Misc. : Others

Sales Letter :

RJ Real Estate | Make Money Online

“I buy ocean-front homes, commercial buildings, apartment buildings, warehouses, land, and more. And I do it with OPM = Other People’s Money. Why should I use my own cash if I don’t have to? My black Amex card and my bulging money clip are all mine. I have a private stash of hard money lenders that will give cash to ANYONE.

What I’m telling you is that you can have sh*tty credit, and NO MONEY, and STILL make a killing in real estate. I understand that this is probably hard to comprehend for someone like you. But it’s 100% true, and average people are doing it every day. So wake up.

I’m sure you’ve seen all of the “get rich in real estate” products out there, sold by those real estate ‘gurus’ you see on late night televison. If you enjoyed studying in school, then their stuff is definitely for you. As a matter of fact, I’ve found their materials are quite helpful if you enjoy waking up ankle-deep in your own drool. 1600 pages of manuals, 26 hours of video, and 14 hours of audio – all from a guy with the personality of a precocious, adderall-overdosed 12 year old? Hmmmm…. That sounds like something I would NOT be interested in. Maybe its just me.

I’m not interested in reading and studying tapes…..for MONTHS. Let alone listening to some jack-off babbling about how smart he thinks he is because he made $100k last year in real estate. That’s NOTHING. $80k of that probably came from selling his lame-ass course about how to make money in real estate. Ever heard of the saying ‘Fake it until you make it’? That’s what these guys do. Once they’ve sold enough of their courses to idiots, they can finally afford to actually BUY some real estate.

On the other hand, I’ve personally learned from the best of the best. My sources have done time in prison for their ‘creative’ deals. While all of the real estate “get rich quick” guys were paying college dropouts to ghostwrite their BS courses, I was busy visiting posh minimum security prisons to interview the REAL deal makers so I could get an unfair advantage. And you won’t believe the secrets they whispered to me. You’re probably too sensitive to even handle it.

Actually, you should probably leave my website right now. I’m pretty sure you aren’t serious about making money in real estate. You’re probably just browsing the web, fantasizing again about being able to make some serious money some day, and leaving your lame-ass job. But we both know that 5 minutes from now, you’ll be exiting this site with your tail between your legs thinking “it’s just too hard to make money in real estate”. Then you’ll venture to other sites more suitable for the 12-year-old mindset. And the dream will be over for today. But you’ll be back living your 15 minute dream again in a few days. And the cycle continues….while your bank account laughs at you.

But if you ARE serious about taking control of your life and your financial situation, I’ve taken the hard work out of everything, and crafted a fool-proof plan. I’ve been doing it for 8 years now. Buy low, sell high. And, use none of my own money. You gotta love it.”

Download :

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Blog Marketing
By: Jeremy Wright
ISBN: 0072262516
Publisher: McGraw-Hill – 2005-11-15
Hardcover | 1 Edition | 336 Pages | List Price: $24.95 (USD) | Sales Rank: 26162

With an exclusive look inside Google, Disney, Yahoo, IBM, and others, this book shows how your company can use blogs to raise its visibility and transform internal communications All companies, large and small, know that reaching customers directly and influencing–and being influenced by–them is essential to success. Blog Marketing shows marketing and PR professionals as well small business owners how to do just that without spending a lot of money. Readers will learn how to tap into the power of blogs to create a direct line of communication with customers, raise the company’s visibility, and position their organizations as industry thought leaders. “Blogs will soon become a staple in the information diet of every serious businessperson . . . . Blogs offer an accelerated and efficient approach to acquiring and understanding the kind of information all of us need to make business decisions.” — John Battelle, Business 2.0

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Riches in Niches: How to Make It Big in a Small Market
By Susan Friedmann

* Publisher: Career Press
* Number Of Pages: 256
* Publication Date: 2007-05-10
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 1564149307
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9781564149305

Product Description:

Why do some financial advisors wind up making millions on TV giving investment advice while others labor in obscurity? How do some attorneys land regular columns in prestigious trade publications? Where do those speakers who give the annual address at industry conventions come from? What is the secret reason that a select few service professionals enjoy high-profile, high-prestige, and high-paying status as “experts” in their fields?

More importantly, can the rest of us do it? Susan Friedmann answers a resounding “Yes!” In Riches in Niches: How to Make It BIG in a Small Market, Friedmann explores the multiple factors that separate the “experts” from the service professionals who may have identical–if not better–skills, but whom no one has ever heard of.

You will learn:
* Why positioning yourself as an Expert in a Niche–a sweet spot known as a nichepreneur–is the most surefire route to success any service professional could want.
* The GEL Formula: Friedmann’s proven technique that shows service professionals how to find the professional niche that makes the best use of their skills while yielding maximum profit.
* The Seven Secrets nichepreneurs need to know to create, claim, and benefit from their Expert Identity.
* Creative ways to create secondary, even tertiary, income streams capitalizing on the benefits of “Being the Expert.”

Summary: Good Business Appraoch in a Bad Economy
Rating: 5

The more narrowly you define your niche the greater the chance you can:
* become one-of-a-kind in that market
* customize your product/service
* more efficiently reach prospective clients

Riches in Niches offers a practical approach to increasing sales while reducing overhead – vital anytime but especially when people hesitate to spend in this faltering economy.

A sign of a non-fiction book worth buying is how many pages you underline – and this book is one I marked up alot
Kare, author SmartPartnering and Walk Your Talk

Summary: Much of it excellent information, some of it padded
Rating: 3

As both a writer and a businessman I found many good morsels of interest for myself in Susan Friedmann’s new book, Riches in Niches: How to Make It BIG in a Small Market. I really wish that I had read this book long before now because with my current business I only just discovered in a practical way last year how going for niche markets can really turn a business around. Susan Friedmann is herself a practitioner of her own advice: Susan consults for companies needing trade show marketing experts; a very niche market.

