Social Media Book List: #PRIVACYtweet & Share This!

Filed Under Business Book, Business Life, Successful Blog | 1 Comment

A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow of Key Business Partners, LLC

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors & writers to manage their book promotion and social media marketing. As part of my job I read a lot of books (I love to read anyway!).

This week I will be highlighting two books; one author I am currently working with ‘#PRIVACYtweet’ by Lori Ruff and one book on the social media Amazon list ‘Share This!’ by Deanna Zandt.

The books I discuss in the Social Media Book List Series will cover a range of topics such as social media, marketing, blogging, business, organization, career building, finance, networking, writing, self development, and inspiration.

‘#PRIVACYtweet:Addressing Privacy Concerns in the Day of Social Media’

by Lori Ruff

“Whatever you believe about online privacy and its implications on your life and business, this book will help you better understand what you need to believe.”
Jay Deragon, @JDeragon, Coauthor The Virtual Handshake, The Emergence of The Relationship Economy, and http://www.relationship-economy.com, one of the top 150 blogs in the world

“Very relevant, entirely timely, proper perspective: all the elements you want when you’re going to learn.”
JoshuaABarnes, @joshuaatbarnes, Director of Information Technology, Socialmatica, Inc.

Here are a few of the tweets from the book:

#2 You can’t hide in The Cloud. If you’re going to participate in the online community, do it with deliberation & thought.

#13 Being online is like being a player on a professional football team. You know you’re being watched. Act like it.

#15 Business professionals need to be on LinkedIn and engaged. Share only what you would at your office.

#35 Bullying is not only alive and well; it is more common than you’d hope. Call out cyberbullying: help those attacked.

#48 Did your computer come with security software? Use it, keep it updated, run it on schedule. It will
help save your A$&.

#76 Each individual has sole responsibility for posts published in any form of online social media. Via @maltaee

About the Book*:

Concerns about privacy are not new. Since time immemorial, we humans have valued and guarded our privacy, often jealously or violently. It is therefore no surprise that privacy online is of such great concern in our connected world. Today, when we conduct so much of our life online–bank transactions, credit card payments, transmission of personal messages and images to friends and family–it is completely understandable that we should be concerned about the privacy of our communication and information.

Privacy concerns in the virtual world are often compounded by lack of information and awareness. Not all of us are completely clear on how we should guard our privacy on the Internet. Especially in the corporate world, privacy becomes a huge concern, since it is not only the individual employee who can be at risk, but co-workers and the corporate entity too. Can privacy be guaranteed? How can you raise employee awareness on privacy issues? These are just a few of the questions that Lori Ruff is so well-qualified to address.

In #PRIVACYtweet , Lori tells you–in the succinct and ever-popular tweet format–what exactly privacy on the Internet means to your organization. To cite just one example, she addresses the need for privacy issues to be part of a hiring firm’s requirements and why they must be in line with customer relations. You don’t have to be an Internet guru to perceive and benefit from her experience and wisdom. Using Lori’s book you can secure your privacy at the individual, group and corporate levels without paranoia. Read PrivacyTweet to clear the fear, so that you approach the Internet with caution, yet confidence.

About Lori*:
Lori Ruff, author of numerous books and famed speaker at conferences and training sessions, has taught technology and Internet courses since 1999 and helped thousands of people find success online. She is now living her life out loud in the social media world.

Dubbed The LinkedIn Diva, Lori is the 9th most connected woman on LinkedIn, with a full Facebook friends list and close to 50,000 followers on Twitter.

You can purchase a copy of ‘#PRIVACYtweet:Addressing Privacy Concerns in the Day of Social Media’ online on the publisher site, Happy About or on Amazon. *I did receive a copy of this book from the publisher to help in the promotion of the book

Next, I would like to introduce you to a book on the social media list on Amazon and on my reading list: ‘Share This! How you will change the world with Social Media’.

