Book Description

Communicating a fascination for the everyday activities of people, this leading book on consumer behavior examines how our world is influenced by the action of marketers, and considers how products, services, and consumption contribute to the broader social world we experience. Its incredibly interesting and dynamic content proves hip and engaging, while reflecting the latest research. KEY TOPICS A four-part organization looks at consumers as individuals, consumers as decision makers, consumers and subcultures, and consumers and culture.For brand managers, marketing research analysts, and account executives. ... Read more

Book Description

Treating such contemporary design and development issues as identifying customer needs, design for manufacturing, prototyping, and industrial design, Product Design and Development, 3/e, by Ulrich and Eppinger presents in a clear and detailed way a set of product development techniques aimed at bringing together the marketing, design, and manufacturing functions of the enterprise. The integrative methods in the book facilitate problem solving and decision making among people with different disciplinary perspectives, reflecting the current industry trend to perform product design and development in cross-functional teams. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great product development handbook!
This book provides a great hands-on approach to product development. Unlike other product development books that dwell too much on the philosophical aspects of product development, this book gives you practical advice on how to define meaningful product specifications to meet your customer needs and develop successful products. The book provides a very nice concept development process that I've found very useful.

This book is mainly focused on product development processes and does not provide much information on technology development. In addition, the book lacks depth in the strategic aspects of product development(such as market segmentation, strategic management of technology).

If you are looking for a very useful and powerful handbook for product development, this is the book you are looking for. However, if you are interested in the strategic aspects of product development, you may need other references.

great for teaching at any level, great methods
I have used this book extensively to teach undergraduate industrial design students, and graduate marketing, and engineering students who take small product development courses. It's focused, down to earth, practical, and students find they can grasp design issues better than in a more theoretical-philosophical way. I use it myself to guide my design consulting work, has helped me understand other product development (not design) issues that are relevant to me, and I have read it over and over.. great handbook. Production/design of the book is also very nice. It's a pitty McGraw Hill doesn't want to translate it to spanish (so the author told me once).

see blue
i am arash afrasiabi and i had red this book before i think it is really a good guide for specially industrial designers who want to start their job in this fild so and it can help you to manage your self and your project very well.

Practical, no-nonsense guide to really doing it.
Product Design and Development is a very practical, tools-based book. It is written in a way that each chapter can be used on its own (e.g., identifying customer needs, generating product concepts). We require all of our new engineers and designers to read the book and ask them to adhere to the methods associated with several of our "stage/gate processes." This is not a high-level strategy book; it tells you how to do product design and development in the trenches. Excellent book and worth every penny.

Applicable
This is a Product Development book that can explain technical side and process side accurately. This is a good reference for product development plan and activities. ... Read more

Book Description

Positioning, a concept developed by the authors, has changed the way people advertise. The reason? It's the first concept to deal with the problems of communicating in an overcommunicated society. With this approach, a company creates a 'position' in the prospect's mind, one that reflects the company's own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of its competitors. Witty and fast-paced, this book spells out how to position a leader so that it gets into the mind and stays there, position a follower in a way that finds a 'hole' not occupied by the leader, and avoid the pitfalls of letting a second product ride on the coattails of an established one. Revised to reflect significant developments in the five years since its original publication, Positioning reveals the fascinating case histories and anecdotes behind the campaigns of many stunning successes and failures in the world of advertising. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

The most important marketing book you can read
I discovered this book in 1994 and it changed my business life. It opened my eyes to a facet of marketing that is too often overlooked, and it's the most important facet. Positioning is more than branding, it's the key to success. Luckily, most companies don't do proper positioning, which is why there's always room for new companies to start up, get it right, and be very successful.

If you don't read this book, you're chances at success are like everyone elses: 1 in 10. Read and learn positioning, and the odds are with you. Simple as that.

Simple and powerful, essential reading for any marketer.
Technology changes constantly; people, and the way the mind works remain pretty much the same. This book is every bit as valuable in the "New Economy" hoopla, as it was before the net exploded onto the scene, maybe more so. As the amount of advertising explodes in every media outlet, (s)he without a positioning strategy is increasingly lost in the crowd.

Positioning is simply cutting through the immense amount of "noise" in the advertising and marketing world with a clear, concise, SIMPLE, message that occupies a place in the mind of the consumer. Positioning requires a focus; the brand, company or person who tries to stand for, and cover everything ends up representing nothing.

Examples abound in "Positioning" of companies that have utilized positioning to attain and maintain leadership and business success, as well as multimillion-dollar write-offs caused by brand dilution.

Within the book, you'll find chapters on choosing (brand) names, the decision to extend a brand or to not, repositioning other products to carve out your own niche, and how this applies to your company, its' products and even your career.

You can't afford not to buy this book!

A Classic, A Milestone and a Must Read
The twentieth anniversary edition of "Positioning" is uniquely updated without disrupting the original edition. Ries and Trout provide commentary in the margins, rather than rewriting passages in the book.

And in those margins, they can sometimes be brutally honest, as they occasionally admit to being wrong on some of their theories. But what you will note as you read this book is that the theories they advanced 20 years ago have largely proved out in the interim. This is a seminal work, a book that should be read by anyone involved in any form of marketing.

The current hot trend in marketing-- "branding"-- is in many ways an outgrowth of the theories put forth on "Positioning." Essentially you distinguish your product or service from the competition. The ideal means of doing this is to be first to the market with your product or service, although that is no guarantee of continuous success. This may also mean finding an untapped niche, particularly in crowded categories.

Particularly interesting I their discussion of line extension, and how it dilutes, rather than strengthens, a company's position in the marketplace. And it is interesting to read how some companies at one time literally owned a particular product category, only to lose it when they tinkered with their concept too much.

Education, entertaining, and enlightening, this book is an important addition to anyone interested in marketing library.

Much More Than Marketing
Positioning is the idea that shook Madison Avenue to its core in the 1970s. Ries and Trout published what the high priests of Madison Avenue deemed as heresy. These two upstarts dared to take the voodoo out of marketing - and marketing has not been the same since.

Over the years I have given away countless dozens of Positioning. I have found two types of recipients: (1) Those who view it as a book on marketing, and (2) those who truly "get it."

Positioning is not actually about marketing, though that is its platform. It is about how the human mind works. The principals taught in this book apply across all of our lives - from how we are viewed by our friends to why we affiliate with a particular political party or other social cause. Learning how Positioning works is learning about life.

