Innovation Watch» books-business

The Next Evolution of Marketing: Connect with Your Customers by Marketing with Meaning. By Bob Gilbreath. McGraw-Hill.

iw — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:15:54 +0000

The old interruptive model of marketing doesn’t work. Customers are tuning out. They no longer listen to in-your-face messages. Instead, they demand meaning in the brands they buy and the marketing that reaches them. Marketing strategist Bob Gilbreath’s hot new concept, Marketing with Meaning, represents the next evolutionary step in a progression following direct marketing and permission marketing. This groundbreaking methodology engages customers and wins their business by adding value to their lives. Rather than pushing a product or service, Marketing with Meaning woos customers by offering them something of value independent of purchase. .. Read more

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Six Pixels of Separation: Everyone Is Connected – Connect Your Business to Everyone. By Mitch Joel. Business Plus.

iw — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:24:56 +0000

Is it important to be connected? Well, consider this: If Facebook were a country, it would have the sixth largest population in the world. The truth is, we no longer live in a world of six degrees of separation. In fact, we’re now down to only six pixels of separation, which changes everything we know about doing business. This is the first book to integrate digital marketing, social media, personal branding, and entrepreneurship in a clear, entertaining, and instructive manner that everyone can understand and apply. … Read more

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The Upside of Turbulence: Seizing Opportunity in an Uncertain World. By Donald Sull. HarperCollins.

iw — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:14:43 +0000

Based on more than a decade of research, The Upside of Turbulence draws lessons from companies that have consistently spotted and exploited opportunities that rivals have missed. The book explores realms ranging from improvisational comedy to the U.S. Marine Corp’s combat doctrine. The result is a series of provocative insights that defy conventional wisdom. The book also introduces practical tools, which have been field-tested by executives around the world, to wrestle triumph out of turmoil. … Read more

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Leaders Make the Future: Ten New Leadership Skills for an Uncertain World. By Bob Johansen. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

iw — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 03:42:59 +0000

We need new leadership skills to succeed. The dilemmas we confront, the workforces we lead, the technologies we use, and our organizational lives will change sharply in the next decade. We must develop new skills uniquely suited to the threshold decade ahead. The Institute for the Future has been doing ten-year forecasting for forty years for some of the world’s top organizations. Bob Johansen draws on IFTF’s latest forecast (included in this book) to introduce skills that will help leaders see new connections through the chaos and make a better future.

Sticks and Stones: How Digital Business Reputations are Created Over Time and Lost in a Click. By Larry Weber. John Wiley & Sons.

iw — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:18:38 +0000

In today’s wired world, business reputations are built and destroyed online. Blogs, citizen journalism, and instant information have made the consequences of a bad reputation more devastating than ever. Though it may be intangible, a good reputation online is your company’s most valuable corporate asset. It builds customer loyalty, helps attract talent, and earns shareholder confidence — and that leads to better bottom lines and bigger profits. Until now, there’s been no straightforward guidebook on building your online reputation and keeping your brand message intact. In Sticks and Stones, PR guru Larry Weber gives you the rules and tools you need to build and safeguard your company’s online presence. … Read more.

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Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. By William Bridges. Da Capo Press.

iw — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:02:34 +0000

The job of managing workplace change can be difficult; managed poorly, the result can be disastrous to the morale and stability of the staff. As veteran business consultant William Bridges explains, successful organizational change takes place when employees have a clear purpose, a plan for, and a part to play in their changing surroundings. Directed at managers on all rungs of the proverbial corporate ladder, this expanded edition of the classic bestseller provides practical, step-by-step strategies for minimizing the disruptions caused by workplace change. It is an invaluable managerial tool for navigating these tumultuous, uncertain times.

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Leading With Cultural Intelligence: The New Secret to Success. By David Livermore. AMACOM.

iw — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:30:17 +0000

You’ve gotten used to managing a diverse workforce. You deal with vendors across the globe. You see people as people, whether they’re Chinese, Indian, Mexican, or American. You know the basic protocols to follow and the taboos to avoid. Still, when you arrive in another country or sit down to negotiate with someone from a different culture, you feel anxious and awkward, and often wind up saying or doing something wrong. You’re not alone. Seventy percent of international ventures fail because of cultural differences. Do you need to speak multiple languages and have a Ph.D. in international relations to succeed in these global times? The reassuring reality is that you don’t need to master all the norms and nuances of the myriad of cultures you encounter. What you need is CQ. That’s short for Cultural Intelligence, a new set of skills and sensitivities that picks up where EQ leaves off… Read more

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The New Industrial Revolution: The Power of Dynamic Value Chains. By Benny Madsen and Rob Brownstein. LitePoint Books.

iw — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:41:30 +0000

This book is as close to a crystal ball as you may ever find. It may make the difference between your company s survival and extinction. Reading the future and being able to spot tomorrow s trends today demands a combination of imagination and knowledge. But if companies are to succeed in the new global economy, they will need that and more they will need a guide. The New Industrial Revolution is that guide, a fascinating examination of two defining eras in American business: The Industrial Revolution and today s Information Age. But it goes one step further to help identify changes, trends and the underlying dynamics that will be necessary to incorporate into any company looking to survive in the evolving worldwide marketplace.

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Who’s Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, Trusting Relationships That Create Success — And Won’t Let You Fail. By Keith Ferrazzi. Broadway Books.

iw — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:52:08 +0000

Disregard the myth of the lone professional “superman” and the rest of our culture’s go-it alone mentality. The real path to success in your work and in your life is through creating an inner circle of “lifeline relationships” — deep, close relationships with a few key trusted individuals who will offer the encouragement, feedback, and generous mutual support every one of us needs to reach our full potential. Keith Ferrazzi, the internationally renowned thought leader, consultant, and bestselling author of Never Eat Alone, shows us that becoming a winner in any field of endeavor requires a trusted team of advisors who can offer guidance and help to hold us accountable to achieving our goals. It is the reason PH.D candidates have advisor teams, top executives have boards, world class athletes have fitness coaches, and presidents have cabinets.

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Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust. By Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. John Wiley & Sons.

iw — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:00:10 +0000

There’s no question that the Internet has changed the way we do business Ã¢â‚¬â€ especially when it comes to marketing. Consumer environments are short on trust and populated by consumers who are cynical, savvy, and informed. Though it’s easier than ever to reach your customers, it’s less likely that they’ll listen. Today, the most valuable online currency isn’t the dollar, but trust itself. At the same time, social networks and personal connections have far more influence on consumers than your marketing messages ever will Ã¢â‚¬â€ unless your business knows how to harness them. In Trust Agents, two social media veterans show you how to tap into the power of these networks to build your brand’s influence, reputation, and profits.

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