For the small business owner, the book is chock full of real life case examples from people who have transformed their “general businesses” (my words, not Susan’s) into niche businesses and prospered by utilizing what Susan Friedmann labels as Susan’s Secret Success Strategies. These strategies all force you to take a new look at your own business and look at how you are running it. Are you busy developing your own niche and creating a new market or are you trying to compete with Joe Blogs and every other Tom, Dick and Harry down the street?

Many of Susan Friedmann’s strategies are common sense ideas that many business owners never get on their own. They involve ways to develop your own name as an expert through use of the media, blogs, etc., as well as portraying yourself as a well designed niche company through such basic things as your company name and the way your business card it made up. Susan even gives hints on how to determine what your own niche really is or should be.

If Riches in Niches had a draw back I think it would be related to how Susan sometimes goes into explaining the processes of business franchising, how to find attorneys, etc., which I feel are wholly different subjects. These are more than balanced though with other tips that I found invaluable, such as how to get more money as a trainer by developing CEU courses, how to get on the radio and television and how to publish a booklet on your expertise.

If your business could use a bit more refinement in the marketing arena I think you will find Susan Friedmann’s Riches in Niches to be a quite interesting and compelling read. It also will make a very good reference for the future to return to again and again.

Summary: This is a book for the sole practitioner
Rating: 4

This is a book for the sole practitioner who desires to be an expert in a small vertical niche. There is everything one would need to know in this book. She uses an easy to read, thoughtful style which makes the book a very good complement to the practitioner’s toolkit. A lot of common sense and good planning has gone into the book. (I expected a book that would give guidance to companies in penetrating niche verticals. This is not that book. )

Summary: Not really what I expected
Rating: 2

Bought this hoping to learn about how to sell to niches. Didn’t get that. Basically the book says over and over you should write a book so you can be considered an expert. Seemed to me that is what was going on here. Is more like just another book about infopreneuring. Author seems to think it is cuter to call it being a “nichepreneur” but same thing. This might be an ok book for starting an infopreneur path but not great if you were expecting something new and exciting about niche selling.

Summary: Riches in Niches
Rating: 5

The author of Riches in Niches, Susan Friedmann, started her career in Human Resources. She was good at her job and her boss was happy with her work. However, this didn’t save her job when the company downsized. She got another job in HR and again she experienced the same problem. Finally, she realized that she had to go in another direction so she decided to create a niche for herself as a Tradeshow Coach.

Riches in Niches is a guide to becoming a “Nichepreneur”. Her strategy is straight forward. Find some aspect of your job, your passions, and your abilities and determine if you could make a business out of it. Then, focus all your attention on becoming the leading expert in that particular subfield.

Trying to keep up with the new trends and technology as a generalist entrepreneur is virtually impossible. There simply aren’t enough hours in a day to keep up. However, focusing on one small aspect is doable. Then, everything you read, write, and do reinforces that one main objective. That’s pretty smart.

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Amazon.com: Get Big Fast
By Robert Spector

* Publisher: Collins Business
* Number Of Pages: 304
* Publication Date: 2002-01
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0066620422
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780066620428

Product Description:

In Amazon.com Jeff Bezos built something the world had never seen. He created the most recognized brand name on the Internet, became for a time one of the richest men in the world, and was crowned “the king of cyber-commerce.”
Yet for all the media exposure, the inside story of Amazon.com has never really been told. In this revealing, unauthorized account, Robert Spector, journalist and best-selling author, gives us this up-to-date, fast-paced, behind-the-scenes story of the company’s creation and rise, its tumultuous present, and its uncertain future.

Amazon.com Review:

The tale of Amazon.com is well known to anyone who follows the stock market, the book business, the Internet explosion–heck, it’s hard to imagine not knowing at least a piece of this extraordinary story. But few, it would seem, know the entire story, and it’s these gaps that Robert Spector’s Amazon.com: Get Big Fast attempts to fill (or at least the information available in early 2000, when the book was published). For example, those who know about Amazon.com’s paradigm-shifting influence on the book business may not know it wasn’t even the first online book retailer, or the second or the third. (It was preceded by clbooks.com, books.com, and wordsworth.com, the last of which beat Amazon.com to the Internet by almost two years.) Those who’ve heard quirky stories about Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos–for example, that he built his own desk out of a door, and that his mother bought the desk at an online charity auction in 1999 for $30,100–may not know that he was a studious overachiever from an early age. As a 12-year-old in Houston, he was even profiled in a book on gifted education in Texas. And those who marvel at the company’s multibillion-dollar stock valuation may not know that it was broke and nearly out of business in the summer of ‘95.

Put it all together and you have a book that should be interesting to many different readers. As a pure business read, it certainly provides a blow-by-blow account of an important company’s critical decisions. And anyone looking for a brief history of e-commerce will see how one idea–Bezos’s realization in 1994 that Web usage was growing 2,300 percent a year–set the entire online retailing phenomenon in motion. If nothing else, that last fact should propel parents to pay very careful attention to their kids’ math scores. Had Bezos, a summa cum laude Princeton grad in computer science, not realized the implications of exponential growth … well, let’s just say you wouldn’t be reading this review right now. –Lou Schuler

Summary: A Gripping and Informative Book
Rating: 5

I picked up this book after reading various reviews about it here on Amazon. And I wasn’t disappointed. It is probably the best book which describes, in quite some detail, the history and success of Amazon.com and its founder, Jeff Bezos. It gives interesting insights into the world of books and is a must-read for anybody who is interested in starting his/her own website.

