Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide Review

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(More customer reviews)There are a series of books that I keep on a special - quite small - bookshelf. I try to reread each of them every year or so. While I've gotten to the point that I know what they say, but each time I go through one of them I get an idea or two to try in promoting my business.
This book has made it to that shelf.
It got a decision to be put there while I was reading it at the book store. On page 24 there's a story of a lady wanting to sell helmets in a state with no helmet law. So she started stocking children's helmets. When riders told her they didn't want a helmet she asked, 'What about one for the child, they aren't old enough to make that decision for themselves.' What daddy could resist? Then a month later they were back for a helmet for themselves after the kid was asking, 'Daddy, where's your helmet." So a sale for Daddy, little Jimmy and little Suzie. Three sales for one question.
Then on page 83 there's the advice:
Shoot your web designer if they:
Suggest flash intro pages
Suggest frame pages
Suggest templates.
Yes, Yes, Yes!
One point about the web I do not agree. Learn to do your web site yourself. You may hire a designer to do it at first, but then maintain it yourself. It isn't hard and you won't be nickled and dimed to death over every small change you want.
I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea. All of his ideas won't be applicable, but if you get a good idea or two each time you read through it, the book is worth it's cost many times over.

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Duct Tape Marketing is the small business marketing road map - A collection of proven tools and tactics woven together in a step-by-step marketing system that shows small business owners exactly what to do to market and grow their businesses.

This guide combines insights gained from over twenty years of successfully working, in the field, with real-life small businesses.

There are no theoretical complexities presented in Duct Tape Marketing - just simple, effective and affordable marketing that sticks.

CAREFUL! Duct tape is a serious tool... it sticks where you put it. So are the ideas in this book. If you're ready to make a commitment and are willing to make something happen, John's book is a great place to start. --Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow

For all those who wonder why John Jantsch has become the leading advisor and coach to small businesses everywhere, Duct Tape Marketing is the answer. I have never read a business book that is as packed with hands-on, actionable information as this one. There are takeaways in every paragraph, and the success of John's blog is living proof that they work. Duct Tape Marketing should be required reading for anyone who is building a business, or thinking about it. --Bo Burlingham, editor-at-large, Inc. magazine, and author of Small Giants: Companies That Choose To Be Great Instead of Big

Duct Tape Marketing is a worthy addition to the growing library of how-to books on small business marketing -- concise, clear, practical, and packed with great ideas to boost your bottom line. --Bob Bly, author of The White Paper Handbook

With the world suffering from depleted reserves of trust, a business that sells plenty of it every day tends to create the most value. The great thing about trust as a product feature is that it delivers exceptional returns. With this book, John Jantsch has zeroed in on exactly what small businesses need to sell every day, every hour. --Ben McConnell, co-author of Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force

John Jantsch has provided small businesses with the perfect perspective for maximizing all marketing activities - offline and on. Jantsch has the plan to help you thrive in the world of business today. Read it, all your competitors will. --John Battelle, cofounding editor or Wired and author of The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture

Duct Tape Marketing is a great read for anyone in business. It has fresh ideas laid out in a practical and useable way. I highly recommend this book for growing any business. --Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder of BNI and Co-author of the New York Times bestseller, Masters of Networking

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Mastering Niche Marketing: A Definitive Guide to Profiting From Ideas in a Competitive Market Review

