Influential Marketing Blog

How To Manage 1.4 Million People - 5 Questions with YUM! Brands CEO David Novak

No one writes a business book about leadership to help hungry children. Leadership, we usually read, is about having a grand vision. It is about the touchdown pass. No one wants to hear about the months you spent in the summer working out in the weight room. In our quarterly culture, fast results are the only thing that matters, and we expect our CEOs to be larger than life. So when David Novak, the CEO of YUM! Brands -- which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell and employs over 1.4 million people worldwide -- first wrote a leadership book, I expected it to be about having a big vision.

Instead, Novak's newly released book Taking People With You is a surprisingly practical step by step guide on how to be a daily leader instead of an annual visionary. This week I had the chance to speak with him about the book and about why he felt it was so important to share his message with the world. His surprising answer for the first motivation to write his book is that all the proceeds from the book go to the United Nations World Food Programme (a CSR partner of YUM! Brands), so it may hopefully help feed some children. His second reason was because he felt it was time to share lessons from a management training program and philosophy he had already been using for 15 years to train over 4000 restaurant managers with huge success within YUM! Brands.

Here were five questions I asked him and his responses:

Q: How important is social media and digital tools to the way that you communicate and take people with you?

A: Even if you are in a huge company, you have to do everything you can to make the company smaller. I do a blog on my travels in the first person. Tell people what I see in each of our markets. I personalize it. I think relationships and having people feel like you are engaged and care is absolutely critical. If you are an "ivory tower leader" and never get out of your office, then you aren't going to get work environment and culture you need.

Q: In the quick service restaurant industry, there is high turnover. How important is what you do to helping address that issue?

A: Great people leave for two reasons. Money is not one of the reasons. The first real reason why people leave is because they don't get along with their boss. Second reason is where people don't feel appreciated. It may be more true in the services business, but it is true in any business.

Q: How important is likeability to leadership and taking people with you?

A: It is hard to like somebody who doesn't like you. You have to be a person that people want to be around. I don't think people follow people they don't like. They don't buy brands they don't like. But doesn't mean you need to run a popularity contest. Your aim should be to get a point where people want to be around you.

Q: What is the biggest mistake that you see other leaders and CEOs of organizations making?

A: Leaders don't tend to be self aware. They don't know how what people really think of them. Leaders are often in a cocoon, seeing themselves in a way which may not be true.  Also, a lot of times leaders will assume that people will just do their job. People want to be part of something bigger. Just because someone works for you, doesn't mean they will just do what you want them to do. That's niave. The real trick to getting results is involvement.  You need to get your people involved.

Q: One day when you one day retire or leave YUM!, how will you want people to remember you?

A: I would like them to remember me as a leader who believes in them and cared enough to pass on the learnings that I was privileged enough to gain. That I was genuinely a leader.

Disclaimer: Ogilvy, my employer, does some marketing and communications work for YUM! Brands. This interview was not solicited or granted as part of our work for them or compensated in any way. Novak's publisher (Portfolio Penguin) came to me directly to review the book, and I accepted.

The Influential Marketing Book List - May 2011

Who has time to read books? We all should, but it's tough to know what is worth reading. As an author in the midst of writing a new book, I have a unique point of view on what I look for in great books. The Influential Marketing Book List will spotlight and review the best new books relevant for marketers, entrepreneurs and those interested in business with ideas worth learning and sharing. 

1. Brand Atlas

Authors: Alina Wheeler & Joel Katz - http://www.brandatlas.info/

THE REVIEW: This book is the branding equivalent of a Swiss Army Knife, you'd never whip out all the tools at once ... but they are damn useful when used individually. The first thing that caught my eye about this book was the structure, created to mirror how an actual geographic atlas might be laid out (hence the title). Carrying through Alina Wheeler's trademark of beautiful layout and design, the book takes you on a journey through just about every important element of branding you could think of, from passion to positioning. Each page uses visuals and curated quotes from thought leaders to get you thinking about how that might apply to your brand. The best way to read this book is to skip back and forth between pages and ideas, with a notebook at your side to jot down notes and ideas that you are sure to get as a result.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A goldmine of ideas and resources to help anyone faced with the real task of figuring out what a brand stands for.

2. The Idea Writers

Author: Teressa Iezzi - http://www.theideawriters.com

THE REVIEW: I admit this book has been on my read list for months, and I only recently had a chance to read it - but it was worth the wait. In our world of instant content creation where anyone can become a "published" author - Idea Writers is a much needed rallying cry and inspiration for the professional writer. The author takes her considerable expertise at writing about brand marketing campaigns as Editor of Advertising Age's Creativity and delivers an inside look at how the role of advertising and the copywriter has evolved over the last 50 years. Deftly moving between the historical and modern perspectives, this book takes a sweeping look at advertising without becoming too academic or encyclopaedic. Many of the book's stories offer overdue credit to unheralded writers like Bob Cianfrone - the copywriter on CP+K's Subservient Chicken campaign for Burger King. For the sadly shrinking group of marketers and content creators who describe themselves first and foremost as writers, the author's takeaway message is clear: "if you're calling yourself a writer, you should be a strong writer first; you should be reading all you can and writing for all you're worth. If doing that doesn't appeal to you, maybe you should pursue some other creative path."

THE BOTTOM LINE: A much needed manifesto for the importance for high quality writing in marketing, advertising and our culture as a whole.

3. BOLD: How To Be Brave In Business And Win

Authors: Shaun Smith & Andy Milligan - http://www.boldthebook.com

If you believe everything you read, you might conclude that the biggest problem facing organizations today is the innovation gap ... most need to find a way to innovate more as an entire organization to drive their products or services. The premise of this book is that often innovation matters less than simple bravery. Through sharing the stories of 15 brands as case studies of companies who are bold and brave, it is only the last chapter of the book that is dedicated to sharing an analysis of what makes a BOLD brand and how you might go about creating one. Those last 15 pages are a guidebook to transforming an organization through 8 principles which are presented simply and clearly - they make this book an essential read.

