Reviews

Let me begin at the end: it came as a most pleasant surprise to find at the conclusion of this charming and insightful book, a list of recommended and very unexpected readings that represent many of the author’s personal inspirations. This list starts with a novel by Brazilian author Claire Lispector, a star in the international avant-garde literary firmament, and makes it way through Marcus Aurelius, a DaVinci biography, Ortega y Gasset, Emerson, and so on in a similar vein for several pages. I would say in earnest that this is man of fine intelligence and anything he writes is worthy of our attention. This reading list alone is worth the price of the book!

As regards the book in hand (though at the moment it is lying against my chest, between me and my laptop!) I found it extremely thoughtful. I have a fair amount of experience marketing and selling online (beginning in 1995 selling limited edition books and fine art photography) and I can honestly say that I wish I had had this book in hand on the day I began my efforts. Initially, Carey’s advice seems common sense. But, as my HS math teacher loved to say, common sense is not so common. The complexity of successful online marketing reveals itself slowly, but by the end you have learned the essentials and are well prepared to fill in the blanks as they may pertain to your own unique product or service.

What I found most helpful were the take-aways at the end of each chapter. Again, seemingly simple ideas ultimately joined together into a comprehensive and invaluable to-do list. We simply have to be sure to check each box on this list in order, as we develop a marketing plan for our own products. It reminds me of the remarkable drop in the spread of infectious diseases in hospitals as doctors and nurses were required to adhere to a check list of ten or so profoundly simplistic tasks, like washing hands on the way in and the way out of the patient’s room, things you would have expected them to do automatically… but didn’t.

All in all, I highly recommend this book. You can rely on it!