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The Impact Equation: Are You Making Things Happen or Just Making Noise?
“Anyone can write a blog post, but not everyone can get it liked thirty-five thousand times, and not everyone can get seventy-five thousand subscribers. But the reason we’ve done these things isn’t because we’re special. It’s because we tried and failed, the same way you learn to ride a bike. We tried again and again, and now we have an idea how to get from point A to point B faster because of it.” Three short years ago, when Chris Brogan and Julien Smith wrote their bestseller, Trust Agents , being interesting and human on the Web was enough to build a significant audience. But now, everybody has a platform. The problem is that most of them are just making noise. In The Impact Equation , Brogan and Smith show that to make people truly care about what you have to say, you need more than just a good idea, trust among your audience, or a certain number of followers. You need a potent mix of all of the above and more. Use the Impact Equation to figure out what you’re doing right and wrong. Apply it to a blog, a tweet, a video, or a mainstream-media advertising campaign. Use it to explain why a feature in a national newspaper that reaches millions might have less impact than a blog post that reaches a thousand passionate subscribers. Consider the phenomenally successful British singer Adele. For most musicians, onstage banter basically consists of yelling “Hello, Cleveland!” But Adele connects with her audience, pausing between songs to discuss a falling-out with her friends, or the drama of a break up. Each of these moments comes off as if she were talking directly with you, and you can easily relate. Adele has Impact. As the traditional channels for marketing, selling, and influencing disappear and more people interact mainly online, the very nature of attention is changing. The Impact Equation will give you the tools and metrics that guarantee your message will be heard.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
64 people are currently reading
1913 people want to read
About the author
Chris Brogan
40 books88 followersChris Brogan consults and speaks professionally with Fortune 100 and 500 companies like PepsiCo, General Motors, Microsoft, and more, on the future of business communications, and social software technologies. He is a New York Times bestselling co-author of
Trust Agents
, and a featured monthly columnist at Entrepreneur Magazine. Chris’s blog (http://www.chrisbrogan.com) is in the Top 5 of the Advertising Age Power150. He has over 11 years experience in online community, social media, and related technologies.
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January 9, 2024
The Impact Equation - What you need to stand out in the vast world wide web.
I actually had no idea what to expect from The Impact Equation as I just picked it up on a whim at the Big Bad Wolf Books Bazar 2017 in Surabaya, Indonesia. I mainly bought it because of the first phrase I saw inside the cover. It said, 'Anyone can write a blog post, but not everyone can get it liked thirty-five thousand times...'.
You can probably understand why I would want to pick up a book like that, right? Heck, the blog, BookMattic, is all about reaching people and The Impact Equation suggests using the guiding attributes created by both bloggers Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. Those attributes are also divided up into four separate sections. The attributes are known as:
C.R.E.A.T.E
Contrast: When an idea hits a person, it has to feel like something similar to an idea he or she has already experienced, yet it has to be different enough to get noticed.
Reach: The higher the number of people you can connect with, the more influential your idea can become.
Exposure: It's all about how often you connect with your audience.
Articulation: It is about the clarity of your message. Can it be understood instantly? Articulation is being understood.
Trust: Trust is all about being honest and therefore trustworthy.
Echo: It's all about the feeling of connection you give your reader, visitor, or participant.
The Dividing Sections
Goals: Actually, surprisingly, so many people out there don't set goals, or don't do it enough. The Impact Equation gives you useful tools you wouldn't have thought of before.
Ideas: Make an idea real tangible things you can hold onto and make happen not just in your head.
Platform: A platform is not just one blog, that's part of it, but many different outlets that allow you to reach as many people as possible. It could include making an appearance on TV, guest posts, or creating your own YouTube Channel.
Human Element: This is putting the human in business. It's about building that relationship between you and your customer.
Are you just making noise, or are you actually making things happen?
Exactly, are you just making noise, or are you actually making things happen and connecting with people. You may have a great idea, but will anyone hear it? That's what The Impact Equation is all about, helping you to achieve your desired reach. It may seem like All the attributes are too much to be all covered in one book, but both Chris and Julien did a superb job of putting this thing together.
I'm excited to share it with you.
Contrast - The Impact Equation
contrast the impact equation, flower standing out
Truthfully to tell you, I was a bit overwhelmed with the valuable information packed into this 259-page hardback book. All of the information is usable and there's no doubt in my mind that I will be coming back to this book as kind of a 'bible' for content writing.
The only negative aspect I can think of about The Impact Equation is the fact that it felt like a huge blog post. But really, is that a bad thing?
So the whole idea of contrast is making your ideas stand out from all the other similar ideas out there. As the book mentions,
In our ideas, we are not looking for universal uniqueness. We are looking only for uniqueness inside our own little field.
This point drives home for me, and it should for you too. Each one of you that writes in a blog, writes for a specific niche. Your focus should be narrow with each individual having their own unique voice.
Look at my blog posts for example. Each post I write has some sort of personalized story about who I am and where I came from. There is no other person on this earth with the same exact story as me.
You also can make your posts stand out by using your own story as your uniqueness factor.
There are a few other examples of contrast and the building of ideas I feel are worth mentioning before you go off and buy The Impact Equation.
You must create ideas, again and again, and allow them to surpass your previous ones.
Pay attention to your audience's interests. It's critical to developing the message you want to deliver.
Idea creation follows a process that you must recognize when a good idea pops into your head you must mold it like clay until it's ready for consumption.
Good ideas make you feel any positive emotion which stick to other concepts in your brain.
Good ideas solve a problem or fulfill a need.
If you personally want to create something amazing, the best strategy is to act like the Internet does. You have to be comfortable with creating garbage in order to have some measure of awesome stuff.
Powerful Lesson #1:Writing your content with emotion and great ideas in mind will help you to connect with your readers in a deeper way. But, you've also got to throw some ideas infront of people in order to find out whether your content is viral material. You'll never know if your ideas connect with others until you show them. Don't be afraid to fail and get back up again.
Reach - The Impact Equation
reach impact equation
Reach is almost never built instantly. I know this from personal experience. Everyone from Celine Dian to you and me know that building reach takes time. Even if you're on the top, you still have room to grow.
The thing about reach is that usually, you build it one loyal fan at a time depending on your niche. I also think that each niche has a cap, some are higher than others. Your cap is only as high as there the number of people there are interested in the topic you're talking about.
But once you reach the heights of your niche, you'll become a master at communicating with your followers.
Ideas without Reach are like plants without sunlight. They dry up and shrivel and sink back into the soil...There's nothing fair about Reach.
This quote is so true and it really is unfair. There are probably so many ideas that go under the bridge because the people shouting them out can't reach enough people to make them go viral. It's unfortunate, but a reality.
That's why you have to be persistent, and keep on producing content for your audience to devour. If you keep on checking and changing what works and what doesn't, eventually you'll come across a gold mine and make it big.
How do you reach more people with The Impact Equation by using platforms?
Reach is all about using platforms as tools to get your message out. There are the social media platforms and YouTube you can use as tools to reach your audience, but also even better are blogs, websites, radio, and TV.
