Reviews (71)

UTTER RUBBISH !!! DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY
THIS IS WRITTEN BY A LEFT WING TRAITOR ..DO NOT BOTHER ..."THE CAT IN THE HAT BY DR SEUSS HAS MORE CREDIBILITY .

Catchy Title
Do we really need another liberal manifesto about Bush? We all know he's made a mess in Iraq. And he refuses to protect U.S. borders, which may be the only thing liberals actually like about him. But I was surprised to learn the true cause of the Katrina disaster. Bush took a deep breath, exhaled, and actually blew up the winds that caused the N.O. flooding! Several weeks prior he ordered a battalion of jackhammers into the area to compromise the levees. The "chocolate" mayor of N.O. and the hapless governor of Louisiana - both democrats - were forced to remain incommunicado to facilitate Bush's diabolical schemes. Enough already. What do you liberals have to offer? Homosexual marriage and our school kids putting condoms on cucumbers.

Think and Grow Rich, Frank?
Interestingly, it appears truth is a left handed truth (like the abundance of left handed proteins in nature {truth-fact} and communist revolutionaries proletariat rule {fiction-the big lie}.
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Subjects:  1. Deception    2. Government - General    3. International Relations - General    4. Political Science    5. Political aspects    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Propaganda    9. Public Relations    10. Public relations and politics    11. Spin doctors    12. U.S. - Contemporary Politics    13. United States    14. Political Science / Government / General   

Reviews (12)

Just as Promised
The book arrived in a timely manner and it was in the condition that I expected.I would order from this vendor again.

Expensive and Confusing
The layout and language of this extremely expensive textbook, written by one of the most seasoned and successful PR practitioners, unfortunately makes this book almost unreadable. Not only is it completely boring, but the language makes the topics seem very vague and disconnected from practical PR practice.
Better books available
By all means spare your students the expense of a book that is as mediocre as it is costly. A hundred and twenty bucks! Please. Public Relations Writing provides all students need, and in a much more cogent format. Good case studies can come right out of the newspaper. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Public Relations    5. United States    6. Business & Economics / Public Relations   

Reviews (8)

From a student's perspective...
Last year, I took an intro to PR class to see if I'd like it. I loved the class, but our text, Effective Public Relations, was another story.As a college student, I read a lot of textbooks.This one certainly is as they claim: a PR bible, full of essential PR knowledge.But dang if it wasn't the most stimulating, interesting read since late night phonebook reading.Even compared to other textbooks, it was a chore to read.

Thorough Public Relations Intro
I must concede to being a fan of Cutlip's and Broom's work.I was deeply interested to see what they would update and change in this seminal work from their previous edition, most notably anything in the area of extremely cost effective public relations, especially as clients are demanding more and better public relations counsel for less money.While the 8th edition does not disappoint, nor does it rise above all expectations.For one who is a neophyte in the area, then I strongly suggest this work, as it provides one of the most comprehensive overviews of our industry that I have ever seen.For myself, I felt the book needed more coverage in the cost effective area.I found that coverage in Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired, which addresses the burgeoning need of attaining strong coverage without blowing the budget.Overall then, while I recommend this book, I cannot do so without some reservations.Nonetheless, I look forward to reading the 9th Edition.

Eat, Drink and Sleep P.R.
Read this hand in hand with Michael Levine's "Guerrilla P.R." and "Guerrilla P.R. Wired", and you will even start to dream like a P.R professional! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Marketing - General    6. Public Relations    7. Business & Economics / Public Relations   

Reviews (13)

This Book is Alright
Being an avid reader of Event Planning literature, I must say that this book is alright.

Packed with Knowledge!
Details, details, details. That's really what successful event planning is all about, and that's the key to this very successful event-planning manual. Author Judy Allen notes, lists, copes with and gives an example of virtually every detail in planning anything from a sedate corporate event in a major city to a huge celebration on a remote island. She provides examples galore plus tips, questions and answers, sample cost sheets and schedules. How much floor space does a person need to be comfortable in a tent? Answer: 20 square feet. How many bathrooms should be available for a party? Answer: One per 75 guests. And don't forget to ask about the stemware, adequate parking and even the photographer's back-up camera battery. This author seems to have thought every contingency, as the book's ambitious title promises. Her one glaring omission is that she does not include the party planner's fee - our guess is that she'd be worth it. We highly recommend this well-organized, very practical book to all event planners. Don't send out press releases for your party without consulting Judy Allen.

