What do you think?
Rate this book
Text Me! Snap Me! Ask Me Anything!: How Entrepreneurs, Consultants And Artists Can Use The Power Of Intimate Attention To Build Their Brand, Grow Their Business And Change The World
Do you want to BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BRAND as a coach, consultant, author, creative artist, small business owner or entrepreneur? Based on his own success as an Inc 500 entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author and global speaker, Kevin Kruse reveals how
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
133 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 9, 2017
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 16, 2017
I enjoyed “Text Me!” very much. I’m in a good position to judge the content, because Kevin Kruse is doing the exact thing I’m doing. Only he is doing it much better.
I’m a practitioner of what is taught in “Text Me!,” but I still managed to find numerous value bombs inside.
It is a very rare case when I simply cannot criticize a single thing about the book. Everything is perfect.
The book is short, but it does it good. Kevin didn’t have to fill paper with string of words because his publisher wanted a thick book. He said what he had to say in a concise format, but he covered the topic fully and in some depth.
First, the author preach the value of personal attention, Intimate Attention–as he called it–in a modern world of shallow or fake connections. For me, he preached to the converted, but if you really think that more followers and bigger email list are better (than a small and engaged list), you NEED to read this book.
I liked how Kevin mentioned many times the best practices of people we consider ‘too big to bother’ with personal connections with their followers. Multimillionaires, billionaires, rock stars, and other high profile folks are crushing it, one person at a time and story after story from the rich arsenal of stories confirmed that.
I found very useful the part about how big is each social media and for which particular demographics they work best. Kevin also very aptly described the current trends (“most Tweets [my own included] are automated click bait”).
Intimate Attention
I loved the glimpses into Kevin’s personal way of dealing with the Intimate Attention system in his own business. This is what I love the most about independent authors—they share their experience, not write textbooks. This is so important. A coaching platform with millions users mined their data and found that people who “have been there and done that” have FOUR times better chances to teach you a new skill, habit, or knowledge than ‘certified’ or ‘qualified’ coaches.
Kevin Kruse walks his talk and he is only a few steps ahead of me—an ideal role model.
And his lessons on how he deals with trolls, beggars, or complainers were enlightening.
The Value of Consistency
The real key isn’t volume, but rather consistency.
Kevin is absolutely right. I do in my business exactly the way he does. I reply to each email and message on social media.
But by no means, do I do it in the systematic way he does. I have no fixed schedule nor appropriate processes. And it shows.
I have 350 followers on Medium, 1900 on Quora, 650 on Twitter, and my email list consists of 1,300 names. His numbers are about 10 times better, because his consistency is 10 times better.
Pointing the Finger
I absolutely loved the honest way Kevin pointed out businesses and individuals who don’t walk their talk. Kevin paid thousands of dollars for product and services, but it meant close to nothing to providers. When he asked for contribution to his book, he got canned refusals.
I remember writing an article for Firepole Marketing in the same spirit three years ago. I pointed out businesses that assured on their websites that they reply to all messages and inquires. Some of them replied only to those that involved money. In most cases, their declarations were empty and I heard nothing back.
Firepole Marketing rejected my article, because “it reads too much like a rant—particularly in the mention of other bloggers and what they do.”
Well—unlike Firepole Marketing—Kevin wasn’t afraid to call the king naked.
Right Role Models
I also loved the part of the book with highly successful people’s mini-interviews. It provided more insight and perspectives about how Intimate Attention can be cultivated on different platforms.
I also noticed that every single one of those successful people said it was good for their business. Your Intimate Attention translates into money.
The Style
I’m a reader. I have read thousands of books in my life including about 1,000 non-fiction books. And I can tell you—Kevin Kruse is a great author. He knows how to write good books.
The content is actually useful and functional. Kevin illustrated practically every point in “Text Me!” with a story and this is the most effective method to leave a mark in readers’ memory.
When he jokes, he is really witty. I laughed out loud when he explained why giving his book the title “Intimate Attention” wasn’t the best idea.
When he demonstrated vulnerability sharing one of the stories of interaction with his reader, I cried with him.
Conclusion
After reading “Text Me!,” I’m seriously considering to dedicate an hour a day to connect with my audience.
