Advertising 2.0: Social Media Marketing in a Web 2.0 World Review

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(More customer reviews)Informative, but better yet Dr. Tuten's great writing style makes soaking up the information pleasant. Great `real world' examples show that this is not just an academic exercise. She also tackles those yucky metrics that have plagued us since the dawn of this new medium. Bottom line, if you're reading this, you have pre-screened yourself for what this book provides, go ahead and grab a copy.

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Every day, print and online trade magazines and news sources tout developments in online advertising, branding, and marketing. Seismic shifts in the industryâ€"like major advertisers setting up shop in Second Life and other alternate realitiesâ€"have forced marketers and advertisers, ready or not, to employ new advertising models. But the potholes for advertisers using Web 2.0 are many, and missteps by companies that don't understand the new rules of the game guarantee lost time and money ill spent. Advertising 2.0 ensures that readers understand the advertising options possible in the Web 2.0 environment, provides examples of companies using these options, and offers guidelines for their application.



Advertising 2.0 goes way beyond running banner ads on Web sites and explores the rapidly burgeoning world of social media marketing. Among other things, expert Tracy L. Tuten covers viral marketing, doing online research, advertising within online games, and leveraging online opinions to increase sales or grow a brand. She also describesâ€"way out on the leading edge and sure to turn conventional advertising on its headâ€"how smart marketers let consumers generate ad content for products and brands. While the trade press frequently publishes news of companies using innovative communications techniques, there are hardly any books telling people how to take the plunge into the newest forms of advertising. Advertising 2.0 presents the current state of online advertising, and best practices for using techniques like consumer-generated advertising, social networking, online product reviews, viral video, Second Life, alternate reality games, and more. It also includes case studies and examples of successes and mistakes. Companies and brands featured include Nine Inch Nails, Audi, 42 Entertainment, MySpace, YouTube, Dogster, Vodaphone, Leo Burnett, and others. Best, each method described includes guidelines for getting the most out of the technique, thereby letting advertisers cut through the clutter to touch the hearts of customers worldwide.

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Tactical Transparency: How Leaders Can Leverage Social Media to Maximize Value and Build their Brand (J-B International Association of Business Communicators) Review

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(More customer reviews)Holtz and Havens put together the business book I've been hoping for. The premise of this groundbreaking business-strategy book is that companies need to be more forthcoming with information about the internal workings of their business. There are three "publics" that a business deals with, according to this book: external (the public), internal (employees) and investors.
From Enron to AIG, opacity in how executives make decisions has cost investors, employees and investors dearly, and the government is stepping up regulations to force companies to be more transparent. Holtz and Havens show that companies that have been transparent all along--with liberal employee-blog policies, social marketing policies and releasing what was once sensitive information (financials, research, opinions, and the handling of corporate mistakes and blunders)--have always fared better and retained the loyalty of their publics even in bad times.
There are concerns to being transparent. Some information is not for competitors' eyes, and some information cannot be legally exposed, especially in publicly traded companies. But the argument for releasing as much information as possible is put forth quite admirably.
By being transparent, a company becomes motivated by honesty, not greed. The employees have a better understanding if the bottom line, and investors feel more confident about the management decisions. A two-way conversation with the public means that a company is better positioned to compete.
The most important points that Holtz and Havens make are that corporate transparency is a legal, moral and competitive requirement, and that transparency among businesses is inevitable, that opacity is not only futile, but self-destructive.
I strongly recommend this book, with a rating of A+. Not only was I inspired by what Holtz and Havens wrote, I am moved to incorporate their ideas into the Flying Pen Press way of business.