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(More customer reviews)It's the BIBLE for Online Marketers!
This is available in both eBook and Hard Copy versions - I read the (6-Phase / 12-Chapter / 245-page) eBook.
ECONOMIC CRISIS - with our (global) economy in grave condition as I write this - and with JOB losses soaring - more and more people are searching for alternative ways to generate more reliable income sources. Add to this, the power of the INTERNET, and a potential solution emerges.
HOME BUSINESS - As a Financial Advisor, Business Consultant and Home Biz Coach - I see employees, professionals and small business owners everywhere liking the idea of running an Online business from home - IF they can get the 'right' education plus the necessary marketing skills.
And thus, the world of Internet Marketing tied to running a profitable Online Home Biz -- enter this new book - - -
MASTERING NICHE MARKETING - this gives enormous value to the reader - both beginner and experienced. It's release is also perfect timing, given the economy. This book truly under-promises and over-delivers. It takes you step-by-step through the whole process of developing a marketing niche. It's the most detailed, comprehensive and exceptional guide to creating and marketing a product Online that I've ever seen or read - bar none. The author removes all the guesswork.
In my opinion, this book gives the reader (the potential Online business entrepreneur) a wonderful "foundation" for pursuing a successful Online business from home. There are far too many "failures" in this industry - because of not being able to 'find' the right niche - or because of the lack of (or poor) training -- this book can change all that as I see it.
ERIC VAN DER HOPE - its author, has high credentials behind him. Perhaps more importantly, he gives a list of his mentors at the beginning, including Ted Nichols, Anthony Robbins, Joe Sugarman, Mark Joyner, (the late) Corey Rudi, Shawn Casey, Frank Kern, Mike Litman + many, many other top marketers - a formidable mastermind group.
Some observations...
NICHE MARKET - Eric defines this as "a small but potentially profitable market segment for which it is possible to design and provide a form of custom-made product or specialized service." It involves 'targeting a group' using information about their specific preferences, which might be a group interested in - exotic vacations - real estate - tennis - gardening, etc.
NO BULL - he 'tells it like it is' in terms of becoming successful with running any Online business -- that there IS a huge market out there where good profits CAN be made -- but, that you'll need MONEY to do it -- that you'll need to take ACTION -- that there's intense COMPETITION -- that you'll need to intelligently 'identify' your market, etc. This approach impressed me.
SPECIFICS - he goes into extraordinary detail with - "Finding the Niche" -- Creating the Product" -- "Developing the Offer" -- "9 Effective Business Models" -- "Top 10 Niche Sourcing Methods" -- Case Studies -- Explicit Pictures, Screenshots, Graphs, Diagrams, Charts, etc. Amazing.
VIRTUAL STOREFRONT - you'll learn of the requirements for your Online biz (choosing Domain names, FTP accounts, Autoresponders, Merchant accounts, Hosting, Video, Audio, etc + Upselling [back-end products], Advertising, Keywords, Social Media Marketing, Testing, Traffic generation - on and on. These are only tip of the iceberg. :-)
BLOGGING - this is the 'only' part (Section 2.9) where I have a tiny disagreement with the author :-) Since developing a BLOG (for profit) can be of tremendous value in these times (as a business by itself) - and whereas he suggests using FREE Blogging platforms (like WordPress.com and/or Blogger.com) - I (personally) strongly recommend using a platform where "you" have the full control. The Free versions give you only limited scope, and they can even be "shut down" on you. The ones where 'you' provide the hosting are far superior in my opinion. I'm referring to WordPress.ORG (not the ".com" Free version). WordPress.ORG - although a little more complex - when it's tied to a good hosting service (like Hostgator.com, or those listed on Eric's page 91) - is considered the top Blog platform by most experts I believe.
ACTION STEPS - what I really liked was the way Eric ended each Phase with a set of specific Action Steps - designed to get you "in production" ASAP.
RESOURCES - he provides SO many links to great tools / systems / websites. This only expands an already rich book on the HOW TO of Internet Marketing. It removes the confusion, the overwhelm and the technical obstacles that hinder so many people that are eager to move forward in this challenging but worthwhile and potentially lucrative industry.
All in all, a magnificant contribution to the world of Internet Marketing.
My thanks to the author for this timely masterpiece - it's a classic.
Without question, I give this a full "5-STAR" rating.
Sincerely,
Peter Arnold, CLU, CFC / Founder
Business Achievers Academy / Canada