Related Post: 11 Powerful Tips to Help Skyrocket Your Instagram Engagement
Getting your name out in any sort of way is part of Reach.
Another strong point The Impact Equation makes about Reach and the use of a platform is the type of advertising you do as individuals or companies.
You have to make your content part of the 'show' rather than like a commercial on TV. No one purposely pays attention to the commercials.
So it is your job as the curator of the value of your platform to reach out to new people constantly to exponentially expand your Reach.
The three things you want your reader to think about while reading your post.
This is an interesting new voice.
I've been thinking this forever; finally, someone is saying it.
I've never thought about this before!
Build a group of up-and-comers
There are tons of other people beginning just like you. Why not just build a group so you all can converse and suggest ways of building your own platforms?
By having a community you all become stronger and make connections, sometimes, with people with more experience and knowledge than you.
The Impact Equation also suggests being very kind to the up-and-comers even when you get to stardom. You never know who the next star will be and also you probably remember what it's like to be a small fry.
There are also opportunities like guest posting and the such. Guest posting does a great job of increasing credibility when it's with the right people.
Powerful Lesson #2: A great platform means it has great access. The platform itself can become your brand therefore increasing your Reach with the same people in your niche. Making your platform exclusive will increase your Reach as well since people crave scarcity or secrecy. Finally, your content must be the best you can make it be while not losing any of your personal touch.
Note: There are so many different wonderful book recommendations in The Impact Equation including:
The Alchemist
Advertising Age
Blue Ocean Strategy
Business Stripped Bare
Screw Business As Usual
The Selfish Gene
For the Win
Ender's Game
E-Myth
Find Your Next
The Flinch
Game On
Gamestorming
Five Minds for the Future
Big Moo
Purple Cow
We Are All Wired
A Brief History of Time
How to Win Friends and Influence People
The Lean Startup
Made to Stick
Understanding Comics
The Shipping News
Reality is Broken
Small Town Rules
Trust Agents (Brogan, Smith)
The Trusted Advisor
and...
The Wisdom of Crowds
That is an amazing list of books. How many out of the 28 have you read?
Exposure - The Impact Equation
exposure impact equation
Exposure is the art of hitting people, again and again, until they finally decide to take some kind of action.
In other words, Exposure is about how often you publish your content whether it be every day or once a week.
Here are three major checklist items the book suggests for checking your Exposure.
Your material is something someone would be delighted to come across.
Your clients look forward to what you send them.
Your content is like a TV show, not an advertisement.
I think one of the best things about Exposure is, as The Impact Equation says, once someone subscribes to your channel or email list, you don't have to ask them, again and again, to do so. You do have to be careful of losing them, but for the most part, that person subscribed initially because they like your content and will continue to do so as long as you continually improve.
Once you build your audience up, it gets easier to continue to do so.
Here's another checklist
How often should you blog?
You should blog as often as you have ideas to blog about.
If you blog daily your number of subscribers will go up.
If you blog twice or more daily your number of subscribers will go up even more.
If you blog once a week you won't necessarily lose subscribers.
If you blog once a month you might lose subscribers.
Posting on Sunday is a magical day. It seems like more people are online and on your page a little longer.
Posting on Friday at around 5:00 P.M. is not a good idea.
But in reality, it doesn't really matter if you post every day or three times a week as long as your content is amazingly useful and easily relatable. Your posting schedule does play a factor in how many subscribers you attain and keep. Being consistent is a must.
Two things you need to stay away from.
The "look at me" syndrome where you basically act like a little kid by bragging and showing off or getting a bit pushy with your tactics.
When you share your content through social media consider modifying each post for each different platform. To better understand, let's take Facebook and Pinterest. Each are different. On Pinterest, you'll want to share an infographic linked to your blog post. On Facebook, you could share the link to the post.
Other things you need to consider about The Impact Equation
When you're posting every day, you're bound to get more traffic which most likely means you'll receive more comments. With those comments, I highly recommend being highly responsive, providing even more value through the comments section of your post.
The same goes for comments on social media and email. Your timely response and detailed answers will go a long way.
Powerful Lesson #3:One of the most important things you can do before even starting your own blog is to consider writing out an 'ideal reader' exercise which was mentioned in the book. The process is simple and will take you no more than 20 minutes to do.
Ideal Reader Exercise:Pull out your notebook or piece of paper, then while thinking about your readers write down everything that comes into your mind without judgement about who you are writing to when you write your posts. Come up with the longest list possible.
I personally did this exercise and found it to work miricals on how I approach writing these posts for you. Actually, I have already published it in another post for you to see: Mindset: Why You're Here and How I Can Help - First Post
Articulation - The Impact Equation
clarity impact equation
The concept of Articulation is quite simple yet takes time to perfect. The concept is to use words in a clear and simple way to make an impact and connect with your readers in a way they can make your ideas their own. Write like you're writing to a 10 year old.
However, Articulation is not just about the words you use, it's also about connecting the dots between each and every post you write.
For example, the post I published a couple days ago about my Grandma could have completely been unconnected, but I wrote it in a way that it would connect with the idea of 'mindset' and working hard to achieve your highest potential. That's right down this blog's alley. It's exactly the message I want to convey to you.
Here's the post about my Grandma: What is the Meaning of Life? A Lesson From My Grandma
Here're some of the things you can do to improve your writing.
Learn to spell correctly, or if you're not so good at it like me, you can use Grammarly. But even then, you can't always use this as a crutch.
Expand your vocabulary. Read, read, and read. Look up the words you do not know. You should be writing at a 6th grade level, but at times it'd be wise to use higher level words.
Read works from the masters in your niche. Get a feel for how they write, then practice by making it your own.
Copy a masterwork. By writing word-for-word from your favorite classic, (I have not done this personally, but I see the value in it.) you'll be able to internalize the writing of a master!
Write, write and write. Make time for writing every single day, even if it's only for 15 or 20 minutes.
Powerful Lesson #4: The ability to focus is what really matters. Be clear and crisp when presenting your ideas to your followers. Every post should have strong and loose connections that all tie into your brand. There may be people who doubt you, but if you truly believe in what you and your brand stand for you should push on.
Trust - The Impact Equation
trust impact equation
Trust is about feeling and it's one of the most difficult and most important parts of The Impact Equation. Chris and Julien both are most well known for their book, Trust Agents, where the focus of the whole book is on trust. If you've read it, know that they go deeper and more specifically into the topic here.
Some people seem more trustable than others, right? Even if you just met someone, you immediately feel a sense of
trust or distrust no matter how much you say that you don't judge people.
Here are four aspects that build Trust.
Credibility is what you say that can actually be backed up by your credentials.
Reliability this is when you do what you said you would do in a timely manner if not far above expectations.
Intimacy is when you build a non-business friendship with someone that could potentially influence business decisions.
Self-interest this is about knowing how to listen. Are you truly interested in helping your customers or are you just after their money? This can be subtle because even the tone of your voice and body language you use affects the outcome of your Trust.
The Impact Equation uses the perfect example of a cocktail party that you can also apply in any online situation to build trust.
