Book Description
Who Is Talking About You?
Master the art of word of mouth marketing with this fun, practical, hands-on guide.
Foreword by Seth Godin and Afterword by Guy Kawaski.
With straightforward advice and humor, marketing expert Andy Sernovitz will show you how the world’s most respected and profitable companies get their best customers for free through the power of word of mouth.
Learn the five essential steps that make word of mouth work and everything you need to get started using them. Understand the real purpose of blogs, communities, viral email, evangelists, and buzz—when to use them and how simple it is to make them work.
Learn what sparks the irrepressible enthusiasm of Apple and TiVo fans. Understand why everyone is talking about a certain restaurant, car, band, or dry cleaner—and why other businesses and products are ignored. Discover why some products become huge successes without a penny of promotion—and why some multi-million-dollar advertising campaigns fail to get noticed.
Open your eyes to a new way of doing business—that honest marketing makes more money, because customers who trust you will talk about you. Learn how to be the remarkable company that people want to share with their friends.
Customer Reviews:
How to get people talking about your company.......2007-10-18
People love to talk. Now, thanks to the Internet, they also like to post reviews about the products and services they have experienced. This combination of people talking and a new democratic medium has helped create a variation of marketing based on word-of-mouth. Of course, any good business owner recognizes that word-of-mouth, or customer referrals in the old lingo, is a time-tested form of marketing. But the new twist is that, thanks to increased ad costs, more intense competition and smaller budgets, marketers are stretching to develop new tactics. Enter author Andy Sernovitz and the word-of-mouth concept. The author contends that this is a novel idea, but is it really new? Probably not. Most of the ideas are self-evident and Sernovitz tends to repeat them. While we love a new thing, readers instead might see this as an updated look at a known phenomenon: the power of neighbors who talk to each other.
basic concepts presented as something fresh and radical.......2007-10-07
I've just gotten into WOM marketing and so I assumed that my knowledge on the subject is limited. After reading this book, however, I came to think that I could be a marketing guru as well. The ideas described in this book could be summarized on three pages and still those pages would not be worth reading! Rules such as: make your message interesting or make it short or make it easy to remember are obvious for all those who are capable to think logically. Others (e.g. Chinese banquet example) are simply ridiculous!
I expected to learn a lot from this book. I learned nothing new. Plus, the book appear to contradict all the rules he lists: it could definitely be shorter and more interesting!
Exciting message, accessible style.......2007-10-04
I loved this book not only for the specific word of mouth marketing tips, but for the enthusiasm Sernovitz brings to the subject matter as well.
I am nobody you've ever heard of - just a woman starting her own business. Sernovitz made me realize that there is a whole new way of doing things, a whole world out there that I have had no connection to.
First, this book made me feel not so bad about my lack of experience, because plenty of people with experience are just not getting it! And second, Andy's book taught me that if my business was going to have an internet presence I'd darn well better get up to speed on how to become a part of the online community and be as smart as I can about making sure people know about my product, find my website, and buy! I'd better blog - I'd better get out there - I'd better make connections, and friendships, and be a part of the conversation!
"Word of Mouth Marketing" has an exciting message and is very accessible even for the novice. This book should be a part of anyone's Business 101 learning, and I highly recommend it.
Left feeling teased, and a little cheated........2007-10-03
I was really torn between giving this book three or four stars. What inclined me toward four was that I didn't get a straight run through it, but instead was three quarters of the way through and had to put it aside for a week-which is a long time to put reading aside and then pick up again without it losing a great deal of its momentum. So, I went with the higher scoring in the belief that I would have had a more positive experience with the material if it had not been for a circumstance beyond the author's control.
That being said, you may still be wondering what I found lacking to keep it from getting five stars. First of all, I don't hand five stars out like candy (and I wish a lot of other reviewers would follow that lead, as it seems as though there are an over-abundance of five stars over at Amazon). I feel that a five star rating is for the exceptional. A four star is for the good. Three stars for the nominal, with two and one stars relegated to the bad and really stinky. I steer away from half stars as that smacks of indecision (and would require me having to add those images to my library and they are difficult to come by).
I rate this book at four stars because it is good. It is not exceptional. If you're purchasing as marketing advice, it will provide you with enough to know that you need to buy more books by other authors that go into a good deal more detail. If you've already purchased a couple of marketing books, it will reinforce what you've already read and give you a good pep talk to keep you motivated. It is not going to enlighten you to anything new (unless it's your first purchase of marketing material-in which case see point above about now knowing you need to buy more books).
