Marketing Matrix: Book Review: Guy Kawasaki's Enchantment

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Book Review: Guy Kawasaki's Enchantment

When Guy Kawasaki gave me the opportunity to read his new book Enchantment before it was released, I jumped at it. It turns out, my excitement wasn’t let down. The book is great.

Guy defines Enchantment as the ability to fill people with “great delight.” And describes how much easier it makes difficult tasks like making tough decisions, changing habitual behavior and defying conventional wisdom. The book is designed to give the reader the tools necessary to become an enchanter.

Enchanting With Science

Coming from a very scientific point of view, I forget about the human element easily. Guy’s book teaches you the most most important parts with an eye on data based proof.

Enchantment shows us how to optimize interpersonal interactions, including everything from the most effective way to smile, to the best way to swear. It also tells us how to enchant our bosses, our employees and our customers.

Guy included chapters on using technology to enchant. He shows us how on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, email, presentations and even LinkedIn. If we’re trying to create new technology he also let’s us in on how to use enchantment to launch new products.

Recognizing that power as potent as enchantment can be misused, the book ends with a chapter on how to resist enchantment. Here we’re met with advice on protecting ourselves from shrewd and malicious confidence artists, sales people and pseudo experts.

I loved the book and can’t recommend it highly enough. Especially to people like myself who find ourselves up to our necks everyday in the world of digital social interaction and technology. We all need to be reminded of how to connect with real people in meaningful ways.