Customer Reviews

How to Dotcom

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Robert McGarvey's How To Dotcom: A Step-By-Step Guide To E-Commerce is a complete instructional course covering ever aspect of doing business on the Internet. Readers will learn money saving website building tools and tricks; advice for obtaining financing; informative interviews with successful Internet entrepreneurs; tips for increasing website traffic with free content; and invaluable e-commerce bookmarks. Hot Dotcom covers everything from shopping bots to registering a domain name to credit cards to email lists, and more. If you are contemplating buying and selling on the Internet, begin with a thoroughly reading of How to Dotcom.

This book is the answer to my dreams. I looked at many others -- they were too technical, too boring, and they really missed the point of what you need to know to launch an e-business. This book is exactly what the Web doctor would prescribe and, as a bonus, it's fun to read, too!

As a business journalist, I've read lots of web-related books, but McGarvey's is superior to all of them because he has the right perspective (balance of hands-on expertise and an understanding of where most people are at) and provides the nuts-and-bolts details many guides overlook. Plus, useful reports from those in the trenches of e-commerce.

McGarvey provides most (but not all) of "everything you need to know to start a successful dotcom." Specifically, he provides:

* Money saving site-building tools and tricks

* Advice from Guy Kawasaki (CEO of garage.com) on obtaining funds

* Interviews of Mark Lorimer (Autobytel), Andrea Reisman (Petopia), Peter Neupert (drugstore.com), Rick Braddock (Priceline), "and other Net achievers"

* Q&As with builders of low-cost sites

* Tips for increasing traffic with free content

* "Must-know" e-commerce bookmarks

This book is filled with lots of good stuff, presented with a "Snap! Crackle! and Pop!" prose style. McGarvey carefully organizes his material within 39 chapters, followed by a Glossary. Sophisticated readers may find at least some of the content simplistic, if not obvious (eg Chapter 2, "The Commandments: 10 Reasons You Should Be Online") and, as I'm certain McGarvey already realizes, not all of the material is directly relevant to each reader's immediate needs and interests. Read the book. Then re-read it. Pick and choose. Point is, for less than the cost of a meal in a decent restaurant, McGarvey provides a wealth of information, insightful comments, excellent suggestions, and all manner of real-world examples of what works...and what doesn't. If you need some no-nonsense advice about registering a domain name, getting funded, picking a host, attracting visitors, getting publicity, involving search engines, offering credit card payment options, using e-mail lists, etc., McGarvey can really help you.

If Bob McGarvey's name seems familiar to you, it's probably because you've seen his work in one of the many of the top-tier business magazines for which he writes, including SELLING POWER and ENTREPRENEUR. In fact, he's one the savviest, most knowledable writers around on the subjects of sales, marketing, and technology.

There are lots of reasons why "How to Dotcom" belongs on your bookshelf, but let me just touch on the two most important: First, McGarvey knows what he's talking about. He is a meticulous researcher who works a little harder and digs a little deeper than other writers covering similar topics. The second reason you ought to buy this book is that it's well written. Believe me, writing about technology in a way that is engaging and entertaining is no small achievement. And even the best content is of limited value if you can't work you way through the book. McGarvey's writing style hits exactly the right tone...not too breezy but certainly not too ponderous.

Bottom line: If you find the idea of e-business tempting but you're not sure how to get started, you will not go wrong if you begin your research with "How to Dotcom."

Robert McGarvey's book really "spoke" to me, and at just the right time. I'm interested in a dot.com venture myself but wary and downright confused, thanks to all the conflicting stories in the press of folk making millions overnight while others crash and burn. This book is down-to-earth, realistic and written in a refreshingly blunt and digestible way. It is well-organized, answers many of the questions I had, and has given me a lot of food for thought. This guy knows his stuff.