Jeff Bezos’s amazing business instincts coupled with the originality of the Amazon.com business model were responsible for the company’s success. You will discover the details as you go through the book, page-by-page. A riveting book indeed.

Summary: The Ultimate Online Experience
Rating: 5

If you are “in love” with the amazon.com website then this may be one of the most exciting books you ever read on the subject. While the information basically only covers 1995-2000 it is an eye-opening account of what it truly took to make amazon.com a success story. For anyone interested in amazon.com’s history, this is essential reading.

Robert Spector has written a compelling story that also includes interesting tidbits, like how Amazon.com used to reward cash prizes for the best customer book reviews. This was news to me. There is also detailed information on hiring practices. Who was hired when and how did they affect the company’s progress? The details are at times a little overwhelming and this book is an intricately researched masterpiece.

For the most part, “Get Big Fast” shows the world the brilliance of Jeff Bezos and how his leadership and vision made amazon.com what it is today. Since 2000 I’ve personally watched the site grow into a place where you truly can buy anything your heart desires. It was fun to read about the beginnings of my favorite website that provides the ultimate online experience.

~The Rebecca Review

Summary: The story of Amazon
Rating: 3

I love Amazon.. both to shop and to analyze, but I found this book to be a little slow. Regardless, Jeff Bezos is someone to stand in awe of. I wish my mind were that sharp.

Summary: Fascinating Story
Rating: 4

This book really conveys the drama of the creation and building of Amazon.com by Jeff Bezos. Its really a biography of Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, through about 1999, ending before the .com crash.

There are a couple parts where the story drags, but generally, there was much more drama and interest than I expected. The story is skillfully told and the writing is clear, and after reading this book, I intend to look for the others that this author, Robert Spector, has written.

I strongly recommend this to anyone who wants to track the rise of Amazon.com. It was published too soon to provide the author with the opportunity to analyze the aftermath of the fantasticly overheated internet marketplace that led to the dot.com bust, but you can see how he examines all the elements from the perspective of 1999. Spector doesn’t forecast the fall, but you can see all the excess and unmistakable signs of what is to come. I would love to see a Second Edition.

Summary: A SHORT HISTORY OF AN E-COMMERCE GIANT
Rating: 5

Amazon.com is probably the most cited online business of all times, and it will certainly be the case for the next ten years or so. Therefore, this little yellow paperback book is a must-read for those who do not know that the “e” at the beginning of e-commerce does not stand for “easy”. Indeed, similar to its counterparts, Amazon.com was also born in a garage and then became an e-commerce giant in less than five years. This extraordinary story also proves that the industry clock-speed of e-commerce markets is really high, as demonstrated by Haim Mendelson in his novel book “Survival of the Smartest”.

In his book, Robert Spector starts the history of Amazon.com from where it all began-the garage, and takes the reader smoothly to where it stands now-the peak. After reading this book, the reader learns about the customer-centric view of this company, the advantages of the so-called “get big fast strategy” in e-commerce, and finally why profit should not be the first priority of an online company during its initial years of operation.

Although this is intended to be a leisure book, it can well be adapted as a supplementary book for undergraduate and/or master’s business students at universities. It will certainly make the course more enjoyable and down to earth.

Dr. Yasin Ozcelik
Dr. Yasin Ozcelik

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eBoot Camp: Proven Internet Marketing Techniques to Grow Your Business
By Corey Perlman

* Publisher: Wiley
* Number Of Pages: 208
* Publication Date: 2009-01-20
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0470411597
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780470411599

Product Description:

In this Web 2.0 era, small business owners are at a severe disadvantage because they have minimal, if any, knowledge, about Internet marketing. They also lack the budget to hire a top-notch web marketer. As a result, the thrust of their Internet marketing program is usually a poorly performing website that attracts few visitors. e Boot Camp is the solution to the entrepreneur’s Internet marketing problem. This do-it-yourself book provides the know-how that’s needed to win business in cyberspace while eliminating the need for a large marketing budget. In just an hour or two a week, the small business owner will gain control of his or her Internet marketing campaign, using the step-by-step method Perlman presents. Specifically, readers will learn the keys to improving their search-engine ranking (the critical driver of traffic to a Website), how to create and manage blogs and e-newsletters and, finally, the secrets to a successful, sales-driven website.

Summary: Excellent Internet Marketing How-To
Rating: 5

As an entrepreneur, internet marketing was one of the areas that brought me the most frustration. I knew there were so many opportunities to be had but I had no idea how to navigate my way through the online landscape. “eBoot Camp” is an easy to read, effective introduction to internet marketing that made what was previously confusing, very clear and easy to actualize. I especially love the “walkthrough” exercises at the end of each chapter. Within a few weeks of implementing Corey’s strategies I had 4 potential clients contact me after finding me on the internet. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to grow their business.

Summary: Made me lose the fear of marketing
Rating: 5

I have just finished reading this book. And I must say I love it. Other reviews have already given a chapter list of this book, so I will not do that. I will instead write here what I loved MOST about this book.

I am a jewelry designer and maker. And I have just made the transition from a hobby level involvement to a “real” business. I have always been very afraid of “selling” and “marketing”. Felt that “I” and “marketing” came from different star systems. So I always stayed away from it, and it was a good excuse to hide behind the “hobby level involvement”. But finally I decide to take the leap into real business. I read someone’s blog post about this book, and liked it, but was still skeptical because it is “marketing”, and “I can’t do it!! It is scary!! It is NOT fun!! I don’t want to do it!!”. But I bought the book, and boy! Am I happy I bought it!!

