Reviews (7)

Excellent book on designing a channel program
It's an easy, quick read and sticks to all the pertinent information without adding unnecessary complexities. The author speaks from experience of the ins and outs of designing and managing the channel. He is able to cover strategy, tactics and theory as well as get down to the nitty gritty personal relationships and politics of being a "channel master".

If you are designing a channel program, this books is an excellent place to start.

All you need to know about distribution channels !
This book is a rare example on how it is easy to teach the concepts, show practical examples, and summarize everything in 250 pages without relying on unnecessary phrases and words that just repeat the same idea again and again and increase the size of the book to 1000 pages. The author provides detailed explanations on the structure and functioning of distribution channels and depicts a way to effectively build a succesful channel from scratch. He goes beyond the basic concepts to show additional and important information on antitrust laws and international distribution and competition.

I would recommend reading this book and keeping it as one of your reference books to consult whenever you're up to consider changes in the distribution system that arise because of competitive pressures, changes in customer behavior, or new product launches.

Perfect for the begining marketer!
This book is perfect for the person who does not even know where to start. It takes you through each stage of distribution, and how to evaluate what is best for your situation. An excellent buy when you need REAL answers.

Everything You Need to Know and More
Brilliant! I've been involved with industrial distribution for well over twenty years. Rolnicki has proven there is still much to be learned, considered and applied. Must reading for anyone that has anything to do with any channel of distribution.

Excellent book
A very sound, practical guide to channel management. It's one of maybe a half dozen books on the subject that should be part of the "core curriculum". -Larry Friedman author, "The Channel Advantage" ... Read more

Book Description

"A business book with a difference: clear-cut advice, sharp writing and a minimum of jargon."­­Newsweek

"Revolutionary! Surprising!"­­Business Week

"Chock-a-block with examples of successful and failed marketing campaigns, makes for a very interesting and relevant read."­­USA Today

Reviews (25)

The Markertplace is a Battlefield.. a great easy read.
The book looks at Marketing from a military perspective.

The book was largely influenced by the book "On War" by the retired Prussian general Karl von Clausewitz.

It basically outlines 4 broad Marketing Strategies which depend on your market position, the nature of your product and on the competition; viz, Offense, Defense, Flanking and guerrilla warfare.

"Marketing promises should be as vague as political ones. Otherwise you will erode the effectiveness of your forces", "Marketing battles are fought inside the mind. Inside your own mind and inside the mind of your prospects every day of the week.", "keep the forces concentrated in an overpowering mass. The fundamental idea. Always to be aimed at before all and as far as possible.", "The more helpless the situation, the more everything presses toward one single, desperate blow.", "Strategy and Timing are the Himalayas of Marketing. Everything else is the Catskills.", et cetera.

kudos to gen. clausewitz
this book very well intimates that marketing is war. so to deal with a war, different tools are needed. offensive, defensive and guerrilla war are some of them. the book gives insight of the history of various gigantic companies and the testing conditions the came from. sectionwise coverage gives a reader liberty to read according to the industry of his interest.
though the book has been written in a military style, but fun to read. the principles of warfare also are feast to grab. looks very obvious but are very profound. simply a delicious book for voracious readers.

the war of marketing - alright!!!
I'm a big fan of these two authors - Al Ries and Jack Trout. Now, don't let the title of my review put you off; but it's just that I've read 4 books in the last week by the same author (Trout-Sama) and I'm honestly predicting what examples are coming up on the next line before reading them. They are all very much alike.

We understand that competition is fierce and that differentiation is a vital key - we learnt this in the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, we learnt this in Diff or Die, we learnt this again in Marketing War-Fare. I give this book 4 stars however, cause even though the theory is not entirely original, I did like some of the way they put things. I am a big fan of Sun Tzu's work - and the comparison of methods of war with methods of management and marketing. I'm sure a lot of ideas had been taken from this.

My advice to the world is that everyone asks more questions when reading books. Don't just listen to stuff that authors say. Read Ogilvy on Advertising - the best book in the world. He is a genius. I'm not just refering negaitively to Ries and Trout, I love their work. But let me quote them and you make up your own mind - 'The problem with marketing today is not just the lack of rules. The biggest problem of all is the failure to realize that one ought to have rules in the first place.'

Now, you make up your mind. If Marketing had clear rules - like for example, Accounting, Economics (I think this is what you both are suggesting) - then how bloody boring it would come. I mean come on. If there is one thing I have learnt during the last two years of business school it is that marketing is the most amazing subject as you just never know whats going to happen next. How someone will advertise a product, what campaign will happen next, who will be the next start-up, how your competitor will attack you. It's all amazing. Compare that to bloody accounting - what a joke. And you guys wanna bring in rules. It's ok to present an idea, but it's not ok in today's business world to proclaim to the entire world that marketing lacks rules, and that I HAVE A PROBLEM not understanding that rules should exist in the unique marketing world.

Ries and Trout, you are lucky to get 4 stars off me this time.

The ultimate strategy for the battle of minds
Marketing is war. The companies have to fight for customers and against each other. Thus the rules of military combat are fully applicable, Ries and Trout insist. That is why they use the ideas of the best military strategist ever known - Karl von Clausewitz - to show how to win a marketing war. And it seems pretty simple. However, only at first glance.

The authors give to a business strategist a set of tools to assess the position and the situation on the ground (which is minds of the actual and prospect clients) in accordance with two basic military principles:
- the principle of force: more money and human resources always come over less money and human resources
- the superiority of the defense: defensive strategy demands less money and resources to win the marketing combat.

