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Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: Grow Your Audience, Grow Your Brand

The thing I like most about Nancy Marshall’s book Grow Your Audience, Grow Your Brand is that she takes what some of us think are a very complicated passage through social media and makes it simple and understandable. From the explanation of content marketing in the first chapter, to the chapter on developing your brand story, Marshall (also known as “the PR Maven”) describes in clear and concise terms not only how these marketing and branding tools work but how to create them as well.

This is the perfect book for anyone who is interested in getting involved in branding their own company for the first time, someone who has been doing it for a while and needs a refresher course, or an injection of new ideas.

The chapter on social media and earned media is especially helpful for anyone who is looking for some pertinent third-party exposure. Marshall even talks about finding and developing relationships with the right journalists. Complete with a check list of how to select the right journalists to send your sales story to.

Choosing the right journalist. From the book:

• Who are they outside of work? What do they do in their free time?
• What do they write about? Topics?
• What is their position? Editor, producer, freelancer, blogger, etc.?
• What is their writing or broadcasting style? Research of few of their past stories.
• What media platform do they use most?
• Do their social media biographies match their work descriptions?

When you consider the source and Marshall’s years of PR experience, you realize that this is excellent advice from someone who knows what she’s doing when it comes to getting the right publicity for the right company.

One of the best things about this book is that Marshall combines modern digital social media technology with old school marketing and branding contact as I am a firm believer that one type of marketing does not preclude another. Combined, they become a very valuable way to Grow Your Audience, Grow Your Brand.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.

Grow Your Audience, Grow Your Brand

By Nancy Marshall

Published by Marshall Communications

Copyright 2020

Price: $9.99 Kindle/ $14.99 Paperback