Review of Make Every Second Count by Robert W Bly

You must be thinking, "Not another time management book." Yes, I know how you feel.

A few months ago I received an email asking for permission to send me a copy of Make Every Second Count by Robert W. Bly. I said, "Sure" and gave my mailing address but did not pay any attention to who the author was. I shortly received the book and placed it in my stack of books to read, when I noticed that it was written by Robert W. Bly (Bob Bly). I know Bob Bly as a copywriter.

So what does Bob have to say in Make Every Second Count: Time Management Tips and Techniques for More Success With Less Stress? A lot actually, more that what you would expect in a time management book.

One of the things I've noticed with Bob Bly is that he structures his books, at least the ones I have read, in such a way that you can start at any point, and this book has 14 clearly titled chapters.
Chapter 1: Work Habits That Speed You UpChapter 2: Do You Really Want to Be ProductiveChapter 3: Goal-SettingChapter 4: Save Time and Money When You TravelChapter 5: The 10% Solution for Increased Personal EfficiencyChapter 6: Networking OnlineChapter 7: Using Technology to Save TimeChapter 8: Going MobileChapter 9: Delegation and OutsourcingChapter 10: Getting OrganizedChapter 11: Planning Systems and Software to Increase Your ProductivityChapter 12: Maximizing Your Personal EnergyChapter 13: Managing Information OverloadChapter 14: Saving Time at HomeThere were times while I was reading that I had adverse reactions to what Bly was saying, and had to take a step back, and remind myself that that's okay. My responsibility as a reader is to take in information, evaluate it, then decide if the information makes sense for me. And that's something that I recommend. I also have a responsibility to my readers to be honest in my feedback.

I'm sure that there are things that you will not like about the book, but the beauty is that because Bly has done such a great job in laying out the information, you can quickly find what you need.

What I liked about Make Every Second Count.

Bly uses a system where he has three to-do lists: Daily to-do, Projects to-do and Long-term to-do (This could be some personal projects that are important to you, but do not have a definite end date, so allocate a few hours a week working on them), which I think would be very helpful and allow you to carve out the time to do things that are meaningful to you, but will not necessarily earn money in the short term.

I found chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11 most useful. For instance, in Chapter 6, which is Networking Online there is a Networking Grid which would be a welcome to a social media strategy because it allows you to structure the actions you take. There are some helpful tips in the book on how increase personal efficiency, and I was delighted to see a section on how to think faster which uses the creativity model that we have discussed on this blog many times. And very timely, are great tips to deal with email overload.

He offered an example of setting up your folders on your computer, and though some may think that information is basic, I'm glad it was included because so much time can be wasted searching for files on a computer. There is also a very detailed chart, which includes productivity software so you can compare them and determine which is best suitable for your needs.

And for those who love to travel, Chapter 4 has some great tips. I discovered that in addition to Kayak.com, SideStep.com allows you to search multiple websites for deals on hotel, airline and car rental packages. CleverDude.com provides tips on how to get free airline upgrades.

Though I couldn't figure out why some historical information on mobile technology, and other were included, I recommend Make Every Second Count: Time Management Tips and Techniques for More Success With Less Stress but I suggest that you read only the chapters that would be useful to you. Despite my adverse reaction (I think that some of the time saving tips for home are a bit extreme, and takes out some of the joy out of life for people) to some of the content, I'm happy that I read Make Every Second Count because I picked up some tips that will increase my personal efficiency.

Avil Beckford, Chief Invisible Mentor, has over 17 years writing, research and analysis experience. If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to The Invisible Mentor Blog by email or by RSS Feed.

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Review: How to Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit by Robert W Bly

I purchased How to Write & Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit by Robert W. Bly because I'm interested in creating information products for my membership site, and for other purposes. I wanted to discover tips on how to improve the presentation of information to make it more user-friendly. And I also thought that some of my readers might be interested in knowing if such a book is worthwhile reading.

The book has 18 chapters, two appendices, which include further reading, resources documents and forms (Sample query letter, permission letter, copyright form and much more). And it is structured so that you can start anywhere depending on what your needs are. For instance, five of the 18 chapters are titled, Make an Online Fortune Selling E-Books, Recurring Revenues With Membership Sites, Speeches Presentation and Workshops, Training Coaching and Consulting and Managing Your How-To Information Empire.

While reading How to Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit I often felt like Bly was personally speaking to me and giving me the content I needed to do what I wanted to do. In the past, I have felt frustrated when I purchased a product expecting to learn how to do a certain thing, and was given the "what-to-do" and not the "how-to-do" so I was no further ahead. Bly goes down to the basics, clearly presenting the steps, which I'm sure readers will appreciate. In fiction writing, they often say show and don't tell, How to Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit demonstrates the "what" and the "how".

Bly provides 10 Topics That Are In Demand for How-To Writers to assist you in choosing what how-to topics to write about that will have a good audience.
Saving or making moneySaving timeSex and relationshipsInvesting and tradingCollecting (Art, stamps, coins and so on)HobbiesMarketingSmall business adviceSelf-helpPets

If you'd like to create information products and are not sure how to choose your niche, here are 10 questions to answer:
What do I like?What am I interested in?What am I good at?What do I have the aptitude for?What is my education?What do I know?What is my experience?What have I accomplished?Which of the above areas afford the least competition?Which of the above areas pay high rates?

After you have answered all 10 questions above, possible niches should become clear to you.

There is a lot of information in the book that I knew already, but it was a great reminder, and I like the idea of having all the information in one place. As a researcher I appreciated Bly's attention to detail, and I particularly liked the pricing information that he included. Now that I have read How to Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit, I have a new sense of awareness about the scope of information and information products that anyone can create and sell. When I thought of information and information products, it involved the usual suspects like books, webinars, teleseminars, articles, CDs, DVDs, newsletters - I wasn't thinking about consulting.

There is lots of information out there, but you can differentiate yourself from the crowd by picking out the salient points from the information and creating clear actionable steps for the client. That's the way to add value. I read this book from beginning to end because I am reviewing it, but for those who are interested in creating high impact information products whether it be e-Books or webinars, I recommend that you look at the Table of Contents and focus on the types of products that you are interested in creating.

How to Write & Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit: Your Guide to Writing and Publishing Books, E-Books, Articles, Special Reports, Audio Programs, DVDs, and Other How-To Content by Robert W. Bly is a great book which I recommend, but don't take on too much so that you become overwhelmed. And instead of starting off with new content when creating your first how-to information product, take a look on your computer hard drive to see what information you can repackage and sell.

Avil Beckford, Chief Invisible Mentor, has over 17 years writing, research and analysis experience. If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to The Invisible Mentor Blog by email or by RSS Feed.

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Business Bestsellers Review

The Millionaire Messenger: Make a Difference and Fortune Sharing Your Advice, by Brendon Burchard, is a book that is about how to use your personal life story and experiences to help better your business, and your entire life, as a whole. This book allows you to take a deeper look into yourself so you can discover what it is that you can share with others to use as inspiration. You can use your personal stories and share them to use as advice for others, such as life lessons that you picked up because of the things you've been through. Burchard's main objective is to impact people with a ten step plan that can help make an impact on others as you discover the great value of your life story, as well as realize that you're on this planet to make a difference and that you are really important because of your perspective and unique voice. Also, he mentions that you can get paid for this contribution as you share it with the masses in a lucrative way.