Share This! How you will change the world with Social Media

by Deanna Zandt

“If you are an activist or a concerned citizen and you are new to social media, start with Share This! Deanna Zandt has deep knowledge, broad experience, a knack for clear and simple explanation, a talent for storytelling, and a wonderfully engaging voice.”
–Howard Rheingold, author of Smart Mobs and lecturer, University of California Berkeley and Stanford University

About the Book*

Social networks can be so much more than a way to find your high school friends or learn what your favorite celebrity had for breakfast. They can be powerful tools for changing the world. With Share This! both regular folks of a progressive bent and committed activists can learn how to go beyond swapping movie reviews and vacation photos (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

At the moment the same kinds of people who dominate the dialog off-line are dominating it online, and things will never change if that doesn’t change. Progressives need to get on social networks and share their stories, join conversations, connect with others–and not just others exactly like themselves. It’s vital to reach out across all those ethnic/gender/preference/class/age lines that exist even within the progressive camp. As Deanna Zandt puts it, “creating a just society is sort of like the evolution of the species–if you have a bunch of the same DNA mixing together the species mutates poorly and eventually dies off.”

But there are definitely dos and don’ts. Zandt delves into exactly what people are and are not looking for in online exchanges. How to be a good guest. What to share. Why authenticity is more important than just about anything, including traditional notions of expertise or authority. She addresses some common fears, like worrying about giving too much about yourself away, blurring the lines between your professional and personal life, or getting buried under a steaming heap of information overload. And she offers detailed, nuts-and bolts “how to get started” advice for both individuals and organizations.

The Internet is upending hierarchies and freeing the flow of information in a way that makes the invention of the printing press seem like an historical footnote. Share This! shows how to take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to make marginalized voices heard and support real, fundamental change–and, incidentally, have some fun doing it.

About Deanna Zandt*:

Deanna Zandt is a media technologist and the author of Share This! How You Will Change the World with Social Networking (forthcoming: Berrett-Koehler, June 2010). She is a consultant to key progressive media organizations including AlterNet and Jim Hightower’s Hightower Lowdown, and hosts TechGrrl Tips on GRITtv with Laura Flanders. Zandt specializes in social media, and is a leading expert in women and technology. She works with groups to create and implement effective web strategies toward organizational goals of civic engagement and empowerment, and uses her background in linguistics, advertising, telecommunications and finance to complement her technical expertise. She has spoken at a number of conferences, including the National Conference on Media Reform, Bioneers, America’s Future Now (formerly “Take Back America,”) Women Action & The Media, and provides beginner and advanced workshops both online and in person.

In January 2009, Deanna was chosen as a fellow for the Progressive Women’s Voices program at the Women’s Media Center. She also serves as a technology advisor to a number of organizations, including Feministing, The Girls & Boys Projects and Women Action & The Media.

In addition to her technology work, Deanna writes and illustrates graphic stories and comics, and volunteers with dog rescue organization Rat Terrier ResQ.

*courtesy of book website and Amazon

You can purchase a copy of ‘Share This!’ on Amazon.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.

Social Media Book List: Scrappy General Management and Implementing Word of Mouth Marketing

Filed Under Business Book, Business Life | 1 Comment

A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors by managing their book promotion and social media marketing. As part of my job I read a lot of books (I love to read anyway!).

This week I will be highlighting two books; one author I am currently working with ‘Scrappy General Management’ by Michael Horton and one book on the social media Amazon list ‘Word of Mouth Marketing’ by Idil M. Cakim.

‘Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophies, and Lackluster Results’

by Michael Horton

I would first like to share with you an excerpt from the Author’s Note ( I believe it is very telling and reflects the point of the book).

So why this book? When I started in the GM role, I had little idea ofwhat a GM was meant to do. The title does give you a good hint as to what’s required; kind of like General Electric tells you the company has something to do with electricity. But one thing’s for sure, I couldn’t ask my boss, as I’d just spent a good deal of time convincing him that I knew what I was doing so that I could get the job.

While there is a plethora of literature on the different aspects of leadership, management, and marketing, it is rarely brought together in a useful form. A wise person once said, “There is no such thing as coincidence.” If something works once, and you understand the how’s and why’s, there’s a damn good chance you can get it to work again. And if the concept also happens by some stroke of luck to agree with some sort of academic theory, then by classic triangulation you have something that perhaps is worth documenting.