As a writer, publisher and editor myself, I have to make one comment about the writing-more precisely the voice, or tone, of the book. I received the distinct impression that Mr. Sernovitz saw a trend of sales in marketing books, whipped one together with no real effort or research beyond what he already knew off the top of his head (which is considerable-no argument from me there) and tossed it out onto the market. Again, as in one of my prior reviews of a different book, I wish the author had taken more time, gone more indepth, researched and added to what he already knew and given us a real read. In many ways I felt teased, and a little cheated.
Empower your customers.......2007-09-19
I typically gauge an effective marketing book by how much actionable information is provided. My measure is simple, lots of earmarked pages indicates good ideas that can be impactful. After reading this book on the train I had 12 ear marked pages and had left myself three voicemails about ideas my company could implement immediately.
If you want to make a measurable improvement in your marketing programs and empower your customers, buy this book.
Thanks,
David Baeza
Area Vice President, Customer Acquisition
Citrix Online
GoToMyPC
GoToMeeting
GoToWebinar
GoToAssist
Amazon.com
The Palm Pilot. The novel Cold Mountain. The iMac. Hotmail. FedEx. The Blair Witch Project and There's Something About Mary. According to former marketing exec Emanuel Rosen, they all became successful not through traditional advertising or marketing routes, but through "buzz," that semitangible process through which information and commentary jump from one brain or mouth to another. Rosen also ascribes buzz to creating customer loyalty, which he says is built through the advice of friends, colleagues, or such trusted "mega-hubs" of information as Oprah Winfrey and Rosie O'Donnell. Rosen has spent the past few years studying the routes, nodes, and clusters through which buzz passes and grows, and the result is this well-researched book. While it doesn't throw much new light on the mechanics of buzz, it is at least instructive and entertaining, offering minisagas of the successful buzz behind such marketing triumphs as the dELia's catalog for teenage girls, PowerBars, and the BMW Z3 roadster. Buzz seekers, be warned, however: with the exception of a short chapter at the end of the book called "Buzz Workshop," you won't find much of a blueprint for starting the gears of buzz for your product or service. What you do get is a trove of real-life stories that, if they don't inspire and guide you toward taking your first buzz-creating baby steps, probably mean you're the type of person who should stick with conventional advertising and PR. --Timothy Murphy
Book Description
The first guide to creating the word-of-mouth magic that breaks through the skepticism and information overload of today's consumers, and drive sales--and profits--to new heights.
As Newsweek recently proclaimed, "Buzz greases the great conveyor belt of culture and commerce, moving everything from movies to fashions of the body and mind faster and faster."
Now available in paperback, The Anatomy of Buzz, written by former marketing VP Emanuel Rosen, pinpoints the products and services that benefit the most from buzz and offers specific strategies for creating and sustaining effective word-of-mouth strategies. Drawing on interviews with more than 150 marketing executives who have successfully built buzz for major brands, Rosen describes the ins-and-outs of attracting the attention of influential first-users and "bigmouth" movers-and-shakers, and discusses proven techniques for stimulating customer-to-customer selling–including how companies can spread the word to new territories by taking advantage of customer hubs and networks on the Internet and elsewhere.
Recent surveys show that 74 percent of young people rely to some extent on others when selecting a car, that 56 percent of moviegoers follow the recommendations of friends, and that 65 percent of the people who bought a Palm Pilot were inspired by the enthusiasm of others. With The Anatomy of Buzz, business leaders have what they need to reignite excitement about an existing product or service or turbocharge the launch of a new product.
Download Description
The Anatomy of Buzz is divided into three parts.
How Buzz Spreads: The first section describes the huge social networks to which we all belong and what we know about how buzz spreads through them.
Success in the Networks: The second section identifies two factors that need to be there for buzz to spread. First, the product must be "contagious" in some way. For example, the game Trivial Pursuit was contagious because people who played it were compelled to demonstrate their knowledge to others. But contagion needs to be accelerated. That's the second factor. The marketers of this game executed a massive grassroots campaign that let people in numerous social networks get "infected" by the game and tell others.
Stimulating Buzz: The third part of the book describes techniques that companies have used to encourage their customers to talk. How BMW created buzz about the Z3 Roadster through a "sneak preview" in a James Bond movie. How the founders of Powerbar spread the word about their energy food by working with "network hubs" such as coaches and leading athletes.