Erik German writes My Father's Dream, a novel about a salesman from a network marketing company who made a pitch to the author's father in the 80s and caused a darkness to fall upon the entire family. The book is told in an investigative style from the perspective of the author who explores this corrupt company that seems to be selling soap but is actually selling something much darker. Particularly focused on exposing the details of the company, Amway, this novel is a mysterious probing look into a situation that affected one man and many others' lives.

The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement, by David Brooks, is an exploration of how our subconscious mind affects the things we do, the things we eat, the people we love, and all of what we are. He studies not what the brain does, but what it all means. How all of the things that our brain is doing should affect the way one raises children or does business or handles relationships, to provide a better understanding of one's self and the people around them.

Jim Collins' book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't, is an examination of thousands of companies, searching for which ones made substantial improvements during their rise to power. And then the book seeks to examine what factors helped them make that leap, finding common things among the big companies that succeeded, like Walgreens, Wells Fargo, etc. This is a book that CEOs will find particularly useful.

Finally, William Clement Stone writes The Success System That Never Fails, a book that talks about the various formulas, maps, equations, systems, and techniques that help a person succeed while others continue to fail. And once you follow these techniques it leads you to knowledge, and then you get experience, and then finally, you get inspiration which is all your really need to make a change and a difference. Thus, this book contains immense inspirational material for business building or life improvement.

Roberto Sedycias works as an IT consultant for PoloMercantil

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Negotiating: Getting More by Stuart Diamond - Business Book Review - 5 Invisible Strategies

How confident are you in your negotiating abilities, whether in your personal relationships, professional endeavors, or marketplace, including travel?

One book with a fresh perspective on negotiating is "Getting More: How to Negotiate to Achieve Your Goals in the Real World-The 12 Invisible Strategies That Changes Everything You Thought You Knew About Negotiating," by Stuart Diamond.

Diamond embodies 40 years of negotiation expertise and teaches a negotiation course for MBA students.

He shares his entire negotiation class in three broad questions:

What are my goals?Who are "they?"What will it take to persuade them?

The first six chapters explain Diamond's 12 invisible negotiation strategies. These methods aren't rocket science, but unless you already know how to do them; they're completely unseen he says. Five of those skills are:

Goals Are Paramount. Goals are the end-all and be-all of negotiations. You need to negotiate to meet your goals. Everything else is subservient to that. Write down your goals and remind yourself, not just at the beginning of the process, but throughout.Make Emotional Payments. The more important a negotiation is to an individual, the more irrational he or she often becomes. Irrational people are emotional people. When they're emotional, they can't listen. When they can't listen, they can't be persuaded. You need to tap into the other person's emotional psyche with empathy. Value them or offer them other things that allow them to think more clearly.Every Situation is Different. Every negotiation is different because there are different people, or the same people on different days. Or, a different set of facts and circumstances, or a different goal. There is no "one-size-fits-all," including race or gender.Incremental is Best. In our imagination, big, bold moves produce big successes. In reality, big, bold moves mostly scare people; you're trying to go too far too fast. Incremental steps anchor people to the step or steps they've already accepted. They reduce the perceived risk of moving forward.Embrace Differences. Most people think different is wrong, risky, annoying or uncomfortable. But different is demonstratively better. It's more profitable; and studies show that more creativity results from the clash of differing perceptions and experiences.

Diamond emphasizes that mastering the twelve strategies occurs only through practice; and that each method is situation-specific. He also uses the Baseball Hall of Fame as an analogy for your negotiating efforts: "If you are a.280 hitter in baseball, and you get one extra hit every nine games, you become a.310 hitter in baseball. And that is worth a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame and $10 million more in your compensation. All for one extra hit every thirty-six times at bat." You needn't hit a home run when negotiating. Aim for one extra hit every nine games and you'll be highly successful.

The people and processes used comprise more than 90 percent of what's important in a negotiation says Diamond. The substance, facts, and expertise account for less than 10 percent, which is quite counterintuitive for most people.

Negotiating is often viewed as confrontational and manipulative, reserved only for the most talented. Diamond says that great negotiators are developed, not born. Becoming a better negotiator will enhance your self-confidence and provide a detailed approach to problem solving. It will also produce greater control over your life, more money and more peace of mind.

Getting More's chapters include Getting More at Work, Getting More in the Marketplace, Parents and Kids, and Travel. Chapter 15, entitled "Public Issues" provides prescient insight on some of the key questions to ask when evaluating how well people are doing in solving a problem. Those challenges could be within the local school board or halfway around the world in the Middle East. The answers will reveal whether you have the right people negotiating, and the right processes.

If you're looking to hone your negotiation skills, Getting more will provide some clear direction.

To read an excerpt from Getting More, including Diamond's 12-Step Negotiating Model. Visit http://www.gettingmore.com/.

Timothy Zaun is a blogger, speaker and freelance writer. Visit him online at http://timzaun.com/.

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Review - The Skinny On Time Management

The Skinny On Time Management: How to Maximize Your 24-Hour Gift, Jim Randel, 2010, ISBN 9780984139392

Here is another in a series of books that attempts to boil down a large subject area into an easy-to-read format. Intended for busy people who want just the bullet points, this book looks at how to best manage your time.

Write out a time journal for an entire week to see just how you are spending your time. You may think that you are being efficient and productive, but seeing it on paper may change your mind. Can changes be made in your schedule, with more time given to more productive activities? You need to set goals for yourself, whether long-term or short-term. Then you will know how to get from where you are to where you want to be. If your goal is important enough to you, then some other thing you are doing may have to be dropped totally. Choices were never meant to be easy.

The book then covers many ways to maximize your time. Fight the urge to procrastinate. Touch a piece of paper, or email, only once; either respond to it, get rid of it or put it in your file to be worked on later. Are there gaps in your day, like when you are sitting in a waiting room, when you could be working on your Blackberry? Are you a "morning person" or a "night owl?" Work on your hardest and most unpleasant tasks when you are most alert and awake. Learn to plan your day, but don't go overboard with the planning. Prioritize your tasks; which ones come first, and which ones can wait. Break a huge task into smaller, more manageable pieces. Can you batch several appointments, for instance, and get them done in one day? Doing crossword puzzles is a good way to improve your memory. Learn how to focus when you are on a task, and not let distractions get in your way. De-cluttering your office, and your email inbox, will always help. The act of writing a daily To Do list helps focus your mind on what you need to do that day.

Instead of reading a bunch of books on how to manage your time, read this book. It can be read in an hour or so, and does an excellent job of telling the busy person just what they need to know. It is a gem of a book.

Paul Lappen is a freelance book reviewer whose blog, http://www.deadtreesreview.blogspot.com/, emphasizes small press and self-published books.

