Last May, I was in New York for BlogWorld and I met Geoff Livingston, for the first time in person, to discuss writing a book together. It was a sunny day and we stopped for bruschetta and wine while we discussed this crazy idea.
The stars were all aligned. We already knew we think alike, putting business goals ahead of anything else through our marketing and communication programs. It’s seemingly easier to write half a book than an entire one. And, while we have some of the same friends, a big part of our networks are different, which would introduce us both to new people and new opportunities.
And so we went for it. We wrote an outline, we divided up the chapters, and we got to work. He wrote mostly at night, after his daughter went to bed. I wrote mostly weekends, without distractions from the business. And we hired an awesome editor (Jennifer Goode Stevens) who helped us put the book in the same voice (though I think some of you know us well enough to still figure out who wrote what).
Then, with the help of Anna Barcelos and Steve Hall, we began the editing process which, some days was much more painful than the actual writing of it. They caught things that were beyond basic editing, but made the book a much better read and incorporated an even higher-level strategy.
After all of that, our friends at Pearson began to make it look like an actual book, with chapters and an index and a table of contents and the best cover design I’ve seen in a long time.
And now it’s here. It’s actually here!
Introducing Marketing in the Round
For the past several years, both Geoff and I have been working pretty hard (through our respective companies and with our teams) with clients to break down organizational silos, integrate all of the marketing disciplines, figure out where social media fits into the bigger picture, and measure the results.
Marketing in the Round describes how to do all of these things. Not without a lot of hard work. One client I describe in the book took us four years to completely integrate. It’s not an easy thing to do. But, if you follow the book, use the exercises, and really think about the four approaches to choosing your tactics, you’ll have some serious success.
While the book has officially been out for two weeks, today marks the official launch. We’re doing a lot of fun things to launch it and get out on the road on tour and we think there is something for everyone.
Virtual Book Launch
From 12:00-1:00 CT today, we are hosting a virtual book launch or, what Mr. D. calls, a “book bomb.”
During that hour, if we break the top 10 business books on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, I get to throw a chocolate pie in Geoff’s face. Trust me. It’s going to be legen- wait for it – dary!
And you are invited to join the fun!
To register (it’s free!), click here and get the information for watching it livestreamed. It’ll be as if you’re sitting in the same room with us.
Or, you can just buy a book during that hour and I’ll be sure to send you video links and/or photos of the pie being thrown and smooshed all over his face.
Live Book Launches
If you’re in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., or Kansas City, you can see us live, get a signed copy of the book, and network with old and new friends.
We’re launching in Chicago tonight!
If you’re around, we’d love to see you! It’s from 5-8 CT and includes professional development, networking, a signed book, apps, and drinks. It’s in the Hancock Building at Weber-Shandwick.
You can register by clicking here (it’s $40, thanks to Cision who underwrote most of the costs).
If you’re not in Chicago, see when we’re in your city (or learn about new cities added) by visiting Marketing in the Round.
Buy the Book
Of course, it’s not necessary you do either of those in order to get yourself a copy.
If you’d like an electronic version or hard copy, you can buy it both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And, for my Canadian friends, it’s also available on Kobo.
Radian6 Webinar
Our friends at Radian6 are hosting on Thursday at 1:00 CT for free.
If you can’t make the virtual event today or don’t live in one of the cities we’ll be visiting, this is a great way to get some of the book content and learn how to use the worksheets and exercises in the book.
You can register by clicking here.
Want Us to Come to You?
If you want us to come speak at your event, buy 600 books this week and cover our travel, and we’ll come visit!
There is a catch, however. We have to be able to get to you via a direct flight (me from Chicago and Geoff from D.C.) and we do have some black-out dates (see live events above), but if you hold up your end of the bargain, we’ll do the same.
Free Content
If you are a journalist, blogger, or content creator and would like an excerpt of the book, a webinar, a podcast, an interview, or a blog post, we are both willing and able to help. Just send let either of us know and we’ll be sure to accomodate.
So there you have it. I’m exhausted just writing this!
Marketing in the Round. Buy it. Read it. Tell us what you loved (or hated) about it.
We now leave it in your hands…as scary as that is for this first-time author.