Great book
This is a great book for anyone interested in working in the event planning field. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Communication - Meetings & Presentations    4. Business Etiquette    5. Business/Economics    6. Congresses and conventions    7. Customs & Traditions    8. Meetings    9. Planning    10. Special Business Operations    11. Special events    12. Budgeting & financial management    13. Business & Economics / General    14. Public relations    15. Service industries    16. Business Communication - Meeting Mechanics    17. Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    18. Entertaining - Party Planning   

Reviews (14)

Getting the point across
As an equity analyst, consultant, and communication specialist, I saw - and made - dozens of colorful presentations with the best charts that excel can draw that simply didn't work.
Consider it part of a broad business education
When one considers the amount of time/money they spend on improving their job skills, it would seem obvious that a high-value read like'Say it with Charts' would be worth some consideration. It provides a framework for using charts to your advantage- and not just within oral presentations. If anything, this book will increase your willingness to use charts to your advantage when selling an opinion. It forces the user to think about exactly what it is they are trying to say - and then produce a professional looking chart to relay that message.
Say It With Charts: The Executive's Guide to Visual Communication
The book is tremendous for anybody who wants to a make a presentation effective by making it easy to understand. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Communication - General    4. Business Communication - Meetings & Presentations    5. Business presentations    6. Business/Economics    7. Graphic methods    8. Leadership    9. Marketing - General    10. Business & Economics / Marketing / General    11. Business communication & presentation    12. Computing and Information Technology    13. Management & management techniques    14. Public relations   

Editorial Review

Reviews (33)

Good ideas, examples and results.
I bought this book being a newbie to bloging. Results after I've read it? I would call my self a bloging enthusiast now.
A bit too much in the typical management book mode
Blogging is all the rage these days and authors Scoble and Israel proclaim that "blogs are changing the way businesses talk with customers." The claim is vastly overblown in the sense that most businesses do not and will not talk "with" their customers, but rather talk "to" them.
An Insider's View
Fascinating book.Scoble practically invented blogging, and both authors are totally immersed in it. They know the bloggers, the technology, the history, and the culture. They don't know the future, but they make some pretty good predictions.
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Subjects:  1. Blogs    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business Communication - General    5. Business communication    6. Business/Economics    7. Communication In Business    8. Customer Service    9. Internet    10. Internet - General    11. Social aspects    12. Business & Economics / Public Relations    13. Business & Management    14. Sales & marketing   

Reviews (1)

What happened to editing?
Although I found this text interesting, and mostly informative, the practice of editing seems to have slipped through the cracks.And for this purpose, I offer my eye for future editions!The order of content, as well as combining similar themes, could have been a bit more well thought out. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Politics/International Relations    5. Public Relations    6. United States    7. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication   

Reviews (1)

Sharp, wise and practical
I've used this book both as a manager, working with individuals and my work team, and also as a consultant and facilitator working with client groups. It is a fantastic resource for the following reasons: 1.it has avery sound foundational model that is built on trust, organisationallearning principles and action research; 2.it has an excellent blend oftheory and practice, with heaps of case studies, anecdotes and wisdomacquired through experience; 3.it has a lot of really useful tools,reasources, survey instruments and so on - excellent stuff that helps youapply the ideas easily and straight away; 4.it has a lot of humanity,compassion and profound thought about what it means to be an individualworking in a complex, dynamic organisation of today; 5.the ideas in itare built on values and ethics, an unusual, but welcome, approach to me; 6. what it advocates is practical, achieveable and realistic - it's nottouchy-feely waffle, it is sound advice and tested approaches.Good on youcobbers! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Employee Training And Development    5. Employee motivation    6. Employees    7. Entrepreneurship    8. Human Resources & Personnel Management    9. Mentoring in business    10. Performance    11. Public Relations    12. Training of    13. Personnel & human resources management   

Reviews (25)

Great resource for foreign PMs
I recently moved to the US and while I managed software products in my native country, I wasn't familiar with the process or all of the terms used in the US.This book was very helpful as it didn't complicate or assume anything. Software is hard enough to manage - books about managing it shouldn't be.I appreciated that.The templates at the end saved me a lot of time and expense.I never expect any one book to answer all questions but for me, this book was a great help in my recent transition.

A Great Way to Learn & Confirm Product Management
As I went to go and post a review of this book, I was shocked to see some of the negative reviews that are here.This book was fantastic in that it was simple, clear, and comprehensive.I've been a product manager for over 15 years and have managed product managers for the last 7.I work in a very successful software company and have been a successful PM.I was looking for a tool to help train my staff and this book was recommended by one of my colleagues at another company who is also a succsssful manager of PMs.I am glad I listened to my friend and not the people who think they know too much and need boast this via an Amazon book review.From my perspective, this book really helps - it helps new PMs understand what they are expected to do and how to do it.It also confirmed for me what I should expect of my employees and gave me some really staightforward tools to use, even after all these years.If you want a solid and accurate view of software product management, this is it.If the book missed anything, it was how to deal with unfulfilled engineering types....maybe next version?