THE BOTTOM LINE: An entertainingly unique marketing book that uses 14 well presented case studies as stories which lead to 8 core principles for how to create a BOLDER organization.

4. 15 Minutes Including Q&A: A Plan To Save The World From Lousy Presentations

Author: Joey Asher - http://www.speechworks.net/blog/

Most of us (myself included) avoid books that seem published simply to provide another piece of marketing collateral for a professional consultant. If that sounds familiar, you could be tempted to skip this little book by executive speaking coach Joey Asher, but that would be a mistake. In about 100 short pages, Asher shares some of the tips and tricks that have made him a successful consultant on professional speaking and presenting. While some of the tips in his book will seem quite obvious (eg - make sure to have 3 key takeaways from any presentation), the methodology he uses is useful for anyone who needs to present in front of a group. Packed together, this book is a quick read that delivers on its promise to offer ideas for how to make your presentations (and your delivery) stronger - and at just $3 for the Kindle version, it is a bargain.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A quick read of tips from a professional speaking coach on how to make your presentations 1000 times simpler and more compelling.

Review Philosophy (Why These Reviews Matter):

All the books that are reviewed in this series are worth your time. That's why you won't find any negative book reviews on this blog. As a Author myself, I have hundreds of book on my shelf and have researched hundreds more. I dozens of invitations to preview books and search online as well as looking at pitches to choose the 5 best books for marketing and busines readers every month to share here on this blog. Read my other book reviews at http://www.rohitbhargava.com/book-reviews/. 

Disclaimer: I have personally purchased many of the books reviewed in this blog, however many others are provided by publishers or an author for review purposes. In each case, the reviews of every book represent my honest and unbiased opinion about the book and are not paid or compensated for in any way apart from recieving a review copy or advance galley copy of a book at no cost. I have also used affiliate links for Amazon throughout this post.

To recommend a book to be featured in the Influential Marketing Book List, send an email pitch to influentialmarketing@gmail.com.

The Influential Marketing Book List - April 2011

Who has time to read books? We all should, but it's tough to know what is worth reading. As a fellow author, I have a unique point of view on what I look for in great books. On the first Sunday of every month, the Influential Marketing Book List will spotlight and review several new books relevant for marketers, entrepreneurs and those interested in business with ideas worth learning and sharing. 

1. Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better And How They Can Change The World

Author: Jane McGonigal | Book Website

Reality Is Broken focuses on what could easily be one of the most important ideas of the decade - but most people haven't realized it yet. When the average businessperson hears talk of gaming, they think of teenage boys locked in basements firing virtual guns at one another. Gaming is much more than that. The basic premise of this book is that game mechanics are an intrinsic motivator for behaviour change simply because of how humans are wired. All people love games.

Sharing examples from her work at the Institute of the Future, McGonigal lays out not only a vision for how games can shape behaviour through new models of motivation, she also explores the important soceital questions of when gaming can become addictive and isolating. Ultimately, the vision presented in this book goes beyond academics to present a captivating case for how games really can change the world ... and why we should all be considering a more "gameful" existence.

Bottom Line: A brilliantly presented case for how gaming can change the world from a visionary mind.

2. World Wide Mind: The Coming Integration Of Humanity, Machines And The Internet

Author: Michael Chorost | Book Website

What if the link between man and machine continues to evolve deeper until we reach a point where technology enables us to connect more deeply to one another?  Some could argue that perhaps we have already reached that point thanks to social networks - but in this wonderfully written philosophical memoir, Michael Chorost argues that our future will likely include far more technology of the mind.

Thanks to his own story of having cochlear implants to counter deafness, the author is connected to the idea that we all may have technology implanted to help us live better or overcome physical limitations. The best thing about this book, though, are the thought provoking questions that this raises around the nature of technology and where we might draw the line between machine and humanity. Chorost's voice is a remarkably personal one and you get the sense that he has struggled deeply with many of the questions he now brings into this book.  These are not questions with easy answers, but the experience of even thinking about them will be sure to open you up to new ideas - and that alone makes this book worth it.

The Bottom Line: A thought provoking "philosophical memoir" on how technology could better help us understand one another.

3. How To Market To People Not Like You: "Know It Or Blow It" Rules For Reaching Diverse Customers

Author: Kelly McDonald | Book Website

Your customer is not like you. No matter how many times you might hear that piece of wisdom, it is still remarkably easy for most marketers to forget. In this necessary book, advertising exec Kelly McDonald shares plenty of insider tips on how to reach diverse audiences such as rural consumers, Asian Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Military, and many more through case studies of real organizations doing it well (and those making big mistakes you can learn from).

Reaching diverse niche audiences is an unfortunately rare topic for marketing books, and as a result this book really stands out. Far from being purely theoretical, it is easy to tell that the lessons McDonald shares are based on real experience.  If you are looking for a competitive edge that your competitors are not thinking about, this book can help you get it.  At the very least, it will help you think about how to reach many different audiences who are sadly used to being marginalized or ignored.  As a member of one of them (Asian American), trust me when I tell you we will be grateful if you can be one of the brands who actually pays attention to us.

The Bottom Line: A (sadly) rare look at how to reach diverse audiences, why it matters and what to do first.

4. Built To Sell: Creating A Business That Can Thrive Without You

Author: John Warrillow | Book Website

You can't take it with you. This well known proverb often comes as something of a surprise to many business owners when it comes time to think about selling their business. According to John Warrillow, building a thriving business is not enough, you need to think about creating one that can survive without you.  During my first experience interacting with John, he was interviewing me about the role of personality in building an organization that could succeed without its owner or founder.