Positioing Needs Updating
Jack Trout is a very good writer and has important insights about the importance of differentiation. I especially liked this book as the cases are very relevant.
But many ideas are getting a bit dated. That being said, if you haven't read anything by Jack Trout or Al Ries then this book, or one of the aforementioned books, is essential reading for marketing and brand managers. An updated book would be High Intensity Marketing by Idris Mootee, an ex-Mckinsey guy. I also like George Day, the Wharton professor who wrote a few good books in postioning. ... Read more

Book Description

A five-step strategy for turning a commodity into a necessity

When products and services become interchangeable, price becomes the ultimate determinant for consumers. Indispensable shows businesses how to break out of that cycle by using The Five Drivers-a strategy that takes companies to the next level of performance. Renowned business consultant Joe Calloway looks at how real companies have made their product or service "mission critical," and satisfied customers in the process.

Indispensable goes straight to the heart of the issue and reveals how successful companies-of any size, in virtually any manufacturing, selling, or service endeavor-achieve market leadership through The Five Drivers of fierce customer loyalty. Indispensable shows readers how to:
* Create and sustain momentum: overcome organizational inertia and keep moving forward
* Develop habitual dependability: make consistency of performance a defining characteristic
* Connect continuously
* See the Big Picture Outcome: create compelling customer experiences
* Engage, Enchant, Enthrall: make magic in the marketplace

With interviews, detailed case studies, and dozens of real-world, effective customer service ideas and initiatives, Indispensable is just what today's forward-thinking businesses need. ... Read more

Book Description

"The authors technical skill and work-environment experience are abundantly apparent in the real-world methodology they bring to the study and understanding of the importance of project management to the success of any organization."–From the Foreword by Norman R. Augustine. Chairman of the Executive Committee, Lockheed-Martin Corporation

Effective project management is an essential skill in virtually every professional and technical setting and, like any skill, it is best mastered through the right combination of in-depth, expert training and hands-on experience.

Visualizing Project Management, Second Edition is todays best resource for both. Delivered by a trio of authors whose combined project management experience is unequaled in the field–a team that has been an integral part of the development of project management from the 1950s to the present–the processes and techniques in this landmark book have been confirmed through the experiences of over 30,000 working project managers and over 100 corporations.

Profound in its simplicity yet unique in its completeness, the integrated approach presented in Visualizing Project Management focuses on the four essential elements of project management:

1. Common Vocabulary: Terms and jargon are defined as they are introduced, minimizing the vocabulary problems that can lead to conflict and undermine otherwise successful teamwork.

2. Teamwork: Each of the fundamentals of real teamwork–from common conduct to shared rewards–is discussed, along with strategies to strengthen this vital component.

3. The Sequential Project Cycle: Valuable lessons are provided to enable you to develop a template for project-unique tactics as well as achieve project-to-project continuity.

4. Management Elements: The authors provide all the techniques and tools you need to guide a project to its successful conclusion–the achievement of stated objectives, within budget and time constraints.

Visualizing Project Management shows you how to breathe life into each of these inanimate project elements. The result is a working guidebook for total project management success–and a tangible model for moving your organization and career forward into the exciting new millennium.

An Integrated Approach to Results-Oriented Project Management

Better . . . Faster . . . Cheaper . . .

Todays take-no-prisoners competitive environment has made this the project management mantra for 2000 and beyond. Enlightened project managers know: Unless you can identify accurately the correct benchmark and correctly isolate how to surpass it, your organization will succeed only in producing a better, faster, cheaper failure.

The bestselling Visualizing Project Management first set the standard for effective project management in 1996, and introduced models that have been adopted by over 100 leading government and private organizations. In this Second Edition, the authors have revised the tools and techniques that changed the foundations of project management in order to help you better understand, compete, and win in todays lightning-fast global business arena.

A few short years ago, the insights and ideas in Visualizing Project Management invented the wheel. Now, its pioneering authors refine your understanding of the project management wheel, as they simplify and clarify the complexities of project management and system engineering.

Also includes a dynamic CD-ROM–Visual Project Management (Visual PM)–providing an interactive software version of the books revolutionary process model, a guided tour of a commercial project cycle, vocabulary definitions, sample document templates, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Weighty in its Simplicity
Rarely do I read a book that is weighty in its simplicity while being exhaustive in its subject treatment. Visualizing Project Management succeeds where many have failed.

The book focuses on the five common elements of every successful project: a common vocabulary, teamwork, a plan, leadership and management.

Starting with the project requirements, it details the correct way to plan, schedule and control projects. These elements do not naturally occur, particularly in complex technical projects. The techniques and tools presented are applicable throughout the project lifecycle.

The book is full of illustrations, which clarify the techniques being discussed. The best idea I found book was the Cards on the Wall technique, which calls for each team member to attach each WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) to a wall and interconnect the dependencies with yarn. The resulting interaction, I found, encourages group thinking and project buy-in, while anticipating the unanticipated.

There is also a great section on Earned Value, a powerful and effective tool for the early detection of slippages and cost overruns. As the authors correctly note, "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it."

Aspiring project managers and executives responsible for supervising it in their organizations should read this book. It will help them successfully understand and apply the project management process in their pursuit of "better, faster, and cheaper."

Comments by Max Wideman
Visualizing Project Management: A Model for Business and Technical Success" by Kevin Forsberg, Hal Mooz and Howard Cotterman, second edition, has much added material since the first edition. It is still my recommended first choice for those seeking a better insight into the role of project management, and I have read quite a few books on project management since that first edition. The book introduces many new concepts to the discipline, including an "orthogonal" model of the project management life cycle and its related processes which provides a conceptual basis for the book. It draws distinctions between the technical, business and budget aspects of project management work, one often confused for another by many would-be practitioners, yet it emphasizes the need for close alignment of these three aspects. The author's "Vee" model nicely bridges the gap between those whose primary focus is on the decomposition of the project for definition and control purposes during the project's planning period, and those whose focus must be on the integration of the various components during the production period of the project. But perhaps Chapter 4 warmed my heart the most - dedicated, as it is, to "Project Vocabulary" and the need to communicate clearly! I find the book easy to read, well illustrated, and very sensible. It is a valuable resource for students and practitioners alike.

A practical guide, full of insights
I found this to be an excellent book, particularly for those of us trying to make sense out of the wide range of project management approaches. It is a valuable compliment to the Project Management Institute's PMBOK, which is functionally based and organized as categories of required knowledge. Visualizing Project Management is behavior based and provides a project manager and the project team a roadmap for success and a resource for solving problems. Since project management often encounters the intersection of one or more processes, three-dimensional models are used to clarify these often confusing relationships. Many of these relationships include the technical development or systems engineering aspects and they are plainly conveyed so that the non-technical person can benefit. The section on project control is refreshing. Most books represent project control as only a reactive process to bad news. These authors emphasize proactive project control, establishing the proper control systems, yet are appropriately reactive with corrective action when things go wrong. Overall, an enlightening approach to complexity and technical project management.

