Inbound marketing, content generation and social media books, audiobooks and e-book reviews

Book Reviews -How to generate effective press releases for social networks.

Re-Imagine!: Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age

by Tom Peters

A little dated by now I know, but better late than never. The style of this book is just too aggressive and dictatorial. Tom Peters tries to establish his credibility by claiming everything will fail or is failing. Like all of us he uses the examples that promote his point of view. Unfortunately he leaves little option for alternatives.

Given the benefit of hind sight much of what he predicted has come to pass or is at least in the process of coming to pass. However the reality is not quite as dramatic as his predictions.

I am not yet finished with this book and doubt that I will finish it. He just irritates me that much.
Given the benefit of hind sight much of what he predicted has come to pass or is at least in the process of coming to pass. However the reality is not quite as dramatic as his predictions.

I am not yet finished with this book and doubt that I will finish it. He just irritates me that much.

How to Generate Effective Press Releases for Social Networks

by Deidre Breakenridge and Brian Solis

This is a short book/long essay on how to write a social media release.

Authors Deirdre Breakenridge and Brian Solis wrote the book specifically for public relations professionals. They assume that the listener already knows the why media or social releases are important.

The book starts with a comparison between standard and social media releases. It then launches into a simple, easily understandable set of how-to instructions.

The authors offer valuable advice on constructing social media releases. In addition to practical tips they offer some explanation on the context in which social media releases are produced.

I would highly recommend that every public relations professional as well as content generators and marketing communication specialists download and listen to this book.

The $2.95 cash price and 15 minute time investment is well worth it. Using Breakenridge & Solis’ advice and you will soon reap the benefits.

Inbound Marketing

by Brian Halligan, Dharmesh Shah and David Meerman Scott, reviewed by Jacques van den Bergh for Medios Outsourced Marketing

inbound marketing, social media content

Inbound Marketing starts with the by now familiar justification for inbound marketing and a description of the modern marketing world.

It soon changes tack and becomes a practical and relatively objective description of all the social media tools available. What makes Inbound Marketing valuable is that authors Brain Halligan and Dharmesh Shah are open and honest about their motives and agendas. They leave it to the reader to decide which tool to use and which not.

What is really pleasing is that they resist (mostly) the temptation to use fear as motivator for their argument. The absence of a “Your business cannot survive without Facebook” type statement gives them much more credibility.

Inbound Marketing ends with some very practical advice. Halligan and Shah practice as they preach on their Hubspot website and blog.

The ethos of inbound marketing is to provide useful content and to allow the consumer/visitor to make his own decisions. Inbound Marketing is lives up to this ethos.

The book has some flaws. They authors live in an ideal marketing world where the marketer has infinite time and every consumer is web savvy. They attempt to sell one tool

in the marketer’s arsenal as the only tool worth having.

I highly recommend Inbound Marketing, provided you understand that the ideal marketing plan probably still includes some elements of outbound marketing and that all those resources you need to update your blog, Twitter, Facebook etc. accounts won’t be free. The practical advice alone will save you money and give you a head start in a new marketing landscape.

Inbound Marketing sells for $13.72 on Amazon.com or download it from Audible for $20.99.