It doesn’t matter if you’re working in good times or bad, at the end of the day solid, common-sense management practice will serve you and your team well and allow you to achieve the results that you deserve. So enjoy the book, and I hope it helps you avoid calamities and produce results that are far from “lackluster.”

“Practical advice from a leader who has ‘been there!’ What is better than learning from experience? Learning from someone else’s experience—get Scrappy!”
-Marshall Goldsmith, Author of The New York Times bestsellers MOJO and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

About the Book*:

Ok, you’re the boss now, not of a section, or the team of a particular function — but of the whole shooting match, end to end. You are the business’s general manager and the staff looks to you for their livelihoods (yes you). So you have to strategize, sell, supply and service, collect the cash, provision, train and motivate your people, delight your clients and at the end of the day, return a profit to the business owners. So where the hell do you start? How do you know that you’re not neglecting any aspect that will bite you on the bum later?

Don’t stress, it’s not all that hard and it can be an extremely enjoyable and rewarding process. This book will provide you with the 7 common sense and repeatable steps that will guide you through running a business that everyone will be proud to be associated with.

The intended reader is someone moving up from middle management — or running their own business. The book is aimed to provide an easy to follow road map that will give some comfort and order amid the chaos of information and expectations…Helping with the ‘what do I do next?’ question that no-one wants to ask for the fear of appearing that they’re not up to it.

About Michael*:

Michael Horton is Vice President for the Australian Chemical, Energy, and Natural Resources division of Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), with responsibility for annual revenues of $360 million and a matrix responsibility for 2,000 people. Michael has 28 years experience in the Information Technology Industry, 21 years of that in a management capacity and has been employed at CSC since 1994. During his time at CSC, he has held senior management positions in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, Australia. Since 2000 he has also completed challenging assignments based in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Maidstone in the UK and San Diego, USA.

Michael holds an Associate Diploma in Applied Science from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia, a Master of IT Management from Charles Sturt University in New South Wales and is Project Management Institute (PMI) certified. He is married, with two teenage children and enjoys surfing, sailing and holidaying at every opportunity.

You can purchase a copy of ‘Scrappy about General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes and Lackluster Results’ online on the publisher site, Happy About or on Amazon.*I did receive a copy of this book from the publisher to help in the promotion of the book

Next, I would like to introduce you to a book on the social media list on Amazon and on my reading list: ‘Word of Mouth Marketing’.

Implementing Word of Mouth Marketing: Online Strategies to Identify Influencers, Craft Stories, and Draw Customers

by Idil M. Cakim

“Cakim gets it—and always has! Great word of mouth starts with basics like product quality and customer service. Her book is a treasure trove of ‘get started now’ suggestions on how to better serve consumers, and their most genuine, authentic, and meaningful stories.”
—Pete Blackshaw, Executive Vice President, Digital Strategic Services, Nielsen Online

About the Book*

Learn to capitalize on online word of mouth, leverage its power, and measure results of your initiatives

Savvy, strategic, and right on time, Implementing Word of Mouth Marketing is the essential guide for any company or organization needing to understand the dynamics of online word of mouth. This powerful book will coach you to identify your own set of online influencers, craft the stories that will resonate with your consumers, and spread messages through cybercitizens who are social media experts.

* Guides you to identify and engage your online influencers to manage your reputation, promote your brands, and sell your products
* Reveals how word of mouth disperses online
* Explores strategies for your organization to engage its online advocates, tap into networks, and to mobilize the masses
* Explains how to design online word of mouth campaigns
* Includes measurement tools to gauge the impact word of mouth campaigns

Filled with case studies, research, and check lists, this invaluable guide will definitively show you how to leverage the power of online advocates to pass along stories, deliver recommendations, and draw people to purchasing points.

About Idil M. Cakim*:

Idil M. Cakim is Vice President of Inter-active Media at GolinHarris, a global public relations firm. She served on the board of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, whose members include Dell, Microsoft, Hilton, Amway Global, and the AARP. She regularly publishes articles in business magazines and trade publications on social media and word- of-mouth strategies and has been quoted as an expert in online communications in the New York Times, the Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, CNet News, the Chicago Tribune, and other media.

*courtesy of book website and Amazon

You can purchase a copy of ‘Implementing Word of Mouth Marketing’ on Amazon.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.

