Andy Beal and Dr. Judy Strauss have a new book out with the great title Radically Transparent. It’s a must-read for anyone concerned about their reputation, in these days of online conversations that can lift up or submerge your brand image in a matter of minutes. Marketers, PR folks, and just about anyone who works on the Internet need to understand the ideas in this book. I read it a couple of months ago as a preview copy that Andy sent me, but I wanted to get the published version in my hands before writing this review. It’s everything I expected it to be from the preview.
There are lots of different kinds of books. Some are best at the big idea, but are short on tactical details. Others are chock-full of practical advice but lack real-world examples. It’s rare to see a book that can execute on all three.
Radically Transparent is one of those unusual books that can give you the executive summary of a big change in the world, explain how you know how big it is for you, tell you what you can do to take advantage of this new world, and illustrate those points with scores of stories from real businesses grappling with this sea change.
You don’t need to be an Internet expert to care about this book—it takes you step-by-step through what you need to know, whether you are a small business or a large corporation. The authors show you what is happening to cause this shift in the way we talk about companies, and take you through the tools you can use to monitor your online reputation, and more importantly, to influence it. There’s even a chapter that helps you take these steps for your personal reputation.
Many good books get written each year—books that are important for some segment of marketers to read. This is one that every marketer should read. My advice is to read it now, before you need it, instead of after some crisis has befallen you. Because if you and your company are not aiming for radical transparency, it’s just a matter of time before your customers force you into it.
