Reviews (36)

Great book, great value, buy it today!
If you have even a little bit of interest in writing or editing or working in any kind of advertising, even if it is just a simple flyer for your business or nonprofit fund raiser this book will easily pay for itself.

I've read and reviewed a few books on writing, from Stephen King's nonfiction work on writing fiction to books on writing nonfiction. This work stands up there with the best of them, and I'd recommend this work to writers of all types. Joseph Sugarman explains the purpose of the headline. It's to get the second line read. The purpose of the second line, well, that's to get the third line read. If fiction writers followed this formula, they'd sell more books. I can't count how many books, both nonfiction and fiction, I put down after a short time because I just find no reason to go on.

But this book isn't about writing fiction or nonfiction, it's about writing great copy. The reason I bring up other types of writing is that they all have the same strengths or weaknesses' going for them that get them read or ignored.

A copy writer has a short time to get the reader to either send money or request more information or act in some way. The fiction writer has to grab the readers attention and I mean now. See my review for Noah Lukeman's "The First Five Pages", basically he's got the same advice for fiction writers, you better grab the readers attention, and you better be flawless, because you have about the first five pages to win or lose the game. Often less.

In copy writing you have the first five words. Often less. Same idea.

I highly recommend this work to writers of all types. If you're in advertising, even if just for your own small business, you'd be foolish to pass on this one.

An Advertising Bible for the Ages
If you are writing ads for magazine and newspaper placement, this is a superb Bible. As I travel the world I see ads written based on Sugarman's philosophy and each time I return, I see the same ads running again and again. The sign of success. I've always found Joe Sugarman's work to be remarkably effective in helping our direct marketing programs. Sugarman has truly got decades of experience to back up his marketing directives. What I found most useful in this book were the many sample full page advertisements which are replete with crisp and powerful writing. At kevinhogan.com we utilize Sugarman's approach and continue to be profitable year after year. This book is a heck of a good read and should be read in conjunction with the marketing book in the same series.
Kevin Hogan
Author of The Psychology of Persuasion
and
Talk Your Way to the Top

An Excellent Primer on Creating Effective Ad Copy!
This book can be described as WOW! As a copywriter I implemented many of Joseph Sugarman's strategies in this excellent manual. It's not just another advertising book - it's a book on persuading on paper. He gives some great examples from his own ads too. Though I have many of his ads in my swipe file - this resource explains the psychological points that went into creating those ads. He takes you by the hand and guides you to creating ads that really works - that is to get the reader to read and to take action.

This book is one of my top ten books on business - especially advertising.

WOW - Perhaps the Best Book EVER Written on Copy!
I just finished reading "Advertising Secrets of the Written Word" for the second time! ...And now I'm about to go back and begin studying it with a highlighter.

After being completely disgusted with a few other books on copy writing, I was so pleased to find this jewel. In this day and age, with so many books being simply manufactured or compiled by people with no experience or real knowledge (you know, they send a hundred letters to people in an industry and then compile the responses into a book), this book is actually written by a true master who not only knows what he's taking about, and has truly lived it - but more importantly he know how to teach it.

Honestly, if you only buy ONE book on copy... make sure it's this one!

If You Could Have Only One Book on Copywriting, This is it!
On a scale of 1 to 10, this book is a 20. Truly the ultimate course on copywriting. My library is filled with books on how to write advertising copy. My shelves brim with books by Gary Halbert, Jay Abraham, John Carlton, John Caples, Brian Keith Voiles, Michael Masterson, and many other outstanding, top-notch copywriters. Joe Sugarman's Advertising Secrets of the Written Word is my all-time favorite. The absolute best book on the subject, period. ... 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

Incorporating the latest industry thinking and developments, this exploration of brands, brand equity, and strategic brand management combines a comprehensive theoretical foundation with numerous techniques and practical insights for making better day-to-day and long-term brand decisions—and thus improving the long-term profitability of specific brand strategies. Finely focused on "how-to" and "why" throughout, it provides specific tactical guidelines for planning, building, measuring, and managing brand equity. It includes numerous examples on virtually every topic and over 75 Branding Briefs that identify successful and unsuccessful brands and explain why they have been so. Case studies will familiarize readers with the real-life stories of Levi's Dockers, Intel Corporation, Nivea, Nike, and Starbucks. For industry professionals from brand managers to chief marketing officers. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The best book on branding!
I think that Keller's Strategic Brand Management is the best book on branding available. Instead of simply listing success stories or compiling lists of do's and don'ts, this book offers a comprehensive framework for understanding why brands matter, how to measure their equity and how to build strong brands.