Call to Arms
In his foreward to Visualizing Project Management (second edition), Norman Augustine, retired Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin, reminds us of the unfortunate high incidence of failures in IT projects. Mr. Augustine then notes the key role of the project manager in producing success or failure. This book was published in 2000, and I maintain that the failure rate is still too high. In fact, I'll use the book's concepts to very briefly analyze a failed NASA project later in this review. First though, why and how can this book help?
What's unique about this book is that it contains, all at once, a call to arms, weapons handbooks, and mechanisms for producing a battle plan for YOUR project.
The call to arms is conveyed successfully through the many high-level diagrams, and of course the message behind the diagrams. For example, the orchestra metaphor (each musician is a team member and the project manager is the conductor) is one of the most powerful images. The "common vocabulary" (score) keeps everybody on track. Further, the key system engineering concept of the project manager pulling diverse specialties (strings, percussion, etc.) together is illustrated. Chapter I has an explicit call to arms (Why is Project Management a Critical Issue?); the rest of Part I and two chapters of Part II set up the rest of the framework needed to use the weapon handbooks and create the battle plan.
Weapons in the arsenal of the project manager are the Project Cycle and the (ten) Project Management Elements in Part II. This handbook-type information should be reformatted to be more usable. The current very basic numbering scheme, and the interspersed exercises make reference difficult. A separate workbook could be published with the exercises. While much of this information is familiar, there are some real zingers that show more depth of experience than many other project management books. For example, the emphasis on project control (one of the elements) is indeed different from "most project management texts (which) describe project control as comparing actuals to plan (status)." You actually need corrective action! The authors (and I) "were flabbergasted to find that the word "requirements" did not even appear"...."in a well-respected reference from the project management field".
And the battle plan? That is the "orthogonal" project model - with an axis made up of nine elements as the spokes of a wheel (project leadership being the tenth, on the rim) and the project cycle on the axle. You'll have to get the book to appreciate the applicability of the model. But that is the only the first "generic" battle plan. It has to be worked and applied in YOUR organization. No more "we used to have a project management plan, somewhere".
The authors' preface mentions that Chapter 9 (Applying the Process) has been added to address the Internet time goal of "better, cheaper, faster". The book has numerous case descriptions. I've applied some of the book's concepts to the WIRE case study. NASA's Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) mission failed soon after launch on March 4, 1999 when the telescope/cryostat ejected prematurely. NASA has published some very valuable lessons learned (by the way, the book highlights the need for "lessons learned to get into the hands (and minds) of those who would benefit most")... One of NASA's lessons can be related to the orchestra metaphor: "WIRE failed because people could not or would not communicate well with each other. ...These folks feared oversight and criticism and hid behind organizational boundaries". Another lesson concerns the risks in shortcutting the project cycle: the "belief that we pushed the faster, better, cheaper paradigm too hard, such that key corners were cut too closely." So heed the call to arms, master the weapons, and create your own battle plan. We'll win more battles if we really apply the lessons of this book.

Horrible - A Waste of Time and Paper!
I recently started with new company and needed some reference materials on project management. This book was intriguing because I thought it would allow me to use a right-brained approach to understand the topic (ie visualization). Instead, I got dissertation from the school of MBA managerial double-speak. Nothing in this book is clearly written. You will spend hours trying to figure out what these clowns are trying to say. An example from page 119:

"At each level, the DA&R process is driven by higher level requirements, constaints of approved baselines such as the utilities provided to the structure and the influences of users and stakeholders at the system level and at every level of decomposition to the level under construction."

No, I am not making this up, this is what these authors pass off as writing.

In my opinion, these two authors, and some of the reviewers that gave this book high marks, are in a profession that needs to build its reputation by making what they do seem complex and scientific. Absolute bunk! ... Read more

Book Description

"No longer is being 'a good closer' the basis of sustainable success. Instead intakes the kind of strategic thinking Rick Page outlines inHope Is Not a Strategy."--Geoffrey Moore, author of Crossing the Chasm and Inside the Tornado

Master of the complex sale, Rick Page is the author of the bestselling book, Hope Is Not a Strategy, and one of the most sought-after sales consultants and trainers in the world.

He has taught his breakthrough selling strategies to thousands of people in 150 companies across 50 countries--an amazing platform that has helped his message spread like wildfire. This paperback edition of Page's runaway sales bestseller schools readers in Page's simple, six-step process for making the sale--no matter how complex the deal or how many people are involved in the buying decision.

Integrating the winning selling strategies used by the world's top salespeople, Page shows readers how to:

• Identify and sell to a prospect's business "pain"
• Qualify a prospect
• Build competitive preference
• Define a prospect's decision-making process

Reviews (23)

Understanding the sale of complex solutions
I have been around the sales field for over 25 years and Rick Page's book, Hope is Not a Strategy finally put it all together. Having been exposed to almost every sales methodology known to man, someone has finally put it all together in a straight forward way.

I encourage anyone who wants to understand how the sales process should work for a competitive, value based solution, read this book.

Excellent Practical Examples
This book is about sales strategy and techniques in complex sales situation. It contains many examples of author¡¦s real experience. These examples is the best element in the book. They illustrate the author¡¦s ideas/concepts perfectly. Practical, Concise, Easy to Understand. It is better to read than amateur work of consultants, professors.

This book preaches on long-term, win-win relationship with customers. Not those type of ¡§hit-and-run¡¨ sales.

There isn¡¦t really breakthrough ideas/concepts. It is more a combination of conventional ideas/concepts, which are still relevant in today¡¦s complex sales situations. Having said that, there are charts and contents useful for personal reminders and internal training.

Rick Page tried to create analogy between some sales concepts and warfare. But some of such analogies are not easy to understand.

Packed With Knowledge!
This is an excellent handbook for salespeople in search of a simple summary of the principles of selling complex and costly products and services in a difficult environment. Author Rick Page offers nothing startlingly new, but he does a good job of collecting and presenting the most noteworthy points from collective conventional wisdom about selling. He illustrates these points with amusing, memorable anecdotes. His book is well written, well organized and quite readable. He probably has a point or two to offer even the most experienced and successful salesperson. We note that chapter six summarizes the meat of the book in just three pages, so - until you have time to read the book - time-pressed salespeople could start by glancing at this section to begin to learn what really matters most in a complicated sales effort.

Go Beyond Sales Scripts to Adding Value for Customers
Hope Is Not a Strategy is most valuable for those who are new to large account and large ticket selling. For those with lots of experience, the book is helpful in providing a structure for sales team planning and coordination.