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Critical Book Review: How the Mighty Fall and Why Some Companies Never Give In by Jim Collins

Following his detailed and meticulous statistical review of Good to Great Companies, Jim Collins decided to view the other side of the looking glass in this book, How the Mighty Fall and Why Some Companies Never Give In. This book is a case study of eleven American companies and how they fell from being strong economic bastions of entrepreneurial spirit to almost non-existent or irrelevant organizations.

By identifying and then detailing five stages of decline, he supports his premise with hard facts along with some insightful quotations. Additionally within the Appendices and the Notes, there is even more information.

So how do the mighty fall?

As I read the first stage of decline, I was reminded of this old saying: Pride goeth before the fall. Stage one is all about the birth of hubris or arrogance. The attitudes of "we are too big to fail" to "I can lead this company out of its problems" signal the birth of hubris.

The early Greeks defined hubris as excise pride that brings down a hero or a more contemporary definition by is "outrageous arrogance that inflicts suffering upon the innocents." Beyond the companies that Collins researched, we have experienced the hubris of leaders all the time such as the Anthony Wiener or Bernie Madoff scandals to the falls of Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac.

Hubris happens when organizations fail to remember the purpose of business that being to serve the community. When your products no longer serve the community, you are destined to fall and fail.

Stage Two is the Undisciplined Pursuit of More. Here organizations experience incredible growth by overreaching or through an obsession to grow even more. When this type of growth happens, it sets the stage of Packard's Law that being "no company can consistently grow revenues faster than its ability to get enough of the right people to implement that growth and still become a great company."

In Stage Three, Denial of Risk and Peril, the leaders of the organization ignore reality. As they say, "Da Nile is not just a river in Egypt." Collins discussed the waterline approach as described by Bill Gore regarding taking risks. Making a bet on something that may blow a hole above the water line is Okay, but making a bet on something below the water line spells disaster.

Now stage four happens when management is grasping for salvation. Collins compared Hewlett Packard (HP) to IBM. Both companies had started to decline, but Louis V Gerstner, Jr. CEO of IBM changed the course of decline to one of re-growth and revitalization in both people and stock value.

The final and fifth stage is Capitulation to Irrelevance or Death. In this stage, money becomes very tight, the employees and even the customers lose hope. The opportunity for options becomes very limited.

This is a great book to read because of this one simple fact: Organizations are comprised of people. How the Mighty Fall is just as much about people as it is about businesses.

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Improve your strategic execution with this simple one page business growth action plan.

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Cashvertising - By Drew Eric Whitman - Review

Cashvertising or Ca$hvertising by drew Eric Whitman is a great book. It is the best book by far that I have read on the subject of copywriting and core basics of advertising. The book is extremely well researched and lifts the lid of many mysterious advertising secrets. The book is short and punchy and full of humour which makes it a great read. There are many real practical tips that you can use on a daily basis in all of your marketing.

Eric Drew Whitman has laid out all the pointers you will need to create ads that truly appeal to your customers. You will be able to zone in on all of their deepest desires and impulses. You will learn the secrets of the psychological principles that lies behind consumer behaviour.

Although the book concentrates on Advertising in print, the information contained is relevant to all forms of advertising including website marketing.

Included in the book:

How only 60% of people read your headline!How clever use of captions under photos will get up to 200% more readership than non-headline information.How adverts that include pricing draws 20% more attention.How to create powerful ads for websites, e-mails and sales letters.How to write powerful headlines that draw the reader in.How to learn ad agency psychology.

I have many books on the subject of advertising and marketing, however Drew Eric Whitman has delivered what has to be one of the finest books on the subject.Anybody with an interest in Advertising or Marketing will find something of interest in this book. Find out more about the book at the link below.

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Marketing 4 Driving Schools - a Review

Marketing 4 Driving Schools was written by David Poole, from Nottingham England, his goal was to help driving instructors save money by using straight forward uncomplicated marketing methods - that anyone could use. Within the industry there was a huge marketing gap, only filled by generic solutions or telesales companies offering quick fixes that often resulted in money being thrown down the drain.

After a long period of research, a micro version of the ebook was launched ad received strong applause, so much so ADI News soon asked David if he could write a monthly business column in their nationally published glossy magazine.

The demand for specific marketing needs for driving schools was growing stronger, Davids Facebook group and profile soon massed over 1000 people from all over the world, and requests for support came flooding in every week.

The first subject David discusses is return in investment. What is something going to cost, and how much will you gain. Many instructors are accountants, councillors, social workers, friends and yes help people learn to drive! When do they get time to research marketing, and learn to avoid the pitfalls. Marketing 4 Driving Schools shows you how.

This ebook is not about great tips to put into practice, but educates you against sales companies offering you the world on a plate. You soon learn to become savvy. Moving on into the ebook, you are encouraged and shown how to write a marketing plan, targeting your growth, helping you to identify what has been successful. Oh and there are plenty of marketing ideas.

Marketing 4 Driving Schools encourages you to try all techniques but recognises you may prefer some over others, we all have different personalities and styles, your marketing should suit what you can do. And it should be measured to test how successful it is.

In todays' world many instructors are using websites and Facebook as tools to hopefully attract new pupils. But countless people get it so wrong! A website is made, the instructor uses Google adwords or other sponsored links to drive traffic to the website, but do not receive any enquiries. Not only does Marketing 4 Driving Schools demonstrate why you are not receiving enquiries but also shows you how to correct this. And this is not rocket science.

Overall Marketing 4 Driving Schools is a very friendly and easy to use ebook, that all driving instructors across the world must have. If you want more enquiries, if you need more pupils, and would love to learn how to charge more money, this is the ebook for you.

ADI Support provide a professsional service to driving instructors in the UK, and have been known to help a few others further a field.
If your driving school needs marketing, phone, and admin support.
Just go to http://www.adisupport.co.uk/

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Book Review: Content Rules by Ann Handley and C C Chapman

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet Ann Handley earlier this year at her Content Rules book tour in Arlington, VA. I'd been following her on Twitter and reading MarketingProfs for several months when I became convinced she was emerging as one of the most influential voices in online marketing.

So it was a great joy to meet her, pose for a picture together and leave with one of my now favorite marketing books ever - Content Rules.

This book blew my mind.  For one, I had not yet made the connection between social media and content marketing - I was still treating them as two separate entities. Reading this book was for me the moment the clouds parted and the angels sang - it was then that I understood social media is impotent without content marketing.

And that's why this book is so important.  I believe it has something for everyone. Whether you're new in the game or you've been marketing all your life, Content Rules is packed with value and wisdom and is a resource that simply cannot be ignored.

So without further ado, here's a comprehensive review of Content Rules.

Author's purpose
The purpose of the book is to equip businesses for success in content creation and marketing. It also shares and inspires through case studies the successes of companies that are already publishing great content.

Given the fact that virtually every company has become a de facto publisher, the authors' intention is to demystify the publishing process and share the secrets of creating remarkable content- blogs, videos, podcasts, e-books and other web content. They believe that even businesses with no publishing experience can create and deliver relevant and valuable content to attract new business opportunities.