After assessing the situation, a strategist chooses which type of marketing war to wage (so called "the strategic square"):
- defensive
- offensive
- flanking
- guerilla

Each type of war is in its turn determined by a set of strategic principles. Follow them and you are doomed to success. As simple as it gets. Just do ALL the things correctly.

The only problem is that you have to do correctly so many things while assessing the situation and choosing and waging the type of marketing war, that winning is becoming an art of itself, rather then a strictly defined set of rules. The case studies in the second half of the book show that even the best and the biggest companies often fail to deliver the positive results.

And the last, but not least: "A general can no more entertain the idea of fighting to the last man than a good chess player would play an obviously lost game", Clausewitz wrote. Admittedly, "no purpose is served by wasting resources to conserve egos. Better to admit defeat and move on to another marketing war", Ries and Trout add. I just cannot agree more on these statements.

Excellent book on the principles of strategic marketing
If you're looking for a how-to-set-up-a-marketing-program book, keep on looking because this book is not about that. It's about the strategic choices that precede implementation. The first chapters describe general principles (force, advantage of defense and that a marketing war is fought in the mind of the prospect)of (marketing) warfare. The next section describes the "strategic square": Defensive, offensive, flanking and guerilla warfare. What kind of company (size, position etc.)should follow which strategy and why? In my work as management consultant I still find that a lot of strategic mistakes are made because the strategy does not match the position or size of the company. So pay attention. The book concludes with a number of classic (cola, computer, hamburger, beer) marketing cases which describes the strategy (and the mistakes) of the players involved. Even if you are more experienced in marketing, I would very strongly recommend it. If you are not learning from it, it surely reminds you to be consistent. Oh, and not unimportant: it is a fun-to-read book. ... Read more

Book Description

For small businesses, effective advertising can mean the difference between fortune and failure. But if you’re going to throw your money into advertising willy-nilly you might as well just throw it away. And if your business can’t afford a big advertising firm you may have to write your own advertising copy. But could you? Don’t worry, because with Advertising For Dummies, you will!

If you need help figuring out which advertising media offers you the most exposure or determining how much you can realistically spend on your advertising budget, then look no further. If you want shortcuts, insights, techniques, and money-saving facts that will get you the most bang for your advertising buck, then this is the book for you. It’s a guide to advertising for the rest of us — people for whom an advertising budget represents an important percentage of gross income and, therefore, must be spent very wisely. Inside you’ll find out how to:

• Devise a realistic advertising budget
• Define and position your message
• Create TV, radio, billboard, and Internet advertising
• Use “ad-speak” effectively

This helpful guide covers every media, from Internet advertising to TV and radio to billboards or newspapers. You’ll master the fundamentals of advertising, learn to generate fresh ideas, and write great ads. You’ll write great press releases and discover the secret to saving money through co-op ads. And there’s more:

• When and how to hire an ad agency
• Why people choose one product over another
• Creating brochures and direct mail pieces
• Designing an effective, inviting Web site
• Sticking to a budget
• The difference between PR and publicity
• Ten secrets to writing memorable ads

Reviews (2)

Good outline
This book is a good outline of different advertising mediums. Gary Dahl shows you everything from how to create an ad to how to negotiate deals with sales reps. However, Dahl(being the owner of an ad agency) tries a little too hard to get the reader's to hire an advertising agency, rather than do the work on their own. There is even a chapter called "Ten Ways to Know its time to Hire an Ad Agency".

"Ad" this book to your shopping cart!
This is the book that all people interested in advertising have been waiting for and will enjoy. It was talked about on KGO newstalk 810 a.m. and was created by the maker of the Pet Rock.For advertising students this will be of great help for your classes and for those of you already working in the field of advertising this will be a great read providing a deeper insight into this amazing field. ... Read more

Book Description

"Destined to be the definitive guide to database marketing applications, analytical strategies and test design."

- Brian Kurtz, Executive Vice President, Boardroom Inc., 2000 DMA List Leader of the Year and DMA Circulation Hall of Fame Inductee

"This book is well written with interesting examples and case studies that both illustrate complex techniques and tie the chapters together. The level of detail and treatment of statistical tools and methods provides both understanding and enough detail to begin to use them immediately to target marketing efforts efficiently and effectively. It is perfect for a course in database marketing or as a handy reference for those in the industry. "

- C. Samuel Craig, New York University, Stern School of Business

"This book should be studied by all who aspire to have a career in direct marketing. It provides a thorough overview of all essential aspects of using customer databases to improve direct marketing results. The material is presented in a style that renders even the technical subjects understandable to the novice direct marketer"

Kari Regan, Vice President, Database Marketing Services, The Reader’s Digest Association

"Finally, practical information on database marketing that tackles this complex subject but makes it clear enough for the novice to understand. This book serves as more than a primer for any senior manager who needs to know the whole story. As one who has spent over 20 years of his career involved in publishing and database marketing, I have a real appreciation for how difficult it is to explain the finer points of this discipline, while keeping it understandable. This book does that admirably. Well done!"

- Patrick E. Kenny, Executive Vice President, Qiosk.com

"This book is especially effective in describing the breadth and impact of the database marketing field. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has anything to do with database marketing! -- works in or with this dynamic area."

