FIVE REASONS THIS BOOK ROCKS: The truth is I do believe this book is a marvelous means by which to help someone understand how to build and sustain a meaningful network through the smart use of both online and in-person networking tools and opportunities. (And by “someone,” I mean practically anyone, from a teacher to a high-tech marketer, from a cook to a CEO to a candlestick maker.) But borrowing a page from Erik and Kyle’s book, I’d rather show you than simply tell you, so you can see for yourself what I mean.
- Online tools like Twitter, blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook, and so on have created an enormous opportunity for individuals to build their reputations and create networks with unprecedented reach. No longer are you confined to do business or create relationships with people you know in “carbon form,” as my friend Mitch Joel calls face-toface meetings. Instead, you can grow your network exponentially, with people from all around the globe. Yeah, but how? And what’s the best
way to connect? Well, that’s what this book tells you. - Wait a sec…Twitter? Isn’t Twitter just a bunch of people talking about the burrito they just ate for lunch? Yes, Twitter. And umm, no; it’s not just about lunchtime menus. Twitter is a much richer experience for those who know how to leverage it. As Erik and Kyle say, “Do you care about 150 million people paying attention and understanding your message?” That’s why you should care about Twitter.
- Your content is your key differentiator online. This theme is a backbone of the book (and it’s also the major thrust of a book I wrote as well): The “content” you produce across every social platform— what you say on Twitter, what you post and how you interact on LinkedIn and Facebook, and what you say on your blog (and how you say it)—is the key way you can begin to build an online reputation and “promise” to your would-be clients, customers, or potential employer. It’s also a key way to differentiate you from your competition, especially if you have a compelling, interesting, and wholly authentic point of view.
- Authentic equals passion (and passion is everything). It’s one thing to show you how to leverage online tools, in-person networking, and public speaking tactics. But, the authors say what really makes the use of such tools and tactics authentic is when you apply them to your own passions—in other words, when you figure out what it is you love best and share it with your own growing community! “Authenticity” might be one of those amorphous, squishy words that can be hard to understand, but its meaning and value becomes much clearer when you start to think about it in the context of your passion and how you communicate it to those around you, both online and in- person.
- Finally, this book is not another boring business book. Erik and Kyle made me laugh out loud with their asides, comments, and analogies. I’m a sucker for a those who write about business with both humor and honest empathy—in part because it gives you a sense of the real people behind this book and in part because it’s flat-out a whole lot more fun to read.
So, there you go: five compelling reasons. Should you read this book? Add them up,
and they equal a resounding “Yes!” … Click to download the whole book