This is a profound question in the business world of today, and one that every business owner must be ready to answer. In this highly readable book - Warrillow tells the story of one character, Alex Stapleton - the owner of a small regional marketing agency. The book reads more like a novel than a traditional business book, but its clear that Warrillow (a serial entrepreneur who has started and exited 4 companies himself) has a sharp eye for how businesses really run. Pairing his "parable" with an "Implementation Guide" - this book is an ideal read for any small business owner considering starting or exiting their own company and looking for an action guide on how to do it.

The Bottom Line: A highly readable guide for any business owner considering selling or exiting their business and needing a roadmap to do it.

5. Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System To Drive Breakthrough Creativity

Author: Josh Linkner | Book Website

If you work in an organization that could be described as "creatively bankrupt" - this book will help you jumpstart the process.  Written by CEO of ePrize - this book presents a five step process to encourage creativity distilled from the author's efforts to interview 200 business leaders, billionaires, entrepeneurs. His 5 step process ... Ask - Prepare - Discover - Ignite - Launch, features several thought starters and basic tools on how to use each one in a business setting.

Throughout the book, you will likely find useful snippets of wisdom that could immediately be applied to many different situations.  There are tips and tricks for creative brainstorming, guidelines such as the "Eight Commandments of Ideation" and plenty more tactics to try in each phase.  While some of the examples and advice may seem a bit basic for those who work in highly creative roles or organizations already - Disciplined Dreaming remains a good reminder that adding a structure to creativity can greatly increase its impact.

The Bottom Line: A good reminder of the importance of creativity and plenty of useful tools and ideas to help make it happen.

Review Philosophy (Why These Reviews Matter):

All the books that are reviewed in this series are worth your time. That's why you won't find any negative book reviews on this blog. As a Author myself, I have hundreds of book on my shelf and have researched hundreds more. I dozens of invitations to preview books and search online as well as looking at pitches to choose the 5 best books for marketing and busines readers every month to share here on this blog. Read my other book reviews at http://www.rohitbhargava.com/book-reviews/. 

Disclaimer: I have personally purchased many of the books reviewed in this blog, however many others are provided by publishers or an author for review purposes. In each case, the reviews of every book represent my honest and unbiased opinion about the book and are not paid or compensated for in any way apart from recieving a review copy or advance galley copy of a book at no cost. I have also used affiliate links for Amazon throughout this post.

To recommend a book to be featured in the Influential Marketing Book List, send an email pitch to influentialmarketing@gmail.com.

The Influential Marketing Book List - March 2011

Who has time to read books? We all should, but it's tough to know what is worth reading. As an Author myself, I have a unique point of view on what I look for in great books. On the first Sunday of every month, the Influential Marketing Book List will spotlight and review several new books relevant for marketers, entrepreneurs and those interested in business with ideas worth learning and sharing. 

Enchantment: The Art Of Changing Hearts, Minds & Actions

Author: Guy Kawasaki  | Book Website: http://www.facebook.com/enchantment

The first time I saw Guy Kawasaki, he wanted to know who called him an a**hole. He was on stage as part of a panel, simultaneously sharing advice and checking his Twitter stream for comments. He found one that was unflattering, and challenged the person to share their distaste verbally. By the end of the exchange, Guy had won over the crowd and his detractors - with the art of enchantment. A year later when I had my own book (Personality Not Included) coming out - I asked Guy to write the forward (which he did).

Whether you are a reader of Guy's previous books and blog or not, Enchantment is Guy's moment to share his secrets. Theories built up over his lifetime of influencing others are packaged in neat sections with titles like "how to be more likeable" and "how to overcome resistance." Best of all, Guy's writing style is always short on "bullshiitake" (as he entertainingly calls it) and filled with easily understood and implementable advice. Very few successful entrepreneurs have the ability to look at their success, break it down and present it in a way that anyone can learn from. This book will not only take you inside the mind of one of the most innovative entrepreneurs and marketers you will ever meet ... it will give you amazingly useful advice on how to use his techniques for yourself. 

Bottom Line: Guy's best book yet, filled with "how to" style information you can use immediately.

Tell To Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story

Author: Peter Guber  |  Book Website: http://www.peterguber.com/telltowin/

Reading this book is like slipping back stage into moments in pop culture that you have heard about, but never knew how they came to be. In this amazing book of stories, Peter Guber creates a powerful combination of a personal memoir from his more than 30 years in Hollywood and his time tested business strategy of using stories for success. From moments like sitting in his backyard listening to Carl Sagan share the story of Contact before he wrote it, to the real story behind how Gorillas in the Mist actually got made (hint - it involves Peter lying on the floor in front of a door) - Tell To Win has example after example to prove the power of storytelling for business success.

Whether you consider yourself more analytical or emotional, you'll find Tell To Win is one of those rare business books that is impossible to put down because of the compelling stories that Peter shares and the lessons they offer to anyone. This book is the product of a philosophy that Peter Guber has used to carry himself through a career that any of us (whether we work in Hollywood or not) would be lucky to have. 

NOTE: Check out my post about 6 Lessons From A Hollywood Producer for more insights from Peter Guber's Tell To Win.

Bottom Line: A rare business memoir offering a powerful look into how storytelling can propel your career.

The Thank You Economy

Author: Gary Vaynerchuk  |  Book Website: http://thankyoueconomybook.com/

When Gary Vaynerchuck appeared in front of a live studio audience and showed Conan O'Brien how to spot the "earthy" flavors of wine by feeding him spoonfuls of dirt, it was clear that he was a guy about to change the wine industry. Gary earned that appearance through his growing reputation as a brash video blogger and social media enthusiast who used his own video blog called WineLibraryTV to supercharge his family liquor shop into an online wineselling powerhouse.