As a test of the book's relevance, I took a potential sale that our firm is wrestling with and put it through the process. A number of valuable insights came from pursuing Mr. Page's process that would probably not have otherwise become part of our approach. Whether the sale will succeed or not, I don't know, but our effort definitely became more effective as a result. I happily give a book that provides that kind of benefit five stars. Thank you!

The book has four sections:

1. The Challenge -- The Complex Sale

2. The Solution -- R.A.D.A.R. (which stands for "R.eading A.ccounts and D.eploying A.ppropriate R.esources")

3. Strategies for Execution

4. Winning before the Battle -- Account Management

The first section was the least helpful to me (after pursuing complex sales for over 30 years, there wasn't really any new background here). If you are new to complex sales, this material will probably be a real eye-opener . . . especially if you are used to individual sales based on a standard approach. The most amusing section was on how to blend talent on a sales team to get the right mix of skills and orientation. You'll learn about Tellers, Sellers, Hunters, Farmers, Business Developers, Partners, and the Industry-Networked Consultant.

The second section was the heart of the book for me, describing R.A.D.A.R. which is "a simplified, six-step process that combines consultative, competitive, and political sales principles into a concise yet comprehensive process." There's a chapter on each element.

Value is the first challenge and you are supposed to link your solutions to the customer's pain or gain at the largest possible scale. Value stretches as a chain of value whose links (from highest to lowest value) are strategic advantage, political risk, financial return, cultural change, operational applications, and future/capability -- tools).

Resource allocation is the second challenge, and your job is to qualify the prospect to see if you can profitably deliver what that customer needs.

Selling strategy is the third challenge, and you try to "win their hearts before it starts" by looking at how you could win or lose in advance so you can build a competitive preference for you and your offering. This frequently involves developing the specifications.

Organizational politics is the fourth challenge, and you should go where the power is and keep climbing to higher levels. You should ideally sell to the CEO.

Teamwork is the final challenge and you accomplish this by communicating your strategic selling plan throughout your team and partners.

In the third section, the most useful part for me was encouragement to change issues and sales tactics to help your potential customer see the maximum advantage you can provide. This may mean changing the scope of the problem and the solutions you offer.

I felt most comfortable with the fourth section because I try to stay in contact with clients for many years in order to help them become alert to opportunities where we can help them. In the consulting business, that approach is important because almost everything is custom made for the client. You need to know each other well before you can help them in the best ways.

Throughout the book, there are sidebars with specific examples of the principles being described in the main text. These were helpful for the most part. My only complaint is that they were too often about selling computer systems.

If all of these points seem like second nature to you, you may find it more valuable to seek out a more advanced book on complex sales.

After you finish reading the book, think back to a complex sale that you unexpectedly lost. How could the process in this book have helped you to avoid that result?

Good luck!

Better than you expect it to be!
I am an avid reader, and successful sales executive. I have read nearly every book in the bibliography and many others on sales. I avoided buying this book for months because it looked "basic" when thumbing through it in airports and book stores. I finally bought the paperback version and I was amazed at how wrong I was. EVERY Sentence in the book is important! Tom Kosnik's quote on the cover is dead on. This book is worth the value of 12 books on sales in it takes every lesson learned in the field or taught in a book and presents it in a clear, logical and concise manner. It's not that the information is brilliantly new but it is brilliantly presented. Fantastic a must read! ... Read more

Book Description

This book gives a fresh understanding of the “laws” that govern the sales profession.The first section includes the laws that deal with the attitudes, aptitudes, and abilities that are required for any salesperson to be successful.The second section deals with the laws concerning the communication, courtship, camaraderie and commitments between a successful salesperson and his or her clients.Each law provides a description of a practical application.If you’ve ever held a sales position you know that being successful takes more than a smile, a Rolodex and a “can do” attitude.This book provides the “more” you will need to come out on top and stay there.

Reviews (20)

It's All About Trust!
Ken Blanchard says, "I believe 'High Trust Selling' will become one of the enduring classics of business and personal growth literature."

Sales happen when trust exists; but in the sales profession, there's more to steady success than being a trustworthy person--although that's certainly where it starts. Long-term sales success happens when high trust exists--when you are a trustworthy salesperson running a trustworthy sales business.

Duncan teaches that despite what you've read or been taught to this point in your sales career, it takes more than fortitude and flattery to become great in the sales profession. That's because establishing high trust with prospects and producing high sales with clients is about your ability to develop and maintain loyal relationships, not your propensity for persuasion. Another thing to note is that high trust selling is not about you; it's about them--the clients and prospects whom you serve. The fact is that you'll never be genuinely successful in the sales profession if you're self-centered. You can go to the bank on that.

Here's something else you can bank on: If you are a trustworthy salesperson running a respectable, reliable sales business, you will succeed in the sales profession...in less time than you think and with much less stress than you're accustomed to. More than that, with high trust on your side you will climb to the top of your industry and remain there.

In fact, I believe the sooner you apply the practices and principles within the pages of this book, the sooner you will see results!

Read the Intro
I'm one of those who likes to read reviews before buying a book. In this case, I concur with all the reviews except for the two who seem to have skipped Duncan's Introduction in the book. After reading the other reviewers' comments, I was a little skeptical to buy "High Trust Selling" at first because of the two reviewers who say Duncan doesn't ever define "high trust." But when I picked up the book and read the Intro, "high trust" was clearly defined there, and then expanded upon in great detail throughout the remainder of the book. In the Intro Duncan writes, "...sales are made when trust exists. But in the sales profession there's more to steady success than being a trustworthy person - although that's certainly where it starts. Long-term sales success happens when HIGH trust exists - when you are a trustworthy salesperson running a trustworthy sales business. When it's clear to your clients that you are a person of integrity who will not only do what you say but who also has the means to deliver. It is one thing to be a trustworthy person with a sales job; it's another to be a trustworthy salesperson with a reliable business.

"A trustworthy person will do everything in his power to follow through on what he has promised - and that's very important. But if a trustworthy person is not ALSO an efficient salesperson running an efficient sales business, trust will only go so far. It may land a sale or two, but it rarely will last beyond that. High trust is necessary to climb to the top, whether you're selling cars or copiers; hats or home loans; footwear or financial services. And high trust happens by design, not by accident. It's earned and preserved, but never finagled. Despite what you've read or been taught to this point in your sales career, it takes more than fortitude and flattery to become great in the sales profession. If you are a trustworthy salesperson running a respectable, reliable sales business, you will succeed in the sales profession . . . in less time than you think and with much less stress than you're accustomed to. More than that, with high trust on your side you will climb to the top of your industry and remain there."

