Guy Kawasaki, for those of you who don't know, was an original Macintosh evangelist and when the Mac debuted, he went to software developers, advocating that they write software for the new platform. Over the years Guy has been a loyal devotee of Apple and heard numerous startup pitches (and invested in a few). He's written some fantastic books on creating startups, beating the competition, selling others on your idea and more. Guy's latest book "Enchantment" is available starting today (find a seller on this page) and I have to say, if you're starting a company or wanting to reinvigorate an established business, it is worth a look.
I've read a few "business" books in my day, plus a few "self-help" books with a business angle. Enchantment is sort of a redux of the best and brightest of those books, including the classic Dale Carnegie "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and Robert Cialdini's "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion." Enchantment, as you might imagine, refers to bringing customers under your spell. It sounds a little sketchy, but as Kawasaki points out, winning customers through cheap tricks and deception will end badly in the long run. Integrity is key.
Perhaps those of us who take for granted how Apple just "gets" the needs of customers and pushes features that make sense will read this book and say "well, DUH" -- but these things are not self-evident. Far too many businesses think that by cramming a million bullet points down the throats of investors and customers via PowerPoint and social networks, they too can become a success. Enchantment is the antidote to this thinking.
Instead of a bunch of parlor tricks, Enchantment is full of case studies, scientific research and Guy's experience with enchanting potential customers. It's not a dry book by any means, as Guy's personality and positivity shines through in the writing. It's a very personal book as well, as there are frequent nods to Apple, Guy's own passions and proclivities, plus some very engaging personal stories from guests at the end of each chapter. The subtitle for the book is "The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions," and I have to say that the book delivers.
Continue reading TUAW Bookshelf: Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki
TUAW Bookshelf: Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source: http://www.tuaw.com/2011/03/08/tuaw-bookshelf-enchantment-by-guy-kawasaki/
Britney Spears Brittany Daniel Brittany Lee Brittany Murphy Brittany Snow
No comments:
Post a Comment