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Official Press Release: The Virtual Handshake Book Launches

8/30/2005 By

Here’s the official press release for our new book:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:

Publisher: Kama Timbrell, 212-903-8315, ktimbrell @amanet.org

Authors: David Teten, coauthor and CEO, Nitron Advisors, David@ TheVirtualHandshake.com, 212-329-1010

Scott Allen, coauthor and About.com Entrepreneurs Guide, Scott@ TheVirtualHandshake.com, 512-215-9720

BUSINESS NETWORKING … ONLINE?

Innovative new AMACOM book shows readers how to use the latest virtual tools to win more sales, sign more business partners, raise capital, or even get a new job.

As more and more business professionals become aware of the latest online tools, those who still rely on phone calls, letters, and face-to-face meetings for developing new contacts and building relationships run the risk of being left far behind. Considering that 84% of U.S. Internet users have used the Internet to contact or get information from an online group—more than have used the Internet to read news, search for health information, or even to buy something—it is clear that “social software” has already begun to affect everyone. All the major Internet players, including Yahoo! (YHOO), Microsoft (MSFT), AOL Time Warner (TWX), eBay (EBAY), and Google (GOOG), are already offering social software tools and planning more in the near future. Bill Gates, John Kerry, and other celebrities are among the over 2 million people currently registered on LinkedIn, a popular business networking site.

Social software has created thousands of business success stories, such as that of David Teten, CEO of Nitron Advisors:

“Recently, a hedge fund client wanted to speak to a senior level executive in the international automotive market. I turned to the International Executive Resource Group (IERGOnline.com)—a virtual community for senior international executives —and was able to contact a former Big 3 Vice President who put me in touch with exactly the person I was hoping to find.”

THE VIRTUAL HANDSHAKE: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online (AMACOM; August 30, 2005; $19.95), by David Teten and Scott Allen, shows even the least computer-savvy readers how anyone can build and leverage their network virtually to make the kind of contacts that lead to lucrative, exciting opportunities. The book shows readers how to make use of online social networks such as LinkedIn, Meetup, MySpace, and ZoomInfo, as well as easy-to-use, powerful tools such as blogs, social network sites, and much more. For extensive resources about the book, just visit www.TheVirtualHandshake.com.

Filled with clear, real-life examples, THE VIRTUAL HANDSHAKE shows you how to:
• sign new customers, meet new business partners, and find your dream job
• create a powerful professional presence online
• attract business in online networks
• meet more relevant senior people
• start and promote your own blog
• master the email deluge
• analyze and value your social network
• use web conferencing and discussion forums to build strong relationships
• manage your contact database
• ensure privacy and safety online

THE VIRTUAL HANDSHAKE is the first roadmap to a dynamic (and lucrative) online arena that is fast becoming the crucial relationship-building environment for serious professionals. It is a practical and vital resource that will allow anyone to achieve greater success in their career, their business, and their life.

“THE VIRTUAL HANDSHAKE is a down-to-earth explanation of how people really connect on the ‘net, and how to make that happen for yourself. David and Scott turn the abstract theory into practical action.”
—Craig Newmark, customer service rep and founder of craigslist

“A practical, fun, and informative guide.”
—David Allen, author, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

“…a treasure chest of good advice, valuable information, and useful tips about a topic of looming future importance: growing our business relationships online. Anyone planning to build a business—online or not—will benefit from this pioneering book.”
—Robert B. Cialdini, author, Influence: Science and Practice

“This comprehensive book is a smart addition to any company bookshelf.”
—Harvard Business School “Working Knowledge” newsletter

About the Authors:
David Teten (New York, NY) is CEO of Nitron Advisors, an independent research firm that uses social software to help institutional investors gain access to frontline industry experts. He is a former Bear Stearns investment banker and strategy consultant, and speaks frequently at conferences and at universities such as Wharton, Columbia Business School, Yale, and Princeton. He holds a Harvard MBA and Yale BA. He runs TheVirtualHandshake.com, the Internet’s leading resource guide to online networks and social software.