Social Media Book List: 42 Rules to Turn Prospects into Customers and Success Secrets of Social Media Marketing Superstars

Filed Under Business Book, Business Life, Great Finds, Successful Blog | Leave a Comment

A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors by managing their book promotion and publicity. As part of my job I read a lot of books (I love to read anyway!).

This week I will be highlighting two books; one author I am currently working with ’42 Rules to Turning Prospects into Customers’ by Meridith Elliott Powell and one book on the social media Amazon list ‘Success Secrets of Social Media Marketing Superstars’ by Mitch Meyerson .

’42 Rules to Turning Prospects into Customers’

by Meridith Elliott Powell

“Between the specific action steps and the simplicity of Meridith’s ideas, I found myself eager to try what I learned in this benefit-rich book. I gained ideas for my business in almost every chapter and have been effortlessly taking new steps forward with my sales process. Meridith just makes the sales process so easy!”
Misti Burmeister, CEO Inspirion, Inc., New York Times Best-Selling Author, Boomers to Bloggers: Success Strategies across Generations

“Sales can seem overwhelming and scary to so many, but thank goodness for Meridith. She approaches the topic of sales in a unique way in her new book by laying out easy steps that lead to great relationships that close that deal. This book is ideal for everyone from the sales professional to the professional who never thought they would have to sell. By the time you finish Meridith’s book, you will be a salesperson with a smile.”
Marquesa Pettway, DTM, Reinvention Expert, Speaker, Author, Coach

About the Book*:

The economy is changing. Trust and value have become the new Return on Investment (ROI). Consumers are the new drivers of the market; they are in control of where, when, how and from whom they buy. To succeed in this economy you need to do it all – build relationships, establish trust and value, maximize efficiency and generate bottom line results.

In her new book, 42 Rules To Turn your Prospects into Customers, Meridith Elliott Powell draws on her 20-plus years in sales to give you a practical step-by-step guide on how to find the right prospects, build profitable relationships, close more sales and turn your customers into champions for your business. Through her experience, research and interviews with sales professionals, clients and executives, Powell has gathered valuable information that will help you navigate this change, get ahead of the curve, and succeed.

For sales people, business owners, and executives who need to know how to identify the right prospects; build quality relationships, and maximize their sales efforts, this book provides solid, actionable answers. The rules can be learned quickly and implemented immediately so you and your teams can develop your most critical skill – striking the balance between relationships and results.

Powell answers these questions and more:
• How can I make sure my networking efforts are setting me up for sales success?
• How do I maximize my time and minimize my expenses?
• How do I handle the stress of producing and meeting sales goals?
• How do I get my customers to buy my best and most valuable products or services?
• How do I standout from the competition?

Powell, a life-long student of sales and the sales process, is passionate about helping her clients succeed. Her experience, dedication to research and her desire to listen and learn from the ultimate teacher – our customers – ensure readers gain first hand knowledge of how to Turn Prospects into Customers.

This book is divided into three parts, each representing an important process in approaching prospects and turning them into customers.

Part I is The Foundation. It contains everything you need to consider before you go on your first sales call. I will walk you through every step and encourage you along the way. When you finish this section, you’ll actually look forward to setting up a sales call, and you’ll be eager to get started on your strategy.

Part II is The Call, your first visit with a potential customer. We will address how to use the foundation rules, and how to engage your customer so you design a sales experience that is positive for both of you.

Part III is The Follow-Up. These rules are so much more than just a thank-you card or a phone call; these are the rules that complete the movement of prospect to customer. They provide the opportunities to offer additional services to an already satisfied customer base, and to solidify relationships and retain business for the long term. A well-executed follow-up process will create a strategy strong in repeat business and
referrals.

About Meridith*:

Meridith Elliott Powell is a coach, speaker and business development expert. Meridith is passionate about networking, sales and service, and has dedicated herself to discovering why some people struggle and others succeed when it comes to developing these critical skills. On a self-described mission, Meridith uses everything she has learned to develop programs, coaching techniques and strategies to help people ignite their internal sales/networking flame.

