Book Description

This comprehensive guide to the commercial production of ice creams and frozen desserts for retail or wholesale operations covers planning and starting up a business, marketing and merchandising, production and service. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Excellent book for ice cream professionals
Working as a dairy technician in a medium sized ice-cream-factory, I needed something to expand my knowledge on the subject. That's why I bought this book. And I was amazed: Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts: A Commercial Guide to Production and Marketing really met my expectations and did a lot more. It's well written, easily accessible and thorough. A must buy for both ice-cream-professionals and enthusiasts.

Excellent description of all phases
This book was *exactly* what I was looking for to help me get started in this business. A very broad overview of many different topics related to the ice cream business.

As my plans are to possibly open a parlor, some of the aspects of the commercial operations were not useful to me, but it *was* at least interesting to see how the big boys do it.

The one area that I was a little disappointed in was the business aspects of it. There were some general discussions of things to accomplish, without any real instruction in how to go about actually *accomplishing* them.

Overall, well worth the (rather steep, I admit...) price.

Very helpful in setting up a frozen desert establishment
This book contains invaluable information about making ice cream and gelato and about setting up and marketing the product. I was not disappointed and learned a lot.

Excellent Book very informative
As a professional in the industry for 11 years, this by far is the most intensive book I have had the pleasure to read. Not only to those who produce ice cream, but anyone interested in the industry as a profession will find this very informative and enlightening. This was obviously written by someone who has exstensive industry knowledge and truly wants others not to make the costly mistakes one often makes in a new endever. If I had read this 11 years ago I would have saved thousands of dollars and a whole lot of misdirected time.

The source for anyone entering the business of ice cream
This book gives the reader all the information needed to get into the business of making and selling ice cream. Along with the author's newsletters, ICE CREAM STORE NEWS and BATCH FREEZER NEWS, the reader will feel comfortable to move forward in this exciting business of ice cream. Contact the author at Mstogo@aol.com. for further information. ... Read more

Book Description

Emotional Branding Bonds Brands With Today's Savvy Consumers

A visionary approach to building powerful brand loyalty, this groundbreaking book shows marketers of any product or service how to engage today's increasingly cynical consumers on deeper emotional levels. Case histories from the author's high-profile client list analyze demographic and behavioral shifts in populations and retail distribution channels, then show how all five senses can be used as powerful marketing tools to respond to those trends. Chapters detail how to develop strong brand personalities, customize brand presence to different consumer groups, use brand strategies in packaging and display, and facilitate breakthrough strategies for the Web. Chapters detail how to:

* develop unforgettable brand personalities
* customize brand presence to different consumer segments
* incorporate brand strategies into product and retail architecture design
* facilitate interactive access to your products through the Internet.

Emotional Branding breaks new ground in proposing innovative ways to create powerful and effective branding programs for meeting the challenges and opportunities of the new emotion-based economy. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

How to Connect Brands to People
According to Gobe, "an Emotional Branding approach is quite simply the crucial defining element that separates success from indifference in the marketplace....[It] brings a new layer of credibility and personality to a brand by connecting powerfully with people on a personal and holistic level....Emotional Branding is more than a process or research technology; it is based on the connections between people that transcend charts and graphs. It is a culture and way of living; a fundamental belief that people are the real force in commerce and that business and the street cannot survive separately." I begin my review with this brief excerpt because, with these remarks, Gobe creates a frame of reference for his reader before providing information and insights which differentiate his book from any other on the same general subject.

After an Introduction ("Emotional Branding: Fuel for Success in the Twenty-first Century"), Gobe presents his material within four Sections and then provides a Conclusion in which he acknowledges that branding is not for everyone while asserting that branding is about cultural relevance and emotional connection, not hype. For those who are responsible for devising, launching, and then managing a successful, emotionalized brand, he suggests three "essential" ideas: 1. "Brands have life cycles. The future of a brand is defined by its relevance at any given time and by how well it can protect the values that made it great. 2. Brands are elected every day based on their emotional relevance with the public and its commitment to quality. 3. Real brands are about meaning and truth." Here are some of the questions to which Gobe responds:

1. How can a brand engage people on the level of their senses and emotions?

2. Which brands have done so most effectively? How?

3. What is the biggest misconception in branding strategies? Why?

4. What are "The Ten Commandments of Emotional Branding"?

5. Which values are unique to Baby Boomer (born 1946-64), Gen X (born 1965-76), and Gen Y (born 1977-94) consumers? So what?

6. Which values are unique to African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American, Gay, and Lesbian consumers? So what?

7. Why are Women "The New Shoppers in Chief"?

8. Why are sensorial experiences (i.e. sight, sound, touch, taste, feel, and smell) "the uncharted territory of branding"?

9. Which branding strategies based on sensorial experiences have proven most effective? Why?

10. What are the "Key Trends for the New Millennium"? Why?

These questions correctly suggest the scope and depth of Gobe's perspectives on emotional branding. Throughout the book, he cites and discusses examples of branding initiatives which either succeeded or failed. I am also grateful for the inclusion of highly innovative graphics which illustrate "thinking out of the box" while creating an advertising campaign. (See the Introduction to Section III.) Gobe concludes his book with this observation: "To get people interested in a long-term relationship, keep your ear to the ground and always be ready for any market changes. Change is good, but predicting change is better -- the answer is within people's hearts." In this remarkable book, Gobe does indeed offer a new paradigm for connecting brands to people.

Those who share my high regard for Emotional Branding are strongly urged to check out Levitt's The Marketing Imagination, Ries and Trout's Positioning (NOT the sequel, The New Positioning), Brands: The New Wealth Creators edited by Hart and Murphy, Schmitt's Experiential Marketing, and Pine and Gilmore's The Experience Economy. For those who wish to explore the subject in even greater depth, I highly recommend Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence and his more recently published Working with Emotional Intelligence.