It is written in a very easy to read, fun way. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I actually think all that he has described about “marketing” sounds like a lot of FUN! And I don’t need to change my character from “introvert” to suddenly “extrovert” in order to follow what he describes. I can do it just the way I am. I am actually looking forward to doing it all! My husband is making my website, and now he is reading the book, so that we can incorporate all that Corey has suggested. It is all easy to do…like finding keywords, writing descriptions, writing articles, finding innovative ways to hurl your url, writing keyword rich content, how important the page title of each page of your site is, about having your links in different sites, a primer on social networking, the importance of press releases and how exactly to do them (I was clueless about press releases), primer on blogs, how to make sure you are around the top of google search etc. The way he has written it all, it does not sound scary to me. It not only sounds re-assuring, it sounds like FUN!!

Also, not only does he tell you what to do in each chapter, he also gives a great resource list in each chapter, so you will know how and where to do what is suggested in the chapter! For example, press releases. He doesn’t just say why they are important, and what to write etc…he also tells you where and how you can do it for free (online). Many of his resources are free, so if you are just stepping into marketing and are unsure about it all, you don’t even need to spend money, you can use the free resources he has listed.

For it to sound non-scary, creative, and fun is very important for people like me. Many of my friends who are artists (jewelry, painting, singing or other media) are very much like me. The thought of marketing makes them recoil into a shell. I am recommending this book to all of them.

Another thing I liked about the author is, when I emailed him with a question, he was quick to reply back. My question was about meta tags keywords. He has written a chapter about how important meta tags keywords is to search engines including Google. But I know that Google does not look at meta tags keywords anymore. So when I emailed him about it, he explained to me that its true Google does not, but many other search engines still do, and that it is a good place to list commonly misspelled words (you wouldn’t want them on your main content). However, I hope in his later book revisions, he would let people know that Google does not use meta tags keywords.

A wonderful book, and I highly recommend it.

[...]

Summary: Great book, packed full of great information and resources
Rating: 5

In the past when trying to get my small business marketed on the internet I spent some big bucks to advertising companies that did little to nothing to help my web presence. This book does a great job in explaining how search engines work in a non technical way. After completing just a couple of the techniques in this book my web presence is better than it ever was with any of the advertising companies I worked with.

I can’t say enough good things about this book. This is a must have for any small business owner looking for a web presence.

Summary: No frills
Rating: 5

This book gets straight to the points and gives you actionable information you can run with immediately. Very resourceful.

Summary: easy effective read
Rating: 5

easy, quick read yet detailed enough to re-read and implement instructions. Also contains links to other good resources

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Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition
By Steve Krug

* Publisher: New Riders Press
* Number Of Pages: 216
* Publication Date: 2005-08-28
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0321344758
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780321344755

Product Description:

Five years and more than 100,000 copies after it was first published, it’s hard to imagine anyone working in Web design who hasn’t read Steve Krug’s “instant classic” on Web usability, but people are still discovering it every day. In this second edition, Steve adds three new chapters in the same style as the original: wry and entertaining, yet loaded with insights and practical advice for novice and veteran alike. Don’t be surprised if it completely changes the way you think about Web design.

Three New Chapters!

* Usability as common courtesy — Why people really leave Web sites
* Web Accessibility, CSS, and you — Making sites usable and accessible
* Help! My boss wants me to ______. — Surviving executive design whims

“I thought usability was the enemy of design until I read the first edition of this book. Don’t Make Me Think! showed me how to put myself in the position of the person who uses my site. After reading it over a couple of hours and putting its ideas to work for the past five years, I can say it has done more to improve my abilities as a Web designer than any other book.

In this second edition, Steve Krug adds essential ammunition for those whose bosses, clients, stakeholders, and marketing managers insist on doing the wrong thing. If you design, write, program, own, or manage Web sites, you must read this book.” — Jeffrey Zeldman, author of Designing with Web Standards

Amazon.com Review:

Usability design is one of the most important–yet often least attractive–tasks for a Web developer. In Don’t Make Me Think, author Steve Krug lightens up the subject with good humor and excellent, to-the-point examples.

The title of the book is its chief personal design premise. All of the tips, techniques, and examples presented revolve around users being able to surf merrily through a well-designed site with minimal cognitive strain. Readers will quickly come to agree with many of the book’s assumptions, such as “We don’t read pages–we scan them” and “We don’t figure out how things work–we muddle through.” Coming to grips with such hard facts sets the stage for Web design that then produces topnotch sites.

Using an attractive mix of full-color screen shots, cute cartoons and diagrams, and informative sidebars, the book keeps your attention and drives home some crucial points. Much of the content is devoted to proper use of conventions and content layout, and the “before and after” examples are superb. Topics such as the wise use of rollovers and usability testing are covered using a consistently practical approach.

This is the type of book you can blow through in a couple of evenings. But despite its conciseness, it will give you an expert’s ability to judge Web design. You’ll never form a first impression of a site in the same way again. –Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered:

* User patterns
* Designing for scanning
* Wise use of copy
* Navigation design
* Home page layout
* Usability testing

Summary: KRUG’S GENIUS MAKES COMMON SENSE
Rating: 5

This is a great book. It take Syeve Krug’s genius to show us what is common sense. There are so many useful ideas in this book. Just one is worth the price of the book when you apply it to your website.
In May 2009 I published Snappy Sayings: wit & wisdom from the world’s greatest minds. I referred to “Don’t Make Me Think” again and again in preparing the website for my book.
If you are serious about a user friendly website this is one of the books you must read. Snappy Sayings: wit & wisdom from the world’s greatest minds is mostly selling on Amazon and promoted through the [..]. I return weekly to Krug’s book to improve my website. It is one of about 5 or 6 books that made my self publishing business a reality.
There is so much great information in this book you will want to read it several times

Summary: Excellent review of website usability criteria
Rating: 5

This book by Steve Krug was recommended to me by a developer friend, and it was worth every penny. Krug manages to condense into a short and readable format all of the key points about usability and website design. It’s not an in-depth treatment, as he readily admits, and he does direct the reader to other resources for greater detail. But what he does provide is golden. There’s not a wasted page. As in introduction and guide to website design, it’s a gem. This book is proving invaluable as I redesign my own business website and it should be on the shelf of every business person who is planning a website.

