Michael Hyatt, one of the top business bloggers in the world, provides down-to-earth guidance for building and expanding a powerful platform. To be successful in the market today, you must possess two strategic assets: a compelling product and a meaningful platform. In this step-by-step guide, Michael Hyatt, former CEO and current Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers, takes readers behind the scenes, into the new world of social media success. He shows you what best-selling authors, public speakers, entrepreneurs, musicians, and other creatives are doing differently to win customers in today's crowded marketplace. Hyatt speaks from experience. He writes one of the top 800 blogs in the world and has more than 100,000 followers on Twitter. His large and growing platform serves as the foundation for his successful writing, speaking, and consulting practice. In Platform, Hyatt will teach readers not only how to extend their influence, but also how to monetize it and build a sustainable career. The key? By building a platform. It has never been easier, less expensive, or more possible than right now. . .  The book includes: proven strategies easy-to-replicate formulas practical tips Social media technologies have changed everything. Now, for the first time in history, non-celebrities can get noticed-and win big!-in an increasingly noisy world.Endorsements:"I've known Michael Hyatt for more than a decade, and during that time I've seen him master just about every social media platform that's hit the scene. He's used blogging, Facebook, Twitter and more to expand his personal platform from a successful book publisher to a leading national brand of his own. Trust me, this guy knows what he's talking about-so pay attention!" -DAVE RAMSEY, New York Times Best-selling Author, Host, "The Dave Ramsey Show" "A generous book from a man who knows what he's talking about. Michael Hyatt has built a platform, and you can too." -SETH GODIN, New York Times Best-selling Author, We Are All Weird "Platform is absolutely essential to delivering value. As a big fan of Michael Hyatt, I'm excited he's sharing this with you. Your job? Learn about this and implement it. Your success depends on it." -CHRIS BROGAN, President, Human Business Works, New York Times Best-selling Author "Michael Hyatt is the authority on creating a platform in our crowded world, and Platform is the definitive, step-by-step guide to building a platform-from the ground up. If you're longing to become a true influencer in this world, Hyatt can teach you how. With Platform, Hyatt's done the near-impossible: create a guide even more useful than his wildly popular blog!" -CLAIRE DIAZ ORTIZ, Social Innovation, Twitter, Inc. "I have watched Michael Hyatt build his own platform from the ground up to become one of the largest in the world. And he has done so with the strategies and tips he outlines in this very practical book. Any author, speaker, or small business owner who wants a blueprint for getting the attention and visibility they want, needs to read this book." -JOHN C. MAXWELL, New York Times Best-selling Author, and Leadership Expert "Michael Hyatt is a pioneer in social media who is now generously sharing his 'secrets' with those of us who have been marveling at his success for many years. Whether you are a seasoned writer, blogger, speaker and social media enthusiast, or just now starting out, this book will help you take that next step and begin to build a platform of your own." -DAN T. CATHY, President&COO, Chick-fil-A, Inc. "In today's world, having an idea isn't enough to land a book or record deal, get a movie made or find funding for your startup.  You need a platform: A connected following that's ready to try, buy and spread the word. Finally, in a single book, the blueprint for your platform is revealed by blog wunderkind Michael Hyatt.  You'll finish this book slowly, because his simple but powerful advice will interrupt you with go-do-it-now urgency. Read it and expand your influence." -TIM SANDERS, Former Chief Solutions Officer at Yahoo, Author of Today We Are Rich  "When I finished the last page of Platform, I realized I had more actionable notes from the book than from any other business book I've read in years.  This is the definitive guidebook for building an online presence.  Michael Hyatt, one of the pioneers of social networking and blogging, shares his successful blueprint for raising your visibility.  Learn from his experience and save yourself time, money, and frustration by following his step-by-step advice." -SKIP PRICHARD, President&CEO, Ingram Content Group, Inc."Yes, talent, desire and passion are key elements for success as an author, musician, artist, coach or speaker. But this book identifies the elephant in the room-the other 90% of the process necessary to have a voice in today's arena."  -DAN MILLER, Creative thinker at 48Days.net and  Author of, 48 Days to the Work You Love"For the last five years, if I ever had a question about platform building, social media or standing out amidst the clutter, I turned to one place-Michael Hyatt. As an author who turned a blog into a book and made countless mistakes along the way, I couldn't get my hands on Platform fast enough. Michael Hyatt has written THE handbook to one of the biggest cultural revolutions in the last fifty years." -JON ACUFF, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of Quitter: Closing the Gap Between YourDay Job&Your Dream Job"Michael Hyatt has given much of his professional career to helping others achieve their potential. And he helps others by pioneering a way and then teaching people his way. In Platform, he's accumulated the best of his counsel and advice. If you'd like to expand your influence, read Platform and then read it again." - DONALD MILLER,  New York Times Best-selling Author of Blue Like Jazz

The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.