What I especially liked about this book is that it is structured around a powerful framework called customer-based brand equity which basically says that brand equity lies in the mind of the consumer and that brands are powerful only to the extent that they serve some function for the consumer (like signalling product quality or simplifying choice). There are then great examples of how marketers can build brand awareness and favorable associations to create brand equity.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anybody working in marketing or simply interested in brands.

Excellent. The bible of branding.
This book is the best compilation of strategic thinking regarding brand management. I have attented many lectures on the topic and this book says it all. This is very detailed, very intense but yet very exciting for any marketers involved with brand management.

The One Source
If you only buy one Branding book this is the bible. Wow, the price on the second edition has gone way up.

Well Updated with Lot of Cases and Interesting Stuff

This book is great! I read the 1st edition, but that was a bit too academic. This time academic too, but less technical.

Cases on a number of world-class brands are already worth the dollars. That include Amazon.com, Nike, Virgin, Microsoft, IBM, and plenty of them.

This book is even more comprehensive than Branding Gurus David Aaker's Branding books. But I must admit that this book touches upon too little on e-branding, and its impact on online "brand consumption". Besides, Keller's branding paradigm needs to be updated. He got to invent his own new theory rather than drawing too much upon others' branding theories which makes this book both the Branding Bible (like Kotler's Marketing textbook for MBAs), and a thick book report.

On the whole, this book is great, it won't waste your hard-earned dollars, and Keller's diligent researcher attitude must be honoured and respected, by all means.

Great work, Keller, keep it up!

Brand building is important
The author gives out three main ways to build brand equity, and describes a new way of thinking about integrated marketing. Also, we can know whether than brand building is good or not. The branding strategy should be adjusted with change in place. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Nothing more to say...other than this book is great!
The other reviews here sum up this book nicely. It is very insightful and great to read. Highly recommended.

learn from the best
"Uncommon Practice is the book that lets you hear about the essence of business success straight from the horse's mouth. "
Phil Dourado, Editorial Director, eCustomerServiceWorld.com

In an increasingly crowded market place, there are certain companies that really stand out from their competitors - companies like Tesco, PizzaExpress, Virgin, easyGroup, First Direct, Harley Davidson, Krispy Kreme and Pret A Manger.

This new book by Interbrand and Forum, demonstrates, through interviews with key executives from these and other leading companies, how they provide remarkable experiences for their customers and staff alike. The premise behind Uncommon Practice is that that this success stems from their distinctive cultures uniquely developed to meet the needs of customers. The companies featured have defied conventional wisdom and broken the traditional rules of management to engender exceptional levels of commitment from their people, who, united behind a clear brand vision, translate their belief in the company into exceptional customer service.

Editors Andy Milligan and Shaun Smith have taken care to let the voice of the organisation speak for itself. Uncommon Practice is not a 'how to...' book, and does not provide a 'quick-fix' list of invariable rules for success. The editors do however provide insight into the core principles and practices that the leading companies featured share but which are uncommon in many organisations today.

Uncommon Practice explores the creation of outstanding brand experiences delivered through people, illuminated with interviews with senior executives and front-line managers.

Critical to the success of these brands is the way they treat their own people. Open management, share ownership, training and appraisals are common benefits, but can you guess which company has an empty seat policy on the company jet, keeps a fleet of yachts, has a monthly beer bus, gives an employee the Bentley for the weekend or awards Tiffany stars? Through a series of interviews with key executives, Uncommon Practice gives an insight into how certain companies have become so successful by providing remarkable experiences for their customers and staff alike. ... Read more

Book Description

Consumer Behavior, 9/e, by Hawkins, Best, & Coney offers balanced coverage of consumer behavior including the psychological, social, and managerial implications.The new edition features current and exciting examples that are tied into global and technology consumer behavior issues and trends, a solid foundation in marketing strategy, integrated coverage of ethical/social issues and outlines the consumer decision process. This text is known for its ability to link topics back to marketing decision-making and strategic planning which gives students the foundation to understanding consumer behavior which will make them better consumers and better marketers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Parents will be tempted to read Born to Buy as a kind of contemporary horror story, with ever more sophisticated marketing wunderkinds as Dr. Frankensteins and their children as the relentless monsters they create. Indeed, it's difficult to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the avariciousness, omnipotence, and ingenuity of the advertising industry Juliet B. Schor portrays when it comes to transforming preschool kids into voracious, 'tude-infused consumers. Intermixing research data with anecdotal illustrations, Schor chronicles the rapid development of a once-shackled industry that now markets R-rated movies to 9-year-olds. The mind boggles at the notion that Seventeen magazine's target readership is now pre-teens. While Schor unearths a surplus of information on the effectiveness of advertising, she's not nearly as adept at proposing effective responses. Reacting to the power and creativity of the consumer culture with politically unfeasible regulation and parental diligence is a little like attacking Frankenstein's creature with torches. Still, Born to Buy is an eye-opening account of an industry that is commercializing childhood with remarkable effectiveness and insouciance. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

