Review: Unlimited Sales Success

Review by Richard Pachter

Unlimited Sales Success by Brian Tracy. Amacom Books. 272 pages.

If you wanted to learn how to ride a bicycle, could you do so by reading a book? How about watching a video or listening to an audio program?
Of course not, yet sales books always seem to be popular, with new ones appearing with startling regularity.
One of my longtime favorites is Soft Selling In A Hard World by Jerry Vass. I read it upon my boss’ recommendation several lifetimes ago. Its consultative approach immediately appealed to me. But as many times as I studied and performed the recommended exercises, it wasn’t until I started making actual sales calls that it became real for me.
Fortunately, this is implicit in most sales books; far from providing a rote formulas or recipes, the best of them offer a strong framework and rich toolbox of tactics to apply to a variety sales strategies. But until you’re actually trying to apply the lessons in a real and usually unpredictable setting, it’s just a lot of dreams and theory.
This book is no different in that respect. But it distinguishes itself from the pack by Tracy (abetted by his son). Their writing is sharp and clear, and very relatable. The style is personal and the persona is quite personable.
Brian Tracy’s written tons of books on sales, marketing, presentation and more. He occasionally recycles stories (like the one recalled herein about finding an effective sales close, and then refusing to do callbacks), but he’s an authoritative and experienced guy, and this book is a superb summary of his ideas and principles.
Is it a substitute for experience? Of course not. But before you get on your bicycle — or shortly after you begin peddling — it’s valuable to know how to navigate down this difficult path.
 
Here’s an excerpt: “When I began my sales career, I knew nothing of the skills and techniques you are about to learn. I did not graduate from high school. I worked at laboring jobs for several years. When I could no longer find a laboring job, in desperation, I got into straight commission sales, cold-calling one office after another in the daytime and houses and apartments in the evenings.
I got the three-part sales training program that is common worldwide: ‘Here are your cards, here are your brochures, there’s the door.’
If I didn’t sell, I didn’t eat. I got up every morning at six and was waiting in the parking lot when people came to work at eight o’clock. My sales results were terrible. I was making just enough sales to eat and to pay for a small room in a boardinghouse. I had holes in my shoes, empty pockets, and no future.
A Life-Changing Event
Then I did something that changed my life. I went to the top salesman in our office, a man a few years older than me who was selling ten times as much as anyone else. And he wasn’t even working very hard! He always had a pocketful of money. He went to nice restaurants and nightclubs. He drove a new car and lived in a beautiful apartment.
I took a deep breath and went up to him and asked him outright, “What are you doing differently? How is it that you are making so many more sales than me, or anyone else?” He looked at me with surprise and then said, ‘Well, if you want some help, show me your sales presentation and I will critique it for you.’
Now, I admitted that I had heard there was such a thing as a ‘sales presentation.’ But it was like the far side of the moon, something I had never actually seen in reality. I told the top salesman that when I called on customers, I simply said whatever fell out of my mouth.
He said, ‘No. No. No. Selling is a profession. It is both a science and an art. It follows a logical, orderly process from the first step through to the closing of the sale and the satisfied customer. Let me give you an example of a sales presentation.’
He then sat me down and asked me questions, commenting as he went along, exactly as if I were a prospective customer for our product. Instead of talking continually, as I did when I got in front of a prospect, he asked questions in a logical sequence, leading from the general to the particular, from qualifying me as a prospect through to closing the sale. It was different from anything I had ever experienced.
From that day forward, instead of talking continually, I asked better questions of my potential customers and listened closely to their answers. And my customers reacted to me differently. And I started to make sales, and then more and more sales. I began reading books on selling and listening to audio programs. I began attending every sales seminar I could find. And each time I learned and applied something new, my sales went up, and up, and up. Within a year, I was earning ten times as much income. My whole life changed forever.“

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Club Reviews: PLANET ENTREPRENEUR

Planet Entrepreneur: The World Entrepreneurship Forum's Guide to Business Success Around the World by Steven D. Strauss

Strauss makes the hypothesis that we are living in the age of entrepreneurial solutions and that we need those solutions not just to create the Next Big Thing, but to solve the Next Big Problem!
Strauss asserts that both old and new problems and challenges are being faced by the "global revolution of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship."
And Stauss makes it clear no matter what we may think, we are all living on Planet Entrepreneur.
Chapter 1 emphasizes the tremendous change going on.  It is big change, transformational change.  Humanity has to adopt, adapt, and adjust to move forward.  The author says we have only two choices: utopia or oblivion.  We must count on our entrepreneurs who will seize the opportunities and challenges to solve huge problems.
Chapter 2 tells us we are in a technological revolution and entrepreneurs are seizing on that opportunity.  People are internet-driven and socially connected.  This technology allows entrepreneurs to find ways to make us smarter, wealthier and more connected.
Chapter 3  defines entrepreneurs as truly global adventurers.  And they come from anywhere, not just Silicon Valley. These entrepreneurs are loaded with vision and can see needs way before the rest of us know we have them.
Chapter 4 says business is an agent of change.  And change we must because we cannot continue as we are.  We must grasp and pursue the concept of sustainable development in all that we do.
Chapter 5 says that social entrepreneurs have come onto the scene and have a burning desire to make a positive social impact.  What we need is radical change and our social entrepreneurs are all over it.
Chapter 6 strongly states that we must empower women and minorities in this adventure of social entrepreneurship.  We are once again reminded that "all of us are smarter than any one of us."
Chapter 7 says we must find a way to tap the untapped potential that lies at the very base of our population pyramid.  No doubt that propblems at the top and the bottom of the pyramid are different but they all need solutions and that takes every strata of society.
Chapter 8 today we live in an accelerated, interconnected, global e-economy with no street address.  It is noted how China has made a radical turn toward capitalism.  Today it is commonly believed that small business entrepreneus can can help create a better, more peaceful, more affluent world.  We are now seeing "angel investors" pop up who have money to invest and are willing to do so to help grown business.
Chapter 9 in 2009 we had a deep recession and record unemployment but we also had a record number of business startups, highest in 14 years.  We will continue to need sources of investment and what we see are reward-based crowdfunders surfacing.Chapter 10 crowdfunding has taken startup funding to a whole new level.  People make their case, connect and get virtual strangers to invest in their dream. And the social media is the catalyst for all this.
Chapter 11 tells us that we see a huge paradigm shift and we must stress our educational systems to produce the needed entrepreneurs.
Chapter 12 it is noted that we no longer need to change our world through revolution, we must change our world through innovation.  To do that we are now seeing "innovation hubs" pop up all over the world.
Chapter 13 says when you empower people to think and act entrepreneurially within your organization, it is called intraentrepreneurship.  That simple means you allow people to think, dream, act and create.
Chapter 14 reminds us that the entrepreneurial revolution is here to stay.  Our challenge as big and small business is to find out how to be involved.
Chapter 15  by way of conclusion, Strauss says that while there are 28m businesses in the US, 20m are solopreneurs, self-employed. We cannot face the challenges and opportunities without these entrepreneurs! Doug Newberry-Antioch, TN

I enjoyed reading this book.  It was broken down nicely.  Easy to read format while telling the reader everything they needed to know about business and ownership all over the globe.  Also, reminds us that technology is our friend & we should embrace it. Terri Bryant-Davie

Wow. Great book by a think tank of entrepreneurs (well, not exactly but close enough).
It seems like this book covers it all from what is an entrepreneur, intrapeneurship, funding, and role of social media, environment and the list goes on. There is something to interest everyone in this book.
The book planet entrepreneur was relevant, current, interesting, well organized and crafted. It is FULL of REAL information to get you thinking and get you started.
some of the ideas make you want to jump right in however you can't; you need to determine first if you are suited to be an entrepreneur, what type of entrepreneur will you be, what motivates you and then you need to do your diligence. And this is putting it very simply.
This is hard work; there is no easy overnight solution for success as an entrepreneur. You need to focus and be patient and try, try again.
There are many examples of success and failures.
This book really sheds light on the topic; this book is a great resource and provides real world advice and information from a very impressive group of people, each successful in their own segment (and beyond). Each chapter tackles a different topic by different authors.
There are some recurring themes like the personality traits of a successful entrepreneur. But no world view is exactly the same. Really interesting. And leaves room for everyone to be unique and still be a success.
And throughout the book you see in many cases success is not just about financial gains.
Bottom line this book helps you determine do you have what it takes!  Entrepreneurial spirit and desire is not enough. Success requires a real commitment, enthusiasm, fortitude and the proper personality and a sense of humor is always helpful!
One of the most interesting points (and there were many) was that today it is not whether you know how to find information, but whether you know what to do with all the information that is so readily available.
This book gives you lots of information...and now what?! Lynn Wiener-Coconut Grove

