Note: This review is of the 2012 text. Based on the Table of Contents on Amazon, it looks like the top-level outline is the same.

Back in 2012 I had the opportunity to attend the Word of Mouth Marketing conference. As an added bonus, they included a box of the Word of Mouth Marketing book by Andy Sernovitz. The conference was amazing, and when I came back I had a giant box of books on my desk. In the rush of post-conference bliss, I put my copy away and didn’t end up coming back to it for another year or so when I was doing a book purge.

So, how did the book stack up?

Continue Reading

I steadfastly refused to read this book for over a decade. This was almost entirely due to the title. I found it cliched, cheesy, and just generally offputting. Despite that, I continued to hear people I admire and trust recommend it. Eventually I gave in and purchased it for my Kindle, still wary that I wasn’t going to enjoy the read. After reading it? Simply put: Don’t let the title dissuade you!

The reason behind the cheesy and outdated title is simple: It was published in 1936. Think about how products were advertised at that point in time and the title makes perfect sense. I really wish I had read this book prior to starting my career as a Community Manager and online communications professional. There are a lot of great foundational lessons on communications that would have saved me some serious grief along the way.

Continue Reading