Upbeat, energetic and cutting edge are just a few words used to describe Meridith’s selling and writing style. Prior to founding her company, MotionFirst, Meridith spent more than 20 years working in sales and leadership in the fields of finance, sales, marketing and strategy. In addition, she has been recognized numerous times for both her professional and charitable achievements.

Today she works as a certified strategist, coach, and human behavior specialist, working with a wide variety of clients ranging from health care to finance. She is an active member of the National Speakers Association, Lessons in Leadership and the American Society For Training and Development. In addition, she holds certifications as both a business and emotional intelligence coach.

You can purchase a copy of ’42 Rules to Turning Prospects into Customers’ online on the publisher site, Superstar Press, a Happy About imprint or on Amazon.

Next, I would like to introduce you to a book on the social media list on Amazon and on my reading list is ‘Success Secrets of Social Media Marketing Superstars’.

Success Secrets of Social Media Marketing Superstars

by Mitch Meyerson

About the Book*
Online marketing expert Mitch Meyerson presents you with an unmatched advantage into the world of social media – the priceless secrets, strategies, tactics and insights of more than 20 of today’s social media elite. Handpicked to cover almost every aspect of social media marketing, Meyerson and this distinguished team of experts open their playbooks and teach you how to create effective social media campaigns to cut through the clutter, reach out to millions and grow your business.

Features:

* Proven tips and tactics from 20+ top social media marketers
* The biggest mistakes businesses make with social media and how to fix them
* Actionable plans for all areas including social networks, blogs, web TV and mobile marketing
* Real-world case studies, best practices and proven techniques from the experts
* Detailed list of resources

Contributions from World-Class Social Media Experts:

* Keith Ferrazi & Tahl Raz: Relationship Strategy
* Brian Clark: Psychology of Social Media
* Mitch Meyerson: Online Marketing
* Ann Handley: Creating Content
* Gary Vaynerchuk: Building Mega-Followings
* Andy Willbes: Personality
* Chris Brogan: Building Communities
* Joel Comm: Success Qualities
* Craig Valentine: Communicate with Impact
* Starr Hall: Building Profits
* Dan Janal: PR Strategies
* Michael Stelzner: Go Viral
* Denise Wakeman: Business Blogs
* Mari Smith: Facebook
* Deborah Cole Micek: Twitter
* Barbara Rozgonyi: LinkedIn
* Julie Perry: YouTube
* Paul Colligan: Podcasting
* Chris Garrett: Social Bookmarking
* Kim Dushinski: Mobile Marketing
* Shama Kabani: Online Video
* Dave Evans: One Hour a Day

About Mitch Meyerson*:

Mitch Meyerson is a speaker, trainer, and the author of 9 books including Mastering Online Marketing, Guerrilla Marketing on the Internet, and Six Keys to Creating the Life You Desire. He has been a featured expert on Oprah and is the Founder of the Guerrilla Marketing Coach Certification Program. For more information, visit: www.MitchMeyerson.com

*courtesy of book website and Amazon

You can purchase a copy of ‘Success Secrets of Social Media Superstars’ on Amazon or on his website Mitch Meyerson.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.

Social Media Book List: Community 101 and The Digital Handshake

Filed Under Business Book, Business Life | 4 Comments

A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors by managing their book promotion and publicity. As part of my job I read a lot of books (I love to read anyway!).

This week I will be highlighting two books; one author I am currently working with ‘Community 101′ by Robyn Tippins and Miranda Marquit and one book on the social media Amazon list ‘the Digital Handshake’ by Paul Chaney.

‘Community 101′

by Robyn Tippins and Miranda Marquit

“Finding and connecting with the right people is part of the social gluethat hold personal and professional relationships together on the Internet. Robyn and Miranda go through a detailed process of identifying, establishing and building an online presence by combining various strategies and tools to enhance your success.”
~Andrew Wee, Blogger and Business Consultant
WhoIsAndrewWee.com

“Robyn and Miranda have simplified online communities in a way that any business owner can understand. Community 101 is filled with gems to help your community thrive in the online space.”
~Tamar Weinberg, Techipedia.com

Few great tips from this book about building an online community:

1. Use straight talk.
Tell it like it is.
Teresa Tidbit–>yes, authenticity is key with online communications.

2. Use your community members for positive change.
Invent ways for your community to be more involved and use their
information to improve your product and website.
Teresa Tidbit–>Get people involved in something bigger than themselves.

