Review: Engage Your Brand

Engage Your Brand by Lee Mikles


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book presents sound ideas and strategies about businesses using social media to connect with and engage its customers. Some real life examples from The Archer Group are included here. Also some examples of how _not_ to use social media. Concise, clear presentation and written from point of authority without being arrogant or overly-complicated. Most of the practices and philosophies I was already familiar with. This book served mostly as reinforcement of what I've learned in my own social media marketing practices.

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Innarticulate book review: Quality Workday Distractions

Quality Workday Distractions by Jeff Lyons


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'm quoted on the back of the book, so I certainly should have mustered more than three stars. However, "liked it" in this instance means that I very much appreciated the sharp wit and brief length of stories, articles and bits. This is a great bathroom companion reader, one that you can pick up, put down and get a chuckle as you do your business. And with my limited attention span and inability to sit still and read for even a moderate amount of time, I can truly appreciate the art of brevity. More than once I found myself thinking, I wish I had thought of that joke, which is a high complement coming from this curmudgeon of comedy.

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Death of the mom and pop bookstore

Here's an article about the dying off of independently owned bookstores.

yahoo.com: Competition is killing independent U.S. bookstores

The Internet has certainly played a role in the decline of the bookstore, but chain stores such as Borders, Barnes & Noble and Wal-Mart have also taken away business from d.i.y. booksellers.

I think the importance of mom and pop businesses can be summed up by Kate Bearce, a bookstore owner in Iowa.

"Customer service is not the same. When somebody walks in [my] store I know them, their kids, their parents, their grandparents. I put books in their hands. That's what my customers really like," she said.

"I have many customers that tell me, 'If I send my kids to you, I know you will provide them with appropriate titles,"' said Bearce, adding that that kind of service cannot be duplicated at the bigger bookstores and discount outlets.

Amen.