Customer Reviews:
Material is outdated.......2007-07-14
Great book, but even after just a few years, the material is outdated. Hardly touches the online world, which is what I was looking for.
Listening to buzz.......2007-07-14
Have a great product (there is no substitute), identify the information hubs, seed far and wide, try to start little fires everywhere, and never give up - that's Emanuel Rosen's advice for creating buzz. The book is a light introduction to this topic, and deserves a spot on your reading list if you want to learn about the subject. However, it does feel outdated and you have to take this into account when you read it - YouTube, FaceBook, etc. have changed the rules of the game significantly. For a more recent, and dare I say, more useful read, be sure to check out Buzzmarketing by Mark Hughes.
How to Buzz your product.......2007-05-04
Rosen, Emanuel. The Anatomy of Buzz
Marketing is greatly affected by word of mouth, person-to-person communication outside of mainline advertising. Mr. Rosen gives us insights into how and why "buzz" happens, and how to build buzz about a product or service. His Six Rules About Ads and Buzz:
1. Keep It Simple
The message needs to be simple in order for people to pass it on.
2. Tell Us What's New
Fluff doesn't travel well in the networks.
3. Don't Make Claims You Can't Support
Don't tell customers that you care about them unless you really mean it and can consistently demonstrate superb customer service.
4. Ask Your Customers to Articulate What's Special About Your Product or Service
If [your customers] can't tell you what's unique about your product, they won't be able to explain it to their friends.
5. Start Measuring Buzz
When you conduct customer satisfaction surveys, ask your customers whether they have recommended the product recently. If so, to how many people?
6. Listen to the Buzz
How is the product being used out in the field? What problems are encountered by users? What are the product attributes being discussed?
Teaching By Example.......2007-01-28
The author does a good job of getting his point across through the appropriate examples. It was an easy and enjoyable read. My only complaint was that he repetitively used the same examples when it would have been more effective to bring in new ones.
Definitely recommend it for anyone who is new to marketing and wants to know what "buzz" is all about.
Excellent Book!.......2006-03-31
Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" draws our attention to the idea of "word-of-mouth"; Seth Godin shows us what kinds of remarkable things can be achieved using viral marketing techniques; Emanuel Rosen's "The Anatomy of Buzz" walks us through how to make word-of-mouth marketing work for our own businesses.
This is an excellent book! It lays out a pathway to follow and provides pragmatic guidelines and best practices, verbally illustrated using real-world examples. A business book is a success for me if I find I've made a few notes while reading the book (and acted on those notes). In reading "The Anatomy of Buzz" I generated dozens of notes and ideas - many of which have been implemented or are in process today.
This is an excellent book. I'll say it again: This is an excellent book! I strongly recommend it to those who have "marketing", business development", "sales", or "founder" in their job titles.
Book Description
As VP of marketing at online retailer Half.com, Mark Hughes didn't have a huge budget for advertising. Yet he helped drive the number of Half.com users from zero to eight million in just three years. His secret? Making the company a magnet for media attention and word-of-mouth, by any means necessary. Most notoriously, he persuaded the town of Halfway, Oregon, to rename itself Half.com—called “one of the greatest publicity coups” in history by Time.
In this breakthrough book, Hughes offers a practical guide to the art of successful buzz marketing—which many people talk about these days but few truly understand. He draws on real-world examples of companies that got people to talk about their stuff— from Miller Lite during the “Tastes Great—Less Filling” era, to American Idol's stunning use of buzz to become a global phenomenon, to current companies that find creative ways to break through the ad-glutted marketplace.
Buzzmarketing explores the six secrets of great word-of-mouth campaigns and shows how any company can thrive by pursuing a buzz-driven strategy rather than just hoping for a lucky break. Readers who have enjoyed books like The Tipping Point and Purple Cow will find Buzzmarketing to be the ideal guide to applying buzz to their real-world business needs.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing book!.......2007-10-17
Amazing! A business book that's simple to read and goes direct to the point! It's a guide to the art of buzzmarketing which is the hottest trend in marketing. Every marketing manager should read this!
Get People to Talk.......2007-09-19
This was a very good book and his experiences with Half.com is particularly interesting in terms of wild marketing ideas. I would say the best book I've read on buzzmarketing that really develops how to get people to talk about your stuff in terms of real conversations and building meaning instead of buzz, is Lois Kelly's "Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word-Of-Mouth Marketing". Superb, published this year and Kelly is a leader in this arena.Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Worth a read.......2007-09-16
Interesting read. Easy to follow with anecdotes as examples. It breaks down the 6 steps in to manageable chunks but could be a little more concise.