How to Market to the Heart as Well as the Head
This is a great book. If you feel that people largely buy products and services for emotional reasons, and you want to learn more about branding strategies that address consumer emotions, this is for you. I would recommend you first read Lisa Fortini-Campbell's exceptional little book, "Hitting the Sweet Spot", then Chapters 3 and 10 (on "Brand Design" and "Advertising Strategy", by Bobby Calder, Steven Reagan and and Brian Sternthal respectively) in the new book by Dawn Iacobucci, "Kellog on Marketing" and then finish with "Emotional Branding". The Gobe book pulls everything together, yet maintains an unwavering, retriever-like focus on leveraging buyer emotions. Some of the new books like Hill and Rifkin's "Radical Marketing" stress the importance of buyer empathy and passion for the brand, but I have yet to read a book as good as "Emotional Branding" which tells the reader HOW TO DO all of these things.

Title is prime example of subject
Problems: there is a lot of useless commentary; Gobe pushes political correctness in advertising; he generalizes about Baby boomers, Generations X and Y; he often supplies only anecdotal evidence for his ideas. On the other hand, he seems sincerely interested in the subject, and there's some real insight underneath all the BS. About what you would expect from an Ad executive.

extraordinary new insight on marketing
I recommend this book to anyone wants to follow the new marketing trend of approaching consumers not in a rational way, but rather through an emotional connection that allows identification and enhtusiasm... taste, feel, smell, touch, hear: approaching the consumers using all the senses, allowing an holistic brand experience. A great book that stands out of the group, if you have to buy one book on emotional marketing, this is the one you cannot miss.

Good book, but 50% too long
This is a good book that explains the importance of creating an emotional connection with the consumer when designing a brand. It is however too long as the same (good) concept is repeated many times in different words. ... Read more

Book Description

What does it really take to succeed in business today? In A New Brand World, Scott Bedbury, who helped make Nike and Starbucks two of the most successful brands of recent years, explains this often mysterious process by setting out the principles that helped these companies become leaders in their respective industries. With illuminating anecdotes from his own in-the-trenches experiences and dozens of case studies of other winning-and failed-branding efforts (including Harley-Davidson, Guinness, The Gap, and Disney), Bedbury offers practical, battle-tested advice for keeping any business at the top of its game. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

BRANDING, FOR EXECUTIVES. READ IT FOR THE CASE STUDIES.
It is difficult to review a book that one has enjoyed reading and then say that it was not up to the mark (in terms, of course, of only my expectations.)

No doubt that Scott Bedbury's work is a fast paced read, his writing is lucid and quite frequently quotably light-hearted. There is a lot of material here for people in larger corporations or even general marketing folks. And where Bedbury truly shines is in the case studies he presents in the 8 chapters.

But if, like me, you set off on this book looking for some newfangled insights into the world of branding, then this is not the book for you. The title claims to proffer "8 principles". Let's face it, at the end of the day, principles are not that hard to create and this becomes quite painfully clear when you reach the end of this book and wonder if you have learnt anything new.

But I am being unfairly critical. From his style, it seems an approachable business book was precisely what Bedbury's intended?

As a comprehensive introduction to the field of branding, I'd still recommend "Strategic Brand Asset Management" by Keller. For a discussion of some innovative yet reasonable forms of brand creation, especially on a shoestring, I'd usually point to a PR related book, or perhaps the rapier wit "60-minutes Brand Strategist."

But as a gentle introduction for executives in to the nebulous world of branding, or as a non-technical business book for business folk in general who place less emphasis on a structured analytical framework and are more interested in a soft springboard into the field, then "Emotional Branding" and this book from Bedbury are pretty near the top of my list of recommendations.

Very accessible and insightful stuff, if you aren't expecting a summary of last decade's JCR.

Pure Genius Strikes Again
Scott Bedbury, the architect of building the Nike and Starbucks brands, invites us into the inner sanctum of building statement brands. For someone who loves both business biographies as well as strategy, I found this book as entertaining as I did informative and useful. It is no wonder to me why Scott was able to navigate two distinct brands to a lasting impression in America. As someone who is building my own brand (TotallySoccer), I found that Scott is right on: you must have the vision and the imagination as well as the ability to execute. A great and entertaining read.

Interesting information, but it gets old
This book was interesting and had some good information in it, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you want to read a book on Starbucks and Nike. I found myself dreading another story about how wonderful Starbucks or Nike are, and how great a manager the author was. It really starts to get old.

The principles are good, but you can read about most of them in any college marketing textbook.

Shows how brands are of financial importance to businesses.
There is no shortage of books on this subject and I've probably read three-quarters of them. This one comes closest to cracking the code. In fact, the author uses that exact word in describing how marketers must go about cracking a brand's genetic code.

While some may find the heavy reliance on Bedbury's experiences at Nike and Starbucks limiting, I think they're quite instructive. Mainly because while one of these brands, Nike, was created largely using traditional mass media, the other achieved its preeminence doing exactly the opposite.
In either case, Bedbury does a great job of defining what a brand is, why it is of such financial importance to a business, how to go about discovering its genetic code, and how to maximize a brand's value and ubiquity. And he does it in a very readable fashion. Definitely something anyone who places any stock in branding will want to read.

Microsoft Comments destroy his argument
Scott has some great experience to relate but while they are a small part of the book, his diatribes against Microsoft and its nascent branding efforts in 1994 undermine his arguments and make me question his credibility.

His bias is clear. Microsoft parted ways with Scott Bedbury's favorite ad agency, Weiden & Kennedy, with whom Scott spent untold millions of dollars -- perhaps hundreds of millions -- as a Nike exec, convincing urban American youth that his shoes built with child labor at poverty wages were worth hundreds of dollars.

Bedbury says that W&K "resigned" Microsoft but my understanding was that Microsoft didn't like W&K's work.. nor did the consumers watching it. Contrary to Bedbury's comments, Microsoft's campaigns were not watched over by clueless engineers but by a career Procter & Gamble man, Bob Herbold.

Bob and P&G are not fools when it comes to advertising, handing over cash to glitzy agencies and fawning over their results. He followed each campaign with rigorous testing. The W&K ads tested poorly with consumers and really looked cold and impersonal. As I recall, they looked a lot like... tiresome Nike ads. Perhaps W&K is a one-trick pony or maybe they're just more comfortable selling shoes.

Bedbury suggests that Microsoft is the laughing stock of the advertising world and "couldn't buy" good advertising if it wanted to.