I found the approach and organization of this book to be extremely effective.   First, the book is a compilation of individual entrepreneurs writing on separate subjects, surrounding global entrepreneurship.  Many chapters, such as  Chapter 5 on Social Entrepreneurship and the End of Charity not only explained the theoretical aspects but gave case studies of successful projects.
The organization showed different aspects of entrepreneurship: 1) The New World—how the global aspects have changed the nature of entrepreneurship—explores different types such as going green, social entrepreneurship, and empowering women; 3) The Toolkit—which gives examples of successful tools being used such as social media, alternative financing and education; and 4) Joining the Entrepreneurship Revolution—featuring intrapreneurship and  self-employed businesses.
It is an excellent variety of topics that shows different aspects of entrepreneurship on  a global basis.
A new world created through the expansion of technology is explored through distribution and borders (or lack of them), crowdfunding, and new views on subjects like charity (which can be served while developing revenues) brings us into a new view of entrepreneurship which explores different global strategies.
There are so many useful examples of ways the principles in the book have been used that it will broaden your perspective, even if you have an entrepreneurship background.   Extremely valuable information and examples, it is worth reading more than once! Randy B. Lichtman-Miami

Excellent read! Valuable resource for entrepreneurs interested in global opportunities.  I most enjoyed entrepreneurship presented through a social lens,  not only with a focus on creating profits, but also as a tool to improve the lives and conditions of billions of less fortunate who are on the “bottom of the pyramid.”  Such wonderful progress in improving lives thanks to Entrepreneurs. Doramary Russell-Coral Springs

The book is a combination of many authors who form part of the World Entrepreneurship Forum.  There are 14 entrepreneurs whose current and very enlightening strategies can make the reader into a successful entrepreneur.  Topic include mobile phone, internet, poverty-rich and angel investors, emerging marks, youth, micro credit, 7 year cycle & Food Recovery.  The chapter are short but well written and a pleasure to read. William Murtada-Miami

This book is more a how-to and review of what you can do to start a business.
The term entrepreneur is wildly used but really means a person who brings value to some operation. I really would like to see how entrepreneurship is taught. My take is that it's more knowing thyself, being self-confident and also being a good leader.  This is what and might be taught in a class of entrepreneurship.
This book is a compilation of several articles by different people some by the compiler, Stephen D Strauss.  This makes the book a little bit uneven.
However this book is very useful as a source for how to start a business and how to use the Internet particularly for an international setting.
The one thing this book does not do is discuss about what would be the product. Product has to be one that is in high demand and can be sold over the Internet.
A good example is what Steve Jobs did with Apple. He made sure that the product was the hardware and the software, where others went different directions, splitting the hardware and the software.  Jobs was proven right only after about 20 years.  Of course on his return to Apple he did have the computer stores that everybody thought would be unsuccessful he also developed the iPhone and others devices.  He made sure they could all be interconnected and were very use full as smart phones which really are mini- computers.  This is what the competition are working towards today.  Jobs and Apple did have failures - remember the Newton?
There is a chapter on how a government can get involved with encouraging people to start a business, called entrepreneurship,  this was Start-Up Chile.  I had a friend in this program and I think that overall he had a good experience.  However since doing this he has moved to the California area.  This program does sound better then what our  Government is doing.  It seems that our Government is placing bets on products that might succeed in the marketplace. So far there seems to be a great deal of failure.
In summary it is very important to be an entrepreneur to be self-assured of yourself, have patience, be prepared to not succeed and have a product that people will want.  I am not sure how you can teach this as this book tries to do.  Knowledge and perseverance is key along with being a risk taker. Gordon E. Ettie-Miami

This book was very timely for me, as I am in the process of launching my first entrepreneurial business and in every business you have be a salesperson as well as wearing many other hats.  The information provided in the book is very straightforward and for a logical person it is a great way to understand all the necessary steps for unlimited selling.  We all have many tools in our toolbox but usually fall back on our go to tools.  While this is okay, each new tool that we employ in our daily routine becomes a new go to tool and increases our ability to be the best we can at what we do.  Learning gives us confidence and increase our energy around different parts of the sales process that may have us stuck. 
Building trust with a potential customer, Understanding our potential customer's needs, and Understanding what we have to offer will either make you a perfect fit or put you in the position to make a recommendation to your potential customer that may not result in your sale but will increase your customer's trust that you are honest and looking out for them.  Understanding who your customer is and how you serve them, is what differentiates you from others.
If you want to learn simple steps, that are given from the beginning to the end of the book, that will help you in your goals, read this book now!  It is easy to follow and will help you understand how to consciously identify and assist your potential or existing customers. Bari Schanerman-Miami

I LOVED this book!! It takes everything I've long suspected as going on in the world and gives tangible examples in essays written by the members of the World Entrepreneurship Forum, "the first ever entrepreneur think tank." I've always been fascinated by people who can make something out of nothing and have studied entrepreneurs for as long as I can remember.  The essays in this book illustrate how the lack of full time employment, underemployment and the decision of corporations to get by on as few employees as possible has made entrepreneurship a viable alternative.
"Planet Entrepreneur" author Steven Strauss makes readers believe that they, too, can start and successfully run a business:
"Not long ago, and for eons before that, a small business was confined to its local micro geography and economy. But no longer. Today any small business can be a glocal business. This is a fact has not been true for the history of the world, except for the past decade or so. If your business is not taking advantage if it, you are missing out on the biggest change in business, ever. That’s not hyperbole, it's fact."
Not since reading Tim Ferriss' "Four Hour Workweek" have I felt this empowered. Kathy Doran-Miami Beach

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Club Reviews: UNLIMITED SALES SUCCESS

 Unlimited Sales Success by Brian Tracy.

I have read all of Brian Tracey's books and like his writing very much.  But I am not a sales professional so I had some apprehension about reading this book and its application to me.  But yesterday as soon as the book arrived in the mail, I picked it up and started reading.  And to my surprise, I quickly learned that many of the principles Tracey shares are applicable to any profession, not just sales. At that point, I could not put the book down.  I will say right up front, that the book was useful to me up to about page 150 and after that Tracey spends time on the "nuts and bolts" of successful selling.  But again the first 150 pages were worth the time and the read.
Let me share, by way of review some of the points I picked out that apply to any and all professions:
We are reminded that the Law of Cause and Effect says that for every effect there is a cause or a series of causes (in every profession).
The Law of Cause and Effect shows us that success is not a matter of luck.
Tracey constantly, throughout the book, reminds us that if we find out what successful people do and do those things we too can be successful.
We learn that as our world changes, we too must change to be successful.
In all professions, it is a reality, that there are more sellers than buyers.  Competition is fierce!
To be, or remain, successful we must be prepared.  We must always do our homework.
Credibility has never been more important.  Credibility comes from trust.
Self-confidence is a vital psychological tool of success.
Tracey quotes a Marine saying, "Adapt! Adjust! Respond!  Good advice for any profession.
We are reminded that no matter how successful one becomes in any profession, they started at the back of the line.  We have to work our way to the front of the line!
We can learn any skill we need to learn in order to achieve any goal we set for ourselves.
Self-esteem is the "reactor core" of your personality that determines your levels of optimism, self-respect and personal pride.
Les Brown says, "if you want to be successful, you've got to be hungry."
Ambition is the fuel in the furnace of achievement.
Anything less than a commitment to excellence is the acceptance of mediocrity.
Your level of ambition and your determination to be the best in your field is the nitroglycerin that causes your potential to explode over time.
Success requires that we overcome the fear of failure which is the single biggest obstacle to success.
Successful people are continuous learners.
The quality of your thinking largely determines the quality of your life.
We make a huge mistake when we think we work for someone else rather than ourselves!
Tracey talks about personal strategic planning as a way to increase our ROE. ROE is return on energy.
Tracey encourages the use of the GOSPA (goals, objectivies, strategies, plans and activities) method of strategic thinking and planning.
In any profession, we need focus and concentration.  Focus means we are clear about what we are trying to accomplish. Concentration means we have a single-minded focus on doing the things that lead to success.
Successful people choose to be around positive people.  They know that negative people can bring you down emotionally.
Tracey quotes Abraham Lincoln, who said, "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other factor."
Top sales people (and I would submit to any profession), are referred to by their clients as friends, adviser, teachers.
Everyone in every profession must have a good reputation. Without that,  NO success!  Your reputation is your key business asset.
Over and over throughout the books, Tracy reminds us of the importance of the skill of asking good questions.
William James has said, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that people can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind."
With that I close by saying again, this is a GREAT book for any professional! Doug Newberry-Antioch, Tennessee

