Move Over, MoveOn.org: Free Book Teaches How to Use the Web to Gain Power
Washington D.C., human rights advocate, Ralph Benko, authors noteworthy new book on using the web for transformation and political advocacy, and in surprising marketing move, gives the book away on his website. Read comments by Steve Forbes, Washington Times, Jimmy Wales, NewsMax and others on the book that describes the strategy Benko says helped put Obama in the White House.
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) May 7, 2009 -- Ralph Benko, a Washington-based populist Republican human rights advocate, is using an atypical approach to create book sales for his new book, The Websters' Dictionary: How to Use the Web to Transform the World. (The Websters' Press, 2008.) Benko is promoting sales by giving the eBook edition of his book away at no charge.
Available at thewebstersdictionary.com, readers can download the free eBook or purchase it in paperback or hard copy on the Websters' Press website or at online book vendors including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Benko admits his marketing approach is unconventional and sometimes seen as borderline confounding. He explains that his approach makes tremendous sense in today's web-enabled world. "The marketing behind The Websters' Dictionary is about building a transparent and open relationship with the public. It's the type of strategy that helped elect President Obama, but is equally powerful for Republicans. Website visitors from 138 countries are loving the message."
Benko's book takes the reader well beyond strategies for building social media networks, showing how Barack Obama was--in Benko's words--transformed from a novelty to a nominee. Benko reveals the powerful implications of Web 2.0 on politics, advocacy, and policy.
The Washington Times Sunday book section, in an extended review of The Websters' Dictionary said, "Mr. Benko gives online advocacy groups just what they need without the jargon that frequently comes with online how-to books."
NewsMax's review said, "The left's hegemony of the Web is about to end…Ralph Benko, a self-described agent of the vast right-wing conspiracy, spent two years researching MoveOn.org's 'secret blueprints' and smuggled them out in book form, The Websters' Dictionary: How to Use the Web to Transform the World."
Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia.org and Wikia.com, describes The Websters' Dictionary by saying, "Benko provides the reader with a gentle guide through the dark forests of political advocacy on the Internet. A must-read for anyone wishing to understand how the Internet is changing politics forever."
Steve Forbes wrote, "Brilliantly and with wit, Ralph Benko provides agitator and advocacy groups with the way to get out our message and to 'organize' in the Web 2.0 world. Couldn't be more timely--or needed."
While in Milwaukee, WI, a young Remix artist, who calls himself Miltownkid, released a 6 minute YouTube hit video about Benko and his book.
Reviewers agree that The Websters' Dictionary is a witty, straightforward guidebook, relevant beyond the political community. It is enlightening for everyone who seeks to understand how the Web is rapidly becoming primarily a way for us to connect with one another rather than a source of information. Creating or entering an online community or social network has become simple, fast, and inexpensive-for advocates, for political campaigns, or even for personal passions such as hobby communities. The Websters' Dictionary is complete with strategies 'WEB-sters' can readily understand and easily adapt to help create or participate, Benko explains, acknowledging that the title itself is a humorous and horrific pun.
Elsom Eldridge Jr., author of The Obvious Expert, says, "A groundswell, fueled by attention from creativecommons.org and Lessig.com, was building around The Websters' Dictionary even before publication." Eldridge acknowledges that the book's prepublication and ePublication buzz demonstrated exactly the message the book conveys, much like holding a mirror up to a mirror so that it quickly becomes impossible to distinguish the original from the endless reflections. "One would expect no less from the author of The Websters' Dictionary than a press release acknowledging that the intent of the press release is to attract more press, and draw the curious to his website."
Ralph Benko, sometimes called a visionary, claims the word is really just a nicer way of calling him pigheaded. "Help yourself to a free copy of The Websters' Press. And if you are an actual person and not a bot or a spider, and you enjoy the book, please consider embedding a link to it on your own blog, website, Twitter, Facebook page, or wherever you engage with other actual humans."
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