Really? Visit the latest Interbrand brand rankings at BusinessWeek's site ( August 4 edition) to view the top 10 most valuable brands. Microsoft is #2 behind Coca Cola (and would have beaten Coke had it not been for antitrust issues eroding the brand value). Curiously, I don't see Nike or Scott's Starbucks anywhere on the top ten list. Nike is in the 30s, and Starbucks almost at the bottom of the top 100.

Clearly Microsoft has figured out how to build a brand without spending all their money on television advertising or employing small children. Perhaps that's threatening to ravenous advertising agencies and execs like Bedbury who spent so much of the shareholder's money on television advertising aimed at kids who have very little money to spend. ... Read more

Book Description

Make a killing on eBay and other online auction sites

With more than 50 million users in 27 countries, eBay allows even the busiest people to make money selling anything and everything. Written by one of the most listened-to experts on online auctioneering, How to Sell Anything on eBay . . . and Make a Fortune! is the consummate guide to becoming a successful online entrepreneur.

Using everyday language, it covers all the bases, from how to set up an account to sophisticated strategies for getting the highest bids and the happiest customers. Readers learn the best times of the week, month, and year to sell as well as how to:

• Phrase auction listings in enticing ways
• Choose the best categories and pick items that bring the best prices
• Push profits with sharper digital images
• Build credibility and positive feedback
• Set up a storefront website
• Deal with people who don't pay

Reviews (4)

Great Book!
I thought I knew everything about ebay, but I was wrong. I'm keeping this book as an ebay bible.

A waste of time
Let me sum it up for you and save you money
Buy low , sell high

If you are interested in e-bay, this book mis a must have!
I read this book cover to cover in 3 days. I picked it up and could not put it down.It takes you through the ins and outs of a very complex website. We are going to start selling Jewelry and Gems on the web site. When we tried yo make our way through the site by ourselves before we read the book we were lost and did not know what to do to present our goods in the best way possible to increase our chances of selling them for a fair price. The book will take you through the sign up process to how many pixels you need for the best pictures for the site. I highly recommend it. You will not regret buyig this book if you are serious about multiple items on e-bay. We also bought The Dummies Book for E-bay. While I read one book my husband read the other. After we finished the book we were reading we switched and read each others book. By doing this the two books support each other and we feel very well prepared to start showing our items on e-bay.

A Great Book For Ebayers
I have read several books on "ebaying" and this is my hands down favorite ... From start to finish, the author tells you everything you need to know about ebaying in a clear, straightforward way ... no wasted pages on the history and philosophy of ebaying ... just informed and solid information and advice. For those of us whose lives are jam-packed with demands and responsibilities, this book doesn't waste our time ... it just gets right down to it and tells you what you need to know and what you need to do. It also tells you what things are a waste of time! If you're an ebayer [or want to be!], it's a steady reference to keep by your computer!! ... Read more

Book Description

MARKETING: THE CORE, 1/e by Kerin, Hartley, and Rudelius continues the tradition of cutting-edge content and student-friendliness set by Marketing 7/e, but in a shorter, more concise package. The Core distills Marketing’s 22 chapters down to 18, leaving instructors just the content they need to cover the essentials of marketing in a single semester/quarter. Instructors using The Core also benefit from a full-sized supplements package that surpasses anything offered by the competition, while students will appreciate the easy-to-read paperback format that’s equally kind to both the eyes and the pocketbook. The Core is more than just a “baby Kerin”; it combines great writing, currency, and supplements into the ideal package for budget-conscious students and time-conscious professors. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fans of Geoffrey Moore's Crossing the Chasm and Inside the Tornado will certainly be attracted to The Chasm Companion, a step-by-step manual by longtime Moore associate Paul Wiefels that lays out specific ways to apply his popular tech-oriented business principles in our fast-changing world. But even those who never warmed to the earlier works--which proposed a pragmatic path for successfully navigating the ever-moving environment of "disruptive technologies that force changes in both strategy and behavior"--could find this book appealing. Designing The Chasm Companion as a hands-on field guide, Wiefels opens by explaining six "inflection points" in high-tech market development (the Early Market, the Chasm, the Bowling Alley, the Tornado, Main Street, Total Assimilation) that he and Moore insist everyone must carefully watch and properly react to as internal and external conditions evolve. He then outlines models and tools developed in the consulting practice he co-founded with Moore that enable individual corporations to carefully craft relevant strategies that they can align correctly with the appropriate market phases defined earlier. Finally, he presents initiatives (strategy validation, whole product management, marketing communications planning, and field engagement strategy) to help these firms actually implement their plans. Graphics and sidebars help Wiefels drive his points home clearly. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Extends beyond high tech
Wiefels get to the heart of high tech marketing. Nothing I have read has more insights or is more useful in the practical application of marketing constructs for high tech. Anybody in high tech, indeed in marketing of any sort, can benefit from these concepts.

THE guide for tech marketeers and managers
It's a very simple and clear framework to keep in mind, with VERY practical results in day-to-day activities of product management (specially for those, like me, come from "techies" backgrounds). It's reccommended to read the other 5 books of Chasm Group to fully understand the concepts, but to start using as product manager, this is THE guide.

Tough Marketing Decisions Made Easier
Paul Wiefels has given a gift to marketing and technology executives by doing an extraordinarily difficult thing: adding yet more value to some of the most valuable marketing strategy books ever written (Geoffrey Moore's). For both readers and non-readers of Moore's books (Crossing the Chasm, Inside the Tornado, and others), The Chasm Companion is an immensely useful how-to guide to successfully marketing technology products and services. It provides thoughtful and provocative connective tissue between Moore's books for those who are already Chasm devotees, but doesn't rely on the reader already having familiarity with Moore for this book to be completely understandable and immediately actionable. The author's intimate experience with difficult technology marketing decisions saturates each chapter with a pragmatic perspective often missing from consultant-authored books. The "field guide" format insures that theory consistently supports rather than trumps practice and execution. As a strategy consultant and former Fortune 100 marketing executive, I highly recommend reading The Chasm Companion before your competitors do.