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While exposing the risks inherent in maintaining a nontransparent relationship with customers, Tactical Transparency provides a methodology that will help your organization create its unique plan to bring greater authenticity to your company and your brands. Drawn largely from interviews with leaders in companies that have achieved measurable success in this arena, authors Shel Holtz and John C. Havens provide step-by-step details on how executives and professional communicators can create a transparency strategy that will keep their organization competitive in the twenty-first century. The authors show how organizations can evaluate their readiness for transparency, what they need to do to get ready, and how to effectively communicate their transparency strategy to their customers and employees. They also identify aspects of blog/new media "netiquette" an important but often misunderstood part of engaging in transparency.

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Fashion Unraveled - Second Edition: How to Start and Manage Your Own Fashion (or Craft) Design Business Review

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(More customer reviews)I loved the practical, down-to-earth attitude of the book. Many guides for first-time business owners seem to emphasize the excitement and ease of being your own boss. Fashion Unraveled makes no such claims--it lets you know that you are definitely capable of starting your own successful business but it's going to take time and a tremendous amount of effort. You shouldn't expect your business to turn a profit until the third year of operation, but if you have a desirable product and know how to sell and market it, you will eventually be able to live off the income from your business. I think this book could definitely be used by people who choose fashion design as a hobby rather than a fulltime career (for example, I've met a few women who design purses or t-shirts, but don't intend to launch their own line or open their own store), but it's mainly aimed at those who would prefer to work for themselves one day.
Fashion Unraveled is also very user-friendly. It explains some complicated business concepts in a very straightforward manner, and it keeps its information clear and understandable without ever talking down to the reader. As the preface states, the whole layout of the book is designed with creative people in mind--almost every page contains lined space to jot down notes and ideas, and the Case Study examples at the end of every chapter shows the entire development phase of one woman's fashion design business, accompanied by identical pages for the reader to fill in with their own market research, mission statements, business model, etc. The case study and the various interviews listed in the Designer Profiles were very inspiring--here are real people who are making a living in the industry!
This 2nd edition of the book presents extremely current information about the fashion industry, and takes into account the recent economic downturn and the explosion of new media like Twitter, Facebook, and blogs. The author lists dozens of internet resources that designers can use to find trade show listings, distribute press releases, connect to indie fashion communities and more. A contemporary businessperson must know their competition, cultivate their online presence, and be constantly ready to network, follow up, and promote their clothing line. The advice is perfectly geared toward today's audience and is coming from an author who has extensive hands-on experience in fashion design, business, and teaching.
I must say, I am not a fashion maven. This is not my field, and yet I was absolutely riveted by this book. The parts I was most moved by were the discussions of eco-friendly practices in the fashion business. I visited some of the sites mentioned and as a result, I've developed a strong interest in upcycled and recycled clothing and sustainable fashion. It's like discovering a whole different world, where instead of contributing to a disposable culture, fashion can be turned in the opposite direction and used to help people be more aware of their impact on the environment.
Fashion Unraveled is basically an entire college course in one book. Whether you're a newbie to the world of fashion like myself, a serious-minded designer or crafter ready to become an entrepreneur, or just a fan of Project Runway and the fashion world in general, you'll find this book informative, inspiring, and tailored for your keeper shelf.

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Fashion Unraveled offers an inside look into the operations of a small fashion design business. This book offers tips, tools of the trade and valuable insight into the industry. This acts as a guide for developing a customer, market and collection. The book introduces the reader to sourcing and production, as well as explains marketing concepts. Whether the reader is an entrepreneur, designer, student or craftsperson, this book will guide one through the business implementation process. Fashion Unraveled introduces an in-depth look at creating a costing model, solid pricing and realistic budgeting.Fashion Unraveled is user friendly and was designed for the creative mind. Chapters are laid out with definitions and web links located in the sidebars of the book for ease in use.The second edition features over 400 pages of information transforming this into the "must read" resource for every designer entrepreneur. This book offers a new case study feature, following a small fashion business through their business launch, including their business plan. Fashion Unraveled also features several designer interviews, including a Q&A with British designer Timothy James Andrews and couturier Colleen Quen.