Summary: Common Sense
Rating: 4

The title says it all.

Read this book before designing your Web site!

Steve looks at web page design from the point of view of the consumer. If your pages are easy to use and make sense to the average user, people are likely to stick around. If they do, you are more likely to influence them to buy and recommend you to others. He is interested in lowering your bounce rate and increasing the time people spend on your site.

Your site does not have to be the most beautiful, but it has to be easy to navigate and functional. It also has to make sense. Don’t frustrate your customers.

He talks about usability testing as an early practice to find out how your site is coming along. Before investing too much effort creating a site that the development team loves, make sure consumers will love it also and be able to navigate it.
He is not interested in SEO per se in his thinking. A search engine will be able to find you and rank you if your pages are well thought out and carry proper labels. In his mind, ranking high in a search is only useful if people actually stick around and use the site for its intended purpose.

Steve gives enough information for you to do your own usability testing for very little expense.

I highly recommend this book.

I also recommend:The Truth About Search Engine Optimization

Phillip C. Neal DDS
Crystal Lake Dentist, Huntley Dentist, Woodstock Dentist, McHenry Dentist, Algonquin Dentist, Lake in the Hills Dentist
Crystal Lake Dental’s Hot topics

Summary: Just buy it already!
Rating: 5

The book presents the best case studies on what to do – and what not to do – in terms of what elements are should be provided for a potential visitor to trust your site.

It’s not paint by the numbers but the author lays out examples of best practices. You just don’t read a lot of words of overblown hyperbole or – worst yet – tech jargon that would make your eyes glaze over. It’s simple, to the point and short(something the author prides himself on).

If you really want to make the sale, build your community or simply keep someone interested in your site for more than a few seconds, GET THIS BOOK NOW!

Sorry to scream at you but this book is really worth your time and money.

Summary: One step closer to making usability a household name in software development
Rating: 5

I recently had a chance to participate in several usability studies of a software product we’re developing, done on a much bigger budget than what Steve Krug is talking about in his book. I can vouch that the advice he gives about usability testing makes perfect sense. That’s only a part of this book though, and not the best one at that.

The meat of this book is the approach to usability that makes it less of a “personal opinion of the highest ranking stakeholders on the project” and more of a “predictable practice with verifiable results” kind of thing. After reading this book you will have a chance not to judge usability by a vote or by a developer who was asked to build a feature.

One thing the book doesn’t do is make the case that usability is important, with any significant evidence for or against. You’ll have to make this choice and find support for following up on this choice by yourself.

One last thing: I happen not to like most of the suggestions for additional reading, especially for more recently published books. Start with the titles that are presented in the book, and find better ones by browsing similar items in your favorite bookstore.

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TechTV’s Starting an Online Business (TechTV)
By Frank Fiore

* Publisher: TechTV
* Number Of Pages: 360
* Publication Date: 2001-08-19
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0789725649
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780789725646

Product Description:

Author Frank Fiore gives the reader a foundation for starting an online business. The book is divided into 5 parts. It starts with an explanation of e-commerce, what to sell, how to sell it, how to plan it and where to find the money to fund it. Then it gives the reader the basics of setting up shop on the Web, where to host it, some e-commerce Dos and Don’ts, and how to take orders and ship them. Finally, it will cover the essentials of marketing and promoting their new business. The book is organized in such a way that the reader can quickly find a topic and get the information they need to set up their own online business.

Amazon.com Review:

The title of Starting an Online Business may be better proof of a post-Internet-bubble economic recovery than anything else. In the book itself, readers who are thinking about doing business online–particularly by means of a Web site–are informed of the sorts of challenges they’ll face as they work toward that goal. The style and nature of coverage seem particularly well suited to wholesale and retail companies that are already doing business offline and want to add online catalogs and order-taking capabilities to their offerings.

Don’t expect to find many technical details in these pages. Though you will, for example, find information about software for creating Web pages, there’s no detailed coverage of how to use such tools. The author likes to refer his readers to Web resources, and most readers probably will learn about previously unknown services (like fulfillment contractors and trust authorities) from his research. Fie on Frank Fiore for furthering the flawed fantasies that fueled countless failed Internet start-ups. A whole chapter deals with funding sources, including angel investors and the initial public offering (IPO) of shares. True enough, these are potential sources of money, but the kinds of businesses that run their sites on free hosting services–one of the subjects Fiore covers nicely–are just not going to be doing that sort of thing anytime soon. Mentioning them here has greater potential to distract business owners than to serve any useful purpose. Better to devote the entirety of this book to further coverage of the practical issues of online commerce. –David Wall

Topics covered: How to bring your existing business to the Internet–or start a new one there–by setting up a Web site that promotes and sells the company’s products. Writing a business plan, finding a hosting service, establishing an order-taking mechanism, and promoting your offerings are all covered.

Summary: consider Amazon Marketplace as a starting point
Rating: 4

It has many useful tips for those of you wanting to setup your own online business. Naturally, eBay is prominently mentioned. But the thrust is for a reader who wants more control over how and what she sells. Perhaps your business does not lend itself to an auction format?

Amazon gets a passing mention, mostly about its zShops. Keep in mind that since the book came out, Amazon has opened up its Marketplace. This is cheaper to sign up for, as a book seller. You can test your skills in selling here, with minimal outlay of time and money. Then, perhaps if you are successful, you might consider gravitating to zShops or your own website.

