A Review of the Book The E-Myth, by Michael Gerber

22 October 2010

A lot of people in the online business world constantly seek out advice from experts about how to proceed and what to watch out for. When a reputable expert writes a book about Internet business, you better believe that it sells a lot of copies and turns a lot of heads.

One such book is The E-Myth, written by renowned business consulting guru Michael Gerber. What Michael does in his book isn't very different in terms of his approach. Gerber lends his observations and expert advice in an easy-to-read format that helps to guide readers in the business world

What sets his book apart is the actual tone and the cold, hard truth that most of what people think to be a business is really just a job. This distinction is shocking to some individuals who've worked hard to create a business but find they have to keep working at it. Thus, their business isn't a business at all, but really a job they've created.

Not that there's anything wrong with creating a nice job for yourself, but its not exactly what you want to have happen if you are hoping to put a business together.

Michael easily separates business by defining it as something that runs independently of you. For example, a is a business. This is something that's been developed and marketed and can run without the creator overseeing the operations.

In simple language, proper businesses can be sold as standalone mechanisms that run without constant tweaking. From there, Gerber goes on to talk about vital steps to take in order to create a business that can run independently.

First up, you'll read about how to formulate your step-by-step goals in business and in life in general, and then take a look at some of the disciplines you will need in order to become a successful businessperson. Michael illustrates some of the techniques used by Fortune 500 companies for managing their businesses and selling products.

Gerber also talks a good deal about generating leads in the E-Myth. He lays out a five-step plan that is supposedly universal and will teach individuals how they can best put themselves in a position to get leads, going through steps like engagement, problem-solving, and conversion. He paints a colorful picture when dealing with the emotional state of customers and what they want.

Next up, its on to another hot topic in business client fulfillment. Basically, this part of the book is telling people how to always satisfy their customers. When customers purchase from you, they want their needs met. Gerber touches on various ways in which you can always meet these needs and keep the customers satisfied.

Lastly, Gerber goes into detail about the financial management side of business. He attempts to teach a little bit about handling finances properly and various aspects of money management that help you fluidly run your business.