What to expect
The book begins with a 'big fat overview' (literally!) explaining what great content is really about and how content marketing is shaping business today. Everyone knows the rules (of marketing that is) have changed. But the book is not designed to sing to the chorus because the underlying assumption is that you already get that. Instead, the book focuses on three areas:
The new rules for creating great contentHow to create different types of great contentCase studies (success stories) that show companies that are creating great content

Here's a summary of the most interesting 'how-to' chapters in the book:

A Blog as a Hub of Your Online Content (Chapter 11)
This is a significant chapter because a blog is the logical first step for brands that want to create and publish content. For those who want to go down this path it explains how to create great blog content by applying the '12 Blogging Guidelines.' Some of the guidelines are standard, i.e. write killer headlines, consider comment moderation, and categorize and tag your blog post.  The most insightful guidelines are:

Design is important
Bloggers tend to focus more on the text rather than the design element of their blog platforms. This guideline explains why design is important: The idea that your blog should have its own personality and style cannot be overemphasized since these are the qualities that make it unique and exceptional.

For those who don't have the resources to hire a professional designer, the guideline shows the must-have features in a generic template:
A clearly visible RSS icon for subscription feedsA search boxA clear way for others to contact youSocial sharing icons (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Digg and so on)An archive for recent posts (by topic or title).

Write the way you speak
Even as a corporate blogger you can (and should) adopt a casual, informal tone when speaking to your audience. Why? Because your readers are people too. Don't use buzzwords, jargon and corporate-speak. It makes you sound like a tool not a person.

However, that doesn't mean you can be sloppy or careless about grammar and typos.  Even veteran writers need an editor to check the small stuff. Blogging is an opportunity to communicate your brand in simple terms using the kind of language that you would normally use with your clients.Rule of thumb: Be specific enough to be believable and universal enough to be relevant.

Don't over think
I think this is one insight that all bloggers will appreciate. This guideline takes off the pressure that we heap upon ourselves when we approach a blog post as if it were a science project. The idea is to relax and not feel compelled to "tell the whole, balanced story." Bloggers are advised to leave a little room for the opinion of others. Remember, it's OK to leave things unsaid.

Video: Show Me a Story (Chapter 16)

This is another compelling chapter that confirms what we've been hearing all along - that "video is hot!' Not too long ago, Google and Bing introduced a new search concept called blended search. It enables search results to display not only as web pages but also as videos, images, news stories, maps and even tweets.In order to take advantage of this latest opportunity, the chapter explainshow to create great video content that shows an intriguing story. Some of Handley and Chapman's tips include:

Start with the right equipment
Video content can be accomplished with some of the tools you already have such as your webcam or your smart-phone (although you may need a tripod so that the camera doesn't move around). There are some expensive, more sophisticated options as well. Here is a post from Nate Riggs that reviews some of the video camera options available.

Create your story
According to new-media maven Thomas Clifford, the difference between a drab video and one that truly engages is a true story. In other words, the best way to go about creating great video content is to create a mini-documentary that has three qualities:
It features a true story about your companyIt stars real people that shows their personalities, i.e. real words from real peopleIt includes outside sources such as vendors, customers, and stakholders to add credibility

Shooting and scripting
This book does not claim to be an authority in filming. The authors recommend that you pick up a copy of Get Seen by Steve Garfield if you're serious about video creation. However, they illustrate ten things that make for successful video content creation. These include good knowledge of your equipment, good lighting, being aware of shadows, staying away from background noise, stability of the camera, use of built-in microphone, perspective and framing.

Photographs: The Power of Pictures (Chapter 18)

This chapter is powerful because it shows how easy it is to create great photographs that add visual interest to your content mix.

Pictures are important because they put a human face on your business. Nevertheless, the authors advise not to rely exclusively on headshots, but to capture moments around the company that add personality and excitement to your brand such as holiday parties, summer picnics, company meetings or even pictures showing customers using your product. A good example is Threadless.com, which encourages fans to upload photos of themselves wearing T-shirts the company sells. These shots enable them to show off a fun and passionate side of the brand, which wouldn't be possible with a typical product picture.

I like that the authors also explain:
How sharing and tagging on photo-sharing sites such as Flickr and Facebook can be an effective strategy to broaden a brand's reach beyond its immediate customers and fansHow to use descriptive tags in your photos so that they show up in a larger number of organic search resultsWhen to bring in a professional photographer

Case studies
The third section of the book is a collection of inspiring success stories (case studies) that show how other organizations have succeeded in creating great content. It also explains how you can 'steal' these ideas and make them work for you.

My favorite case study is Reynolds Golf Academy, Greensboro, Georgia. It's the story of a resourceful businessman - Charlie King - who becomes the director of a golf academy, and his primary goal is to bring in hordes of new students. But with a very limited budget, he has to figure out a smart, affordable approach to spread the word about the academy. Most of us can relate to this story.

After reading David Meerman Scott's The New Rules of Marketing & PR (the forerunner of Content Rules), Charlie sets out to create content that will hopefully appeal to golfers looking to improve their game.

He launches a blog called "New Rules of Golf Instruction" in which he shares free golf tips and techniques through blog posts and videos. Then he writes a free e-book (with the same name as the blog) in which he challenges the old rules of golf and suggests a new, less-rigid approach. But the a-ha moment doesn't happen for Charlie until a film crew for Golf magazine films him in an ad-hoc tutorial as he is demonstrating the proper way to angrily throw your club into the water. The video is posted on the magazine's website and quickly goes viral registering more than 1.8 million viewings.

The results are phenomenal.  Since implementing the content marketing strategy, the golf academy has thrived, bringing in hordes of students and allowing steady business during a difficult economy.

You'll have to pick up the book to read the actual ideas you can steal from this case study.

Personal Impression
The book is compelling, consistent and well organized. It speaks to a very broad audience(which is a difficult task to accomplish) and adopts a casual and friendly tone. Each chapter is comprehensive enough to stand alone as its own complete resource, yet the whole book is cleverly connected to allow continuity.

However, I would have liked to see the authors discuss how to measure content marketing. I think they missed an opportunity to shed some light on a pretty mysterious piece of content strategy. Being a fairly new concept, most businesses are still unsure of how to track and measure their content marketing efforts. Perhaps this omission was the trade-off for reaching a broader audience.

In any case, I think the authors have been quite successful in their goal of "demystifying publishing" and equipping brands to create compelling content. Whether you're a novice or an expert in content marketing, this is a book that belongs in your library. Just follow Handley and Chapman's advice and you could become a success story as well.

**This article was first posted by Patricia Redsicker on the Content Marketing Institute blog on June 9th, 2011

Patricia Redsicker is owner and principal of WordView Editing, an online commercial writing business based out of the Baltimore area. Patricia's goal is to help you communicate better by writing your most compelling business documents and marketing communications material.

Please visit her website at http://www.wordviewediting.com/ and subscribe to her newsletter and/or blog both of which are loaded with useful resources to improve your writing and communication skills.

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Critical Book Review: Designing Your Organization by Amy Kates and Jay R. Galbraith

Since organizations are really a collection of individuals, it makes sense to have both an efficient (doing things right) and effective (doing the right thing) design. Unfortunately, many businesses grow without rhyme or reason as the saying goes. This "loosey goosey" growth potentially creates gaps and misalignment.