3. Visibility.
Get out there. Be seen.
Teresa Tidbit–>Again, no one knows you are online unless you are really involved.

4. Tweak.
Be willing to change things to better suit the needs of your community.
Teresa Tidbit–>Flexibility and compromise, the cornerstones to any relationship, even an online one.

5. Remember the Golden Rule.
Think about how you want to be treated—then treat your community members the same way.
Teresa Tidbit–>Think before you put something out there. Focus on resolutions, not the issue.

About the Book*:
Making an online community that grows and survives isn’t easy. It takes planning, vision and dedication. Most companies aren’t prepared to invest the time and manpower it takes to make it happen, and when their communities fail to prosper, they blame it on chance.

But chance doesn’t play a part in whether or not you respond to your community’s needs. Successful online communities don’t just happen, but with proper care and feeding your company can build a community that surpasses all of your expectations. If you are kind to the people who make up your community, you’ll gain a sold-out customer base and your business will be the beneficiary of increased sales, increased loyalty and increased customer satisfaction. This book isn’t intended to tell you what a community is, it will explain what a company can gain from a great online community and it will give you the education and tools you need to make it happen.

This book is for anyone who wants to build a fantastic online community. From Product Mangers to Executives, from Entrepreneurs to Evangelists, anyone can make their company’s community thrive. Community management isn’t about trickery or contests, but about treating your community’s members as if they matter to you. After reading this book, you have no excuse not to build your own thriving online community.

About Robyn Tippins*:
Robyn Tippins is a community advocate with over 10 years experience in the social media space. From her early days marketing her own small business using forums and email lists, to blogging, podcasting, vlogging and video game immersion, she’s often used social networking to engage and communicate. In her current role, Robyn oversees the community aspect of the external developers on the Yahoo! Developer Network.

Robyn has blogged for blog networks and corporations, podcasted for small and large businesses, worked closely with social networking sites, and advised Fortune 500 companies on social media and community. Her early podcasts featured some of the web’s most interesting and well-known Web 2.0 experts in fields such as VoIP, Technology, Open Source, Marketing, Social Networking, Video Games and Blogging.

About Miranda Marquit*
Miranda Marquit is a professional blogger and freelance writer working from home. She has five years experience in the blogging and social media space, mainly providing content and support for corporate blogs. Miranda understands the importance of blogging and social media in online marketing and community building, and enjoys interacting and networking via the Internet.

In addition to professional blogging, Miranda is a freelance writer with a Journalism degree. Her work has appeared in national magazines and on news Web sites. She is also a columnist for her local newspaper. Miranda enjoys reading, music, travel, and the outdoors. Her favorite activities involve using her hobbies as a way to spend time with her husband and their six-year-old son. Miranda lives with her family in Logan, Utah.

You can purchase a copy of ‘Community 101′ online at Amazon or on the publisher site, Happy About.
*courtesy of book website and Amazon

Next, I would like to introduce you to a book on the social media list on Amazon and on my reading list is ‘The Digital Handshake’.

The Digital Handshake: Seven Proven Strategies to Grown your Business using Social Media

by Paul Chaney

One Amazon reviewer

stated:
“I really enjoyed reading “The Digital Handshake” and learned quite a bit about how to use Social Media to grow my business. I’ve read other books about Social Media before but they were geared toward corporations and very large businesses. I found there to be much more information that was relevant to my small business. This book not only gave me specific ideas about how to use social media for marketing my small business, but also taught me more about the nuts and bolts of each medium so that I can better understand how to create content.”

About the Book*:

Practical applications for using social media to boost your business

Even today’s most successful businesses are seeing shrinking returns on their advertising and marketing dollars. The Digital Handshake explains why advertising and marketing are losing their effectiveness and how to solve the problem using social media to corral elusive consumers. It explains the best practical business applications in current use and how you can use them to ramp up your business.

Using case studies gleaned from real businesses, author Paul Chaney shows you how companies both large and small that can tap social media to mitigate market changes and reap valuable business benefit in the real world.

