Maximizing LinkedIn for Sales and Social Media Marketing: An Unofficial, Practical Guide to Selling & Developing B2B Business on LinkedIn Review

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"Maximizing LinkedIn for Sales and Social Media Marketing" is the second LinkedIn related book by author, consultant, and speaker Neal Schaffer and is a follow-up to his first book "Understanding, Leveraging, & Maximizing LinkedIn" Before I share with you my review of the book, a little background may be in order.

LinkedIn was the first, and at the time, only social networking application that held any interest for me when I first began to look into it. This was maybe 3 years ago. Of course, it did not come with an instruction manual so, off to Amazon I went in search of answers. I did buy the only two LinkedIn related books that were available at the time and they were abysmal. My search for answers via Google began. Somehow, I happened upon a site called "Windmill Networking" and this guy, Neal, talked about LinkedIn a lot. I mean a whole lot and, better yet, he seemed to know what he was talking about. Sweet! I believe that this may have also been the very first site where I actually got up the nerve to leave a comment. To my amazement, Neal even took the time to respond! This, of course, ruined me for most other sites where nobody seems to want to actually "engage" (smile).

Fast forward to today and Neal and I still communicate regularly via Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn, and email. While his first book was phenomenal, the focus of his new book, Sales and Marketing, is exactly what I needed and it may be that also for you! I am a fairly ravenous reader but, I do struggle with books (attention span of a 2-year old). This is not the case with Neal's books. His writing style makes for very easy reading. He speaks to you, not at you.

Like many folks, I must admit that despite knowing better, LinkedIn had become the proverbial "red-headed step child" to my social business marketing efforts. While I seem to spend most of my time on Twitter, LinkedIn is where I belong. I am a life-long B2B sales person and LinkedIn is business. I also think that it is important to note that Neal shares this same background. Well, I am now a "born-again" convert and already am at work following Neal's advice for my profile! What do I like about this book?

• It is written by a sales and marketing person for sales and marketing people.
• It's loaded with real case studies and practical selling advice. Neal even includes a chapter devoted to prospecting on LinkedIn!
• Neal goes into great detail about all aspects of LinkedIn and how to put its powerful features to work for you today. He also provides step-by-step instructions for all areas of the application. If I were LinkedIn, I'd be negotiating for the rights to use this as my reference guide (smile).
• The book does not preach. Neal gives you your options, the pros and cons of each, and lets you decide what is right for you. Of course, he does provide you with recommended courses of action.
• The book constantly reinforces the goals for social networking and LinkedIn while at the same time stressing that the rules of selling still apply as it relates to creating and nurturing relationships in real life.
• I like Neal's attitude that "you might as well go big or go home". There is no middle road and it does require your commitment.
• The book is both timely and up-to-date. What I see in this book matches LinkedIn's present UI and feature set.
• Neal's advice on LinkedIn Groups is awesome! I thought that I understood the power and flexibility of groups before I read this book. I was wrong. Not only has Neal encouraged me to evaluate the groups I am currently in, I am putting the finishing touches on creating a new group, "Boise B2B Sales & Marketing Professionals".
• Like many sites, LinkedIn's large number of features can be overwhelming. I now have a much clearer understanding of applications like Companies, LinkedIn Signal, and LinkedIn Today.
• Finally, Neal spends time discussing a recommended daily routine and how to determine your ROI. Who cares about ROI anyway? Well .... I do!

I could go on and on but, simply stated, Neal's new book is the ultimate road map to LinkedIn!


Article Source:
http://www.amazon.com/review

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The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly Review

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I've read the other two versions of Real Time Marketing & PR and it's a book I constantly reference and refer to executives looking to find a practical way to understand the benefits of participating effectively in a new media world. I've also found that social media and new media practitioners can find value in reading the book as a guide to building a thorough understanding of effective online marketing and PR that goes well beyond Facebook and Twitter.

This Third Edition, which has completely updated case studies and examples also includes a much needed Marketing and PR Strategy Plan template designed to help people get started in a step-by-step approach to social media. There's a great new chapter on measuring your success in the new media space and highlights some practical ways to start measuring your ROI. I particularly enjoyed a section entitled "The Power of Free." - Read it, it's worth the price of the book.

Finally, David Meerman Scott's new edition includes a whole new section on Mobile Marketing that covers everything from GeoLocation to Mobile Apps and Mobile Newsrooms. You'll really like his fun new concept of Cyber Graffiti.

In short, a book that's sold over 250,000 copies and set many of the Fortune 1000 company's social strategies in motion can't be ignored. You'll really enjoy the Third Edition - even if you've read the first two.