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Working the Crowd: Social Media Marketing for Business Review

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(More customer reviews)Eileen completely rounds out and defines the personal and virutal world of socializing for business in the era of social media marketing. I had a hard time putting down this book unless it was to jot down some notes and action items. Worth the read, more than once.

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Engaging with social media such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter is now a key part of global business communications. Blogs, microblogs, social networking and social news sites have become the new tools for effective marketing and sales. This book is an excellent resource for anyone planning a social media strategy or individual campaign. It includes: specific sites for various types of networking and engagement; blogs and microblogs; online presence and creating a social media brand; brand perception and reputation; legal issues; connecting to a global audience; job recruitment via social media; how different age groups interact online; viral marketing; creating brand advocates and how they can broadcast the message; future predictions.

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Flipped: How Bottom-Up Co-Creation is Replacing Top-Down Innovation Review

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(More customer reviews)Marketing expert John Winsor offers hope to companies that are disconnected from their customers. They must turn the way they do business on its head - employing a "bottom-up" instead of "top-down" approach. Rather than dictating to others from on high, companies should seek closer relationships with their customers and their communities. This book walks business owners through seven important steps to bottom-up business success. It explains the internal strategies organizations should use to get employees thinking in bottom-up terms. And it makes an excellent case for the efficacy of each company developing its own narrative or "story." While generally applicable, the book suffers from occasional repetition. The bottom line on this bottom-up primer: Although you may not "flip" over it, getAbstract believes this book's easy-to-follow steps could help you develop a closer, more effective dialogue with your customers, which could lead to lead to new and sustained sales.

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Branding is done — in today's business and marketing world, it's all about bottom-up co-creation to ensure real marketing effectiveness and product success. Marketing expert John Winsor makes a powerful case that instead of focusing on traditional branding efforts, companies must learn to use "co-creation" tools to work from the bottom up to create new products, services, and marketing strategies in collaboration with their customers. Today, it's all about getting out in the streets and spending time with the right customers, in their worlds, to create the essential foundations for breakthrough innovation. He takes readers deep into this new kind of customer-company relationship, providing useful case studies as well as practical step-by-step methods to engage these key voices in dialogues that fuel real innovation. Readers will learn how to develop a true bottom-up co-creation strategy and hone the intuition and inspiration that drive innovation.

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Build a Brand in 30 Days: With Simon Middleton, The Brand Strategy Guru Review

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(More customer reviews)Simon Middleton's Book - Build A Brand In 30 Days is a great introduction to the subject of Branding. It is easy to read, jargon free, and full of easy to understand relevant examples and case studies. Branding is a critical area in the success of any business and Simon's book brings the subject to life. It also keeps it nicely relevant to even the smallest of brands or start-up businesses. He makes it clear that anyone can build a brand, and helps the reader to think clearly and strategically about the subject. By the time you get to the closing chapters you will have a great set of tools to help you steer and grow your brand, as well as some thought provoking insights to consider, and some cutting edge brands to follow and learn from.
Well worth a read and great value for money.
Norman Comfort
Build a Brand in 30 Days: With Simon Middleton, The Brand Strategy Guru


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You don't need a marketing degree or intensive training to build an attention-grabbing brand; you just need this book - and 30 days.
Simon Middleton shows you how to create, manage and communicate your brand profoundly and effectively, in just 30 days, by following 30 clear exercises. How you work through the book is up to you, the result will be the same: an authentic, compelling, and highly distinctive brand that will attract and engage customers and fans. You will learn how to:
Establish your brand values and positioning
Get the all-important name right
Bring your brand to life
Turn your customers into your advocates
Manage your PR and use your marketing budget wisely
Inspire your staff to live the brand too
Deal with problems when something goes wrong

Branding isn't about funky logos and expensive advertising. Your brand is what your company means to the world. Getting that meaning right is the most important thing you can do in business.
'Passionate and persuasive, Simon Middleton has a natural instinct for uncovering the Wow! factor in every brand.' Dawn Gibbins MBE, Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year and Star of Channel 4's The Secret Millionaire

