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When I first walked past Mitch Joel’s new book, Six Pixels of Separation, in the checkout line of Books-a-Million, I noted to myself how interesting the cover of the book was. (Yes, being a former designer, I do judge books by their cover) I picked the book up, shuffled through a few pages and then put it back down, as the checkout line was then moving. I thought about it only once or twice after that-until I returned to BAM (yes, I’m there once to twice a week). I was looking for a modern marketing book that talked about more than just common techniques and/or social media – enter Six Pixels of Separation. This book is both applicable to a one-person freelancing business and to a major corporation.
I learned a lot of great business ideas and really have to give this book a good 4.8 out of 5.
Chapters:
- Chapter 1: I Google You…Just Like You Google Me
- Chapter 2: The Trust Economy
- Chapter 3: Entrepreneurship 2.0
- Chapter 4: Faith-Based Initiatives, Viral Expansion Loops, and the Long Road
- Chapter 5: Know Control
- Chapter 6: The Real World
- Chapter 7: You Are The Media
- Chapter 8: From Mass Media to Mass Content
- Chapter 9: Digital Darwinism
- Chapter 10: From Mass Media to “Me” Media
- Chapter 11: Burn the Ships
- Chapter 12: Tribal Knowledge
- Chapter 13: Digital Nomad
- Chapter 14: Participation 2.0
Review
I read this book over the weekend, so this book is great for us busy workers. Six Pixels of Separation takes modern marketing, combines it with social media and great business practices and gives you one great book. I consider myself on top of technology and social media, but even I learned a great many tips.
Unlike other books, Six Pixels of Separation doesn’t tell you to just “create a blog and a Twitter account” but it goes into detail about why you should create these things, how you should create them and how you need to engage your audience. With tips like “Always respond to your @’s on Twitter and comments on your blog” to “Comment on other blogs to establish your persona before you start your own blog” Mitch Joel has something for every type of business owner. As a one-person freelance business, it’s hard to find good books that are relevant to my type of business (besides “beginner” freelance books).
I’m always very weary of people who call themselves “social media experts” but this guy really knows his stuff. The book was never once boring (OK I admit I kind of glazed over the mobile chapter….) Six Pixels of Separation will teach you how to get your business out there and reach the same amount of people as any big corporation without having to scream “Look at me!” because as Mitch Joel says, “Everyone is Connected. Connect Your Business to Everyone.”
Win My Copy Of This Book!
Can Six Pixels of Separation help you and your business? (Probably) Want a chance at a free copy of the book? (Of course) Well lucky for you, I’m giving away my copy! There are FOUR ways to enter:
- Comment below and tell me what you think of my blog and/or how it can be improved and receive one entry to win.
- Retweet this article. Make sure you add @amberweinberg to the tweet so I can see you did it and receive one entry to win.
- Digg this article and receive one entry to win.
- Do 2 or all 3 of the above and get up to 3 entries to win!
This contest will end November 2nd at 5pm CST. Entries will be placed in a super cool beanie hat and the winner will be randomly chosen by my dog’s wet nose. Winner will be notified via communication AND blog post (so pay attention!)
Post Tags: freelance, marketing, reviews
About the author
Amber Weinberg specializes in clean and semantic XHTML, CSS and WordPress development. She has over 10 years of coding experience and is pretty cool to work with. Amber is available for freelance work, so why not hire her for your next project?.If you enjoyed this post, please share it!
I think this is a very interesting insight to the book and more so how you felt about reading it. I would like to see maybe how you plan to adapt what this book has to say to your business practices or how you have already implemented a practice and can confirm the author’s suggestions.
Great post! Keep ‘em coming!
@Anthony Thanks
I wrote down a lot of stuff from the book and have been trying them out. Especially getting better at replying to @’s and blog comments, making better comments on other people’s posts (I always did the “Nice post! comment lol) and trying to get all my pictures on SM sites the same so I’ll be recognized everywhere. It’s all about getting your name out there in various ways 
Amber – Good offer and promotion of your work
Like your series on CSS.
@JoshBTurner
Been following on twitter @envyeconomy
In one sentence answer you have to be unique and its all timing. Build celebrity.
To improve, you have to blog about current topics so that your blog gets into the market place of the now, grabs their attention. People are just simple and trendy.
Its about fun, I am going back to the simple myself.
Hey Amber, hadn’t come across this book yet so thanks for sharing. Also, I’ve bookmarked your CSS series to refer back to. I like how it’s written in an easy to follow manner for someone who knows some CSS but is not comfortable enough (yet) to hand-code from scratch
@Josh Thanks!