I enjoyed reading this book.  It was broken down nicely.  Easy to read format while telling the reader everything they needed to know about business and ownership all over the globe.  Also, reminds us that technology is our friend & we should embrace it. Terri Bryant-Davie

I have had the pleasure of reading, listening to and seeing Brian Tracy in his seminars on sales, personal development and other areas of growth for many years. His work is well researched, practical and has shown proven success in his stories and my own use of his principles.
In some ways, it is a highlights version of his many sales programs including “The Psychology of Selling” (which is summarized in Chapter 1), Advanced Selling Techniques (which is included in several chapters) and others as well.  He sums up the principles well in bullet point form, making it easy to comprehend. 
The book, “Unlimited Sales Success”, is a practical primer in successful sales techniques, one that focuses on the “12 Simple Steps for Selling More than You Ever Thought Possible”.  The consultative selling approach is well explained and they explain the principles in a very easy to understand manner colored with stories from real sales.  The many questions they put in our hands are also very valuable tools.
In sales, going back to the fundamentals from time to time can be very valuable, and this is such a book to help do that. Overall, I found the book to be excellent in achieving its purpose—educating both experienced and new salespeople in how to be very effective in a very structured manner.  I highly recommend it! Randy B. Lichtman-Miami

What an excellent primer for serious sales persons. Every chapter has learning pearls that any one selling products to ideas can benefit from. All throughout "The Wolf of Wall Street" I kept on seeing Brian Tracy's concepts in actual practice. Marvin Stein MD-Coral Springs

I'm a sales professional and also a reader of most of Brian Tracy's books. With that said, I was fairly impressed by the information Brian and Michael put together in this book. Truly gives you a realistic view of what sales readily is today. Many of the old school thinking just doesn't apply anymore. Not only does Tracy tell you what doesn't work, he gives you ideas on what does work and how to go about executing these ideas. We're all in sales whether we like to admit it or not. This book is a must read for those of us who take selling seriously and are looking to take our profession to the next level. David Mesas-Miami

“Unlimited Sales Success” might be a good book for those just starting out on their own, but for those of us who have done some research already on sales and entrepreneurship, this book is really pretty elementary. I can see its usage as an undergraduate textbook in a course on marketing and sales.  There are “Action Exercises” at the end of the chapter, that reinforce and review what was covered in the chapter.
Probably the most relevant chapters for me would be “Time Management for Sales Professionals”  and the epilogue, “Seven Secrets to Success in Selling.” Good tips for sales, and for life management in general! Betty Hubschman-Whitsett, North Carolina

I have been in real estate sales for more than thirty year and have found the new Brian Tracey book to be by far the best book ever on the market, not only for sales but for approaching and dealing with others in every walk of life.  Everyone is in sales from a child first swapping a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in kindergarten to those working at the highest corporate levels.You give and get.  Every page of this book has some useful idea for helping you to move ahead in your career.  Those in public service and employees working in stores and businesses should find that they will have an easier time of assisting those who want to buy or purchase their products if thy follow even a tenth of the messages here..
I especially liked the chapter where Mr. Tracy discusses treating your customer/or client as a doctor would see a patient.... discuss the issue first and determine what the patient feels they need or how they feel, then examine the options, and develop a trusting relationship while determining the plan to accomplish what is needed.
This book is so good and so full of hundreds of positive ideas that I am going to pass it on to my co-workers.  This book is so great  that I feel it is worth reading twice to absorb the details which is exactly what I am going to do. Jeannett Slesnick-Coral Gables

Unlimited Sales Success by Brian and Michael Tracy seems to be the perfect manual
for anyone currently in a sales career, just beginning one, or just thinking about starting one.
It is a well thought out organized masterpiece that treats sales as an art and science
rather than just another job.
The book is written from the experiences of the authors. It focuses on the law of cause and
effect, therefore it makes sense to emulate their examples.
Their tips give logical, inspiring and motivating steps for success.
Unlimited Sales Success is well worth the investment of money and time spent reading it. Margot Byrnes-Miami

Everyone is a salesman.
I am a small business owner.  While my company provides services, not products (in the "widget" sense), I am constantly cajoling my employees that "everyone is a potential client" and that sales and marketing, while not normally considered a high priority is truly a "24/7 job".
Many people in my line of work don't consider themselves as a seller, don't work on their elevator pitch, don't spend time developing prospects.  I think that is a mistake.  While the Brian and Michael Tracy don't open any revolutionary doors in Unlimited Sales Success, the book provides a very nice outline or overview of some of the fundamental principles of selling.  Even if one sells all day for years, a refresher on what is the goal and how you can work to achieve it is always beneficial.
What the book did for me was help me to refocus on some of the simple, yet important elements of selling, presenting, and closing.  Sellers can get lazy off of success, or discouraged by consistent failure.  Regardless, the "12 Simple Steps" allow the reader to reflect on their selling technique by focusing on steps that, while important, are easily overlooked.
Again, Unlimited Sales Success is not bleeding edge sales theory.  It proves, however, that a simple, well-written presentation can often be just the thing to close the deal. Scott D. Rembold-Coral Gables

Brian & Michael Tracy have hit a home run with Unlimited Sales Success.  They make it simple to understand and outline all the basic secrets of great sales professionals. They start with simple tips on how to just go out and sell, keys on building relationships and the most important step of all, which is asking for the sale.
The book is fun to read, easy to absorb and a great tool for anyone who wants to be a winner in the world of sales. Trisha Molina-Miami Springs

I follow Brian Tracy on Social Media, and was a bit disappointed that he did not discuss more on this aspect of sales and relationship development.  Great basic information guide that is sure to help you develop the key skills required to succeed as a professional consultant (aka salesperson).  Highly recommend. Doramary Russell-Coral Springs

I enjoyed Brian Tracy’s Unlimited Sales Success, 12 Simple Steps for Selling More than you Ever Thought Possible.  While much of what Brian provides in the book is somewhat basic material, the fact is so many salespeople are not following the fundamentals.  This book would clearly re-energize a sales team and assist in refocusing people who are in the sales profession.  While I understand much of what is in this book is taken from his previous books, I have not read them myself and enjoyed the book.  I would recommend it for anyone who is currently in or is about to enter the sales profession.
John Lyon-Barre, Vermont

This book was very timely for me, as I am in the process of launching my first entrepreneurial business and in every business you have be a salesperson as well as wearing many other hats.  The information provided in the book is very straightforward and for a logical person it is a great way to understand all the necessary steps for unlimited selling.  We all have many tools in our toolbox but usually fall back on our go to tools.  While this is okay, each new tool that we employ in our daily routine becomes a new go to tool and increases our ability to be the best we can at what we do.  Learning gives us confidence and increase our energy around different parts of the sales process that may have us stuck.  
Building trust with a potential customer, Understanding our potential customer's needs, and Understanding what we have to offer will either make you a perfect fit or put you in the position to make a recommendation to your potential customer that may not result in your sale but will increase your customer's trust that you are honest and looking out for them.  Understanding who your customer is and how you serve them, is what differentiates you from others.
If you want to learn simple steps, that are given from the beginning to the end of the book, that will help you in your goals, read this book now!  It is easy to follow and will help you understand how to consciously identify and assist your potential or existing customers. Bari Schanerman-Miami

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NEXT BOOKS: Planet Entrepreneur AND Unlimited Sales Success

Two books to read and review this time! If you're interested, click the link to sign up on the upper left of this page.

