Business Black Belt
~ By JIAN Founder, Burke Franklin.
Business Black Belt details the business, management, and marketing principles of JIAN. The book is packed with keep-it-simple insights, contrarian points of view, and unconventional approaches to business. This is not a technical book or a management tutorial, it's a book of proven ideas that you can act upon immediately. Anyone building a business — including entrepreneurs, managers, programmers, executives, or marketers — will find value and inspiration in this book.

I'm always hesitant about reading business books written by so called consultants. Anyone can give himself the title of consultant. All they have to do is read a couple of books on the latest business trends and start using the jargon picked up from the reading. What I love about Business Black Belt is that Burke Franklin has been down the road, up and down, several times. His is a narration from the trenches of battle, not from the comfort of a battle cruiser a few miles out at sea. He tells it to you with all the gory details that business life entails. Most of the books that are out there right now are written by infopreneurs that are trying capitalizing on our thirst for answers. Alas, most of these writers' knowledge of business consists of cashing the checks they receive from their publishers. The wisdom contained in this book is more valuable than what you'll learn from reading all the current business bestsellers. Buy this book. You can thank me when you're done.
- Adolfo Bernal Jr. "adolfo" (Austin, TX)

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The Big Book of Small Business
You Don't Have to Run Your Business By the Seat of Your Pants

 

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Hiring Secrets of the NFL defines the secrets of success for talent selection in the NFL and their application to corporate hiring. Hiring Secrets of the NFL analyses the successes and failures of an array of high profile individuals, including football players Terrell Owens and Randy Moss, corporate CEO’s Jack Welch and Carly Fiorina, Rudy Giuliani as mayor of New York City and Larry Summers as president of Harvard University. The Hiring Secrets Scorecard will assist you in hiring technology-savvy executives and make a touchdown for your organization.

 

 

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From Farce to Force

"...a practical, thorough, informative guide on how to do business online ... it's the best resource out there to answer those questions and others." - David Berkowitz, former editor, eMarketer and Director of Marketing, icrossing

" ... a great map to this virtual e-commerce world - providing the context, rules, examples, and hints that, in my opinion, can dramatically up your odds of success...well worth the investment even for that reason alone." James P. Clark, Chairman, The World Technology Network

"E-commerce holds much promise for the developing world ... Sarah McCue is right on target with her efforts to strengthen this critical field." - Amir Dossal, Executive Director, United Nations Fund for International Partnerships

"Dr. McCue does an excellent job in providing an overall roadmap to e-commerce and making sense of the Internet as a business and marketing medium. She raises the appropriate questions...and also offers valuable insights and checklists for developing a successful e-commerce strategy and creating effective Web sites." James Van Wert, DPA, Senior Advisor for Policy Planning and E-Government, US Small Business Administration.

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Psyched on Service

"Why embarrass yourself or the organization by telling your people exactly what to say and do? They aren't morons. They know what to say, how to say it,  and generally how to provide great service. The big disconnect is in their being enrolled into reasons why... reasons that are meaningful to their own personal self interest. Now THAT'S motivation."          

David Corbin will reveal how he has assisted companies, from Fortune 100 mega companies, to small and medium sized companies, to enroll their employees into the essential behaviors associated with awesome customer/client/patient relations. Click here to learn more.

 

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Reviewer: Paul R. Timm (Orem, UT United States)

As an MBA professor, author, and customer service consultant, I had the opportunity to review early drafts of Ray's excellent book. This is a gem. It nails the importance of building customer VALUE. It ties together a rationale for company efforts to serve, satisfy, and create loyalty with the customers who determine the success of the business. The writing is clear and straightforward and the content invaluable for any business person interested in boosting the bottom line (and who isn't?) Congratulations to Ray and Janice for offering an excellent addition to our field of knowledge. I highly recommend this book.