True—I’m not in Kevin’s position yet; I don’t work full time in my own business. But if I truly want to grow it beyond the point where it will become my main source of income, I’d better pay more attention to the way I give my attention to my readers and clients.
There is verily no other way than connecting—one person at a time.
I’m a practitioner of what is taught in “Text Me!,” but I still managed to find numerous value bombs inside.
It is a very rare case when I simply cannot criticize a single thing about the book. Everything is perfect.
The book is short, but it does it good. Kevin didn’t have to fill paper with string of words because his publisher wanted a thick book. He said what he had to say in a concise format, but he covered the topic fully and in some depth.
First, the author preach the value of personal attention, Intimate Attention–as he called it–in a modern world of shallow or fake connections. For me, he preached to the converted, but if you really think that more followers and bigger email list are better (than a small and engaged list), you NEED to read this book.
I liked how Kevin mentioned many times the best practices of people we consider ‘too big to bother’ with personal connections with their followers. Multimillionaires, billionaires, rock stars, and other high profile folks are crushing it, one person at a time and story after story from the rich arsenal of stories confirmed that.
I found very useful the part about how big is each social media and for which particular demographics they work best. Kevin also very aptly described the current trends (“most Tweets [my own included] are automated click bait”).
Intimate Attention
I loved the glimpses into Kevin’s personal way of dealing with the Intimate Attention system in his own business. This is what I love the most about independent authors—they share their experience, not write textbooks. This is so important. A coaching platform with millions users mined their data and found that people who “have been there and done that” have FOUR times better chances to teach you a new skill, habit, or knowledge than ‘certified’ or ‘qualified’ coaches.
Kevin Kruse walks his talk and he is only a few steps ahead of me—an ideal role model.
And his lessons on how he deals with trolls, beggars, or complainers were enlightening.
The Value of Consistency
The real key isn’t volume, but rather consistency.
Kevin is absolutely right. I do in my business exactly the way he does. I reply to each email and message on social media.
But by no means, do I do it in the systematic way he does. I have no fixed schedule nor appropriate processes. And it shows.
I have 350 followers on Medium, 1900 on Quora, 650 on Twitter, and my email list consists of 1,300 names. His numbers are about 10 times better, because his consistency is 10 times better.
Pointing the Finger
I absolutely loved the honest way Kevin pointed out businesses and individuals who don’t walk their talk. Kevin paid thousands of dollars for product and services, but it meant close to nothing to providers. When he asked for contribution to his book, he got canned refusals.
I remember writing an article for Firepole Marketing in the same spirit three years ago. I pointed out businesses that assured on their websites that they reply to all messages and inquires. Some of them replied only to those that involved money. In most cases, their declarations were empty and I heard nothing back.
Firepole Marketing rejected my article, because “it reads too much like a rant—particularly in the mention of other bloggers and what they do.”
Well—unlike Firepole Marketing—Kevin wasn’t afraid to call the king naked.
Right Role Models
I also loved the part of the book with highly successful people’s mini-interviews. It provided more insight and perspectives about how Intimate Attention can be cultivated on different platforms.
I also noticed that every single one of those successful people said it was good for their business. Your Intimate Attention translates into money.
The Style
I’m a reader. I have read thousands of books in my life including about 1,000 non-fiction books. And I can tell you—Kevin Kruse is a great author. He knows how to write good books.
The content is actually useful and functional. Kevin illustrated practically every point in “Text Me!” with a story and this is the most effective method to leave a mark in readers’ memory.
When he jokes, he is really witty. I laughed out loud when he explained why giving his book the title “Intimate Attention” wasn’t the best idea.
When he demonstrated vulnerability sharing one of the stories of interaction with his reader, I cried with him.
Conclusion
After reading “Text Me!,” I’m seriously considering to dedicate an hour a day to connect with my audience.
True—I’m not in Kevin’s position yet; I don’t work full time in my own business. But if I truly want to grow it beyond the point where it will become my main source of income, I’d better pay more attention to the way I give my attention to my readers and clients.
There is verily no other way than connecting—one person at a time.
