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Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even If You Hate Marketing and Selling
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Book Yourself Solid-now in paperback-is a complete instructional guide for starting and growing a successful service business. It gives you simple, yet effective techniques for creating relentless demand and endless leads. It includes more than 200 proven marketing strategies for attracting new clients, earning more referrals, and building profitable, long-lasting professi
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"Snake Oil for the Empirically Impaired"
So friends, let me tell you how much I hated this book that I did not finish and won't: take your pick as to which (if any) gets your attention.
a) I kept it several extra days from the library to carve out the time to write this review.
b) It is one of the very few books (I was an English major, and have a catholic reading taste) I refused to finish. The only one that comes to mind as being as unintentionally ridiculous and celebrated (for very different re ...more
So friends, let me tell you how much I hated this book that I did not finish and won't: take your pick as to which (if any) gets your attention.
a) I kept it several extra days from the library to carve out the time to write this review.
b) It is one of the very few books (I was an English major, and have a catholic reading taste) I refused to finish. The only one that comes to mind as being as unintentionally ridiculous and celebrated (for very different re ...more
Most honest, USEFUL, brilliant & Actionable book & I AM getting booked solid!
Since I first heard about Michael Port, I changed the way I have my conversations with my clients, I became fully self-expressed and totally honest, I said no to lousy clients, I raised my rates 3 times, I shared my package pricing on my website for full transparency, and I am getting booked a lot more frequently.
I am still not even done with his book - I am doing the workbook and seriously paying attention to everythin ...more
Since I first heard about Michael Port, I changed the way I have my conversations with my clients, I became fully self-expressed and totally honest, I said no to lousy clients, I raised my rates 3 times, I shared my package pricing on my website for full transparency, and I am getting booked a lot more frequently.
I am still not even done with his book - I am doing the workbook and seriously paying attention to everythin ...more
I would have given this book five stars if Mr. Port had not promoted his services at least once a chapter. I get it, he wants to show how his methodology works. At the same time, I got the point. Mr. Port promotes opt in marketing while using push marketing during the entire book.
Now, on to the book itself. You need to read this book if you're in a professional service business. There is great nugget after great nugget that you can use. I suspect that if you only use 10% of what's in this book, ...more
Now, on to the book itself. You need to read this book if you're in a professional service business. There is great nugget after great nugget that you can use. I suspect that if you only use 10% of what's in this book, ...more
I had great hopes for this book. Alas, it is a rehash of the old, long discredited "Do what you love and the money will follow."
But wait! The author has found THE secret formula, and once you finish his book, you can take a course and get "certified" to make money teaching others the secret formula.
And after that, I guess we'll all get rich raising llamas.
...more
But wait! The author has found THE secret formula, and once you finish his book, you can take a course and get "certified" to make money teaching others the secret formula.
And after that, I guess we'll all get rich raising llamas.
...more
Michael Port begins his book practically: "[T:]here may be two simple reasons why you don't serve as many clients as you'd to today. You either don't know what to do to attract and secure more clients or you know what to do but you're not actually doing it" (p. xxvii).
In the pages that follow, he unpacks his "Booked Solid System" to which he ascribes the power to solve both of those stated problems.
Contrasting "old school" and "new school" marketing methods, he writes, "[Many:] have come to beli ...more
In the pages that follow, he unpacks his "Booked Solid System" to which he ascribes the power to solve both of those stated problems.
Contrasting "old school" and "new school" marketing methods, he writes, "[Many:] have come to beli ...more
Jan 23, 2008
Stacey Moore
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
any service professional.
Shelves:
market-sell
I have recommended this book to many people...all have thanked me. More than a typical treatise on how to create a lead funnel, it is about serving with integrity and being rewarded for doing what you love. If you are a service professional wanting to acquire clients, read it.
Dec 24, 2014
Chad Warner
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
salespeople, marketers, entrepreneurs, service professionals, business owners
Recommended to Chad by:
Goodreads
This is one of the best sales and marketing books for service professionals that I’ve read. It walks you through how to define your target market, build credibility, and promote/market in various ways. The written exercises and action steps encourage application. It’s logically organized and easy to read.
