Get Slightly Famous: Become a Celebrity in Your Field and Attract More Business with Less Effort

Get Slightly Famous by Steven van Yoder is a book every small business owner should take the time and read.

This books is a well written resource that educates the reader to create free publicity effectively. Public relations is an area that most small businesses owners seem to ignore. The local business owners do basic marketing and then wait for business to come. Hopefully the newspapers will come to you, right?

This book guides you to attract the media and create priceless free publicity. If you can become the expert in your local community or nationally on CNN, your business will be undoubtedly, very successful. This book will help you get there. (Stein Smith / steinsteinstein.com)

How is it that a few select people are able to attract attention from others in ways that increase their business opportunities? It's because they've mastered the art of becoming "slightly famous". Think of it as using networking in ways you never thought of before. Steven Van Yoder covers this in his book Get Slightly Famous: Become a Celebrity in Your Field and Attract More Business with Less Effort, Second Edition. Even if you're not running your own business, this book will more than pay for itself in turning you into someone who is considered an "expert" in your chosen field.

Contents:
Preface: How to Break Out of the Anonymity Trap
Part 1 - The Center of Your Universe: Just a Little Fame Will Do; Aim For a Target; The Brand Is You; Thought Leadership
Part 2 - Media Strategies: Media Strategies That Work; Attracting Media Attention; Getting an Article into Print; Broadcast Media
Part 3 - Reaching Out in All Directions: The Slightly Famous Website; Marketing in A Virtual World - Internet and Web 2.0 Strategies; Stand and Deliver - Speaking Strategies; Info-Products - Create Multiple Income Streams; Strategic Partnerships; Reach Out and Connect; Keeping in Touch with Newsletters; Cause Marketing - Doing Well By Doing Good
Index

You know the people... colleagues (or competitors) who are always in demand as speakers, consultants, writers, or sources for articles. Is it because they know absolutely more than anyone else on a given subject? Usually not. It's more because they've become "slightly famous" in their niche by making themselves known and available via various channels. Van Yoder covers the essentials of setting yourself up in this way. Part 1 of the book sets the groundwork for determining what it is that you want to be known for, and how best to position yourself as a person who is an authority on that subject. Once you've determined your niche and subject matter, you can use his techniques to start building your name as a brand in the marketplace. You don't need to become a household name to everyone on the planet. What you *do* need to do is start putting your name out there in your niche as someone who has valuable information, who can be trusted to share that information, and who is accessible. Once you start down that path, the rest of the book covers various ways that you can make this work in different channels, such as becoming an industry speaker or writer, becoming a person turned to for news stories, or making your knowledge available in audio/visual/written form for purchase. Once you start building up a little momentum (i.e., becoming "slightly famous"), the exposure starts to build a life of its own, and you're attracting business in ways you never thought possible.

While I'm not an independent businessperson or a consultant, I *am* someone who needs a certain level of exposure in my field in order to take advantage of various opportunities that come up. I fortunately did a number of things correctly up to this point, but with Van Yoder's book I can take it even further. Get Slightly Famous is one of those books that will cause you to rethink how you view yourself within your industry or community, and if followed it will lead you down paths that will surprise you.

I am a landscaper with a unique niche, a big personality, and a strong point of view, and I can definitely see how becoming the most well-known person in the area, a local gardening celebrity, would provide great dividends to my business. The question is how do I get there, so that when local people think of gardening, they think of me first?

If you are wondering something similar, look no further than this book. I've read a few books designed to help you set yourself apart and get recognized, and none of them were as specific and practical as this one. This book takes you step by step through a number of techniques and approaches to become a local celebrity or one in your field, and not only gives you general advice about it, but walks you step by step through some of the common pitfalls and questions you'll encounter through each approach.

I have read it cover to cover once, and have bookmarks through the entire thing - some red (do it now!) and some yellow to remind me to try the steps later. I am thrilled at how down to earth and simple the advice was. I feel like I have someone knowledgeable walking me through these new activities, and it has given me the confidence to go ahead and do some of the steps right away.

I'd recommend this book for business owners, whether you have a three-person company like I do or a larger one - especially if you do any consulting work or work where you need to be respected for your knowledge. It's very helpful.

If you want an edge in today's highly competitive market where it is becoming increasinly difficult to get anyone's attention, then you need to Get Slightly Famous.

The book provides a highly valuable, easy to follow roadmap for anyone to follow. And if you follow the advice in the book, you will Get Slightly Famous. Getting slightly famous will separate you from the rest of your competition.

The premise of the book is that you do not need to be famous to be successful. But in your own niche, you need to standout from the crowd. And the rewards of getting slightly famous far outweigh the time and effort required.

The book is divided into three sections. The first section is devoted to why you need to be slightly famous and how you can achieve that goal.

The second section concerns media strategy. There is the basic information on how you must approach the media in order to be successful. There are excellent tips on how to get articles in print and how to attract the media to you so you can get on the radio or TV.

The third section shows how you can reach out in many different directions: your website, speaking, info-product and strategic partnerships are just a few that are covered.

The book is a combination of how to, why to and a reference guide. There are over 90 specific real world examples of entrepreneurs who have gotten slightly famous - telling what they did and how it has benefited their business.

Any size business can benefit from the information contained in this book. If you want your business to grow bigger, you must learn and apply the information in this book.

This book is unique because of the amount of information and the depth of coverage. It will not be possible to absorb all the information in one reading. But keep in handy and use it as a specific guide. It will give you so many tips and insights ... well worth reading and keeping handy.

If you are overwhelmed with the competition in your area of the marketplace, how do you stand out and shine? Steven Van Yoder provides a cornucopia of ideas to move anyone from their anonymous unknown position to becoming a slightly famous standout. He defines "slightly famous" as Just famous enough to make their names come to mind when people are looking for a particular product or service, and let them reap the benefits. They get more business--not only more, but the right kind of business--and they don't have to work so hard to get it." (page 3)
While the marketplace may seem crowded (pick your market), there is always room for innovative communicators who will gain visibility, credibility and become a thought leader. Through dozens of case studies and stories, Van Yoder proves his points.

The first section helps the reader think through their own distinctive, then the second portion explores different media strategies (for different types of media such as print, online, broadcast) and the final section gives a wealth of ideas for anyone to expand their own reach.

The book is well-written, easy to use and one that I'm certain you will use a highlighter and go back to review the concepts and apply them to your own business. I recommend GET SLIGHTLY FAMOUS.