Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got

Rating:
Summary: Solid book with practical ideas
Review: What I like about this book is that it helps to spark ideas, it covers a good range of marketing topics and it's written to be applied. My complaint is that it is too anecdotal which makes the book longer than it needs to be. That being said, the author gives a preview at the beginning of each chapter and provides action steps at the end. My suggestion to a prospective buyer is to first read the previews and action steps to determine whether the book will be useful for your needs. Some of the reviews have stated that the content in the book is not new or that it is to simple. I suspect that those with a background in marketing might find the material redundant. The book will probably be more useful for non-marketing types. As for the content being too simple, I'm from the school of thought that business is based on simple concepts and should be explained in that manner.

The best way to use the book is to read through for ideas and consult other books, the internet and/or people for specific help. For example, Chapter 6 discusses the importance of a unique selling proposition(USP). I would read the chapter, jot down ideas from the book, then look for resources that deal specifically with developing a USP.

Hope this review is helpful.

Rating:
Summary: Fan-Tabulous Book
Review: I have never written a review for a book of any kind before (or anything else, for that matter) and I will likely not be so moved again anytime soon. Mr. Abraham's book so motivated me that I have to let you know.

The real-world, very believable examples are what compelled me to continue reading through and then start back at the beginning to go through it all again. Many of the lessons I have heard and used before, but I have never been motivated to actually immediately look at my own business and see exactly how they can be effectively utilized and perfected. I operate a Mobile Billboard Advertising business and, I assure you, if these messages hit home in my business they will likely, as the author suggests, work in any business or environment. I have found myself mentally referring to his examples while transacting business relationships, exchanges with friends, and the local PTA meeting. I am making more money now as a result of my exposure to the book and that, after all, was my intent for purchasing it. Well done.

Rating:
Summary: America's #1 Marketing Wizard needs a Book Producer.
Review: Mr. Abraham's message can be distilled into 3 things: 1) get more customers, 2) get them to buy more, and 3) get them to buy more often.

The book spends the rest of the time telling stories around these themes. I've attended his seminar, bought his tapes, and also have this book. Personally, I wished that he used "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" as his book model instead of "Awaken the Giant Within."

This is one of those books that you know has lots of stuff in it, but you get bogged down in it, it's no fun reading it, and it sits there on your shelf.

Memo to Mr. Abrahams: We know you're America's #1 Marketing Wizard. Please get someone to help you rewrite this book. It's too hard a pill to shallow.

Rating:
Summary: The Wizard of Opportunity Creation Writes His Book
Review: Cut to the chase, what do you get in Jay Abraham's book--wind beneath your marketing wings with specific steps to take before and after you make your marketing flights. And, you get real people examples, not just name-dropping of the "Fortune 500." You'll read small business and entrepreneur success stories of how they used Abraham's techniques. The good news is that their stories give you ideas with strategies and tactics you can use right away.

To say Jay Abraham knows his marketing is like saying Lee Iococca knows his cars. Those who have been marketed to by Abraham will recognize vintage Abraham.

However, while his principles stay the same, you'll find them updated to take advantage of the newest of the technologies.

This is an easy-read, guaranteed to get your marketing motivation moving.

Rating:
Summary: Who Are You? What Do You Really Want?
Review: Actually, this is a two-books-in-one volume: an insightful explanation of how to increase personal as well as professional development, and, an uncommonly useful book on marketing. Rating either, I would give it Four Stars. Ranking the combination, I rate it higher. Abraham promises to provide "21 Ways You Can Out-Think, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the Competition." He delivers on that promise. If fully understood and properly applied, the 21 "ways" (actually strategies) will help almost everyone to become a better person as well as to increase the value of what they produce; perhaps indirectly but significantly, their business associates as well as family members can also be among the beneficiaries.

Abraham organizes his material within 21 chapters. Correctly, he first addresses the need for a plan ("Where You're Headed -- an Overview of Your Journey") and then the need for the proper attitude to ensure the success of that plan ("You Can Become Unbeatable"). By the final chapter, he has prepared his reader to understand what he calls a "unique definition of success." Specifically, "something I call optimum personal, business, and career strategy. What's this mean? It means that you must refuse to get less out of an effort, less out of an opportunity, less out of a day, less out of a dollar, less out of a relationship, than the maximum that activity or action has the capacity to give. It means that you don't do things just to be doing them. That you insist on playing life to the fullest. But playing it based on your sense of value."...You [first] have to figure out who you are and what it is you want."

Obviously, Abraham cannot figure out who you are but the 21 "ways" he shares can help you to make that determination. He cannot tell you what it is you want but the same 21 "ways" can help you to make that determination, also. Who will derive the greatest benefit from this book? One candidate would be the recent graduate for whom this would be an especially valuable holiday gift. Also, your less-experienced business associates who seem to lack a sense of purpose and/or direction in their lives, jobs, and careers. Finally, just about anyone else for whom most of what Abraham suggests seems "obvious" but would benefit from the human equivalent of a vehicle's 60,000-mile check-up. Abraham knows a lot. He has street smarts. Also passion, conviction, and a remarkable amount of empathy.

Years ago, Woody Allen once suggested that 80% of success is "showing up." For many people, Abraham suggests the other 20%: Knowing who you are and then being that person...knowing what you want and then pursuing it with energy and integrity. His use of the "journey" metaphor is apt. All successful journeys begin with the right "map" and resources, applied with precision and determination. If you are both willing and eager to begin your own "journey", I highly recommend Abraham as a companion.

