Many (many) of you were part of the New Year’s Day blog party that involved a giveaway from Ryan Barton of his recently released Smart Marketing Book. (diane! Have you dug in yet?)
I sat down the other day with my copy and a yellow legal pad to take some notes and learn some hints.
I started out taking notes specifically to write this review but shortly transitioned to taking notes for my own business.
I can already tell this is one of those ebooks I’m going to want to print out in its entirety so I can scribble and underline and take notes and re-read every year or so…..
This book is ideal for the small (tiny) business owner who may be wearing many hats (are you both the sales, designer, manufacturer and marketing ‘departments’ of your business?) …. The Smart Marketing Book starts at the very (very) beginning – which both helps establish expectations of the book AND helps make sure every reader starts at the same level (so doesn’t skip over any perceived basics).
A small excerpt from the introduction:
Smart marketing is where we demonstrate how you’re a level better than all the rest. Anybody
can get some business cards printed and buy a website. That’s not what we’re talking about
here; that’s old marketing.We’re talking about unique customer service, brand positioning, long-term customer retention
and a strategic, integrated marketing plan that makes customers feel good about spending
their money with you. It makes them want to tell their friends about you and makes them need
to come back to you for more.
Makes sense, right?
With 21 chapters, you’re going to cover a lot of real, actionable topics. Here’s a sampling:
- Targeted marketing
- Brand differentiation
- Social media ethics
- Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube tactics
- Keyword advertising
- Blogging, and much, much more!
This ebook is especially helpful for small creative businesses like yours – that may not have a huge advertising budget to spend but have the creative chops to find a different and better way to promote yourself.
Ryan gives you real, actionable, manageable steps (big and little) to improve your company’s visibility and brand.
In fact, the end of EVERY chapter includes several action steps and CLEAR takeaways (and his contact info in case you have any questions)…. he may be integrating your question into future (free) updates of the book.
There’s a whole chapter on Permission Marketing …
HINT: If you have a blog with followers, you are already practicing some form of permission marketing.
(get the ebook to find out how to do more of that and leverage it to your benefit)
Ryan offers actual steps to take with actual technology (YouTube, Facebook, contxts.com, etc).
I’m a big fan of books offering real steps the reader can take (instead of just making us infer them)
… Including a discussion of the best way to use social media – which, incidentally, helped me confirm that I am perfectly correct in my decision to not make a Lemon and Raspberry Facebook page just yet.
The Smart Marketing eBook includes a whole chapter on blogging (which many of us do all the time) and a section of writing guest posts/articles (which some of us need to do more of. *ahem, me*)…
I really cannot stress how much you will learn from Smart Marketing.
If you’re still not sure, go download the free chapter and think about how your blog or business could benefit from that info …
Here’s the thing:
It’s ONLY $7.99 right now. Don’t you dare tell me you can’t afford it and then go spend $40 on a small blog sidebar ad that no one will see.
Buying this ebook is a FAR better long term leverage of $8 than a blog ad or another giveaway.
No excuses.
Even if you just tackle one chapter a month (which, by the way, will take you almost 2 years), you will still be that much more ahead than any other blogger or handmade seller that just wants to make pretty things and not actually grow their business.
$7.99 through the end of January. AND it includes free quarterly updates….
For realios.
Note: I KNOW this post sounds a little salesy. But I really honestly think you could NOT do better with your $8 (I think it goes to $15 next month). This is not an affiliate offer. I don’t make a dime whether you buy the book or not. I just think it’s the best way to spend $8 this month if you have it in your advertising/marketing budget.
*disclosure* I adore Ryan. We’ve been friends a long time. If you get the book … check out the header on page 148. I have photos. So …. I had every intention of buying this book but then he sent me a free copy before I had the chance. Because he’s awesome.