Overall, the book needs an updating.

Summary: Good Ideas but a bit dated
Rating: 3

I’ll make this quick. The book has some very good ideas and tips on how to start an online business. The advice seems solid and logical, better then a few other books I’ve looked at. The main problem here is that most if not all of the links that are referenced in the book are either gone, outdated or don’t have the information that the author says will be there. Needless to say this is very problematic when trying to find say, an ISP provider or a web developer. For example, I am looking to hire a professional to create my site. I went to one of the sites that the author mentions in his book. The site is there but is nothing more than yet another developer looking for business. It was supposed to be a site where one could find an array of talent that I could contact to get information, pricing, feedback, etc., on building my site. I find myself scratching my head once again searching for the information that I originally bought the book for.

Summary: TechTV’s Starting an Online Business
Rating: 5

This book was realy a good one. I kind of have a buisness and this tought me what and what not to do. Plus I love the Tech TV books. If you are considering opening a buisness online you should by this book. It has lots of helpful sites and talks about affiliate programs.

Summary: Excellent Information
Rating: 4

This book provided a high level approach to the nuts & bolts of an ecommerce business. I recommend this book to anyone considering the dive into ecommerce.

Summary: Good book if you are starting an on-line business
Rating: 4

I found this book to be very unbiased and helpful in learning how to start an on-line business. Very straight forward, with lots of great resources. The book is very specific to starting retail on-line businesses, so don’t be suprised if it does not cover your specific business plan. Great resources, easy to peruse and to find information at-a-glance. I would highly recommend it to anyone starting an on-line business…

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Stop Acting Like a Seller and Start Thinking Like a Buyer: Improve Sales Effectiveness by Helping Customers Buy
By Jerry Acuff

* Publisher: Wiley
* Number Of Pages: 272
* Publication Date: 2007-03-30
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0470068345
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780470068342
* Binding: Hardcover

Product Description:

Praise for stop acting like a seller and Start Thinking Like a Buyer

“Stop Acting Like a Seller and Start Thinking Like a Buyer is a book that teaches you emphatically that ‘words matter.’ If you want to set yourself apart from others, whether you’re selling a product or a concept, this is a book to read. Not only will you learn how to prepare for sales success, you will learn how to be far more effective by thinking like a buyer.”
—Theresa Martinez, Brand Director, Roche Laboratories

“This book shares a great commonsense approach to developing a new sales attitude and mindset that will work no matter what you’re selling. Jerry has successfully articulated a powerful and unique formula for sales greatness.”
—Duggar Baucom, head basketball coach, Virginia Military Institute

“This is a book for people who truly want to have incredible success in sales. Thinking like a buyer is the most powerful way to help customers and prospects think differently about you and your product. This book shows you exactly how to make that happen in a step-by-step way. If you want to learn how to guarantee your success in selling or influencing, this is a book you must read.”
—Dan C. Weilbaker, PhD, McKesson Professor of Sales, Northern Illinois University

“A mind shift takes place when you read Acuff’s book and realize ‘it’s all about them.’ The book helps you understand human psychology and behavior and gives you the practical tips, encouragement, and examples to help you stand out and be valued by your customers regardless of what you’re selling.”
—Charlene Prounis, Managing Partner, Flashpoint Medica

Summary: In the running for Sales Book of the Year
Rating: 5

From his first questions through to the examples and stories, the author immediately takes you to a very real place in the selling world. This easy to read, insightful and hard hitting book is so far my Book of the Year for sales people. If you want to truly succeed at todays sales game – get and read this book above all else. If you don’t , then quit reading now – life is just going to be too tough for you. In his words ( wish I had written these) “great salesmen inform, involve, engage and provoke thought”. “People will buy what they want not what you think they need” “You are trying to see if your product is a fit for what they want.” Acuff blows the accepted statements about sales out the window, showing you how to really prepare for each call, to setup for success or a quick no. He leads you to understand that this is a sales conversation not ever a sales call.

A great insight on the changing nature of sales leads to day- which we well know of. Prospects, when in their research, knowledge pursuit stage do not want to be “called on’ , trial sold or pursuaded. They want information and to learn. Later when ready, they may engage you (if you made the short list) and they want you to have done as much homework on them as they have done on you- to be able to get right down to “what are you and your products going to do for me?” They do not want to sit down and discuss with every salesmen their problems, pains etc. There is no time for this and expect you to do this on your own. So when your website indicates a new lead – the worst thing your sales team could do is to rush and call them up – does sales really know what they are getting into?. Of course not.

Gotta love this stuff!

Summary: stop acting like a seller
Rating: 4

Lots of good pearls. It particularly helped me in developing “my story” and in understanding that closing was an interactive process that didn’t just happen in the wrap-up.

Summary: Practical guide to improving sales
Rating: 4

Many authors have written sales books from the seller’s point of view. Relatively few take the buyer’s perspective. Salesman turned consultant Jerry Acuff (writing here with Wally Wood) provides a refreshing look at sales through the eyes of the buyer. Most salespeople never achieve their goals because they forget to sell in a way that makes people want to buy. Trying to buy from a salesperson with this attitude is almost always a negative experience. Working with the right intent, a demonstrated sales process, proper preparation and a zeal for relationship building, salespeople of all kinds can achieve their goals. Acuff’s perspective dusts off some insights you know intuitively and points to many others you may not know. getAbstract recommends this book to salespeople, sales managers, procurement officers, and anyone who wants to sell more goods, services, products or ideas.