If you know what you're doing in the social space... buy a copy for your executive team. They'll immediately embrace your activities and start championing your efforts in the new media world.

In short, you can't publish a book called The New Rules of Marketing and PR in an internet age unless it's updated to still be 'New.' David's done exactly that and it's worth the read!


Article Source:
http://www.amazon.com/review

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Mobile Advertising: Supercharge Your Brand in the Exploding Wireless Market Review

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Chetan Sharma, Joe Herzog and Victor Melfi have provided a comprehensive analysis of the growing field of mobile marketing and advertising--deftly illuminating the refinement of advertising arts from persuading the customer to now engaging the customer wherever, whenever, and whatever they may be doing via their mobile or wireless phone.

As an executive and consultant in the mobile marketing business, I especially liked their engaging tone and educational style which truly separates them from other books which spend too much time on the bits and bytes of mobile technology and fail to take on its complex commercial methods.

Mobile Advertising's extensive review of this developing and lucrative field will supercharge beginners understanding and even polish a professional's perspective.

Setting the stage with an evolution of the advertising business and how its convergence with mobile technology will transform marketing, they take the reader from baby steps to the most current uses and applications of mobile marketing including an entire chapter covering 20 case studies drawn from in-market company experiences around the world--well beyond the now 5 year old scenario of mobile coupon delivery as you walk past a Starbucks. That chapter is worth the cost of the book on its own if you want to learn about this business.

They demonstrate a full command of the complex ecosystem as reflected by their technical diagrams illuminating the magic of mobile, their illuminating business model analyses as well as comparative pricing methods and current levels for mobile advertising. These guys know all the buzz around mobile advertising and show the reader where the biz is. Very valuable for anyone interested in this new medium for mass advertising.


Article Source:
http://www.amazon.com/review

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Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords: How to Access 100 Million People in 10 Minutes

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Late last week I posted a note on Perry Marshall's Facebook page letting him know what I got from a previous version of this book. He asked me to share here. I don't normally post Amazon reviews, but based on what this book has been worth to me over the past few years, I thought it would only be right to make an exception.

I had the first edition of the Ultimate Guide To Google AdWords at a previous job. When I took over their AdWords, we were spending about $30k a month to get $30k a month in sales. Using many of the techniques outlined in this book, I was able to drop the spending to around $10k - $15k per month. Sales went up, ranging between $30k and $45k per month. The spread there, from a little investment in this book, was as much as $30-$35k per month in profits. And I really just scratched the surface in what I implemented out of the book. Sure, it wasn't all this book (the FTC wants you to know this). I did a lot of work to make it happen. And I was studying a lot of marketing stuff at the time (still do, all the time). But the specific techniques in this book played a huge part in the increased profits. Granted, that wasn't all my money, but it did help me more than double my personal compensation over about 5 years in that job.

I've also used the techniques from Perry's book in my own projects. The numbers are smaller, but I consistently get a 2- or 3-to-1 return on advertising investment in AdWords. Without the info I got from Perry and Bryan in this book, it'd probably be a lot smaller, even negative. I've set up campaigns years ago that still generate as much as a couple hundred in sales a month without any work on my part.

This is the best book on AdWords, period.

Not only that, it's a dang good book on Internet Marketing. If I had to tell someone to get one single book they could use as a manual for how to build an Internet Marketing strategy that would have a high probability of being profitable, I'd say buy this book. Because it covers it all -- it's not just AdWords. It's how to get traffic to your site, and how to convert them into buyers once they get there. Sure, it can't cover everything. But it does a great job in pointing you to where you need to go and what you need to go to generate profits from the internet.

That's why it's one of my most recommended books for internet related marketing education. Not just AdWords. And why I think just about anybody involved with selling things online needs a copy of this book.

It's why I've recommended it personally at least a dozen times, and why -- when I bought this latest edition for my bookshelf -- I bought the first of what could be many "giveaway" copies as well.

If you're reading this review, I bet it's because you're interested in the book but haven't bought yet.

Get off your duff. Buy the book. Amazon probably already has your billing and shipping addresses, plus your credit card number. Just hit "add to cart" and breeze right through the checkout process. Get it, and read it with a highlighter. Start putting what you learn to use immediately. You will not be disappointed.

I have no financial interest in making this recommendation -- I don't even know Perry personally (not yet, at least). But I firmly believe it is the right decision -- and that's why I'm putting my name to it in such a public forum. So what are you waiting for? :)

Article Source:
http://www.amazon.com/review/

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