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The Age of Engage: Reinventing Marketing for Today's Connected, Collaborative, and Hyperinteractive Culture Review

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(More customer reviews)If you have not had any (or very little) exposure to digital marketing, by all means buy the book and read it. However, for anyone who has had some experience with digital marketing the last 5 years, this book offers very little new thinking (unless you are really bad at your job).
While the book is full of examples, if flows poorly. The author's points seem to get lost in a somewhat poor structure, and too many points thrown at the user without a proper flow to it. The author should definitely look into pyramid consulting techniques in order to present better. And given the author's savvy in online marketing, it does make me wonder whether the other reviews are legitimate.
But again, if you are a CEO, or non-marketing exec, or an "old school" marketer, this books seems like a useful intro to you. But you should be out reading Techcrunch, Marketing 2.0, Mobilemarketer, Mashable etc etc on a daily basis, and you would not only learn just as quick, you'd stay more current.

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Marketing has undergone a cataclysmic shift. Blogs, comment sites, and social networks have given your audience unprecedented power in their relationship with you and your products. How can you deploy today's new marketing tools to break through, build momentum, and gain recognition? Contrary to popular belief, adding a blog, podcast, wiki, or widget to your Web site won't automatically draw crowds. Fundamental change is required. Real-world examples from companies such as Volcom, Ryanair, IBM, Viking, Adidas, Proctor & Gamble, and many others show you how to open meaningful interactions with your customers, develop authenticity, share recognition, and engage. Whether you're a marketer, communications expert, CEO, or business owner, you face the daunting challenge of marketing with your customers, not to them. In The Age of Engage, widely respected marketing strategist Denise Shiffman lays out a provocative blueprint for how you can
Create persuasive value so that your products stand out in this new era
Build trust by reshaping audience interactions
Expand social currency and extend your sphere of influence
Deploy new marketing vehicles to capture the hearts, minds, and wallets of your customers
The Age of Engage will transform the way you think about marketing. It will inspire you to engage audiences by interacting with them in new and inventive ways. And, it will help you reshape or reinvent your company culture, products, and marketing to entice audiences and catalyze markets. Praise for The Age of Engage: 'The Age of Engage is an amazing and essential guide for business, defining the strategic path companies must take for product success. To master the profound changes in marketing forged by the evolution of the Web, every marketer must read this book!' --Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google 'The Age of Engage is revealing and straightforward and envisions a way for all of us to move easily into the open, interactive business and marketing practices Web 3.0 and beyond will require.' --Pat Sueltz, CEO, SurfControl PLC 'An illuminating text that assembles in one place the vast changes the Web is driving across marketing and explains today's requisite paradigm for reinventing your brand. It's Google Maps for marketers in this era.' --Tracey Stout, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Fair Isaac Corporation 'The Age of Engage is astute and inspiring. It has given me a host of creative approaches for marshalling the Live Web as a fundamental part of my brick and mortar business.' --Amanda West, CEO, Amanda's Restaurants 'The Age of Engage offers a blueprint for infiltrating the ongoing conversations of the Live Web that move a product from a mere commodity to a powerful brand.' --Ben Elowitz, CEO, Wetpaint 'Shiffman's conversational style embodies the authentic dialogue she believes companies must have in order to engage their audiences and succeed in the interactive age.' --Sam Yagan, CEO, OkCupid.com

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Positioning for Professionals: How Professional Knowledge Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success (Wiley Professional Advisory Services) Review

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(More customer reviews)The concept of positioning was decades ahead of its time when it was born, and was all but forgotten when its time finally arrived. Except by Tim Williams. Nobody writing or consulting on the subject today has a stronger and more incisive grasp on what has become the most essential marketing principle of all. In an age when `personal branding' is the flavour of the moment, and in which more people are using the language than understand it, Williams presents a forceful, reasoned argument that the real secret to branding a professional practice lies in the courage to focus. This book reminds us that, as with all marketing, success is more certain if we dare to be something than if we try to be everything.

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It's not the best companies that prevail in the marketplace,but rather the best brands. The goal ofbusiness strategy is not just to be better, but different. Learn how to build a differentiating valueproposition by clearly and carefully defining your brand boundaries: Calling,Competencies, Customers, and Culture.

Positioning forProfessionals shows how a well-defined value proposition can helpprofessional service firms create their own success instead of copying thesuccess of others, including such concepts as:

- How and why professional service brands becomehomogenized

- Why standing for everything is the same asstanding for nothing

- Why there's no such thing as full service

- Deep and narrow as a strategic imperative

- Why it's better to be a profit leader than amarket leader

- Differentiation and price premiums

- How to map your brand on the matrix of relevanceand differentiation

- How to define a value proposition that will makeyour firm intensely appealing to the customers who want you for what you dobest

Based on the proven premise that the most profitablebusiness strategy is not to aim at the center of the market, but rather at theedges, Positioning for Professionals iswritten for leaders, managers, and other senior executives of service companiesin with a particular emphasis on professional service firms.

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Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want Review

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(More customer reviews)It's very bothersome to write a review that is going to largely be positive ...when that book directly competes with your own...for sales!
Former cult member, Lakhani starts with the dark side of persuasion then quickly moves into distinguishing the difference between manipulation and persuasion. Best is his step by step guide to manipulation. Very well done!
Many in the field of persuasion miss the crucial art of story. Lakhani does a nice job of giving his insights into one of the most difficult tasks a communicator has...to have a story persuade.
The next thing I like in Art of Persuasion is Dave's outline of how to become an expert (guru) in 30 days. Expert status ==> credibility ==> more successful influence.
Another nice step by step outline is for changing beliefs. Easy to adopt and use.
Each chapter in the book is well thought out and presented concisely and with clarity.
This is an excellent primer on the art of persuasion and I recommend you pick it up today.
Kevin Hogan
Author of The Psychology of Persuasion
and
The Science of Influence

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Praise for persuasion the art of getting what you want
"Dave has exposed the secrets of the most powerful persuaders in the world. This book is a step-by-step guide to changing minds and deeply influencing people in person, in print, on the air, or anyplace else you need to persuade. This book makes persuasion so easy and predictable that it may be the most dangerous persuasion book ever written . . . especially if it ends up in the hands of your competition."—Mike Litman, CEO, Connect To Success, Inc. and coauthor of Conversations with Millionaires
"Dave Lakhani tells you everything you've just got to know about persuasion in this book. It is written provocatively, yet clearly. And it is sure to open your mind while enriching your bank account. I highly recommend it. Fasten your seatbelt when you read it. It takes you on a thrilling ride!"—Jay Conrad Levinson, "The Father of Guerrilla Marketing" and author of the Guerrilla Marketing series of books
"Dave Lakhani understands persuasion like few do and is able to break the process down so anyone can understand and use it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who hopes to improve their ability to sell, market, advertise, or negotiate."—Chet Holmes, Fortune 500 superstrategist and author of the Mega Marketing, Business Growth Masters, and Guerrilla Marketing Meets Karate Master sales programs
"Man, talk about persuasive. Dave convinced me to read and review his book, and I don't even like the guy."—Blaine Parker, author of Million-Dollar Mortgage Radio
"Too few books actually put into practice what they promote. Dave Lakhani breaks the mold with this satisfying, powerful read."—John Klymshyn, author of Move the Sale Forward

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The Shift: The Transformation of Today's Marketers into Tomorrow's Growth Leaders Review

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(More customer reviews)Davis spells out perfectly a leadership roadmap for marketers seeking to join the C-suite and influence a growth agenda for business.

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BrandDigital: Simple Ways Top Brands Succeed in the Digital World Review

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(More customer reviews)At a time when recession promises another culling of the on-line business world, Brand Digital offers both a survival guide for brands at risk and a consolidation guide for strong brands seeking to exploit weaker competitors.

Grounded in interviews with over 100 industry leaders, this book provides valuable context for the shift we have seen from the internet as a transactional medium to its new role as a relationship medium. In many industries the internet is now the primary medium for interacting with customers. Adamson walks the reader through the many levels of customer relationships the digital world offers for your business and brand. His first piece of advice is the digital equivalent of "Get out of the office and into the field talking to customers" (my phrasing not his). Adamson gives sound practical examples of the many ways managers in various industries are using the internet to engage with and learn from their customers outside of the transaction process.

Adamson then walks the reader through techniques for how to take what they learn on-line from customers and use it to hone product or service strategy, surrounding information services, brand image, and marketing strategies. He explores how to process the stream of customer information and make the trade-offs required for a focused, clear product strategy and brand image. Finally, he gives practical advice on making customer learning and product/brand refinement a continuous, evolving process. Many concrete examples from various industries keep the theorizing limited and the simple, practical ideas front and center.

The only shortcoming is that one would normally expect more visual content (charts, pictures, etc.) in a book about the visually-intensive digital world. But this small shortcoming is outweighed by the exceptional content of this book.

Net/net, an extremely valuable read for those who want to emerge from the recession with deeper relationships and stronger brand images across many more customers.


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30-Minute Social Media Marketing: Step-by-step Techniques to Spread the Word About Your Business Review

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(More customer reviews)I have "Blogging All-in-One for Dummies" by Susan Gunelius and loved it, so when this book came out about social media marketing I wanted to get it right away. I'm amazed by all of the information in this book. It includes links to tools, sample plans, and examples from small business owners rather than just big name brands that other books include. The best part for me is that this focuses on strategy. I'm not a marketing professional, so understanding WHY I might want to do one thing or another to promote my business through social media really makes this book worth every cent. Of course, it was less than $12, so I think I got way more than my money's worth. If you're trying to promote your business or your blog or yourself (or anything else frankly) online then you really need to read this book.

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BIG PRESENCE isn't just for BIG COMPANIES anymore!A social media marketing handbook for small business owners on the go
Social media has opened the door to anyone who wants to promote themselves--including small businesses. Designed specifically for busy small business owners, this book puts you on the fast track to maximizing your business's visibility and generating profits—regardless of thesize of your marketing budget or the time you have to devote to it.
30-Minute Social Media Marketing provides 22 short chapters packed with real-world examples, templates, sample marketing procedures, and screen shots taking you step-by-step through the essentials. With little time and effort, you will master the arts of:
Blogging and microblogging
Social networking and bookmarking
Audio and video
E-books and webinars
Direct and indirect marketing
Brand and relationship building
Word-of-mouth marketing
Expanding your reach and establishing your position
Integrating with traditional marketing
Evaluating results

By the end of the book, you will have completed a social-media marketing plan that produces real results and created a strategy for future marketing plans--all in just 30 minutes a day.

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Sociable: How Social Media is Turning Sales and Marketing Upside Down Review

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(More customer reviews)Just received my Sociable book, I'm halfway thru the book and already got great insight... got to go back to reading .. cant wait to read the rest !