- Naomi Bernstein, Vice President, BMG Direct

"Ron Drozdenko and Perry Drake have written a guide to database marketing that is thorough and that covers the subject in considerable depth. It presents both the concepts underlying database marketing efforts and the all-important quantitative reasoning behind it. The material is accessible to students and practitioners alike and will be an important contribution to improved understanding of this important marketing discipline. "

Mary Lou Roberts, Boston University and author of Direct Marketing Management

"I think it is a terrific database marketing book, it’s got it all in clear and logical steps. The benefit to the marketing student and professional is that complex database concepts are carefully developed and thoroughly explained. This book is a must for all marketing managers in understanding database issues to successfully manage and structure marketing programs and achieve maximum results. "

- Dante Cirille, DMEF Board Member and Retired President, Grolier Direct Marketing

"An excellent book on the principles of Direct Marketing and utilization of the customer database to maximize profits. It is one of the best direct marketing books I have seen in years in that it is broad with specific

examples. I am going to require new hires to read this (book) to get a better understanding of the techniques used in Database Marketing."

- Peter Mueller, Assistant Vice President of Analysis, Scholastic, Grolier Division

"This is an amazingly useful book for direct marketers on how to organize and analyze database information. It’s full of practical examples that make the technical material easy to understand and apply by yourself. I strongly recommend this book to direct and interactive marketers who want to be able to perform professional database analyses themselves, or be better equipped to review the work of analysts. "

- Pierre A. Passavant, Professor of Direct Marketing, Mercy College and Past Director, Center for Direct Marketing, New York University

"The most useful database marketing reference guide published today. The authors do an excellent job of laying out all the steps required to plan and implement an effective database marketing strategy in a clear and concise manner. A must have for academics, marketing managers and business executives."

- Dave Heneberry, Director, Direct Marketing Certificate programs, Western Connecticut State University and Past Chair, Direct Marketing Association

"This book is essential for all direct marketers. It serves as a great introduction to the technical and statistical side of database marketing. It provides the reader with enough information on database marketing and statistics to effectively apply the techniques discussed or manage others in the environment "

- Richard Hochhauser, President, Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing

Ronald G. Drozdenko, Ph.D., is Professor and Chair of the Marketing Department, Ancell School of Business, Western Connecticut State University. He is also the founding Director of the Center for Business Research at the Ancell School. He has more than 25 years of teaching experience. The courses he teaches include Strategic Marketing Databases, Interactive/Direct Marketing Management, Product Management, Marketing Research, and Consumer Behavior. He is collaborating with the Direct Marketing Education foundation to develop a model curriculum for universities pursing the area of interactive or direct marketing. Working with an advisory board of industry experts, he co-developed the Marketing Database course in model curriculum.

Dr. Drozdenko has co-directed more than 100 proprietary research projects since 1978 for the marketing and research and development of several corporations, including major multinationals. These projects were in the areas of strategic planning, marketing research, product development, direct marketing, and marketing database analysis. He also has published several articles and book chapters. He holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Missouri and is a member of the American Marketing Association, the Society for Consumer Psychology, and the Academy of Marketing Sciences. He is also the co-inventor on three U.S. patents.

Perry D. Drake has been involved in the direct marketing industry for nearly 15 years. He is currently the Vice President of Drake Direct, a database marketing consulting firm specializing in response modeling, customer file segmentation, lifetime value analysis, customer profiling, database consulting, and market research. Prior to this, Perry worked for approximately 11 years in a variety of quantitative roles at The Reader’s Digest Association, most recently as the Director of Marketing Services.

In addition to consulting, Perry has taught at New York University in the Direct Marketing Master’s Degree program since Fall, 1998, currently teaching "Statistics for Direct Marketers" and "Database Modeling." Perry was the recipient of the NYU Center for Direct and Interactive Marketing’s "1998-1999" Outstanding Master’s Faculty Award. Perry also lectures on testing and marketing financials for Western Connecticut State University’s Interactive Direct Marketing Certificate Program. Along with Ron, he is collaborating with the Direct Marketing Education Foundation to develop a model curriculum for universities pursuing the area of interactive or direct marketing.

Perry earned a Masters of Science in Applied Statistics from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Missouri.

The book evolved from an outlined developed by an advisory board of industry experts that was established by the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation. Contemporary direct marketing and e-commerce could not exist without marketing databases. Databases allow marketers to reach customers and cultivate relationships more effectively and efficiently. While databases provide a means to establish and enhance relationships, they can also be used incorrectly, inefficiently, and unethically. This book looks beyond the temptation of the quick sale to consider the long-term impact of database marketing techniques on the organization, customers, prospective customers, and society in general. Ron Drozdenko and Perry Drake help the reader gain a thorough understanding of how to properly establish and use databases in order to build strong relationships with customers. There is not another book on the market today that reveals the level of detail regarding database marketing applications - the how's, why's and when's.

Features/Benefits:

Draws on numerous examples from real businesses

Includes applications to all direct marketing media including the Internet

Describes in step-by-step detail how databases are developed, maintained, and mined

Considers both business and social issues of marketing databases

Contains a sample database allowing the reader to apply the mining techniques

Offers access to comprehensive package of academic support materials

Reviews (5)

Statistics
If you have ever struggled with statistical concepts and books that only partially explain the sources of each variable in statstical equations, then this is the book for you. Their constant repetition of statistical concepts with each example case study was VERY helpful in cementing these concepts in my mind.

Confidence levels, 1-tailed, 2-tailed tests and the application of these concepts in real world marketing situations can be quite confusing. This book once again came through with clearly explained examples and scenarios.

Optimized database marketing training
Having read many books on database marketing, direct marketing, data mining & CRM as a consultant, I appreciate the story line approach heading up each chapter most. Many books fall prone to teaching "at you" rather than guiding the user along "through the experience of doing it".