In this book, the authors Amy Kates and Jay R. Galbraith, provide an easy to follow design to ensure that the desired results are consistently achieved. This book builds upon their previous work of Designing Organizations.

Even though Designing Your Organization was written to solve organizational design challenges, for me it truly illustrates why many strategic initiatives to performance problems continue to vex leadership. When there is misalignment between strategy, structure, processes, rewards and people, these gaps are counter productive to securing the desired results. Silo solutions are the result of focusing on one challenge without understanding its impact on the other aspects of the organization.

The authors walk the reader through each of these design elements:

StrategyStructureProcessesRewardsPeopleAdditionally, they provided some concrete definitions for the words they used for greater clarity. For example, they defined strategy as a "set of capabilities at which an organization must excel in order to achieve the strategic goals." (pg. 3) Additional defined terms are organizational culture, alignment, competitive advantage and these are just within the first chapter.

Another benefit within this well written book is the inclusion of many simple charts and graphics. As the mind hears or sees words, but thinks in pictures having these visuals helps again to ensure greater clarity and agreement. The simplicity of these graphics only reinforce the basic premise within the 5 Star Organizational Development (OD) model.

Chapter Six takes this model into innovation specific to how to achieve organic growth. Again using the 5 elements, the authors demonstrate how this model can enhance innovation and works with it instead of against it. They also provided a detailed case study to support their approach.

Additional value is provided not only in the Appendix, but in the extensive bibliography and index.

Misalignment creates inconsistencies and those inconsistencies are very expensive in any organization. Having tools to identify those misalignment gaps is necessary. This is why I find the decision tools within the CD-Room to be incredibly helpful. These tools are very user friendly, can be easily adapted to any current organizational challenge and will help you be the be The Red Jacket in a sea of gray suits.

Download this free leadership audit because the real Issue is not "Do they (you) know it," but "Do they (you) want to do it?"

Consider this proven individual diagnostic assessment.

Executive coach and consultant, Leanne Hoagland-Smith partners with forward thinking leaders who want a NEW status quo. Call 219.759.5601 CDT USA to have a conversation about the results you are seeking.

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Critical Book Review: How Stella Saved the Farm by Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble

Authors for years have used parables to illustrate key points specific to human behaviors and nature. Aesop's fable are probably the best known.

In business, authors such as Kevin McCarthy in his work The One Purpose Person to John Miller in QBQ to B.J. Gallagher Hateley and Warren H. Schmidt in their book A Peacock in the Land of Penguins have also used parables or fables to address business issues from people to change management to innovation and creativity.

Now Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble have joined others in crafting a parable around innovation through what they call "a wild and wooly yarn about making innovation happen."

The story, How Stella Saved the Farm is about two farms one managed by animals and the other by human beings. Both farms (think organizations) are working through change and innovation where the status quo is no longer good enough. Unfortunately Stella's farm is not doing as good as the other farm.

This is kind of like Planet of the Apes working along side Plant of the Humans. Only the creatures being farm animals are a little less threatening and possibly even more comical. The authors also have provided some simple brown and white illustrations which help to reinforce the parable. After all, we see and hear words, but we think in pictures.

Within the story line, the reader is exposed to a variety of issues that happen in business from a leadership void, to doing the same thing the same way to accepting diversity. By having the main characters as animals makes those issues somewhat less bullying, but still very realistic. I am sure we can all relate to one person in an organization who acts like a bull with "It's my way or the highway!" attitude.

Where the incredible value really is, is at the end of the book where there are two sets of questions.

Questions for ReviewQuestions for Deeper Reelection

There are questions specific to each chapter with the implication to apply these questions to what is happening or might be happening within the organization.

For example, in the first set of questions, topics include:

LeadershipOrganizational historyFinancesAttitudesNew product introductionOrganizational chartsFlexibilityMaking tough hiring and promoting decisionsCultural diversity

For the second set of questions, they are the "What If"scenarios. Also, these questions bore down into the feelings of those involved with this movement to save the farm (think business).

For me the first few chapters were a slow read and caused me to put the book down even though it overall was a quick read of fewer than 130 pages. However, after the first couple of chapters, the story line did pick up and I completed it rather fast.

If your organization is facing change or needs an infusion of creativity, then this is a good book to work through some of those changes by identifying them first.

Download this free leadership audit because the real Issue is not "Do they (you) know it," but "Do they (you) want to do it?"

Consider this proven individual diagnostic assessment.

Executive coach and consultant, Leanne Hoagland-Smith supports forward thinking leaders who want a NEW status quo. Call 219.759.5601 CDT USA to have a conversation about the results you are seeking.

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Book Review - The Millionaire Next Door

Before I became good with money, trust me I was hopeless with money. While my wage was not great, it was better than most people's; my problem was with spending. I spent money on shopping, food, going out, holidays, clothes, and paying back debt, with little regard for saving anything. My life was great and there was always a good time to be had. Then one day it all caught up with me, when my debt payments nearly overtook my wage. Like a strike of lightning, I realised I could not keep this up. At around the same point, quite by accident, I came across this book "The Millionaire Next Door."

This book teaches you the not so secret tips of getting rich. In fact, most millionaires are not sport's players, share traders, or movie stars. They give real life statistics about real millionaires living in the suburbs. People who you would not suspect were a millionaire due to the fact they don't live like the ones we see on TV. They give real life stories of people who are millionaires who have lived on a basic wage all their life. Plus they give you a rundown of the USA top millionaires' professions (would you believe plumbing is included?)

This book trains you to stop living and acting above your wage. Stop living flamboyantly with money, spending all your income. To say this book is an eye opener is an understatement. I'm sure like me, when you read it and slowly and painfully think, wow what foolish decisions I have made. This book will truly, 100 percent guarantee to make you feel differently about money.

The great thing about this book is they use FACTS to show what millionaires are really like. They don't use guesswork. As the back of the book asks," Who are rich?" How did they get rich? What do they drive? All three answers to these questions will shock you. No wonder this book could change your life. And it has sold over one million copies.

Just to give you an idea of the typical American millionaire, the book proudly states at one point, "Drive like a millionaire... in a 1993 Ford Taurus."

Pros:
The books only talks about FACTS not hypotheticals.
Does not sugar coat why you are not rich.
Gives you a true insight to human behaviour with and around money.
Follow the steps to increase your bank balance, no matter what position you are in.
Introduces you to the average American millionaire, as determined by studies and surveys.

Cons:
This book should be taught in schools but is not.

Five out of five stars.

My name is Adam Goulding and my story is quite simple. Four years ago my bank balance was so low paying rent was a big problem.

Then like a flash of lightning, a thought so extremely simple, yet a powerful realisation hit me. Whatever happened in my life with money up to March 15th 2005 wasn't working!

Then my girlfriend, let me in on her system for growing money.

