I forget how I first came across this book, but it seemed to be one of those (like Blink, The Tipping Point, The Wisdom of Crowds, etc.) that was getting a lot of press on blogs that I read frequently. Ferrazzi has an interesting blog for Never Eat Alone and Phil Terry of Creative Good suggested I give it a go to help connect with folks at the Gel conference this week.

The book is about how to meet people and develop deeper relationships more quickly. Ferrazzi shares his philosophy on life--you can't succeed without the help of others--and outlines strategies to make connecting easier.

These strategies are a reinforcement of the Golden Rule, and they boil down to things like:

• Always looking to help or connect people,
• Have a story to tell,
• Show vulnerability first to make the conversation more intimate,
• Become indispensible in one specific area to become more valuable to your company,
• Ping your contacts at least once a quarter,
• Do your homework; make sure you know details about the people you will be meeting,
• Be bold; believe you have something to offer and others will treat you as such, and
• Speak at, or start a conference to develop your personal brand.

The advice Ferrazzi presents is useful for managing one's personal and professional lives (in his life, Ferrazzi does not make a distinction between the two) and really preaches that a different mindset is required in order to be always connecting. It's a good read, and while Ferrazzi name-drops a lot, he's ultimately a (smart, ambitious) kid from working class Pennsylvania who has networked his way to both success and what sounds like a fulfilling life.