His first book (Crush It!) was all about attitude, encouraging anyone to "hustle" their way to success. In his second effort, The Thank You Economy, it is clear that Gary's philosophy is growing up. He includes more data, shares many corporate examples and manages to bridge the gap between encouraging people to act more intuitively with social media, and actually giving them to the tools and examples to sell it to a skeptical boss.

Ultimately, The Thank You Economy isn't just about why social media works. It is a story of a gifted entrepreneur who has found a way to take the lessons he has taught himself and share them freely.  At the top of that list is Gary's own self-professed secret to success ... that he has mastered the art of simply caring way more than anyone else. Just a few pages into The Thank You Economy, you'll wish every business you ever had to deal with as a consumer had read this book.

Bottom Line: An unexpectedly sophisticated look at how caring more than your competitors is the new secret to social media success

Poke The Box

Author: Seth Godin  |  Book Website: http://www.thedominoproject.com/

This may be the most useless book you'll ever read. If you are used to reading useful books, you probably have a few expectations when you open any book. You might look for case studies, or data and statistics. It is possible you are looking for step by step instructions on how to accomplish a task, or new research that you can use to make a case to someone else. By all of those measures, chances are you will find Poke The Box to be completely useless. But consider this: being useful is consistently overrated.

Most of us spend too many months planning and not enough doing. We wait for the perfect industry leading example which we can then follow. And we generally avoid taking big risks. The message in Seth Godin's newest book/manifesto (and first of his new Domino Project) is as simple as you could imagine ... go! A useful book would tell you how to go, but Poke The Box doesn't do that.

Filled with simple and profound ideas (ie - "it does hurt to ask the wrong way"), this book is not a guidebook ... it's a spark. And despite its laserlike focus and lack of detail, this spark might just inspire the next big world changing idea. Poke The Box is your wakeup call to take the initiative and just go, because (useful or not) the future belongs to those who do.

Bottom Line: The most useless book that you'll ever read (but that you still need to).

About Face: The Secrets of Emotionally Effective Advertising

Author: Dan Hill  |  Book Website: http://www.sensorylogic.com

If there was one underappreciated book that everyone working in a role that touches advertising should read, this would be it. Building on his considerable body of research into the power of emotions in advertising, Dan Hill's latest book shares ten powerful rules for what he calls "emotionally effective advertising." There are lots of books talking about the power of emotion or intuition versus logic (Blink, Predictably Irrational, and Sway). but what sets About Face apart is how Hill uses his research into human emotional reactions and facial cues to give you a better roadmap on how to read the signs that people are giving you (whether verbal or not). Reading some of the conclusions in this book will transform how you use and interpret data from a focus group, if you use them. Even if you don't, the lessons Hill shares will help to you get better and understanding and reacting to emotions that anyone displays, from your boss to your spouse. In fact, if everyone had to read this book in college - it would make life's relationships a whole lot easier.

Bottom Line: The 10 rules for "emotionally effective advertising" make this book a worthwhile read.

Review Philosophy (Why These Reviews Matter):

All the books that are reviewed in this series are worth your time. That's why you won't find any negative book reviews on this blog. As a Author myself, I have hundreds of book on my shelf and have researched hundreds more. I dozens of invitations to preview books and search online as well as looking at pitches to choose the 5 best books for marketing and busines readers every month to share here on this blog. Read my other book reviews at http://www.rohitbhargava.com/book-reviews/. 

Disclaimer: I have personally purchased many of the books reviewed in this blog, however many others are provided by publishers or an author for review purposes. In each case, the reviews of every book represent my honest and unbiased opinion about the book and are not paid or compensated for in any way apart from recieving a review copy or advance galley copy of a book at no cost. I have also used affiliate links for Amazon throughout this post.

To recommend a book to be featured in the Influential Marketing Book List, send an email pitch to influentialmarketing@gmail.com.

The Influential Marketing Book List - February 2011

Who has time to read books? We all should, but it's tough to know what is worth reading. As an Author myself, I have a unique point of view on what I look for in great books. This monthly feature will spotlight and review several new books relevant for marketers or people in business with ideas worth learning and sharing. See my review philosophy by scrolling to the bottom of this post. To recommend a book to be featured, send an email pitch to influentialmarketing@gmail.com.

Evil Plans: Having Fun On The Road To World Domination

Author: Hugh MacLeod  |  Book Website: http://gapingvoid.com/ep/

Book Review: Hugh MacLeod is like the ultimate cross between the delightfully cranky uncle and all knowing grandfather that we all probabably have somewhere in our families. While his first book focused on the art of being more creative, Evil Plans takes a more poetic approach to looking at the mixture of life and work. Filled with his trademark unforgivingly brutal advice: "Whining is not an exit strategy" and deeply philosophical observations like "liberation from oneself is the hardest kind," this is a book of nuggets. If I could offer one suggestion, it would be to read this book as if it were a book of poetry where each idea needs a moment to really hit you before you move to the next chapter. Not that this is a slow read, of course, filled with Hugh's cartoon's and short observations about daily life - this is the sort of book where you won't read it from cover to cover or even remember many of the insights the author shares. You will, however, find at least one idea that will change the way you see the world - and that alone should be enough of a reason to buy this book.

The Dragonfly Effect: Quick, Effective, And Powerful Ways To Use Social Media To Drive Social Change

Authors: Jennifer Aaker & Andy Smith  |  Book Website: http://www.dragonflyeffect.com/

Book Review: This book has the title I wish I thought of (not to mention a beautifully designed logo). In nature, the dragonfly is the only insect able to move in any direction when its four wings are working together, and taking this metaphor to heart the entire book is structured into "wings" instead of chapters. Focus, grab attention, engage and take action are the four elements of what the authors share is the "Dragonfly Effect" to create powerful social change.

Unlike many other books on how to leverage social media, this book is not filled with the same old social media war stories. Instead, the authors merge their experiences in teaching and consulting to offer a repeatable model that anyone who has a vision for changing the world but not necessarily all the resources can take and use. The examples in Dragonfly Effect with inspire you, but more importantly the methodology the authors share will actually give you what you need to create a social change of your own.