You first approach someone across the room of interest to you. You might go about talking about interests, basically, small talk, or talk of something you know connects the both of you. Then you might go about talking about specifically what that person does for a living. You're fishing for a business connection without being direct about promoting yourself.
As the book says, 'It's important to learn about who you're talking with before you proceed to promote your business.' Talking to people who you think you can help out, or vice versa is your goal. Make the connection with the right people then possibly meet outside of the cocktail party at a later date to discuss your business together further.
Credibility is hard
I think one of the only ways to build credibility outside of your credentials is by experience. If you don't have the credentials to back you up, I recommend starting a blog in the niche of your desire and writing about the things that truly interest you.
Share your work with others on social media and improve your content with every step. If your work is good, people will come to you. But sometimes it's hard to break out into the niche of your interest when you've been in the same field for 10 to 20 years, for example, teaching. Everyone that knows you will think, 'Hey, he's a teacher. Not an Entrepreneur.'
That's when you have to make new connections and show those that don't think you're credible, that you actually are. You must continually study, learn and take action to be a credible individual in your field.
Three things you can do to build up your credibility
First, you must have a website.
Second, get testimonials from whatever work you do to post on your website.
Third, be publicized in a blog, newspaper, or TV programme then post it on your website.
Here are mine: Portfolio and Testimonials
Before moving onto the last section of the book I'll leave you with a powerful thought.
Credibility takes a long time to develop. There is no substitute or shortcut to forming a truly genuine credibility. Don't be afraid of it. Just create the opportunities that will get you the credibility you need. Just do it.
Echo - The Impact Equation
connection impact equation
Echo is all about emotion and connection with your followers. One of the best ways of building a connection with your audience is by finding a common interest with your audience and sharing your feelings. Just be honest with them because they'll love that.
There's another book I'd highly recommend buying which is all about marketing your ideas. It's called Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger.
Remember that your number one priority is to your customers, they are the ones who bring you business and pay for your salary. Show them respect and give back to them in more than one way. You can even promote their material if it fits into your theme.
So make sure you deliver a message to your readers which is packed full of emotion and value. Inspire your readers to do more. Most importantly, be yourself.
I actually had no idea what to expect from The Impact Equation as I just picked it up on a whim at the Big Bad Wolf Books Bazar 2017 in Surabaya, Indonesia. I mainly bought it because of the first phrase I saw inside the cover. It said, 'Anyone can write a blog post, but not everyone can get it liked thirty-five thousand times...'.
You can probably understand why I would want to pick up a book like that, right? Heck, the blog, BookMattic, is all about reaching people and The Impact Equation suggests using the guiding attributes created by both bloggers Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. Those attributes are also divided up into four separate sections. The attributes are known as:
C.R.E.A.T.E
Contrast: When an idea hits a person, it has to feel like something similar to an idea he or she has already experienced, yet it has to be different enough to get noticed.
Reach: The higher the number of people you can connect with, the more influential your idea can become.
Exposure: It's all about how often you connect with your audience.
Articulation: It is about the clarity of your message. Can it be understood instantly? Articulation is being understood.
Trust: Trust is all about being honest and therefore trustworthy.
Echo: It's all about the feeling of connection you give your reader, visitor, or participant.
The Dividing Sections
Goals: Actually, surprisingly, so many people out there don't set goals, or don't do it enough. The Impact Equation gives you useful tools you wouldn't have thought of before.
Ideas: Make an idea real tangible things you can hold onto and make happen not just in your head.
Platform: A platform is not just one blog, that's part of it, but many different outlets that allow you to reach as many people as possible. It could include making an appearance on TV, guest posts, or creating your own YouTube Channel.
Human Element: This is putting the human in business. It's about building that relationship between you and your customer.
Are you just making noise, or are you actually making things happen?
Exactly, are you just making noise, or are you actually making things happen and connecting with people. You may have a great idea, but will anyone hear it? That's what The Impact Equation is all about, helping you to achieve your desired reach. It may seem like All the attributes are too much to be all covered in one book, but both Chris and Julien did a superb job of putting this thing together.
I'm excited to share it with you.
Contrast - The Impact Equation
contrast the impact equation, flower standing out
Truthfully to tell you, I was a bit overwhelmed with the valuable information packed into this 259-page hardback book. All of the information is usable and there's no doubt in my mind that I will be coming back to this book as kind of a 'bible' for content writing.
The only negative aspect I can think of about The Impact Equation is the fact that it felt like a huge blog post. But really, is that a bad thing?
So the whole idea of contrast is making your ideas stand out from all the other similar ideas out there. As the book mentions,
In our ideas, we are not looking for universal uniqueness. We are looking only for uniqueness inside our own little field.
This point drives home for me, and it should for you too. Each one of you that writes in a blog, writes for a specific niche. Your focus should be narrow with each individual having their own unique voice.
Look at my blog posts for example. Each post I write has some sort of personalized story about who I am and where I came from. There is no other person on this earth with the same exact story as me.
You also can make your posts stand out by using your own story as your uniqueness factor.
There are a few other examples of contrast and the building of ideas I feel are worth mentioning before you go off and buy The Impact Equation.
You must create ideas, again and again, and allow them to surpass your previous ones.
Pay attention to your audience's interests. It's critical to developing the message you want to deliver.
Idea creation follows a process that you must recognize when a good idea pops into your head you must mold it like clay until it's ready for consumption.
Good ideas make you feel any positive emotion which stick to other concepts in your brain.
Good ideas solve a problem or fulfill a need.
If you personally want to create something amazing, the best strategy is to act like the Internet does. You have to be comfortable with creating garbage in order to have some measure of awesome stuff.
Powerful Lesson #1:Writing your content with emotion and great ideas in mind will help you to connect with your readers in a deeper way. But, you've also got to throw some ideas infront of people in order to find out whether your content is viral material. You'll never know if your ideas connect with others until you show them. Don't be afraid to fail and get back up again.
Reach - The Impact Equation
reach impact equation
Reach is almost never built instantly. I know this from personal experience. Everyone from Celine Dian to you and me know that building reach takes time. Even if you're on the top, you still have room to grow.
The thing about reach is that usually, you build it one loyal fan at a time depending on your niche. I also think that each niche has a cap, some are higher than others. Your cap is only as high as there the number of people there are interested in the topic you're talking about.
But once you reach the heights of your niche, you'll become a master at communicating with your followers.
Ideas without Reach are like plants without sunlight. They dry up and shrivel and sink back into the soil...There's nothing fair about Reach.
This quote is so true and it really is unfair. There are probably so many ideas that go under the bridge because the people shouting them out can't reach enough people to make them go viral. It's unfortunate, but a reality.
That's why you have to be persistent, and keep on producing content for your audience to devour. If you keep on checking and changing what works and what doesn't, eventually you'll come across a gold mine and make it big.
How do you reach more people with The Impact Equation by using platforms?
Reach is all about using platforms as tools to get your message out. There are the social media platforms and YouTube you can use as tools to reach your audience, but also even better are blogs, websites, radio, and TV.
Related Post: 11 Powerful Tips to Help Skyrocket Your Instagram Engagement
Getting your name out in any sort of way is part of Reach.