For converts of The Technology Adoption Life cyle
I have been a keen student of the Chasm Group publications for a number of years and this book starts to bridge the gap between the theory of visionaries, tornados, gorillas etc and the application of the concepts in practice. The style is very readable and filled with good "common sense". I have already started using it in earnest ... Read more

Book Description

ROI (Return on Investment) is today's key business tool for measuring how effectively money was spent--yet few marketing managers receive any ROI training at all. Marketing ROIchanges all that, showing marketing pros at every level how to use ROI and other financial metrics to support their strategic decision making.

This comprehensive book details how an accurate working knowledge of ROI is essential for using the latest marketing measurements, and provides insights for gaining the greatest competitive advantage from the skilled use and understanding of ROI concepts.

Reviews (1)

Introducing Rigor to Marketing Spending
With Marketing ROI, Jim Lenskold has introduced a very useful level of financial rigor into what the typically imprecise process of targeting investments in marketing and then measuring their impact on company profits. Two key concepts introduced are how Marketing ROI is correctly calculated (many companies do it wrong), and more importantly, how the Marketing ROI informantion is used to manage marketing investments, looking at the incremental investment in marketing, and its incremental effect on sales and profitablity. Jim covers the subject from a big company perspective, focusing on multi-product, multi-customer segment environments, but the concepts in the book can also be applied to small companies concerned with spending marketing dollars most effectively.

This is a key text to be used along with the latest in customer relationship management techniques and customer information technology to manage the profitability of a company's demand chain. ... Read more

Book Description

Learn the business-building and personal-development secrets that will put you squarely on the path to network marketing success. 10 Weeks to Network Marketing Success is a powerful course that will grow your business with velocity and change your life!

With this course, YOU will:

• Learn exactly how to set up a powerful 10-week action plan that will propel your business growth.
• Learn how to prospect your most productive niche markets.
• Discover your most effective pathways to success.
• Learn how to persuasively influence your prospects by listening to contribute value.
• Build your business rapidly by making powerful requests.
• Discover the secret to acting from your commitments.
• Create a powerful life-changing structure for personal development.
• See the growth that comes from evaluating your progress on a regular basis.
• Learn how listening in a new and powerful way will skyrocket your business.
• Uncover the secret to accepting complete responsibility for your business.
• Learn how to transform problems into breakthroughs.
• Develop the charisma that allows you to instantly connect with others on a heart-to-heart level.
• Identify the secrets to stepping into leadership and being the source of your success.
• And much more!

4 CD's plus 37 page workbook included

To learn more about Dr. Rubino's best selling books and tapes his powerful personal or group coaching programs or to inquire about The Center for Personal Reinvention's life-changing courses

Call: (888) 821-3135
Email: DrJRubino@email.com
Write to: The Center for Personal Reinvention
PO Box 217
Boxford, MA 01921 ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Getting Started Right With Multi-Level Marketing.
Initially, I was excited about the material that I requested next day delivery!This material is certainly a great start or beginning for anyone new to MLM or wants to build a serious organization of like minded individuals.

MLM or Network Marketing will one day earn the respect that it deserves as more professional networkers multiply within the industry.Independence within the industry brings many without integrity giving the industry a bad name.

Folks, it is imperative to personalize your MLM business.Meaning do not rely solely upon the corporate replicated websites and other related materials to do the job for you.You must truly take an sincere interest in both the customers and your recruits.What will you personally do for them?

What kind of support will you personally provide for your recruits or prospects?Internet technology is great, but the personal relationships will always be what truly networking is all about.If the Internet technology was the only solution then the mlm companies would do all of the marketing themselves without the thousands of network marketers or distubors or independent reps, right?

Phil offers a great start for those interested in entering an exciting profession, thats right, "Profession"It will becomes the best profession one day as more professionals enter.I am just getting started and will become one of the greatest network marketers of all time because of my sincere desire to help others succeed and willingness to work hard!Work is not a dirty word especially when work is fun! (smile)

Worth every penny
I have paid hundreds of dollars to attend trainings and courses that were not nearly as good as this tape set. It comes with a great workbook to track your progress and develop the principles needed for success in MLM. I also love Dr. Rubino's book,"Secrets of Building a Million Dollar NWM Organization From a Guy Who's Been There Done That and Shows You How to Do It Too." Very thorough and enlightening.

A business and life-changing gift to networkers
10 Weeks to Network Marketing Success: The Secrets to Launching Your Very Own Million-Dollar Organization In a 10-Week Business-Building and Personal-Development Self-Study Course is a life-cahnging personal development course that will put any serious distributor on the path to success in network marketing. The set consists of 6 audio tapes with 10 insightful weekly topics to guide the user to implement those actions that will most dramatically support great, rapid success. The 37 page workbook allows for one to record answers to the transformational weekly exercises that the author (whose other books- The Power to Succeed: 30 Principles for Maximizing Your Personal Effectiveness, Book I,The Power to Succeed: More Principles for Powerful Living, Book II, Secrets of Building a Million Dollar Network Marketing Organization From A Guy Who's Been There Done That And Shows You How To Do It Too and The Magic Lantern: A Fable About Leadership, Personal Excellence and Empowerment are all excellent as well) provides to move your business forward. The best part of this series is that the participant will grow personally by the end of the 10 weeks just by implementing the exercises given. This course is well worth the investment. In fact, I believe it's easily worth 10 times the cost as it will launch anyone who follows the exercises into massive action and success. ... Read more

Book Description

From a leading expert on nonprofit marketing, the only marketing handbook a nonprofit manager will ever need

No matter what type of nonprofit service you provide and regardless of the size of your organization, you need marketing strategies and techniques to maximize your effectiveness. The right marketing campaign can help you get the word out to those who need your services most, woo donors, and expand your influence in the community. And now, Successful Marketing Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations shows you how.