A second critical factor to look for - once you've gotten through all the introductory books - is finding concrete info on how-to, best practices providing significant content and knowledge. This is the true value-add from the masters: learning is incremental and there must be true takeaways to get the 5 stars.

This said, the authors have made an extremely broad, detailed and well spun story out of a subject matter that can be to say the least, challenging... Moreover, the disciplines of customer analysis, database management & modeling, data mining, statistical analysis, marketing planning are all the focus of reengineering by many of today's major businesses.

Consequently, this book leads nicely and rather naturally into a major subject of the day for many IT & marketeers -- Analytical CRM. As such it is a must read for anyone interested in understanding how A-CRM works in many companies practicing DBM today.

A great next step would be to go from the marketing-IT function(-ing) to the broader enterprise, long-term (relational) infrastructure & practices preached by CRM. Show how the DBM process evolves in to and is transformed by meeting Customer Mgmt strategies. How would DBM work in a enterprise integration, near/real-time, customer interaction CRM initiative?

Finally, as an aside, in reviewing MANY course syllabi across the world in DM/DBM, I've OFTEN found this book as the course text if not mandatory-suggested reading.

I agree -- for all & anyone wanting a good complement to Shepard's seminal work - you can't do any better.

Buy it ! Good reading...

The only book you'll need...well worth buying
When I first became involved with database marketing in the mid-1990s, and through my tour of graduate school a few years later, books on the subject fell into two categories: basic and trivial, or advanced and impossible to comprehend. OPTIMAL DATABASE MARKETING is the perfect reference for what is probably the majority audience segment: marketing managers, senior executives, list professionals, data processors, professors, and students who want to understand all the elements of strategic planning and analysis *and* gain practical knowledge to apply professionally or in research endeavors.

In OPTIMAL DATABASE MARKETING, you get a wealth of material on two aspects of the process - for the price of one. Co-author Ron Drozdenko does a great job defining concepts and detailing potential objectives when building files. His coverage of technical specifications and issues is particularly useful.

As for the subsequent chapters: I don't think there has ever been a book written which covers database modeling, and statistical techniques germane to direct marketing, as comprehensively and clearly. Co-author Perry Drake manages to leave no stone unturned and yet convey knowledge in a style that's both understandable and easy to follow. This part of the book is worth the cost alone.

Finally, a practical reference!
This book is an excellent tool for direct marketers who need to develop, manage and optimize a database. Tells what to do... what to avoid... I recommend it highly.

This book is on target!
This is the first book that covers everything from statistics and database technology to the final marketing application. Perry Drake provides many realistic case studies from his experiences in the trenches as a proven direct marketing professional. His statistical, technical and university teaching background makes this book a valuable read for those just entering the field of database marketing or the seasoned traditional marketing professional. ... Read more

Book Description

You've read about Customer Loyalty in the Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, Miami Herald, Kansas City Star, Entrepreneur, Industry Week, Marketing News, Boardroom Reports, Marketing Management, Library Journal, The Selling Advantage, Ideas Magazine, Executive Briefings, Training, Hospitality Upgrade, Direct, Quality Digest, Marketing Tools, Houseware Executive, Journal of Pharmaceutical Management, Discount Merchandiser, TeleProfessional, NationsBank Business, Modern Jeweler, Furniture Today— now read the new and revised edition of the ground-breaking book that created all the buzz. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Engaging and Definitely Worthwhile
If your goal is to build customer *loyalty*, then you should read this book. Many people talk about the concept, but this book will help you actually understand HOW and WHY it occurs AND how to go about building it in your service or business.

The true-life examples from many companies will help you understand what has worked for others and will allow you to apply the learning to your company. This is not a theoretical book - this is about real life.

The book also discusses the difference between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. As someone who has gone "behind the scenes" and analyzed survey data and customer defection rates, I was happy to see someone outlining this critical distinction. Someone who is "satisfied" is not necessarily "loyal" - and they could head off to a competitor any day.

The book is also written in an engaging manner that makes it enjoyable to read. That is not always the case in business book!

Life would be better if every company you ever had to deal with adhered to the principals outlined in this book...

Retailers - don't miss this book!
For a retail store owner, this book is a must read. Griffin easily walked me through the basics of gaining and retaining customer loyalty in a way that makes it easy to adapt the principles to my own business. I can't wait to put it all to practice and watch the results drive my sales through the roof!

If you market products/services to consumers you must read!
I first read Jill's book over a year ago after hearing her speak at a DMA event. Customer Loyalty is packed with simple, basic principles that cause us to remember what is important to us as consumers and subsequently as business owners. I urge those in our employ to read the book when looking to add value and/or long term "life time value" to any campaign. In discussing the book recently it caused me to review it again...her first hand knowledge and actual client case studies make Customer Loyalty, not only a great read, but a great teaching and training tool!

Griffin is a Customer Guru and Loyalty Leader
As the managing editor of CRMGuru.com, the largest online community of business professionals focusing on customer loyalty and related issues, my bookshelves are overflowing with review copies of books on CRM, loyalty, customer centricity and the like. Jill's book does not reside on these bookshelves. Her latest second edition sits next to my computer monitor, within easy reach. I use it frequently as one of my "customer loyalty bibles" when looking for case studies and working examples to weave into our numerous newsletters and online forum discussion board topics. Jill goes beyond information; she allows the reader to engross herself as a customer of the book. It is a win-win situation for all customers. A must read in my book! So much so that I list it in my suggested reading for students in my entrepreneurial classses that I teach on the college level.