Collecting data is easy for marketers. Figuring out what to do with it is hard. Technology has made it almost routine for com­panies to know exactly when, where, and how their customers shop, both online and off. As soon as someone pulls out a credit card—or even better, a membership rewards card—the data floodgates open. United Airlines knows if you think it’s worth $25 to check a suitcase. Verizon knows how often you call your mom. Hilton knows if you prefer a higher floor and a room away from the elevator. But after gathering and crunching all this cus­tomer data most companies have little or no idea how to use it. They either let it go to waste or abuse it with ill-considered, irrelevant, or even creepy marketing pitches. There’s a much better option, as Bryan Pearson has discovered after twenty years of studying the hidden patterns of consumer behavior. It really is possible to turn customer information into customer intimacy— systematically, efficiently, and without invading anyone’s privacy. And intimacy is the key to long-term loyalty, growth, and profits. As Pearson writes: Customers can only be acquired, churned, and reactivated so many times before they tire of your brand. There is a proven marketing equation in which customers willingly share information with you in the expectation of being better served and valued during future transactions. Capitaliz­ing on that equation is our business responsibility. The Loyalty Leap will give you the tools to per­suade customers to share more information in their own best interests. And it will help you make sense of all that data to build strong cus­tomer relationships. It also shares compelling examples, including: How Shell increased sales while reducing its network of gas stations by giving its best customers incentives to buy from another location. How GameStop offers its PowerUp Rewards members access to such events as the Comic-Con convention. How McDonald’s in Finland used location-based marketing to send special offers to customers near one of its locations, with a 40 percent response rate. How Caesars Entertainment uses data from its 40 million Total Rewards members to draw complete customer profiles, resulting in increased visits.  Pearson believes this is one of the most exciting times in the history of marketing, and that loyalty marketing will be increasingly essential for years to come. His book will take you behind the cur­tain to show how the best companies are doing it.

How do we think about money? What caused bankers to lose sight of the economy? What caused individuals to take on mortgages that were not within their means?What irrational forces guided our decisions?And how can we recover from an economic crisis? In this revised and expanded edition of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Predictably Irrational, Duke University's behavioral economist Dan Ariely explores the hidden forces that shape our decisions, including some of the causes responsible for the current economic crisis. Bringing a much-needed dose of sophisticated psychological study to the realm of public policy, Ariely offers his own insights into the irrationalities of everyday life, the decisions that led us to the financial meltdown of 2008, and the general ways we get ourselves into trouble. Blending common experiences and clever experiments with groundbreaking analysis, Ariely demonstrates how expectations, emotions, social norms, and other invisible, seemingly illogical forces skew our reasoning abilities. As he explains, our reliance on standard economic theory to design personal, national, and global policies may, in fact, be dangerous. The mistakes that we make as individuals and institutions are not random, and they can aggregate in the market—with devastating results. In light of our current economic crisis, the consequences of these systematic and predictable mistakes have never been clearer. Packed with new studies and thought-provoking responses to readers' questions and comments, this revised and expanded edition of Predictably Irrational will change the way we interact with the world—from the small decisions we make in our own lives to the individual and collective choices that shape our economy.

THE NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER! The secret to successful word-of-mouth marketing on the social web is easy: BE LIKEABLE. A friend’s recommendation is more powerful than any advertisement. In the world of Facebook, Twitter, and beyond, that recommendation can travel farther—and faster—than ever before. LIkeable Social Media helps you harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing to transform your business. Listen to your customers and prospects. Deliver value, excitement, and surprise. And most important, learn how to truly engage your customers and help them spread the word. Praise for Likeable Social Media: “Dave Kerpen’s insights and clear, how-to instructions on building brand popularity by truly engaging with customers on Facebook, Twitter, and the many other social media platforms are nothing short of brilliant.” Jim McCann, founder of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM and Celebrations.com “Alas, common sense is not so common. Dave takes you on a (sadly, much needed) guided tour of how to be human in a digital world.” Seth Godin, author of Poke the Box “Likeable Social Media cuts through the marketing jargon and technical detail to give you what you really need to make sense of this rapidly changing world of digital marketing and communications. Being human—being likeable—will get you far.” Scott Monty, Global Digital Communications, Ford Motor Company “Dave gives you what you need: Practical, specific how-to advice to get people talking about you." Andy Sernovitz, author of Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking

A definitive guide to growing your small business through "Engagement Marketing"As a small business owner, you've always relied on word-of-mouth referrals to grow your business. Thanks to social media—and its nimble partner, mobile technology—it's now easier than ever to turn customers and clients into engaged fans who spread the word about your business across a variety of online platforms. And that's what Engagement Marketing is all about. Written for anyone who owns or manages a small business or non-profit, this book is filled with practical, hands-on advice based on the author's experience of working with thousands of small businesses for over a decade.You'll learn how to attract new prospects—as well as how to increase repeat sales—using your existing customers and social networks.Learn how to create customer experiences that increase positive customer reviews and endorsementsGet practical advice on how to entice people to join your social networks and run engagement campaigns that increase visibility—and endorsements—for your businessUnderstand why engagement is so important—and how you can use it to turn passionate fans in your social networks into tomorrow's new businessAuthor Gail Goodman is CEO of Constant Contact, America's leading email and social media marketing company for small businesses Engagement Marketing will help you make a bigger name for your company, build your network, and reach your goals.