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The business world is a competitive market and big businesses make extremely large amounts of money. So how can you as an entrepreneur and small business person compete with this . . . ? . . . with Niche Marketing of course! As an entrepreneur and small business owner, you have the ability to find a perfect niche market that the large businesses have overlooked, don't have time for or wouldn't be profitable enough for them. And whether it's a service or product, you can capitalize on areas where people are eager to buy and willing to spend whatever money is necessary to get what they want. "Mastering Niche Marketing" is the most complete single-volume guide to developing a unique business. It includes step-by-step, easy to follow strategies and techniques that will assist in identifying an idea in demand, creating a product, and how to promote it - making money in the process! Here is a small sample of what you ll discover within the pages of this book: Discover 2 mistakes that inexperienced individuals fail to do when attempting to choose a potentially profitable niche market. Warning: You're doomed to fail if you do not fully grasp the explanation. Having difficulties coming up with a niche idea? Drastically improve your brainstorming sessions with these 9 thought-provoking questions! Determining the profitability of your niche market is crucial to the success of your business, so before you accept any financial risk with your business - learn 15 of the most common fees that new business owners tend to forget about. Difficulties finding a profitable market? Here are 9 tested and effective business models that'll prevent you from having to re-invent the wheel so you can start generating a passive income stream! Discover 11 proven money-making methods that ll result in your customers gladly 'handing over' their money using the 'oldest trick' in the book. Integrate it properly within your sales process and this will be how you make the bulk of your profits. 9 highly proven techniques you can use to persuade your visitors to click through to your site, thus improving your traffic and increasing your potential for sales. Understand this aspect about your customers and it ll result in their loyalty to you for a lifetime as they will continually purchase from you again and again.

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Don't Bid: Insider Secrets for Small Businesses to Benefit from Government Spending Review

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(More customer reviews)
This book is "A Must Read" for all inexperienced Government Small Business Contractors. It is in simple understanding terms and a great help for those who are not experts in the bid process for government contracts.
Sherry Hood
SMH International LLC


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In her revolutionary book, Don't Bid!, small business wonk and governmentcontracting guru Debi Einmo speaks to over twenty-eight million Americansmall business owners: If you have dreamed of landing a governmentcontract, yet have no idea how to begin, the solution is simple: Beginwith this book! Einmo shares her knowledge, both clearly and optimistically,and guides you through the workings of the SBA as she explains the basics ofsubcontracting, demonstrates methods for finding prime contractors ready todo business with you, then offers keen negotiation techniques for landingthe deals. Einmo pulls from nearly twenty years' of experience working withleading government contractors in the USA, Middle East, Europe and Asia.

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Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition Review