Carol Parenzan Smalley
Managing Editor
CRMGuru.com

What an excellent customer loyalty resource!
If you are weary of your organization's poor service, unmet expectations, or lost customers; Jill Griffin's book is "must read"! She makes the prospect of keeping current and future customers satified an attainable reality.

Customer Loyalty should be mandatory reading for every customer service rep., customer service manager, sales manager, sales person, and every person who interacts with an company's customers and vendors. Her simple and powerful principles guide the way to making a satisfied customer who will always come back for more! Griffin's paradigm shifting look at how companies and customers interact (and should act) will surely lead to better service and more loyal customers. ... Read more

Book Description

If you’ve got ten minutes a day, you can make a telesales breakthrough!

By providing one concise, easy-to-read chapter for each daily coffee break, Stephan Schiffman’s Telesales, Second Edition has the power to transform your career and help you post noticeable increases in your numbers in just ten working days and transform your career after a mere twenty-one.

Stephan Schiffman has coached thousands of sales teams across the country to improve their telesales performance. He knows exactly what works and doesn’t, and in this completely revised second edition, he shares with you all of his insider’s secrets, including how to:

·Master the five ways you can increase your income

·Track your numbers . . . and use them to your advantage

·Evaluate your performance effectively . . . so you hit your own goals

·Gain control of the call

·Leave effective phone messages

·Use "how" and "why" questions to your advantage

·Learn what’s going on in the prospect’s world

·Understand the four types of negative responses . . . and find out how to get past each one

·Turn small adjustments in your performance into large income gains

By spending just minutes a day with this one clear, concise book, you can learn everything from creating a script; to recognizing when not calling a prospect can increase your sales productivity, to practicing the ten traits of world class salespeople. In this highly competitive world where the obstacles against telemarketers continue to become increasingly daunting, you can’t afford not to have these tools in your sales arsenal! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

AN EXCELLENT BOOK
From Joe Catal. Author of "Telesales Tips From The Trenches".
For those of you who have read my book, you know I like the no nonsense approach to selling.
This book has some of the best sales techniques I've come across in a long time. The up-dated version of the book is very clear and concise and with many examples.
Steves "LEDGE" technique is one I highly recomend, and use myself.He also has a very powerful voice mail message that will get at least 50% of your calls returned. And I'm being conservative here!
I really liked this book, and know you will too.
Buy it, you won't be disappointed.
Joe Catal.
Great job Steve!!!!

This is excellent for a true telesales professional
Absolutely excellent book that (refreshingly) covers the more than just the technique but gives you the brutal honest truth that a lot of success is tied to the "blocking and tackling." In other words, you can have the best technique in the world but if you don't sit down and make the calls, it really doesn't matter.

Packed with Knowledge!
Stephen Schiffman, one of the most renowned sales trainers, discusses how to assess your current performance and then increase your sales. If you've read Getting to Closed, skip the first section or just consider it a useful review. From Getting to Closed, you already know his techniques for tracking your numbers and understanding your ratios. He offers insight on how to move from initial contacts to prospects to sales and how to continually delve for new customers while working with your most promising leads. What really makes this book sing are the short, bite-sized chapters and concluding action items that help you implement and practice each axiom. Schiffman's succinct, breezy style makes this a quick, easy read. You'll also find his examples of phone conversations and responses helpful as a guide to adapt to your own situation. We from getAbstract leave this message: call Shiffman into action to increase your sales as you put these steps to work. ... Read more

Book Description

In Building the Brand-Driven Business, authors Scott M. Davis and Michael Dunn— two of the nation's foremost experts on brands— map out a strategy that can help an entire organization manage and live (not just think about) its brand. They show how to develop brand-building programs that are the most cost efficient, effective, and credible. And just as vital, they reveal how to create a brand-driven culture within an organization so that building the brand becomes everyone's job.

... Read more

Reviews (9)

More smoke and mirrors
Oh, the poor trees that suffered at the hands of this book.
What was said in this book could have been said in fewer than three pages. (In fact, it has been said in fewer pages in several Harvard Business School publications.)

This book fails in many ways, not the least of which is the manner in which it fails to give any new, substantive, useful or logical way to operationalize branding. Here is the book's central message: if you buy a "brand strategy" logo, identity, etc. from Branding Agency X get everyone to rally around it; otherwise, Branding Agency X will be held accountable for the brand failure which equals no new business for agency.

Save your money. Just re-read the section on branding in a Kotler text because this book is nothing more than hot air...

What is new here???
What is new here...that's the quesiton I have after reading the book. I prefer his previous book. I found the chapter on connecting business strategy to brand strategy to be particularly useful or helpful and this is the biggest challenge in branding...not designing ..but makeing it real. Quite frnakly I prefer another brand book 60-Minute Brand Strategist by Idris Mootee as it covers a lot more in less than 200 pages....and a lot of less words.

350 Pages of 'Everyone Live the Brand Now'
That's the Cliff Note version for those of you, like me, who have this as required reading before a big 'brand summit'.

Everything else was rehashed, renamed, or retreaded.

Read it on the plane in about 30 minutes, regardless of the heft.