All things considered, this is a very valuable book - even if you're already successful in a sales industry. This book will both teach you and keep you focused on the keys to staying on top as a salesperson. I highly recommend it.

Don't read books that are self serving - no trust here!
Ok - a few nuggets - very few. What annoys me most are books that are written to promote the authors business. They're self serving and never provide a full "how to" guide.

I'm curious - were the other reviewers relatives of the author?

Worthwhile investment
Unfortunately most sales books are garbage. I have wasted alot of money on these books over the years. This book is the exception to this theory. It is worth every penny.

My eyes were opened to may things in this wonderful book. I wish that this had come across earlier in my sales career. The info and exposure to coaching has been invaluable.

Todd Duncan "walks the walk", he is a sales professional, not some author pretending he is a salesperson.

High Trust Selling
I found the first nine chapters to contain a few pieces of beneficial information that really had nothing to do with the title of the book. I kept reading and wondering when I was going to find out about selling with high trust. Although the words are mentioned throughout the first nine chapters, it's almost as if the author added the words after coming up with the book title to make the chapters seem like they should be included. I found the last five chapters to be somewhat worthy of the book title and found I highlighted much more in these chapters. My expectations, though, were not exceeded given the book title and my hope for extensive high trust selling content. It is also rather obvious that the author's background is in the mortgage industry. This makes it a little less relevant for people selling in complex situations. I did empty one highlighter, though, which results in an overall rating of 3. I would give the first nine chapters a 2 and the final five chapters a 4. ... Read more

Book Description

This book presents a comprehensive anthology of readings, legal perspectives, and cases in ethics in business.Contrasting business ethics approaches, Regulation of business, Performance Monitoring. Genetic testing and screening. Third world issues. Federal sentencing guidelines.Ideal for business professionals interested in reviewing ethical issues in business. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Critical Compendium
This book is a critical reader, and it's probably the most highly used text in business ethics today. Those who reviewed this book negatively sound like people looking for a fun, non-academic overview of the field. If so, this book isn't it. These are articles published in top academic journals, edited for readability, by scholars who are addressing the fundamental issues in a wide range of topics. It's meant to expose the span of the field and still give students (not light readers) exposure to contemporary literature that touches on the most salient points. It's meant to be a starting point to deeper research in any given topic. As such, the book is a complete success. B & B do a great job (here as in other ethics compendiums) of providing a framework that makes it easy for a professor to expose her students to the field in one swoop. They do a fine editorial job, stripping the articles of padding, and they work hard to keep the offerings up to date (passing on older articles that are superceded by fresh insights that touch on contemporary challenges and technologies; look for something relating to the corporate scandals of this last year in the next edition). If you are a student looking for an overview on business ethics, this book is the correct starting point. If you are someone looking for light reading about corporate corruption, with illustrations and full-color photos, stick to People magazine.

A Good Anthology
I really enjoyed this anthology, especially the section on sexual harassment. Some of the subjects were hard going, but, it was a good introduction to business ethics.

In Defense of Beauchamp and Bowie
I teach business ethics at the college level, and have found Ethical Theory and Business to be very helpful. Basically, B and B attempt to do three things, or so it seems to me. First, they offer an introductory essay, covering some of the main distinctions in both meta-ethics (e. g. whether morality is objective or subjective) and normative ethics. This essay is the weakest part of the book, I think, because they seem to offer caracatures of most relativist leaning views (e. g. egoism), and do not adequately criticize Kantian moral philosophy. But even so, the essay does explain many useful distinctions in philosophical ethical thought. Second, B and B offer both classic readings in Business Ethics (e. g. Milton Friedman), as well as really up to date readings, by many of the leaders in the field (e. g. R. Edward Freeman). This is quite a good selection of readings, although they have omitted a few classic essays (like Galbraith's 'The Dependence Effect'), and a few subjects which might have been useful, such as the question of whether one can attribute moral agency to corporations at all. Even so, B and B include more than any course in Business Ethics could cover. Third, B and B provide a Web site with excersizes and instructor aids. Depending on how much one uses the Web, this may be helpful too. So generally speaking, although no anthology is perfect, Beauchamp and Bowie have put together an admirable collection. There is a seventh edition coming out soon. Perhaps that one will be as good as this one.

This Book is Whack!!!
Ethical Theory and Business by Beauchamp & Bowie is the worst academic book I have ever been required to read. I agree with the reader from Minnesota that this book is very dry and boring and if I could give this book zero stars I would. All of the chapters in the book do not flow together very well since this book is very unorganized and is nothing more than a collection of narrative articles. The book does not have an index or any illustrations in it and the companion website to the book [stinks]. I do not think I learned anything about business ethics from reading this book nor did I find the information in it helpful for me in my life. After I finished reading this book, I felt like throwing it away, but instead I sold mine back to the bookstore. So if you want to learn about business ethics and are not required to purchase this book for a class, do not purchase this book.

This book is not worth the paper it is written on!
This book is horrible, boring, and very very dry. I do not recommed this to anyone wanting to learn anyhting about Business Ethics. I have read this book and I don't think I have learned a thing. ... Read more

Book Description

Is there a method to our madness when it comes to shopping? Hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as "a Sherlock Holmes for retailers," author and research company CEO Paco Underhill answers with a definitive "yes" in this witty, eye-opening report on our ever-evolving consumer culture. Why We Buy is based on hard data gleaned from thousands of hours of field research -- in shopping malls, department stores, and supermarkets across America. With his team of sleuths tracking our every move, from sweater displays at the mall to the beverage cooler at the drugstore, Paco Underhill lays bare the struggle among merchants, marketers, and increasingly knowledgeable consumers for control.

In his quest to discover what makes the contemporary consumer tick, Underhill explains the shopping phenomena that often go unnoticed by retailers and shoppers alike, including:

• How a well-placed shopping basket can turn a small purchase into a significant sale
  
• What the "butt-brush factor" is and how it can make sales plummet
  
• How working women have altered the way supermarkets are designed
  
• How the "boomerang effect" makes product placement ever more challenging
  
• What kinds of signage and packaging turn browsers into buyers

For those in retailing and marketing, Why We Buy is a remarkably fresh guide, offering creative and insightful tips on how to adapt to the changing customer. For the general public, Why We Buy is a funny and sometimes disconcerting look at our favorite pastime. ... Read more

Reviews (103)

MUST READ FOR ANYONE IN MARKETING OR RETAIL!!!!
Paco Underhill's book utilizes observational research to determine why people buy. The book starts off with a detailed description of the shopping behavior of a customer in the towel section of a store. Underhill carefully writes down the customers every move, from the number of towels touched, to checking the price tag, nothing gets by without being recorded. He does this same type of observation on hundreds of customers, and from the observations recorded; he makes very thoughtful suggestions to the management of the firm.