Topics include personal branding, talking about what you do, selling, networking, direct outreach, referrals, web, speaking, writing, and keeping in touch.
I like Port’s non-sleazy approach to sa ...more
Topics include personal branding, talking about what you do, selling, networking, direct outreach, referrals, web, speaking, writing, and keeping in touch.
I like Port’s non-sleazy approach to sa ...more
In 'Book Yourself Solid', Michael Port offers a manual that shows how any professional in the business of offering services can start and grow a profitable business. The book entails over 200 marketing techniques aimed at generating clients, obtaining more referrals and building a fruitful relationship with your existing clients.
I like the fact that this book takes a conversational tone so that the author uses simple language without the jargon. The book begins by differentiating between the tra ...more
I like the fact that this book takes a conversational tone so that the author uses simple language without the jargon. The book begins by differentiating between the tra ...more
If you are a service provider and looking to improve on yourself and grow your business, this book is an absolute staple for your education. I insist you download the free chapter on your Kindle so that you can be convinced to buy it yourself. It has been one of the Top 2 resources to help me grow my client base and increase business.
The first half of this was interesting and worthwhile but the second half was too outdated to be compelling. It's amazing to realize how much social media has changed business. Ended up skimming starting at the referral chapter.
...more
Mar 11, 2017
Margot Note
added it
"When you're fully self-expressed, fully demonstrating your values and your views, you'll naturally attract and draw to yourself those you're best suited to work with, and you'll push away those you're not meant to work with" (13).
"Begin to view your role with your clients as that of a highly important and trusted advisor. You have a moral obligation to offer your services to those who need them. To do anything other than counsel, advise, guide, and coach your clients would be a huge disservice ...more
"Begin to view your role with your clients as that of a highly important and trusted advisor. You have a moral obligation to offer your services to those who need them. To do anything other than counsel, advise, guide, and coach your clients would be a huge disservice ...more
An OK read, probably better for someone else. I was fast-weary of how every idea and concept was branded the Book Yourself Solid [fill-in-the-blank] System™. It diluted the ideas and displayed the author's ego in a glass case. Additionally, there was sometimes a disconnect between the content and the author, as he openly contradicted his own concepts and broke his own rules several times chapter to chapter. At the end of the book, he addresses the reader, writing "I love you," which was weird si
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This visual version is a great improvement on the original book - which was good. The ease of following the ideas in Michael Port's book to develop a new, or existing professional service business means that anyone can do it.
I particularly like the access to templates and the app to use to actually do what the book recommends to create a clear plan of your target market, what you offer to them and why and then how to market effectively.
Highly recommended for anyone in professional service busine ...more
I particularly like the access to templates and the app to use to actually do what the book recommends to create a clear plan of your target market, what you offer to them and why and then how to market effectively.
Highly recommended for anyone in professional service busine ...more
I read this book after a recommendation from Michael Hyatt. I must admit, I read every single word but there was really nothing new for me but it was a good prompt to highlight things that I really should be doing.
One thing that did annoy me a little bit was the constant plug of his own material, seminars, workshops, carts etc. I intend to write a book this year and I've made a mental note to not self promote as much, so a valuable lesson learned here.
Overall, I would recommend thus book. ...more
One thing that did annoy me a little bit was the constant plug of his own material, seminars, workshops, carts etc. I intend to write a book this year and I've made a mental note to not self promote as much, so a valuable lesson learned here.
Overall, I would recommend thus book. ...more
a little outdated in the web part, esp if you're in marketing like me. but the rest was extremely, extremely valuable and the book has heavy highlighting and dog-eared pages, which is always a good sign.
...more
this can be a good starter for a beginner, but the informations are very basic and repeated, the author is obsess over his theory of book yourself, and the title and everything that comes with it is misleading
meh...It was ok. The last couple chapters taught me how to use twitter and create a blog. Probably not as useful as it could have been considering my current employment status.
Finally finished it - It got boring to me - I think I could have written most of this myself. Hmmmm........
Port will inform you that if people like you and you’re good at your job, you will have many customers.