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

The Product Manager's Handbook is the essential guide to successful product management in today's fast-changing business world. Product and brand managers, as well as upper-level sales, marketing, and branding executives, will find the text thorough and informative as it explains and analyzes the product manager's role in both traditional, hierarchical organizations as well as in newer horizontal, team-driven decision-making structures.

What is a product manager? The overall responsibility of a product manager is to integrate the various segments of a business into a strategically focused whole, maximizing the value of a product by coordinating the production of an offering with an understanding of market needs. A product manager must oversee all aspects of a product or service line in order to create and deliver superior customer satisfaction while simultaneously providing long-term value for the company.

The Product Manager's Handbook covers all of these topics in a convenient, easy-to-follow presentation that includes:

• Hands-on charts for managing every key step, from concept to completion
• Practical checklists for evaluating progress at every critical stage
• Brief profiles in every chapter of specific product management roles, functions, and issues
• Real-world cases illustrating the challenges of product management in action

This thoroughly revised and updated second edition fully integrates the Internet and other digital technologies into the product manager's arsenal of tools. The book includes all new information on what it takes to be a successful product manager. It explains the product manager's role in the planning process (including strategic and operational planning), how to evaluate product portfolios, how to propose and develop successful new products, and more.

The product manager is frequently the source of the entrepreneurial spirit and sense of innovation that drives a successful organization. Learn to make the most of your product management system with this indispensable reference guide.

Reviews (15)

Great Overview for Role Definition and General Planning
I wish I had bought this book a year ago when I began building our PM Department! I live in Germany and the role of the product manager is poorly understood by many people I come into contact with. So it helps to have written examples which indicate that I am moving in the right direction. Even today, I find the book to be quite useful and the scenarios described in the book certainly apply to much of what I had to learn the hard way. It is a bit general for an experienced product manager but its small form-factor makes it easy to have with you at all times. It is an invaluable resource for those who are new to product management and is full of great ideas to help you move your product forward.

Great book, highly recommended for new PM's
I read this book in 2000 when I started my first job as a PM. Since then, I have re-read it a few times. Each re-read is such a pleasure as I am able to tie in my experience to more and more facets of the book that were previously unclear. The book is an industry independent, general review of the roles and responsibilities of a product manager. It lays a nice foundation for those who are new to the position by outlining business processes, internal and external interactions and organizational roles a PM can expect to have.

The book does not delve into the mechanical details of marketing: such as conducting research, performing surveys, managing channels or evaluating effectiveness. However, it does talk about which kind of product managers would benefit from certain types of marketing initiatives.

If you are new to Product Management or would like to learn more about the processes involved in managing a product's lifecycle, this book is an excellent introduction.

Best in the lot.
I wouldnt say that this is an exceptional title but compared to other books in the market , this is the best. Be aware that this covers 'Product Management' in a very generic fashion. It doesnt talk about the role played by a PM in Software Development Process.

Good coverage but a bit light on details
This is a very good introductory text to anyone who aspires to be a Product Manager. It skims through the generics of what is required of a Product Manager in general. Coverage of topics such as planning for new products, some light financial discussions, discussions about marketing plans, etc. are useful to know.

It pays to note that this book is light on details and should be used as an introductory text. There are books that offer in-depth coverage of specific areas of product management areas such as marketing planning, business planning, marketing analysis, data mining, and so on.

Although a bit light on details, I gave it 4 stars because if it went into details it would have been a 5000 page book as Product Management sits anywhere between a simple to complex discipline depending on what industry and what firm one works in.

Lower the transition cost from pre-sale to PM
It's a must read if you are new to PM position. It defines what you shall focus to keep your life easy and simple, especially PM faces complex situations as usual.

From my experience, it will take you at least 1 year to be familiar with PM position after reading this. If it's not your original industry, then it may cost you more time.

While the skillsets required by PM and pre-sale are quite different, this book provides a general roadmap to indicate where you are. You can keep track how solid your capability is before you make the decision to change your career.

I was a I/T pre-sale three years ago. And now, I'm PM in notebook business and is finishing our company first widescreen notebook project which gained the support from nVIDIA to be their NV36 beta site. This book and the books derived from it really help me a lot.