I found many of his observations very common sense. For example, "transition zone" as Underhill calls it. Many businesses fail to recognize that it takes time for customers to make an adjustment from being outside of the store to being inside the store. A customer will ignore a simple item like a shopping basket if it is placed in the transition zone. Hanging signs and posters in front doors go unnoticed, because customers are concentrating on opening the door, rather than looking at signs. In a later chapter he goes on to discuss how natural human movement motivates customer purchasing. Because humans walk and look in a forward motion, a lot of items that are on the shelves go unnoticed. If a customer is familiar with the stores environment, then he or she is more likely to roam with his or her eyes as they are passing through the isles.

I found the most interesting topics later in the book. Underhill gives a very insightful description of why men and women shop differently. Underhill states, "Men are from Sears Hardware, Women are from Bloomingdale's." I found some of his research findings very fascinating. He gives a wonderful statistic on men's buying behavior. When a man try's items on at the store there is a 65% chance that he will purchase the item vs. a woman 25%. There is one observation Underhill makes I definitely have to agree with is that idea that men almost always pays. However, I do not agree with his idea that men get a thrill out of purchasing their female friends items.

When I started reading the chapter about what women want, I found a lot of his research findings not too surprising. It is almost common knowledge that women tend to shop faster if a male companion accompanies her. Also nothing new about how ritualistic women shopping patterns is. From seeking and comparing, to trying on and leaving items behind, it is all part of a days shopping for women.

At the end of the book there is an insightful chapter called "The Self-Exam." One idea that he mentions repeatedly through out his book, and emphasized again in this chapter is that shoppers need baskets when their hands are full. Which is not surprising, however when was the last time you saw a stack of baskets sitting in the middle of a store? This book is very thoughtful, interesting and gives any person in the marketing field excellent insight on buyer behavior. This book is a must read for anyone managing in the retail.

Worthwhile book on retail design
It's interesting that Underhill's group was the one that advised Subway Sandwiches to print specific nutritional comparisons to other brand-name fast food items on their napkins. This was genius!
After reading this book, you will never enter a store or restaurant without examining its design and displays. Underhill describes the "zones" of a store or restaurant.
There's a time or two when Underhill gives contradictory opinions. One time, he says that computers should be displayed set up with their peripherals, ready to work, so that customers can try them out. But, another time, Underhill says customers want to see all similar $300 printers lined up together for comparison.
There are several things Underhill doesn't mention which are major sales inhibitors. Stores may have the best designed signage displaying the menu items or identifying aisles, and then put up large advertising banners a few feet in front of those signs, so that customers can't read the original signs without getting right under them. Many fast food outlets also neglect clearing and wiping tables. Yes, customers are expected to clear their own tables, but if they don't, the staff should promptly do so. Otherwise, the company spends millions in advertising to get customers into a restaurant, and the negligence of a manager chases the customer out. Many a time fast food customers will find napkins, straws and utensils stuffed into dispensers so tightly that it's near impossible to retrieve them.
Likewise, Underhill barely mentions the effects of employees' broken promises and faulty information. How many of us have shopped at a Orchard Supply-type hardware store, to have an employee promise to send someone to help you and never return? Or have an employee tell you they don't sell such an item in the store, and it turns out later they do? Frequently the reverse happens, when the employee swears the item can be found waaay across the store in aisle 3, where it doesn't exist.
Underhill says video stores should play movies suitable to all audiences, but it's often the case, especially later in the evening, that customers will have to shop under blaring rock music. In some stores, such as a mall Radio Shack I visited recently, the teen employees were engaged in such an animated conversation among themselves that customers didn't feel welcome to interrupt them, for the purposes of getting help or ringing up a purchase.
This book is worth reading. In reading the book, you'll see that some stores have incorporated his suggestions in the four years since publication.

Sometimes the obvious isn't so apparent
I finally picked this one up after about a year of "meaning to buy it." I'm glad I did. It's a lighthearted and fun book that will make you analyze every store you set foot into and make you want to avoid many others. There are no earth-shattering ideas in here, but it does point out many of the obvious things you'd probably miss, ie: product placement, who the decision-makers are and traffic flow of the stores. It's written clear and concise, but recycles many of the examples. I read it over the course of 2 planetrips (with layovers) and will probably pass it along to a store-owner I know - meaning I won't be referencing it for the rest of my life, but I'll probably keep an eye to see what stores have read it and who should

The Lady Doth Protest Too Much
It is interesting to note people's reactions to this book. I'm reminded of the adage about the stages of acceptance of an idea. At the first stage people say it's wrong, at the second stage they assert that that it's right, but also trivial (common sense perhaps?), and at the 3rd stage (final acceptance) they claim the idea as their own. Many of the negative reviews fit into stages 1 or 2. I would concur with several reviewers that the author's ego interferes with the presentation, but this does nothing to diminish the observational detail that he manages to share, if you are in a place where you can think about it. It takes a little effort to step back from the detail and consider some of the ideas about our behavior that are cloaked in the author's descriptions. Yet many of the notions about what we notice and why and how we move about in a space could be applied (with some reflective thought) to the whole process of "arriving at" and "navigating" a web site (to purchase something or to get information).

If you are looking for a book that correlates characteristics of people (socieconomic status, sex, etc) with purchases you will be sorely disappointed. I assume that many of Underhill's clients have contemplated charateristic type marketing data with an eye toward some causal connection between characteristics of people and purchasing behavior. But what Underhill notices is that the act of going to a store and buying something is a sequence of behavior that can be derailed in a variety of ways. And this, ultimately, is why characteristics (socieconomic status, gender, etc) that predict purchasing are also not causal (I don't know of any 100% correlations between characteristics and purchasing behavior that would suggest a causal relationshp). There is instead a process that starts with purposefully going to a store, or arriving their fortuitously, and a subsequent sequence of steps that may or may not result in a purchase. In detailing this process he also takes note of differences related to gender and other characteristics. If you want to understand something about how people must get to a place, enter, move about, notice things and think in order to buy things you will intrigued by the Underhill's anthropological musings. If you want some definitive "cause" for why people buy you might look elsewhere, though I suspect you would be hard-pressed to argue that the processes Underhill takes note of have nothing to do with a successful retail environment.

They Know What You are Doing
There are very few books that I read over and over, but 'Why We Buy' has earned a spot in my top ten all time favorites. Through this book, the author takes us on an informative and entertaining journey into the world of retail marketing. However, the beauty of the book lies is that while it is a must-read for any retailer, it will appeal and intrigue the average consumer.