First up is Planet Entrepreneur: The World Entrepreneurship Forum's Guide to Business Success Around the World by Steven D. Strauss, USA Today’s small business columnist and more.

Here’s what he says about the book: “I wrote it with several co-authors from the World Entrepreneurship Forum. I am more excited about this book than almost any other I have written in a while, for a few reasons:

First, I think (hope!) it is very interesting. It looks at the explosive growth of entrepreneurship around the globe ('regular' entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, green entrepreneurs, etc.), and how they are changing the world, right now, radically, and for the better.
Second, at a time when the world is so divided, it is nice to share a book that is positive, hopeful, and looks at ways and ideas that link us together.
We are living in a world of incredible challenge and changes, and for both the entrepreneur and potential entrepreneur alike, this also means it is a world of ample opportunities. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the rise of e-commerce and social media, there are now, today, more markets, tools, and opportunities for entrepreneurs than ever before. Even better: we are now also living in a world more predisposed to entrepreneurial solutions than ever, and we need those solutions—not just to create the Next Big Thing, but to solve the Next Big Problem. Every issue that individuals, communities, and nations face offers the entrepreneur the chance to make a difference. For anyone ready to embark on a mission to solve problems, create communities, build businesses, tap technology, and think entrepreneurially, this new world is teeming with opportunities for success.”

You can read an excerpt and find out more about the book here.

Next is Unlimited Sales Success by Brian Tracy. Tracy is a longtime sales trainer and guru, and this is a very solid primer on sales basics and more.

Here’s a brief description:

“If there were a single great "secret" to being an elite sales professional, surely one of the millions of attendees of Brian Tracy's sales seminars would have spilled the beans by now. There isn't a secret. But there is a set of consistently successful selling techniques that most companies don't teach their salespeople, and which most entrepreneurs and independent sales pros think they don't have time to learn. Based on more than 40 years of selling experience - in virtually all product categories and market conditions, Unlimited Sales Success shows that these proven sales skills are learnable - by anyone. Highlighting practical, time-tested principles including: the psychology of selling: your own mindset is just as important as your customer's; personal sales planning and time management: whether you work for yourself or someone else, great planning equals great success; prospecting power: get more and better appointments; consultative and relationship selling: position yourself as a partner with the account; identifying needs accurately: you'll know how to arouse their interest and overcome objections; influencing customer behavior: learn what triggers quick buying decisions; closing the sale: the five best methods ever discovered; and more. Unlimited Sales Success is loaded with eye-opening facts and exercises, peppered with stories of great selling techniques in action, and organized into a use-it-now approach that will help you become a top sales professional-starting today.”

You can read more about it here.

You can review both books or choose one. The deadline will be generous, so no worries.

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CLUB REVIEWS: CONTROL ALT DELETE

 Ctrl Alt Delete: Reboot Your Business. Reboot Your Life. Your Future Depends on It. Mitch Joel. Business Plus. 288 pages.

Mitch Joel makes a clear case for what he calls the seismic shift in the way we do business.  I liked the book because he not only drives home the point that we must make this change, or get left behind, but he then goes on to tell us in an upbeat manor how to make these changes not only in our business, but in our whole way of thinking. Emily Gilday, Miami
The world is changing and at a more rapid pace than ever before.  What I read was eye opening, scary and invigorating all at once.  However, the area that stuck out the most was the rapid proliferation of data driven mobile devices.  With 2.1 Billion data devices purchased and over 2 million iPhone's sold in 24 hours, the access to information is truly at everyone's fingertips.  Add in the love affair we have with these devices and a cultural phenomenon is not in the near future, it's happening now.  In my business, we have created opportunities to be where are consumers are and the mobile device is a key component.  Now, the question becomes how to monetize it.  We haven't mastered that aspect of the business plan nor have our competitors.  But our usage on the mobile device was 6% three years ago compared to 94% via the desktop.  Now, it's 57% mobile and 43% desktop.
Switching gears, one area Mitch focused on was the new office. I found that interesting especially where he mentioned a company that doesn't have specific office space for their employees.  Everyday, you can sit where you want. It made me think about how it eliminates the class system. By doing so, would it create more collaboration or would people start creating their own space and then protecting it.  I think in a smaller work environment, it would be a great test to determine the impact.  I am honestly to scared to do a similar tact with 36 sellers.  However, one take away was developing a creative space for people to collaborate, think or work in a more free flowing environment.  
Overall, I recommend this book because it provides useful insight on how the business environment is truly changing. Mitch provides useful links, mentions several books or provides some great websites.
Thanks for the opportunity, I really enjoyed this book based primarily on the takeaways I received. Greg Alexander Plymouth, MN

Joel serves up a thorough evaluation of the new landscape of marketing, and takes a solid stab at where we’re heading. He stresses the importance of building and nurturing direct relationships with consumers through social media and beyond. He makes a case for delivering real value by making your business and marketing truly useful to your customers.
The main goal of the book seems to be to shake up the reader to let go of old models of marketing and customer relationships. In this respect, it succeeds. I found myself questioning and reevaluating my own strategies. Real answers, though, are hard to come by.
As a business owner, I tried to extract lessons that I can apply to my own company, but I’m not convinced that smaller businesses will gain as much as larger consumer brands will from Ctrl Alt Delete.
The writing style is so rambling and awkward that I really didn’t enjoy reading this book. Here’s a typical sentence:
“In my first book, Six Pixels of Separation, I engaged in the argument that it’s not about how many people your brand connects to (which is the main metric that traditional advertising looks at), it’s that now we can better understand who these people are and what they’re really about (wants, desires, level of care).”
Seriously, how many sets of parentheses can one sentence handle? This seemingly lazy writing is found from beginning to end, complete with questionable grammar, and far too many references to the author himself.
I will keep Joel’s lessons in mind as I move my business forward, but I wish he could have presented them in a more digestible form. He needs a good editor to make this material truly engaging. Robert Kirkpatrick, Miami Beach

I'll start of my review by saying, I certainly recommend this book to anyone in business.  Mitch touches on many current and interesting topics in the fast changing data and advertising industries that are truly impacting all businesses.  I appreciate how he first gives the reader the business implications and then uses the second half of the book to tie that back to how the reader should embrace these changes from a personal and professional perspective.  I found myself highlighting many lines in this book, which only means it was packed with good material. David Mesas, Miami

This was painful.  I tried my best but couldn't get through more than
half.  I get that lots of people are going to lose their jobs, but
repeating words like "purgatory" and giving Gary Vaynerchuk style
advice ("post on blogs!") actually isn't that useful.
A book on the same topic which is actually both interesting and useful
is James Altucher's "Choose Yourself." Scott Wilson (Tampa?)

