why NOW is the time to cash in on your passion.

written by Gary Vaynerchuk

“CRUSH IT! why NOW is the time to cash in on your passion” by Gary Vaynerchuk is a book on social media that came highly recommended to me by friend and mentor Ed Dale from TheChallenge(1) fame some 12-18 months ago. Yes it has taken me a while to get around to reading it; something I regret not doing sooner.

“Crush It!” does exactly what Gary intends it to do for you – be a “blueprint” for using social media platforms to brand yourself and in the process build a business of and around your passion; so you are ultimately happy doing what you love doing as work and making a good income from it.  And if you are doing it really well … Crushing It! … hence the title.

I found “Crush It!” very, very interesting – business books like this are perfectly up my alley anyway; it’s rare to find me reading a fiction novel. In fact I would go so far as to say it’s one of the best and most practical business books I’ve read on the subject of social media and how best to utilize it.

“Crush It!” was written in 2009 and several of the social media platforms named and explained have evolved much farther than mentioned but the methods and the way Gary goes about using social media platforms are timeless. Some of the most basic of basic business rules apply and are reinforced in different and interesting ways with examples throughout the book. Also there are now more new social media platforms that were but a twinkle in their maker’s eyes when “Crush It!” was written; Gary’s methods would work very well with these too. At the end of “Crush It!” the “appendix a: did you forget anything?” is a “blueprint” or helpful checklist, which is invaluable! If you buy the book just to get this your money will have been well spent. Then again if you buy “Crush It!” do yourself a massive favor and read the book.

I could not wait to continue my next session of reading “Crush It!”. I usually read in set blocks of time to maximize my time management thanks to my friend and mentor Ed Dale’s advice; once I started “Crush It!” I found myself always eager to read more. This is “the sign” for me of a great book; especially when it’s a “How To” business book like this.

The only criticism I had of “Crush It!” was that at times it wandered a little as Gary over indulges in some of the stories, but that really is minor details for the benefits contained within.

Personally, I believe one hundred percent in what Gary is telling reader’s of “Crush It!” that your passion can be turned into your day job. I did this myself at the age of 28 with a wife and 3 young children. I took the plunge and made my passion as a musician (singer/guitarist) work. I had a trade (Electrician) and a business (Electrical Contractor) but wasn’t happy so stopped everything and made the switch. No lies, it was very hard to start with in 1992. I also had awesome support from my wife, Kim (of 24-years). I still earn money from my passion to this day albeit is back to more of a hobby now after 17-years full-time. Times, passions and people change. I have found a new passion which I do for a job.

Great Information and book Gary! Thank you. Spread the word.

My Overall Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Summary Comment: A definite read and blueprint if you want to leave your day job behind and use social media to build your brand and passion into a viable business.

Title: CRUSH IT!
Sub Title: why NOW is the time to cash in on your passion
Author: Gary Vaynerchuk
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 978-0-06-191417-1
RRP: $19.99 USD

Click Here to purchase “CRUSH IT!” by Gary Vaynerchuk from Amazon.

Click Here to purchase the Kindle version “CRUSH IT!” by Gary Vaynerchuk from Amazon.

Want to get a quickly read summary of “CRUSH IT!”?

Click here to get Brian Lord’s Summary Report of “CRUSH IT!” by Gary Vaynerchuk — COMING SOON!

Sincerely
Brian

FOOTNOTES:

1. “The Challenge” is an online program, FREE to all, whereby you can learn how to start a business from scratch online over a period of approximately 2 months. It initially started out as the brainchild of Ed Dale in 2005 as the “30-Day Challenge” where participants were coached free to make their first dollar within a time frame of 30-days. Many of the participants over the years have gone on to ditch their day jobs and create successful online (and offline) businesses in their chosen passions and niches.

Technorati Tags: Book Review, brian lord, Business Book Review, Digital Marketing, direct marketing, Marketing, Social Media

          Yes I know it’s been sometime since I last committed to writing on this my “Brian Lord Marketer” blog. There’s been a hell of a lot going on and boy, have I got some stories for you; but they’re for another day.