A Keeper and a Favorite Amongst "Viral Marketing" Type Books.......2007-06-08
This is a solid, well written favorite amongst the "viral marketing" class of marketing books. I have re-read this twice and enjoy the easy read packed with worthwhile info.
The author shows you how to get results from your marketing, tells you about what he calls the "six secrets" of Buzzmarketing that contains useful, "what to do" information along with really entertaining examples to illustrate the point.
---*** THE BOTTOM LINE ***---
1. it's an entertaining read, and contains solid, useful, "how to" info.
2. If you only buy books you want to re-read, then this is a definite keeper.
2. I rank this amongst "The Tipping Point" and "Unleashing the Ideavirus" as a favorite book on "Viral Marketing". (I rank this 3rd)
More concepts, less "tips".......2007-06-01
Instead of being a book of tips, this book is conceptual & offers many examples to illustrate. You can apply it in a number of fields and even has some examples from the music industry.
Book Description
Connected Marketing is a business book about the state of the art in viral, buzz and word-of-mouth marketing. Written by 17 experts working at the cutting edge of viral, buzz and word-of-mouth marketing, Connected Marketing introduces the range of scalable, predictable and measurable solutions for driving business growth by stimulating positive brand talk between clients, customers and consumers.
Edited by marketing consultants Justin Kirby (Digital Media Communications) and Dr. Paul Marsden (Spheeris/London School of Economics), and with a foreword by Emanuel Rosen (author of the bestselling Anatomy of Buzz) Connected Marketing is a collaborative work written by 17 opinion-leading consultants and practitioners working at the cutting edge of viral, buzz and word of mouth marketing. Contributing authors to Connected Marketing are Stéphane Allard (Spheeris), Schuyler Brown (Buzz@Euro RSCG), Idil Cakim (Burson-Marsteller), Andrew Corcoran (Lincoln Business School), Steve Curran, (Pod Digital), Brad Ferguson (Informative), Justin Foxton (CommentUK), Graham Goodkind (Frank PR), Justin Kirby (Digital Media Communications), Paul Marsden (Spheeris), Liam Mulhall (Brewtopia), Greg Nyilasy (University of Georgia), Martin Oetting (ESCP-EAP European School of Management), Bernd Röthlingshöfer (Independent), Sven Rusticus (Icemedia), Pete Snyder (New Media Strategies) and Thomas Zorbach (vm-people).
Connected Marketing shows how businesses can harness connectivity between clients, customers and consumers as powerful marketing media for driving demand.
* Focuses on the consumer to consumer approach to marketing: word of mouth
* Advises on ways to create an epidemic demand for a new product or service
* Shows how to identify and form relationships with socially infectious individuals in order to convey the marketing message
Customer Reviews:
Good Book.......2007-02-19
Again, this book fits my Entrepreneur Marketing class very well. The ideas of the author's and views seem to be very up to date and innovative. Another happy purchase!
Best Book about viral marketing..........2006-03-26
I've purchased several books on the subject of viral and buzz marketing and this by far is the BEST on the subject... the case studies are PRICELESS!!! I would recommend this book to anyone serious about gettin' their message out there...
Book Description
Turn your best customers into your most passionate promoters.
If you're the kind of business owner who hates cold calling and chasing after new leads, then you'll love the easy referral strategies in Instant Referrals used by self-made millionaire and entrepreneurial expert Brad Sugars. Discover how to:
- Evaluate a referral-based system that's right for your business
- Determine which customers you want referred to you- and which you don't
- Transform satisfied customers into your biggest fans by continually exceeding their expectations
- Create ways to use referrals to generate more buzz for your business
Get real results right now when you discover all that Instant Success has to offer!