Now I have written a book on getting out of debt and a free monthly newsletter. Myself and my wife have turned our household budget around. Saving money in all sorts of ways. Find it at http://www.mrhomebudget.com.au/

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Don't Be a Dip, Learn About the Dip From Seth Godin (A Book Review)

I'll bet Seth Godin didn't realize he and Ricky Bobby had the same philosophy. Ricky Bobby believed that "If you ain't first, you're last." Seth Godin says, "Quit or be exceptional. Average is for losers."

"The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)" at first makes you mad. "Hey Seth Godin," you think, "Someone has to be average or else there is no average." Then you start wondering where you're wasting your time being average or even mediocre. Finally, you end the book with a determination to be the best in the world. Even if, as Seth says, the best as in the best for right now, based on what you and others believe and what they know.

For example, if someone wants to hire "the best," that may mean the best person in town, who is available and is in their price range. You can't afford to not be the best. Otherwise, you're going to lose out every time to the guy who is the best.

How do you get to be the best? By knowing when you are in a dip and working through it or knowing that you're in a dead end and quitting. That's pretty much the whole book. Seventy-six pages. Very short and readable in probably an hour. There is a lot more effort in making this a short book than blabbing on for 400 pages. Mark Twain once said he could speak for an hour with no preparation, but that a short speech would take a few weeks to prepare.

The dip is the place after the fun and excitement of starting something new wears off and before the apparent ease of true mastery begins. It's the 18 mile point in a marathon - past the excitement of halfway, but will another 8 long miles to go and no finish line in sight. It's the point where the grand opening ribbon cutting leftovers have been eaten, but before word of mouth really starts to build your business.

You need to get this book and read it on a regular basis if you ever find yourself wondering if you need to soldier on or if it is appropriate to quit. Is it a true doldrums or are you about to turn the corner? It's better to take a few minutes, read the book and ask yourself "Am I first... or last?"

Beth Bridges has attended over 2,000 networking events in the last 7 years as the Membership Director and Chief Networking Officer of a large west coast chamber of commerce. She believes it is possible to be a Seth Godin and Ricky Bobby fan and still have some brain cells left.

Free gift! Get the Networking Motivator's Top 10 Networking Tips audio MP3 plus a free subscription to the weekly Networking Motivator Newsletter. Click here for your -> free networking tips audio. <-

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Copyright Beth Bridges, 2011

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How to Think Like a Billionaire Entrepreneur on the Go - A Book Review

If you are a small business entrepreneur, then you probably have dreams of making it big. And you wouldn't be the first. No, not every entrepreneur scores it big, but most want to. There really is nothing like running your own company, and we all know there's no easy way. It's hard work, and it's harder today than ever before with all the regulations, licenses, taxes, and competition, but that doesn't mean it's not possible.

The other day I was discussing this with a friend from New Zealand who is a business consultant, and a darn good one at that. We got to talking about the various business books that each of us had read, and the recommendations that we make to clients of our consulting practices. One book that he highly recommends is actually a book that I own as well. Yes, it is a book that I have recommended, and I very much enjoyed reading. The name of the book is;

"Screw It Let's Do It - Lessons in Life" by Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Books, London, England, (2006), 128 pages, ISBN: 978-75351-1099-5.

Yes, you've obviously heard of Sir Richard Branson President of Virgin Everything. He's into marketing, mobile phones, airlines, private space flight, energy drinks, clothing lines, and just about anything that anyone would ever want. He is successful because he doesn't do BS, and he looks around at what is needed. He has a dynamic personality, and he often throws caution to the wind, and is undeterred by challenges and problems that occur economically, socially, or with regards to regulations.

He is not afraid of the competition, he loves competition. He is not afraid of irate customers, he turns them into loyal followers because he listens, and he acts on information and intelligence which he gathers from the frontline. It is said that Virgin is a wonderful place to work, and it is one of the strongest brand names in Europe. Sir Richard Branson is obviously a showman, and he refuses to give up and he's not afraid to Go For It!

Is my contention that you can learn a lot from reading this book, understanding the man, and the entrepreneur inside yourself. The funny thing is as do, you will probably see psychological similarities between you and Sir Richard Branson, and that's because these are similarities that are shared by most all successful and hard-working entrepreneurs. I highly recommend that you buy and read this book and you think about it and consider all the facts that are put forth.

Lance Winslow is an Online Author with 11 eBooks and a co-Author of Franchising 101. The latest sBook in the "Lance Winslow Small Business Series" is "How to Start a Boat Cleaning Business" http://search.barnesandnoble.com/How-to-Start-a-Boat-Cleaning-Business/Lance-Winslow/e/2940012121691/ (a Nook Book available at the Barnes and Noble Website). Lance Winslow is semi-retired and Founder of the Online Think Tank http://www.worldthinktank.net/ - You may contact Lance Winslow by email for dialogue, discourse, discussion, or debate on interesting topics.

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Make Every Second Count - Time Management Tips and Techniques by Robert W. Bly - Review

Synopsis of Content:

This book teaches you how to manage and use your time most effectively. He teaches how to use to-do lists, how to manage time, how to handle information overload and gives you some tips about on-line resources you can use.

Bly stresses the need to organize and plan your day, each day. Create a schedule for the day in 15 minute increments and plan your activities. He suggests you refer to your schedule often throughout the day and stick to it. He describes the kinds of to-do lists you should maintain and how to best use them. You will learn the importance of prioritizing your activities and how to avoid procrastination.

Bly advocates using the SMART system of goal setting. He also suggests ways to manage your resources and how to use the best personal habits to achieve the most. He wraps up with some on line resources that can help.

This book is full of good suggestions and tips. This short review cannot begin to list them all. Not everyone will agree with all of Bly's suggestions nor will they all work for every type of person - but everyone will find a great deal here that can help them organize their work and use their time more effectively.

Readability/Writing Quality:

As with all of Bly's writing this book is well organized and easy to follow and understand.

Notes on Author:

Robert Bly is the author of 75 books and an accomplished copywriter and internet marketer. He publishes an internet newsletter called The Direct Response Letter.

Three Great Ideas You Can Use:

1. Time is your most valuable and limited resource. You must manage it effectively to be most effective in your work.

2. The proper use of goals greatly enhances effectiveness. Use a good system of developing and implementing goals such as the SMART system: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-framed.

3. Use your time on those activities that create the most return. Develop sound priorities and stick to them. Avoid common time wasters.

Publication Information:

Make Every Second Count - Time Management Tips and Techniques for More Success with Less Stress by Robert W. Bly

Career Press © 2010

Rating for this Book

Overall Rating for Book: Excellent

Writing Style: Easy to understand.

Usefulness: Highly useful.

Difficulty: Not difficult.

Daniel R. Murphy writes on success and how you can build wealth. Would you like to learn how others have been successful in business and in life? For a free success eBook and much information which can help make you successful and financially independent visit http://www.bookstowealth.com/. Begin your self-education today learning how others have become successful and rich! Do it today!

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Review - Do It Yourself Business Sales Guidebook

Do It Yourself Business Sales Guidebook, Ben Brickweg, 2011, ISBN 9781456568764

The easy part is to decide when to sell your small business; the hard part is knowing how to do it. This book makes that process much easier to navigate.