Nonprofit marketing guru Barry J. McLeish shares everything he's learned during more than two decades managing and consulting nonprofits of every shape and size. Skipping all the arcane theory and the business school jargon, he gives you clear, step-by-step advice and guidance and all the tools you need to develop and implement a sophisticated marketing program tailored to your organization's needs and goals. With the help of dozens of anecdotes and real-life case studies, he shows you:

• Techniques for analyzing your market and developing a comprehensive marketing plan
• Marketing strategies that will support fund-raising, promote new services, and enhance your organization's reputation and visibility
• Methods for developing a marketing program that reaches both the consumers of your service and the donors who support your organization
• Examples of how nonprofits across North America have used the strategies described in this book to grow bigger and better than ever

Are you about to launch a new marketing program? Do you need to breathe new life into your existing marketing department? In either case, Successful Marketing Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations gives you the tools, the know-how, and the confidence you need to succeed. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not For Everyday Reading, But Your Bookshelf Better Have One
As part of my enriching my knowledge of managing non-profits, I have just finished this book. Not a very exciting read from the entertainment standpoint, but the content, there's the rub. There is so much to absorb from this book, it's exciting to be exposed to all the information. Thus, the need to keep reading it (and the 5 stars).

There will. be no hints to the specific content of this book, you'll get to be surprised when you read it. Contained in this book though are a variety of Marketing Strategies for the non-profit department manager. The Chief Executive should also read this book and be enlightened to the challenges that face a Marketing Department. There are many lessons for all non-profit managers here, and the fact that everyone needs to be a Marketer may be the most important.

The writing style is short, but direct. No florid language, but smooth direction with vital information in each and every paragraph. there are many examples of charts and study questions, facts and figures. It's not the ultimate how-to book on how to run a marketing campaign, but damn near. The materials are thought provoking and clear, challenging and easy to comprehend. When I finished, I felt like I had learnt a lot, and I'm ready to go out a prove it!!

If marketing is somehow in your future, then make this book a #1 of #2 (with the Kotler book) purchase. Read and absorb, or refer to occasionally. Just remember, you better have had exposure to it, because your competitor might have. ... Read more

Book Description

Idea Index kick-started a revolution in graphic design books, unique in size, feel--and most important--wealth of ideas.Layout Index is the next step, a compendium of layout idea-generators that will help designers explore multiple possibilities for visual treatments each time they turn the page. The visual and textual suggestions are divided into eight major areas, including newsletters, flyers, posters, brochures, advertising, stationery, page layout, and Web pages.

Each of these examples are designed to inspire effective solutions in the viewer's mind, rather than simply give specific answers to design problems. The tone and temperament of the design problems, as well as their solutions, vary from traditional to cutting-edge, from corporate to crazy. Designers will learn to solve their design problems, produce fantastic work and become better, more creative thinkers.

* Both creativity books and layout books are extremely popular
* As proven by Idea Index, the format of this book is a proven winner with designers ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Amazing book
Like other reviewers of this book, I am a professional designer. This book is one of the most helpful tools I have ever found. With all due respect, I would like to emphatically disagree with the comments of some other reviewers--I beleive that it is very easy to misunderstand a book like this. The author mentions in the intro (I'm paraphrasing) that this is NOT a book a answers, it's a book of suggestions. A person might think that some of the layouts are unfinished, or plain (not always the case--some layouts are finished and beautiful); I think that this is because a significant effort has been made to avoid presenting layout ideas that leave no room to build. The essentials of good design are never dated. If you are able to look at this book as a treasure chest of ideas, rather than a showcase of someone else's finished work, you will find endless fuel for your own work. As for the size: i LOVE the small format and the plastic cover!! It sits unobrusively on my desk at all times--easy to grab at a moment's notice. This is an amazing book, not like any other in concept, content or form.

What a disappointment!
I love Idea Index. You can flip to any random page and get some creative solutions that hadn't occurred to you. Layout Index, however, is not nearly as useful, innovative or even interesting, unless vintage 1994 design is your idea of "cutting edge". I think the author had these ideas sitting in his desk drawer a little too long.

Unlike Idea Index, which is a hodgepodge of design ideas that are far from finished, Layout Index walks the reader through some solutions. Instead of ideas, you get second-rate finished pieces that won't spark your own ideas. The beauty of the nonlinear index is lost.

I guess this book might be useful for those who need help with their church newsletter or flyers for the kids' birthday party. Will professionals get any use out of this? Nope. I'll give it two stars just because it might come in handy for the soccer moms.

I hate to dog the book... his first one was so good, but I guess that's why this one is such a dud. My expectations were not met.

A simple, helpful guide
Design inspired by this little book leans towards clean & well ordered displays of information. This book provides basics of page building & information distribution.
Beginners will like this book, however, those looking for more complex layout ideas should either work on the existing ideas taking them to the next levels, or peruse other books.

Good Series, Weakest of the Set
This is part of a three book set, which is a great addition to any design library. Unfortunately, this is the weakest of the set - there are a few tidbits, but nothing much. If you buy the other two (Color Index & Idea Index) you will be set. This one I don't recommend to often.

Horrendous!
I have been slowly building my Design Library, and this book made me laugh right out loud! Just by looking at the sample page excerpts offered, one can tell that this book is a total waste of money to anyone with a fine arts-based design degree. But, if you do not have any idea about design, and enjoy cookie-cutter, bland, out-dated design, or if you don't need much to inspire you, then this book would probably be just fine for your library. ... Read more

Book Description

This proven, consistent text provides thorough treatment of e-commerce, emerging markets, new technologies and hot marketing trends. All concepts and topics are discussed with the goal of helping the reader adapt to, and strategically plan for, changes in the marketing environment.This edition retains trademark early coverage of strategy and an overall strategic focus, with increased emphasis on critical thinking skills in marketing, global and relationship marketing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

updated to include the internet
This book is little changed since edition 5.There were some minorupdates to case example to correct "dated" material.There arenow references to internet marketing and drug marketing.This book is notworth the addtional cost over edition 5.The CDROM is a nice touch forthose who like a multimedia experience. ... Read more

Book Description

In this path-breaking new book, best-selling author and leading go-to-market strategist Larry Friedman provides a practical and battle-tested approach for taking products, services, divisions, or even an entire company to market!

Drawing on dozens of examples and best-practices across a variety of industries, 'Go To Market Strategy' lays out a clear and actionable blueprint for building a winning go-to-market plan - one that will enable you to do more business, with more customers, more often, and more profitably.

In this book you'll find all of the techniques and tools you need to answer today's crucial go-to-market questions:

ú Which markets offer the best opportunities for profitable growth?