When you shop, you aren't just shopping -- you are performing a science. From the way you move your eyes, to what path you take through the store, even items you touch on the shelves, is all part of how each individual consumer makes a purchasing choice. Through this book, you learn how retailers have studied shoppers -- like yourself -- and why certain items are on the top shelfs, why two items are never on sale at the same time, and a wealth of other retail secrets.

Have you ever stopped to think about what happens the moment you walk into the store? Probably not, but you'll learn about what happens from the parking lot to the checkout stand in this book. You'll find out, for example, why shopping carts are usually always on the righthand side, and why the days of plastering windows with advertisements are all but over for many stores.

Overall, this book is just fascinating in the depth of knowledge it presents, and in such a manner to make it entertaining and informative. Even the most casual reader can find something of interest.

One thing is for sure, once you read this book, you'll never view a grocery store or mall the same way again. ... Read more

Book Description

Marketing Management: Knowledge and Skills, 7/e, by Peter and Donnelly, serves an overview for critical issues in marketing management.The text strives to enhance knowledge of marketing management and advance student skills so they can develop and maintain successful marketing strategies.The text does this through comprehensive text chapters that analyze that marketing process and gives students the foundation needed for success in marketing management and through 45 cases (16 of them new, many others updated) that go beyond traditional marketing principles and focus on the role of marketing in cross-functional business and organization strategies. ... Read more

Book Description

Selling Today: Creating Customer Value, one of the most popular sales information books on the market, offers readers a blend of time-proven fundamentals and new practices needed to succeed in today's information economy. It emphasizes the need for salespeople to be guided by the new principle of personal selling: establishing partnerships that are maintained by customer value, created by the salesperson. This edition stresses the need for sales professionals to cope with new forces shaping the world of sales and marketing, and emphasizes the strategies for long-term success.It provides comprehensive coverage of consultative selling, strategic selling, partnering, and value-added selling. Sales force automation is also a major theme.For sales and marketing professionals. ... Read more

Book Description

The sixth edition of Terence Shimp's market-leading Advertising, Promotion, and Supplemental Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications fully integrates all aspects of marketing communication. While continuing to focus on the time honored, IMC methods, the text has undergone a significant revision to reflect new academic literature and practitioner developments in the field.Comprehensive treatment on the fundamentals of advertising and promotion combine with the Internet's impact on IMC.A major focus of this revision, Internet issues have been seamlessly integrated throughout the text to highlight the dynamic relationship between basic marketing communication concepts and the power of the Internet. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

i love this book
Cheung Yin Fan, Octo from City University of Hong Kong, Department of Marketing

Advertising is what my favorite study in University. Indeed, advertising plays a critical role on promote the products and brands, therefore, a well integrated marketing communication plan can help organizations to promote the product and service in the market effectively.

This book, which is written by Terence A. Shimp, provides a basic knowledge and information on design the well integrated marketing communication plan. And the book is divided into six parts as follows.

Part one
It is a introduction of the IMC program in the market and its role in brand equity enhancement.

Part two
It will consider the IMC in the customer¡¦s perspective. Since the main role of IMC plan is communicating the message to customers and persuade the customer to make a purchase decision. It is necessary to understand how the customers think, therefore, auditor introduce the consumer processing model and hedonic experiential model.

The book mentions that a well IMC plan should identify the brand image first, and then understand the target customer needs and wants. It can help the marketers to know what the target customers concerns to make a purchase decision; therefore the marketers can design promotion strategy, which match the customers¡¦ preference, provide some information and satisfy the customers¡¦ requirement.

Part three
The auditor introduces the adoption and diffusion process with the broader issue of how an innovation is communicated and used to promote the new brands in the market.

Also it considers some factors that would affect to promote the new brands. They are opinion leadership, word of mouth, brands name, logos, packages, and point of purchase materials.

Part four
This part concerns about how to implement and manage an IMC plan. It consists of introducing the creative advertising strategy, endorsers and message appeals, the promotional channel, media planning and its analysis.

This part would be the main focus of the books since each task above would be the critical success factors on how the messages deliver in the market and persuade the customers.

Part five
This part consider on the sales promotion management, marketing oriented, public relations and sponsorships. The auditor introduces the promotional devices such as coupon and premiums which would help to implement the IMC plan. In the sponsorship marketing, the auditor introduces how to select the sponsorship events and its benefit on promotion.

Part six
Some external factors would also affect the effectiveness of IMC plan such as regulatory, ethical and ¡¥Green¡¦ issues. To have further understood on those external factors, the auditor describes the factors deeply by providing with examples MarCom.

Due to the study scheme, I just concern about a several part from part one to three in order to prepare the report and tests. Indeed, I love to read its book very much since it has a lot of pictures and examples to explain the comprehensive theory that can attract you to keep on reading. Moreover, the book contains broaden contents to help the reader to plan the IMC program.

And I would also like to recommend the auditors to add more globalize company as an example. Since there are all American companies as an examples in the book that it is not practical in Hong Kong. Moreover, I would suggest the auditor to do an overall summary with a chart or diagram so that the reader can get the focus of the book easily.

Moreover, I like the part of ¡¥creating advertising strategy¡¦ more even it does not have enough colorful pictures. Personally, I love to create advertising; therefore, I like to learn how to make a creative advertising. The auditor just introduces some styles of creating advertising strategies in general; however, it can stimulate me to think out of the box to create an advertisement.

Advertising and promotional tools are very important
Teresa Tsang from City University of Hong Kong, Marketing Department

Nowadays, companies need to differentiate them from other competitors in this competitive environment. Advertising is one of the important tools to communicate with customers that your company is different from other companies in terms of brand personality, product quality, service quality and other benefits, etc. Moreover, other promotional tools such as coupon, point of display, premium, etc. also can help to attract customers to buy the products. But advertising is the main communication tool to communicate with customers about the company¡¦s offers and promotional campaign. Therefore, learning how to apply different advertising techniques and other promotional tools is a must in this competitive market.

Actually, my university uses this book as a textbook for the subject of ¡§Integrated Marketing Communications¡¨. I found that this book gives us very useful information about advertising and promotion strategy. This book divides the content into six parts. Each part explains different concepts for readers. Part one is about the overview of integrated marketing communications (IMC) and its role in the brand-equity enhancement. It explains what IMC is and how IMC helps to enhance the brand equity.

Part two talks about positioning and targeting for marketing communications efforts and the communication process between the sender (marketer) and the receiver (customer). Moreover, Shimp explains the differences between consumer processing model and hedonic experiential model since marketers need to understand these models in order to use different advertising and promotional tools to appeal customers.

Part three is bout the marketing communications¡¦ role in facilitating new product adoption since different marketing communications methods are used in different stages of product adoption. Moreover, Shimp also explains the roles of brand names, logos, packages, and point-of-purchases in promoting companies¡¦ products and assisting sales.

