Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt – Book Review
Title and author: Platform: Get noticed in a noisy world by Michael Hyatt
Synopsis of content:
The secondary title of this book is “A Step-by-Step Guide for Anyone With Something to Say or Sell” and this is a very successful summary of the book.
Hyatt worked in the book publishing business and has been forced to adapt to using social media to “market” his products, books. He is also the author of several books and has learned how to promote his own work on social media. Although he uses many publishing examples, his methods are applicable to products, services, public speakers, as well as many other reasons for getting the message out.
He spends more time on the book on Twitter. He started out as a Twitter skeptic, but is now a devotee. It offers a step-by-step process for getting noticed in a very noisy social media world. These steps include:
Start by developing a compelling product or message that generates a “wow” reaction. There is no substitute for a high quality product.
Create a plan to launch your product with goals and tools.
Build a home base including a good website.
Expand your reach through a subscriber list and social media.
Engage your “tribe,” those who follow you on social media, to create a buzz about you and your product or message.
Hyatt uses many real-world examples based on his experience, as well as what others have done and written. Although he now likes Facebook, he has had his reservations about using it and is clearly in favor of Twitter. It also provides a lot of information about other programs and tools that allow you to use social media more effectively.
He relies heavily on his own experiences and since he has a self-hosted blog using WordPress software with custom design work. It also offers a lot of solid advice on branding and how to position yourself in the market. He discusses all of this in the context of Web 2.0 with an emphasis on offering plenty of free material to engage his followers.
Utility:
Anyone looking to use social media to effectively market an idea, message or product will benefit from the practical advice here. Experienced marketers who have relied on more traditional marketing devices will learn how to use social media to augment or even replace traditional methods. Those with no experience can learn how to use social media for marketing without much cost.
Readability/Quality of writing:
The book is clearly written and well organized. It is also well edited.
Notes about the author:
Michael Hyatt has spent his career in the publishing business spending much of that time with a Christian publishing company, Thomas Nelson Publications. It claims to be the oldest publishing company in the United States. He was its CEO and is now its president. He now spends a lot of time teaching others how to use social media through his platform training business.
Related Websites:
Michael Hyatt’s blog on Intentional Leadership is a http://michaelhyatt.com/
Three great ideas you can use:
1. You must have a compelling product to succeed in social media marketing; there is no substitute for it.
2. You need to create an “elevator pitch,” a concise description of what you offer and how it will benefit others that you can use in the media and in interviews.
3. There is no substitute for engaging your audience with social media. This takes time and persistence. You need to maintain a consistent presence to build your message and your audience.
Publication information:
Platform: Get noticed in a noisy world by Michael Hyatt
Copyright: 2012 by Michael Hyatt. Published in hardcover by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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