ú What do my target customers need?How can I do a lot more business with them?

ú What mix of channels and partners will help me reach and sell to the most customers at the lowest possible cost?

ú Do I have the right product or solution?How can I create broader customer interest in my offerings?

ú Do I have a winning value proposition?What would make the 'message' more compelling - and drive more purchasing activity?

'Go To Market Strategy' is not about incremental change. As Friedman points out, it is for executives seeking nothing less than double-digit revenue growth and the slashing of at least 10-15 percent of selling costs - absolutely realistic results that go-to-market innovators have consistently achieved. This book lays out all of the techniques used by the world's top go-to-market leaders, so you too can achieve those kinds of results, and gain a real go-to-market competitive advantage in your markets.

New thinking from the author of 'The Channel Advantage'Offers ready made go-to-market strategic planning for any organizationPractical advice and a revolutionary strategic approach to creating and retaining customers using new technologies and new channel mixes for faster, more efficient routes to market. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Well done!
Good luck finding a better book on how to pick your markets and successfully capture and serve customers, because you probably won't. This is the definitive text, EASILY one of the five or ten top marketing or general strategy books of the last ten years. The chapter on market selection has no equal in helping you understand the EXACT process to use to identify and evaluate different market segments. The chapters on channels and channel integration are the first clear explanation I've seen on the whole topic. It's just a great, great book - buy it.

The "Bible" Of Channel Strategy???????
My boss (the vice president of marketing, for a Fortune 200 media company) handed me this book and said: Read this; it is the bible of channel strategy. I noticed one of the other reviewers here also called it the Bible. Well, there is only one Bible, so let's not overdo it, people! Please! The book is impressive so far, though. I have read five chapters of nine as of this review. Go To Market Strategy's best characteristic is that it is very well written and articulate, and also, that it has a huge amount of information and new ideas for product marketing and management. There are many strategies and practical tools that my team can use immediately to improve the launch of new media services into key market segments. I do have a criticism, and that is that I do not think the author sufficiently considers the role of pricing strategy as part of a go to market strategy. For a marketing book said to be of biblical proportions, I would have expected to see more on pricing; while not completely absent, I would have to say that pricing is not the author's favorite topic. Also, some more treatment of international partnering and the global aspects of product launches would have been helpful, since most new product initiatives involve a heavy dose of int'l partnering issues. Aside from those concerns, Go To Market Strategy does live up to its reputation for being the best book in its field and the one that everybody seems to be reading. Friedman is influential as a marketing and channels theorist and practitioner, and it is clear why when reading this book. If you buy it, read the footnotes, because half of them are like little "time-outs" with amusing observations. Recommended.

can't go wrong
Attended the author's strategy workshop in NYC in December, got a freebie copy of the book...can't argue with that! Best biz book of last 3-4 years, hands down...the "Bible" of go to market. 360 degree view of market / channel / sales / partnering strategy. Shows how all pieces of puzzle fit together. Really, really, really, really like the chapters on partnering, channel integration. A+++

very helpful
This very helpful book is by author L. Friedman, whose book The Channel Advantage from 1998 or 1999 is still appreciated for its comprehensive look at channel programmes and management. This new book is broader in theme and less focused on channels as it is on general strategy issues one must confront successfully to take a product or service to the market place. As with The Channel Advantage, few business practitioners or students will be disappointed and many will appreciate the inclusion of important new ideas and concepts for managing channels and developing a comprehensive go to market programme. I found it very worthwhile reading.

Great marketing book
This is a great marketing book. No hype and no b.s., just a lot of sound, practical ideas for connecting better with your customers and doing more business with them. The theoretical ideas are very well supported by practical advice and what must be 25 or 30 useful cases examples from Corporate America (and Europe - some Asian examples would have been nice too). I thought the chapters on choosing markets and aligning with customers were especially well written and useful. I also thought the part on value propositions was eye opening and likely to lead more than a few executives to rethink whether they really have a winning message. For a marketing book, you always have to wonder whether it's serious or if it's just a bunch of stupid McKinsey 2x2 matrices. This book is one of the rare ones that trades in all those tired "cash cow" pedantics for practical, sales-oriented advice. So I give this book a solid 5 stars because I don't know what more you could want from a marketing book. Finally, the two chapters on channels are detailed, complete, well written, and full of important post dot-bomb ideas for building a new channel strategy. These two chapters alone would be well worth the cost of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Marketing to Women shows why the women's market is the fastest track to strong business results in today's extraordinarily competitive environment, and an increasingly important and powerful market segment which companies cannot afford to ignore.

According to marketing authority Martha Barletta, companies that fail to recognize the power of the woman buyer are leaving money on the table.In her book, Marketing to Women: How to Understand, Reach, and Increase Your Share of the Largest Market Segment, marketing expert Martha Barletta presents a compelling business case for why marketing professionals, men and women alike, should allocate real dollars and undivided attention to the largest untapped market in the world: women.She then explains why and how women reach different brand purchase decisions than men, and provides a detailed field guide for creating and executing a complete marketing plan that targets women. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Insightful!
As a consumer group, women represent an enormous opportunity, but chances are your company is missing out on them. Author Martha Barletta says most marketers fail to capitalize on this lucrative market. They don't realize its potential or understand fundamental gender differences. As a result, their marketing fails to communicate with women, let alone persuade them. Barletta, a consultant specializing in marketing to women consumers, offers a book heavy on theory and long on detail. Except for a few examples of how ads are executed, the book lacks case studies that would bring these theories to life. Still, Barletta provides good advice on practical applications of these ideas about gender culture. She sheds light on the myths and realities of marketing to women, and provides essays by female experts in the field. What a pity that it all reads like a textbook. Given that, we target this rather educational tome as more appropriate for people who study marketing than for people who do marketing, although thoughtful marketers might still want to take a look

Insightful!
As a consumer group, women represent an enormous opportunity, but chances are your company is missing out on them. Author Martha Barletta says most marketers fail to capitalize on this lucrative market. They don't realize its potential or understand fundamental gender differences. As a result, their marketing fails to communicate with women, let alone persuade them. Barletta, a consultant specializing in marketing to women consumers, offers a book heavy on theory and long on detail. Except for a few examples of how ads are executed, the book lacks case studies that would bring these theories to life. Still, Barletta provides good advice on practical applications of these ideas about gender culture. She sheds light on the myths and realities of marketing to women, and provides essays by female experts in the field. What a pity that it all reads like a textbook. Given that, we from getAbstract target this rather educational tome as more appropriate for people who study marketing than for people who do marketing, although thoughtful marketers might still want to take a look.

