I’ve sold 10 books this month, and not once have I mentioned any of them in my Blog posts or elsewhere (with the exception of one Tweet that I can remember.)

The point is this: When I got started with Social Media, I read books like Crush It! and read Bloggers like Chris Brogan and David Meerman Scott first. I watched Gary Vaynerchuk’s insanely entertaining and inspiring videos to learn how the Social Media game is played. And these guys taught me this:

1. Thank You Economy. One of Gary Vee’s favorite phrases is the “Thank You” economy. I try to follow this rule by creating really good content and giving it away for free. No strings attached. People say “thank you” by supporting my brand, my “stuff” as it were. Even if that means buying novels I wrote about baseball, golf, time travel or a book of personal essays from my days as a syndicated columnist.
2. Pull, don’t Push. You pull people into your Blog with amazing content, Tweets, comments on others’ Blogs, YouTube videos, etc. Once people land on your Blog and see they really like what you have to say, they tend to support you and your products. I literally bought a book (Socialnomics) based off a cool YouTube video. Author Erik Qualman didn’t say “Buy my book!” anywhere in the video, but the content was so well done I knew I wanted to hear more of what this guy had to say on Social Media. Same with Gary V, Brogan and David Meerman Scott. I’ve bought their books, read their blogs and (perhaps most important) spread the word about them to all my friends and colleagues in PR via Social Media channels and regular conversations.
3. The Brogan Rule. Chris Brogan is great at practicing what he preaches – constantly pointing out cool stuff other people are doing. On the surface, it seems silly for Brogan to be driving eyeballs off his Web site to another blogger (sometimes a competitor!) or Social Media guru, but Chris has it figured out. (A) His content and talent speaks for itself, and he doesn’t need to toot his own horn. Others will do it for him. (B) He’s so passionate and on the ball with Social Media trends and thought leaders that I know as a reader of his I’ll always get the biggest scoops and coolest new ideas – even if they aren’t Chris’ to begin with. That makes me a loyal Brogan follower and brand supporter.
4. Be authentic – or else. We all hate a phony, and heaven knows Social Media (especially the Twitterverse!) is filled with self-promoting loudmouths offering yet another Amazon link to their books disguised as a Tweet or telling everyone how their new moneymaking program will have you earning thousands from your office chair in mere minutes. I think it’s awesome that the more honest and authentic a person is on Social Media, the better he or she seems to do. Not only does it resonate with readers/viewers/followers, but it reveals your true personality and style – which to me is what separating yourself from the rest of the Social Media pack is all about!

The lesson is this: Social Media success is based upon creating and/or pointing out really useful, cool and helpful content, and sharing it in a way that makes it (A) Easy for others to digest and (B) Easy for them to pass it on. How do I know it works? Look at the screen grab above! I haven’t lifted a finger with any direct book marketing this month, and I’ve sold 10 books in 15 days! Sure, I won’t be bumping Stephen King off the bestseller lists anytime soon, but it’s enough in royalties for a nice night out with the family.

How about you? What Blogs do you follow? Have you experienced the “Thank You Economy” or see The Brogan Rule pay dividends with your own brand/product?

I actually got the Vook version of Crush It!, which is essentially the text of the book on your iPhone along with a bunch of exclusive videos that Gary does just for the Vook to help illustrate points from each chapter.

Given Gary is a video blogging legend and by his own admission is not a gifted writer, the Vook version of Crush It! was the best of both worlds. Gary wisely keeps the chapters short and sweet, and then the Vook folks put together some really slick and entertaining videos that really drive home key points. My favorite is the one about the Internet being a teenager with super powers – you have to watch it to appreciate it. Gary and a graphics editor at their finest!

Crush It! is light on technical details – Gary wisely admits that by the time a print book gets into your hands many of the Social Media tools/trends might already be changing – though Gary does share which Blogging platform (Tumblr) he likes most, for instance. But the real value of Crush It! is Gary’s passion and “You can do this!” attitude. You can’t help but set down the book and get fired up. When I run off to the computer for a few more Tweets late at night, my wife now asks, “Are you going to Crush It?”

Key points of the book:

1. Do what you love. Because, as Gary says, you’re going to have to “work your face off” to be successful in Social Media like he is, you better make sure you’re doing something that is more fun, joy and passion than “work.”

2. Provide the best content in your niche. Play to your strengths (writing, video, photos) and pour your passion and talents into amazing content.

3. Talk to people. (Lots of people.) Find every single Blog posting, Tweet and other online mention in regards to your niche. And then comment. On. Every. Single. One. And don’t just cut and paste stock answers or self-promoting drivel – rather, offer helpful, insightful comments. Take the time to be personal in your interactions.

4. Build your personal brand. Forget paper resumes – your Blog, Tweets, YouTube videos and other online content is an online, organic, living, breathing testimony to your talents and skills. Your LinkedIn page or Blog or YouTube videos are far more likely to get you the job you dream of than a paper resume sent in the mail. Also, building your personal brand online sells YOU – your content, your expertise, your product. Whatever it is that you have to offer the people interested in your topic.

5. Family first. This was a hard one to figure – Gary is completely right in saying family first, and don’t become a psycho workaholic. At the same time, by his own admission, he works 12-15 hour days and suggests you and I have to do the same in order to get to where he’s at.

6. Don’t be in a rush to monetize. Don’t chase the money – build your brand, be patient and realize it doesn’t happen overnight. If you truly are providing amazing content and building a huge following in your area of interest, the $ will come, because eyeballs = money.

7. Be transparent. Be yourself. Be authentic. Always. This is huge – nobody wants a phony, and Social Media users can smell a self-promoting phony a mile away.

Overall this is an easy, fast read that will give you a kick in the pants to get out there and Crush It! (Pun intended) I’d highly recommend the Vook version because the videos are awesome.

Mashable has done its first ever video book review, and I have to say it’s pretty cool stuff. They manage to bang through five Social Media books in under 10 minutes, offering key insights from each one. Ten minutes normally feels like an eternity in the world of watching videos online, but I found it fast-paced and interesting enough to watch it all the way through.

Now, I haven’t read all of these books, but have a copy of Trust Agents on the shelf I want to get to, and I bought the Vook version of Crush It!, which I’ve enjoyed immensely on my iPhone. Gary Vaynerchuk is a marketing dynamo and it’s impossible not to love his passion, authenticity and enthusiasm. The overwhelming message of Crush It! is daunting but true – to emerge on top, you will literally have to work your face off, pounding on the keyboard until your wrists throb and your eyeballs bleed. But Vaynerchuk is living proof you can get there if you want it badly enough. Crush It! gives a nice synopsis of his amazing American 2.0 Success Story while also sharing the key tenets (create incredible content around the things you love and are passionate about, serve/share others and engage in the virtual communities built around that subject matter like nobody else) you’ll need to succeed.

I’m also definitely going to pick up The New Community Rules as it sounds like that book is loaded with practical tips and strategies that you can start applying immediately.

What I love about Social Media is how cutting edge all of this is. It’s communications, marketing and PR on steroids. It’s akin to how the invention of the telephone changed communications in the United States. It’s that big of a deal, and if you are in any way, shape or form involved in communications, marketing or PR and NOT using Social Media, you are like a dinosaur stopping for a sip of water at your own personal La Brea Tar Pit.