A necessary addition to your reading." --David Maister, author of Managing the Professional Service Firm"Professional Services Marketing will certainly become the bible of the field in short order! Without a doubt, the most useful compendium of marketing insight for the practicing professional services firm executive...BRAVO!" --Leonard A. Schlesinger, President, Babson College, and coauthor of The Service Profit Chain"It's no longer sufficient to be a good 'expert for hire'--you need a brand and a powerful marketing engine behind you. Professional Services Marketing is a gold mine of research based strategies, best practices, and specific techniques that will help you consistently win in the client marketplace and outshine your competition. It's thoughtful, funny, and filled with the how-to so often missing in business books." --Andrew Sobel, coauthor of Clients for Life"Schultz and Doerr offer tactics and information in an easy-to-read, concise, and enjoyable format. Professional Services Marketing should be a required resource in every professional marketer's tool box!" --R. Granville Loar, Executive Director, Association for Accounting Marketing"This book is an excellent resource for anyone involved in professional services. It is especially timely in our current challenging economic conditions, and the ideas and guidance are relevant for the better times to come as well." --Josh Lee, Partner, Monitor Group"Smart. Practical. Comprehensive. This is the one book that won't collect dust on my shelf." --Kevin McMurdo, Chief Marketing Officer, Perkins Coie"Professional Services Marketing is the first book to directly address the challenges of the professional services marketer. This book is filled with practical wisdom and research on best practices and processes specifically for this industry. A must-read for anyone in a professional services firm!" --Paul Dunay, Global Director of Integrated Marketing, BearingPoint

    Schaefer shows you how to use the latest breakthroughs in social networking and influence marketing to achieve your goals through:In-depth explanations of the sources of online influence—and how they can work for or against youInterviews with more than 50 experts, including tech blogger Robert Scoble, Influence author Robert Cialdini, and industry thought leaders such as Mitch Joel, Jay Baer, and Christopher S. PennAn insider’s look at the controversial social scoring company Klout and its process for assigning influence numbers to everyonePractical, actionable tips to increase your own personal power and online influenceMore than a dozen original social influence marketing case studiesEven if you already use social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, or blogging to maintain an online presence, this eye-opening, action-ready guide shows you how to reach the “superconnectors” who ignite epidemics through word-of-mouth influence . . . and become one yourself.This is the future of marketing at your fingertips: low-cost, high-speed, influence driven, and powerful. Filled with fascinating case studies, interviews, and insider advice, this essential guide prepares you for the next wave of social networking. This is how to win friends and influence people in the digital age—with a Return on Influence.

    That's the bad news. Here's the great news: Social Media and Web 2.0 offer you an unprecedented opportunity to make PR work better than ever before. This book shows how to reinvent PR around two-way conversations, bring the "public" back into public relations and get results that traditional PR people can only dream about. Drawing on their unparalleled experience making Social Media work for business, PR 2.0.com's Brian Solis and industry leader Deirdre Breakenridge show how to transform the way you think, plan, prioritize, and deliver PR services. You'll learn powerful new ways to build the relationships that matter, and reach a new generation of influencers...leverage platforms ranging from Twitter to Facebook...truly embed yourself in the communities that are shaping the future. Best of all, you won't just learn how to add value in the Web 2.0 world: You'll learn how to prove how new, intelligent, and socially rooted PR will transform your organization into a proactive, participatory communication powerhouse that is in touch and informed with its community of stakeholders.

    The more you sell, the less inclined the client is to listen. The more you sell, the more you tend to look (and act) like a hammer looking for a nail – where any nail will do. In reality, the more you sell, the less you win.This is entirely counter-intuitive to the average sales person, mostly because we are taught from the first day of sales training that the key to success is great sales techniques. You can find thousands of books on the art and science of selling – techniques, tricks, even scripts to “sell” the prospect. Our corporate sales training classes always insisted that sales is about understanding the prospect’s needs and then articulating your solution so that the prospect was compelled to choose your obviously-superior solution – right? Not so fast! The problem: most prospects don’t want to be sold. This book on UnSelling is designed to shift the buyer-seller relationship from subservient (they say, “Jump,” we say, “How high?”) to collaborative and does so by having the seller resist the temptation to “sell” (or tell). UnSelling is focused on the more consultative approach of understanding the problem the client is intent on solving. The better we understand the client’s problem, the less we have to sell (if at all). This eBook will outline an approach to control and win the most complex deals that includes:• Qualifying new clients that requires no “selling” – period!• Understanding how to create a collaborative relationship with the prospect so that your sales teams can understand the truth from the client – not what they want you to believe• Contrasting the difference between traditional selling and this unique approach to UnSelling• And understanding what to say and how to say itYour sales people and leaders will never “sell” the same way again – and will win more as a result.