And to play your game well, I suggest to read Michael Porter's books and game theory to complement. ... 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

Step-by-step guide to creating compelling, memorable presentations

A chart that once took ten hours to prepare can now be produced by anyone with ten minutes and a computer keyboard. What hasn't changed, however, are the basics behind creating a powerful visual - what to say, why to say it, and how to say it for the most impact. In Say It With Charts, Fourth Edition --the latest, cutting-edge edition of his best-selling presentation guide -- Gene Zelazny reveals time-tested tips for preparing effective presentations. Then, this presentation guru shows you how to combine those tips with today's hottest technologies for sharper, stronger visuals. Look to this comprehensive presentation encyclopedia for information on:

* How to prepare different types of charts -- pie, bar, column, line, or dot -- and when to use each
* Lettering size, color choice, appropriate chart types, and more
* Techniques for producing dramatic eVisuals using animation, scanned images, sound, video, and links to pertinent websites ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Good Little Book With Many Useful Ideas.
If you're interested in getting ideas on how to present ideas graphically, this is a good little book. As many other reviewers have pointed out, several of the articles were prepared by graphic designers (some by hand in fact) and not computer graphics packages. If you're looking for suggestions on how to present ideas graphically, this is perfectly fine,... even useful. However, if you're looking for information on how to prepare graphics using Excel, you're out of luck (however, there are dozens of other books that can help you). That's just not what this books is about. Instead, the book gives you several suggestions for expressing the relationship between various activities (flow charts, diagrams, etc) illustrating performance timelines (bar graphs, area graphs, etc), and other information. However, where this book really shines, is in showing you how to incorporate various illustrations into your graphics to make them truly unique and informative. The benefit of this book is in teaching you how to conceptialize and develop unique graphics -- not in telling you how to produce generic off-the-shelf graphics. I'd recommend this book, along with "Information Graphics" by Harris and "Digital Diagrams" by Bounford, to anyone interested in learning more about charts. Overall Grade: B+/A-

Great ideas
This book is a good arsenal to every executive who need to communicate in the form of charts. It opens up the minds to possibilities beyond cut and paste from Excel.

However I do agree with one of the reviewer that most of the charts in the books are drawn by graphic designers. This mean that although we can learn the most appropriate chart to use from the book, the is no way of making those charts with our basic computer software.

The message in the book is clear; great charts are more of science than arts.

helpful - nothing more need be said
Full disclosure - I used to work at IBM and as an entry level consultant with an MBA there the first thing you are is the .ppt whipping post. That being said, the IBM training program covers many of the concepts from this book. Why?? Simple, they work. Is it the be all and end all? No. The only thing that can help you assemble good content is practice, practice, practice - with a healthy dose of constructive criticism from someone that knows what they are talking about. I just got through a days worth of presentations last Friday to one of the most senior technology people at a major government agency. All I can say is that I really, really, really wish that the people presenting before and after me had taken 5 mintues to review this book before getting in front of that crowd - it would have prevented some spectacular flamouts.

Dissapointing
They have better charts in Excel templates.

Good for reference
I have to agree with one reviewer that the presentation of the information throughout some of "Say it with Charts" was a little childish. However, I found the reference pages to be quite valuable for helping you think outside the box of the types of charts and graphics that you put together to represent the message. ... Read more

Book Description

This marketing classic has been expanded to include new commentary, new illustrations, and a bonus book: The 11 Immutable Laws of Internet Branding

Smart and accessible, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding is the definitive text on branding, pairing anecdotes about some of the best brands in the world, like Rolex, Volvo, and Heineken, with the signature savvy of marketing gurus Al and Laura Ries. Combining The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding and The 11 Immutable Laws of Internet Branding, this book proclaims that the only way to stand out in today's marketplace is to build your product or service into a brand -- and provides the step-by-step instructions you need to do so.

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding also tackles one of the most challenging marketing problems today: branding on the Web. The Rieses divulge the controversial and counterintuitive strategies and secrets that both small and large companies have used to establish internet brands. The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding is the essential primer on building a category-dominating, world-class brand.

Reviews (46)

To focus and place a word in the prospect mind!
I have read a few books written by Ries and there are two ideas that are emphasized again and again, that is, to focus and to place a word in the prospect mind. This book is no exception. The laws of branding built in this book are based on these two concepts.

"Marketing is building a brand in the mind of the prospect". I totally agree. People are exposed to an over-communicated environment, to place a word in the prospect mind can surely lead your company to success. In fact, in customers' mind, there is no difference between your products and your competitors'. Only by building a brand can you differentiate your company from its competitors.