Scott Allen (Austin, TX) is a 20-year veteran entrepreneur and IT executive who has implemented solutions for clients such as IBM and Amazon. He is the Entrepreneurs Guide on About.com and has offered training programs for LinkedIn, Ryze, and others.

Title: THE VIRTUAL HANDSHAKE
Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online
Authors: David Teten and Scott Allen
ISBN: 0-8144-7286-9
Pub. Date: August 30, 2005
Price: $19.95
Pages: 270

For review copies, call 212-903-8085 or fax 212-903-8083.
To purchase copies, call 1-800-714-6395
Visit AMACOM online at www.amacombooks.org

For an extensive resource guide to the social software industry, see www.TheVirtualHandshake.com
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Filed Under: Virtual Handshake Marketing

Repurposing Content for Different Contexts

8/30/2005 By

One of the essential skills that allows you to reach more people with less effort is the ability to repurpose your content for different contexts. Some examples:

- Take what you write in a private e-mail, expand on it and post it in a discussion forum
- Adapt what you wrote in a mailing list to work as a stand-alone piece and put it in your blog
- Use excerpts from your best blog posts and link to them as an e-mail newsletter
- Formalize your best blog posts into articles for publication on other sites
- Compile your articles and blog posts into a book
- Take old articles or excerpts from your book and re-frame them to fit the context of a new publication venue

This is all stuff David and I practice routinely, to the point that I’ve practically forgotten about it as a “practice”. I was pleasantly reminded of it this morning by John Stephen Veitch, who wrote four reviews of The Virtual Handshake on various sites: two of his blogs, his Ryze network and Amazon. What intrigued me was that he used the same basic review for all four entries, but framed each one for its context so that it was relevant to that readership.

In his Step by Step for Newbies blog, which provides simple, how-to instruction for people new to the Internet, he writes:

Until now too many people have been unsure what to do “now that I’m online”. The Virtual Handshake is a solution to that problem. It’s plain and clear that what you choose to do online is important, and the authors give you strong, specific and easily understood instructions about how to “do it” right.

For internet newbies The Virtual Handshake has detailed instruction on the simple things you need to do to get started. The Virtual Handshake also tells you how to create an online presence that will attract to you the people who are most likely to help you to succeed. Read more…

On Open Future, his blog which looks at innovation and adapting to change, he starts differently:

CEO’s and business managers is general have been slow to get online. Those who have been early might have made all the mistakes, but a good number have also made significant money by trading with or doing services for somebody they first met online. Until now too many people have been unsure what to do “now that I’m online”. The Virtual Handshake is a solution to that problem. It’s plain and clear that what you do online is important, and the authors give you strong, specific and easily understood instructions about how to “do it” right.

For the business executive The Virtual Handshake has detailed instruction on the need to maintain both face to face and virtual communications. Managers tend to be siloed by their work. The Virtual Handshake tells you how to create an online presence that might attract to you the partners you need to succeed. Read more…

On his Ryze network, Veech Innovation Network, he frames it yet again differently:

Chapter 30 of this book tells a story of innovation. People in every part of the USA have worked hard on the internet for many years and developed understanding, skills and abilities that most other people do not yet have. Scott Allen in looking for success stories for his book about success online wrote a request to a Yahoo Group. David Teten in New York who was also planning a book saw that request and responded.

The books each author had planned were not the same. The skill sets of the two people were different. But they both had experience and expertise and they were able to work together on it. I’m sure the resulting book is stronger for that.

For the innovator The Virtual Handshake has detailed and specific instruction on the need to maintain both face to face and virtual communications. Innovators tend to be isolated by their work. The Virtual Handshake tells you how to create an online presence that might attract to you the partners you need to succeed. Read more…

From there, the reviews are all pretty much the same – almost verbatim. But by properly framing it for each context, John makes it relevant for each audience. Context creates meaning! By simply repurposing the same basic content, he was able to get four reviews done in a fraction of the time it would have taken to write each one individually, and yet each one reads as appropriate for that venue, rather than just a copy/paste job from somewhere else.

Of course, now the secret’s out… :-)

Filed Under: Chapter 09: Blogging, Chapter 22: Number of People in Your Network, Tips