Instant Advertising * Instant Cashflow * Instant Leads * Instant Profit * Instant Promotions * Instant Repeat Business * Instant Sales * Instant Systems * Instant Team Building * The Business Coach * The Real Estate Coach * Successful Franchising * Billionaire in Training
Customer Reviews:
Referral Strategies Everyone Can Use.......2007-07-23
I found this book to be extremely helpful for 4 specific reasons: First, Brad Sugars covers the "theory" behind true marketing, as one must understand that to bring about any real changes to business growth. I was forced to really examine what my target market looks like so that I know what referrals to ask for. Next, there were 21 specific strategies that were covered in depth. Every business owner can pick a handful from this list and get results! Next, I always enjoy reading a true life case study with a real business. This shows how the process works in the real world. Last, the section on testing and measuring ties everything together. Research has shown that 80% of our marketing efforts don't work. The only way we can identify what does work is to consistently test and measure. This section provides guidance and a sample form to be used. All in all, this book is a must for a business owner's library and a reference that should be re-read often.
Instant Referrals.......2007-04-10
This book shows you how your customers can become raving fans for your business and do the selling for you! Instant Referrals explains the process through which entrepreneurs can grow their businesses by encouraging their existing customers to promote their business for them.
A referral based business is one that relies largely on referral strategies to generate business. A referral strategy is simply introducing new customers to your Business for a low acquisition cost.
You need to be clear on who your target market is and who your ideal customer profile is. You need to be clear on what you are offering and give people a good reason to assist you, i.e. they must get some benefit (what's in it for me).
A Business must move their customers up the loyalty ladder from Suspect, Prospect, Shopper, Customer, Member and Advocate to Raving Fan (pages 23-25). A raving fan is a customer who can't stop selling for you and they want to see you succeed.
Action has 21 strategies which can be implemented to build a referral based Business (see the book for details).
Use some of these hidden opportunities to bring in extra profits to your Business.
For a referral based Business to work, your service and products must be extraordinary. Just being good won't do. If you want people to refer, your service and products have to be fantastic.
Never chase after a customer again.......2006-05-11
Instant Referrals teaches you how to turn your best customers into your most passionate promoters.
The Author Bradley J Sugars provides business owners with an alternative strategy to cold calling and chasing after new leads.
During Instant Referrals you will learn how to evaluate and implement a referral based system that's right for your business.
Sugars also helps you determine which customers you want referred to your business and which ones you don't.
This book is a workbook that will help you build a referral-based business. It contains 21 powerful strateiges you can use to get your business revving on all cylinders.
These strategies will not only transform your business; they will also transform the way you go about business.
If you want to get results right now then I suggest you read Instant Referrals so you can get your customers to actually do your selling for you.
A Must For Every Small Business Owner .......2006-01-15
Creating a referral based business is the goal of every small business owner. Having your customers send you new customers is the most cost and time effective way of growing your business. However it doesn't happen overnight, or by accident. Having an effective referral based strategy is a must if you want to get the many high quality leads from your existing customers. Instant Referrals provides dozens of cost effective strategies that any small business owner can easily implement. When you read Instant Referrals you will say to yourself..."Why haven't I been doing this all along?"
Get your Exisiting Customers to be Your Salespeople..........2006-01-13
New customers always come at an investment... But what if you make your existing customers work for you...
Instant Referrals has simple strategies to make your customers the best spokespersons for your business...
Book Description
Shows how to manage the ``talk factor'' in your companyâspreading good news about the organizationâand initiate a full-scale, word-of-mouth blitz to supplement any marketing strategy. Best of all, the techniques described here work for all organizationsâbig or small, professional or social, profit or non-profit. Whatever you're selling, it can help you wield the most powerful marketing tool of all.
Customer Reviews:
Great read especially for small business owners.......2005-08-12
This is a great book for anyone contemplating staring a business or already in business. All too often everyone wants to advertise which costs money. Jerry nails it in his book by focusing on your customers to market your business through "word of mouth." If you're struggling with how to promote or advertise your business, this is a must read.
Incredible.......2004-12-17
I have read over 300 business books and I would rank Jerry's Book at the top. Very practical ideas that are easy to implent and see immediate results. If you are in sales or own your own business you better hope your competition does not read this first!
This book really works wonders!.......2000-04-05
Word of Mouth Marketing is a book I have been looking for for a long time. In my business, of corporate entertainment, other performers are always asking for my advice on how I market myself. This books puts the marketing strategy that I use into black & white. How to get clients, How to KEEP clients, responding to negative situations, REWARDS for those that play a part in promoting YOUR BUSINESS, incentives to get people to talk about your product/business. I especially loved the final chapter, The Word of Mouth Marketing Blitz. Everything we need to know about utilizing word of mouth advertising is summarized in easy to understand, and easy to put into action steps. I will read this book over and over, and will definately refer others to it in the future.
