Brand Against the Machine: How to Build Your Brand, Cut Through the Marketing Noise, and Stand Out from the Competition [Hardcover]

John Morgan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 22, 2011

The machine blasts messages at the world and it does not care who you are or what you have to say or whether its message is relevant to you at all. The machine is a moron. You, however, are not. Which is why your brand needs to rage against the traditional forces of advertising. You must engage your audience and win their business by giving more and selling less. Yours must be a Brand Against the Machine.

Brand Against the Machine offers proven and actionable steps for companies and entrepreneurs to increase their visibility and credibility, and create an indispensable brand that consumers can relate to, creating lifelong customers. Discover the aspirational currency that makes your brand one that people want to be or want to be friends with. Learn how to be real with your audience and make strategic associations to establish credibility. Brand Against the Machine will help you stand out, get noticed, and be remembered.

Brand Against the Machine offers a blueprint for your brand framework, with step-by-step guidance, including:

• Know who your target audience is and what they want
  

• Define your position as the go-to authority in your industry
  

• Determine your audience's problem and create a solution for them
  

• Produce valuable content that attracts your audience and engages them
  

• Promote yourself without pestering people
  

• Over-deliver on your promise
  

The machine is a rusted piece of junk in the marketplace. Ditch traditional corporate branding and marketing, and exchange it for something memorable. Your customers will thank you for it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"John Morgan has something here. I'm a big fan of how he words things, and there's value in keeping a notepad handy. I changed something based on Morgan's work. You will too!"-- Chris Brogan, President, Human Business Works; author of Trust Agents

"Brand Against The Machine is the new definition for brands. As John writes so cogently, you don't brand at people, you brand with people. How do you do that? Read on." -- Mitch Joel, President, Twist Image; author of Six Pixels of Separation

"...this book will provide you with some terrific wisdom and information. Utilize the contents of this book and accelerate your positioning in the marketplace and the money in your bank account." -- Bob Burg, coauthor of The Go-Giver and author of Endless Referrals

"John Morgan's book is the ultimate branding wake-up call for any business. Your brand is about to take a double shot espresso . . . with a few sticks of TNT to stir it up." -- Mike Michalowicz, author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur

"John is a rebellious leader of a new form of branding. He doesn't pull any punches and delivers straight-forward advice you can't afford to ignore." - Barry Moltz, Author of Bounce!

From the Inside Flap

The machine blasts messages at the world and it does not care who you are or what you have to say or whether its message is relevant to you at all. The machine is a moron. You, however, are not. Which is why your brand needs to rage against the traditional forces of advertising. You must engage your audience and win their business by giving more and selling less. Yours must be a Brand Against the Machine.

Brand Against the Machine offers proven and actionable steps for companies and entrepreneurs to increase their visibility and credibility, and create an indispensable brand that consumers can relate to, creating lifelong customers. Discover the aspirational currency that makes your brand one that people want to be or want to be friends with. Learn how to be real with your audience and make strategic associations to establish credibility. Brand Against the Machine will help you stand out, get noticed, and be remembered.

Brand Against the Machine offers a blueprint for your brand framework, with step-by-step guidance, including:

• Know who your target audience is and what they want

• Define your position as the go-to authority in your industry

• Determine your audience's problem and create a solution for them

• Produce valuable content that attracts your audience and engages them

• Promote yourself without pestering people

• Over-deliver on your promise

The machine is a rusted piece of junk in the marketplace. Ditch traditional corporate branding and marketing, and exchange it for something memorable. Your customers will thank you for it.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 210 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (November 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1118103521
• ISBN-13: 978-1118103524
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 0.8 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (113 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,884 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Morgan is the President of Brand Against the Machine, a company that specializes in personal and corporate branding and online marketing and helps entrepreneurs position themselves as leading authorities to their target market. John has worked with companies in more than 300 industries, including Fortune 500 companies and Hollywood celebrities. He regularly speaks to audiences ranging from 50 to 3,000 people and has been featured on FastCompany.com and MSNBC, among others.

John has been called "a force to be reckoned with when it comes to branding". His consulting services are used by some of the largest brands in the world. John is an in-demand public speaker who's known for delivering excellent content in a straight-to-the-point way.

Unlike this bio would have you believe, John does not always talk in the 3rd person.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A positive review from a reluctant reviewer November 18, 2011

By Michael Port

Format:Hardcover

Length: 1:58 Mins

Typically, I'm reluctant to offer reviews because I'm an author and I don't think it my place to be a critic as well. However, in this case, I've offered a video that endorses John Morgan and his book, Brand Against the Machine. Thank you for watching the video and considering John's book. - Michael Port

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So Good...the margins ended up clogged with an obscene amount of "Aha's!" and "Gotta Do's!" January 14, 2013

By Keith Nerdin

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Length: 5:29 Mins

I only do these reviews on books that make a dramatic impact in the way I think and work. This book has definitely done both. Watch the short video (especially the last couple minutes) to see how. This book more than deserves my favorable review and the author has earned my full endorsement.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book With Actionable Advice November 12, 2011

By Travisrobertson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

When you look at your industry, do you have a competitor who you KNOW isn't as good as you are but they manage to get more clients and have more success? If so, you need to read this book. It will help you understand why your competitor with the inferior product or service is beating you out and it will equip you with the tools you need to knock them off the top spot.

Too many people think that "branding" means choosing colors and fonts for your logo and 3-fold flyers. In this excellent book, John Morgan sets the reader straight and tackles the development of a true brand - that emotional connection that your customers have with you, your product and/or your service.

Morgan writes in a fun, non-pretentious style similar to Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson from 37 Signals. He uses 61 short, punchy chapters that cut to the point and don't bog you down with useless fluff. He tells you what you need to know and then moves on to the next point.

Because the book is filled with branding principles and not theory, the advice can easily be implemented by larger companies, small businesses, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, or people looking to build a personal brand. All you have to possess is the ability to adapt the principles for your particular company or situation. It does tend to focus a bit more on entrepreneurs, small business owners, and personal brands.

I won't list all 61 chapters out, but I do want to give you a sense of what topics are covered in this book:

* The difference between marketing and branding
* The impact of pricing on your brand
* The humanization of brands
* The difference between attention, visibility and trust and why you need all three to be successful
* How to effectively use celebrity in your branding and marketing
* How to develop credibility even if you're just starting out
* How to set yourself up as the authority in your industry
* How to measure your brand's impact and influence
* The 20/60/20 Rule
* The 10:100 Method
* How to develop conversations instead of campaigns
* How to use social media to extend the influence of your brand
* How to make fun of your mother-in-law (the jokes about his mother-in-law are worth the price alone)
* And a ton more...

One thing to note about this book is that it is NOT a social media book. While John discusses the impact of social media on your brand and the dissemination of your message, don't think that this is just another in a long string of books about Twitter and Facebook - it's not (thankfully). This book goes far deeper than that and gets to the core of your business, your message (in any medium), your identity, and how your customers or clients are relating to you.

If you're looking for a fun, practical book on growing your brand, standing out from your competition and creating a lasting connection with your customers, I highly recommend this book. However, if you hate change, like to be boring, enjoy being ignored, and don't want to grow your business, don't buy this book.