If this book is helpful to you, you have no business being in software product management
This book might have been essential back in 1998 when any goof with a good idea started a software company.But we've moved WAY beyond that.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Computer software    4. Computers - Languages / Programming    5. Marketing    6. Marketing - General    7. New products    8. Product management    9. Programming Languages - General    10. Public Relations   

Reviews (10)

A Reinforcement of Good Logic
This book reinforces some solid business concepts which you probably have read or heard about previously. The basic logic is that little things count and is best summed up in an old rhyme or proverb
If its broken fix or it will get much worse

"A Dour, Hectoring Treatise..."
"A Dour, Hectoring Treatise..." says the reviewer from Publsihers Weekly.It is an entirely just criticism, as this is possibly the most downbeat book on achieving business success that I've ever read.While the premise is intriguing, the actual substance of the book is pretty thin.Yes, we know that details are important and that the little things do matter.Yet, the author's idea of good business practice seems to be to obsessively micromanage every aspect of your business and of your employees' behavior.Do yourself a favor and read anything by Seth Godin, instead of this condescending drivel.Seth says, "Stop trying to be perfect and start being remarkable."I couldn't agree more. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Corporate image    5. Industrial management    6. Management    7. Management - General    8. Psychological aspects    9. Public Relations    10. Social perception    11. Business & Economics / General    12. Business & Management   

Reviews (2)

Great PR Piece
This is a great PR book. It has all of the essentials for PR writing along with general PR information. I would highly recommend it if you want an in-depth study of the field, or just brush up on genereal info.

good book
As a Public Relations student, I found this book to be extremely helpful.It demonstrates the proper way to write so that you can lear effective style and techinque.I have found that this book, along with Guerilla PR Wired by Michael Levine, create the foundation for my studies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Authorship    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Writing    4. Communication    5. Industries - Media & Communications Industries    6. Language    7. Language Arts & Disciplines    8. Media Studies    9. Public Relations    10. Business & Economics / Industries / Media & Communications Industries   

Reviews (2)

Right on the mark!Where have you guys been?
"The Customer Delight Principle" by Keiningham and Vavra is the missing link to the mystery of why customer satisfaction, which seems like a sound principle, has failed with so many companies.Customer satisfaction has been perceived as a sound principle (and quite frankly - a way of life) for many corporate research and marketing departments for many years.Anyone in the field would have to admit that, while the principle sounds solid, the end results have almost always been less than satisfactory. Perhaps down right poor. The Customer Delight Principle
I work in the sanitation industry and boy could the owner of my company as well as all his drivers and helpers could use a good dose of this book.On my companies behalf, I firmly believe and will try to enact some of the basic principles that are discussed in this book.Personally, I have gained a lot of knowledge and when I interact with customers, ( usually to put out fires ), I will benefit by implementing the strategies set forth in this book.Thumbs up! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Advertising & Promotion    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business Communication - General    5. Business/Economics    6. Consumer satisfaction    7. Customer Service    8. Marketing - General    9. Success in business    10. Business & Economics / Business Communication    11. Customer services    12. Management & management techniques    13. Public relations   

Reviews (3)

Insightful!
Public relations (PR) is a critical feature of any modern institution's marketing program. However, it is often not seriously considered as a legitimate part of corporate administration because it frequently focuses primarily on tactics - what to do, when and how - and rarely rises into guiding overall company strategy. Yet, if you want a practical guide that will show you how to create a media kit or develop a crisis management plan, Joe Marconi's book is for you. It delivers solidly at this general tactical level, where it is, indeed, a working guide. However, it does not transcend into more theoretical reaches. The book skimps on some more meaty, advanced areas such as the theory of public relations and how it fits into overall corporate strategy. The chapters also do not seem to be arranged in progressive order by subject. For example, chapters on speechwriting are sandwiched between those on crisis management and ethics. However, we find this book valuable for those who want an overview of PR's work-a-day aspects, including normal business tactics if not sophisticated corporate strategy. It also will help those who are not fully familiar with what PR can deliver to a modern institution in challenging times.

A Must Have Book!
This book was very informative with an excellent format. Incredibly useful guide at the end of the book with examples of press releases and such. I would highly recommend it.