Ctrl Alt Del is a wakeup call for older entrepreneurs and business men on how to rethink revitalize and reinvent their traditional brands using the technology and social interaction of the 21 century.  Mitch joel stresses creativity, communication, the personal touch that has been lost in our fast paced world.
While he appears overly enamored or awed by technology, he makes a good case on how to effectively use mobility, openness, and social networking for marketing, sales, support, and just idea gathering and promotion. The old adage of reinventing oneself by examining one's own processes rings true just as teaching an old dog of a business owner  new tricks to survive.
I loved his concrete examples and "rules" that even work for the young adventurer or the old business salt. Marvin Stein, Coral Springs
 
I would definitely recommend this book.  It is concise, precise and right on the mark when it comes to showing how to outline the basics for technology's sake.  It is written in a step by step format that even the less than savvy computer users, like myself, can grasp.  Two thumbs up. Terri Bryant, Davie

I received CtrlAltDelete on 15 Aug 13 and have read it twice.  I have been reading well over a hundred books a year for at least the past 35 years, and I must honestly say this in one of the few books I could just not put down.  Having spent 50 years in the business world, after twice reading Joel's book I have said to myself more than once where was Joel when I really needed him.  I have now retired for the third time and have no plans for active employment again but I could have used much of Joel's insight over the years of my career.  When I retired the first time at the end of Sep 2001, after a 38 year career, I was second in command (COO) of a 14,000 member organization scattered all over the world.  I would have been both a better professional and leader had I had the opportunity to seize on Joel's insights those many years ago.
But I am where I am and as I read, twice, I could not put my notepad and pen down.  I wrote lots of notes to share with friends and younger professionals that I have the honor of mentoring.  There is so much I want to share so let me just lung right in.
For those who do not acquire this book and read it, shame on you, you have lost a very helpful book and lots of valuable insights that can be put to use immediately.
I found it quite interesting and right on point that Joel refers to the time in which we are living as PURGATORY.  I think he is right on target!  He says if you go to a conference, look around you because 1/3 of those you see will not be around in 5 years.  This is a time of great upheaval in business and Joel says the DNA of business has changed forevermore.  Consumers are smart and getting smarter.  Consumers are ahead of their brands that serve them.  The business challenge of how to adapt technology has put business in what Joel calls "a rapid state of genetic mutation" and we are in the middle of this evaluation.  Joel calls this moment PURGATORY because many businesses are scared and don't know what to do.  A tweaking of the organization will not do.  Businesses have to understand this state of purgatory or the business dies and jobs disappear.  We find ourselves in a world described by co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs,  as "If you don't cannabalize yourself, someone else will."  CtrlAltDelete is all about rebooting your business and yourself.

Now for me at least, I share a few of Joel's more salient points:

• . Many things we see are changing the way business is done.
•  -Digital only brands
•  -Cradle to grave business models like Apple
•  -Manufacturers who have direct relationships with consumers
•  -Everything is customer focused; business must look at things like customers
•  -Businesses asking customers to LIKE them on Facebook
•  -Customers are not linear, they are what Joel calls squiggly.  They are connected to each other  but also to the world
•  -To be successful businesses must have a positive relationship with their customers
•  -Relationships are at the core of every successful business
•  -As Apple co-founder Jobs said, "It is not the customers job to figure out what they want," that is what successful businesses do

Joel is right when he says business must: (1) deliver value first, (2) be open, (3) be clear and consistent, (4) create a mutually beneficial world, and (5) build true fans.
Well I could go on writing and writing but let me stop here.  To Richard's readers DO NO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO read Joels CtrlAltDelete. Doug Newberry, Antioch, Tn.

 WOW! What a book! This is a must read book for the entrepreneur and would be entrepreneur called Ctrl Alt Delete by Mitch Joel. Be sure to get a copy of it. It is fascinating and provides an insight into how companies should be doing business and how you relate to it. anyone who is thinking about starting a business, or anyone who has a business and needs to kick start it, will not put this down until they devour every page of it. It is the holy grail for businesses and would be businesses. Not only does it provide insight into what is going on now in the world of marketing, it provides a step by step blueprint of how you can adopt to it. This is the bible for learning what is wrong with your business, how you can fix it and what you can do as an individual to find your passion and become an entrepreneur yourself. Barry Epstein, Boca Raton

A couple of specific ideas discussed really struck me. First is the notion of the "one screen world", meaning that businesses need to change their thinking from research and marketing to sales and service with regard to how resources will be budgeted and consumed as we move to the "mobile" screen replacing desktops, and even brick and mortar! Another idea Joel discusses is the coming evolution of DNA marketing. Scary realistic idea that we are being watched and tested for what we may be willing to buy in the future! John Moorehead, Weston

I really enjoyed Joel’s book.  He stressed how important technology is in all areas of business (as seller, marketer, consumer), and in personal life.  We can’t ignore how quickly technology is changing the ways we interface.  He also stresses the importance of building direct relationships, and the “touchy-feely” part of me really identified with this!  His five lessons about building direct relationships  stress the necessity of delivering something of real value and using technology to build upon relationships and something that is mutually beneficial.  Hmmm.  That works for personal relationships as well as business relationships, doesn’t it?
And finally, with so many people losing their jobs, his chapter on Startup Mode was beneficial…  well worth anyone who is disgruntled at all with his/her present work to align with the right people, embrace mistakes, and move ahead.
His motto of “embrace the squiggle” repeats Apple’s “Here’s to the Crazy Ones” advertising, ending with “… the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” Betty G Hubschman, Whitsett, North Carolina

What an energizing book!
I love marketing and it has been my life since high school.
I am amazed at the changes and what lies ahead.
This book opens your eyes to the many opportunities and also their side effects.
Do you want to give up all your privacy to take a chance on making money through a Facebook site for your company and is that the media platform for your business analytics?
All these questions and more are discussed by the author Mitch Joel.
I am looking for the sequel as I have so many questions from reading this book!
I also like his references, it is like a social media course in college.
In today's world everyday is a new technology, a new market tool and you must study what fits in your field.
Mine is Real Estate and which app, twitter or Facebook do I spend my time with to capture the next listing or buyer, besides combing the MLS?
Possibly in the future a listing on the MLS will automatically generate a tweet, show up on Facebook and generate a sale from China!
The possibilities are yet to be explored and this book opens your world to look for new marketing tools every second.
Of course, it also points out you need a life and when do you separate from your Iphone? Last kiss at night and first in the morning!
Excellent book I highly recommend for all professionals to read. Cynergy

The author is very current on the most popular app and provides examples for the digital strategies in marketing a business.  The writing is broken into small sections mostly not more than one page which makes the book difficult to follow.   The  content has good examples of new technology but the writing can have more explanations.  The book has an index and is divided into two.  The first half is on the company and the second half on the individual marketing.  The orange cover makes it a light and amusing read. William Murtada, Miami
 
In CONTROL ALT DELETE , Mitch Joel states from the time he wrote his book to it's actual publication, the contents may be outdated.
However, he covers so much useful material while sighting many creative methods, ideas and examples of both successful and unsuccessful endeavors, the outdated suggestion is highly unlikely.
His book points out the importance of the digital world of the internet and it's components in every aspect
of life in today's ever changing world of technology.
He points out the importance of the social media (Face Book etc.), the mobile devices and active and passive media. The internet is an amazing source of information! Even clean bathrooms,"sit or squat" can be found there.
Not only can various kinds of information be found but purchases can be made as well.
I have recently discovered that a book published in the UK can be purchased before it is made available in the U.S. That is helpful if you don't want to wait for it to arrive here.
In order to keep up with world of almost daily changes, businesses as well as their employees need to
"reboot" in order to remain a part of it. To be indispensible is to do something others can not do.
Trying to be like everyone else is risky business in the forseeable future. An entrepeneur needs to have
the desire to create the future.
Joel also points out there may be consequences for using the i-phone and other devices as a companion
rather than another human being. It is important to ask yourself if what is happening on your i-phone or other devices is more important than the here and now. Remember that thought when you are with your children or
other people and don't forget to set your priorities.
If longevity is your goal in business and relationships with others, Mitch Joel's book should be made an
important part of your life. It's a necessary read! Margot Byrnes, Miami

I did not enjoy this book as I did the others.  Iwould get to a part that started off interesting but by the time I got to the end of the section or example I had to reread the beginning of that part to remember the subject.
There were some parts I liked, e.g. the squiggly - the idea not his examples.  The five dynamics were good, I do not think he brought the idea home for the rebooting your personal life though.
To me this was a very confusing book which did not hold my attention.  I may read it again, but after I read the previous three books I reviewed first. Forrest Carper