* Explains how you can use social media to grow your business and connect with consumers
* Author Paul Chaney is a leading authority on blogging and social media
* Covers practical, effective business applications for blogging, social networking, online video, microblogging and much more
* Shows how to design a comprehensive marketing strategy using traditional and new media platforms

Today’s technology can either undermine your marketing efforts or enhance them. The Digital Handshake helps you make sure the Internet grows your business for the long run.

About Paul Chaney*:

Paul Chaney is Internet marketing director for Bizzuka, a Web design, content management and Internet marketing company based in Lafayette, LA.

Prior to joining Bizzuka Paul was co-founder of Blogging Systems, a blog software company that significantly impacted the real estate industry by encouraging Realtors to adopt blogging as a marketing strategy. He is the co-author of Realty Blogging: Build your Brand and Outsmart Your Competition, which similarly impacted the industry and which was the first blogging book to target a specific industry vertical.

Paul serves as president of the International Blogging and New Media Association (IBNMA), an organization dedicated to advancing the growth of blogging, podcasting and social media as an industry. He sits on the board of advisors for the Women’s Wisdom Network, the Social Media Marketing Institute, and SmartBrief on Social Media.

He is a feature writer for Practical Ecommerce magazine on the use of social media for marketing purposes and blogs for MarketingProfs Daily Fix blog. Paul has led numerous blog and social media workshops and seminars, including the first ever such seminar to be held in Asia. He has also blogged professionally with Weblogs, Inc., as well as with Allbusiness.com.

Paul has served as Technical Editor on a number of For Dummies series books related to blogs and Internet marketing, and was contributing writer on Buzz Marketing with Blogs For Dummies, published by Wiley.

*courtesy of book website and Amazon

You can purchase a copy of ‘The Digital Handshake’ on Amazon.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.

Social Media Book List: If I’m So Smart, Where did All My Money Go and Blog Marketing

Filed Under Business Book, Business Life | 3 Comments

A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors by managing their book promotion and publicity. As part of my job I read a lot of books (I love to read anyway!).

This week I will be highlighting two books; one author I am currently working with ‘If I’m So Smart, Where did All My Money Go>’ by Doug Warshauer and one book on the social media Amazon list ‘Blog Marketing: The Revolutionary New Way to Increase Sales, Build Your Brand, and Get Exceptional Results’ by Jeremy Wright.

‘If I’m So Smart, Where Did all My Money Go?’

by Doug Warshauer

Book Review by Kirkus Review—-
A realistic, detailed guide to planning for your financial future.

Warshauer was a small business forecaster by trade, skilled at incorporating the myriad of financial factors that make up the universe of a small company and projecting their expenses and profitability. In a burst of insight, he decided to apply those same methods on a more intimate scale. He has thus come up with an excellent set of guidelines in the hopes of ensuring a stable financial future for individuals and families.

The plan—five big steps composed of 18 smaller steps—is very sensible, and each bears Warshauer’s hallmark: accounting for the different life goals that each person or family will have. He begins by explaining how much of our net income should be saved, spent on homes and auto, and even spent on clothing. He provides a numerical guideline for each area, insisting that if spending in one category goes up, it must drop in other areas.

These short-term goals segue into long-term planning, such as the decision to save for public school versus private, and how to understand how much each family will need for retirement. These insights take the book one step deeper than the average financial-planning instructional. The book is also unique in that Warshauer presents the rules for financial success in the form of a story. Joe, one of the main protagonists, is a generic young adult who spends more than he’s earning, and thus decides to attend one of the author’s financial seminars.

Other characters include single mothers and young parents. The fiction structure is loose, basically just a tool to help the author dispense his financial rules in a way that keeps readers engaged. Naturally, the dialogue itself tends to get tedious, as seminar attendees ask dry questions about finance, but on the whole it’s more readable than a strictly nonfiction manual.

A helpful introductory guide to financial planning for singles and families looking to get the most out of their money.

About the Book*:

How do you achieve a balanced financial life and lasting wealth?

Conventional advice does not teach people how to balance conflicting demands from living expenses, credit cards bills, mortgages, college funds, and retirement investments. Finally, there is a book that does.

