Synopses & Reviews
In order to rocket your business to stellar growth and far-reaching recognition, you're going to need plenty of fuelnuclear fuel to thrust you beyond the pull of gravity and primary fuel to keep you moving forward. And what's that fuel made out of? Content.
Launch provides a detailed recipe for the most combustible contentrich, magnetic content that attracts people and opportunities. This special content helps you access the most influential experts in your industry and earns the trust and loyalty of peopleand to earn that trust, you'll need to pack away your marketing messages. Primary fuel, the regularly produced free content that meets the needs of your readers, is a gift that keeps people coming back and cultivates raving fans. Carefully designed and highly targeted nuclear fuelcontent that has a big impactleaves a lasting impression on people and rockets your industry recognition.
Launch delivers field-tested guidance on how to create the most compelling content, and then leverage that content for maximum velocitywhile gaining the support of top experts in your industry. You'll find step-by-step instruction, including how to:
Develop an outward-focused mindset that inspires the content creation process
Identify role models that could become tomorrow's strategic partners
Build relationships with outside experts who'll gladly help you grow your business
Employ social proof so visitors turn into faithful fans
Implement the ten most effective types of contentthe fuel of your business
Discover new ways to market that don't repel people, but actually engage them
Every marketer throws around the word "content," but few have mastered the art and science of creating useful, thought-provoking, and viral content. Launch delivers the inspiration, encouragement, examples, and know-how you need to boost your brand to new heights and send your rocket ship to undiscovered galaxies.
Synopsis
Successful marketers share something in common-they produce engaging and interesting content that meets the insatiable demand for "how to" information. The best marketers don't need to sell themselves; instead, they demonstrate their expertise by the content they produce, the ideas they showcase, the success stories they share, and the people they attract. By giving a platform to other successful peers, marketers can build strategic alliances, quickly grow a large following, and dominate their industry. The book teaches how to successfully build your own platform through content marketing while praising and working with competitors. It teaches skills that when applied, will cause peers and industry power players to seek opportunities to partner with your business. The book explains how to
(a) create excellent content OR talk about excellent content,
(b) get content in front of the right people,
(c) capture names and grow a following,
(d) use leverage to build partnerships and relationships,
(e) sell, and
(f) repeat the process.
Following a combination of the methods outlined in this book will bring you both a large community of potential customers as well as an understanding of how to best sell and promote yourself to this valuable group.
Synopsis
If you've been let down by the undelivered promises of marketing, this book is for you.
Launch reveals a new way to grow your business that involves focusing on the needs of others, giving gifts, working with outsiders, and restraining your marketing messages. These principles are precisely the opposite of traditional marketing. Yet they work. And they are the future. If you follow the formula outlined in this book, you can attract countless customers and prospects, resulting in amazing business growth.
This book will show you how to:
* Create highly sharable content that meets people's needs
* Identify and work with outside experts, many of whom will gladly promote your content
* Attract and retain raving fans that will help your business grow
* Creatively market and sell to people who will gladly purchase your products and services
Launch isn’t like other marketing books. Rather than making keen observations about others who’ve achieved success, the ideas and principles in this book were developed, refined, and practiced by the author to great success. Pick up a copy for yourself and one for a friend.
Synopsis
"Hands on and generous, Michael shows you preciselyhow he does it, step by step."Seth Godin, author of Linchpin
"What Stelzner shares here is proven! He's already built a community that propelled his brand not only beyond the competition, but ahead of an entire industry."Brian Solis, author of Engage!
"This isn't a book about marketing; it's about human nature. Understand that and you've unlocked the key to your success."Scott Monty, Head of Social Media, Ford Motor Company
"If you're looking for a better way to reach the business heights you've only dreamed of, start reading Launch."David Meerman Scott, author of Real-Time Marketing and PR
"I only believe what I've read in Launch because I've watched Michael Stelzner do it himself. It works."Chris Brogan, President, HumanBusinessWorks.com, and coauthor of Trust Agents
"Theory is fine, really. But what's even better is how-to action.And that's precisely what you'll find here."Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs, and coauthor of Content Rules
"Mike's teachings absolutely work! This book is a must-read for anyone serious about building a sustainable empire on a solid foundation in today's fast-moving, new media world."Mari Smith, coauthor of Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day
About the Author
Michael A. Stelzner is the founder of SocialMediaExaminer.com—a popular online magazine that helps businesses answer social media questions with useful how-to articles, in-depth case studies, expert interviews, and original research. He also authored the book Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged, and is the man behind several large professional development conferences such as the Social Media Success Summit.
Table of Contents
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Chapter 1 Rockets Don’t Fly Themselves.
The Problem with Marketing.
The Internet as the Great Paralyzer.
Meet the Enemy: Channel Overload Syndrome.
Do People Really Trust Your Business?
Introducing the Elevation Principle.
Elements of the Elevation Principle.
Why the Formula Works.
Chapter 2 Starting Your Mission Plan.
Establishing Your Clear Vision.
Crafting Measurable Goals.
Setting Your Course Trajectory.
Chapter 3 Finding Inspiration by Looking Outward.
Identifying Role Models.
Leveraging Inspirational Content.
Setting Up an Idea Vault.
Creating a Discovery System.
Why the Outward Focus?
Chapter 4 Leveraging the Power of Other People.
The Power of Other People.
Who Do You Want to Reach?
Developing Profiles for Your Ideal Reader Base.
How to Identify the Problems and Desires of Your Reader Base.
What Problems Are They Facing?
Working with Outside Experts.
Leveraging Fire Starters.
Why Focus on Other People?
Chapter 5 Actively Engaging Other People.
Reciprocity Marketing.
The Importance of Giving Genuine Gifts.
Using Social Proof.
Moving People to Action.
Why Engage?
Chapter 6 Making Content the Fuel of Your Marketing.
Proof That Content Works.
What Makes for Great Content?
Creating an Editorial Guide.
Mapping an Editorial Calendar.
Why Content?
Chapter 7 Creating and Using Primary Fuel.
What Is Primary Fuel?
Comprehensive How-to Articles.
Expert Interviews.
Reviews.
Case Studies.
News Stories.
Contrarian Stories.
Chapter 8 Creating and Using Nuclear Fuel.
What Is Nuclear Fuel?
Reports Based on Surveys.
White Papers.
Top 10 Contests.
Micro Events.
Chapter 9 How to Employ Marketing.
What Does ‘‘Caging Marketing Messages’’ Mean?
How to Employ Marketing Messages.
The Last Word: The Elevation Principle Revisited.
Appendices Primary Fuel Content Samples.
Appendix A: Comprehensive How-to Article.
Appendix B: Expert Interview.
Appendix C: Review.
Appendix D: Case Study.
Appendix E: Contrarian Story.
Glossary.
About the Author.
Discover More About the Elevation Principle.
Index.