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The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Businesses

 

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The Soul of Money
A wise and inspiring exploration of the connection between money and leading a fulfilling life. This compelling and fundamentally liberating book shows us that examining our attitudes toward money—earning it, spending it, and giving it away—can offer surprising insight into our lives, our values, and the essence of prosperity. Lynne Twist is a global activist and fund-raiser who has raised more than $150 million in individual contributions for charitable causes. Through personal stories and practical advice, she demonstrates how we can replace feelings of scarcity, guilt, and burden with experiences of sufficiency, freedom, and purpose. She shares from her own life, a journey illuminated by remarkable encounters with the richest and poorest people on earth, from the famous (Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama) to the anonymous but unforgettable heroes of everyday life.

 

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Positioning - The Battle for Your Mind
- Al Ries & Jack Trout
This is a crucial book on marketing, especially for business owners and product managers. If you only read one book on marketing, this would be my recommendation.
- Burke Franklin

 

 

 

 

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Getting to Resolution: Turning Conflict Into Collaboration

What is the greatest impediment to productive and satisfying business and personal relationships? According to empowerment guru Stewart Levine, it's inadequate conflict resolution. Levine's seven-step model integrates two skills essential for success - collaboration and conflict resolution - and emphasizes the importance of a shift in attitude, assumptions, and approaches when facing a problem. The book was endorsed by Dr. Stephen Covey; selected by the Executive Book Club; and named Among the thirty Best Business Books by Executive Book Summaries.

 

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Winning Through Intimidation - Robert Ringer
Not exactly what the title suggests that it's about — more like not letting yourself be intimidated.
Many good anecdotes. Written along time ago. You should have read it a long time ago!

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The Top 11 Marketing Books

1. Words that Sell — Bayan, Richard  

2. Marketing with Newsletters — Floyd, Elaine 

3. Permission Marketing — Godin, Seth  

4. Tested Advertising Methods — Caples, John  

5. Rain Making: The Professional's Guide to Attracting New Clients — Harding, Ford  

6. Profitable Direct Marketing Methods — Kobs, Jim  

7. Marketing Management — Kotler, Philip  

8. Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind — Ries, Al & Jack Trout  

9. Ogilvy on Advertising — Ogilvy, David  

An excellent (even if you have heard that it's dated) tutorial on creating great ads and writing compelling copy, Includes lots of tips and tricks to improve response

10. Selling Your Services — Bly, Robert  

11. LIFT: Leadership That Soars Above and Beyond — Vosburgh, Bob  

Buy and study the world’s greatest advertising classics

• Successful Direct Marketing Methods – by Bob Stone: This is the classic and constantly updated guide to how direct marketing works. I was fortunate to read this book very early in my career, and understanding these nuts-and-bolts principles has produced most of my biggest paydays.

• Confessions of an Advertising Man and Ogilvy on Advertising – by David Ogilvy: These two books present an entertaining overview of the advertising world, and contain many penetrating and inspiring insights that will make you a better copywriter and a better businessperson.

• Scientific Advertising and My Life in Advertising – by Claude Hopkins: These are the classic works by one of the greatest copywriters who ever lived. Though written in the 1920s, most of Hopkins’ ideas are still applicable — yet sadly, too often ignored — even today.

• Tested Advertising Methods, How to Make Your Advertising Make Money, and Making Ads Pay – by John Caples: These three books by the man who wrote the famous “They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano...” ad are chock-full of valuable and vital information about improving your ads and sales letters. Well worth studying.

• How to Write a Good Advertisement – by Vic Schwab: Another excellent book, full of great tips, tricks and insights.

• Fund Raising Letters – by Jerry Huntsinger: The title sounds like it’s a collection of actual sales letters. Instead, it’s Huntsinger’s classic guide on how to write fundraising letters and contains some of the best advice about copywriting you’ll find anywhere.

• The Copywriters Handbook – by Bob Bly: A terrific A to Z guide.

• The Robert Collier Letter Book – by Robert Collier: Robert Collier was one of the pioneers of the direct mail business. This book is chock-full of his timeless advice for writing effective sales letters.

• Breakthrough Advertising – by Gene Schwartz: This book can be tough going — but if you can master it, the principles are solid gold.

Attention Authors!

If you have written a book or are writing one now, you need to know about John Kremer. He is the editor of the Book Marketing Update newsletter as well as the author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books! http://www.bookmarket.com