Exhaustive in scope, expertly presented, and authoritatively written.
An expert and his cohorts share definitive strategies for succeeding at Facebook advertising.
Leading internet consultant Marshall (Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords, 2017, etc.) and equally knowledgeable co-authors Krance and Meloche jam this third edition full of wise advice and witty asides. While opening chapters perhaps overjustify using Facebook as an advertising vehicle, most of the content is meaty and on-target. The authors give the uninitiated marketer virtually every tool and technique to make the most of Facebook, delivered through their trademarked “Facebook Flight Plan,” an ad campaign blueprint that is painstakingly described in detailed text and excellent supporting webpage screenshots. The content ranges from advertising basics (campaign objectives, writing persuasive ad copy, and ad creative checklists, for example) to the more advanced (“the five most common troubleshooting scenarios” and a “five-tier scaling system”). The coverage is comprehensive; if ever there were questions about whether “Like” campaigns work, creating a solid offer, using video ads, targeting specific audiences, analyzing campaigns, or understanding the “Facebook Pixel” (a piece of code), this outsized handbook has the answers. And if that isn’t enough, Marshall offers free access to tools, videos, and case studies on his website. A nice touch not always found in technology manuals is the sprinkling of relevant stories and screenshots of actual campaigns. One notable aspect is the inclusion of chapters written by seven “guest authors,” each with specialized expertise. The format is also a plus; the large pages are nicely laid out with lots of subheads and easy-to-read type. Screenshots are legible, although some may have been better reproduced in larger size. It’s apparent that the content has been honed, shaped, and massaged in the third edition to keep up with evolving advertising strategies and rapid changes in Facebook technology; the online material and email alert service that accompany the book are equally welcome as a way to stay updated on Facebook.
Exhaustive in scope, expertly presented, and authoritatively written.Pub Date: Nov. 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-59918-611-5
Page Count: 268
Publisher: Entrepreneur Press
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Striking research showing the immense complexity of ordinary thought and revealing the identities of the gatekeepers in our...
A psychologist and Nobel Prize winner summarizes and synthesizes the recent decades of research on intuition and systematic thinking.
The author of several scholarly texts, Kahneman (Emeritus Psychology and Public Affairs/Princeton Univ.) now offers general readers not just the findings of psychological research but also a better understanding of how research questions arise and how scholars systematically frame and answer them. He begins with the distinction between System 1 and System 2 mental operations, the former referring to quick, automatic thought, the latter to more effortful, overt thinking. We rely heavily, writes, on System 1, resorting to the higher-energy System 2 only when we need or want to. Kahneman continually refers to System 2 as “lazy”: We don’t want to think rigorously about something. The author then explores the nuances of our two-system minds, showing how they perform in various situations. Psychological experiments have repeatedly revealed that our intuitions are generally wrong, that our assessments are based on biases and that our System 1 hates doubt and despises ambiguity. Kahneman largely avoids jargon; when he does use some (“heuristics,” for example), he argues that such terms really ought to join our everyday vocabulary. He reviews many fundamental concepts in psychology and statistics (regression to the mean, the narrative fallacy, the optimistic bias), showing how they relate to his overall concerns about how we think and why we make the decisions that we do. Some of the later chapters (dealing with risk-taking and statistics and probabilities) are denser than others (some readers may resent such demands on System 2!), but the passages that deal with the economic and political implications of the research are gripping.
Striking research showing the immense complexity of ordinary thought and revealing the identities of the gatekeepers in our minds.Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-374-27563-1
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Sept. 3, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
IN THE NEWS
These are not hard and fast rules, but Meyer delivers important reading for those engaged in international business.
A helpful guide to working effectively with people from other cultures.
“The sad truth is that the vast majority of managers who conduct business internationally have little understanding about how culture is impacting their work,” writes Meyer, a professor at INSEAD, an international business school. Yet they face a wider array of work styles than ever before in dealing with clients, suppliers and colleagues from around the world. When is it best to speak or stay quiet? What is the role of the leader in the room? When working with foreign business people, failing to take cultural differences into account can lead to frustration, misunderstanding or worse. Based on research and her experiences teaching cross-cultural behaviors to executive students, the author examines a handful of key areas. Among others, they include communicating (Anglo-Saxons are explicit; Asians communicate implicitly, requiring listeners to read between the lines), developing a sense of trust (Brazilians do it over long lunches), and decision-making (Germans rely on consensus, Americans on one decider). In each area, the author provides a “culture map scale” that positions behaviors in more than 20 countries along a continuum, allowing readers to anticipate the preferences of individuals from a particular country: Do they like direct or indirect negative feedback? Are they rigid or flexible regarding deadlines? Do they favor verbal or written commitments? And so on. Meyer discusses managers who have faced perplexing situations, such as knowledgeable team members who fail to speak up in meetings or Indians who offer a puzzling half-shake, half-nod of the head. Cultural differences—not personality quirks—are the motivating factors behind many behavioral styles. Depending on our cultures, we understand the world in a particular way, find certain arguments persuasive or lacking merit, and consider some ways of making decisions or measuring time natural and others quite strange.
These are not hard and fast rules, but Meyer delivers important reading for those engaged in international business.Pub Date: May 27, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61039-250-1
Page Count: 288
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2014
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
