Well, it’s a new year and you know what that means…that’s right, new UnReviews!
I had a tough time deciding which book to read and UnReview first for 2011. Since 2010 had been so good to me with UnReviews of UnMarketing, Crush It!, Trust Agents and The Cluetrain Manifesto I knew that I had to start 2011 with something amazing. My prayers were answered when I came across Ann Handley and C. C. Chapman‘s book Content Rules
I’d like to say that the book gracefully floated down from Heaven on a cloud, but in reality I went and purchased it from Barnes & Noble. It was still pretty magical though. From the first couple of pages I knew I was hooked and after I read the actual list of Content Rules on page 15, I knew that Ann & C.C. had written their way into UnReview fame.
He was much more understanding after removing the nail and actually reading the list, but still less enthusiastic as I had hoped.
For those of you that haven’t read it yet (you should, by the way), the book is broken down into three sections: an overview and explanation of The Content Rules, a thorough How-To Section, and finally a section of case studies with “Ideas To Steal”. The structure and writing style easily keep you reading, but the true value is in the information provided. Once I got through the How-To section, I felt lilke I could do anything.
It was amazing. I took Bob out for coffee and explained why he’s old news. He read the book and now agrees with me.
One thing that really stands out while reading the book is how conversational the tone is. You really feel like the authors are speaking right to you. No hint of stuffy, business book-speak here. Content Rules plays a good game of making the pages a Gobbledygook-Free Zone.
I had had conversations with both C. C. and Ann online before reading Content Rules, but I think after reading it my opinions make be a little rose-colored towards them for a little bit.
Turns out her cloud was also a hybrid. Not only is she brilliant, but environmentally conscious too. Wow.
So I made it through the How-To section after taking extensive notes and creating about 14 thorough content strategies and then I came to the case study section. Oh, wow. If I hadn’t been floored by Content Rules long before getting to the final section, rest assured I would have been then. I’m a geek for a good case study, so the last section was like a candy store for me.
The examples ran the gamut from small businesses to large ones, B2C to B2B, consumer-based businesses to causes. It was amazing. The ideas were so relevant and helpful that even though Ann and C.C. said they were “Ideas to Steal”, I still felt like I should get in trouble for taking as many of them as I did.
We ended up just running around my neighborhood and singing the theme from Cops and jumping over shrubs for a couple of hours. It was great.
Finishing the book, I had such a high to go out and create amazing content not only for myself, but for clients and partners and neighbors and strangers. I felt like I wouldn’t even have to put any work into it, Content Rules was enough of a crash course that I would be awesome by osmosis.
I was wrong.
Re-reading some of my favorite sections and highlighted texts I realized it was going to take constant work and effort on my part to create something amazing. I also knew that it was possible if I stuck to the rules and guidance given by Ann and C.C.
If you haven’t already got a copy of Content Rules, go buy one right now
As always, be sure to Tweet this out and share this post on Facebook, please. Also, make sure you click the Facebook “Like” button. You don’t want to make Ann and C.C. cry now do you? Tears will melt Ann’s cloud and stain C.C.’s criminal mask and you don’t want to be responsible for that.
See you next month!
Tags: Ann Handley, book review, CC Chapman, Content Marketing, Content Rules, Digital Dads, Digital Personality, MarketingProfs, social media, unreview
Finally! Got my hands on it this week and devoured... you didn't do it justice! underachiever!
This could be the textbook for a social media class.
LOTS of stuff, but easy to digest... to implement... another story as you suggest but still insanely good
faybiz I know! It's hard to do that book justice in a comic. It was amazing!
joey_strawn Got at library, but can not renew thus need to purchase... off to Amazon!
faybiz Feel free to sue the links in the post! Yay!
Sweet sweet work... now if you can only get that stick art up to snuff...
faybiz Haha, I don't know what yo're talking about. I'm a regular Picasso over here. : )
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