After listening to him I don’t like him. And being likeable is his job. So I wouldn’ Take his advice on how to improve either of those things.
After listening to him I don’t like him. And being likeable is his job. So I wouldn’ Take his advice on how to improve either of those things.
My second read of this amazing book.
This is one of the best books I have come across on building a personal brand. I have not begun to scratch the surface of applying all the practical exercises covered but look foreword to getting them done.
This is one of the best books I have come across on building a personal brand. I have not begun to scratch the surface of applying all the practical exercises covered but look foreword to getting them done.
About Michael Port
Michael Port has been called “an uncommonly honest author” by the Boston Globe and a “marketing guru” by The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of four bestselling books including Book Yourself Solid, Beyond Booked Solid, The Contrarian Effect, and the New York Times Bestseller, The Think Big Manifesto. Michael blogs for the Huffington Post and has written monthly columns on sales and marketing for Entrepreneur Magazine and American Express Open Forum, is a regular guest on ...more
Michael Port has been called “an uncommonly honest author” by the Boston Globe and a “marketing guru” by The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of four bestselling books including Book Yourself Solid, Beyond Booked Solid, The Contrarian Effect, and the New York Times Bestseller, The Think Big Manifesto. Michael blogs for the Huffington Post and has written monthly columns on sales and marketing for Entrepreneur Magazine and American Express Open Forum, is a regular guest on ...more
I've actually read this book in two formats - the first run, all text, and the updated "illustrated" version. The concepts on both were fundamentally the same in my opinion, but I also feel you need to be the right type of person to glean anything from this method.
You need to be self started enough to actually do the work, but you need to be humble enough to accept guidance. I will say there is nothing revolutionary here - there rarely is in business books - but I personally liked the frank and ...more
You need to be self started enough to actually do the work, but you need to be humble enough to accept guidance. I will say there is nothing revolutionary here - there rarely is in business books - but I personally liked the frank and ...more
This is my fourth or fifth time going through Book Yourself Solid, but honestly only my third time doing the work in the book. For all the awesome stuff it offer’s it’s a lot of work.
Book Yourself Solid gives it’s entire premise away in the title. The whole goal of the book is for you to learn how to get booked solid.
It starts by helping you build a ‘velvet rope policy’ where you identify your ideal clients and then build a process to only let them through your velvet rope to work with you.
Most ...more
Book Yourself Solid gives it’s entire premise away in the title. The whole goal of the book is for you to learn how to get booked solid.
It starts by helping you build a ‘velvet rope policy’ where you identify your ideal clients and then build a process to only let them through your velvet rope to work with you.
Most ...more
BYS was an awesome read for anyone offering services (although, product-based businesses can learn a bit as well). Very well written - clear, concise, and engaging. It's geared towards those in business for a while but it's great for those starting their own service-based business. Definitely recommend reading.
...more
May 26, 2009
Laurie
is currently reading it
Unbelieveable! I have been going through this book with a book club and it is a major business generator. I have a group of friends that I am moving through it with chapter by chapter and it has really made a difference. I am going to definitely buy the next book.
This book far surpassed my expectations. There are real, useful, implementable ideas that will work to help grow almost any business. It could take a lifetime to get everything in place but doing just 10% of the suggestions will make a huge difference
Solid info for people born yesterday.
This is a good book for the beginner or intermediate business owners looking to build their brand.
*Read up to chapter 6.
Any avid ready can agree that there are more books than hours available in a day to read these!
This is why we have to be strategic about the books we decide to read. In this case, it was easy because the book was recommended by two of my most esteemed friends (José Garza and Matt Avery).
Book Yourself Solid, by Michael Port, is the COMPLETE GUIDE on how to get and maintain DESIRABLE clients. Period. This is a great book for everyone out there that "know what they should be doing" or "could make ...more
This is why we have to be strategic about the books we decide to read. In this case, it was easy because the book was recommended by two of my most esteemed friends (José Garza and Matt Avery).
Book Yourself Solid, by Michael Port, is the COMPLETE GUIDE on how to get and maintain DESIRABLE clients. Period. This is a great book for everyone out there that "know what they should be doing" or "could make ...more
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