How to Succeed in the World's Largest Market Segment
In this uniquely informative volume, Barletta answers three separate but related questions: What makes women a worthwhile market? Why market differently to women? and How do we get beyond gender generalities to actionable tactics? In her Introduction, she lists "Eight Myths of Marketing to Women" which, during the course of her book's narrative, she convincingly repudiates. For example, #5: With women, marketing is all about relationships. "While it's true that women put more emphasis on relationships -- personal and corporate -- than men do, their purchase decisions and response to communications are affected by far more than 'relationships.' From word meaning to word-of-mouth referrals, product priorities to Internet usage patterns, women differ from men in many, many marketing dimensions. And, to overlook their complexities would be to undermine the effectiveness of your company's programs." According to Barletta, there are four components of the women's market: earning power ("What's in her wallet?"), high-net worth women ("the ultimate asset-holders"), consumer spending power (the "household chief purchasing officer"), and women in business ("controlling the company checkbook").

A majority of consumers in the U.S. are women. Research indicates that online spending will increase 26% this year to $96 billion. Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the economy and women influence 95% and make 85% of all consumer buying decisions; moreover, the majority of corporate purchasing agents and managers are women. Female entrepreneurs account for 70% of new business start-ups. If you are still unconvinced of the upside potential of marketing to women, consider these facts:

• Between 1970 and 1990, the number of women living alone doubled from 7.3 million to 15.3 million and this pattern has continued.

• At least 55% of those online each day are women.

• By the year 2010, women will control 60% of wealth in the U.S.

• College students were responsible for $210 billion in sales in 2002 and 58% of them were female.

• Women purchase more than 50% of the cars and own more than 46% of the homes in the U.S.

• More than half of all business travelers are women.

In Part II of her book, Barletta introduces and then explains what she calls the GenderTrends™Marketing Model, a systematic and simple tool to help her readers understand, reach, and increase their share of the world's largest market -- women. The model is designed to achieve three objectives:

1. "Structure the complexities of the gender differences into an organized view of female [in italics] gender culture."

2. "Show you how gender culture interacts with each of the 12 [in italics] marketing elements [end italics] in the marketing mix."

3. "Apply the resulting insights to the four stages of the consumer's [in italics] purchase path." FYI, the four are activation through market entry, nomination of purchase options to consider, investigation and decision with regard to nominees, and finally, succession (i.e. repeat business and, hopefully, evangelistic loyalty).

Few books fully deliver on the promises stated or implied in their subtitle. Barletta's book is the commendable exception. She offers a wealth of information and an abundance of wisdom which will help decision-makers in literally any organization (regardless of size or nature) to understand, reach, and increase their share of "the world's largest market segment." This book provides just about everything you need to do precisely that. What are you waiting for?

Good information but it could be more professional.
First off, I'm a guy. I found this book had a lot of information that I never knew before. I asked a few women I knew and was suprised that their responses were identical to the information in the book. For example what they liked to see in advertisements and what they said their aspirations were, were identical to what was said in the book. Some of it made no sense to me but it made perfect sense to the women I asked.

I have to say I'm disappointed with the minor male bashing in the book. Some of her male point of views are a bit extreme, for example: "Men, on the other hand, are more likely to hold the view that people are important, but no more important or interesting than current events or new ideas in computer animation, or something more material like cars or cameras." I value my relationships and found this a bit extreme. Do all women think this?

I took off one star for her point of view on men, but other than that this is a good book. If you are marketing to women, this book will give you insight on the subject.

The Sweetest Spot of the Sweet Spot
As a marketer and author of several books it usually surprises people when I tell them I've read perhaps three marketing books in my life cover-to-cover. Marketing books tend to peter out after the first two or three chapters, putting their authors in the position of having to pump a lot of air into their pages to get enough literary bulk to justify cranking up the printing presses.

Marti Barletta's "Marketing to Women" is the fourth marketing book I've read cover-to-cover. Keeping in mind that women account directly and indirectly for an estimated 80% of buying in the consumer economy, "marketing to Women" is a proverbial "must read" for everyone in marketing. Barletta's marketing wisdom, spiced here and there with a dash of puckerish humor, if not enough to turn a person into a marketer of wizardly proportions, is surely enough to at the very least double a marketer's effectiveness.

Barletta claims that "Marketing to Women" is the first book ever that deals with the "nuts and bolts" of marketing to women. She's probably right, and if so, that claim suggests how much out of tune most marketing is with reality.

No serious reader of this remarkable, far-reaching though accessible book, will come to the last period of the last sentence of its last chapter without knowing a great deal more about themselves as well as how to more effectively market to the biggest market on the planet -- women! Barletta explores seminal differences between men and women that everyone, marketer or not, would do well to understand for personal as well as for professional reasons. For instance, what does it mean in terms of differences in shopping and buying behavior that when men win in a game, their testosterone levels increase, but women's testosterone levels increase whether or not they win if they played a good game? It means a great deal, and "Marketing to Women" tells you why. Clue: It has to do with customary - and crucial - differences between men and women in relationship nurturing and management.

Anyone in marketing who does not know that adults over 40 have become the New Customer Majority are about as prepared for today's marketplace realities as a wheelwright applying for a job at General Motors. People aged 40 and older constitute the only high-growth consumer population. The sweet spot of this population is, of course, boomers, but the sweetest spot of all is boomer women. If you don't know how these women think, feel, shop and buy, you can only play a pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey kind of marketing that relies on trial-and-error speculative approaches.