To Steve Jobs, Simplicity was a religion. It was also a weapon.Simplicity isn’t just a design principle at Apple—it’s a value that permeates every level of the organization. The obsession with Simplicity is what separates Apple from other technology companies. It’s what helped Apple recover from near death in 1997 to become the most valuable company on Earth in 2011.Thanks to Steve Jobs’s uncompromising ways, you can see Simplicity in everything Apple does: the way it’s structured, the way it innovates, and the way it speaks to its customers.It’s by crushing the forces of Complexity that the company remains on its stellar trajectory.As ad agency creative director, Ken Segall played a key role in Apple’s resurrection, helping to create such critical marketing campaigns as Think different. By naming the iMac, he also laid the foundation for naming waves of i-products to come.Segall has a unique perspective, given his years of experience creating campaigns for other iconic tech companies, including IBM, Intel, and Dell. It was the stark contrast of Apple’s ways that made Segall appreciate the power of Simplicity—and inspired him to help others benefit from it.In Insanely Simple, you’ll be a fly on the wall inside a conference room with Steve Jobs, and on the receiving end of his midnight phone calls. You’ll understand how his obsession with Simplicity helped Apple perform better and faster, sometimes saving millions in the process. You’ll also learn, for example, how to:• Think Minimal: Distilling choices to a minimum brings clarity to a company and its customers—as Jobs proved when he replaced over twenty product models with a lineup of four.• Think Small: Swearing allegiance to the concept of “small groups of smart people” raises both morale and productivity.• Think Motion: Keeping project teams in constant motion focuses creative thinking on well-defined goals and minimizes distractions.• Think Iconic: Using a simple, powerful image to symbolize the benefit of a product or idea creates a deeper impression in the minds of customers.• Think War: Giving yourself an unfair advantage—using every weapon at your disposal—is the best way to ensure that your ideas survive unscathed.Segall brings Apple’s quest for Simplicity to life using fascinating (and previously untold) stories from behind the scenes. Through his insight and wit, you’ll discover how companies that leverage this power can stand out from competitors—and individuals who master it can become critical assets to their organizations.

Written by the business world's new gurus, Blue Ocean Strategy continues to challenge everything you thought you knew about competing in today's crowded market place. Based on a study of 150 strategic moves spanning more than a hundred years and thirty industries, authors W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne argue that lasting success comes from creating 'blue oceans': untapped new market spaces ripe from growth. And the business world has caught on - companies around the world are skipping the bloody red oceans of rivals and creating their very own blue oceans. With over one million copies sold world wide, Blue Ocean Strategy is quickly reaching "must read" status among smart business readers. Have you caught the wave?

The marketing game has changed ... But many high-level executives behind big brands and major corporations still haven't noticed. They're blinded by a desire to showcase the greatness behind their companies. That's okay, though, because this ego-based marketing approach means more opportunity for you. The reality is the Internet has transformed the buying process. Your prospects actively hunt online for solutions to their problems. So they're more educated about your product or service than ever before. Today, your role as a marketer is similar to a publisher. You must produce and deliver valuable content when and where your prospects need it. What works is focusing on your prospects' problems. What fails is force-feeding facts about what you sell. All it takes is a simple change in your perspective on prospects to position yourself as an industry authority, deliver higher returns on your marketing investments, and reach larger audiences with less effort. If you want your marketing to deliver different results, you must be willing to do something different. Are you ready?

Who is talking about you? Foreword by Seth Godin. Afterword by Guy Kawasaki. Master word of mouth marketing with this fun, practical, hands-on guide. With straightforward advice and humor, word of mouth expert Andy Sernovitz will show you how the world's most respected and profitable companies get their best customers for free through the power of word of mouth. Learn the five essential steps that make word of mouth work and everything you need to get started. Understand how easy it is to work with social media, viral marketing, evangelists, and buzz. Start using simple techniques that start conversations: - 3 Reasons People Talk About You - 4 Rules of Word of Mouth Marketing - 5 Ts of Word of Mouth Marketing - 6 Big Ideas: Deep Stuff That Changes Marketing Forever Find out what sparks the irrepressible enthusiasm of Apple and TiVo fans. Understand why everyone is talking about a certain restaurant, car, band, or dry cleaner -- and why other businesses and products are ignored. Discover why some products become huge successes without a penny of promotion -- and why some multi-million-dollar advertising campaigns fail to get noticed. Open your eyes to a new way of doing business: Honest marketing makes more money, because customers who trust you will talk about you. Learn how to be the remarkable company that people want to share with their friends.