Split Second Persuasion: The Ancient Art & New Science of Changing Minds

Author: Kevin Dutton  |  Book Website: http://www.flipnosis.co.uk/index.asp

Originally published with the decidedly more manipulative title of "Flipnosis" in the UK, the US version of this book was slightly adapted. The content, however, remains a brilliant mixture of focus on science and psychology to help anyone reading understand what makes persuasion happen. Citing five key factors - simplicity, perceived self interest, incongruity, confidence, and empathy - Dutton lays out a model that any of us can use to be more persuasive at anything we are trying to do. While he does delve a bit too deeply into the science and research at several points, making the book longer than it probably should be, his point is well made and compelling. In a world where we often assume true persuasion is a more logical process that takes far longer, it is nice to see that "split-second persuasion" is not only possible but that there is a model you can follow to learn how to do it.

Spousonomics: Using Economics To Master Love, Marriage, And Dirty Dishes

Authors: Paula Szuchman & Jenny Anderson  |  Book Website: http://www.spousonomics.com/

The authors of Spousonomics may not have set out to write a marriage book for men, but this is exactly what they ended up with in this book. Taking the principles of economics and applying them to something as unexpected as marriage - they manage to add a layer of logic to something that is often seen as solely an emotional situation. Using economic principles like loss aversion, division of labor and trade-offs, they manage to dig deeply into the situations that often drive couples apart and deliver a startling conclusion: that many marriages may not end because of some deep disconnection or growing out of love, but rather through a steady stream of poor decisions. The scenarios they map out throughout the book are so familiar and predictable that it is easy to forget they are describing relationships that fall apart over ten years in a matter of pages. Of course it looks obvious on paper. As they share the solutions to each of the marriage challenges, you feel a bit like a voyeur looking in on a really good marriage counseling session where everything has been laid out in front of you ... including the solution to just about any marriage related problem. If you are in a great marriage, this book can help you keep it that way. And if you are not, Spousonomics might just help you get there.

Business Model Generation

Book Website: http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/

Book Review: If any of the hundreds of companies that have been launched with half baked business models could have have a guidebook to fix everything that is wrong with their business, this would be it. Aside from its unique story of actually being co-created and co-written by 470 strategists, the most valuable element of this book is easily the sections that dissect existing businesses and visually break down business models for the reader to learn from. It is like sitting next to a brilliant engineer as they take apart a gadget and show you exactly how it is made (and how you might be able to recreate it). Packed with examples of visual thinking, how to create a prototype, and focusing on customer needs - this is one of those books where getting a highlighter and trying to find just the important parts is going to be a waste of time because you'll end up highlighting almost all of the book. In fact, the only thing that could make this book better is if the pages were perforated so you could tear them out and post them on your wall. Yes, they are that useful.

Review Philosophy (Why These Reviews Matter):

All the books that are reviewed in this series are worth your time. That's why you won't find any negative book reviews on this blog. As a Author myself, I have hundreds of book on my shelf and have researched hundreds more. I get many invitations to preview books and choose between 5 and 7 every month to share here on this blog. Read my other book reviews at http://www.rohitbhargava.com/book-reviews/.

Disclaimer: I have personally purchased many of the books reviewed in this blog, however many others are provided by publishers or an author for review purposes. In each case, the reviews of every book represent my honest and unbiased opinion about the book and are not paid or compensated for in any way apart from recieving a review copy or advance galley copy of a book at no cost.

30 Second Book Review: Zilch - The Power Of Zero In Business

Who has time to read books? We all should, but it's tough to know what is worth reading. Each week, this blog will spotlight a new book relevant for marketers or people in business with ideas worth learning and sharing. Through a combination of a personal interview with the Authors, and short review - you'll get the basic premise of the book and why you might want to read it. To recommend a book to be featured, send an email pitch to influentialmarketing@gmail.com.

This week's featured book is Zilch - The Power Of Zero In Business, a story-filled guide based on the author's experiences in the non-profit world on how to help your business get ahead by doing more with less.

THE 30 SECOND REVIEW (Why You Should Read It):

Sometimes the biggest ideas are born out of frustration. For Nancy Lublin, the frustration of seeing large companies with oversized budgets squandering their resources simply because they didn't understand "the power of zero" offered that moment that led to this book. Taking the lessons from her successful non-profit consulting career, Nancy offers an idea filled guide to doing more with less. Her advice on offering a "lofty purpose" for your organization, how to make it more fun for your employees and how to inspire people are based on her experiences of motivating her own employees to pour their hearts and souls into their work. If you know Nancy from her monthly column in Fast Company, this book won't be a disappointment. Like her column, the book is immediately insightful, filled with practical advice and is based on a non-profit philosophy that almost any business could learn from - whether they are interested in making a positive impact in the world, or just selling a few more widgets. (Review written by Rohit Bhargava)

THE INTERVIEW (Thoughts from Nancy Lublin):

1. What inspired you to take your personal approach to business and write a book about it?

I was at a meeting with a ginormous company, discussing a new campaign they were about to launch. Everyone freaked out to learn that the budget was being slashed to a "mere" two million dollars. Their solution? Find more money. But I was sitting there salivating at the thought of two million in launch funds. And it occurred to me that my not-for-profit friends & I could teach these people a lot.

2. In a world where so many marketing and communications pros are struggling to avoid getting their budgets cut - you focus on the philosophy of doing more with less. Can you share the big idea of this book and why you think the business world needs to hear your message?

There are a lot of non-for-profits out there that do extremely well as BUSINESSES – its not all do-gooding and rainbows.  We don’t always have enough people, money, or even time – but we’re scrappy & creative and we get things done, sometimes with nothing at all.  I think businesses have a lot to learn from this principle, especially in a tight economy.  More money is not always the best answer.  For example, job titles don’t cost you a thing, but can give you a major bump in employee morale.