I also agree that brand building is not just for marketing department but for the entire company, as a brand is not only composed of its name but also of its product, service, environment, communication and behavior of the company. Everything a company does is related to brand building. Therefore, apart from the name that includes the logotypes and the color, this book also provides us with a lot of ways to do with the brand. For examples, to focus in its scope, to achieve it with publicity and maintain it with advertising, to promote the category rather than the brand, to distinguish it from the company, to avoid using subbranding etc.

This book is clear in the format and the content, illustrated by plenty of examples of what not to do and lessons on how to brand in the customer's mind! I can get a lot of insights from it.

This book is worth reading! I highly recommend you to read it!

Then 1 Immutable Law of Al Ries
Focus. Don't do a line extension to save your life.

OK, this book is great and should be read by anyone involved in marketing (I mean come on, who doesn't have the 3 hours it takes to read this book). Unfortunately one serious drawback is that he uses plenty of examples to support his claims. Huh? Why is that a negative? Here's why: because it gets the reader to think of plenty of counter-examples that contradict his points. As another reviewer suggested the claim of "immutable" laws of marketing is a bit bold, but what the book does provide is food for thought in a highly readable context.

You gotta give the guy credit though. He takes a stand. And there's a lot to be said for taking a viewpoint and standing by it in today's middle of the road world.

If you don't feel up to reading "Focus," "Positioning," or some of the other texts by Al Ries, this one provides a lot of the insights in bite size pieces.

Despite the knocks against it listed above there are a few points worth acknowledging: 1. Al Ries is a legend in marketing. 2. It's a good, fun read with many useful examples worth keeping in mind when developing marketing strategies. 3. By reading it for yourself you can develop examples to refute a lot fo the laws and move along the path towards critically evaluating branding strategies.

Give credit where credit is due
Nearly everything in this book is copied verbatim from the marketing classic "Positioning, the battle for you mind" by Jack Trout; Give credit where it's actually due.

"Yeah, right," I said
I do a little consulting in marketing & branding. I've got five other books on branding sitting on the shelf, & I've plowed through four.

I wouldn't say those other books were a waste of time, but I'm confident that this one has more immediately useful information than all of them taken together. And I'm stunned that it as easy read, not only informative but *fun*.

This edition is the one you want, as it combines the 22 laws with the other 11 that pertain very specifically to the Internet. By the time you get through the first few, you will find yourself looking at every brand -- on television, in the stores, on your own shelves -- in a whole new light. One of the prime models, coincidentally enough, is Amazon.com itself. The authors' comments on this very site will probably open your eyes to how remarkable the Bezos legacy has been.

I've barely finished, yet this book has already helped steer me better as to some website questions I had been studying. It's already paid for itself ten times over, & I am certain that the benefits have only begun. The simple, clear differentiation between a company name & a brand name has, by itself, been a unique lesson, & I've taken to heart the stern warnings (& wonderfully absurd object lessons) against line extensions & brand dilution.

Don't let the somewhat bizarre cover put you off (as it did me). This is one of the few books that I intend to re-read on a regular basis, & I will read more Reis titles in the near future.

YOU'LL BE "INVOLVED" WITH THIS LITTLE RIES CAMEO
I write reviews on Amazon rather avidly. When I started reading this particular book, I knew it would be a good number to review. So I started marking everything in the book that I disagreed with or that I felt was worth commenting on.

That the Ries duo relies on sweeping statements (e.g., "Quality of a product doesn't matter. It's all about brands.") hardly made my intentions any easier. Needless to say, my copy of 22 Immutable Laws of Branding is riddled with lots of ink and copious sidenotes. There is a lot I said "Really?" to while reading.

But maybe that's the thing I adore about Ries Inc. Their books are anything but boring manuals on a topical issue so relevant to almost anyone in business. I was "involved" with this book like I have seldom been with a work of non-fiction. I adored and went all retrospective with the "Law of the Name" and the "Law of Globalism". The writing is trippy, semi-provocative and hence absolutely delectable in a piece of work such as this!

Do I recommend it? Wholeheartedly. A wonderfully satisfying read. Just keep your discerning senses about you and think twice before wrapping your (brand management) career around all the advice this book proffers.