February 18, 2017
This book, by the prolific and engaging author Kevin Kruse, who describes how each of us can go about building a personal brand, create a group of "superfans", and make a comfortable living from this audience.
The method Kruse describes is the personalisation of your message (your brand) to the world: "Intimate Attention". It is "David v. Goliath". This in opposition to the personal anonymity of global corporations and fungibility. I see this as a way individuals can create their own individual businesses, and succeed. Kruse urges budding entrepreneurs to create a personal relationship between themselves and their audience, so as to discover a few thousand people who regularly follow and listen to you on social media. From this group of people (your superfans), who know, trust and respect you, your market and business will grow. It is an appealing idea.
The book is filled with specific advice and techniques to make this possible. There are too many to describe, but as an example: use social media (several to chose from) to get your message out, publicly list your personal email(!), four categories of questions and replies, invite questions-"ask me anything", Know-Like-Trust-Buy, the amusing story of Benjamin Franklin, how to deal with dubious contacts, amongst many others. Also a final chapter on how to keep it real, life is life, be happy and decent to others.
The book is short, it can be read in a few hours, however, its brevity is not reflected in its content. I took four pages of notes and could have taken more.
In this and his other books, Kruse shows himself to be a sincere and talented individual.
I would recommend "Text Me!" to anyone looking to be get started or to improve their business.
ps: I did receive a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The method Kruse describes is the personalisation of your message (your brand) to the world: "Intimate Attention". It is "David v. Goliath". This in opposition to the personal anonymity of global corporations and fungibility. I see this as a way individuals can create their own individual businesses, and succeed. Kruse urges budding entrepreneurs to create a personal relationship between themselves and their audience, so as to discover a few thousand people who regularly follow and listen to you on social media. From this group of people (your superfans), who know, trust and respect you, your market and business will grow. It is an appealing idea.
The book is filled with specific advice and techniques to make this possible. There are too many to describe, but as an example: use social media (several to chose from) to get your message out, publicly list your personal email(!), four categories of questions and replies, invite questions-"ask me anything", Know-Like-Trust-Buy, the amusing story of Benjamin Franklin, how to deal with dubious contacts, amongst many others. Also a final chapter on how to keep it real, life is life, be happy and decent to others.
The book is short, it can be read in a few hours, however, its brevity is not reflected in its content. I took four pages of notes and could have taken more.
In this and his other books, Kruse shows himself to be a sincere and talented individual.
I would recommend "Text Me!" to anyone looking to be get started or to improve their business.
ps: I did receive a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2017
I received an advance copy of this book in order to write a review.
Let me start by saying that I am a huge Kevin Kruse fan. His previous book "15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management" was life-changing for me. It was the most practical time-management book I have ever read, and I've read all the gurus on the subject. I am still implementing many of the strategies in that book to significantly improve my productivity.
So, I was very excited to receive an advance copy of "Text Me Snap Me Ask Me Anything". I really enjoyed this book and feel it has useful information that I can implement in my business immediately.
Specifically, I liked the premise of "Intimate Attention" which is fairly contradictory to what most social media marketing books recommend. Intimate Attention is the philosophy of using personal connection in social media and email to create "SuperFans" instead of mass-marketing generic posts which may increase followers but not engagement or revenue.
I really like this philosophy and it is much more in line with my personal style, comfort zone and ethos.
That being said, I didn't feel that this book was nearly as practical as its predecessor. While there were examples of different techniques from various contributors, and Kevin gives us his personal routine, I didn't feel like there were as many specific tactics I could implement immediately. Instead, I felt the book was more of a big-picture guideline than a how-to for social media engagement. I guess I was looking for a checklist of specific tactics like what 15 Secrets provided.
Still, a very good short book and I recommend it.
4 out of 5 stars.
Let me start by saying that I am a huge Kevin Kruse fan. His previous book "15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management" was life-changing for me. It was the most practical time-management book I have ever read, and I've read all the gurus on the subject. I am still implementing many of the strategies in that book to significantly improve my productivity.
So, I was very excited to receive an advance copy of "Text Me Snap Me Ask Me Anything". I really enjoyed this book and feel it has useful information that I can implement in my business immediately.
