Rating: 4/5

I read this book on a holiday/business trip to the Chicago. It's the tragic story of a brother and sister that get separated at a very young age and the path leading to their reunion.

It's a good book but certainly not as good as A Thousand Splendid Suns.

There is one story line in the book that completely doesn't fit into the main plot - I didn't understand why the relationship between the Greek guy and his semi-adopted sister fit in with the plot of Abdullah. Khaled Hosseini should have just focused on what I thought was the main story.

I also found the ending very dissatisfying. I love reunions but I felt robbed of a reunion because the second party in the reunion couldn't "fully participate" - you'll find out what I mean when you read the book.

Rating: 5/5

Simply and well explained. I borrowed this book from my friend Richard.

An effective manager sets one-minute:

• Goals
  
• Praisings and 
  
• Reprimands
  

I hope to put these tips into action pretty soon...

Want to Build a 6-Figure Beauty Business from the comfort of your sofa? Then my course is designed for YOU! 

"Beauty" includes a WIDE range of products from the not so obvious non-perishable foods and crafts to the more obvious hair, makeup, fashion, health & fitness.  

Learn more about The Money Spot Program.

A bloody good story. At the end of every chapter, I immediately wanted to read the next. This book has even the subtle nuances of banking down to a T and not only that, it makes them exciting! Seriously, I want to see the movie.

I have one rule when it comes to reading, if my interest hasn't been piqued after the first 20 pages then I won't bother. There wasn't a single chapter in the books that didn't leave me wanting to read on. It was a very engaging story and what made it even better is how realistic it really is - small things like Nick not being able to navigate the Deal Team folders are so typical.

I also liked small bits of knowledge like the connection between maths and music or the arts, most people don't know that - I certainly learnt something new here.

There's lots of clever writing and dialogue in the story; for instance, I loved the analogy between reading Ryan and a nursery school book in extra large print. That was very clever.

I also loved the balance that Jamie brought to the whole Ryan saga.

The one thing I thought was incorrect was the statement about Vice Presidents being a low position in banks. VP at Goldman Sachs, for instance, is a reasonably high position and the sort of work that Alfred was doing would typically be done by Associates. However, I did see that they didn't have Associate as a position in the book. Overall, I enjoyed this book.

Rating: 5/5

I looked Jay Abraham up when I read somewhere that he was the only billionaire marketer in the world.

For a very full review of the book read Alex McClafferty's take on The Sticking Point. My chapter summaries:

Chapter 1. Leverage other people efforts, ideas, knowledge, resources, relationships and mula!

Chapter 2. Think of ways to generate the most amount of income using the least amount of investment/effort, e.g. with win-win proposals to advertisers.

Chapter 3. Pull in clients with great copy.

• Great headlines are key
• Address a very specific niche's problem
• Give proof that you are an expert: testimonials, media coverage examples, etc.
• Offer full refunds
• Always have a call to action
• Give fast takers a bonus
• Always summarize your offering: the problem you solve, benefits and the BONUS

Chapter 4. Identify and quantify your target market - define your solution very specifically.

Chapter 5. Delegate!

Chapter 6. Save money by:

• Bartering
  
• Offering credit not cash
• Time limiting the credit offer! Some people never cash in so you get a pick-up.

Chapter 7. If it doesn't work, stop doing it! Pivot.

Chapter 8. Change the game!

Chapter 9. Great content is the best marketing strategy ever!

Chapter 10. When it comes to partnership DO NOT:

• Get caught up in theories, hypotheses and projections
  
• Start too big
  
• Feel intimidated by potential partners
  

Chapter 11. Create a defence and offence

Rating: 4/5

An interesting read.  I purchased this book after seeing his YouTube interview with Marie Forleo. Jonah Berger talks about how things that go viral abide by some or all the below STEPPS.

He's a fairly young guy, early 30s (32/33), but is doing extremely well. Being a lecturer doesn't hurt either as I assume he got his adoring students to review his book on Amazon thereby achieving over 200 reviews in a very short time-frame. I wish him every success.