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(More customer reviews)Michael Stelzner's new book Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition has fired me up and helped me launch a couple of my own new ventures.
How? Because Mike's been there, done that.
Mike's Got Street Cred
I always like to know who's doing the work. If I'm building a new house, who's my contractor? As a baseball fan, I love to check out the players' stats. And I never miss a new U2 or Newsboys CD because I know they always do good work.
In the case of a book, I like to know something about the author.
Mainly, is he an authority in his field?
In 2007, Mike authored a white paper entitled Writing White Papers that landed him universal acclaim and assignments writing white papers and consulting for over 100 corporations. His work launched his career into the stratosphere.
Not one to rest on his laurels, in 2009 Mike launched Social Media Examiner, which in less than 5 months was declared the #1 small business blog in the world by Technorati.
I read SME faithfully because its articles and resources are always a big help to me and my businesses.
So Mike writing a book about launching is like Ted Williams writing about hitting, F.L. Wright writing about architecture, or Picasso about painting. Mike knows launching. A Book of Principles
The principles in Launch will give you and your ventures more
*clarity and direction (what to do);
*efficiency (how to do it better);
*synergy (how the steps and ingredients can complement one another); and
*joy (how putting other people's needs before your own ends up making everyone happier--both others and you yourself).
How can this claim be true and why is it essential to your success? Simple, really.
Being principled works--both in your business life and your personal life. Good, honest, generous, selfless principles make people successful and happy.
What a concept, right?
The Elevation Principle
Mike's main marketing principle is counter-intuitive: don't market and don't sell. Instead, meet "the core desires of prospects and customers by helping them solve their basic problems at no cost."
Talk about a principle.
His EP formula is Einsteinian elegant: GC + OP - MM = G. That is, great content + other people - marketing messages = growth. Makes such beautiful sense.
*Write great stuff that people can use. Inform and teach them. Show them you know what you're talking about. And give it to them for free.
*Get other people involved. Welcome them into your world, your sphere of knowledge. Help them. "If you lift people up, they'll lift you up."
*Don't sell! Don't be pushy! Shift your emphasis from "What can we sell you?" to "How can we help you?"
*That formula will result in growth. Not just for your business, but for you too--growth as a person of principles.
Consider Others Before Yourself
Mike never preaches in this book. Never stands on a soap box. That's not his style, thankfully.
But the subtext, the really beautiful, inspiring, implied message is this: life's really all about living for other people.
When you get yourself out of the center of the universe and realize that your main purpose--and most enriching and rewarding strategy-- in life is to live for other people, those people benefit and so will you.
Because people usually reciprocate. Especially when they sense genuine good will coming from you.
Igniting the Elevation Principle
So how can this principle be activated and used to launch you and your business? Back to the EP:
*Help people solve their problems. Write how-to guides. Show them what you know. Show them you're there for them.
*Don't push, manipulate, or pressure people into buying what you're selling.
*Give gifts--freely and without any expectation of getting one back. What gift can you give? Your knowledge. Your time. Your friendship and good counsel.
What's the payoff for paying it forward? Business, likely. Possibly lots of business. Because people like to do business with people who are low key, caring, giving, and knowledgeable.
Your bottom line--and your life--will benefit from following this principle of putting others first.
Not many people are like that. So you'll be different--as a business and a human being.
"Helping people ensures your business will stand out from the competition."Sound Business Sense
Mike's wisdom about putting people first would be enough reason to read Launch. But there's plenty more great advice about many subjects.
Such as these practical, action steps to take to launch your business and yourself:
*Crafting and measuring "SMART" goals
*Implementing specific social media marketing strategies
*Inspiring yourself by "looking outward"
*Finding role models
*Working with experts
*Attracting and engaging "firestarters"--people who can help launch you
The Primary & Nuclear Fuel: Great Content
The first part of the EP equation is GC (good content). Why does Mike place such great emphasis upon GC?
Because great content sells. Its persuasive. It explains what you know and shows what you can do. All at once.
And, as the great French poet Jean de La Fontaine said, "By the work one knows the workman."
As a teacher of writing and literature for 38 years, I've read a lot of books, poems, articles, essays, dissertations--you name it. Mike's work contains all the elements of good writing.
For just one example, his metaphoric motif (getting literary now!) of the launch and the rocket, its fuel and trajectory, are all poetically persuasive. Poetry persuades. Its rhyme, rhythm, figurative language, and compression unconsciously convince us. Mike's a poet and he may not even know it!
Launch is a living demonstration of good content: it's clear, crisp, fun and easy to read, and packed with rocket fuel to propel you.
All you have to do is ignite its principles and watch them rocket you up, up and away!We Have Lift Off: Read Launch!
Once in a while the planets align perfectly: things are happening in your life that link up magically and wonderfully with outside forces or events.
That just happened for me. Launch just launched at the same time I'm launching a novel and a new startup business.
Could the timing have been any better for me? Nope.
And the timing is right for you, too. Because there's no time like the present.
Launch is a winner: its solid gold principles and inspirational mission plan couldn't make more sense or work any better.
So, Launch yourself now! Get on board and take your dreams for a ride straight to the stars!


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If you've been let down by the undelivered promises of marketing, this book is for you. Launch reveals a new way to grow your business that involves focusing on the needs of others, giving gifts, working with outsiders, and restraining your marketing messages. These principles are precisely the opposite of traditional marketing. Yet they work. And they are the future. If you follow the formula outlined in this book, you can attract countless customers and prospects, resulting in amazing business growth.This book will show you how to:
Create highly sharable content that meets people's needs
Identify and work with outside experts, many of whom will gladly promote your content
Attract and retain raving fans that will help your business grow
Creatively market and sell to people who will gladly purchase your products and services
Launch isn't like other marketing books. Rather than making keen observations about others who've achieved success, the ideas and principles in this book were developed, refined, and practiced by the author to great success. Pick up a copy for yourself and one for a friend.

