Book Review Roundup: Women in High Gear; Ditch, Dare, Do; and Influence Marketing

It’s such a thrill to be part of a community of such talented thinkers and writers. And it would appear that lately they’ve been quite busy. Several of our friends have recently put out books, including Women in High Gear, by Anne Deeter Gallaher (@AnneDGallaher) and Amy D. Howell (@HowellMarketing), Ditch, Dare, Do by William Arruda (@WilliamArruda) and Deb Dib (@CEOCoach), and Influence Marketing, by Danny Brown (@DannyBrown) and Sam Fiorella (@samfiorella).

Each of these books makes for a compelling read, and can help readers expand their knowledge and expertise both in elements of personal/professional development and applying new marketing theories to make the most of their online communities. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.

Women in High Gear, by Anne Deeter Gallaher and Amy D. Howell

As Anne D. Gallaher and Amy D. Howell say in the opening of their book, “We believe strongly in a no whining zone.” It’s that spirit that echoes throughout the book as the authors share their experiences as successful women entrepreneurs in a competitive work environment not always stacked in their favor.

By kicking it into high gear, Gallaher and Howell argue, one’s career goals can be met without having to compromise other personal values as they intersect with home and the workplace. “High gear women,” they say, “are confident, resilient, and bold. We have a positive inner voice, strong interpersonal skills, and choose our company wisely.”

These lessons, however, are not only meant for a female audience—a point Gallaher and Howell make clear in the beginning. The authors speak from their own experience as women, but the advice they give applies to anyone dedicated to getting the most out of their professional careers: ask for what you want, make yourself visible to those above you, and offer value to the professional relationships you forge.

To learn more about Women in High Gear and to buy your copy of the book, visit the website.

Ditch, Dare, Do by William Arruda and Deb Dib

Authors William Arruda and Deb Dib understand that you’re busy, so they’ve designed Ditch, Dare, Do to be easily digestible without sacrificing quality or depth. This is what personal branding is all about, and Arruda and Dib masterfully show us why building a strong personal brand is not only essential to survival in today’s business world, but also beneficial to the parent brand under which the employee works.

First, what does it mean to “ditch, dare, and do”? As Arruda and Dib explain, “A ditch replaces thinking habits that aren’t helping you move forward. A dare propels you to take new, exciting risks. A do is a critical step you must execute to build your brand.” The book then takes the reader through the best behaviors of someone wanting to develop a strong personal brand, highlighting important personal traits such as values, vision, and personal health. People remember a person who stands for something with integrity and authenticity.

As Arruda and Dib take you through these easy-to-digest concepts, they not only provide examples of these behaviors but also force you to examine your own strengths and shortcomings through incisive quizzes and worksheets. Somebody with a strong personal brand is not passive, and neither is the reader of this book.

To learn more about Ditch, Dare, Do and to buy your copy of the book, visit the website.

Influence Marketing, by Danny Brown and Sam Fiorella

As authors Danny Brown and Sam Fiorella make clear in Influence Marketing, this isn’t your grand-daddy’s marketing theory. The information age—accelerated by the rapid rise of social media—has fundamentally changed the way brands market to customers. It’s well understood that social marketing requires the cultivation of influence. Indeed, the job of marketers today is often to learn how to influence the influencers.

If that sounds complicated, sometimes it can be. Part of the challenge is that there hasn’t yet been a book to offer a complete breakdown of the influence marketing process the way this book does. Brown and Fiorella expertly lay out the seemingly endless considerations marketers must undertake to get through all the static and reach their target communities—with the help of prominent influencers in the field, of course.

Influence Marketing isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions either. At one point, Brown and Fiorella ask, “So who—if anyone—is really an influencer anymore? When everyone is free to produce whatever content they want and publish it without fact checking or compliance, how can online recommendations be trusted? … Even if you could identify a true influencer, would it do you any good?” These are all very good questions, as they identify the fundamental challenge of becoming truly influential in the digital bazaar: sifting through the noise. With the proven methods and success stories in this book, identifying the right spheres of influence will no longer be such a mystery to marketers.

To learn more about Influence Marketing and to buy your copy of the book, visit the website.

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