Another strong point The Impact Equation makes about Reach and the use of a platform is the type of advertising you do as individuals or companies.
You have to make your content part of the 'show' rather than like a commercial on TV. No one purposely pays attention to the commercials.
So it is your job as the curator of the value of your platform to reach out to new people constantly to exponentially expand your Reach.
The three things you want your reader to think about while reading your post.
This is an interesting new voice.
I've been thinking this forever; finally, someone is saying it.
I've never thought about this before!
Build a group of up-and-comers
There are tons of other people beginning just like you. Why not just build a group so you all can converse and suggest ways of building your own platforms?
By having a community you all become stronger and make connections, sometimes, with people with more experience and knowledge than you.
The Impact Equation also suggests being very kind to the up-and-comers even when you get to stardom. You never know who the next star will be and also you probably remember what it's like to be a small fry.
There are also opportunities like guest posting and the such. Guest posting does a great job of increasing credibility when it's with the right people.
Powerful Lesson #2: A great platform means it has great access. The platform itself can become your brand therefore increasing your Reach with the same people in your niche. Making your platform exclusive will increase your Reach as well since people crave scarcity or secrecy. Finally, your content must be the best you can make it be while not losing any of your personal touch.
Note: There are so many different wonderful book recommendations in The Impact Equation including:
The Alchemist
Advertising Age
Blue Ocean Strategy
Business Stripped Bare
Screw Business As Usual
The Selfish Gene
For the Win
Ender's Game
E-Myth
Find Your Next
The Flinch
Game On
Gamestorming
Five Minds for the Future
Big Moo
Purple Cow
We Are All Wired
A Brief History of Time
How to Win Friends and Influence People
The Lean Startup
Made to Stick
Understanding Comics
The Shipping News
Reality is Broken
Small Town Rules
Trust Agents (Brogan, Smith)
The Trusted Advisor
and...
The Wisdom of Crowds
That is an amazing list of books. How many out of the 28 have you read?
Exposure - The Impact Equation
exposure impact equation
Exposure is the art of hitting people, again and again, until they finally decide to take some kind of action.
In other words, Exposure is about how often you publish your content whether it be every day or once a week.
Here are three major checklist items the book suggests for checking your Exposure.
Your material is something someone would be delighted to come across.
Your clients look forward to what you send them.
Your content is like a TV show, not an advertisement.
I think one of the best things about Exposure is, as The Impact Equation says, once someone subscribes to your channel or email list, you don't have to ask them, again and again, to do so. You do have to be careful of losing them, but for the most part, that person subscribed initially because they like your content and will continue to do so as long as you continually improve.
Once you build your audience up, it gets easier to continue to do so.
Here's another checklist
How often should you blog?
You should blog as often as you have ideas to blog about.
If you blog daily your number of subscribers will go up.
If you blog twice or more daily your number of subscribers will go up even more.
If you blog once a week you won't necessarily lose subscribers.
If you blog once a month you might lose subscribers.
Posting on Sunday is a magical day. It seems like more people are online and on your page a little longer.
Posting on Friday at around 5:00 P.M. is not a good idea.
But in reality, it doesn't really matter if you post every day or three times a week as long as your content is amazingly useful and easily relatable. Your posting schedule does play a factor in how many subscribers you attain and keep. Being consistent is a must.
Two things you need to stay away from.
The "look at me" syndrome where you basically act like a little kid by bragging and showing off or getting a bit pushy with your tactics.
When you share your content through social media consider modifying each post for each different platform. To better understand, let's take Facebook and Pinterest. Each are different. On Pinterest, you'll want to share an infographic linked to your blog post. On Facebook, you could share the link to the post.
Other things you need to consider about The Impact Equation
When you're posting every day, you're bound to get more traffic which most likely means you'll receive more comments. With those comments, I highly recommend being highly responsive, providing even more value through the comments section of your post.
The same goes for comments on social media and email. Your timely response and detailed answers will go a long way.
Powerful Lesson #3:One of the most important things you can do before even starting your own blog is to consider writing out an 'ideal reader' exercise which was mentioned in the book. The process is simple and will take you no more than 20 minutes to do.
Ideal Reader Exercise:Pull out your notebook or piece of paper, then while thinking about your readers write down everything that comes into your mind without judgement about who you are writing to when you write your posts. Come up with the longest list possible.
I personally did this exercise and found it to work miricals on how I approach writing these posts for you. Actually, I have already published it in another post for you to see: Mindset: Why You're Here and How I Can Help - First Post
Articulation - The Impact Equation
clarity impact equation
The concept of Articulation is quite simple yet takes time to perfect. The concept is to use words in a clear and simple way to make an impact and connect with your readers in a way they can make your ideas their own. Write like you're writing to a 10 year old.
However, Articulation is not just about the words you use, it's also about connecting the dots between each and every post you write.
For example, the post I published a couple days ago about my Grandma could have completely been unconnected, but I wrote it in a way that it would connect with the idea of 'mindset' and working hard to achieve your highest potential. That's right down this blog's alley. It's exactly the message I want to convey to you.
Here's the post about my Grandma: What is the Meaning of Life? A Lesson From My Grandma
Here're some of the things you can do to improve your writing.
Learn to spell correctly, or if you're not so good at it like me, you can use Grammarly. But even then, you can't always use this as a crutch.
Expand your vocabulary. Read, read, and read. Look up the words you do not know. You should be writing at a 6th grade level, but at times it'd be wise to use higher level words.
Read works from the masters in your niche. Get a feel for how they write, then practice by making it your own.
Copy a masterwork. By writing word-for-word from your favorite classic, (I have not done this personally, but I see the value in it.) you'll be able to internalize the writing of a master!
Write, write and write. Make time for writing every single day, even if it's only for 15 or 20 minutes.
Powerful Lesson #4: The ability to focus is what really matters. Be clear and crisp when presenting your ideas to your followers. Every post should have strong and loose connections that all tie into your brand. There may be people who doubt you, but if you truly believe in what you and your brand stand for you should push on.
Trust - The Impact Equation
trust impact equation
Trust is about feeling and it's one of the most difficult and most important parts of The Impact Equation. Chris and Julien both are most well known for their book, Trust Agents, where the focus of the whole book is on trust. If you've read it, know that they go deeper and more specifically into the topic here.
Some people seem more trustable than others, right? Even if you just met someone, you immediately feel a sense of
trust or distrust no matter how much you say that you don't judge people.
Here are four aspects that build Trust.
Credibility is what you say that can actually be backed up by your credentials.
Reliability this is when you do what you said you would do in a timely manner if not far above expectations.
Intimacy is when you build a non-business friendship with someone that could potentially influence business decisions.
Self-interest this is about knowing how to listen. Are you truly interested in helping your customers or are you just after their money? This can be subtle because even the tone of your voice and body language you use affects the outcome of your Trust.
The Impact Equation uses the perfect example of a cocktail party that you can also apply in any online situation to build trust.
You first approach someone across the room of interest to you. You might go about talking about interests, basically, small talk, or talk of something you know connects the both of you. Then you might go about talking about specifically what that person does for a living. You're fishing for a business connection without being direct about promoting yourself.