Noteworthy: The whole book is also available in a PDF version, if you are not particularly averse to on-screen reading. ... Read more

Book Description

When Guerrilla Marketing was first published in 1983, Jay Levinson revolutionalized marketing strategies for the small-business owner with his take-no-prisoners approach to finding clients. Filled with hundreds of solid ideas that really work, Levinson's philosophy has given birth to a new way of learning about market share and how to gain it. In this completely revised and expanded third edition, Levinson offers a new arsenal of weaponry for small-business success in the next century. Filled with strategies for marketing on the Internet (explaining when and precisely how to use it), tips for putting other new technologies to work, programs for targeting prospects and cultivating repeat and referral business, and management lessons in the age of telecommuting and freelance employees, this book will be the entrepreneur's marketing bible in the twenty-first century. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A Top Reference for Any Business Owner
This book is a great reference for any business owner seeking to really make the most out of their marketing budget. I used the data in this book and actually made miracles happen with it. The average industry expectations on marketing dollars is 5X the return invested. By applying the principles, strategies and bright ideas I learned in this book I managed to make a 12X return for every dollar invested, and that means a whole lot when you are a small business with not an unlimited budget! This book is very basic and useful, and the data Levinson provides is incredible. I learned so much about the actual nuts and bolts of the marketing industry with this text. It's brilliant, creative and imaginative. Expect to keep a pen and paper handy when you start to have all those bright ideas go off like church bells as you read. If you take this information and apply it to your business or activity, you can save yourself a great deal of experimentation and start out with the rocketing results first off.

A must for Small Business owners and marketers.
With thousands of books written on marketing and its implementation for all business sizes, this book has created a unique brand name for itself with a series of books all aimed at a particular type of marketing - Guerrilla Marketing. As its name implies, these books are aimed at achieving significant results through non-traditional marketing avenues that have now become fairly established and are probably not Guerrilla tactics anymore (in the strictest sense of the word).

This book though originally written in the 1980s has been updated in late 1990s and the update has been driven by the feedback received over 15 years. If you are a small business owner or someone responsible for the marketing division of a small business, you may not have that much money available to run your marketing campaigns professionally and using more traditional channels. Therein lies the appeal to this book that assumes that your only resources are time, energy, and imagination.

The book is split into 5 sections - the first section is an introduction to the whole Guerrilla Marketing process all the way from its definition to the thirteen most important marketing secrets and how to develop a Guerrilla Marketing plan.

The second section focuses on mini-media marketing which is nothing but the various marketing approaches you can use - canvassing, personal letters, telemarketing (don't be discouraged as the author explains how to do this right and not annoy people), brochures, etc.

The third section is about maxi-media marketing which means all the marketing techniques that cost money. But the author has a compelling argument that it is worthwhile if you can benefit from it financially. Newspapers, magazine advertising, radio, television, etc. are addressed one after the other with detailed explanations of what to do and what not to do.

The fourth section is nonmedia marketing - free seminars, trade shows, etc. and follows a similar approach of what to do and what to avoid. The author also recommends combining these three types of marketing in a fashion that works for your particular situation.

The final section is on actually launching your Guerrilla Marketing attack and how to win!

Even large organizations have listened to the author and have started experimenting and successfully implementing Guerrilla Marketing strategies.

A marvelous book that convinced me to get a few of the other books in the series with interesting titles like 'Guerrilla P.R. WIRED' that addresses online Guerrilla marketing along with the offline approach. I have several types of marketing books and this set comprises the biggest chunk. I have been experimenting and understanding the various techniques over several months now. Being a small business owner, I like this approach better than most of the others. Bottom line - if you are responsible for marketing your small business goods or services, I recommend at least looking through this book. Good luck!

This is the real thing.
I read this in 1984 and again in 2004
Levinson is the guy. The real thing. The man. Stay away from Michael Levine - he is a copy cat.

So So Book: For Beginners Only
If you've got formal training in marketing, avoid this book. It lays down some basic tenets of marketing you probably already understand. What I was looking for in it was some practical advice for small businesses and some innovative ideas. Most of what I found I had already discerned through common sense. There's nothing terribly creative or innovative in his ideas.

Here's the summary: learn the basic principles of marketing, use common sense, be persistent and frugal, and work hard.

If you haven't had any formal marketing training this might be a place to start, but even then, I'd recommend a basic marketing text first. Learn the "3 C's" and "4 P's" of marketing before you spend your money on Guerilla Marketing.

Most of What You Need Is Between Your Ears
I read this book when it was first published in 1984 and recently read the Third Edition, curious to know how relevant Levinson's ideas have remained during the almost 20 years years since then. He has revised and updated the book to accommodate the emergence of the Internet, e-business, and globalization initiatives. To his credit, his Guerrilla principles remain valid and, if anything, are even more relevant and more valuable now than ever before. It is important to keep in mind that, as he explains in Guerrilla Creativity, creative marketing is not something that you do. "Instead, it's something that your prospects get." Guerrilla principles guide and inform initiatives by which to produce desired results, whatever those may be. Perhaps to create or increase demand for what one offers. (I use the word "offers" rather than "sells" because the same principles can also be invaluable, for example, to those seeking charitable contributions to a non-profit organization.) Perhaps to inform a prospect or reassure a client; in terms of a competitor, perhaps to create confusion, discomfort, and even despair.