“If I’m So Smart, Where Did All My Money Go?” is an engaging look at ten diverse characters who each face different financial challenges. In this story of a personal finance seminar, you will meet the following people:

* Joe, a 23 year-old college graduate who already finds himself with $20,000 of credit card debt, and wonders if he has done permanent damage to his financial future,
* Eric and Sally, a couple in their 30s who bought a home at the peak of the market and who fear they could lose all of their equity,
* Andrea, a 40ish single mother whose living expenses make saving for college and retirement seem an impossible dream,
* Mitchell, a 55 year-old with two children on the verge of college, who wonders how he will ever be able to retire.

They, and others, each learn how to best achieve their own personal objectives: how to save and invest money for cars, homes, college, and retirement.

By following these examples, you will learn how to apply the lessons to your own life. After reading this story you will have learned:

* Exactly how much YOU need to save for your Home, College, and Retirement
* How to prioritize YOUR savings goals
* Exactly how much YOU can afford to spend on everything: your house, your car, food, clothing, and entertainment
* Which debt YOU should pay off and which you should keep
* Whether YOU should buy a home or rent one
* When YOU should invest in stocks and when to choose safer investments

You will learn to balance each of your financial objectives in order to achieve all of them. Most important, you will develop a level of confidence in your financial future that you never imagined possible.

About Doug Warshauer*:

Doug Warshauer is the founder of Kessler Warshauer Ventures, a highly successful private equity investment firm. He developed the techniques presented in this book by modeling the prospects of hundreds of businesses. Here, for the first time ever, he makes these techniques available to families to help them better manage their money. Doug holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, an MA from New York University, and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in the Chicago area. Follow along each week with Doug’s financial strategies or ask him a question on his blog, www.DougWarshauer.com.

You can purchase a copy of ‘If I’m So Smart, Where did All My Money Go?’ online at Amazon or on his website, Doug Warshauer.
*courtesy of book website and Amazon

A book on the social media list on Amazon is ‘It’s Not Just Who You Know’ by Tommy Spaulding.

Blog Marketing

“Blogs will soon become a staple in the information diet of every serious businessperson . . . . Blogs offer an accelerated and efficient approach to acquiring and understanding the kind of information all of us need to make business decisions.”
– John Battelle, Business 2.0

About the Book*:

With an exclusive look inside Google, Disney, Yahoo, IBM, and others, this book shows how your company can use blogs to raise its visibility and transform internal communications

All companies, large and small, know that reaching customers directly and influencing–and being influenced by–them is essential to success. Blog Marketing shows marketing and PR professionals as well small business owners how to do just that without spending a lot of money. Readers will learn how to tap into the power of blogs to create a direct line of communication with customers, raise the company’s visibility, and position their organizations as industry thought leaders.

In Blog Marketing, leading blogging consultant Jeremy Wright explains how and why companies of all types blog and reveals strategies for effectively interacting with customers. You’ll find out how authentic feedback from customers can lead to potential new marketing strategies, innovative new product ideas, and new concepts that will completely transform your business.

Get an exclusive look at some phenomenally successful companies currently taking advantage of blogs including Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Google, Disney, General Motors, and others, and find out how you can reap the rewards in your own organization.

Blog Marketing is filled with real-world examples of how blogging can

* Extend company branding
* Create positive experiences with your customers
* Provide real feedback on your company and its products
* Transform the way your company does business
* Simplify a variety of project management tasks
* Impact the bottom line

The business world is undergoing profound changes, redefining marketing, public relations, and customer communications. If you aren’t inviting this change into your own business–and keep in mind, your competitors are–then the writing is on the wall. No matter what your business, blogging is essential to your success, both now and in the future.

About Jeremy Wright*:

Jeremy Wright is an author and business consultant with a passion for blogging, communications, time management, and anything else that makes people’s lives easier. He has spoken at dozens of conferences and worked with a wide range of companies — from Fortune 500s to home-based businesses — to understand the power of blogging and online marketing. His blog, Ensight.org, is read by more than 250,000 people every month.

*courtesy of book website and Amazon

You can purchase a copy of ‘Blog Marketing’ on Amazon.

I truly hope you will check out these books and please comment and let me know your thoughts on them.

« go back — keep looking »

Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You're only a stranger once.

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