Barletta draws on new discoveries in brain science and human genome studies to retire the controversial idea that was most in vogue during the 1960s and 70s that held that aside from reproductive systems, no essential differences exist between males and females. Au contraire; the differences are immense and this shows up decisively in shopping and buying behavior. Yet, aside from personal and household products, and despite women accounting for 80% or so of consumer purchases, differences between males and females are widely ignored by marketers. In fact, as Barletta aptly shows, marketing reflects a clear-cut bias against the feminine values that characterize most of what happens in the consumer marketplace. Go figure. No -- read Marti Barletta's book. ... Read more

Book Description

The guru of the Guerrilla Marketing series, with over a million copies in print, teaches entrepreneurs how to market aggressively without spending one cent.

Levinson, the authority on big-business marketing on a small-business budget, takes this concept one step further by offering scores of marketing ideas that are completely free. He proves that aggressive marketing doesn't have to be expensive if you use creative and unconventional means.

* Hold a giveaway contest. You'll attract customers and acquire names for your mailing list.

* Give free talks, consultations, and demonstrations. You'll establish yourself as an expert and publicize your business at the same time.

* Post on websites, bulletin boards, and other online communities. They offer countless opportunities for spreading your business message.

* Feed your clients. Sending cookies or offering free refreshments in your store can set you apart from the competition.

Levinson offers dozens of other tips -- some straightforward, many surprising -- in a unique, indispensable guide that proves you don't have to pay top dollar to improve your bottom line. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A must have for the savvy marketer
All books from Jay are concise and precise and this one gives the reader a wealth of precious information.

I was a complete marketing failure until I read Jay's books on marketing and learned about all of his unconventional weapons & strategies. By far the most powerful marketing information ever revealed. A definite must have for any serious marketer!

Dan Hamilton,
Certified Guerrilla Marketer, proudly affiliated with Jay Conrad Levinson's Guerrilla Marketing Association

http://metamorphosis.0catch.com

A must have for any serious marketer
All books from Jay are concise and precise and this one is a good introduction to the concept of "Guerrilla Marketing".

I was a complete marketing failure until I read Jay's books on marketing and learned about all of his unconventional weapons & strategies. By far the most powerful marketing information ever revealed. A definite must have for any serious marketer!

Dan Hamilton,
Certified Guerrilla Marketer, proudly affiliated with Jay Conrad Levinson's Guerrilla Marketing Association
http://metamorphosis.0catch.com

Jay keeps getting better and better
Guerrilla Marketing for FREE shows why a handful of marketing authors enjoy a disportionate lead over all the others. For over twenty-five years, Jay Conrad Levinson's Guerrilla Marketing books have debunked "high-cost creativity" and described how profit-generating marketing doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Time after time, Jay's books have broken sales records, and he's help his readers break their own profit records.

Guerrilla Marketing for FREE is Jay at his best, encouraging, motivating and concisely synthesizing porofit-generating concepts into easy, actionable steps that any business owner can immediately put to work increasing their profits.

Like Jay's earlier books, Guerrilla Marketing for FREE replaces theory with specific steps and techniques which create maximum results from minimum effort.

Nobody else could write this book as well as Jay, but anyone with a business or a cause to promote can effectively profit from this book. ... Read more

Book Description

The primary objective of Essentials of Services Marketing: Concepts, Strategies Cases, 2e is to provide materials that not only introduce the student to the field of services marketing, but also acquaint the student with specific customer service issues. The business world now demands, in addition to traditional business knowledge, increasing employee competence in customer satisfaction, service quality, and customer service - skills that are essential in sustaining the existing customer base. ... Read more

Book Description

Internationally acclaimed fundraising consultant Ken Burnett has completely revised and updated his classic book Relationship Fundraising to offer fundraising professionals an invaluable resource for learning the techniques of effective communication with donors in the twenty-first century. Filled with illustrative case histories, donor profiles, and more than two hundred action points, this groundbreaking book shows fundraisers how to

• Implement creative approaches to relationship-building fundraising
• Avoid common fundraising errors and pitfalls
• Apply the vital ingredients for fundraising success
• Build good relationships through marketing
• Achieve a greater understanding of their donors
• Communicate effectively with donors?using direct mail, the press, television, the telephone, face-to-face contact, and more.
• Prepare for the challenges of twenty-first century fundraising

Reviews (1)

Brilliant!
Ken Burnett is one of the world's great, and most respected, fundraisers, and this is one of the most important fundraising books you'll ever read. Relationship Fundraiisng is on every top 10 list I've ever seen. And it deserves to be. Most non-profits do not treat their donors well, and therefore raise less income than they could. When you follow Ken's advice you will raise more money for your mission. I know Ken personally and while I've raised many tens of millions for non-profits, and have been fundraising for 25 years, every time I hear Ken speak, or read his books and articles, I learn something new. ... Read more

Book Description

Sales legend Bill Cates uses his experience and expert knowledge to show sales professionals how to work smarter (not harder) by employing "The Four Cornerstones of Referrals" --relationship building and customer service, creating referral alliances and networks, prospecting, and targeting niche markets. Using Cates's easy-to-master referral-based selling techniques, readers:

• Work less and earn more by getting existing customers to work for them generating high-quality referrals
• Turn every business contact into a relationship and every relationship into a sales success story

Reviews (8)

Thumbs up!
"Get More Referrals Now" offers practical techniques on how to meet qualified prospects. It has had a measurable impact helping us identify new business relationships and increase revenue. I highly recommend this book.

Buy this book now!
This straightforward and down-to-earth book provided me with the strategic advice I needed on how to change the way I do business, and it's made all the difference in generating quality leads that produce faster and easier sales. There's no mumbo-jumbo; just great ideas you can put to use right away.

Every chapter has real-life examples of Bill's concepts in action, and there's absolutely no doubt in my mind anyone looking to grow their business should read this book. With the results I've gotten I consider Bill a silent partner in my business, and I constantly refer back to this book when I have a problem to solve or need a new idea.

Buy this book now!

Your #1 Marketing Strategy
Almost everyone in business will acknowledge that the best way to gain new business is through referrals. Bill explains in easy-to-understand terms exactly how to transform your existing customers and clients into your business advocates. Most importantly, Bill shows us how to accomplish this without fear and in a manner that actually strengthens your customer relationships. This book is not just for sales people either, anyone in the organization that interacts with your customers should read this book.