The STEPPS

Social currency: we share things that make us look good
Triggers: we share things because a memory has been triggered at an appropriate time
Emotion: we share things that make us laugh, feel happy or very concerned
Public: things that are built to show are built to grow, e.g. Movember
Practical value: we share news that can be used
Stories: we share good stories.

I totally feel inspired by Jonah Berger's CV (read it and weep!), the guy must be working around the clock!

Rating: 5/5

I read this book after it was directly recommended to me by Roger Dooley. This was one of three books he recommended to me after I asked him for any book as good as his Brainfluence. 

The first two books were rather boring but this book completely met with my expectations. It's well researched and gives great insight into human behaviour.

Some useful tips included:

• Most people don't know what they want until they see it in context. Everything is relative
• Faced with three options most people go for the middle one
• Decoy marketing works because it gives the decider a basis for comparison
• Anchors have an enduring effect
• Social norms (e.g. doing favours, kindness) are distorted when you try to combine them with market forces (e.g. monetary incentives)
• Decisions made in a "cold" state (e.g. when not aroused) are always much more rational than decisions made in a "hot state" (i.e. when one is in a state of arousal)
• Losses are given much more weight than gains. 
• Even virtual or imagined ownership causes us to value something more and to desire it more
• There is an opportunity cost to "keeping options open". It's not productive to keep moving between activities
• Expectations - good and bad - tend to be self-fulfilling and they shape stereotypes
• The placebo effect is alive and well!
• People lie when given the chance but not as much as possible.

• Bundling products reduces the pain of purchasing
  
• Credit is a pain killer
  
• Money images increase selfish behaviour. You're less likely to help others or to ask for help
  
• You spend more if you see 12 rather than 12.00 or $12 or even twelve dollars
  
• Be careful where you drop your "anchor" price
  
• Price precisely, e.g. 14.95 is better than 15.00
  
• Use decoy marketing. E.g. as discussed in Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
  
• Don't provide too many choices. Sales are reduced due to "paralysis of analysis". Brands like Proctor & Gamble and Unilever have increased revenues by reducing the number of products that they make
  
• Have a brand "smell"
  
• Have a brand "sound"
  
• Consistency is key in branding, be consistent
  
• Best brands are "passion" brands. Those brands that create near-evangelical fans
  
• People have an inherent inclination to build an association with certain groups; they then create their social identity partly based on this group identity
  
• Find an enemy. E.g. Mac (cool) vs. PC (uncool, stiff upper-lipped business man)
  
• Use paper for emotion. Print media elicits more emotion and a longer memory imprint
  
• Use vivid images in print
  
• Heavier paper creates better impact
  
• Simple fonts are more likely to lead to a commitment except if you are trying to sell something, e.g. at an upmarket restaurant
  
• Boost recall with disfluent fonts. E.g. have your tag line in a crazy cool font. If you overuse disfluent fonts customers won't bother reading the copy at all
  
• Baby pictures tug at the eye
  
• Use a baby gaze to direct attention where you want it in an ad
  
• Photos of women led to men committing to borrow at an interest rate that was 4.5% higher in RSA!
  
• Men make impulse decision when they are aroused
  
• Dilated pupils attract men
  
• Use photos where empathy is needed, e.g. if you're a charity
  
• Loyalty reduces ad expense. Create loyal customer
  
• To get employee loyalty ask: "What would your life be like if the company hadn't been created?"
  
• Offer loyalty rewards
  
• Mobile targeting can help to create loyalty
  
• Rats and goal-setting. You run faster when the goal is nearer!
  