As the book says, 'It's important to learn about who you're talking with before you proceed to promote your business.' Talking to people who you think you can help out, or vice versa is your goal. Make the connection with the right people then possibly meet outside of the cocktail party at a later date to discuss your business together further.
Credibility is hard
I think one of the only ways to build credibility outside of your credentials is by experience. If you don't have the credentials to back you up, I recommend starting a blog in the niche of your desire and writing about the things that truly interest you.
Share your work with others on social media and improve your content with every step. If your work is good, people will come to you. But sometimes it's hard to break out into the niche of your interest when you've been in the same field for 10 to 20 years, for example, teaching. Everyone that knows you will think, 'Hey, he's a teacher. Not an Entrepreneur.'
That's when you have to make new connections and show those that don't think you're credible, that you actually are. You must continually study, learn and take action to be a credible individual in your field.
Three things you can do to build up your credibility
First, you must have a website.
Second, get testimonials from whatever work you do to post on your website.
Third, be publicized in a blog, newspaper, or TV programme then post it on your website.
Here are mine: Portfolio and Testimonials
Before moving onto the last section of the book I'll leave you with a powerful thought.
Credibility takes a long time to develop. There is no substitute or shortcut to forming a truly genuine credibility. Don't be afraid of it. Just create the opportunities that will get you the credibility you need. Just do it.
Echo - The Impact Equation
connection impact equation
Echo is all about emotion and connection with your followers. One of the best ways of building a connection with your audience is by finding a common interest with your audience and sharing your feelings. Just be honest with them because they'll love that.
There's another book I'd highly recommend buying which is all about marketing your ideas. It's called Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger.
Remember that your number one priority is to your customers, they are the ones who bring you business and pay for your salary. Show them respect and give back to them in more than one way. You can even promote their material if it fits into your theme.
So make sure you deliver a message to your readers which is packed full of emotion and value. Inspire your readers to do more. Most importantly, be yourself.
April 28, 2013
I liked Trust Agents a lot better, but I think part of that is that social media was fairly new and I was REALLY new to the online world at the time. However, this book certainly is not bad, and I think someone reading this who is new to the online world (even though the authors protest it is not a social media book) would benefit a lot from reading it. There are a lot of great suggestions regarding idea generation, how to think of your ideas, and how to pre-test them (something that seems to be increasingly rare.
The one thing I worry about is that people reading this are going to think that gaining exposure is the same as it was a few years ago. These days, if you can't attach yourself to a Triberr tribe, it is harder than ever to break through the noise. Leaving comments is no longer as integral as it was 2-3 years ago either. People retweet or share posts via various platforms like Triberr, Buffer, or Hootsuite and leave the interaction there, predominantly. This is much easier to deal with if you are already pretty established, and Chris and Julien are well known enough that this wouldn't really affect them anyway. But to start a new blog now is, I think, harder than it was in 2010, when I started.
It's an easy read, a quick read, and a worthwhile read.
The one thing I worry about is that people reading this are going to think that gaining exposure is the same as it was a few years ago. These days, if you can't attach yourself to a Triberr tribe, it is harder than ever to break through the noise. Leaving comments is no longer as integral as it was 2-3 years ago either. People retweet or share posts via various platforms like Triberr, Buffer, or Hootsuite and leave the interaction there, predominantly. This is much easier to deal with if you are already pretty established, and Chris and Julien are well known enough that this wouldn't really affect them anyway. But to start a new blog now is, I think, harder than it was in 2010, when I started.
It's an easy read, a quick read, and a worthwhile read.
December 14, 2012
This is the book for you to read if you've been thinking about launching a new business, a great idea, or a way to change the world. Chris and Julian's insights into how reach and influence work in today's world will head you in the right direction and show you how to get to gold. Traditional ways (like PR) to reach the public are outdated, expensive, and virtually pointless in the digital era. Let go of the idea of getting a great write up in the newspaper and instead figure out how to create a community that cares.
February 28, 2017
I spent a long time chewing on this book, thinking about how it applies to my online presence. There was a lot here to process. Originally, I was offered a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I posted a running commentary on Twitter, and quoted from this book extensively. But then my divorced life took over, and I found it difficult to finish. I initially thought it was my lack of focus, but now that I've finished the book I can state that the book had greater focus in the beginning, but then became less focused despite, perhaps even bogged down with examples.
I would say the first third of the book was ★★★★★ for me—salient and applicable to my needs. The last third was the least helpful. For adults with ADHD, the first third is filled with excellent advice on how to shape and focus your online presence. I still struggle with this, though thanks to this book, I am much better at it. The last two chapters were fascinating to me, and featured many examples. Unfortunately, the authors spent a lot of space stating what we should do, and why, but not a lot of effort on how. For example, if we answer the questions Chris & Julian pose, we can determine that we do not have much trust built up in our networks, but there wasn't information offered in the book on how to rebuild trust—just information on how some people maintain it, and several statements about how important it was to not lose your network's trust. I also found all the name dropping tedious over time.
Still, there was a lot offered here that I must learn from, so this book earns a permanent place in my library. I recommend it highly.
I would say the first third of the book was ★★★★★ for me—salient and applicable to my needs. The last third was the least helpful. For adults with ADHD, the first third is filled with excellent advice on how to shape and focus your online presence. I still struggle with this, though thanks to this book, I am much better at it. The last two chapters were fascinating to me, and featured many examples. Unfortunately, the authors spent a lot of space stating what we should do, and why, but not a lot of effort on how. For example, if we answer the questions Chris & Julian pose, we can determine that we do not have much trust built up in our networks, but there wasn't information offered in the book on how to rebuild trust—just information on how some people maintain it, and several statements about how important it was to not lose your network's trust. I also found all the name dropping tedious over time.
Still, there was a lot offered here that I must learn from, so this book earns a permanent place in my library. I recommend it highly.
February 17, 2024
While the book is old considering its release date vs the fast paced and evolving world of the internet at present - the message is still relevant and perhaps even more important as the “noise” gets louder and expanded - this books makes you realise the more strategic planning / implementation that will make your effort count to its maximum ‘impact’ possible- something I really like to do in my work/effort - measure twice - even thrice, then cut once making sure my effort is the best foot forward, rather than producing wasted effort / or use of my resources to build a community / following round your mission.
To Our Continued Success!
Seemy
Waseem.tv/Blog
👆🏼 P.S -
If you found this review helpful - I’d like to invite you to discover more on our blog. Where the community share some of our most important insights to level up each others knowledge 💡- from experience in studying books like this, training programs, podcasts and much more - visit the blog link above to find out more.
P.P.S 😅 - You probably noticed from my profile that I’ve reviewed a LOT of books over the years now - if you love seeking knowledge like me I’d love to connect with you further as a like minded person (send me a friend invite! 😀) - Also if you are curious - here is my preferred and recommended resource for seeking timeless wisdom - Check it out via the website invite link below 👇🏼 (You’ll be able to claim some awesome books for free 📚)
https://Waseem.tv/GoodReadsBookInvite
To Our Continued Success!