    In the new business era of the twenty first century, great brands and products must evoke a dynamic personality in order to attract passionate customers. Although many organizations hide their personality behind layers of packaged messaging and advertising, social media guru and influencer Rohit Bhargava counters that philosophy and illustrates how successful businesses have redefined themselves in the new customer universe.Personality Not Included is a powerhouse resource packed with bold new insights that show you how to shed the lifeless armor of your business and rediscover the soul of your brand. Sharing stories from the ethos of the world's weirdest city, to how Manga has taken the comic book industry by storm, to showcasing brands like Intel, Boeing, ING, and Dyson, Bhargava shows you why personality matters from the inside out.In Part One, you'll be introduced to the key components to building a personality and learn how to:Recognize the greatest myth that most marketers blindly follow, and how to get past it Use the "UAT Filter" to understand the personality of your organization and products in order to develop a communication strategy that drives your marketing Create your company's "marketing backstory" using techniques pioneered by Hollywood screenwriters Harness the influence of "accidental spokespeople" and use it to your advantage Navigate the roadblocks of using personality that come from bosses, peers, investors, and lawyers, without getting fired or flamed Pinpoint and capitalize on the moments where personality can make a difference Part Two is packed with guides, tools, and techniques to help you flawlessly implement your plan. It features practical, step-by-step lessons that help you effectively move from theory to action, and includes a valuable collection of guides, checklists, question forms, printable resources, and more.Don't be another faceless company-learn the new rules for succeeding in the social media era with Personality Not Included.

    Now, award-winning Tribune Company personal finance columnist Gregory Karp shows how to do just that. This book isn't about depriving yourself: you don't have to become a financial anorexic, and you won't have to start dumpster diving! Instead, Gregory Karp shows how to build real, long-lasting wealth by plugging the money leaks you're barely even aware of, and making sure you spend with a purpose. Drawing on everything he's learned writing his prize-winning weekly column, Karp reveals surprisingly painless, little-known techniques for eliminating wasteful spending in every area of your financial life. Karp shows how to spend on what you really care about, not what you don't... understand the real value of comparison shopping...save money in giving gifts without becoming a cheapskate. Karp shows how to slash your phone bill... spend less on food without changing what you like to eat... eliminate spending leaks in insurance, education, entertainment and beyond. From the clothes you wear to the cars you drive, Living Rich by Spending Smart will help you build a life that's truly rich, because it's truly financially secure.

    On Twitter, word can spread faster than wildfire. Companies no longer have the option of ignoring the conversation. Unlike other hot social media spaces, "Twitterville" is dominated by professionals, not students. And despite its size, it still feels like a small town. Twitter allows people to interact much the way they do face-to-face, honestly and authentically. One minute, you re com- plaining about the weather with local friends, the next, you re talking shop with a colleague based halfway across the globe. No matter where you re from or what you do for a living, you will find conversations on Twitter that are valuable. Despite the millions of people joining the site, you ll quickly find the ones who can make a difference to you. Social media writer Shel Israel shares revealing stories of "Twitterville" residents, from CEOs to the student who became the first to report the devastation of the Szechuan earthquake; from visionaries trying to raise money for a cause to citizen journalists who outshine traditional media companies. Israel introduces you to trailblazers such as: . Frank Eliason, who used Twitter to reverse Comcast s blemished customer service reputation . Bill Fergus, who was on the team at Henry Ford Medical Center during the first live tweeted surgery . Scott Monty, social media officer for Ford, who held off a mob of misinformed Ranger fans and averted a PR crisis . Connie Reece, who used Twitter to raise tens of thousands of dollars for cancer patients in need . The Coffee Groundz, a Houston-area coffee shop that uses Twitter to pack the tables (and fight off Starbucks) "Twitterville" features many true stories as dramatic as these. But it also recounts those of ordinary businesspeople who use Twitter to get closer to their customers. And it explains how global neighborhoods will make geography increasingly irrelevant. It even explains why people sometimes really do care what you had for lunch."

    Paul Gillin’s The New Influencers explores these forces at work, identifying the new influencers, their goals and motivations, and offers strategies for both large and small organizations on how to influence the influencers.

    Social media master Dan Zarrella has amassed years of experience helping people negotiate the often mystical place of social media marketing. Now, he has condensed those well-tried ideas into this concise and conversational book. Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness demystifies and deconstructs how social media works, who it benefits and why we all depend upon it to help our good ideas spread.

    It introduces marketing from the perspective of real people making real marketing decisions at leading companies "every day. "Learners will come to understand that marketing is about "creating value"-for customers, for companies, and for society as a whole-and they will see how that is accomplished in the real world. A five-part organization covers making marketing value decisions, identifying markets and understanding customers' needs for value, creating the value proposition, communicating the value proposition, and delivering the value proposition. For individuals interested in a career in marketing.

