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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The Business Rules

Many businesses collapse because necessary rules are not observed. It is therefore necessary to examine this text entitled "The Business Rules", with the subtitle "The Seven Irrefutable Laws That Determine All Business Success" to guide existing and prospective entrepreneurs. It is written by David Eichenbaum, chief executive officer of Eichenbaum & Associates, an international consulting firm.

Eichenbaum says this text is the culmination of the 20-year research project he undertook to identify the foundational elements that dictate business success. The author educates that there are seven fundamental business rules, stressing that they apply without exception to any organisation in the world and following them has made some companies succeed at the expense of others.

Eichenbaum explains that these rules are timeless and enduring, simple to implement and definitive. The author submits that yet, only very few companies master them all.

This text is divided into four parts of ten chapters. Part one is generically christened "In the beginning" and contains one chapter, entitled "Flawlessly flung flutes of flame". According to Eichenbaum here, there are fundamental precepts that govern information dissemination that need to be established at the very outset of any presentation.

The author says the first is to create a non-threatening atmosphere wherein the audience can relax completely and focus. He adds that the intent of the Montgomery Ward story is to demonstrate that amidst what seems like extreme and chaotic change, there exists constancy.

The second precept, according to Eichenbaum, is to provide in advance a structure of the material to be presented. He adds that the last, and perhaps most important, principle governing presentation of information is that within the first 60 seconds, you must communicate exactly how the presentation will benefit each individual in the audience not in any general way, but specifically.

The author says it is not good enough to convey how the material presented might benefit someone's company, for example; but how it will benefit them specifically. Eichenbaum adds that there is no one way to succeed in business, stressing that if there were, he would definitely know about it. He educates that there is damn sure a structure and rules and they apply.

Eichenbaum says business by definition is about risks, uncertainty because, in theory, you have no control over how the free will of the marketplace will react to your endeavours. The author stresses that although much is beyond your control in business, more is within your control.

"Far, far more than most people realise. Most of it is hidden amidst the everyday din of commerce or concealed within the way things have always been done. Most of this mystery can be removed with a simple framework that if adhered to will result in the clarity necessary to excel," expatiates Eichenbaum.

He asserts that one noteworthy and encouraging characteristic of the rules is that they require few if any resources to implement and they cannot be rules if substantial resources are required. Eichenbaum submits that nearly every phenomenal business in history began with little in the way of assets, most with laughably few.

According to him, it is quite clear that if these businesses could succeed at the very pinnacle of capitalism without resources, then so, too, can you. "The Rules reflect this. They universally require something far more precious than resources - thought. You will find these Rules to be self-evident, and they are. They are enduring, timeless. They are indisputable and account for every instance of business success and failure in history," asserts Eichenbaum.

He submits that there is no doubt that it is not possible to succeed without implementing them. Eichenbaum says not knowing them will cause unnecessary stress and reduce dramatically any chance for success. In his words, "Regardless of who you are, down at the street level, if you break enough of them, you become pavement."

Part two is summarily woven together as "Financial identity" and contains just one chapter, that is, chapter two, which has the subject matter of micro being able to sing. Here, Eichenbaum says the first and probably most important business rule is: Sell it for more than it costs you. The author educates that before you can wield the extraordinary knowledge imparted in Rule 1, you have to first determine what your costs are.

"If you don't know what your costs are on a per item basis in exhaustive detail..., then you are hanging out where the terra isn't so firma. Businesses do not profit by accident. It happens by design. It is the difference between sale price and costs," expatiates Eichenbaum.

He says when it comes to the nitty gritty financial details of a company, most normal people's attention span would not span a crack in the sidewalk. Eichenbaum stresses that your true financial identity exists whether you are interested or not. He adds that all companies have two distinct financial identities, a micro and a macro.

"For my purposes, the former refers to results on a per item/per customer basis, and the latter involves the organisation as a whole. Most companies have at best a macro notion of their financial selves. It is, however, the micro that determines their destinies," educates this author.

Eichenbaum explains that there are two prominent ways in which to break Rule 1. He says the first is not to know while the other is not to care. According to him, when your bottom line is the top line, then the bottom line is that your bottom line will most likely be inadequate. The author explains that this notion of market share, of a fixation on the top line (revenue), is quite dangerous.

Eichenbaum stresses that there is a huge difference between the top and bottom lines. "That is why they put all those numbers in between may be the most important...You can't spend sales. In fact, one could submit they are not even as important as costs. Every dollar of cost reduction adds a dollar to your profits. The same can rarely be said about every sales dollar increase," says the author.

Part three is eclectically tagged "Market identity" and covers four chapters, that is, chapters three to six. In these four chapters, Eichenbaum analytically X-rays concepts such as the really clean bathroom machine; being in synch with bossman's universe; easy does it and gray matters.

Part four, the last part has the summary subject matter of organisational identity and contains four chapters, that is, chapters seven to ten. Chapter seven is entitled "Mission position". Eichenbaum says the fifth and absolutely really important business rule is that your employees possess everything necessary for you to achieve virtually any objective, every single one of them has far more to offer than you currently capture.

The author says the only way to compete, be it locally or globally, is to empower each of your employees and harness all that they have to offer. Eichenbaum adds that capitalism no longer allows any room for the waste of resources, especially the most precious one, your people.

In chapters eight to ten, this author beams his analytical searchlight on concepts such as Michelangelo Buonarroti's bent neck; most important customer being on the payroll and in the end.

Stylistically, this text is okay. The language is standard yet simple, while the presentation is brilliant. Eichenbaum includes a grey-box section tagged "Chapter Highlights" at the end of each chapter to outline the major points of each chapter and achieve conceptual recapitulation.

He also uses the grey boxes to radiate other important pieces of information and create visual emphasis. Eichenbaum writes the "Rules" in first-letter capitalisation even within connected text to create emphasis, though this is regarded as a graphological deviation/error in Stylistics.

Generally, the text is fantastic. It is a necessary companion for anybody that wants to succeed in business.

GOKE ILESANMI, Editor-in-Chief/CEO of http://www.gokeilesanmi.com/ and Managing Consultant/CEO of Gokmar Communication Consulting, is a Certified Public Speaker/Emcee, (Business) Communication Specialist, Motivational Speaker, Career Management Coach, Renowned Book Reviewer, Corporate Leadership Expert and Editorial Consultant. Tel: +234(0)8055068773; +234(0)8056030424
Email: info@gokeilesanmi.com; gokeiles2010@gmail.com

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