Although the book's subtitle suggests that the "secrets" provided will help to make big profits from a small business, Levinson's principles can (as I have indicated) help to achieve a variety of other desired results which may include but are not limited to profits; moreover, his principles can be as helpful to a multinational corporation as they can to a local family-owned business.

The material is carefully organized within five sections: The Guerrilla Approach to Marketing -- Updated, Mini-Media Marketing, Maxi-Media Marketing, Nonmedia Marketing, and finally, Launching Your Guerrilla Marketing Attack. Levinson also provides an especially useful concluding section, "Information Arsenal for Guerrillas" (pages 363-372) which directs the reader to hundreds of resources such as a bibliography as well as information about relevant newsletters, periodicals, audiotapes, and videotapes.

I especially appreciate the fact Levinson includes marginal notes throughout his narrative. They make it so much easier to review key points which may not have been highlighted or underlined. Also, his Index is much more extensive than what authors of business books usually provide. This is in all respects a user-friendly volume whose material, if understood and then applied both effectively and (yes) appropriately, can be of substantial value to any decision-maker who seeks to create or increase demand for whatever her or his organization offers.

What sets Levinson's various "Guerrilla" books apart from most others is his consistent point of view. It has no doubt been influenced by Sun Tzu and especially by several of Sun Tzu's strategies such as when far away, seem near...or vice versa; when small, seem large...or vice versa; when exhausted, seem vigorous...or vice versa, etc. It was Sun Tzu who explained the importance of thorough preparation by asserting that every battle is won or lost before it is fought. Although we usually think of such strategies as being used only by "Davids," the same strategies (albeit with modifications) can also be used very effectively by "Goliaths."

In the first chapter, Levinson identifies 12 differences between Guerrilla marketing and traditional marketing. They are essentially differences of judgment, values, and priorities rather than of resources. I agree with Jason Jennings who suggests that it's not the large that eat the small...it's the fast that eat the slow. Size and speed are not mutually exclusive. Many successful organizations have both. However, Levinson is quite correct when stressing the importance (and benefits) of having an underdog mentality. Differing somewhat with Andrew Grove, I presume to suggest that not all survivors are paranoid...but most are. The Guerrilla mentality takes no one and nothing for granted. Ever.

For me, one of Levinson's most interesting ideas involves the Guerrilla's relationship with competition. He goes one step further than the Biblical David who wisely avoided physical contact with Goliath: "Guerrilla marketing asks you to forget about competition temporarily and to scout opportunities to cooperate with other businesses and support each other in a mutual quest for profits." That is to say, rather than facing Goliath in combat, Levinson's David would to go into partnership with those vendors who provide a variety of products and services to the Philistines. Goliath would be hired to handle accounts receivable. Eventually David would buy out his partners, then retain them on an outsource basis to continue servicing the Philistine account while he seeks new business opportunities elsewhere within and beyond the Middle East. Perhaps sell franchises in military provisions while remaining owner/CEO of a parent company which provides various services to its franchisees through subsidiaries such as Rent-a-Camel, Caravan Leasing, Goliath Security Services, Galleys Unlimited, etc.

Presumably Levinson agrees with me that it would be a mistake, indeed highly un-Guerrilla-like, to adopt all or even most of the strategies and tactics he offers in this book. First, do a rigorous analysis of your organization's needs and interests, of course, but also or its strengths and especially its weaknesses. (You can be sure your toughest competitors already know where you are most vulnerable. Do you?) Next, set the priorities for action (NOT discussion) and develop a cohesive and comprehensive plan to achieve the most important objectives. Then cherry-pick whichever of Levinson's proffered strategies and tactics will be most helpful to those efforts. There are more of them in this book than you can possibly use at any one time, anyway. However, priorities can change...often because of a competitor's initiatives. (If you did not see them coming, that's your fault. A Guerrilla always sleeps with one eye open.) When circumstances change, different strategies and tactics may be needed. Re-read Levinson's book. You'll probably find whatever you need.