    Business today is about near-instantaneous response. About doing the best you can with extremely limited information. About every customer being a reporter, and every reporter being a customer. About winning and losing customers in real-time, every second of every day. About a monumental increase in the findable commentary about our companies.Having the time and information required to make a considered business decision is a luxury - a luxury that's quickly facing extinction. Yet business hasn't adapted to this evolution. And adapt you must.This book isn't about how to do social media. Instead, The Now Revolution outlines how you must retool your organization to make real-time business work for you rather than against you. Read about seven shifts that will help you make your company faster, smarter, and more social:Engineer a New Bedrock Find Talent You Can Trust Organize your Armies Answer the New Telephone Emphasize Response-Ability Build a Fire Extinguisher Make a Calculator The Now Revolution is pushing you to adapt the way you do business, from the inside out. It impacts your organization culturally, operationally, and functionally. This book is your guide to making the changes you need, and to harnessing the potential of this new communication era.

    Written by top marketing and startup bloggers, the book contains the latest information about customer behavior and preferred digital experiences. From the latest insights on lead nurturing and visual marketing to advice on producing remarkable content by building tools, readers will gain the information they need to transform their marketing online.With outbound marketing methods becoming less effective, the time to embrace inbound marketing is now. Cold calling, e-mail blasts, and direct mail are turning consumers off to an ever-greater extent, so consumers are increasingly doing research online to choose companies and products that meet their needs. "Inbound Marketing" recognizes these behavioral changes as opportunities, and explains how marketers can make the most of this shift online. This not only addresses turning strangers into website visitors, but explains how best to convert those visitors to leads, and to nurture those leads to the point of becoming delighted customers.Gain the insight that can increase marketing value with topics like: Inbound marketing - strategy, reputation, and tracking progressVisibility - getting found, and why content mattersConverting customers - turning prospects into leads and leads into customersBetter decisions - picking people, agencies, and campaignsThe book also contains essential tools and resources that help build an effective marketing strategy, and tips for organizations of all sizes looking to build a reputation. When consumer behaviors change, marketing must change with them."Inbound Marketing: Attract, Engage, and Delight Customers Online" is a complete guide to attracting, engaging, and delighting customers online.

    Since 2006, forward-thinking companies like Apple, JetBlue, Whole Foods, and GM have discovered the instant benefits of leveraging the social media phenomenon known as Twitter to reach consumers directly, build their brand, and increase sales. Twitter is at the leading edge of the social media movement, allowing members to connect with one another in real time via short text messages?called "tweets"?that can be received either via the Twitter site or by e-mail, instant messenger, or cell phone. Many companies have started building entire teams within their organization dedicated solely to responding to tweets from consumers about their brand. And this is just the beginning.In Twitter Power, Internet marketing and Web innovation expert Joel Comm shows businesses and marketers how to integrate Twitter into their existing marketing strategies to build a loyal following among Twitter members, expand awareness for their product or service, and even handle negative publicity due to angry or disappointed consumers. The book also presents case studies of companies on the forefront of the Twitter movement, to help you develop your own social networking strategies. Twitter Power is the result of extensive testing and participation in the social networking community and is a must-have for any business that wants to keep up with the social media movement. Twitter Power features a foreword by Tony Robbins.

    The book identified a major opportunity for entrepreneurs and innovators, managers and marketers, in every category of consumer goods and services. Now Michael Silverstein and Neil Fiske have thoroughly revised this BusinessWeek bestseller with new research and new insights into the still- growing phenomenon of trading up.

    -- Tony Hsieh, New York Times bestselling author and CEO of Zappos.com, Inc.People with a passion for something can be infectious. It's obvious that Erik Qualman's passion is social media. -- Dan Heath, New York Times bestselling author of Made to Stick and SwitchQualman is to social media what Deming is to quality and Drucker to management. -- Scott Galloway, professor, Stern School of Business, NYUErik Qualman is a Digital Dale Carnegie. -- Todd Young, CEO, ProspXAbout the Book: Digital footprints are what we post about ourselves. Digital shadows are what others upload about us. Collectively, they have changed the world forever. As leaders and future leaders we need to adapt to this new world. -- from Digital LeaderDigital leaders are made, not born--you have it within you to become an effective digital leader. As a leader in the digital age, your reach is boundless. With advanced technologies, you can exert more direct and indirect influence than ever before--anywhere at any time. And everything you do, fail to do, and wish you didn't do is documented forever in the digital universe.Digital Leader explains how to take full advantage of everything the digital age has to offer, while avoiding common pitfalls that can damage your digital legacy.Bestselling author Erik Qualman explains what modern leadership means and describes how to be an effective leader in the digital world. In order to succeed, you need to adjust your leadership skills to adapt to today's digitally open world--and you need to start today. Qualman breaks the process down into five powerful truths you can use to establish your leadership stamp:Simple: success is the result of simplification and focus True: be true to your passion Act: nothing happens without action--take the first step Map: goals and visions are needed to get where you want to be People: success doesn't happen aloneBasing his conclusions on a wide range of research and resources, Qualman provides an abundance of real-world examples and tips to help you create a path to success while leading others to achieve their best.