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 The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing for Small Business: Low-Cost/High Return Tools and Techniques That Really Work
by Tom Antion
John Wiley & Sons, 2005
0-471-71870-X
This is the best small business marketing book I've ever read, and I've read quite a few. I've never read a "meatier" book on the practical how-tos of building a web-based marketing machine for your small business. Author Tom Antion talks about everything, and doesn't hesitate to give you his opinion on what works and what doesn't. By everything I mean just that - ranging from basic technical info about picking a web host to detailed analyses of shopping cart services, managing customer lists, automating everything, finding suppliers, running affiliate programs, packaging, selling, testing, e-zines/e-newsletters, viral marketing - well, everything.
Most books that purport to tell you how to build an online business are full of stuff either so basic or so obvious it's useless. Others are filled with great strategies but fail to give you enough info to implement them. This book avoids both problems. It's filled with cheklists and practical info you can put to use right now - "Do this. Don't do that. Worry about this. Don't worry about that."
There are separate chapters on how to create an effective site, the website sales process, the mechanics of web sales, creating and distributing an e-zine, and product development. The chapters on website sales are remarkably informative. Another big theme in the book is publishing - self-publishing eBooks, newsletters, etc. Tom has used the publishing+speaking strategy to grow a very lucrative business. What he has to say here won't be of much help to someone lacking expertise or knowledge that others will find useful, but it's invaluable to anyone who wants to promote themselves as an expert for whatever reason.
Tom also provides links to all sorts of tools. No doubt there are many for which he gets some sort of affiliate commission, but there's nothing in this book to give the sense that Tom is shilling - it reads like a bible of small-biz marketing - whenever he lists products or services he lists lots of suppliers and lets the reader know to check them out on their own and make a choice. He covers stuff that I never even thought about, and provides somes useful insight into areas I thought I already understood.
I know this reads like a sales pitch, and I guess it is. But I'm not on any of Tom's affiliate programs (I would, however, appreciate you buying the book via my Amazon affiliate link.) I'm truly impressed. So here's a little background on how I found the book.
Tom recently delivered his day-long Butt Camp seminar here in Atlanta as part of the National Speakers Association (NSA) convention. Greg Smith, a friend who has a very successful employee retention consulting practice called Chart Your Course International,
attended the seminar and was so impressed with what he learned he
bought several copies of the book to give away. That's how I got
my copy. I had never heard of Tom Antion, but the NSA is a credible organization
and I knew anyone giving a day-long seminar there would have something
to offer. Plus, I've known Greg for several years and when he offered
me a copy of the book while raving about its contents I had to put
aside any remaining reservations and dig into it. If you go to Tom's or Greg's site, don't be put off by the appearance.
Tom's site is pretty "sales-y", and so is Greg's (who recently redesigned his entire site for that purpose.) But these sites work for the audience and products these guys are trying to reach. The same techniques may or may not be right for you, and if you ignore this book because you don't like the look of a couple of web sites you're cheating yourself.
I recommended this book to an attorney friend who is looking to build up an effective marketing campaign for estate and tax planning. His comment after a couple of days was, "Man, I had to quit underlining stuff because I was underlining the whole book!" If you're looking for a "bible" for developing a marketing machine for your small business there is no better book on the market right now than Tom Antion's. Go buy it. You won't be sorry.
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Terry - I bit. After looking at your review, I purchased, (Through your Amazon Affiliate link, you're welcome!) and also purchased the e-code (Joe Vitale and Jo Han Monk). Presently reading.
After 19 years of corpam I'm thinking about something "different" knowing and managing tons of technology, I'm tired of making $$ for everyone else.
You're right. While Toms sites and one-page pitches look like every other eBook, ad-man pitch, get rich quick scheme out there making money off the books not the site, the information is very practical. I know how to setup technology blind-folded, but some of his techniques are very sound and I'm working with a few sites I manage and build to test before jumping into the deeper water. I poked around his own site code as explained in the book and tested his techniques with his recommended software and some other tools I have in my quiver. All panned out, so it doesn't look like hype.)
Thanks - Shane Cooper (Director of IT and Support for a large advertising printing company 8-)
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Shane Cooper
>
> Terry - I bit. After looking at your review, I purchased,
> (Through your Amazon Affiliate link, you're welcome!) and
> also purchased the e-code (Joe Vitale and Jo Han Monk).
Hi Shane,
Glad you found the review useful. It really is one of the most practical marketing books I ever read. Keep me posted on what you're doing. I know how dreadfully dull working for those "large advertising printing companies" can be.
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