3. Despite your background in the nonprofit world, you seem to write for a broader audience than that in Zilch. Who do you think the ideal audience is to read this book?

I think the ideal audience is business folk – entrepreneurs, CEOs, and anyone who is looking to create or manage an efficient and effective business where they have happy productive employees, while still meeting their bottom line. But there are a lot of lessons in there that are useful to anyone - whether a middle-manager, student, or even a stay-at-home mom.

4. What is the most successful thing that you did once the book came out to spread the word about it and encourage people to get it?

We sent copies to some of the top CEOs and executives in the country and they loved it! Pfizer bought 300 copies for their managers and had me come talk to them in December. I was at Citigroup speaking to about 150 people. You’ve got to put yourself out there & make sure that the message is being heard.

LINKS AND MORE INFORMATION:

Official Book Website: http://www.zilchbook.com

REVIEW PHILOSOPHY (Why This Review Matters):

All the books that are reviewed in this series are worth your time. That's why you won't find any negative book reviews on this blog. As an Author myself, I have hundreds of book on my shelf and have researched hundreds more. I get many invitations to preview books and choose just one every week to share here on this blog. Read my other book reviews at http://www.rohitbhargava.com/book-reviews/.

30 Second Book Review: Content Rules

Who has time to read books? We all should, but it's tough to know what is worth reading. Each week, this blog will spotlight a new book relevant for marketers or people in business with ideas worth learning and sharing. Through a combination of a personal interview with the Authors, and short review - you'll get the basic premise of the book and why you might want to read it. To recommend a book to be featured, send an email pitch to influentialmarketing@gmail.com.

This week's featured book is Content Rules - How To Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and more) That Engage Customers And Ignite Your Business, a thorough and step by step guide to creating effective content online.

THE 30 SECOND REVIEW (Why You Should Read It):

There is a content revolution happening in business and it is based on the surprisingly rare insight that marketing generally works better when you have something to say. Just because you have a good story to tell, however, doesn't mean that you'll always have the right skills to tell it. Luckily, Content Rules is the book that can help you build those skills, even if your experience with social media to date mainly consists of trying to avoid getting overloaded by it. Unlike most other books written about social media or content, the authors of this one are actually good at it. From the quality of the writing to the strength of the ideas, this is a great book for anyone who wants (or needs) to create compelling content online and wants a useful guide book on how to do it. (Review written by Rohit Bhargava)

THE INTERVIEW (Thoughts from Ann Handley):

1. I've been waiting for some time to see a book from you (as I'm sure your other admirers have been) and was thrilled to see the topic and focus. Why did you finally decide to write the book now and what inspired you to begin the project?

Yes - you have been waiting! I remember you asked me, "So when's your book coming out?" just around the time that you published Personality Not Included.

In a larger sense, I wanted to write Content Rules to demystify this whole idea of businesses as so-called publishers. So many marketers know they have to producing content as a cornerstone of their marketing, but it's harder to know how. So the book gives actionable ideas of how we all can make the most of the tremendous, exciting opportunity we all have: To speak directly in very human, engaging terms with a broad number of people we want to do business with, with the goal of furthering our relationships with them and creating momentum for a business.

On a personal level, Content Rules is probably the only marketing book that I feel qualified to write, in part because content is one of the few topics I feel completely versed in. So many others -- including you! -- probably can run circles around me (metaphorically speaking) in dreaming up and executing the specifics of campaigns, and triggering response emails, and developing branding strategies and the like.

I know enough about those topics to know what’s smart thinking and what’s  not, but I also know enough to know what I don’t know.

Content, on the other hand, is something that’s near and dear to my heart. Developing great content that engages audiences and using social tools to build community is a kind of mission that excites me, and all of that passion and energy is what I’ve poured into this book.

2. The power of great content for marketing is a topic close to my heart. What is the big thing that you feel sets Content Rules apart from other books that might talk about this topic?

There are lots of books and resources out there that talk about the role content should play in your marketing mix, and how it should increasingly be a cornerstone of any inbound strategy. There's a lot of talk about the why, in other words, but I couldn't find many good resources that address the how: How do I create content consistently? What's "compelling" mean? Why doesn't my blog have any comments? It's hard work, right?

This book breaks it down, offering how-to, actionable advice. As you know, MarketingProfs is all about the actionable and the how-to, and I wanted people to have similarly clear takeaways on how to implement a content marketing strategy. In fact, I got a note from someone on Twitter the other day who said that the book inspired a content idea for him. He wasn't new to the idea of content -- in fact, he's a long-time podcaster -- and the fact that even he got something from it was pretty gratifying to me.

And finally, one last thing: This book isn't just another boring business book. Some business books really plod along, don't they? So not yours -- but SOME.

As a writer, I couldn't write a book that wasn't fun to read. So, I didn't.

3. Who is the ideal person to read this book - and what is one unexpected group of people who you hope might read it (but probably won't)?

The ideal person is someone who is looking to use content and social tools to grow any kind of organization -- a business, certainly. But also other kinds of entities: Writers who want to sell more books, bands that want to sell more music, churches that want to increase their congregations, as well as B2C companies and B2B companies (we devoted a whole chapter to the special needs of the B2B organization). In essence: Anyone who wants a sustaining, effective, energized and fun content strategy.

Does that sound like a pretty broad group? Yes. But it's intentionally so, because truly there's no one doing business online today who shouldn't be considering content.

4. As you launch and promote the book, what have you seen the most success from in terms of getting people to purchase the book?