Moves branding to the next level
Before I read this book, I never thought of a retail clerk or a customer service representative as a company's brand ambassador. But what the authors explain is that brand building should be supported by more than just the people in the marketing department. Certainly, brand has become the strategy du jour among marketing people these days, as evidenced by the number of books on the market. However, this book treats brand in a different context, defining it through the concept of "operationalizing" it, bringing it to life through a company's processes, systems and employees. It makes a great deal of sense that a company's senior executives must embrace the brand and its promise by linking it to the company's corporate strategy, so it becomes part of the culture. Several case studies in the book are helpful for understanding why so many well-known brand names have been successful by using similar techniques to bring their brand to life across the organization.

"Operationalizing" aside
Don't let the somewhat intimidating word "operationalize" keep you from investigating the pages of Building The Brand-Driven Business: Operationalize Your Brand to Drive Profitable Growth (Jossey-Bass, 2002). What authors Scott Davis and Michael Dunn show is that brand-building can and should be supported through more than just MarCom initiatives. The retail clerk who actually smiles at and is helpful to customers does far more to support the brand than the priciest ad campaigns - as Wal-Mart has long-since discovered and McDonald's apparently has yet to grasp. The authors posit that building those supporting behaviors and mind-sets (not to mention systems and processes) and then using the brand promise as an integral measure for business decisions is what "operationalizing" is all about. It's interesting positioning that's perhaps ahead of its time - but certainly one that non-marketing, senior decision makers should relate to. There's a lot of confusion among non-marketers as to what "brand" is and isn't. The authors make a case for elevating it to an entirely different level in the organization. ... Read more

Book Description

Marketers responsible for overseeing agency compensation will find this Guidebook indispensable. It provides clear, concise analysis of complex compensation issues, including a comprehensive overview of agency compensation fundamentals. Among the key topics covered:

The types of compensation arrangements in use today, with many concrete examples; A detailed explanation of agency costs and profit margins; Evaluations of the strengths and weaknesses of labor-based, commission-based and fee-based payment systems; Insights into the increasing use of performance incentives; Guidance on managing compensation costs. ... Read more

Book Description

This paperback book is invaluable as a guide for readers interested in learning the principles of marketing. Readers can personalize the material by adding notes and comments and utilizing the dynamic online resources, allowing them to learn about marketing in an exciting and real-life manner. Topics covered in this “workbook” include: understanding marketing and the marketing process (managing profitable customer relationships); developing marketing opportunities and strategies (managing marketing information, consumer and business markets, consumer and business buying behavior); developing the marketing mix (product, service, branding, and pricing strategies); managing marketing (creating competitive advantage); and the global marketplace.This activebook is perfect for the marketing manager, department head, or other marketing personnel; its comprehensive appendices make this a perfect reference for the office or home. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good, with Limitations
Ordered this book because it was the first out on MS CRM. And while the book was helpful, it was typical "Dummies" material in that I think it lacked some things (e.g. Did not cover form customization, creating a letter/fax, etc.). So, it is a good primer to CRM, but I'm sure better material will be released. This is probably a good read for the average user, but for an admin or "trainer", you'll want to delve deeper.

Where is Waldo
I ordered this book 25 days ago. Clearly someone is selling vaporware ... Read more

Book Description

Covering all retail operations which revolve around the procurement of products, from stock level management, through allocationof outlet space for products, to the placement of products within the retail environment, this book is essential reading for anyone studying retail product management or buying and merchandising. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great Book!
The great Claude Hopkins does not need my endorsement. But I will give it to him anyways.

He was one of the greatest copywriters of all time. His works are timeless classics. If you are interested in improving your ad copy, I highly recommend that you read all of his books.

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated

The Source of Modern Successful Advertising
Hopkins is the father of modern advertisng. Arguably, his work, togther with John Caples's "Tested Advertising Methods," form the Bible of modern advertising. Both understood that advertising is salesmanship and understood how to apply sales principles to advertising.

All the modern giants of advertising still swear by this book. Ogilvy even claimed it changed his life (in advertising anyway, but who knows, advertising was Ogilvy's life). Despite the fact that Hopkins wrote with a focus on what we now consider to be direct marketing, his principles are applicable to all forms of advertising. Hopkins essentially invented many of the concepts that so many advertisers take for granted today, yet oddly, many advertisers fail to follow his advice.

Whether you are a copywriter or involved in advertising in some other way, you must read this book if you want to be a success.
All advertising before "Scientific Advertising" flows into it; and all advertising after "Scientific Advertising" flows out of it.

Staying Power
The thing I find most amazing about Scientific Advertising is how few people seem to have read it. I came across it when I was a teenager, and it changed the way I look at the world. Hopkins was a true business pioneer, inventing (or substantially forming) so much that we take for granted today: the coupon, the "valuable free gift with purchase", direct mail, using style to sell mundane products (like exotic wooden handles for carpet sweepers), and so much more. Just as we live in a world made by Henry Ford, we also live in a world made by Claude Hopkins. For ten bucks, with such an easy writing style, everyone should read this book.

Advertising is salesmanship; Hopkins is formula for success
The advertising profession of late has fallen off the shoulders of its giants Hopkins, Caples, Bernbach, Burnett, Rubicam, Ogilvy and others. Even direct marketing, the profession that most closely adheres to Hopkins' crystal clear, succinct approach, is often in danger of taking the road most travelled and following its advertising brethren into the heart of the woods to wander aimlessly.

I'm a direct marketer and adjunct professor at a nearby university. I not only see the value in what Claude Hopkins wrote nearly 80 years ago...I also see what happens when his simple formula for success is ignored, forgotten or never learned. We get Got Milk? ads (a waste of hundreds of millions of dollars that didn't sell one single drop more of the lactose-laden beverage)...ladybugs on rose petals and singing coyotes to sell a once-proud line of cars...and print ads that contain no copy and bewlidering images. We're not only not selling; we're no longer even communicating.

