A Virtual Roadmap - Book Review
By Bruce R. Mancinelli (Oakton, VA, US)
Finally a book that catches up with the times.
Your Virtual Success is a must read for anyone in the virtual business world. We all know that tried and proven business techniques when applied to startups and emerging businesses is always a good thing to do to ensure success but dated "how to" books do not always provide the insights that our new Internet market space demands.
Alan Blume has a wonderful, engaging writing style, almost story-like in describing the virtual business world, its issues and the opportunities that it represents.
As the executive director of a business incubator I have occasion to counsel and mentor many entrepreneurs as they manage their startups. So many rely on the Internet and the virtual business space to be successful. This book will now be required reading for every incubating company we have and will be one of my recommended books to anyone who asks me whether there are any good books out there to help foster and leverage a virtual business.
In a very fast read manner Alan Blume covers what it means to be virtual, what to do to be virtual, the issue of branding and standing out in virtual space, selling virtually, marketing and finally expanding virtual businesses all delivered in fast page flipping chapters that cover it all.
All too often self help books are borne in the academic world and while those books are all valuable it is great to have a "been there, done that" author, who is still doing it as a businessman running a virtual business as a practical example of his book.
I recommend this book to anyone but most especially to those who are new to the virtual world, those who are looking for a good virtual road map to being successful in virtual space and to those who enjoy a well written, informative, business book."
5.0 out of 5 stars Actual success from virtual success, August 6, 2010
By Ronan Winter
Road warriors will relate to this book, a practical guide to the more productive way to achieve the same results as calling face to face. I can attest that these techniques work, having already sold $1,000,000 in software using Blume's recommendations. My next venture will be virtual too, there's no better way.
5.0 out of 5 stars A literal bible for bypassing competition in today's virtual terrain, June 27, 2010
By A.J.
Outstanding. Blume takes concrete examples and provides a clear road map to best achieve a competitive edge that any business or individual needs to go virtual on any level. Provides ideas on maximizing virtual solutions while positioning oneself to enjoy increased flexibility and efficiency--what we all strive for! Great read, tremendous resource, thoroughly relevant.
5.0 out of 5 stars A roadmap for going Virtual, June 21, 2010
By J.S.
Your Virtual Success provides a framework for virtualizing a business. As a person who recently transitioned from a traditional, brick and mortar, corporate environment to a virtual business - I can relate to the improved productivity and flexibility to Blume discusses. The tools and concepts reviewed in the book will help nearly any business become more profitable, while improving the lifestyle of employees. A great read.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent business book, June 18, 2010
By M.L.
Just finished reading "Your Virtual Success"... this book is a must for anyone looking to start their own virtual business, or reduce costs on their existing brick and mortar business. Blume packs the book with practical and concrete ideas on using cloud computing, SaaS, virtual contractors and more to streamline operations for any company, large or small. It's clear that the future of most businesses is going to be virtual in some way, shape or form, and Alan Blume is certainly at the vanguard of this evolution.