Great on the essentials...
Cover to cover, this books is filled with great insight and useful information, especially for entrepreneurs and small business owners who cannot afford to hire agencies or PR consultants. That said, however, before entering the visibility fray, a few notes of caution: (1) Have a clear understanding of who you are and what you want people to know about you and your company; (2)Recognize the importance of evaluating how and where to get the right publicity for the right reasons; and (3) Remember that you only get one chance to make a first impression! (Reviewed by: Marion E. Gold, author of "The Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing YOU" and "TOP COPS: Profiles of Women in Command." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Marketing - General    5. Advertising    6. Business & Economics / Marketing / General    7. Public relations   

Reviews (17)

Good book-bad binding
I enjoyed the author's style and found several useful tips on improving my presentations. Given the accepted wisdom that an audience learns more from a speaker's visual presentation then his/her verbal presentation, his advice concerning acting out a presentation was very helpful.
Inspire Your Audience
"To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. ~E. E. Cummings
2004 Writers Notes Book Award Winner
Having problems making presentations? Putting everyone to sleep in business meet-ings? Stevenson under-stands that a good story captures our attention. Learn to craft engaging and relevant stories and make your point every time. Stevenson shows you how with his trademark Storyteller Method. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business & Economics / Business Communication / Meetings & Presentations    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business Communication - General    5. Business presentations    6. Business/Economics    7. Public Relations    8. Storytelling    9. Business Communication - Meetings & Presentations    10. Non-Classifiable    11. Public Speaking   

Reviews (3)

Public Relations, by Philip Ault.Reviewed by: Adam Platts
There is a reason that a seventh edition of this book has been printed.It is well written and excellent instrucional material.Students of business and marketing would do well to read this text and then save it for future reference.
good book
This book is a must have for anyone interested in PR.It is up to date and illustrates all the relevant forces working in PR.It also outlines application and startegy for an effective PR campaign.Along with this book, I would also recommend Michael Levine's Guerill PR Wired, which is also a must have for anyone remotely interested in PR.

This book is great.. it's for all people.
Whether you are a student or a pr practitioner, this book clearly tells you what Public Realtions is all about.Plus, you won't waste your money on this.It is up to date with the latest trends affecting PR, like laws,cases, and technology.I highly recommend this to all people who areinterested in public relations.I have read many pr books but this onetops it all. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Journalism    3. Language    4. Language Arts & Disciplines    5. Public Relations    6. Reference    7. United States    8. Language Arts & Disciplines / Journalism   

Editorial Review

In Read more

Reviews (67)

Makes one point over and over, but it's a good point
Al and Laura Ries, iconoclasts of the advertising industry, really have only one point here -- advertising is inherently not credible because it emanates from the source of the product or service, while "PR," their term for placements in the media, is inherently credible because it comes from a disinterested third party. As a public relations practitioner, I think their point is a generally valid one, and I find it truly astonishing that businesses spent 58 times as much on advertising than on PR in a recent year. It's also interesting to note that many successful brands (Starbucks is the best example) were built by editorial buzz, not by advertising.
Interesting, but left me wanting more
The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR sets out to prove that advertising doesn't make a brand, publicity does.Though I enjoyed reading the stories (at least 200 brands and companies are mentioned) and found some of the ideas insightful, the lack of concrete ideas for using PR effectively and the absence of cited sources left me wanting more. I also felt that some of the generalizations about advertising were misleading, and the arguments sometimes lacked consistency and depth.
insight into using public relations
The Ries's really knock ad agencies and advertising in general to make their point... one also gets a sense that they aren't happy that some clients did not listen to them.
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Subjects:  1. Advertising    2. Advertising & Promotion    3. Brand name products    4. Business & Economics    5. Business / Economics / Finance    6. Business/Economics    7. Marketing - Industrial    8. Marketing - Product Management    9. Public Relations    10. Business & Economics / Marketing / Industrial   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. General    5. Public Relations    6. Sociology    7. United States    8. Social Science / General   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Ethics    4. Business/Economics    5. Customer Service    6. Customer services    7. Marketing - Telemarketing    8. Public Relations    9. Telephone etiquette    10. Computers / General    11. Economics, Finance, Business and Industry   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Human Resources & Personnel Management    5. Organizational behavior    6. Psychology, Industrial    7. Public Relations    8. Success in business    9. Business & Economics / Human Resources & Personnel Management    10. Social, group or collective psychology   

Reviews (8)

Do-it-yourself PR
This excellent book goes into great detail about publicity and how to get it.Beckwith covers everything you need to know in order to put together a working PR plan and how to implement it.If you have the drive, you can turn her advice into business-generating PR that will put you ahead of the competition.

New to Public Relations?Just buy this book first.
I'm starting a new company and publicity is going to be a big part of our marketing and marketing communications activities.I'm kind of process and checklist driven -- and wanted a book that would refresh me on the basics so I could put together an effective publicity plan.
A *real* step-by-step guide
In contrast to most books on getting media coverage, this one is a genuine step-by-step, how-to guide. It bypasses the chatty anecdotal style of many PR-professionals-turned-authors, and goes for the "dummies guide" approach.
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Subjects:  1. Advertising & Promotion    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Press releases    6. Public Relations    7. Publicity