Well, it's hard to say what's been MOST effective. I can tell you the combination of things that have been effective, though:

1. Being content creators ourselves. So: having a blog (contentrulesbook.com) as a home base, where C.C. and I have been creating all kinds of content around the writing of the book and the launch, as well as furthering the ideas we lay out in the book. This post I wrote on how painful it is to actually write a book gave us an early boost. http://www.contentrulesbook.com/2010/07/14-stages-of-writing-a-book/ Later, C.C. created a video asking people to define content: What is it? What does it mean? That video, "Content Is......"  http://www.contentrulesbook.com/2010/10/content-is/ -- which C.C. shot at BlogWorld -- helped raise visibility for the book, get people excited about it, and vest them in the project.
2. Connecting with people online and in-person. C.C. and I are both passionate about using social tools to connect with people -- I  mean, that was true before we had a book. I know I sound like a dork when I say that stoking those relationships has been key... and it even makes me cringe a little to hear me say it. (LOL) The reality is that our existing platforms have helped -- but it's not anything we planned or calculated; it's just the only way we know how to be. Of course, no online relationships ever take the place of in-person meetings, and we've done a number of speaking events this past fall to test out the concepts in the book and introduce the ideas. That's helped, too.
3. Finally, I think the reason why this book is doing so well (it's hovering in the top on both Marketing and Web Marketing on Amazon) is because we simply believe sincerely in creating great content, and we feel so lucky to have had an opportunity (thanks to Wiley) to share what we know. That's a pretty awesome thing.  And at the same time, humbling: We feel so grateful to everyone who supports us -- from the folks at Wiley, to our sources who were interviewed for the book, to our families, and to everyone out there who has read the book, saying -- in a small way -- that our content... well, rules!

LINKS AND MORE INFORMATION:

Official Book Website: http://www.contentrulesbook.com/

REVIEW PHILOSOPHY (Why This Review Matters):

All the books that are reviewed in this series are worth your time. That's why you won't find any negative book reviews on this blog. As an Author myself, I have hundreds of book on my shelf and have researched hundreds more. I get many invitations to preview books and choose just one every week to share here on this blog. Read my other book reviews at http://www.rohitbhargava.com/book-reviews/.

30 Second Book Review: microMARKETING

Who has time to read books? We all should, but it's tough to know what is worth reading. Each week, this blog will spotlight a new book relevant for marketers or people in business with ideas worth learning and sharing. Through a combination of a personal interview with the Authors, and short review - you'll get the basic premise of the book and why you might want to read it. To recommend a book to be featured, send an email pitch to influentialmarketing@gmail.com.

This week's featured book is microMARKETING - Get Big Results By Thinking And Acting Small, the first book from social media consultant Greg Verdino.

THE INTERVIEW (Thoughts from Greg Verdino):

1. What inspired you to write microMARKETING?

There are so many social media books on the market but many are thin on insights, short of practical approaches and virtually devoid of hard discussions about tangible results - conversation isn't enough; neither is "engagement"; marketing - social included - needs to move the needle... Others - books like the For Dummies series or the rash of "Twitter" books - put tactics and tools before strategy, providing (quite frankly) no actionable insights about what the bigger trends that have spawned micro-platforms like Twitter and micro-formats like web video, blog posts, etc will mean for marketers even after the platforms we use right now give way to another set of shiny objects. 

I wanted to write a book that explored the social media landscape - and more specifically the micromedia and microcontent landscapes - from a more strategic perspective than the latter, while applying a practitioner's eye (I've been marketing for 20+ years and immersed in social both personally and professionally for 5+ years) to deliver real insights, approaches that I know work and tackle the "but what were the results" question head-on.

2. What is the big idea of the book?

Over the past decade or so, a series of shifts have resulted in the hyperfragmentation of our mass culture and media into millions of niche microcultures, consumer-created micromedia and bit-sized microcontent formats. Many marketers acknowledge that this has happened but, because mass is all they've known throughout their careers, continue to do the same things they've always done to reach big audiences - even though those things are less effective than ever before. I believe - and the book bears this out with a dozen or so results-backed case studies - that companies can be more effective and achieve better ROI if they instead tapped directly into the trends toward microculture, micromedia and microcontent by adopting a series of micromarketing approaches - essentially doing lots and lots of small but meaningful things to forge deep connections and deliver real value to their best "few" customers and prospects.

3. Who is the perfect person to read this book?

I wrote the book primarily for client- and agency-side marketers that are looking to understand social media from a strategic perspective (rather than from the standpoint of tools, tactics and technologies) and learn new, repeatable approaches that they can apply to their own businesses right away. If a reader is a social media novice, the book offers (as Godin wrote) my take on "the greatest hits of social media marketing" so it's a great primer. If you're a social media veteran, you'll find new innovative approaches and actionable insights that will help you take your programs to the next level and get bigger results and have more predictable success.

THE 30 SECOND REVIEW (Why You Should Read It):

If you were to buy a business book based on your ambitions, you might never get to one with the word "micro" in it because it came across as a small idea. The big idea of Greg Verdino's book, however, comes by virtue of the simple insight that big things happen when you know how to put the right small things together. Unlike many business books written by professional speakers, Greg's background comes as a VP at a large agency running strategic social media campaigns on behalf of clients ... in other words, he has street cred. And while many of the social media examples in microMARKETING might be familiar to the uber-geeky social media mavens in the audience - for most readers the examples he shares will help to cement the concept behind the book.  Ultimately, you will learn how to use the elusive technique of creating "microcontent" to engage your audiences and stand out. (Review written by Rohit Bhargava)

LINKS AND MORE INFORMATION:

Official Book Website: http://www.micromarketingbook.com/
Author's Website: http://gregverdino.typepad.com/

REVIEW PHILOSOPHY (Why This Review Matters):

All the books that are reviewed in this series are worth your time. That's why you won't find any negative book reviews on this blog. As an Author myself, I have hundreds of book on my shelf and have researched hundreds more. I get many invitations to preview books and choose just one every week to share here on this blog. Read my other book reviews at http://www.rohitbhargava.com/book-reviews/.