• Fairness. If people are easily able to voice grievances your brand will be deemed fairer, e.g. felons that had more face time with their lawyer viewed that lawyer as being more fair
  
• Quality contact time counts
  
• Tell your customers to trust you. This will boost your trust score in many areas
  
• Show trust to get trust
  
• Schmooze first, bargain later
  
• Touch is important. A full, firm handshake with eye contact and an up-down shake will score you a lot of points (especially if you are a woman)
  
• SELL TO THE RIGHT EAR (I wish the study had tested whether being right vs. left handed influences this)
  
• Smiles help sales. Scientifically shown to be the case even where a buyer is completely unconscious of it
  
• Demonstrate confidence
  
• If you want to ask for a big/multiple favour, ask for a small favour first. E.g. if you're doing a survey, ask people for the time first and then ask about the survey. E.g. first ask for water or a coffee, a small donation, a trial sample of a bit of time
  
• Hire articulate sales people. They understand customers better and are better able to read emotions
  
• Flattery will get you everywhere
  
• Serve prospects warm drinks
  
• Tempt customers with an indulgent treat. Those that say yes are more likely to keep indulging! But don't give too much. Just a morsel.
  
• Don't allow a customer to multitask if you want their attention
  
• Use motion to grab attention in videos or in person
  
• The bigger the motion, the more attention you will get
  
• Throw in unexpected stuff, e.g. images and words like NEW
  
• Don't chat too much. LISTEN
  
• Seat a prospect in a soft chair
  
• Use mirrors to encourage honesty
  
• Control altitude, change attitude. If you have a survey table at the top of an escalator you will get a better response than if you're located at the bottom! People will be more "giving" of their time
  
• Reciprocity. The bigger the gift, the bigger you get back. Have a "God Father" list and call on those favors
  
• Make it personal. E.g. using one child in a charity advert will work better than a group of children
  
• Framing. Show a large number in the sales process to make the expense seem trivial
  
• Write good copy
  
• Have a simple yet catchy slogan
  
• Product names influence sales. A muffin is still a cake but you're more willing to have a muffin for breakfast than you are cake!
  
• Use real numbers for impact. 2 out of 100 people died sounds a lot worse than 2%
  
• Show negative results as a % and positive numbers as numerals. E.g. 9 out of 10 people positively reviewed our product sounds better than 90%. It "personalises" the result.
  
• Tap into the power of FREE
  
• Enhance copy with clever adjectives. NEW is a great word.
  
• Tell a vivid story
  
• Use story testimonials
  
• Text beats richer media when it tells a story
  
• Use text effectively in videos
  
• Don't allow negative sentiment to continue; if a customer is upset find some way to appease them
  
• Give buyers a simple reason to buy your complex product. Benefits over features.
  
• Allow for different types of decision makers. Some people want KEY BENEFITS others want all the FEATURES. Provide both. But if you must have one, benefits rule.
  
• People like new and novel information. Capture and intrigue people with a departure from the familiar
  
• We all have a WANT and SHOULD self within. If you're selling wants (e.g. chocolate) make sure they are immediately available. If you're selling shoulds (e.g. education) offer advance purchase discounts and payment plans. I realise now that the CFA uses this thinking!
  
• Couch a product in utilitarian terms to capture tightwads (e.g. pain relief and money saving), they are less likely to buy if hedonistic terms are used
  
• Tightwads love discounts, deals, product bundles etc. You need to reduce their pain points, i.e. they should not have to keep paying. Appeal to needs. Use words cleverly, e.g. a small $5 is better than a $5 charge
  
• Provide credit options. They enable the purchase and/or spread the pain
  
• Offer instant gratification
  
• Upsell. 15-20% will go for it. E.g. Do you want large fries with that? (the classic upsell) or do you want an extended warranty?
  
• In a giveaway the magnitude of the prize is all that matters!
  
• Personalise! People love the sweet sound of their own name
  
• Expectations become reality. However, be realistic, don't mis-sell!
  
• Create positive feeling with a small surprise that is delivered at the same time as brand awareness. E.g. include a free accessory in a package; when giving samples mention the brand!
  
• Visual altruism is a form of conspicuous consumption
  
• Men and women think differently
  
• Copy for men: simple, direct. Women: contextual, abstract is okay
  
• Peacock effect. Appeal to men's desire to flaunt their wealth, power and authority
  
• When primed with pictures of attractive women, men become more shortermistic and want instant gratification
  
• Products that elicit disgust (e.g. menstrual products) contaminate the perception of other items: watch your pairings!
  