Specifically, I liked the premise of "Intimate Attention" which is fairly contradictory to what most social media marketing books recommend. Intimate Attention is the philosophy of using personal connection in social media and email to create "SuperFans" instead of mass-marketing generic posts which may increase followers but not engagement or revenue.
I really like this philosophy and it is much more in line with my personal style, comfort zone and ethos.
That being said, I didn't feel that this book was nearly as practical as its predecessor. While there were examples of different techniques from various contributors, and Kevin gives us his personal routine, I didn't feel like there were as many specific tactics I could implement immediately. Instead, I felt the book was more of a big-picture guideline than a how-to for social media engagement. I guess I was looking for a checklist of specific tactics like what 15 Secrets provided.
Still, a very good short book and I recommend it.
4 out of 5 stars.
May 4, 2017
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is hands-down one of the most useful books I have read on social media marketing. it cuts through the faff and really delivers. There is so much advice out there on marketing on social media, and as an indie author who is responsible for writing, production and marketing, it can be a lot. And as an introvert, I am constantly feeling like I am failing at "doing social media", or not doing it right or enough. The advice in this book is doable whether you are a seasoned pro or just starting out, and can be customized to your own unique situation. That's what I like about it. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking to build an audience long-term in an authentic way.
This is hands-down one of the most useful books I have read on social media marketing. it cuts through the faff and really delivers. There is so much advice out there on marketing on social media, and as an indie author who is responsible for writing, production and marketing, it can be a lot. And as an introvert, I am constantly feeling like I am failing at "doing social media", or not doing it right or enough. The advice in this book is doable whether you are a seasoned pro or just starting out, and can be customized to your own unique situation. That's what I like about it. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking to build an audience long-term in an authentic way.
February 14, 2017
Workable, Powerful Advice for Building Relationships
I've been skeptical of newer social media platforms, and whether they are really worth the effort for professional networking and brand-building.
Kevin Kruse shows that with the right approach—Intimate Attention—they can have huge ROI instead of just being additional drains on your time.
Especially helpful is the advice on making it manageable and scalable (to the extent that genuine attention can be scaled, which he addresses forthrightly) to interact via email, social, text, and more, without spending all day.
Highly recommended for anyone in an expert role.
I've been skeptical of newer social media platforms, and whether they are really worth the effort for professional networking and brand-building.
Kevin Kruse shows that with the right approach—Intimate Attention—they can have huge ROI instead of just being additional drains on your time.
Especially helpful is the advice on making it manageable and scalable (to the extent that genuine attention can be scaled, which he addresses forthrightly) to interact via email, social, text, and more, without spending all day.
Highly recommended for anyone in an expert role.
December 10, 2017
Great book!
Great advice, very practical, awesome anecdotes, well-structured and super inspirational. No doubt in my mind these principles can work. Execution is key!
Great advice, very practical, awesome anecdotes, well-structured and super inspirational. No doubt in my mind these principles can work. Execution is key!
March 12, 2017
A fascinating read, and a refreshing philosophy in our increasingly disconnected digital world. I love his idea of creating a "one person at a time" promotional concept. I know for a fact that he follows his own philosophy because I emailed and texted him and he responded personally.
March 7, 2017
Once upon a time it was best practice to never give out your contact details. Kevin Kruse has dispensed with this and is following the footsteps of Gary V and others whose best practice is to publicly announce contact details and invite the tribe to engage directly. That's one bold step that clearly pays off for some but presumably makes others shudder with anxiety. Whether you believe or buy in or not, the goal posts have moved. I guess the litmus test is to shoot Kevin an email.
February 12, 2017
“Text Me! Snap Me! Ask Me Anything!” is a good, hands-on guide to building your personal brand by giving your audience intimate attention. The author does a great job outlining how to stand out by being in tune with your audience, meeting them where they are, and being willing to speak with them 1-on-1.
This book isn’t about reaching everyone in the world; it’s about reaching those handful of people who will interact with you and ultimately help you spread your message. As a self-employed consultant, I took away a number of practical lessons about how to interact with your audience and create a close connection. This book is not really a step-by-step guide, but does describe the framework for how to build a base of superfans by just paying some attention.