Book Description
It's official: the old marketing model is dead, and word of mouth is king. But while a lot of attention has been paid to the mechanics of creating buzz, only the savviest of marketers have learned to focus on crafting the right kind of message -- because without it, even the loudest buzz will soon die down. Beyond Buzz shows readers how to listen to customers, identify what is important to them, and then craft the kind of message that will truly resonate and spark conversation.
Filled with insightful examples of conversational marketing at work, Beyond Buzz gives readers the tools and inspiration they need to create an effective and interesting conversational theme that will engage their customers and take their marketing to a whole new level.
Without the right message in place, word of mouth marketing will never live up to its promise. This innovative and practical book shows readers how to ignite people's interest...and generate much more than buzz.
Customer Reviews:
Straightforward and innovative resource.......2007-09-11
This book is a great resource for anyone in business, not just marketing. Perfect for internet entrepreneurs and real estate agents too.
Learn how to talk with customers instead of at them........2007-08-04
Conversational marketing is really a simple concept and one that's been around since people started conversing. However, marketing, PR and advertising departments, especially in larger businesses, don't think conversationally. That's a problem, because customers want conversation, not the "party line." Lois Kelly offers a spot on solution--
"Marketing has traditionally been more like a manufacturing operation, producing advertisements, Web sites, brochures, campaigns, and press releases. Reframed as a service, however, marketing gains even more value through the processes of listening advising, explaining, and teaching." (p. 155)
Companies need to reshape their entire approach to communication to have any hope of influencing today's customers. That entails changing mindsets, job responsibilities, interdepartmental relationships and customer interaction--tough stuff.
The great value of "Beyond Buzz" is that it explains how large organizations can reorganize and reorient themselves to be conversational. Kelly has a lot of first-hand experience working with firms that successfully made the change, and with some that didn't. Her ideas and transformative techniques are not merely theories, they are tried and true. Worthwhile reading for business owners, leaders, and top level marketing, PR, advertising and sales execs.
worth reading twice.......2007-07-09
I just re-read this book and not only is it good reading, but great advice for moving forward in the ever changing world of technology. It reminds us that word of mouth is still one of the most important marketing tools, even if it is happening electronically these days. I particularly liked Chapter 5 - Nine Themes That Always Get People Talking. It's fun; it's smart; and it works. I've been using some of the strategies outlined since the moment I finished the book.
Kevin J. Clancy, Ph.D.
Chairman & CEO
Copernicus Marketing Consulting and Research
An important addition to any business library........2007-06-17
BEYOND BUZZ: THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORD-OF-MOUTH MARKETING is PR at its best: a discussion of how more effective word-of-mouth 'buzz' is generated to drive sales not from an advertising standpoint, but from personal experiences shared to create product interest and excitement. Lois Kelly is a branding specialist who believes making via 'buzz' is fostered by two-way communication with customers: a give-and-take which actually refines and defines desirable products. BEYOND BUZZ uses case studies of organizations that have mastered 'conversational marketing' to great success, and makes for an important addition to any business library.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
She gets it.......2007-05-21
There are an incredible number of resources and ideas in this book. It will change the way you think about marketing.
Amazon.com
Treat a product or service like a human or computer virus, contends online promotion specialist Seth Godin, and it just might become one. In Unleashing the Ideavirus, Godin describes ways to set any viable commercial concept loose among those who are most likely to catch it--and then stand aside as these recipients become infected and pass it on to others who might do the same. "The future belongs to marketers who establish a foundation and process where interested people can market to each other," he writes. "Ignite consumer networks and then get out of the way and let them talk."
Godin believes that a solid idea is the best route to success in the new century, but one "that just sits there is worthless." Through the magic of "word of mouse," however, the Internet offers a unique opportunity for interested individuals to transmit ideas quickly and easily to others of like mind. Taking up where his previous book Permission Marketing left off, Godin explains in great detail how ideaviruses have been launched by companies such as Napster, Blue Mountain Arts, GeoCities, and Hotmail. He also describes "sneezers" (influential people who spread them), "hives" (populations most willing to receive them), and "smoothness" (the ease with which sneezers can transmit them throughout a hive). In all, an infectious and highly recommended read. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
Treat a product or service like a human or computer virus, contends online promotion specialist Seth Godin, and it just might become one. In Unleashing the Ideavirus, Godin describes ways to set any viable commercial concept loose among those who are most likely to catch it--and then stand aside as these recipients become infected and pass it on to others who might do the same. "The future belongs to marketers who establish a foundation and process where interested people can market to each other," he writes. "Ignite consumer networks and then get out of the way and let them talk."Godin believes that a solid idea is the best route to success in the new century, but one "that just sits there is worthless." Through the magic of "word of mouse," however, the Internet offers a unique opportunity for interested individuals to transmit ideas quickly and easily to others of like mind. Taking up where his previous book Permission Marketing left off, Godin explains in great detail how ideaviruses have been launched by companies such as Napster, Blue Mountain Arts, GeoCities, and Hotmail. He also describes "sneezers" (influential people who spread them), "hives" (populations most willing to receive them), and "smoothness" (the ease with which sneezers can transmit them throughout a hive). In all, an infectious and highly recommended read. --Howard Rothman
Customer Reviews:
Grea book, Fast shipping.......2007-07-25
Book came on time, was in perfect shape and it was a at a great low price.
One of the First "Viral Marketing" Books by One of the Most Preeminent Marketing Minds Around.......2007-06-08
This book is one of the first "Viral Marketing" books that later spread the hot topics of "Viral Marketing", "Word Of Mouth Marketing" and "Buzzmarketing". Seth Godin was there before many others were and was spreading ideas that others later realized and jumped onto.
Seth was a marketing Genius behind some of the success of Yahoo's early growth and has since gone on to write some of the most successful books on marketing.
This book is one of my favorites to read and re-read giving insight into the hows and whys of viral marketing. Due to the fast paced changes in our society, some of the examples may seem outdated since they involve companies in the early dot com era, but the messages are just as powerful and are not lessened in any way.
---*** THE BOTTOM LINE ***---
1. an easy, comfortable read.
2. this book came before many of the the "viral marketing", "word of mouth" books that tell the same things - learn from one of the original sources.
3. If you like general marketing books, this is a MUST have for your collection.
good for new ideas.......2007-01-11
A very brilliant book. An open window on the markenting of the new century.
Interesting ideas.......2007-01-11
Very interesting ideas that helped me think of marketing in a different way. I found that many of the examples were dated, as the book was written before the dot-com crash. We really returned to a business as more usually model than anyone thought we would at that time. However, still some very valuable ideas. They were a bit over-stated and the book is a bit repetitive, but still some good value.
Online Marketing.......2006-11-04
This book is well written and an easy read. It provides an informative overview of the viral marketing arena and a number of tips for practitioners. Highly recommended.
Book Description
In our hype-infested society, honest and positive word of mouth can multiply sales explosively. But for those who think it happens by chance (as most marketers do), this book will be an eye-opener.
The surprising truth is that word of mouth can be implemented as strategically as any other form of marketing--and at significantly lower cost! This is especially good news for any seller of products or services who must maximize every marketing dollar.
Central to this book is the innovative Decision Matrix, which helps readers identify who their potential buyers are and what messages those prospects need to hear from friends, coworkers, and trusted advisors. This matrix is followed by step-by-step guidance on how to construct an integrated "no vested interest" campaign that leverages all channels (including traditional media, the Internet, and PR), penetrates successive tiers of audiences, and builds sales exponentially. Marketers will learn how to:
* Target the predominate adopter type (innovator, early, middle, late, laggard) * Create the content--the actual words--needed to accelerate the process * Identify the sources and delivery mechanisms that will be most persuasive * Use a wide variety of the methods that trigger runaway word of mouth.
Customer Reviews:
Sssssh!.......2007-07-21
A friend told me it is a great book. I bought it. Read it. And told my friends about this book. Oops! I think I have started a word of mouth campaign for this book.
Kishore Dharmarajan
Author of Eightstorm: 8-Step Brainstorming for Innovative Managers
For marketing-impaired persons like me...excellent!.......2007-05-26
I admit it: I have a tin ear for marketing. I flunked Marketing in the MBA program. I hated it, I hated the professor, and he hated me.
So this book was a major turn-around for me. I found it very useful, practical, detailed, un-hyped, and respectful of customers. Silverman helped me set up a word-of-mouth marketing plan for my business that was coherent, understandable, and worth the effort. This book also made me think again about unproductive marketing I was doing--such as advertising in the newspaper, which reached nobody whom I wanted to reach. For these reasons, besides that of helping re-tune my tin marketing ear, this book gets a BIG 5 stars.