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Social Media is turning sales and marketing upside-down, are you ready to profit from this global shift? It's not who you know but who knows you in today's hyper-connected marketplace. Understanding the role social media and social networking play in this new dynamic, is paramount to our future success as sales professionals, marketers, and corporations. Inside you will learn: ' The new rules of engagement in sales and marketing ' How anyone can become a global brand in their niche using social media ' Strategies and tips on influencing online "Thought Leaders" ' The top social media and networking tools for today and beyond ' How to effectively implement and rollout social media in your organization

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Understanding Digital Marketing: Marketing Strategies for Engaging the Digital Generation Review

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(More customer reviews)Agree with others that this book is very well written. Easy to understand and reads quickly, which is notable for a book on a subject that could easily be made a much more complicated and technical conversation. Especially helpful are the 'pledges' at the beginning of each chapter that identify questions up front that the content in the chapter will address. Also helpful are the case examples at the end of each chapter.
From a content perspective, the book explores the main components of digital strategy, and is written in a way that is relevant to any size business, whether it be a large organization or a start-up. Personally, as a brand manager within a larger company, this book added depth to my basic understanding of digital marketing strategy and helped me better understand how it should be integrated into overall marketing strategy and execution.
However, since the digital (and especially social media) landscape has been evolving at such a rapid pace (and since the book was written), it would be great to see updates made to some chapters within the book to make it even more relevant.
Otherwise, this is a great book for those looking for an in-depth introduction to digital marketing principles and strategy, or even for those already familiar with digital marketing in their organization who would like to better understand how what they do fits into an overall digital marketing framework.

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The world of digital media is changing at a phenomenal pace. Constantly evolving technologies, and their evolving uses, are transforming how we access information and how we interact and communicate with one another on a global scale. Understanding Digital Marketing looks at the world of digital marketing: how it got started, how it got to where it is today, and where the thought leaders in the industry believe it is headed in the future. The book shows readers, in a practical and comprehensive way, how to harness the power of digital media and use it to achieve the utmost success for their businesses. It explains how to choose online marketing channels in order to get products and services to market. It explores in detail such areas as search marketing, affiliate marketing, e-mail marketing, creative online executions, and digital marketing strategies. Including real-world examples of digital marketing successes and expert opinions, Understanding Digital Marketing will give readers the tools to utilize the power of the internet to take their businesses wherever they want them to go.

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Brandraising: How Nonprofits Raise Visibility and Money Through Smart Communications Review

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(More customer reviews)In Brandraising author Sarah Durham has adapted the core principals of corporate branding to apply specifically to nonprofit organizations and their communication and fund raising efforts. Her topic is particularly timely today, given that nonprofits are finding it increasingly difficult to raise money in the current economic climate.
The key concept here is that a clear strategy and distinctive organization identity must underlie every successful fund raising initiative. And, much like a barn raising on the frontier, the cooperation of everyone in a nonprofit group is required for success. Orchestrated collaboration, according to Durham, is what nonprofit branding is all about, and to highlight this connection she has coined the term "brandraising."
Durham advocates a three-tiered approach to nonprofit branding. Contrary to popular assumptions, branding is far more than an alluring logo or a clever tag line. It starts at the organization level with basic strategy. This is where the leadership takes time to consider the vision of the nonprofit, its mission, values, audiences and objectives. This stage is followed by the identity level, which includes the pieces that are most often associated with branding - the organization's visual identity and messages. The most tactical stage, which Durham calls the experiential level, defines the venues through which an organization interacts with its audiences, or customers. This includes online communication channels such as Facebook, mobile platforms available through smart phones, and traditional print, broadcast and in-person avenues.
Brandraising explains in detail how each of these levels is achieved, as well as how a new organizational identity is launched and maintained. It also acknowledges that some nonprofits will experience challenges associated with limited resources, and suggests ways to address them.
Overall this is a very good handbook that will provide thoughtful readers with a solid understanding of the strategic processes of nonprofit branding and communications. Depending on the resources, talents and inclinations of some organization leaders, it can also serve as a reliable guide to a do-it-yourself branding strategy that makes sense for the nonprofit sector.


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In the current economic climate, nonprofits need to focus on ways to stand out from the crowd, win charitable dollars, and survive the downturn. Effective, mission-focused communications can help organizations build strong identities, heightened reputations, and increased fundraising capability. Brandraising outlines a mission-driven approach to communications and marketing, specifically designed to boost fundraising efforts. This book provides tools and guidance for nonprofits seeking to transform their communications and marketing through smart positioning, branding, campaigns, and materials that leverage solid strategy and great creative, with a unique focus on the intersection of communications and fundraising.