First of all, why are you selling? If it is to get enough money to retire to Florida or Arizona (or the south of France), giving the business to your children is probably not a good idea. Get an accountant and tax attorney (if you have not already done so); you are going to need them. Obviously, keep it quiet. The last thing you want is for your employees, suppliers and/or customers to be running for the hills in panic. Get rid of all old or obsolete inventory, and give the facility a thorough cleaning.

There are several financial reports that you will need, but the two most important ones are a Balance Sheet and a Profit and Loss statement for the past several years. Make sure that they are absolutely accurate. It's tempting to fool with the "books" in order to make your business look more profitable than it really is. It's also a really bad idea; your deception will be exposed, sooner or later. Besides, showing a "down" year is not the worst thing in the world.

The book looks at things to consider when you are coming up with an asking price. You need to get on the Internet, and look up the asking price of comparable businesses that are up for sale. If your asking price is noticeably higher than the "average" price, reduce your price accordingly. You can count on a potential buyer doing the same search, and asking why they should pay more for your widget company than for a comparable widget company.

Put some time and effort into the marketing materials that will get potential buyers interested in your business. Get help if you need it. Find the right magazines and websites to place your advertisement. Keep track of everyone who shows interest. If they seem legitimate, send them a Confidential Business Plan, which gives some, but not all, details of your business, right after they sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. If they object, they are not a legitimate buyer, and you can cross them off the list. Serious buyers know that an NDA is part of the procedure, and will have no problem in signing it.

This book covers the rest of the process, from negotiating terms of the deal (compromise is the important word), to due diligence (where you are obligated to reveal all of your business, good or bad), to ensuring a new transition to the new owners. It also comes with a number of checklists and worksheets, to make the process as painless as possible.

For anyone who is even contemplating selling their small business, this book is very highly recommended. It's easy to say that you will never sell your business; life has a way of making that decision for you. This is equally recommended for anyone thinking of buying a small business; it does a very good job of showing what the seller is thinking and seeking.

Paul Lappen is a freelance book reviewer whose blog, http://www.deadtreesreview.blogspot.com/, emphasizes small press and self-published books.

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Think and Grow Rich Review

Think and Grow Rich should be required reading for all entrepreneurs. Although it was originally published in 1937, a quick reread shows that its philosophy has stood the test of time. The content of this book is just as relevant today as it was when it was published near the end of the Great Depression. "Think and Grow Rich" was inspired by Andrew Carnegie, one of the wealthiest individuals in the world at the time, who disclosed his formula of personal success to Napoleon Hill. Hill went on to interview more than 500 very wealthy men do discover their personal secrets and philosophies of success. From his research, Hill went on to identify the similarities in the philosophies of these magnates and assemble the ultimate "what-to-do" and "how-to-do-it" manual for personal achievement.

The book is not only for those who want to achieve financial success, but for anyone who needs a breakthrough in order to achieve a personal accomplishment, whether it is financial, technical, physical, mental, emotional, or even habitual. One of my favorite passages of "Think and Grow Rich", that I immediately committed to memory upon reading, is taken from the second chapter entitled "Desire, The Starting Point of All Achievement, The First Step Toward Riches" Hill states, "Every human who reaches the age of understanding of the purpose of money wishes for it. Wishing will not bring riches. But desiring riches, with a state of mind that becomes an obsession, then planning definite ways and means to acquire riches, and backing those plans with persistence which does not recognize failure, will bring riches." Hill then goes on to list the six ways to turn desires into gold. It was at that point that I was immediately hooked, not only because of his writing style, but because every chapter was teeming with lists and how-to's on various topics of achievement and success.

This is not to say that Think and Grow Rich is simply a book of lists. On the contrary, the lists are usually generalized summaries of the preceding passages, and they typically paraphrase and present the moral or lesson of the story of an individual or group who was able to accomplish a seemingly impossible task by 1) taking control of their mindset, 2) creating a definite plan, 3) persisting until success, and 4) not accepting failure as an option. As an example, in the chapter on Desire, before presenting the six ways to turn desire into gold (or more symbolically, riches) Hill tells the story of Edwin C. Barnes. Barnes was a man who at one point in his life would be considered a tramp by any reasonable person's standards, yet through a burning desire and definite plan, created a partnership with Thomas Edison five years after deciding that was his goal.

As he revealed how he accomplished this feat he stated, "There is but one thing in this world that I am determined to have, and that is a business association with Thomas A. Edison. I will burn all bridges behind me, and stake my entire future on my ability to get what I want." It was through this dogged determination he went from a man who a) did not personally know Thomas Edison and b) did not have enough money to pay railroad fare to Orange, New Jersey, to a partner of Edison's as the chief distributor and marketer of the Edison Dictating Machine, which was a new office device Edison had recently perfected. Think and Grow Rich is the result of over 20 years of research by Napoleon Hill, who studied and interviewed over 500 of the wealthiest individuals in the world in order to learn their secrets to obtaining financial success. The list of subjects reads like a Who's Who of the Industrial Revolution and Political Landscape of the early twentieth century.

Those that have read "Think and Grow Rich" in the past (before 2004) will be pleased to learn that the book is now being published in unabridged format, presenting a higher fidelity of Mr. Hill's original writing and including a lot of material and whole sections that had not been previously released in the Fawcett Crest Version that was published in 1960. I have not yet read this latest edition, having read the Fawcett Crest Edition several times, however I understand it to be very favorably received. This Tribeca Books Original Classic Edition is in my queue of Kindle books to read in order to glean even more nuggets from Mr. Hill that may have not been included in the Fawcett Crest Edition. Whether you have never picked up Napoleon Hill's writings, or you are due for a reread like I am, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of "Think and Grow Rich."

Nate Jackson is a loving husband and father of four beautiful girls. A Mechanical Engineer with a B. S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, Nate has successfully moved into the worlds of internet marketing and network marketing. He has made it his passion to ensure new network marketers avoid the pitfalls that plague most new network marketers. He uses his analytical background to focus on keyword optimization for Pay-Per-Click Marketing and Search Engine Optimization. Examine the Lead Generation system he uses to generate 25+ leads per day, or connect with Nate at http://natejacksonmarketing.com/marketing-tools/#tagr

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The Thank You Economy (TYE) by Gary Vaynerchuk Business Book Review - 6 Beginning TYE Company Ways

Entrepreneur extraordinaire, Internet rock star and Crush It! author, Gary Vaynerchuk, returns with his second book, entitled The Thank You Economy.

The Thank You Economy heralds an era when companies, big and small, are developing authentic, meaningful interactions with customers. Those bonds are nurtured by Web 2.0 technology, known as social media. Consumers are now empowered to make or break a brand or business via these web applications.

Success in the Thank You Economy depends on obsessively caring about the customer, Vaynerchuk says. That concern must originate with a company's top brass and filtrate throughout the organization. To ensure that the correct message is being shared; concentrate first on your employees instead of the competition or customer service. Vaynerchuk describes six strategies on how to incorporate the Thank You Economy in your establishment:

1. Begin With Yourself. Strong self-awareness makes a strong culture possible. Remember who you are, whether you're a CEO, an executive, or a mid-level manager, and the qualities that have produced your current success. It's extremely important as you work towards developing, sustaining and spreading the company culture. Once the Thank You Economy is ingrained in your overall vision and strategy, you can successfully incorporate it throughout your business or department.