Part four involves advertising management. It includes creative advertising strategy, endorsers and message appeals in advertising, and media planning, etc. Since advertising is very important in this competitive marketplace, learning how to apply advertising really can help companies to have better communications with customers about companies¡¦ offers. Moreover, media plan can help marketers to plan which media is the most effective channels to deliver the persuasive messages to customers.

Part five explains trade-oriented and consumers-oriented sales promotion management, marketing public relations (MPR) and sponsorships marketing. Actually, public relation is also important to foster goodwill between the company and the public. Shimp has given different examples to explain proactive MPR and reactive MPR which help readers to understand the concepts easily.

Part six talks about the external pressures which include regulatory, ethical, and green issues on marketing communications. For example, there should not have misrepresentation, omission, or practice that is likely to mislead the customers acting reasonably in the circumstances. Therefore, there is a need for marketers to practice ethical advertising; otherwise, it will damage companies¡¦ reputation and lose customers.

We can see that this book can teach us much useful knowledge about advertising, promotion and other marketing communications approaches. I believe that better use of marketing communications can project better image and deliver clearer messages to customers. Moreover, successful advertising can project a good impression in customers¡¦ hearts for a long time. Therefore, this book can help readers to grasp the knowledge of integrated marketing communications and apply in real situation to build companies¡¦ reputation and gain more customers. I hope that all readers can also enjoy reading this book and find useful knowledge from this book.

A Comprehensive and Useful Book
To communicate effectively and efficiently with the customers, only advertising, the most common way people think of, is not enough. Supplemental tools have to be integrated with it to implement the most relevant form of persuasive communication program. How? The book "Advertising, Promotion and Supplemental Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications" can help you a lot.

This book is very clear and comprehensive. Shimp first explains why IMC is very important in modern marketing and defines what IMC is. Then, he focuses on the perspective of customers and provides us with different useful tools including promotion, packaging and branding strategies, point-of-purchase communication, market-oriented public relations, event-and-cause oriented sponsorship and personal selling, to write an IMC plan in order to communicate with the target audience with the right message and the right methods, so that resources will not be wasted in the irrelevant areas.

This book is very rich in content. Examples and applications are widely used. A detailed example is given at the beginning in each chapter. And there are a lot of articles quoted in the parts of IMC FOCUS and GLOBAL FOCUS from different journal and research that can let us know more about the related topics.

It is easy to understand as well. Some theories are illustrated by charts and diagrams. And sometimes advertisements are shown to make the theories more concrete. The advertisements can also enhance the visual impact and arouse our interest to read the book.

Marketing communication is very important for the success of a company. Want to know more about it. Read the book!!!

Useful to a marketing student
I believe this book is worth reading for a marketing student. This book provides us with clear concept and many useful examples. It helps me to understand the theories much more easier. Actually, it is much easier to explain advertising by showing us different ads. For example, when talking about sign and symbol in advertising, it is great to show us that how sign and symbol used in different ads. Besides real life examples, this book can also make use of many flow charts or diagram to help exam the theories and the concept in IMC and advertising. These flow charts help me to under and remember the logic very easily. I have to say I learn a lot from this book.

Simply outstanding
This book is giving quantity of useful tools. This is not only on how designing efficient communication strategies but how to use it efficiently in Brand Management! ... Read more

Book Description

In this follow-up to his bestselling book Experiential Marketing, Bernd Schmitt introduces the five-step CEM process, a comprehensive tool for connecting with customers at every touch-point. A must-read for senior executives, marketing managers, and anyone charged to drive growth and spur change.

PRAISE FOR Customer Experience Management

"In all his work Bernd Schmitt sets about scraping away the conventional marketing wisdom. Schmitt’s prescription makes it more satisfying to be a customer, more satisfying to be a brand manager. I hope desperately that every company with which I do business reads this book."
–Martyn Straw, Chief Strategy Officer, BBDO Worldwide

"Schmitt finally identifies the bush that a lot of marketing departments have been beating around. He anchors the activities that cost us millions and billions of dollars to ‘end game’ objectives that have never before been so beautifully focused."
–Victor J. Pacor, Chief Marketing Officer, Sony Electronics, Inc.

"With his groundbreaking new book, Schmitt answers a much-needed call for a practical way to enact experiential marketing. His dynamic and engaging voice makes this as entertaining as it is informative."
–John Quelch, Senior Associate Dean for International Development
Harvard Business School ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Packed With Knowledge!
The revolutionary approach that Bernd H. Schmitt is advocating here wouldn't sound so radical to anyone who has ever been in therapy: be aware, see things from other people's point of view, address their concerns. If you've been in $150 an hour territory, this isn't radical, but in the suites of marketing, the author contends, it is brand new. The book is an interesting follow up to the author's earlier seminal work on the broader theory of customer experience. Entitled Experiential Marketing, that work made the case for a customer-experience focus. This book is more of a practical how-to, professorially organized into a neat near-outline format. Here, Schmitt makes the case for dissecting, designing and then improving, the customer's experience with your product. We recommend this book of marketing therapy to anyone selling a product or service - and it is lots less expensive than putting your consumers on the couch.

A New Experience
My experience with this book was generally stimulating and inspiring and sparked many insights. Customer Experience Management is so powerful because it is based on a largely intuitive idea.

Since the beginning of commerce, and buyer and seller interactions, there surely has been some element of customer experience management by the seller, and some subconscious understanding by the customer that he/she is not buying a product or service but participating in an experience.

In his previous book, Experiential Marketing, Schmitt demonstrates that firms who have capitalized on this recent movement and expanded and refined their experiential approach have reaped huge benefits and stayed ahead of the pack. Now, in this sequel to that book, Schmitt elaborates on his previous work and provides a framework for how to efficiently and effectively implement the customer experience management approach.

I found this book to be enormously helpful and an important addition to this fascinating and important field.

A Satisfied Customer
Customer Experience Management is a must-read for busy marketing executives. Although it was a quick read, it should not be taken lightly. The framework Prof. Schmitt outlines carries on where his eye-opening Experiential Marketing left off. It provided me with a good outline and a valuable set of tools with which to jumpstart my marketing department. The case studies were insightful and helped illustrate his methodology and the success many companies around the world are having by making their customer's needs and lifestyle top of mind.

A much-needed book
This book provides a comprehensive and much-needed overview of the total customer experience picture. It goes far beyond the highly-touted (and too often disappointing) CRM craze to provide sound strategies for connecting with the customer at various "touch-points." Any company that is serious about treating its customers right could benefit from this book. ... Read more

Book Descrip