Rating:
Summary: Not What I Expected or Wanted.
Review: Material is good but i expected this audio tape to deal with individual motivational and sales issues. this tape would likely be great for a small to medium size buiness looking for creative ways to market or advertise themselves. don't buy if you are looking for ways to make yourself better in a sales job. you won't find any.

Rating:
Summary: Building and Improving Mutually-Beneficial Relationships
Review: This is a practioner's book. Jay Abraham is a hands-on consultant and this is the kind of advice you would get if he were consulting for you.

Let me briefly summarize. Your success relates to putting your client's interests ahead of your own. He uses the word client rather than customer to reflect that you should be looking out for the client's best interests, not just trying to make the sale.

His fundamental thinking builds around the formula that your annual revenues are a function of how many clients you have times the average sale you make to a client times the number of times clients buy from you in a year. The book goes on to look at ways to build each of those three elements, pointing out that increasing each of them creates geometrically higher growth rates than the increase in any one of them individually.

Here are the key elements:

(1) Spend your time working on breakthroughs (44 of 60 major ones studied came from ordinary people, not big companies)

(2) Build from your strengths (50 questions will help you identify them)

(3) Continuously convey your desire to put client's interests first compassionately, respectfully and loyally.

(4) Make it less risky and easier to buy from you (more than a money-back guarantee is suggested, if that is affordable) In fact, the book comes with a money-back guarantee from Martin Edelston.

(5) Develop and improve your Unique Selling Proposition (what can you uniquely deliver that people want and need?)

(6) Give them an offer that no one would ever refuse (this might mean a more than money-back guarantee and tremendous commissions for your sales people)

(7) Sell them what else they need after they buy the first item or service

(8) Use small, inexpensive tests to locate the fastest cheapest, ways to sell.

(9) Develop alliances with others who will lead business to you.

(10) Help your clients learn how to refer business to you.

(11) Use direct mail, e-mails, your Web site, and telemarketing to extend the awareness of what you do inexpensively.

(12) Focus on your highest potential prospects.

(13) Use barter.

(14) Set and surpass your goals, then reset and surpass them again.

(15) You have more knowledge, skill and resource advantages than you are using. In many cases, these are worth more than financial resources in making you more successful.

These simple concepts are displayed in 21 chapters along with some actions steps at the end to get you started, and some examples along the way (about 10 per chapter).

As you can see, many of these points require enormous elaboration in order to be well executed. No one ever learned to be great at direct mail or the Internet in 10 pages. So think of the book as an outline of what you need to learn, rather than the answers for how to get there.

Mr. Abraham's principles and concepts seem to be sound. They have been taught in marketing classes in business schools for decades. What is new here is creating a version of these principles and concepts in one book for those with no formal business training. This book is a lot cheaper than the tuition for a business school marketing course, and probably a little more practical for what you will have to do tomorrow in your business.

My main caution about the book is that the magic is in the relationships. The techniques will not work well unless you genuinely want to serve others ahead of your own interests. My experience has been that most people are the other way. They want customers rather than clients, because they don't want to be responsible for the customer's interests being served. Be sure you know how you feel about this point before starting to apply this advice.

Good luck in establishing richer relationships!

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Summary: Author of The Golden Guru
Review: I have read 100's of business books and this is absolutely the best, most effective marketing related business book I have ever read. It is a real world hands-on approach that can be helpful to any business manager, owner or employee. The action-based strategies found inside show us how to discover hidden opportunities, assets, synergies, activities and relationships to maximize our performance. We have used one of Jay's strategies to increase our gross revenue by 100% in 2 years. I beleive in this book so highly that I recommend it inside my new book The Golden Guru.

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Summary: Jay Abraham for less than 20 bucks!
Review: I have used Jay's concepts to build many successful businesses, including a software company service group that went from an expense center to revenues of millions of dollars per year. I about fell off my chair when I saw that Jay has a book out that is so cheap. Why would I go out of my way to look for a book by Jay Abraham? Because you cannot learn enough about this marketing master. I never pick up a book, article, reprint, or seminar tape from Jay that I don't learn something I missed before and glean one more tidbit that can make me thousands of dollars.

If you need marketing expertise you must read Jay Abraham. Other marketing and sales books are dribble compared to Jay's powerful writing style and extensive hands on experience. Why he would write a book at all, I do not know, but he is a VERY generous man with his time, philosophy, and assistance. His seminars are spendy (though worth EVERY penny). His writing is direct and to the point--he won't waste your time.

If you're one of those people that buys books on how to get rich and never does anything about it, then skip Jay's book. If you really want to change your organization nearly overnight, order one for everyone in your company and your friends too!

In the space it took to write this review, Jay would probably have given you at least two ideas that can make your company tens of thousands of dollars. Sorry to be so verbose!

Rating:
Summary: Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got
Review: I purchased this book based primarily on the strong endorsements found here via these reviews. I must admit, that I am disappointed with the content and scope of this book. The topics are broad-brushed and extremely basic-- and I find Jay's insights both uninspired and less than insightful. Another reviewer indicated that this has all been done before and I have to agree...It has been done before and done better. I am a marketing and product management professional- with 20+ years of experience. I had hoped for some bits of information that would add new tools to my professional arsenal- no such luck