Hopkins to the rescue.

If you're a copywriter in the profession of marketing or advertising, or if you're a student wishing to gain the best education possible, Claude Hopkins' Scientific Advertising should be in your hands daily. Underline it. Quote it. Memorize it. Pledge allegience to it. Defend it at all costs.

This book will help you write more clearly, sell more powerfully and make more money for your clients than ever before.

Direct Mail Bible
This is the best direct mail book ever, I've worn out two copies and I just ordered another 3. One for my press agent, one for my Sales Manager, and another one for me.

Mr. Hopkins tells it like it is, if you do direct mail order, buy this book now. You will not regret it. ... Read more

Book Description

"Unquestionably the most comprehensive treatment available on the subject. I found this book unique in its capacity to benefit executives, planning staff, and students of strategy alike."
-- Robert L. Joss, Dean of the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University

The Leading Authority -- Now Revised!
Completely revised and updated, David Aaker's authoritative book approaches strategy development from an external perspective driven by a structured analysis of customers, competitors, market trends, and the broader environment. It shows how to build on strategic analysis to create business strategies that will be relevant and compelling to customers, sustainable to competitive attack, and draw on assets and competencies of the organization. Additional topics such as strategic investment, strategic positioning, growth options, global strategies, and organization building provide guidance to strategists.

Highlights of this Seventh Edition include:

• Seven new cases include The Energy Bar Industry, Competing against Wal-Mart, Xerox: The Early Years, Hobart, Dove, Intel, and Samsung Electronics.
• New discussion questions, more than 65 in all, make the text an even more valuable classroom tool.
• New and revised coverage of such timely topics as emerging submarkets and the relevance challenge, the distinction between fads and trends, disruptive vs. sustaining innovation, and more.
• An emphasis on creating customer-oriented business strategies with a value proposition that is relevant, meaningful, and sustainable.

Reviews (6)

Strategic Market Management - 5th Ed - Aaker
The 5th edition is, in my view, disorganised, unnecessarily complicated and seems to have been hurriedly finished.This text book was required reading for my MBA (Warwick Business School)

Exceptional book!
This book was part of the required reading for my MBA program at UCI and so far it is the best strategic marketing text I have read. Prof. Aaker's writing style is both concise and eloquent, very well organized and easy to read. I will keep this book on my bookshelf for a long time, it is very "reusable" and goes way beyond the class room. A must-have for both corporate executives and enterpreneurs.

Simpe, Concise, Precise and Easy to Understand
I used this book when I took a strategic marketing class in my MBA program. The author of this book did an excellent job in explaining strategic marketing concepts in a simple but practical way. The mainstrength of this book is it is very well-organized and easy to follow. Theauthor also used many real-world samples to explain and support marketingconcepts presented in the text. I recommend that any business student whohas to take business policy class use this book as his or her reference.

An excellent book for marketing strategy
I was first exposed to Aakers Strategic Market Management during a marketing strategy course at National University of Singapore. I really appriciated the disposition of the books. It is relatively thin, not manywords are useless (which is uncommmon in the case of marketing textbooks).

Later, still a student, I got the opportunity to develop amarketing strategy for a smaller firm. During this time Aakers book was ofthe outmost value, being used for reference throughout the analysis. Highlyrecommendable.

Excellent
As an ex-student who used this book as the guideline for my capstone Marketing unit, I have found the book to be an excellent reference throughout my career in Strategy Development and Marketing ... Read more

Book Description

This best-selling book is unique in that it parallels the organization of an introductory marketing textbook, but it explores key marketing concepts in the context of today's digital/Internet environment. It fills the gap for those who have found Internet Marketing books suffer from too much “E” and not enough marketing or are too narrowly or technically focused on e-commerce.A five-part organization covers e-marketing in context, e-marketing environment, e-marketing strategy, e-marketing management, and a global perspective on e-marketing. Special topics include competitive strategies, e-marketing strategy development, marketing planning, and performance metrics; and coverage of cutting edge strategies beyond the Web—m-marketing (mobile), databases and analysis techniques, point of purchase scanning, and more.For an e-understanding of marketing and business. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Marketing viewed from multiple angles.
I enjoyed the read becuase it wasn't the 1-man point of view like most books contain. It was a discussion from multiple angles and multiple points of view that lets you come out with your own perspective once you've read it.

Good Book
This book was part of our Internet Marketing Class.The book is very detailed and a must read for all Marketing Students and Professionals.

Valuable to read
E-commerce is a hot issue. This book gives us lots of marketing concepts and it is valuable for marketing students to read. Also, it is helpful for those who are interested in doing business in the Internet. For example, how to market your products and service effectively via the net.

Very difficult reading
Unless you come from a strong marketing background, this is not the book for you. It uses a large mix of marketing and hybrid Internet-ish marketing terms that are very hard to understand. I'm using this book for class as a requirement towards an E-commerce/Web Administration degree and this will definately be one of the books I sell back to the bookstore after this term is done.

One funny example the books gives is about domain names. They blame the downfall of Time Warners Pathfinder website on it's choice of a domain name .... Hello, what does Yahoo! have to do with a portal? What does amazon have to do with selling books? What does The Hun have to do with porn? Yet these sites are the biggest ones in their respective markets.

There are many websites (free I might add) that can teach you more about marketing on the internet than this book can in it's random dribbling incoherent format.