Seemy
Waseem.tv/Blog
👆🏼 P.S -
If you found this review helpful - I’d like to invite you to discover more on our blog. Where the community share some of our most important insights to level up each others knowledge 💡- from experience in studying books like this, training programs, podcasts and much more - visit the blog link above to find out more.
P.P.S 😅 - You probably noticed from my profile that I’ve reviewed a LOT of books over the years now - if you love seeking knowledge like me I’d love to connect with you further as a like minded person (send me a friend invite! 😀) - Also if you are curious - here is my preferred and recommended resource for seeking timeless wisdom - Check it out via the website invite link below 👇🏼 (You’ll be able to claim some awesome books for free 📚)
https://Waseem.tv/GoodReadsBookInvite
May 13, 2017
Chris Brogan and Julien Stanwell Smith provide a framework for presenting ideas so they have impact. Each elements of the equation -- contrast, reach, exposure, articulation, trust, and echo -- is defined and explained in terms of how it creates attraction and influence.
The authors' conversational and personable writing styles makes this book an enjoyable read. I look forward to revisiting The Impact Equation as I test my writing for impact.
The authors' conversational and personable writing styles makes this book an enjoyable read. I look forward to revisiting The Impact Equation as I test my writing for impact.
March 12, 2020
When you read "The Impact Equation", you get the feeling that Chris Brogan and Julien Smith have clobbered together an acronym to fit their narrative for a follow-up book.
The dead giveaway is when the authors advised that you can change your "frame of reference" to derive "new meaning" to what you're seeing. So if nothing gels with the proposed equation, change the frame of reference until it does? Just wow.
The writing is all over the place, jumping from one idea to another, sometimes with nary a preamble. It is also Long-winded, as if the authors were trying to pad the books with superfluous information.
The dead giveaway is when the authors advised that you can change your "frame of reference" to derive "new meaning" to what you're seeing. So if nothing gels with the proposed equation, change the frame of reference until it does? Just wow.
The writing is all over the place, jumping from one idea to another, sometimes with nary a preamble. It is also Long-winded, as if the authors were trying to pad the books with superfluous information.
July 17, 2019
I am a long time fan of Chris Brogan's work. This is the first book I've read by him. It's also the first time I've ever heard of his co-author Julien Smith. I find that it's a pleasant evolution of the ethos that Chris has tried to create in many of his online communities. All in all, I find that he tends to give great advice, not just the business purposes, but that also tend to have practical life applications
September 24, 2020
Handy little book with some excellent nuggets for building communities. As a social media marketer this is something that I strive to excel at every day and I don't always succeed.
Biggest Lesson: Companies are not people, but the people within those companies can be given a voice that can be lent to the company. never forget where your voice begins and try to use that to cultivate a community you can interact with, give back too, and learn from.
Biggest Lesson: Companies are not people, but the people within those companies can be given a voice that can be lent to the company. never forget where your voice begins and try to use that to cultivate a community you can interact with, give back too, and learn from.
August 1, 2017
Chris and Julien brought their readers a playbook on how to crank your idea into impact using a catchy framework: (C)ontrast, (R)each, (E)xposure, (A)rticulation, (T)rust, (E)cho. Each chapter dives into each element in detail, providing sufficient explanation and real-world examples. If you're longing on making 'impact' (whatever it means to you), give this book a go, it won't disappoint
May 14, 2020
The only individuals who do not benefit of communicating their ideas in todays world are probably hermits. So unless you are a hermit , this book is for you.
Guidelines , considerations, processes, tips and skills are some of the contents that will be provided here.
Guidelines , considerations, processes, tips and skills are some of the contents that will be provided here.
September 1, 2018
Quick easy informative read
December 17, 2021
Slightly disappointed in this one. I felt this book was the opposite of the title. It made more noise than it succeeded in making things happen.
May 13, 2013
(Copy of my review from Milaspage.com)
This book is for everyone.
The beauty of the content in this book is that it comes from two very different people who work successfully in the social media sphere yet their experiences and views compliment each other perfectly. They contribute their individual experiences, perspectives and examples from their own trial and errors, then they lay it all out for us to learn from. Whether you’re reading this as your first attempt to understand our new landscape and exploring how you can make an impact, or whether you’re well immersed into social media theory and practice already, there will be takeaways and points of discussion that stem from this book that will give you value. It has been written with skill and styling that delivers the facts you need in an entertaining and easy to digest prose.
To really navigate the waters of the social marketing landscape you really need to understand core concepts. These core concepts are extremely difficult to figure out most of the time without a lot of help. By the time I finished reading The Impact Equation, I realized, they actually managed to cover them all. Yes, all. I was impressed.
Q3: What about Branding and Engagement? Is this where I can learn about all that?
A: You won’t find it under those headings, but you will learn all of the underlying concepts that made those buzz words big…
You Won’t Find The Usual Buzz Words – They Created Their Own
Are Chris and Julien going to change the buzz words of social? Maybe.
The formula of the book is: Impact = Contrast x (Reach+Exposure+Articulation+Trust+Echo)
Words like branding and engagement are so overused, people are lost in trying to find their meanings. It was rather brilliant how this book covered the essence of what those fly words mean, but introduced some very specific areas to focus on which bring the results you need to create impact without losing the reader in the “buzz words”. They manage to shift the focus from words, to the areas you need to really work on, and give valuable tips on how to get there. Will the new buzz words in social platform development include the ones in their acronym CREATE? I think so because these truly are the key elements.
If more of us could dissect the elements of social like they have, I think the business population would be a lot less lost and a lot more “sold” on the value and need to building a social presence.
Stand out features that add to the value:
Impact examples – so you can put their theory into practice and learn from real case studies
Checklists – so you don’t get off track – they keep you focused
Gradual development in your understanding of the core concepts making it easy to digest
Business Development Advice – Working your ideas, learning how to evaluate potential opportunities
Writing Advice – How to create contrast, keys to better articulation and stronger emotional communication
References to tools they have used in their success – one of my favorites was MindNode (Thanks Chris and Julien!)
The book also addresses the importance of finding allies, not only identifying the right platforms, but sharing them, and most importantly tailoring messages to the appropriate place and time.
You’ll learn about the shift from audiences as spectators to active participants.
You’ll cover many of the challenges faced in the online space and be presented with organic solutions, answers and strategy.
This book makes you smarter – fast.
You can spend a year asking questions and reading blogs or you can spend a day reading The Impact Equation. Suddenly your whole world has changed, you’ll understand the how and the why of where we are now.
Why does the why matter? When you know why you are doing something, it really drives a project home, helps align players, departments, find supporters and gives you the power to really make things happen.
Do yourself a favor and if you’re in the online space or want to be- pick up this book and read it. You’ll thank me later. It will help you flush out ideas, and build your “channel”. I, for one, can’t wait to see what you do with it!
The most important take away from the book is the importance of starting now:
“Be there before they know who you are” .
So what are you waiting for?
Read it, get started. Make your impact.
This book is for everyone.