Mitch Joel writes a useful book on how businesses must adapt to the virtual digital world in which we now operate.  As a small business owner, I daily wrestle with the shifting tides of marketing in the twitter/Facebook/website environment.  My business does not naturally lend itself to any form of traditional marketing.  This continues to be true as a digital presence becomes "traditional."  Personally, I am afflicted with the need to constantly check my twitter feed, so I understand the necessity to adapt to the "One-Screen World."  While Joel's suggestions on meeting goals for delivering appropriate content to millions of potential clients don't always align with what my business can or should be doing, it provides a fresh view to the reality of the need for a digital presence.
I found it interesting that Joel readily cites other authors and thinkers, and recommends numerous books, blogs and websites when explaining a premise or position.  For what its worth, that gave me a positive feeling about the ideas and the author, and also led to additional "research" and other great business ideas.
Overall, the content was sharp and thought-provoking, and the presentation in multi-heading "bites" made it an easy read.  I felt like I could always pick it up even if I could only read four or five pages during a brief sitting.  This kept me coming back for more, and led me beyond the pages to bonus ideas. S D Rembold

It's hard to keep the subject of how technology influences your marketing, your relationships and your life fresh, and this book is no breakthrough.
Divided in two sections, the first dealing in how rebooting can impact your business and the second about rebooting your life, the book, like every marketing book in this day and age, showcases many successful enterprises and the strategy they used to get there. It's a tried and true strategy, and judging by the amount of similar books proliferating, a winning one.
The problem with this particular one is  that a found limited applicability to the advice doled out. Perhaps because I'm not in the service community trying to reach thousands of distant eyes, but even when the book turns to "personal life" advice I found its logic unnecessarily stretched just to prove a point, and even then I didn't find it that useful. Maybe I need rebooting, but this book never pushed the right keystrokes in my brain. 5 out of 10. Miguel Cobas, MD

 Every time I opened "Ctrl Alt Delete" to read a few more pages, I hoped it would get better. It never did. With so much energy and enthusiasm about the opportunities presented by the Internet, Mitch Joel seems perfectly positioned to make sense of it all. Instead, he delivers a shabby quilt of ill-stitched memes, reverent of the entrepreneurial spirit and fail-fast startup culture that has so radically transformed business since the Internet's inception.
The book's string of bite-sized sections, each carrying a short but catchy subhead, is enjoyable at first. But while the style gives author Mitch Joel a chance to punctuate his transitions with wit, the transitions eventually fall flat. The quick-pivots between case studies, admonitions, and advice intended to help the reader understand how to keep pace with modern consumers quickly turn into little speed-bumps in overly-long stories that should have been trimmed by a good editor.
Remarkably, this book does deliver a little value along the way. For the unaware, it creates a clear and compelling view of the convergence of media platforms that Joel casts as "The One-Screen World." It points to the wholly under-appreciated imperative of building direct connections with customers in a world where social media is taking on added importance to marketers every day. And for people who missed out on the revolutionary Tom Peter's book, "The Brand You 50," it makes clear the many reasons for resetting one's priorities in a business world that has so firmly placed us at the helm of our own careers. Michael Fitzhugh

Everyone knows we are in the “Information Age,” but Mitch Joel warns that only few today are poised to succeed as the digitization of our interactions continues at warp speed.  Great discussion of how digitalization of consumer interaction, through smart phone, tablet and/or wearable computer technologies, is drastically re-shaping our business and personal lives.  Adapt and embrace the new realities of communication, and everyman smart-technology, or be left behind.  Clever and worthwhile reading. Doramary

This book goes into detail about how our world is changing at a phenomenal pace.  In order to be successful, it is important to be like one of the customers, walk in their shoes and step outside the box, get away from sitting behind the desk.  In order to gain a customers attention, one needs to be up to date in all areas of technology and digital media in regards to advertising and marketing.  It may seem fairly basic, but today’s fast paced world waits for no one.  We cannot sit idly by as the competitors are always a step ahead to get the business.  This book embraces today’s technological world in an easy to follow format. Trisha Molina, Miami Springs

 A very thought-provoking book is this Control, Alt, Delete.  As the title implies this is an information-age book that addresses the dilemma of computer improvements, applications to personal devices and their impacts on business.  It goes without saying that since days of Marshal McLuhan the impact of technology has radically altered the economics and decision making processes of business.  And in the current economic sphere that writer Mitch Joel addresses, where sole practitioners take on the corporate giants, the challenge becomes how to re-invent ourselves and our businesses to address the influences of 24x7 access, big data’s impact on consumers, and the associated real problems of finding a job via cyber mode, where we can apply our unique talents.
    When so much of the employment picture is run digitally, our digital presence has to resist becoming digitally stereotyped, such that individual expression is limited by your tech presence for good or bad.  As one makes your digital self known, it might be said that you survive only by what you write, and the digital impact you make for your product saves your identity and defines your worth.
    Besides mastering the technological innovations and hardware the Futurists dilemma (and sometimes the consumer person’s nightmare) becomes; Do we function well by allowing the media mode of social network and web presence, to be the place where we strive to retain our unique identity?  Or sorry to say, do we just let media filtering translate our message in bulk with an archetypal message?
    Seth Godin might say “Weird” is alright, “just be you”; but this book goes to the next level and favors a new approach to media presence where people market themselves by striving to get to app status, so to speak.  This book says there might be some new thinking required too, about how we create our private space and then take it to big data to draw attention to ourselves and thereby justify other people’s time for a message.
    But McLuhan’s message and admonition are still valid here.   Your message depends somewhat on the media transmission method.
             Yes, we’re all going to be increasingly connected to the technology to connect to our customers.  But the valuable message to new workers, from the characteristics Control Alt, Delete supports, is worth reading.  Be careful of throwing out the baby (our special message) with the bath of continual static virtual evaluation.  A New You might encounter a Reality Check when the final impression gets transmitted..   Is there a danger of being co-opted? Jim Swaner

Mitch Joel makes a clear case for what he calls the seismic shift in the way we do business.  I liked the book because he not only drives home the point that we must make this change, or get left behind, but he then goes on to tell us in an upbeat manor how to make these changes not only in our business, but in our whole way of thinking. Emily Gilday, Miami

I did not enjoy this book as I did the others.  Iwould get to a part that started off interesting but by the time I got to the end of the section or example I had to reread the beginning of that part to remember the subject.
There were some parts I liked, e.g. the squiggly - the idea not his examples.  The five dynamics were good, I do not think he brought the idea home for the rebooting your personal life though.
To me this was a very confusing book which did not hold my attention.  I may read it again, but after I read the previous three books I reviewed first. Forrest Carper

Read more...

NEXT BOOK: CTRL ALT DELETE

 Ctrl Alt Delete: Reboot Your Business. Reboot Your Life. Your Future Depends on It. Mitch Joel. Business Plus. 288 pages.

From the Publisher
The DNA of business has changed. Forever. You can blame technology, smartphones, social media, online shopping and everything else, but nothing changes this reality: we are in a moment of business purgatory.

So, what are you going to do about it?
 
Mitch Joel, one of the world's leading experts in new media, warns that the time has come to CTRL ALT DELETE. To reboot and to start re-building your business model. If you don't, Joel warns, not only will your company begin to slide backwards, but you may find yourself unemployable within five years.

That's a very strong warning, but in his new book, CTRL ALT DELETE, Joel explains the convergence of five key movements that have changed business forever. The movements have already taken place, but few businesses have acted on them. He outlines what you need to know to adapt right now. He also points to the seven triggers that will help you take advantage of these game-changing factors to keep you employable as this new world of business unfolds.

Along the way, Joel introduces his novel concept of "squiggle" which explains how you can learn to adapt your personal approach to your career, as new technology becomes the norm.

In short, this is not a book about "change management" but rather a book about "changing both you AND your business model."

Read about the book on the author's blog here.

About the Author
Mitch Joel is President of Twist Image, an award-winning Digital Marketing and Communications company.

Marketing Magazine dubbed him the "Rock Star of Digital Marketing" and called him, "one of North America's leading digital visionaries." In 2006 he was named one of the most influential authorities on Blog Marketing in the world. In 2008, Mitch was named Canada's Most Influential Male in Social Media, one of the top 100 online marketers in the world, and was awarded the highly prestigious Canada's Top 40 Under 40. Most recently, Mitch was named one of iMedia's 25 Internet Marketing Leaders and Innovators in the world.

His newspaper business column, New Business - Six Pixels of Separation, runs bi-monthly in both The Montreal Gazette and Vancouver Sun and he also has a regular column, Media Hacker, on The Huffington Post. His first book, Six Pixels of Separation, named after his successful blog and podcast is a business and marketing bestseller.

Oh, and I reviewed Mitch Joel's previous book, Six Pixels of Separation right here.

Read more...

Club Reviews: PRESENT SHOCK

Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now. Douglas Rushkoff. 256 pages

I enjoyed reading this book.  Even at 266 pages, it was a quick & easy read. What I liked most about the book is the fact that while it related to the business world, its content can be applied to anyone in general. It shows how being multi-media savvy is the wave of the future, but it is already here now.  We have to embrace it, but still be able to relish good old fashioned face to face time. Terri Bryant, Davie

There’s no question that just about everything moves faster these days that it used to. The sheer volume of information that we have access to (and that has access to us) is not just enormous, but is growing daily. There’s also no doubt that attention spans are, in general, shorter than they used to be. It often appears that we need to be in constant contact and we must react instantly to whatever input we experience.
I think that Rushkoff has made a basically sound observation of current society: that we are beginning to experience life as one long continual moment rather than maintaining a view of life as a narrative. I think, though, that he’s expanded this idea far beyond what is really going on in the world. He has cherry-picked valid examples that do support his ideas (tv shows that break the third wall and disrupt linear storytelling, and games that exist for the moment-to-moment experience and appear to have no end), but he has a tendency to ignore the far more frequent and far more popular tv shows and games that do have a linear way of thinking.
Overall I’d say that this book does have a lot to say that is worth reading, and would recommend it, but I think that he is seeing (and trying to persuade us) of a worst case scenario. The changes that he sees and reports are there, but they are not as overwhelming as he believes. Bill Purtee, Missouri City, Texas

So.... here's the deal: this is a very interesting book but you have to get past the first chapter to believe it. It is contrived and lengthy. Once you do, the book actually flows quite well and is full of interesting insight about the plight of the modern man in the modern era where everything flies in your face at hyper speed.
As interesting as it is, I have no real use for the narrative of the book. I felt like watching a good movie that left me satisfied but will be forgotten in a couple of weeks. Nonetheless, the book brings an interesting point of view about how the future has "escaped our control" and overall I would recommended as an interesting, but not  indispensable read. It took me 10 days of night reading to finish it. Miguel Cobas, MD

When I was in high school I corresponded with pen pals all over the world. Actually, they were tape pals. Instead of exchanging letters, we would exchange 3-inch reels of audio tape which allowed us to record our messages but also to include records or radio shows we were listening to. That's how I first heard The Beatles, a full six months before they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.
It took a long time for those tapes to travel though the mail system from the UK or New Zealand. I was reminded of that process recently when I heard from one of those tape pals from all those decades ago. He found my name on the Internet, sent me an e-mail, and now thanks to Skype we can carry on our conversations (complete with music) in real time.
It's technological progress like that that has brought us to where we are now…a state of Present Shock. Because of smartphones, Facebook updates, tweets, Instant Messaging and all that, information comes at us continuously and it is making us crazy! There's an app for that… I mean, a word for that: digiphrenia. It's the disordered condition of mental activity.  Are brains are always active, but are we really thinking, learning, growing?
Anyone having difficulty processing the overload ought to take some time to read this book. Not only does Rushkoff explain how we got to this point, he provides something that is lacking as we jump from e-mail to blog post to tweet: context. He helps to explain why politicians can no longer talk about, let alone solve, the major problems we are faced with and why economists totally missed the worldwide economic crisis of a few years ago.
Every time our phones beep or our laptops ping we are faced with a choice. Do we answer it, or do we continue with whatever it is we are supposed to be doing? Like having a conversation with the person who is sitting across the table from us. Rushkoff reminds us that "the first experience most of us had of this sort of forced choice was call waiting."  Yes! I can still remember the day, 25 years ago, the first time someone called me from his car on one of those newfangled cellular phones… and then put me on hold to take another call. Call waiting on a cell phone. What a stupid idea.
I hated it just like I grew to hate instant messaging and that annoying ping every time a new e-mail message arrives and those people who look at their phones while they're supposed to be listening to me. "In the digital realm we are either the programmers or the programmed — the drivers or the passengers."
Some of the most fascinating findings in the book concern the way this "always on" activity has disrupted the cycles that have governed human behavior for centuries — the seasons, the cycles of the moon, sleep patterns etc. I'm looking forward to studying more about Rushkoff's experiments in scheduling his activities to synchronize with the cycles of the moon.
As long as we are reaching for the stars, since everything is connected to everything else in this digital world, I couldn't help jotting down my horoscope for the day I finished the book. "Full throttle, and it gets chaotic. Take it slower, for a sustainable pace."
A good first step might be to shut off the smartphone, power down the computer and spend some quality time reading this book. Tom Teuber, Madison, WI

This book reminds me a lot of Toffler's Future Shock except today there is no future.  Everything is focused on the immediate. There is no thought of the future, everything is NOW! We have found ourselves moving from e mail to texting and from Blogs to Twitter. If the end of the 20th century was about "futureism," then the 21st century is about "presentism." The current generation has no memory burden because there is no past to remember. People today use institutional thinking not rational, considered thinking. Today the moment something is realized, it is over, and one moves to another NOW moment. Indeed, we have moved from Toffler's Future Shock to Rushkoff's Present Shock. We have lots the narrative, the story of how we got here.  People are only interested in the NOW! President Obama has encouraged people to be the change not to wait for it.  No more linear stories; the NOW is in! We have reality TV all focused on NOW.  The NBA is the only sport on the rise because it focuses on individual over team performance. And then there is CNN where we have instant everything. But there is a problem with the present. It disconnects us from reality. We don't get the big picture, just the NOW! And of course the internet brings everyone into the conversation.  People have grown skeptical of professional journalism. One study says, people only have a 25% confidence level. Video games have long passes other forms of entertainment. Our games focus on winners and losers and they are infinite, the just keep going. Many of our games are known as RPG (role play games) and unfortunately much is devoid of value. We live in a "better hurry" society.  We have come to let technology rule our lives and thus given up all control. We have forfeited the power of choice. With our e mail, Twitter and Smart phones, we are constantly being vibrated. We are constantly in the "on" mode. Used properly our technology can help us with lots of things. But is seems today we are doing everything humanly possible to compress time.  Everything is now; no past and no future, just this instant, NOW! And of course we have discovered that living in a global world, everything is connected.
In the final analysis, I did find the book a bit hard to read in spots and it got a bit tedious before it ended. Doug Newberry

Interesting topic and an interesting book!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Although sometimes I did have a difficult time following where the author was going with his examples and did re read some of the chapters again just to ensure I caught the gist of the reading.  
The more I read the book the more I understood why people seem to have a hard time concentrating on one topic nor  have no interest in reading a newspaper. The American Public wants information now, they do not want to wait. There really is no time to soak in information and provide feedback or even contemplate a decision. We are constantly in the loop for what is going on in the world.
The Overwinding Chapter and especially the Time is Money section really brought home to me why investment ideas from the past may not hold true in the future.  
I will re-read this book and not let it sit on a shelf.  I also need to find my copy of Future Shock and read it again. Forrest Carper, Bossier City, La

Present Shock is a complex book about how the world has changed with digital technology.
It compares the past to  the new present which has become complicated and distracting with so much information coming at us at once through the new technology which can do more harm than good.
The information received sometimes discards and disregards the truth and historical reality.
The author does a substantial job of clarifying the progression of the transition from before technology, (even including the TV remote control) to the here and now of instant information along with the reasoning
behind such changes. He points out the changes and why they occur and continue to do so.
Much of the past has been lost with the new technology. Creativity seems to have disappeared from skilled craftsman to story telling to simple mathematical thinking skills.
Perhaps that is why there are reruns of old movies, books, and Broadway Shows.
No one seems to have many new ideas.
That may also be the reason that The Antique Road Show and American Pickers are so popular.
We are still seeking the quality and sentimental things that were produced by skilled craftsman and writers.
The Shock in Present Shock seems to be more for the generations of the past before digital technology than of the present. We are the ones have experienced all of the changes! Margot Byrnes, Miami

When is the last time you saw or heard the words Alvin Toffler? This well written volume will reintroduce (or introduce) you.
This book tackles head on the issue of the century in a completely transparent way that is very stimulating.  The hard hitting philosophical, economic, political, and educational issues are addressed with a totally realistic analytical framework. Oh yes, the issue of the century is the question “who’s in charge here, the people or the computers?” We need to tell “Hal” (the computer in the Sci-fi movie “2001; A Space Odyssey”) that the people will rule. The author makes a good point in saying that this should be the case without getting preachy. Even if singularity becomes a reality in the next 2 or 3 decades which the author and many scientists believe will be the case, human beings will still drive the planet. Whoops! I’m sounding preachy.
The author uses excellent elements in building a paradigm for the readers to use in reaching their own conclusions about technology and people. For example, his use of the concept of fractals (repeating patterns) will be very mind expanding. Though I first read about the concept over 20 years ago, the reader will share in the feeling that fractals have an element of newness every time you see one. Whichever side of the issue you are on, concepts like fractal will keep you in the analytical for fun and profit mode. Dr. Robert C. Preziosi, Ft. Lauderdale

Present Shock is a very detailed overview of today's ever changing world of technology.  Reading it made sense for a baby boomer progressing through the changes of today's society throughout the decades.  Rushkoff writes exactly the way today is moving; fast paced, short paragraphs, and jumping around.  I needed to focus fast to get a clear understanding of his message and felt like I was taking a college course. Trisha Molina

In his book, Present Shock, Douglas Rushkoff, successfully held my attention while making his point about our disconnect and dissonance between our digital selves and our analog bodies. Not only could I recognize myself, my co-workers, my friends and my family in much of his writing, I can understand and relate to the examples he uses because they come from popular tv shows, movies and novels. Present Shock is an easy and enjoyable read. Rushkoff doesn't pass judgment or criticize. He simply takes a magnifying glass to what is already evident in our text-induced, social media-enriched, tech-run, digital world. We are so engaged in "presentism" we just don't notice. Susan Taslimi Litten, Parkland 

 It was a light interesting read with a lot of anecdotes to tie the point home. The author discusses how there is a conflict between " our digital selves and our analog bodies" putting us in a state of "present shock."  The advice is nothing we have not hear before: live more in the present (i.e.: eye contact over texting, quality over speed, etc).  Recommended if you are still struggling to find that balance of technology no completely ruling your life, however, pretty common knowledge if you have already achieved this. Isadora Cipolletta, Miami

As a senior citizen struggling to not get left behind in this digital world my head was spinning in reading this book. Understanding the vocabulary with which Rushkoff describes this new millennium was enough to make me nuts.  
The book reminds me of how much I loathe the "narrative collapse", and long for eye contact and a phone call over a text.  I'm retired, so why then am I always struggling to catch up?
Perhaps Rushkoff is truly in step with the now, but this book left me behind.  And quite frankly, I don't care. Emily Gilday 

This book makes you think.  The author's thesis is that so much is happening in the present that it is shocking us. He does this with examples of the popular TV programs and small personal examples.  The cyclical nature of things is discussed but my opinion is that cycles both in the universe, the solar system and the relationship of the earth to the moon and sun is more important then this book portrays. The portrayal is like explaining what the Romans made popular in their entertainment and extrapolating what the Roman society will evolve too.  Their downfall was mostly through corruption and a slave economy!
My take is the human society and body do go through cycles. This is explained much better by the author Og Madino, particularly in his book, The Greatest Salesman on Earth.
Because there is an error in the area of my expertise, sailing, I question all the examples used to support the author's argument about present shock. This error occurs in the part  about feedback. A navigator does not read feedback on a compass but on a GPS (Global Positioning System), a recent system put in place that helps all of us to navigate more accurately with this feedback.
The issue is why everyone is concerned is the pessimism of the future not the present. This is part of the cycle.  The author did have a short blurb in the book about the philosopher and paleontologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Teilhard describes where the human race is going in his books, much better then this book does. Gordon Ettie

The book is really outstanding at covering the way(s) our culture is changing.
Most noticeably the effects of technology on work, time, multitasking and the “NOW” effect.
It also presents some insights or reminders into digital distraction, work and life interruptions and downtime.
Lastly with all the IRS NSA and State dept scandals---the insight to conspiracy theories was timely.
Great Book! Chip Moody Jr.

The topic and the concept is intriguing. I have often wondered what it is like living in a fishbowl (live  CNN reporting for everything) a new reality tv show, and that is what Present Shock describes.  The author is compelling and convincing and provocative.  The question seems to be will we have time to reflect on issues that surround us and allow us to think and weigh options and to reflect before succumbing to the knee jerk response that is being required of us in the future. M. Stein. Coral Springs

I found the book to be interesting, but more a lot more ‘heavy reading’ then I expected.  Timely topic, good insights on social media and its impact on our lives. Doramary Russell, Coral Springs

It takes a particular blend of interests to appreciate Douglass Rushkoff's map of the world. He dives deeply into the realms of corporatism, technological innovation, media theory, and pop culture all with equal enthusiasm and often in rapid succession. The reward for anyone sharing this mélange of interests rich. Few writers are capable of distilling developments in these areas in as organized or remarkably clear a manner as Rushkoff. His enthusiasm and talent for synthesizing connections between these fields and a litany of observations by other are clear in his latest book, "Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now."
Rushkoff's three most recent books, "Present Shock," and before it "Life Inc," "Program or Be Programmed," together build a picture of a developed world run amok, so throughly awash in material wealth and information that both have ceased to have meaning. The continuity of his arguments is remarkable, especially considering they span five years of relatively radical change. In  "Present Shock" he easily picks up the thread.
In one anecdote after another, he builds cringe-worthy pictures of people lured into parting with growing amounts of attention, wealth, and humanity by promises of ever faster and intense gratification only to be left disappointed, impoverished, and degraded.
Rushkoff surveys a world in which the traditional arcs of big stories that once sustained and transmitted culture from one generation to another fall under the weight of self-referential TV programs, stranding us with dead-end entertainments. The artificial urgency created by efforts to achieve maximum productivity pushes us into what he calls "a short forever," in which all activity is directed ultimately toward ceaseless consumption. The disorienting freedom from time created by the digital technologies enabling that consumption, for with 2 a.m. and 2 p.m. are qualitatively the same, leave us drained and disoriented.
The chaos of present shock—being trapped in an ever-lasting now—leaves us confused, he suggests. Worse, we're made susceptible to constant misinterpretation of disconnected events because of our inability to step back to take in the big picture, to "pull back to see the pattern." In the end, we long for closure, completion, for apocalypse.
Yet reading "Present Shock" is a surprising pleasure. Rushkoff is an almost unexpected optimist. His predictable turn at the end of every chapter toward positive applications for the very same technologies he disparages elsewhere offers a welcome respite from the cynicism and hopelessness the reader might otherwise endure. He rejects binary judgements in favor of more nuanced assessments of the radical changes that have brought about the shock-induced paralysis he chronicles in the book.
Rushkoff argues in the end for a mindfulness in which we "give each moment the value it deserves." That he takes the time to convey his arguments so completely at book-length, writing what he light-heartedly calls "an opera" in a literary world shifting toward shorter and more shallow cultural appraisals is evidence the author taking his own advice. After reading "Present Shock," you're likely to want to do the same. Michael Fitzhugh

Love the author's perspective on how we've gotten what we asked for-everything faster, more information, immediate results, paranoia and "digiphrenia". We can't enjoy being one place because we're busy socially networking to find a better party, better job, better life. Meanwhile we lose eye contact and other social skills because we "live" online. Sounds like a sci-fi movie script from 1980, but he makes us realize how much civilization has changed post 9/11. John Moorehead, Weston

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