This is the book to start with to LEARN internet business
This was a text book required for a marketing class, but I would recommend it to ANYONE who is considering entering the e-commerce business arena. It is very thorough. It starts with the basics, but becomes rich in detail without becoming complex and over the head of the average non-techie. I strongly encourage you to read this book to grasp e-commerce concepts! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very Useful and Easy to Follow
Event Marketing explores the promotions industry. Though it is a textbook, Hoyle delightfully surprises the reader by writing in a witty style. Why intimidate or bore the reader when you can engage them? Hoyle takes this obvious, but overlooked, premise and runs with it as he explains the events promotions business.

Like Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired, which also has case histories and strategies in how to promote events in a low-cost fashion, Hoyle seeks to turn a confusing and frantic arena into one that, like all other areas, is more easily understood once clear and discrete steps have been demonstrated. The personal examples at the end of each chapter only serve to add credibility and weight to Hoyle's words.

Raves for Event Marketing by Leonard H. Hoyle
When I began reading this book, I knew it was a textbook and expected the normal dry, wordy textbook in which information is buried under an avalance of prose. I was delighted to find a work that was clear, complete, informative, and interesting to read. I found that I looked forward to each chapter and subject. The information is presented in prose, lists of important topics, and highlighting of certain need-to-know material in such a way that cross-refencing and finding previously studied material are amazingly accessible. Added bonuses are the quotes before each chapter and the personal experiences at the end of each chapter.
The suggestions about organization, multitasking, and people management are so original and all-encompassing that I heartily recommend this book for everyone -- not only those interesting in planning events.

so helpful!!
The great insight on how to reach new event attendees was very helpful. I appreciated the variety of events that were mentioned in the book, along with the helpful appendice chocked full of information. Definitely a great purchase. ... Read more

Book Description

Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, 3e is a turnkey solution for providing current and thorough coverage for this critical area of the supply chain.This book is not only a text but a reference as well and is now established as one of the leading-edge strategy and purchasing books.Students gain contextual insights and knowledge into the strategies, processes, and practices of purchasing through use of the many cases and examples.Because of their relationships with executives and practitioners worldwide, the authors are able to present unique and up-to-date insights that lead to greater understanding of the purchasing process.Purchasing and Supply Chain Management provides a hands-on, applied approach that has been thoroughly tested with student audiences to ensure learning success. ... Read more

Book Description

"Holden's book is rich with wisdom and sage advice and should be required reading for any salesperson who wants to understand how to merge a sales strategy and a political strategy to win the hearts of their customers' Power Base."—Rodney D. Cotton, Vice President, Sales-United States, Baxter Healthcare, Renal Division.

"Jim Holden's book is for serious salespeople and executives who are focused on winning. It provides insights, techniques, and everyday tools to reach the highest possible level of success. The book is most insightful and is a required reading and work tool for enterprise salespeople and executives."—Grant Evans, Vice President, Sales and Marketing Identicator Technology.

"The Holden Power Base Selling techniques have provided our sales teams with a common language from which to develop and plan strategies and tactics."— Colin Latham, President and CEO, MT&T (Canada).

"Power Base Selling is essential. . . . The book is rich with lessons such as how to avoid being defeated by desperate 'end-games,' and how to 'snatch various victories from the jaws of defeat.' The conclusion is a revealing 'self-test.'. . . [Holden's] principles are more applicable today than ever."— Glenn W. Coleman, President, South Africa Branch, Lockheed Martin Overseas Services Corporation. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

This is no "one minute" sales guide
Forget all the Zig Ziglar-type sales technique books! This is the real deal; It's about methodology, not how to glad hand or do an end run around the CFO or purchasing manager. If you want to understand the nature of truly competitive selling read this book, then watch the movie "Glegarry Glen Ross" for contrast. We trained the worldwide sales force of a F500 company on the Holden methodology. Results speak for themselves

This book gets better every time I read it!!
The first time I read Power Base Selling, I thought it was great. Now that I have just re-read it, I am blown away by points that I missed the first time around. I recommend that everyone read it, apply it and then read it again -- it not only sharpins your political skills in selling, but in life.

Great sales book...as long as it is not your only approach
Almost all sales books have two major flaws: 1) They give you high level advise, such as "have a strategy" without giving you the "rubber-meets-the-road" actions to take. 2) They expect you to operate within a vaccuum where their selling system or methodology will work every time.

Power Base selling does not contain the first flaw and does an admirable job of trying to avoid the second. It is the first and best book I have read attacking the problem of organizational politics and the human dynamics in a corporate or complex selling environment. It gives very practical ideas on what to do in most political/selling situations to tilt the decision in your favor.

What this book does not do, nor attempt to do, is discuss the importance of a value proposition and the solution you are trying to sell. This is a great book to complement other famous sales books such as "Solution Selling."

I recommend this book highly to anyone that sells in a complex sales world.

Everything is "bought and sold" for a reason...
Great read. Maybe too many stories...yet they explain his point in a clear sense. If you read between the lines and get the big picture of his strategic principles you can no doubt improve you sales performance.

Too many stories, too few principles
Based on the reviews, I thought this would be a great book. But the author crafts too many exacting stories and not enough principles. If you're ever in exactly the same situations the author describes, you're OK. Normally, my hiliters work hard when I read books. Not this time. I'd suggest reading Strategic Selling and Spin Selling instead. ... Read more

Book Description

People love this straight-talking ad-man from Texas and his powerful stories that shed light on advertising, marketing and success. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

A fun book to read... and you'll learn some