30 Second Book Review: Making Ideas Happen

Who has time to read books? We all should, but it's tough to know what is worth reading. Each week, this blog will spotlight a new book relevant for marketers or people in business with ideas worth learning and sharing. Through a combination of a personal interview with the Authors, and short review - you'll get the basic premise of the book and why you might want to read it. To recommend a book to be featured, send an email pitch to influentialmarketing@gmail.com.

This week's featured book is Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality, a book extension to the tremendously useful suites of websites. online tools and printed books from Scott Belsky, the Founder of Behance.

THE INTERVIEW (Thoughts from Scott Belsky):

1. What inspired you to write Making Ideas Happen?

I was most inspired by a sense of frustration. There is SO MUCH discussion in the creative world about inspiration and creativity, but very little discussion about organization and execution.

2. What is the big idea of the book?

For over five years I have been studying (borderline obsessed) with execution and organization in the creative world - and among entrepreneurs.

As we all know, most ideas never happen. But some people/teams are able to consistently defy the odds...and execute their ideas time and time again.

Finally, after years of thinking on the topic, I have written a book that summarizes the methods, insights, and best practices used by leading creative people and teams across industries  – companies like Google, IDEO, and Disney, and individuals like author Chris Anderson and Zappo’s CEO Tony Hsieh.

I hope that the book helps start SERIOUS discussion around execution and how creative people and teams should operate to make ideas happen.

3. Who is the perfect person to read this book?

People with ideas and solutions to problems, with a genuine desire to take action and make their ideas happen. Sadly, most ideas never happen. This book chronicles the best practices of those who defy the odds.

THE 30 SECOND REVIEW (Why You Should Read It):

Ideas and innovation are popular fodder for all kinds of books, with plenty of spiral-bound advice on how to have more ideas, which ones to focus on and generally how powerful new "blue sky" thinking can be. The only problem with a list of ideas is that too often none of them amount to anything. Anyone who has come out on the other side of a "great" brainstorm that has led to few results knows this already. The mission of this book should be obvious from its title ... and Scott manages to deliver on that promise by sharing a philosophy that he has created out of frustration--The Action Method.

Simple yet powerful ideas abound in this book - like maintaining a "backburner" for great ideas which may not be relevant right now, reducing projects to their most simplistic state and how to master the underrated skill of prioritization. In an inspired moment later in the book, Scott advises the reader to "develop a tolerance for ambiguity." Scott himself, however, demonstrates no such tolerance in this book and as a result you'll find his strong point of view both enlightening and empowering. Used as a companion with the amazingly useful (and free) Behance.net website - this book will help you give your ideas the full and fruitful life they deserve.   (Review written by Rohit Bhargava)

LINKS AND MORE INFORMATION:

Official Book Website:  http://the99percent.com/book
Author's Website: http://www.scottbelsky.com

REVIEW PHILOSOPHY (Why This Review Matters):

All the books that are reviewed in this series are worth your time. That's why you won't find any negative book reviews on this blog. As an Author myself, I have hundreds of book on my shelf and have researched hundreds more. I get many invitations to preview books and choose just one every week to share here on this blog. Read my other book reviews at http://www.rohitbhargava.com/book-reviews/.

30 Second Book Review: Empowered - Unleash Your Employees, Energize Your Customers, and Transform Your Business

Who has time to read books? We all should, but it's tough to know what is worth reading. Each week, this blog will spotlight a new book relevant for marketers or people in business with ideas worth learning and sharing. Through a combination of a personal interview with the Authors, and short review - you'll get the basic premise of the book and why you might want to read it. To recommend a book to be featured, send an email pitch to influentialmarketing@gmail.com.

This week's featured book is Empowered: Unleash Your Employees, Energize Your Customers, and Transform Your Business, a follow up from the co-author of the best selling research-based overview of social media - Groundswell.

THE INTERVIEW (Thoughts from Josh Bernoff):

1. What inspired you to write Empowered?

After talking to hundreds of companies, I figured out that the real challenge was not just what to do about social, but how to do social within the context of a company.

2. What is the big idea of the book?

Customers are more empowered than ever, and move quickly. The only way to keep up with them is to empower your own employees to solve their problems. This means anyone within a company – in marketing, in sales, in support – must be empowered to create technology solutions.

3. Who is the perfect person to read this book?

Managers in any department – marketing, support, IT, HR, senior executives – who want to know how to run their companies in the age of the empowered consumer.

THE 30 SECOND REVIEW (Why You Should Read It):

When Groundswell (Bernoff's first book) was first published (the same week as my own book, Personality Not Included), the title struck me as brilliant, because it assigned a broader meaning to a term that more and more people were using everyday. Social technologies were indeed leading to groundswells around the world, and those groundswells were changing industries and lives. With this latest book, Josh has once again managed to corral a term that may be familiar to us all, and give it a much deeper context and meaning. Not that the title is the only thing to learn from in Empowered - the book itself is a heavy hitter when it comes to taking Forrester's trademark research driven approach and making a case for how empowering your employees and customers can be the most transformative thing you do for your business. If your experience is like mine, you'll find the plentiful data and case study examples to be compelling - but what will really excite you is just how much the ammunition the book will offer you to make the case for empowering employees and customers to the rest of the world.  (Review written by Rohit Bhargava)

LINKS AND MORE INFORMATION:

Official Book Website: http://www.forrester.com/empowered
Author's Website: http://bernoff.com

REVIEW PHILOSOPHY (Why This Review Matters):

All the books that are reviewed in this series are worth your time. That's why you won't find any negative book reviews on this blog. As an Author myself, I have hundreds of book on my shelf and have researched hundreds more. I get many invitations to preview books and choose just one every week to share here on this blog. Read my other book reviews at http://www.rohitbhargava.com/book-reviews/.