The beauty of the content in this book is that it comes from two very different people who work successfully in the social media sphere yet their experiences and views compliment each other perfectly. They contribute their individual experiences, perspectives and examples from their own trial and errors, then they lay it all out for us to learn from. Whether you’re reading this as your first attempt to understand our new landscape and exploring how you can make an impact, or whether you’re well immersed into social media theory and practice already, there will be takeaways and points of discussion that stem from this book that will give you value. It has been written with skill and styling that delivers the facts you need in an entertaining and easy to digest prose.
To really navigate the waters of the social marketing landscape you really need to understand core concepts. These core concepts are extremely difficult to figure out most of the time without a lot of help. By the time I finished reading The Impact Equation, I realized, they actually managed to cover them all. Yes, all. I was impressed.
Q3: What about Branding and Engagement? Is this where I can learn about all that?
A: You won’t find it under those headings, but you will learn all of the underlying concepts that made those buzz words big…
You Won’t Find The Usual Buzz Words – They Created Their Own
Are Chris and Julien going to change the buzz words of social? Maybe.
The formula of the book is: Impact = Contrast x (Reach+Exposure+Articulation+Trust+Echo)
Words like branding and engagement are so overused, people are lost in trying to find their meanings. It was rather brilliant how this book covered the essence of what those fly words mean, but introduced some very specific areas to focus on which bring the results you need to create impact without losing the reader in the “buzz words”. They manage to shift the focus from words, to the areas you need to really work on, and give valuable tips on how to get there. Will the new buzz words in social platform development include the ones in their acronym CREATE? I think so because these truly are the key elements.
If more of us could dissect the elements of social like they have, I think the business population would be a lot less lost and a lot more “sold” on the value and need to building a social presence.
Stand out features that add to the value:
Impact examples – so you can put their theory into practice and learn from real case studies
Checklists – so you don’t get off track – they keep you focused
Gradual development in your understanding of the core concepts making it easy to digest
Business Development Advice – Working your ideas, learning how to evaluate potential opportunities
Writing Advice – How to create contrast, keys to better articulation and stronger emotional communication
References to tools they have used in their success – one of my favorites was MindNode (Thanks Chris and Julien!)
The book also addresses the importance of finding allies, not only identifying the right platforms, but sharing them, and most importantly tailoring messages to the appropriate place and time.
You’ll learn about the shift from audiences as spectators to active participants.
You’ll cover many of the challenges faced in the online space and be presented with organic solutions, answers and strategy.
This book makes you smarter – fast.
You can spend a year asking questions and reading blogs or you can spend a day reading The Impact Equation. Suddenly your whole world has changed, you’ll understand the how and the why of where we are now.
Why does the why matter? When you know why you are doing something, it really drives a project home, helps align players, departments, find supporters and gives you the power to really make things happen.
Do yourself a favor and if you’re in the online space or want to be- pick up this book and read it. You’ll thank me later. It will help you flush out ideas, and build your “channel”. I, for one, can’t wait to see what you do with it!
The most important take away from the book is the importance of starting now:
“Be there before they know who you are” .
So what are you waiting for?
Read it, get started. Make your impact.
November 23, 2012
This book was a natural progression from 'Trust Agents,' building upon and expanding the concept of creating trust before, or as an active component of, Internet business activity. What I really liked about this book was its encouragement to be human on the web. Talk to people. Answer them when they ask question. And, you know what, after completing the book I tweeted Chris Brogan to thank him for his valuable insights and he replied, promptly. You could have knocked me over with a feather, because on Twitter Chris has almost a quarter of a million followers. Did my trust in Chris go up - sure it did!
Chris and his colleague, Julien Smith, took me closer to understanding the need for patience and 'humanness' in my online interactions. I learned the critical difference between audience and community. Such subtle distinctions can make or break your attempts to do business. As an experienced public speaker I know the difference. Lots of people knew me, but I didn't know most of them (some thought I did because I became so familiar to them as a speaker), and others both heard me speak and knew me personally. My relationship with one group was much tighter than the other - I was much more likely to enter into collaborative research with someone I actually knew, as they were part of my community.
Amongst a plethora of valuable advice, I was provided with valuable checklists with which to triage my ideas and business plans. Such lists included certain things that had never occurred to me, but which were clearly critical for my future success.
I recommend this book highly to anyone hoping to make a go of Internet Marketing or needing to use the web to promote their business, especially if you want to enjoy the journey. I've read a lot of books in my time, and this one was well written, and most essentially it wasn't boring, being interesting and educational at the same time. Thanks Chris and Julien. -k (FitOldDog)
Chris and his colleague, Julien Smith, took me closer to understanding the need for patience and 'humanness' in my online interactions. I learned the critical difference between audience and community. Such subtle distinctions can make or break your attempts to do business. As an experienced public speaker I know the difference. Lots of people knew me, but I didn't know most of them (some thought I did because I became so familiar to them as a speaker), and others both heard me speak and knew me personally. My relationship with one group was much tighter than the other - I was much more likely to enter into collaborative research with someone I actually knew, as they were part of my community.
Amongst a plethora of valuable advice, I was provided with valuable checklists with which to triage my ideas and business plans. Such lists included certain things that had never occurred to me, but which were clearly critical for my future success.
I recommend this book highly to anyone hoping to make a go of Internet Marketing or needing to use the web to promote their business, especially if you want to enjoy the journey. I've read a lot of books in my time, and this one was well written, and most essentially it wasn't boring, being interesting and educational at the same time. Thanks Chris and Julien. -k (FitOldDog)
December 28, 2012
Have you ever wondered how much of an impact you’re having on your audience? Are you unsure about what it takes to build an audience and are concerned you’re simply out there making noise…and no one is listening because it is simply just that? Do you have a sense that your ideas are falling on deaf ears and are unsure what to do to put yourself in a position to be heard?
That’s where The Impact Equation comes in.
The men behind the best-selling book Trust Agents are back with their latest book The Impact Equation: Are You Making Things Happen or Just Making Noise? – and I’ve found it to resonate with me more than their first joint effort. Perhaps it’s because I’ve matured with my own presences online or the two of them have expanded beyond what they laid out in Trust Agents (or both), but I can say that I sure could have used this book back when I started Eventualism. If it was around then I may have done far better with that site…or took a completely different path to get where I am today.
The Impact Equation essentially revolves around the following, well…equation:
Impact = C X (R + E + A + T + E)
The letters in the equation stand for Contrast, Reach, Exposure, Articulation, Trust, and Echo. All of these qualities play a role in helping you not only create your work, but to create work that has an impact.
I don’t want to dive in too deeply into the book because both Julien and Chris offer real-world examples while explaining what each of those qualities really is in terms of “making things happen”. But what I will say is that no matter where you are in building your audience for your online (and offline) ventures, The Impact Equation is a great read. Highly recommended.
That’s where The Impact Equation comes in.
The men behind the best-selling book Trust Agents are back with their latest book The Impact Equation: Are You Making Things Happen or Just Making Noise? – and I’ve found it to resonate with me more than their first joint effort. Perhaps it’s because I’ve matured with my own presences online or the two of them have expanded beyond what they laid out in Trust Agents (or both), but I can say that I sure could have used this book back when I started Eventualism. If it was around then I may have done far better with that site…or took a completely different path to get where I am today.