Summary: Start with Mindset
Rating: 5

This book really delivers the framework for how people should conduct themselves in sales today. With how sophisticated customers are, the majority of “traditional” selling approaches of yesterday are merely ways of manipulating the customer…Jerry takes an honest, straightforward approach to helping customers get what they want. His concepts are not as easy as it seems to implement, it takes great effort and commitment to really put yourself in the customers position and start “thinking like a buyer”. The best part about this approach is how good you will feel about being in sales-how rewarding and valuable your relationships with customers can really be. A multiple must read for business professionals.

Summary: Top 5 Most Useful Business Books Purchased
Rating: 5

I consider this to be among the top 5 of the business books in my collection and the most applicable to my day-to-day work. Acuff not only disproves some of the classic tenets of sales interactions but he provides logical alternatives to them that can put into practice on your very next sales call. One of the most engaging aspects of Acuff’s philosophy is the idea that “salespeople sometimes think that they must do things on behalf of their companies that conflict with how they see themselves as human beings,” but in fact, as Acuff points out, “to succeed in sales, you don’t have to be someone you don’t want to be.”
This book not only discusses the value of pure intent and the right mindset in sales, but also lays out a simple and logical method for creating meaningful dialogue with a customer that results in a commitment on their part.
I believe almost everyone will find that the time taken to order and read this book will be time well spent.

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Amazon Top Seller Secrets: Insider Tips from Amazon’s Most Successful Sellers
By Brad Schepp, Debra Schepp

* Publisher: AMACOM
* Number Of Pages: 320
* Publication Date: 2009-03-25
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0814410340
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780814410349

Product Description:

There is a new phenomenon hitting the world of the Internet marketplace. Suddenly, Power Sellers who have made a fortune on eBay are moving their merchandise over to Amazon. After all, the benefits of selling on Amazon are legion sellers have found that they can charge more for their merchandise, avoid upfront fees, and deal with less-demanding customers. The opportunities for selling are endless Amazon now sells products in 42 categories and is the web’s number one retailer with more than 81 million customers. As the authors of the popular book “eBay Power Seller Secrets”, Debra and Brad Schepp are experts at making big money selling products on the web. Now, in their new book “Amazon Top Seller Secrets” they show readers why Amazon is the marketplace that will bring them more cash and more customers. With this priceless advice, readers can make more profits and build their business without constraints and without all the hassles.

Summary: Amazon Top Seller Secrets
Rating: 2

Having read this book I must say it was not as expected. There were few if any “secrets” of top sellers. If you are looking for an advanced book being familiar with selling online, either Ebay or Amazon, etc. then this is not it!
However, there are always things to pick up in any book so if you don’t mind spending the money to earn more back in ideas, you can’t go wrong.
Overall, it is a good book for beginners wanting to sell on Amazon. You will learn about shipping methods and general ideas about selling with some software ideas and thoughts about data feeds. Do not think you will get insider secrets however.
Doc Roberts, President, Skiboards Superstore, Inc.

Summary: Not that impressed…
Rating: 3

This was a very general treatment by authors that do a good job interviewing experts but aren’t experts themselves. I hoped for more insights and specific ideas. I already learned almost everything in the book (80%) in my first 60 days selling on Amazon. I’ll be looking for better titles to provide useful info to grow my business.

Summary: A real winner!
Rating: 5

Learned some new tips and re-learned some old tips.
Gary Richardson’s (from Goggles and Glasses)insights are very helpful.
Well written and easy to read.
Thanks for a great book.

Oral Breeze, LLC

Summary: Great book for the new Amazon seller or an advanced seller
Rating: 5

The Schepps are wonderful at writing business books that are easy to understand and, more importantly, easy to apply to your business. I think this book even tops their eBay Powerseller Secrets book series, of which I’m a big fan.

This doesn’t just give you the secrets (ideas and tips) for selling on Amazon, it explains the “why” to every idea and shows exactly how each idea works.

As a long time Amazon seller myself, I found many new great ideas from this book! I found myself thinking in completely new directions and noticed a few very simple changes that increased my Amazon business.

That being said, Amazon Top Seller Secrets is not written over the heads of a new seller. It will help a new seller avoid common mistakes and grow an Amazon selling business much quickly with a solid foundation.

As an added bonus it’s a book that’s easily referenced. No need to read an entire chapter to find that one idea you wanted to confirm. Everything is a breeze to find.

Top notch in every regard!!!

Summary: Amazon.com is where the sales are at today
Rating: 5

This book tops my list for many reasons. The authors, Brad and Deb Schepp, don’t pretend to have come up with the information in their book all by themselves. Instead, they start by thanking all of the many, many merchants and other professionals who contributed to the book. Many are among the top 100 sellers on eBay and Amazon, the Professional eBay Sellers Alliance, or the Internet Merchants Association. Brad and Deb have all the right connections

This book is great for beginners all the way up to advanced sellers. It is the most current and up-to-date Amazon marketplace book for sale. Here are some reasons why I’m such a fan:

*It’s packed with information you can put to use immediately. The tips and secrets from experienced sellers are very real, and obviously work in their day-to-day operations. Sit down with the book and have a pad of post-it-notes handy because you are going to want to bookmark lots of sections to revisit.

*Each chapter profiles a merchant with a successful Amazon business, which is very motivating.

*The format of the book is unique, in that each secret is clearly marked. You get the good and the bad points about selling on Amazon.com.

*I’m in it; I was the technical advisor and a contributor.

*The writing is entertaining and easy to read. The authors are effective and concise, no fluff in this book at all. It’s hard to put down!

Buy this book and get started today! If you buy on Amazon and who hasn’t, this is the guide to getting started with your own sales, making money on Amazon instead of spending it on Amazon. You’ll wonder why you haven’t sold something on Amazon.com sooner!