• Clear packaging can give the impression that the contents are contaminated, especially if sold in a dark, dingy place such as a service station
  
• Respond positively and promptly to dissatisfaction and negative reviews. Studies show this can convert the person into a repeat buyer or cause them to delete or update bad reviews. ALWAYS APOLOGIZE
  
• If you're rude the customer will want to punish you in some way! For instance, doctors with poor bedside manner get more lawsuits
  
• Touch and ownership. Encouraging people to touch an item and imagine owning it can convert them into buyers, e.g. test drives or people that stop you to try out their hand lotion. Online, ask people to imagine ownership. 
  
• Easy isn't always best. Cognitive dissonance
• Actions speak louder than words
• Credibility, e.g. as testimonials, is more important than claims. I tell people this when they are writing CV and cover letters all the time
• Sell to emotions rather than logic
• First impressions DO count and they stick
• Use the golden mean or Fibonacci series
• Use more than just text on your website to engage. Images, audio and video are good.
• Test reciprocity. Some research suggests more people will volunteer info to you AFTER you've given them a freebie, rather than before
• Scarcity can be a selling point especially for veblen goods
• When you sell to older people keep the message SIMPLE and UNCLUTTERED
• The lower right corner is the worst place for a logo - lower middle is best
• Humanise computer interaction

OVERALL: BUY. Some of my notes may make sense to you but you'll definitely make sense of all of them once you've read the book.

3.5/5

This book is most relevant for old school sales people who call prospects with a view to seeing them face to face.

The book is about 16 hours long so I didn't even bother to take notes. That would have slowed me down severely.



​​I did write two notes though:

1. The world belongs to the asker. Ask and you will receive.

2. If you're afraid of a specific element of the sales process keep doing it and you will become systematically desensitised. The more you do the thing you fear, the less scary it becomes.

It was an okay listen but I think it could have been said more succinctly. He went through everything. Get this if you sell to clients in person a lot..

Want to Build a 6-Figure Beauty Business from the comfort of your sofa? Then my course is designed for YOU! 

"Beauty" includes a WIDE range of products from the not so obvious non-perishable foods and crafts to the more obvious hair, makeup, fashion, health & fitness.  

Learn more about The Money Spot Program.

Rating 4.25/5

An amazing story. It's written from the perspective of a young girl who's grown up with a physically (not sexually) abusive father who beats the mother and expects more than the best from his children.

He is overtly very religious and gives a lot to charity but he is deeply troubled. He thinks the beatings he gives are deserved and never seems to regret it.

The only reason I don't give this book a 5 out of 5 is that I have read Half of a Yellow Sun by the same author and it's a much more detailed and enthralling story. That said, this one engaged me from start to finish and is well worth a read. 

Ms. Adichie really knows how to weave a story. Here are some of my favourite lines:

Of her brother: "His seventeen-year-old face had grown lines; they zigzagged across his forehead, and inside each line a dark tension had crawled in."

Of her and her brother's relationship: "We did that often, asking each other questions whose answers we already knew. Perhaps it was so that we would not ask the other questions, the ones whose answers we did not want to know."

Kambili constantly craves to please her father, so when her brother says something to please her dad she notes: "Papa smiled, and I wished I had said that before Jaja had".

Then when she in turn says something to please him: "Then he reached out and held my hand, and I felt as though my mouth were full of melting sugar."

Of her Aunty Ifeoma's eyes: "They were quizzical eyes, eyes that asked many questions and did not accept many answers".

Want to Build a 6-Figure Beauty Business from the comfort of your sofa? Then my course is designed for YOU! 

"Beauty" includes a WIDE range of products from the not so obvious non-perishable foods and crafts to the more obvious hair, makeup, fashion, health & fitness.  

Learn more about The Money Spot Program.

I've finished reading this now and would totally recommend it to anyone with natural black hair.