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The Fast Track Photographer Business Plan: Build a Successful Photography Venture from the Ground Up Review

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(More customer reviews)Unlike any other, this book is about fitting "YOU" to the market place! Sub Titled Build a Successful Photography Venture from the Ground up by Dane Sanders. I consider this a Revolutionary and much needed book in the Photography Industry with these ever changing current times of internet and social media.
As Dane says in this book there is, "no one size fits all business plan". Emphasis is on defining your business vision and having it tied to a sound business plan of which he details through out the book. Included are step by step exercises and charts to help one get clear with their business goals.
What I really like about this book is that Dane starts the first 3 chapters on vision alone. And how important that is! I needed this book as I sometimes get side tracked from looking at the "Big Picture" as I am constantly dealing with the ever increasing technology that is now available for my photography business. Its practically a full time job in itself! I have many books on how to be a specific photographer but currently have been changing my goals, and needed a book that does not presuppose a direction. This book fills the bill!
Along with Vision Dane introduces new concepts in, Finding your Sweet Spot, Sales and Marketing, Focusing on your Strengths, Systematizing your work, Creating the right team and much much more! All the nuts and bolts of how to figure the numbers and creating an actual business plan that fits you are included.
On the back inside cover of the book is a code that you can punch into his web site to take a Business Stress Test (BST) test for free (which is normally $15.00). I'm looking forward to taking that test to see how my business shapes up!
CONCLUSION:
I highly recommend this book to anyone, photographer or otherwise, that is interested in starting, or restarting, a service based business!
Thanks Dane!
Dave Likes
L. David Likes Photography

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NEW RULES FOR A NEW BUSINESS WORLDThinking about starting a photography business? The first thing you need to know is that the rules have changed. Yesterday's business models have collapsed. Creating a successful business in today's "Digi-Flat" era requires a sharp new approach, one that Dane Sanders has practiced successfully and taught at Fast Track workshops and seminars all around the world. Some of the things you'll learn in this book:How to turn the very technologies that are "killing" professional photography—such as the Internet—into your tools of success-How to lead your business, not let your business lead you -How systematizing, scaling, and outsourcing are critical concepts even for a one-person business-How to radically rethink marketing, sales, and customer service for the 21st century-How to hone a creative vision that works—the most powerful step you can take as a businessperson The Fast Track Photographer Business Plan is not about building a "traditional" business plan that looks good on paper and impresses investors. It's about creating a vibrant, living business plan that will help you thrive in today's digital "Wild West," where creative content is freely distributed, where no one plays by the rules anymore, and where customers have unprecedented freedom in choosing what to buy and whom to hire. It's a groundbreaking look at running a creative business. Whether you're an amateur looking to go pro or a professional whose business has stalled, Dane's practical, on-the-ground advice will launch you on the fast track to business success. Includes free access to Dane's online "stress test" to diagnose your business's strengths—as well as where it needs help!

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Kellogg on Marketing Review

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(More customer reviews)Excellent book. Must have for all MBA students studying marketing and anyone looking to increase their knowledge on the subject.

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The business classic, fully revised and updated for today's marketers

The second edition of Kellogg on Marketing provides a unique and highly regarded perspective on both the basics of marketing and on new issues that are challenging businesses today.
Includes more than 60% new material on both fundamental marketing concepts and hot topics such as Product Innovation, Social Media, Marketing to Consumers at the Bottom of the Pyramid, and Internal Branding
With a foreword by Philip Kotler
The Kellogg School of Management is recognized around the world as the leading MBA program in Marketing

Along with the new material, the core concepts covered in the first edition have all been updated-including targeting and positioning, segmentation, consumer insights, and more. This is a must-have marketing reference.

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