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1000 Best eBay Success Secrets: Secrets From a Powerseller
By Greg Holden

* Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
* Number Of Pages: 352
* Publication Date: 2006-11-01
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 1402208057
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9781402208058

Product Description:

According to an AC Nielsen study conducted in early 2005, as many as 724,000 Americans depend on eBay sales for all or part of their income. But it is becoming more difficult to run a profitable business on eBay, as its sales growth slows and fees increase. Sellers are being squeezed between these two factors.

In order to thrive in this unique marketplace, sellers need to spend their money wisely, buy goods that will sell at low prices, market those goods aggressively and develop a well-rounded business presence. 1000 Best eBay PowerSeller Secrets is packed full of insider secrets and strategies designed to help readers accomplish all this and more. Topics include:
–Researching items to maximize profitability
–Dealing with buyer questions
–Making the payment process run smoothly
–Confronting problems after the sale ends
–Boosting customer satisfaction through packing and shipping

1000 Best eBay PowerSeller Secrets provides tips, strategies and prescriptions for making any eBay business venture healthier, wealthier and wiser.

Summary: eBay Platinum Powerseller Reviews “1000 Best eBay PowerSeller Secrets”
Rating: 5

Greg Holden’s “The 1000 Best eBay PowerSeller Secrets,” reads a bit like Cliff Notes in that it is a compact summary and commentary on the eBay experience, but he’s crafted every nugget to perfection. Packed with wisdom, the 352 pages of essential advice for the eBay entrepreneur is a quick read. (If you want an eBay book with a bit more girth, then read his “eBay for Dummies,” guide.)

On the topic of drop shippers, Greg Holden is on the mark. He provides an accurate account and yet neither dissuades or persuades the reader to take action either way. He simply presents an account of the facts. Well done! Incidentally, I don’t believe in drop shipping.

On the topic of what to sell, again Holden presents the facts to simplicity, Yet nothing he presents is trite. There is a wholesome goodness of the truth about eBay when he advises to try to make a $10 profit on each sale, think small in terms of merchandise size, and don’t sell too many different types things. In earnest, these are mistakes that almost every eBay seller has touched upon at one time or another, and yet it is Holden’s gentle nudging that makes his words effective.

Finally, he presents a number of valuable Web sites to visit. That alone is worth the price of admission. Buy it now. It’s available on Kindle too.

BRAVO! FIVE STARS!

M.C. Nygard
Former eBay Platinum PowerSeller

Summary: Great Book for eBay Beginners
Rating: 4

This book has many great tips for a beginner, but having been a member of eBay since 1999, there were only a few things in it that I hadn’t learned the hard way. For someone just starting out, though, it provides a good overview of how eBay works, how to set up your account, how to integrate PayPal and postage, tips for selling and buying, etc. There are also some good resources listed in the book.

The author explains wholesale and drop ship options for sellers and tells what to do before, during and after the sale. With years of experience, he shows readers a very thorough overview eBay and its systems, with invaluable tips and tricks to save time and money.

One thing I thought should have been mentioned is for users to watch where they leave negative feedback. eBay allows retaliatory feedback, which isn’t fair to the buyer who got the shaft. You might pay $300 for an electronic game for your child, for instance, immediately after the auction ends, and the seller might not ship it to you for two months (if ever.) In the meantime, your child misses out on his big birthday gift, you’re out the money, and it’s frustrating as can be.

If you leave negative feedback, even though you did everything the right way, the seller can leave negative feedback for you as well – for no reason other than to just be mean. If this happens and lowers your eBay feedback score, the only way eBay allows you to get it off is for the buyer and the seller to both remove the feedback for each other. This hurts other buyers out there who won’t see the true results of the transaction and might ultimately be taken advantage of in the same way.

Summary: This book covers everything about eBay. You won’t be sorry parting with a mere $13 for this tome.
Rating: 5

This was a wonderful book. I can’t say enough positive things about it in this review. About a year ago I was asked to help put on a 2-hour seminar on eBay as a topic of interest to SCORE clients. I got a few publications and read a few books on the subject. Then I got myself a User ID for eBay and studied the site a bit. Everything I read, studied, and learned is in this little $13 book AND MORE!

This book is comprised of 22 chapters split into four sections:

1. Before the sale
2. During the sale
3. After the sale
4. Opening eCommerce Stores

Being an eBay seller can be so many different things. You could be someone who wants to sell things online rather than at a yard sale. You might be someone wanting to make some extra money by selling a small number of items for a reasonable profit considering the time you have to spend doing it. You might be a small business that has slow-moving or excess inventory you want to unload, but not through your storefront. Or you might be someone who wants to be a big retailer, but do it without a storefront. This book addresses all of those things – and it does it well.

I recommend this book especially to the person who wants to better understand the eBay site. Get a User ID and password and start exploring the site. Then read this book and take notes of things that interest you. Then go back to the site and explore the ideas and concepts you took notes on from the book. Repeat the process and you will really become an expert on eBay. So much so that you can have it do anything you want it to do for you.

This book was really a nice read. And the author definitely knows his stuff. It would be so nice if most of the other books on or about eBay were written with the amount of wisdom included herein. 5 stars!

Summary: A pick for virtually any public library collection.
Rating: 5

EBay ‘Powerseller’ author Greg Holden has been so named because his Ebay business has produced proven success results, so his 1000 Best Ebay Success Secrets comes from the tested wisdom of tried techniques, not ideals. Tips on identifying hot items, attracting buyers with the best descriptions, and making all aspects of the sale from listing to feedback flow smoothly offers an excellent set of insights on not just the basics of Ebay, but how to get the most from each sale: Ebay seller just starting out will learn a tremendous amount, making 1000 Best Ebay Success Secrets a pick for virtually any public library collection.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

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