The Impact Equation essentially revolves around the following, well…equation:
Impact = C X (R + E + A + T + E)
The letters in the equation stand for Contrast, Reach, Exposure, Articulation, Trust, and Echo. All of these qualities play a role in helping you not only create your work, but to create work that has an impact.
I don’t want to dive in too deeply into the book because both Julien and Chris offer real-world examples while explaining what each of those qualities really is in terms of “making things happen”. But what I will say is that no matter where you are in building your audience for your online (and offline) ventures, The Impact Equation is a great read. Highly recommended.
June 4, 2013
I read this book because of my recent release of my first book and continuing desire to see my blog get more traffic. With no real marketing experience or education, I was hoping to learn anything I could that would help me in getting my message out there to the right people.
Though it's not my usual preference, I actually liked that this was co-authored because then it felt like some guy was trying to be a know-it-all. Instead, these were just two guys, with credentials to do so, telling you what's worked for them. It was definitely relatable and gave plenty of points that had me thinking and processing on the side.
As far as criticism goes, my biggest thing would just be that in the conclusion they didn't really go back to sum up the mathematic equation they'd come up with. There was no sense of bringing things back around in that way. But the message was still clear regardless. I'd say it's a good book to read for those who are looking for some help on getting their message or product out there to a waiting audience.
Though it's not my usual preference, I actually liked that this was co-authored because then it felt like some guy was trying to be a know-it-all. Instead, these were just two guys, with credentials to do so, telling you what's worked for them. It was definitely relatable and gave plenty of points that had me thinking and processing on the side.
As far as criticism goes, my biggest thing would just be that in the conclusion they didn't really go back to sum up the mathematic equation they'd come up with. There was no sense of bringing things back around in that way. But the message was still clear regardless. I'd say it's a good book to read for those who are looking for some help on getting their message or product out there to a waiting audience.
January 22, 2013
I've been following Chris Brogan's blog for a few years now. When Chris offered a review version of this book in Oct 2012, I jumped at the chance. This is definitely not a read-in-one-sitting book. Read, reflect, and take action to get the most from the material. I like the frame that Chris puts around this book. There's a lot here to process. I found myself gauging the attribute of the impact equation (he provides the formula) against my interactions and the work that I do. Even though I received the book in October. I didn't truly dig into it until December which I finally had the mind space to focus. Definitely in my "must study" further pile to test and learn.
October 6, 2012
This is the book I wished I'd had when the Internet was young. It's not that they give all the answers, but they help you to ask the right questions. It's going to be a great guide as I work to re-invent a web presence and take a bit of a different approach with the writing and consulting that I do. Julian and Chris give great practical advice and insight that will help you strategically promote your message. The Impact Equation will stay on my desk because I know I'll need to reference it and read it again.
July 2, 2013
I have read plenty of business books, and while eventually, it all comes down to the same fundamentals, I find that authors Brogan and Smith do a fine job of addressing the many issues surrounding the pressure to be heard today, and how to ensure that when you do make your mark, you stand out.
The acronyms and key words used are both easy to grasp and to remember, and the language is simple without being too dumbed down.
If you are looking for a simple read that will probe you to think deeply about your own unique ideas and voice, I recommend The Impact Equation.
The acronyms and key words used are both easy to grasp and to remember, and the language is simple without being too dumbed down.
If you are looking for a simple read that will probe you to think deeply about your own unique ideas and voice, I recommend The Impact Equation.
August 20, 2013
A better, practical sequel to Trust Agents. It has many doable ideas and tips. As per previous book, the authors kept it down-to-earth, common sense. I especially liked the Adele story. And yet, while this book veers on the importance of touchy feely aspect of online dealings with fans, customers, detractors, what have you, the business folks would mostly dismiss this importance as not serious. "We're running a business, not a love relationship!"....that would be the frequent response.
April 17, 2013
Effective communication is a critical element in business success. In the realm of social media, another key element is genuine transparency.
Chris Brogan is masterful at creating community and a high level of engagement by respecting the human element that is present within the technology.
When you read it, it sounds simple. Consistently implementing these concepts is more difficult, but the results achieved by doing so are worth the effort.
Chris Brogan is masterful at creating community and a high level of engagement by respecting the human element that is present within the technology.
When you read it, it sounds simple. Consistently implementing these concepts is more difficult, but the results achieved by doing so are worth the effort.
August 18, 2014
The start of this book felt a bit discombobulated and hard to follow, but as I kept reading the essence of the Impact Equation started making sense.
As someone that's looking to start a blog about my personal passion, it really helped to learn what works on a person to person basis for making impact. It's not about tools or buzz words, it's about forming a personal, genuine connection with your audience. That's what I've taken away from this book.
As someone that's looking to start a blog about my personal passion, it really helped to learn what works on a person to person basis for making impact. It's not about tools or buzz words, it's about forming a personal, genuine connection with your audience. That's what I've taken away from this book.
November 4, 2014
I am a long time fan of Chris Brogan's work. This is the first book I've read by him. It's also the first time I've ever heard of his co-author Julien Smith. I find that it's a pleasant evolution of the ethos that Chris has tried to create in many of his online communities. All in all, I find that he tends to give great advice, not just the business purposes, but that also tend to have practical life applications.
October 26, 2012
One of the many, many takeaways from The Impact Equation is the reminder to take action. Without a detailed plan. Even with risk. Especially with risk. And expect to fail at some point. Perhaps repeatedly. So take action and also measure your efforts. And then map measurable actions against THE equation (page 10:) In summary, it's a worthwhile, entertaining, informative read.
January 13, 2013
This is one of those books I read with pen and notebook in hand. No question it came onto my radar just when I needed to read it, and that is part of the explanation for the impact it's having (no pun intended). But this is a hugely worthwhile read for anyone working in an area that requires the attention of others to be effective.
February 8, 2013
It's rare that the main idea of the book is great but it's badly written. In this instance the Impact Equation itself is a useful concept, but the two authors have taken a very loose approach for writing - the book is all over the place in terms of who it's targeted to and examples/stories. In the book's own language, Contrast is there but Articulation could be improved upon.
April 3, 2013
Chris and Julien gives a newcomer like myself a comfortable framework (C.R.E.AT.E) to refer to when deciding how an idea should be implemented in the business world. It was an easy read and most importantly pleasurable, which makes the learning process that much easier! The concepts are versatile in its' application and can be easily used to facilitate in group discussions.
June 26, 2013
I started reading THE IMPACT EQUATION on a whim and found myself unable to put it down. I found many useful pieces of advice that were applicable to my professional life, my social life and my life as a writer. If you want to learn how to have a greater impact in the crazy Internet world, I highly recommend reading this book. I'm sure I'll be referring to it regularly.
August 20, 2013
This is a good light read that led me to some pretty deep thoughts. I love it when that happens. While there is nothing that amazed me, there were a lot of small things that I hadn't considered carefully enough. If you run a small business or work in a field where others report to you, you would do well to consider this book.
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