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Cash In on the Obama $3 Trillion Spending Plan: How to make large amounts of money by conducting business with or receiving grants from federal, state, and local governments Review

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(More customer reviews)It took me about 30 minutes to read this very short book and I felt like the author is the one cashing in on the Obama spending plan by publishing a book with very little detailed information.
I'd recommend another book called "Winning Government Contracts: How Your Small Business can Find and Secure Federal Contracts Up To $100,000". I ordered both at the same time and found that title to be FAR superior and much more detailed and geared to be a reference if you actually want to start doing business with the government. "Cash In..." was very light in reference and it serves mostly to highlight a few major topics, but offers little advice on how to properly position yourself to win business. I'd say pass on this title.

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This book is destined to be a big seller.With unemployment climbing through the roof, the Federal government under Obama is pouring money into the economy and its budget will exceed $3 trillion dollars. This best seller will provide your customers with a step-by-step guide to making money from both Federal and state governments and will also show them how they can qualify for grants, loans and other assistance from the government. 3,000,000,000,000...it's a big number isn't it? To spend $3 trillion dollars in a year the government must spend over $340 million per hour or $95,000 per second! In the time it takes your customer reads this book, the government will give somebody else hundreds of millions of dollars. Why don't YOU give your customers an opportunity to get some of that money? This is a sure-fire seller!A few hours invested in this book studying this proven system will help your customers' cash in on your piece of President Obama's $3 trillion pie. This amazing book is designed for the individual who wants to learn how to cash in on the government bonanza.Among the contents, it shows your customers-The regulations covering government procurement;-Describes how federal and state government buy goods and services;-Illustrates where to find opportunities; and -Provides the reader with a step-by-step guide to preparing a successful proposal and grant request (using the same techniques which the author used to obtain over $12 billion in contract awards for his clients).This best seller comes with an attractive 50% bookseller trade discount.Don't delay . . . Order this best seller today!

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Tribal Knowledge: Business Wisdom Brewed from the Grounds of Starbucks Corporate Culture Review

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(More customer reviews)The keys to how Starbucks got from one site in Seattle to 11,000(with 5 new ones opening a day) is set out in 46 Tribal Knowledge chapters--- each of which is short, to the point, and with a take home point: don't create brand and work backword, just work hard and the brand will come; eschew advertising and embrace a passion that breds the ever elusive but very real buzz; don't stint on quality and don't underprice if you have quaility. Some of the advice may not be transferable to others but the story is interesting and, unlike a lot of business books, Moore writes clearly and packs it into just 238 pages.

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Without question, Starbucks Coffee is one of the greatest business success stories of the past decade. Since going public in 1992, it has grown yearly revenues to more than $6.5 billion, achieved a stock price increase of more than 6,500%, and opened over 11,000 locations worldwide. But for a company that has accomplished so much, outsiders really know very little about the Starbucks secrets to success. That's because much of the company's sage advice and weathered truisms exist solely in the hearts and minds of longtime Starbucks employees. This so-called "tribal knowledge" includes pithy quotes uttered by Starbucks executives, mantras used by Starbucks project groups, learnings from failed pilot programs, and "ah-ha" moments from successful projects. It's company stories passed down from one generation of employees to the next. It's intense. It's poignant. It's thought provoking. It's actionable. It's a language of Starbucks "tribal knowledge" that has never been written – only spoken – and only within the Starbucks tribe. Until now. In Tribal Knowledge: Business Wisdom Brewed from the Grounds of Starbucks Corporate Culture, longtime Starbucks marketer John Moore shares untold, behind-the-scenes stories of the processes, the programs, and the products that have made Starbucks a remarkable business success, including: Why Starbucks was purpose driven to make a difference in the world; How Starbucks goes beyond simply having a mission statement to living its mission statement; How the Starbucks principled, innovative, and cause-related approach to marketing built an endearing and enduring brand; Why efforts to extend the Starbucks brand into lifestyle offerings such as a literary magazine and full-service restaurants failed; How the Starbucks approach to employee career growth has created a passionate workforce; How to apply the Starbucks "tribal knowledge" to your business, entrepreneurial venture, or project group;

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