was done with the book.

What these old time marketers who read this book will learn is that marketing is not totally new in our Internet Age. Instead, the Internet just offers new twists on old marketing approaches. Marketing used to be done through passive mediums. But the Internet with Web sites and email have made it possible to do marketing as a give and take process. Marketing is now about building relationships with customers rather than simply winning customers.

As the author says in the book: Marketing is now a conversation, and feedback from your customers helps you adjust what you do every day.

Sometimes what you will do will not be well received or produce good results. These are instances that the title of the book is referring to (Do It Wrong Quickly). As long as you adjust your tactics quickly, nobody is going to hold you liable for not doing it right the first time. We all make mistakes. And we all hopefully learn from our mistakes. The point of the book is that companies that perform Internet Marketing in order to build good relationships with their customers will come out ahead in the competitive world of business. 4 stars!

A direct hit on how the web is revolutionizing marketing!

More importantly, "Do It Wrong Quickly" is packed full of advice and tips for small businesses to leverage the Internet to take the lead in their marketplace, even against the titans!

What makes this book such a great reading experience is the fact that Mike Moran has left no one out. We all come to this new arena of web marketing with a sense of uncertainty. This book allows you to preview the most promising networking solutions available on the web today, and encourages you to get out there and find (or invent!) some of your own.

Do It Wrong Quickly is a very entertaining read that is thick with relevant information. Ignore it at your own peril.

This is an excellent book that is worth taking the time to finish. Mike breaks down complex information into tips that readers can use immediately. Plus, his humor and comedic timing make reading the book a fun learning experience. Adult learners who need an introduction into the value of Web marketing will find this book useful.

Mike Moran's second book, "Do It Wrong Quickly", has something for every reader. The seasoned marketer will no doubt garner at least a few new ideas (though probably more than a few) to try, whether in innovative ways to start the conversation with customers, or in how to effectively listen to the customer in the Web Age. A novice to the field will quickly realize the growing importance of the internet marketing field and some of the fundamental changes that are a result of all companies, big or small, risking their reputations in the public forum.

You even get to delve into numbers a bit, with the discussion of web metrics and how looking at the factors involved in running your website can dramatically increase your number of conversions. To go along with the prospect of learning something you didn't know, there is the added benefit of Mike's friendly and funny writing style. He also provides useful and interesting examples, sprinkled in just enough to always keep the material fresh and entertaining. I highly recommend this book to everyone seeking to learn more about internet marketing, or even just to learn more about how the Web has changed the way we do (successful) business today.