If you have read Seth Godin’s “Tribes” and were inspired to act, this book is the sequel. You still need to identify what you’re an expert in (sorry, that chapter is left out of the book…), but the next steps to build your brand as a thought leader are covered well.
There are also a couple of chapters that address issues like how to choose the right platforms, how to manage your time, and how to deal with crazy people. This book is short and an easy read — and if there is something that doesn’t make sense, you can always reach out to Kevin!
This book isn’t about reaching everyone in the world; it’s about reaching those handful of people who will interact with you and ultimately help you spread your message. As a self-employed consultant, I took away a number of practical lessons about how to interact with your audience and create a close connection. This book is not really a step-by-step guide, but does describe the framework for how to build a base of superfans by just paying some attention.
If you have read Seth Godin’s “Tribes” and were inspired to act, this book is the sequel. You still need to identify what you’re an expert in (sorry, that chapter is left out of the book…), but the next steps to build your brand as a thought leader are covered well.
There are also a couple of chapters that address issues like how to choose the right platforms, how to manage your time, and how to deal with crazy people. This book is short and an easy read — and if there is something that doesn’t make sense, you can always reach out to Kevin!
March 10, 2017
Solid
Proof that treating people like human beings can build your following. Social media doesn't do that so much for me, but personally addressing someone will always help in the long run.
Proof that treating people like human beings can build your following. Social media doesn't do that so much for me, but personally addressing someone will always help in the long run.
February 18, 2017
This is a must read for anyone looking to building a business or a personal brand from the ground up. In a world full of impersonal IVRs, bots, ads and VA's, you can break through it all with intimate attention or authentic interactions. Kruse shows us exactly how we can succeed and build an audience and a fan base simply by being real and following up.
It's an easy read full of practical and immediately actionable steps. More importantly, Kevin Kruse himself does everything that he describes in his book himself which proves how exactly how effective his strategies are.
It's an easy read full of practical and immediately actionable steps. More importantly, Kevin Kruse himself does everything that he describes in his book himself which proves how exactly how effective his strategies are.
February 11, 2017
As always, Kevin Kruse delivers maximum value in this great read on how to build your brand and have greater impact while you're at it! Because he is a time warrior/ ninja I also really appreciated how he addressed how to do that in a time efficient way as well.
June 29, 2017
Excellent! A practical guide!
Freelancers, Small business owners, Bloggers, Entrepreneurs, Thought leaders – this book is a useful guide for anyone who wants to grow an ‘active audience’. Kevin Kruse explains in simple terms and handy techniques how to create a loyal fan base who will actually respond to ‘calls for action’. Using the concept of ‘power of intimate attention’ – this book shows how to build and engage with one’s audience and not just obsess over growing subscriber metrics.
Real life examples, interviews and personal strategies included make the book easy to absorb and handy to implement. (Kevin truly does engage with his fans! Even not-at-all-famous-fans-like-me) This has techniques that can be applied to any media and channels.
A terrific guide and a great read! In fact, I use the word guide specifically because you must use it and not just read!
Freelancers, Small business owners, Bloggers, Entrepreneurs, Thought leaders – this book is a useful guide for anyone who wants to grow an ‘active audience’. Kevin Kruse explains in simple terms and handy techniques how to create a loyal fan base who will actually respond to ‘calls for action’. Using the concept of ‘power of intimate attention’ – this book shows how to build and engage with one’s audience and not just obsess over growing subscriber metrics.
Real life examples, interviews and personal strategies included make the book easy to absorb and handy to implement. (Kevin truly does engage with his fans! Even not-at-all-famous-fans-like-me) This has techniques that can be applied to any media and channels.
A terrific guide and a great read! In fact, I use the word guide specifically because you must use it and not just read!
April 30, 2017
If Your Biz is About Impacting Others Get This Book
This is the second book I've read by Kevin Kruse. If your hobby, job, or business is meant to positively impact the lives of (using any social media platform; Kruse offers a practical framework you can implement.
This is the second book I've read by Kevin Kruse. If your hobby, job, or business is meant to positively impact the lives of (using any social media platform; Kruse offers a practical framework you can implement.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews