The New Rules of Marketing and PR

Simply put... "The New Rules of Marketing and PR" by David Meerman Scott is an absolutely fantastic read. And, I'm not just saying that because the man gifted me an advanced, autographed copy, or because he was courteous enough to credit me and my blog in the acknowledgements section of the book. As much as I really do appreciate it all... that's not how I roll. Instead, I state that David's book is a "fantastic read" because I truly and deeply feel that it is.

What about it, exactly, did I find so worthwhile? Well, aside from being way under-priced (currently $16.47 at Amazon), I find this book to be a great starting point for anyone new to online marketing, as well as those that would like a "refresher" course on how to effectively sell products and services by way of website promotion. Scott provides readers with an understanding of how to leverage the internet, how to break through the clutter, and how to let go of old-school PR techniques in favor of new tactics, such as writing and publishing news releases specifically tailored to your target audiences instead of reporters, blogging, podcasting, and viral marketing, that reflect the new ways consumers and customers get information.

Personally, I've learned a lot from this book and I've been involved with internet marketing for nearly 5 years now. In fact, the very few instances where I didn't pick up anything new actually served as reinforcement for ideas that David and I shared... which was kind of rewarding in its own right.

The following is and excerpt from the book's sleeve:

"The Internet has profoundly changed the way people communicate and interact with each other. It has also changed the way businesses communicate with current and potential customers. In the old days, marketers could only communicate through the filter of expensive advertising or media ink placed by a PR firm. Today, the rules have changed entirely."

"The New Rules of Marketing and PR shows you how to leverage the potential that web-based communication offers large and small companies, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, political organizations, consultants, even rock bands and churches. Finally, you can speak directly to customers and buyers, establishing a personal link with those who make your business work. You can reach niche buyers with targeted messages that cost a fraction of you bid-budget advertising campaign. Rather than bombard them with advertising they'll likely ignore, you can focus on getting the right message to the right people at the right time."

It's a completely new ball game out their folks... and David has just presented us all with the new rule book. "The New Rules of Marketing and PR" is easy-to-read, chock full of good examples, and sequenced in a way that makes tremendous sense. This book needs to be a well-used part of your business library.

Labels: book-reviews