@Mike Yes, I’m trying to work on getting some good current topics…maybe some posts on CSS3?
@Neil Thanks, it’s not difficult to learn it, if you learn it the right way the first time. Unfortunately I learned it the wrong way 10 years ago and had to relearn everything all over again
The book sounds like it would be an interesting read so I’ll throw my card in the hat.
I liked your review of the book a lot. Simple and to the point with what your feelings about it were. It makes me want to keep an eye out for this book even if I don’t win your contest.
I sometimes wonder if it is necessary for everyone to start a blog up though. I can see Twitter, Linked In, and commenting on blogs in your field but I wonder if sometimes there can’t be too many blogs about a subject. I think I would rather write some guest posts for other blogs with links back instead of having my own.
@Keith That’s true and it’s one of the points the author makes. He also talks about branching your blogs out. For example, he said a pen maker might not blog about cool pens, but maybe blog about the passion of writing, etc.
I have yet to read Mitch’s book, I’ll read it as soon as I finish my book about Procrastination (…)
Seriously though, cheers to a well written review.
Mitch also has a blog, also named Six Pixels of Separation, which I enjoy reading. Any one interested in the book should take a look.
I disagree that their is too many blogs more like there is too many choices.
Its your choice to accept those you want not just everything because you give up your freedom, you miss out on importance of information, and miss out on building a real network. I honestly have to say people have to stop looking at numbers it doesn’t tell you everything. I follow Amber because she is in a related field of interest (web design, web programming, graphics) and like I said before its the person who makes the blog so I am glad to appreciate the work involved and postings. (plus there are way too many robot blogs that re-post posts in an uninteresting way, that is what ruins blogging its a communication tool. A factor why there is too many blogs)
Mike
@envyeconomy
I’ve only “known” Amber virtually since last Friday and have already come to know that she is a talented and brilliant business woman! Really enjoyed your series on HTML/CSS Amber and would love a chance to check out the book “Six Pixels..” so count me in please. (o;
Aloha,
@Bernard Thanks! I’ve been reading his blog since I bought the book, his advice is really different than the typical social media junk we’re given everywhere.
@Michelle thanks! Let me know how it goes with the tutoring
@ Mike
You make a good point about having more choices with having more blogs. Being able to have a variety to choose from and make a decision on my own based on the content the blog writer is providing is a better option than just having a narrow selection.
Nice to see a book review blog post from someone who I know a little bit better than a random Amazon book reviewer. It gives the review a bit more value.
I like the fact you gave the book a rating but perhaps it could be better if you gave a bit of context to the rating. For example, what stopped this book from getting 5/5.
I like the example the author gives about the pen maker and I’m sure I’ve read that somewhere else. I think the key point about that and a key factor in any good blog is that it should give something back to the community and book reviews are one way of doing that, so well done
Amber,
You did a great job of the review — with just the right amount of details. Sometimes I just gloss over a review because they go into chapter by chapter details about the book being reviewed. What I would have liked though (since you rated it so high) would be what a couple of “a-ha” moments were for you when you read the book.
@Colin and @Ned Good points. I’ll keep those in mind for the next review
develop multiple(articles/tutorials etc) deep into a subject/niche topic like (css3 or jquery) so people will come back every week. build your following.
Am at an Interactive Advertising Bureau conference – Mitch Joel is the speaker. Sooooooo much information. Part of me is inspired, part of me feels like a dinasour.
Your blog is very nice Amber.
@Trudy I felt the same way too when I first started in social media.
@EricM Thanks!
Thanks for reviewing this and sharing, the book looks good!
Here’s my third entry, I just had a thought on your website:
I think it would really add to your blog to add pictures to each post. Whether it’s a big one at the introduction, or some small ones in the middle. I think pictures really make the text next to them more interesting.
Just a thought! By the way, I really like your logo!
Thanks again!
So who won???
hi amber,
i think the competition to win the book would be over by now but since u’ve asked for a feedback on ur blog and since i’ve found your posts interestin on twitter , not to mention ur a well read person too…i wish to say the following about ur website.
The good things first:
i like ur idea of pulling ur nav bar alongside header…really gives lots of space above the so called ‘fold’.
1. in the Home page your portfolio is shown as an animation (probably js) which fades in -out Vertically which makes one think that it is a page refresh ( first time users/visitors)can u look up one that slides horizontally
2. When content area and sidebar are seen their lines are not aligned vertically….
3. you’ve got twitter’s T as well as birdy icon…i suggest have just one of them coz we dont immediately come to know on which to click. A wasted click there….
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regards and best wishes
bharat khiani
india.