Final point: A Guerrilla never trusts only one book for advice on marketing. Nor should you. Check out Levinson's bibliography. There are no glaring omissions other than Sun Tzu's The Art of War (Griffith translation) and Reis and Trout's Positioning. Among the dozens he cites, my own preferences are Beckwith's Selling the Invisible, Cohen's The Marketing Plan, Levitt's The Marketing Imagination, McKenna's Real Time, Reichheld and Teal's The Loyalty Effect, and Schmitt and Simonson's Marketing Aesthetics as well as Schmitt's subsequent Experiential Marketing. ... Read more

Book Description

A marketing management course shouldn't be treated like a principles class.And, an upper-level text doesn't need to be written like an encyclopedia.That's why Marketing Management, 2e by Michael Czinkota and Masaaki Kotabe takes a direct, "no bull" approach, bringing concepts to life without dry explanations and unnecessary "extra" information. Theoretical and practical considerations are balanced throughout. Coverage of critical and contemporary marketing topics includes integration of e-commerce and a unique chapter on estimating marketing demand. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the world’s leading SAP Sales & Distribution consultants delivers the first comprehensive and practical guide to implementing this new module in the R/3 system.Inside this book you’ll get complete information on the ins and outs of the software, including basic functions, sales document flow, invoicing, and how the S&D module interfaces with other modules. Sales processes and delivery systems are crucial functions in today’s businesses and no other Sales & Distribution guide can bring you the same focused, reliable advice that’s found inside this first-rate user’s guidebook. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Excellent content, misleading cover
I can reiterate what the other reviewers have said of this book: It has excellent content, and it tremendously useful to those who want to configure and/or learn more about the SAP R/3 sales and distribution module. I would have liked to see something on serial numbers and also quality management as it relates to SD, but these are nitpicks. From what I could tell, the core R/3 SD functionality is handled well and with great detail.

The cover of the book, on the other hand (over which the author probably has no control) contains a significantly misleading statement. It states that the book "Covers R/3 4.6". This is not true. The book is written primarily with reference to R/3 version 4.0B, with occasional mention of what might be coming in version 4.5. Anyone with some knowledge of R/3 who skims the book will immediately see the misleading nature of the cover. However, someone purchasing on the web, and seeing only the cover statement, will be in for a surprise when the book arrives.

In view of the excellent core content of the book, I would urge the author to update the book for version 4.6 (there are significant changes relative to version 4.0), and also include information on linking the core R/3 SD module with web functionality. Now that would be a 5 star book!

DETAILS! Screen Shots, Menu Paths, Configuration Tips
I own a lot of SAP books, 8 or more, and I've thumbed through a couple dozen more on store shelves. Most of them are lacking in detail, and are just re-arrangements of SAP help. I couldn't believe the detail this book has: screen shots (very rare in most books), menu paths (even rarer), and configuration tips the author says he learned "the hard way" over several implementations. Having been involved with two SAP instances myself, I believe he knows what he is talking about. This guy KNOWS his stuff. He specifically details where and how to customize SAP SD through the IMG and master data. I've NEVER seen an SAP book with this much relevant and useful information. If I could have given it 6 or 7 stars I would have. Worth twice the price.

Excellent Book
The Chapters are really good and easily understandable. Point to be highlighted here is that the author has explained examples with SAP GUI Screen Shots.

A great work done indeed. Hats off to Mr. Glynn. C. Williams for bringing out such a good book.

I would appreciate if the author could come out with similar books in other modules too.

Great SD book for experienced consultants, too
I've been an SD functional consultant since 1993 and have recently started working on a very small project as the only SD consultant. Even though I've configured most aspects of SD, I haven't done it all, nor have I done it alone. Since I'm an independent consultant, this book has helped me to get a grasp of all that I need to do and what questions I need to pose to the client. This is the best SD book that I've seen - a definite keeper in my library.

First class guide to implementing SAP R/3 SD
This book is a First Class Guide in implementing the Sales and Distribution Module of SAP. This book is clear and concise. Covering topics from Organizational data to Pricing even LIS (Logistics Information System).

I have not seen a book which can compete in presenting data, whilst it may not be pretty, the flow charts could look smarter, however the data is clear and understandable. It also has hundreds of screen shots which present the multiple steps in a implementation clearly.

If you are in SD, or would like to know more about the nuts and bolts of the SD module of SAP. This book is recommended.

Enjoy it. ... Read more

Book Description

Market-defining since it was first introduced, International Business 5e by Charles W. L. Hill, continues to set the standard for international business textbooks. In writing the book, Charles Hill draws on his expertise in teaching, writing, and consulting to create the most thorough, up-to-date, and thought-provoking text on the market. Because many issues in international business are complex, the text explores the pros and cons of economic theories, government policies, business strategies, organizational structures, etc. Hill's: International Business goes beyond the often shallow explanations that other books offer, while maintaining a tight