          Today is just a quick post to let you know I am starting to post my book reviews, reports, summaries – whatever you want to call them – on the influential books of my choice I’m reading, learning from and trying to put into practice in my own business and life.

          It’s a learning process for me – every day – as I go through each business book, self improvement book, self-improvement course or marketing book and after reading them and I think them worthy I’ve decided to summarise or report on them. The reason for this is two-fold; 1) it benefits me to revisit the book. Often with any good book, you miss a lot of the important stuff the first time through. 2) it can benefit you. Why not get the advantage of reading the book and then reading my summary and thoughts to help you get the most out of it too. And all for free on this blog.

          Later on if I can get clearance from the author’s I may be able to offer these marketing book summaries, business book summaries and self-improvement course summaries as complete pdf’s for sale but let’s cross that bridge when we get to it. For now they are free – my gift to you.

          The first of these reviews is a book on social media use by Gary Vaynerchuk called Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion. This book is a New Your Times and Wall St Journal Best Seller. I’ll speak more about it shortly suffice to say I’ve nearly completed the review, report, summary of Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion and so will start posting it very soon.

Stay Tuned!

Lordy

PS – Got a great book you’d like to recommend? Let me know. Contact me through this blog or comment below.

PPS – Click the following links to get Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion
from Amazon or Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk from his website.

Technorati Tags: Book Reviews, brian lord, Business Book Review, Crush It, Gary Vaynerchuk, Marketing, Social Media

I had to ask myself this question today as I walked with my wife down the tourist part of High street in Echuca with the Echuca Winter Blues Festival in full swing. So many people and so much money brought into town through the hard work and liaisons of a dedicated few blues “lovers” and local businesses who benefit from the cash injection such a successful festival like this brings with it.

Even as a local living in a city like Echuca with sister city Moama over the river it’s hard to imagine not having things like this going on in town. It would just be so boring! Mind you, I didn’t get to enjoy the festival as much as I wanted to being a muso and blues lover myself due to my wife having other commitments that needed attention, but what I saw was enough for me to ask the hard question… who said people weren’t still spending money?

Looking North Down High St, Echuca

So having proved to myself yet again that if you have the right product, something people want and you market it the right hungry crowd the right way, people will always fork out their hard earned cash for it; no matter the economic climate. The great Sir Gary of Halbert (Gary Halbert [RIP] – legendary direct marketer and copywriter) stated this time and time again.

I must say, sometimes I was sceptical and even before I left today to visit the Echuca Blues Festival I did not expect to see even a quarter of the crowd there that I saw, especially considering what we’ve been told about the current economic climate and especially from some of the sources I’m subscribed to, sources that have regularly been spot on in the past.

Now I’m not saying that they’re wrong, these sources. I’m just saying that not everyone is listening to them… obviously OR maybe something they want has been offered to them – the starved blues music fans – and they had to partake? Really? I think it’s got to be the latter; don’t you?

Looking South Down High St, Echuca

The interesting thing that will confirm this of course will be when the debriefing is done by the blues festival committee, provided of course they get their facts direct from the businesses concerned and do not do any colour coating. Certainly I know for a fact from speaking with friends who run a local motel, the accommodation industry in and around Echuca and Moama absolutely looovvvveee this festival during what is traditionally their quietest month of the year. I can see them all next week breathe a sigh of relief it’s over but thankful it happened.

In any case the lesson for all businesses be they local, regional, state-wide, nation-wide, international or on the web … give hungry people what they want! You’re absolutely sure to sell then. Give them what they need and if they don’t want it then you go broke. And this applies doubly or should I say even more so in a dodgy or down economic climate.

That’s my five minutes. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Brian

Technorati Tags: Echuca, Echuca Moama, Echuca Winter Blues Festival, Local Business, Marketing, Small Business

So I have and in doing so have officially re-launched … BrianLord.com

Keep on coming back for more!

Sincerely

Brian

PS – Got a direct marketing question? Ask away!

(Lordy or BigLordy as you’ll see me sign off, depending on how I feel)

Technorati Tags: brian lord, brianlord.com, direct marketing