2. Commit Whole Hog. Commit mentally first to embrace the Thank You Economy, which includes investing in social media initiatives. Unwavering company leadership determined to create a culture of supersized caring, will persevere during inevitable setbacks.

3. Set The Tone. Leaders committed to building a caring culture; need to send a strong, clear message about their intent. Employees should be able to feel the difference immediately. They should be able to view their leaders as examples of the care, concern and one-on-one customer interactions expected of them.

4. Invest In Employees. Too many leaders insufficiently invest in their employees. They fear losing out when employees leave. Any employee investment you make will be safe if they believe you really care about them and their future. Prove that you value your employees above all else. Give them the freedom to ask for what they want, to experiment and be themselves. Employees who choose to leave for bigger and better positions at other companies are ambitious people. Ideally, you want driven people on staff because they preserveyour company's reputation as a place where people can advance their career. You'll attract the best and brightest talent. When people are happy they want to make other people happy. To make your customers happy in the Thank You Economy; begin with your employees.

5. Trust Your People. Creating a Thank You Economy culture becomes easier as you begin hiring people who share your commitment to caring. Create a culture of openness. Let your employees' blog and tweet as much as they like. Let them be themselves. Authenticity is a vital part of what makes social media initiatives work. If an unhappy employee uses social media to malign your company, question their intent. Today, there is very little an employee can say to hurt your company that you can't fix if you act with speed and good intent.

6. Be Authentic. Legacy trumps everything. People can sense insincerity. Social media often decides how a brand or company survives a false story in the Thank You Economy. It has the power to spread articles, images, video and audio recordings worldwide within minutes.

If you're new to the Thank You Economy experience, or interested in it's latest information, Gary Vaynerchuk, a quintessential entrepreneur and visionary, leads the way.

To read more about The Thank You Economy, visit, http://thankyoueconomybook.com/

Timothy Zaun is a blogger, speaker and freelance writer. Visit him online at http://timzaun.com/.

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Young CEOs Out to Conquer the World - A Book Review for You

As a retired franchisor, I am often contacted by future startup entrepreneurs, and they ask advice from me on how to run their future business. Generally I am contacted during the business planning stage, or right after the businesses started, and they are looking for tips on expanding their business, marketing to customers, or increasing their cash flow. Much of the advice I give is technical, and specific to their industry, but not all. Sometimes they're looking for a little philosophy.

At times I've had trouble giving advice to young entrepreneurs and CEOs, although I am not without experience in this regard as I started my first business when I was 12 years old washing airplanes, long before I could drive a car. I know what they are going through, as I have been there, and I know how hard it was, and what it takes to succeed. Sometimes a little philosophy can actually go a long way.

Luckily, I ran across a very good book which has helped me more recently assist young entrepreneurs with words of wisdom. This is a book that I do own in my personal library, and I'm very glad to have it. It is also a book that I would like to recommend to you, in case you ever find yourself in the position of giving advice to Young CEOs who are out to conquer the world. The name of the book is;

"Wisdom for a Young CEO - Incredible Letters and Inspiring Advice from Today's Business Leaders" by Douglas Barry, Running Press Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, (2004) pages, ISBN: 0-7624-1831-1.

This book dives into some of the inspirational advice that has been given by corporate titans to young entrepreneurs, in the forms of letters, e-mails, and other correspondence. The book imparts passion, respect, integrity, and a little bit of humanity. Perhaps some of the tips and ideas, or concept and advice given in this book will help you help someone else on their way to the top.

Everyone knows it's not easy, but it's much easier knowing that there are those who a blaze the trail before you, and are willing to help you on your journey. Not only does this book bring back memories of all the folks that have given me advice along the way, but it also helps me return the favor. Indeed I hope you will please consider this, and perhaps purchase this book for your own business library. It's well worth reading and you can read the whole thing in one evening. Please think on this.

Lance Winslow is an Online Author, his latest eBook about Boat Detailing is now available in the "Lance Winslow Small Business Series" titled; "How to Start a Boat Cleaning Business" (a Nook Book available at the Barnes and Noble Website). Lance Winslow is semi-retired and Founder of the Online Think Tank http://www.worldthinktank.net/ - You may contact Lance Winslow by email for dialogue, discourse, discussion, or debate on interesting topics.

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Review: The Dark Arts: Elicitation by Wayne Taylor

The art of Elicitation is as old as humanity. One definition of elicitation is:
"The art of gaining information during conversation without the subject being aware that he is giving it."

However, for most of our history it was only taught to royalty and top military leaders. This helped the aristocracy maintain its power. There are records of this in Europe, China, and Japan. In the 1800's the art was formalized into a set of rules and techniques and has been part of an intelligence officer's training ever since.

Wayne Taylor, a retired Strategic Counter-Intelligence officer, offers us an "Elicitation for Beginners" version of this very complex people skill.

Starting with the example of how we have all been puzzled after driving out of a car dealership with a more expensive car than we went there to buy, he explains how business has included these precepts into our purchasing experiences. Classic elicitation can be described as targeting and individual who:
• Probably has the information you desire
• May or may not admit to having the information
• May or may not be willing to share the information
• Should not know that you are even interested in the information.

Then, using Human Nature (for example the Desire to Teach) you plant thoughts so that your target can correct your "misconception".

Complex concepts such as the "Onion Theory" of personality are simplified and inserted into Conversation Mapping.

Then Mr. Taylor brings out the tactics. The first one is the hardest. Devilishly hard. If you seek to elicit information you must quash your ego and LISTEN. You can't play the "Oh, my story is even better" game that we are all so good at. To gain trust and rapport, we must listen 80% and only talk 20%.

We humans are full of needs and desires. These are levers that a good listener can use to move the conversation into the funnel leading to that nugget of intel desired. For example, after talking with someone for just a few seconds, one should be able to figure out that this person desires recognition. A small bit of flattery can unleash a flood of information.

Some of the levers Taylor discusses are:
• The Desire to Correct a Mistake.
• The Desire to Teach.
• The Desire for Recognition.
• The Desire to Gossip.
• Curiosity.
• Underestimating your listener's Needs.

Then he matches tactics to use with these needs.
• Flattery
• False Statements
• Secret Knowledge
• A Provocative Statement
• Naivete
• Repeat-a-word (Active Listening)
• The Instinct to Complain.

While this is a simplistic book talking about a topic that agents spend years studying and practicing, it is useful to a business person who may not realize how much information they give out during each day. With better situational awareness, a research engineer, accountant, or executive can tell if they are being manipulated to divulge company confidential information.

For a salesman or CEO, this primer can give the basic understanding to set a goal for conversations, map out the paths, and manage the flow of information to their advantage.

This book is well worth the $7.95 price for the Kindle version on Amazon.com.

D. Alan Johnson has been a private military contractor for over 24 years. I write about my adventures in my novels and a job guide to the contracting world. Visit my website http://www.dalanjohnson.com/ to learn more about PMC's.

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