More Than Just Word-of-Mouth.......2007-05-03
This is a very resourceful book. More than just a description or promotion of word of mouth, this book explains the whole decision cycle that takes a person from first exposure to a product or service to the act of buying and then the follow up which makes the buyer a champion for your product.
You can use this book as a step by step guide to developing your marketing program. You will learn how to integrate all of your marketing methods with word-of-mouth. It also teaches you how to promote and expand positive word-of-mouth and how to correct negative word-of-mouth.
Every serious marketer should read this book.
Waste of Time.......2007-01-28
I'm annoyed that I actually spent money on this book. It took the author 217 pages to write 10 pages of content AND it was boring.
Get "Anatomy of Buzz" instead.
Ode to Word-of-Mouth.......2006-12-31
If you need justification for word-of-mouth marketing, this is it. George Silverman makes a very good, substantiated argument for the importance of 'accelerating decision-making processes'. He spends a lot of time motivating this approach, and the rest of the book on strategies to find and 'exploit' influencers and decision-makers that can spread your message.
The book is interesting, but if you're already convinced on importance of word-of-mouth, you can skip about half. Silverman goes into a lot of low-level strategic detail, often repeating himself. The premise is that word of mouth can be 'controlled', for the most part, at least. He has a point, but he misses the 'organic' part - his sole strategy is to inject information in the right places (influencers). The book reads like a standard marketing text, albeit with a higher emphasis on 'customer-to-customer' communication. I felt that Mark Hughes (Buzzmarketing) offered a much more interesting view at the same phenomenon.
Book Description
This book helps you make a lasting impression with proven examples to show you how to create your own personal memory hook.
Customer Reviews:
Great Memory Hooks.......2006-05-09
This book is full of great memory hooks that have helped my business. At first I thought it seemed a little awkward and now naturally use the memory hooks in this book on a regular basis, even in my social life. I definitely recommend this book.
It gets your gears turning!!`.......2005-07-25
This book is great for anyone in the business world. It kept me wanting to read more and more. It will help you view your marketing strategy a little differently. You will get everything out of this book that you were hoping for. ENJOY!
Why do you need to read this book?.......1999-07-07
Have you ever been to a business meeting or social gathering, been introduced to someone then, just five minutes later, can't remember what their name is or what their business is? Read this book and your name and business will be remembered by everyone, whether the gathering is five or fifty or more people.
This book makes 'the Obvious' startling News!.......1999-07-05
I bought this book with some skepticism. After all, if it only takes 7 aseconds to market something, why does a whole industry exist to help the would-be entrepreneur spend a whole lot more? On reading the book the term 'catch-phrase' takes on a new (and profitable) meaning. Every telesales person knows that he/she has about 4 seconds at the start of a cold call to get the prospect's interest and the 'initial benefit statement' which helps can be difficult to create. 'Seven Second Marketing' shows the reader how to create not just a general IBS but one which will stick in the mind of the prospect after the call is concluded - and still be there when the Sale Process is continued at a later date. The essence of the memory hook, as Dr Misner describes it, is that it is short, relevant AND memorable. This book shows how to create one and I recommend it strongly to anyone who needs to be remembered by first-met acquaintances, business or social (or even political!) Since reading this book I purchased two other books by Dr Misner and both have contributed to my success as a self-employed businessman. See the Amazon Index for details of these books. Happy Marketing!
If you want more business this is a "must" read........1999-07-04
Everyone is busy. Everyone is on information overload. How would you like to grab the attention of a future prospect in less than 10 seconds. In this book "less is more" is effectively presented. Ivan Misner teaches everyone looking for more business how to turbocharge their referrals with the use of 'memory hooks". A favorable first and lasting impression is the focus of a good memory hook. This book is entertaining as well as informative. Have fun on your way to greater sales.
Books:
- Writing Effective News Releases...: How to Get Free Publicity for Yourself, Your Business, or Your Organization
- YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger
- Your First Year in Network Marketing: Overcome Your Fears, Experience Success, and Achieve Your Dreams!
- Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands
- Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective, 6/e, with PowerWeb
- Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective, 6/e, with PowerWeb
- Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective, 6/e, with PowerWeb
- Advertising: Principles and Practice (7th Edition) (Advertising: Principles and Practice)
- Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant
- Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant
Books Index
Books Home
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- The Toyota Way
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General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly
Citizen Marketers: When People Are the Message
Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force
Guerrilla Marketing, 4th edition: Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits from Your SmallBusiness
Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide
