Book Description
Winning by not competing: a fresh approach to strategy Since the dawn of the industrial age, companies have engaged in head-to-head competition in search of sustained, profitable growth. They have fought for competitive advantage, battled over market share, and struggled for differentiation. Yet these hallmarks of competitive strategy are not the way to create profitable growth in the future. In a book that challenges everything you thought you knew about the requirements for strategic success, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne argue that cutthroat competition results in nothing but a bloody red ocean of rivals fighting over a shrinking profit pool. Based on a study of 150 strategic moves spanning more than a hundred years and thirty industries, the authors argue that lasting success comes not from battling competitors, but from creating “blue oceans”: untapped new market spaces ripe for growth. Such strategic moves—which the authors call “value innovation”—create powerful leaps in value that often render rivals obsolete for more than a decade. Blue Ocean Strategy presents a systematic approach to making the competition irrelevant and outlines principles and tools any company can use to create and capture blue oceans. A landmark work that upends traditional thinking about strategy, this book charts a bold new path to winning the future.
Customer Reviews:
Question the status quo.......2007-09-25
The book forced me to rethink the way I normally would look at business developments for my companies: either value based or feature based. The idea of a creating new space in a crowded market and making a leap in growth through the blue ocean strategy stirred up my thinking juices. Personally, I don't like how to books with "three simple steps" This book was great; a must read.
Good Book.......2007-09-24
1. This is NOT a marketing book
2. There is no such thing as a fail safe strategy
3. This is a tool and is only as good as the user
4. Applicable in different situations
5. Good companion to Competitive Strategy written in the 80's by Mike Porter which is THE industry book
6. The book is NOT a pioneer and is NOT proported to be. It is a study in those companies who seemed to have created new markets such as Cirque De Soleil. The authors did NOT set out to create a new "theory" and then retroactively "fit" companies but rather study an emerging pheonom. and try to locate patterns.
I think that pretty much covers all the gripes of the previous entries. I first came across this book in a competitive strategy class in a business organizational change degree. It is an excellent text and gives another viewpoint to the old study of competitive strategy. I have used the strategy canvas tool located in chapter two AS A TOOL to assist me in both departmental and industry situations to locate existing patterns of competition.
Worth the money.
But then, I am just a "mere" academic (albeit with many years of industry experience) so if you truly do not like the book I suggest returning it. :)
What is your greatest challenge?.......2007-09-13
The greatest struggle for most business people is to come up with a truly original and valuable idea. Close behind that is how to get employees to work together. This book makes me want to cry, because it actually, simply, lays out how to do both. Beautiful.
Academics rarely demonstrate how to do it!.......2007-09-11
I bought this book. Their identifications are valid enough. Great companies have always created uncontested market space while making their competitors irrelevant. This is not in dispute. However...
The authors Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne are just mere academics. And what is annoying is that they haven't battle tested their Blue Ocean model from hard knocks in the trenches business wars to find out what works and what doesn't for themselves! Again, this is what I find annoying with academics. They say a lot but never prove it themselves! Remember Merton & Scholes and LTCM?
For an example...in the book, the authors have an interesting strategic canvass graph approach that supposes to prove how Blue Ocean events come about. That's fine, but how do you prove it? Moreover, the 'values' are different for each company, so there is nothing consistent to glean from this.
What I'd like to have seen is a Dash Board type matrix template that allows any company or budding entrepreneur to carry out Blue Ocean due diligence on any industry or market niches...proofing these Blue Ocean catchments from a zero learning curve application! The book does have important points but lacks the cutting edge tools to unify Blue Ocean diligence and proofs for any company!
Thus, what this book lacks is a more honed processing of enquiry from the authors. And I suspect this to be the case because like many academics they haven't proven the unifying dynamics that goes into capturing Blue Ocean strategies for themselves with businesses they have built through their own mindset!
Again, this book is a case of 'do what I say, because I don't have to prove what I say'.
There are great industry shapers out there who can shift and move whole industries and markets in their favour...but the authors of this book are not one of them.
However, there are great positives the authors have identified. The book contains a very interesting 'Strategic Grid' technique. From this simple grid technique any one can mentally survey how to change one's industry or market from a macro-vantage point. But shifting and moving your new found Blue Ocean grid at a tactical level to rule your competition making them irrelevant is another matter entirely. The chapters that explain this grid are worth the book, but don't expect any thing else.
What you really want is a knowledge base that allows you to dig out Blue Ocean criteria from a template of enquiring tools STACKED PROCESS BY PROCESS UNTIL YOU PROOF YOUR OWN BLUE OCEAN POWER. This book fails on this!
I would suggest that any one buying this book should read 'Blue Print to a Billion by David Thomson to understand how real Blue Ocean executions are carried out correctly. In addition, Chet Holmes' Ultimate Sales Machine' gets you to understand how to carry out big frame strategies at the tactical level.
Both these books will plug the holes lacking with Kim & Mauborgne's work.
Blue Ocean Strategy.......2007-09-10
I like the non text book clear presentation. You do not have to have an MBA to enjoy and learn from this book.
Book Description
New Products Management, 8/e, by Crawford and Di Bennedetto provides future new product managers, project managers and team leaders with a comprehensive overview of the new product development process including how to develop an effective development strategy, manage cross-functional teams across the organization, generate and evaluate concepts, manage the technical development of a product, develop the marketing plan, and manage the financial aspects of a project.
Customer Reviews:
Careful, this is the review guide not the text book.......2007-03-08
The review guide is okay. I couldn't tell from the listings that this was not the text book I needed but rather the review guide.
For daily needs.......2007-01-05
I manage a large portfolio and it is imperative that new products are properly launched. With this book I actualy have my responsibilities very nicely overviewed right in front of me.
It precisely describes the process, through which a new offering should be taken.
Great buy!
New Products Management.......2006-08-15
Let's face it, texts are not becoming any cheaper. While not escalating like tuitions, they are more than they used to be 20 years ago, inflation included. For that increased amount, the text better be damn good and chuck full of material to get the new student on the right path, and the professor on course with the latest material.
So does this book fit the bill? Yes and no. A lot of this is rehashed material from what I can see pertaining to methodology, but there is a strikingly large amount of mention to recent products. This may be because the book was originally written in 1983, with seven updates including the '06 version.
I am not an educator so will leave this one to the professionals to decide if the newer text warrants the wrath of the students for a new edition or not.
For educators and students and product managers who used to be engineers (there are more than you think out there).
Note: why do textbooks look like text books? The design is very 80's.
Quite useless.......2005-04-23
Many points/ideas are common sense.
Many points/ideas are repeated in multiple chapters.
It just uses too many words on simple topics.
This 550-page book can be easily rewritten in less than 100 pages.
A Good Overview of The New Products Process.......2001-01-30
The book is organized into five parts:
Part I - Overview and Opportunity Identification/Selection; includes an introductory section and The New Products Process, and Opportunity Identification and Selection.
Part II - Concept Generation; includes sections on Preparation and Alternatives, Problem-Based Ideation, Analytical Attribute Approaches.
Part III - Concept/Project Evaluation; includes sections on The Concept Evaluation System, Concept Testing, Full Screen, Sales Forecasting and Financial Analysis and Product Protocol.
Part IV - Development; includes sections on Design, Development Team Management, Special Issues in Development and Product Use Testing.
Part V - Launch; includes sections on Strategic Launch Planning, Implementation of the Strategic Plan, Market Testing, Launch Management and Public Policy Issues.
The book is a thorough overview of the product planning process, and a very useful validation for someone who had already been involved in product planning. The book could have been enriched considerably by the use of more case studies and examples. The Applications section at the end of each chapter was meant to be a method of reflecting upon and putting into practice some of the ideas learned in the chapter; but the questions were oddly written and there was no "answer key" or discussion of those questions, so I didn't find that section useful at all.
Book Description
Now anyone can be an online millionaire! These days it's easier, cheaper, and safer than ever to start an Internet business using readily available technology and turnkey opportunities. In this strategy-packed guide, Scott Fox reveals the powerful but simple methods he and thousands of others have used to strike it rich on the Net. Exclusive interviews with "mom and pop" entrepreneurs prove how easy it is to get started and build a million-dollar enterprise. Readers get:
* a guide to e-business opportunities, including "instant e-businesses" that require no start-up capital * strategies for making money from home and turning hobbies into businesses * marketing and product tips * legal and financial advice * a list of recommended vendors * years of expertise and experience in one easy-to-use book
Internet Riches also features an action plan for brainstorming new business ideas, and exercises to help readers determine the best moves for their particular situations. Filled with practical pointers and inspiring interviews, it's the most powerful book ever on starting and enjoying a million-dollar online business!
Customer Reviews:
Just what I needed.......2007-09-21
Practical advises and ways to make it on the cyber commerce.
Dr. Israel King, Ph D, Author of How To Keep A Man
book millionair.......2007-09-12
brillant brillant i thought colgate was good but this author leaves a smile on my dial
The only book you need!.......2007-09-10
This book teaches that even if you are not the next Amazon, ebay, or Google, you can still make a million on the internet. You just need to find a niche that is underserved.
I purchased "Starting an Online Business for Dummies" and the reviews were mixed. In someone's reviews, they mentioned this book and said it was much better. They suggested buying this book instead of the Dummies book. I took the advice, and am glad I did!
The book is great because it helps you understand that you don't need to be a billion dollar business to start with. Even small, underserved niche markets can earn a million.
I highly recommend this book if you are considering an ebusiness. It is well worth the money. I have been talking about this book to many people who have asked to borrow the book. I keep telling them to pick up their own copy because I am still using it as a reference! It is a great book!
Good Starter.......2007-09-10
This should be the first book you pick up on your way to an internet millionairehood.
Kishore Dharmarajan
Author of EIGHTSTORM: 8-Step Brainstorming for Innovative Managers
Do no give your money to this Author.......2007-09-08
If you already know what a "blog" is and you're fully proficient in searching the internet with google or yahoo, you're probably too sophisticated for this book. Fox's target are people with very little education (He introduces us at one point to the fancy MBA word, "business plan"). Fox also uses the website he started for his wife and mother as case studies. I guess I should have known better. After all, it is called 'Internet Riches" and has a picture of some guy driving in a brand new convertible on the cover.
Book Description
Praise for Buying Trances
"The genius of Joe Vitale has never shone brighter. This thoroughly documented and easy-to-read book is the first of its kind. Vitale gives you the keys to their minds. All you have to do is turn the keys. They said 'yes' to you long before you said a word and they were begging to buy from you shortly after you uttered your first sentence. Buying Trances is an exciting ride to the edge of the mind. His finest work to date."
-Kevin Hogan, author, The Psychology of Persuasion and Covert Hypnosis
"This book maps marketing's final frontier-the customer's mind-and exposes the buying trance. Frankly, this may be the smartest marketing book ever written."
-Dave Lakhani, coauthor, Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want
"As with all of Vitale's books, there are magical secrets chucked out like a mad Vegas poker dealer on every page. Not only will you learn to put people into buying trances with this book, the act of reading it will put you in a trance and force you to master it."
-Mark Joyner, #1 bestselling author, The Irresistible Offer: How to Sell Your Product or Service in 3 Seconds or Less
"Vitale's expertise in hypnotic marketing combined with his extensive research challenges the reader on many different levels. He forces you to delve deeper into the benefits of creating a buying atmosphere and a trance-like desire on the part of your prospect. I found this an absolutelyfascinating book."
-Joseph Sugarman, President, BluBlocker Corporation
"Buying Trances is not your run-of-the-mill marketing book. It's an exceptionally well-written, well thought out, high-level work that gives the reader unique insights into how to capture a prospect's attention. Cutting-edge stuff that is a must for every serious marketer to absorb and implement."
-Robert Ringer, author, To Be or Not to Be Intimidated?: That Is the Question
"Vitale's understanding of how and why people think and act like they do is remarkable. Byunscrambling complex ideas and explaining them in simple language, he reveals how to fashion messages that will turn people into compulsive buyers of our products and services. Now we can take control and create the buying trance. It's a totally refreshing and very effective approach to hugely profitable sales and marketing!"
-Winston Marsh, veteran Australian marketer
Customer Reviews:
This is it.......2007-09-23
This is it!!! For years now i have been trying to explain to my staff, clients and customers exactly what Joe has described.
I didn't have the words or the ideas that Joe has superbly come up with. This is my 3rd instalment of Joe's work and i really do think this is by far the best he has put out.
I only wish i had the ability that Joe has is describing, understanding and doing what i think we have all experience but couldn't explain.
Superb!
Gary May
Author: SELLING: Powerful New Strategies for Sales Success
www.garymay.co.uk
An Excellent Read .......2007-09-16
Here is another outstanding book by Joe Vitale. This book is written by an expert marketer for those who want to improve their ability to create a buying environment with the customer.
Joe takes you first through his definition of what a "trance" is. He has many examples to help illustrate various situations of buying trances and has the answers as they relate in real world. For example, have you ever tried getting someone who is preoccupied to become interested in buying from you? How about doing it under 10 seconds? Well this book has a complete chapter dedicated to this one topic alone.
Then the author shares his strategies to writing sales letters which induce the Buying Trance, compelling anyone to take action. Throughout the book, there are numerous web sites listed as a reference for additional information.
Finally, there is a great bonus chapter from Blair Warren at the end of the book which is of immense value in understanding persuasion to create a Buying Trance and a one sentence definition to sum it all up.
Buy this book. It is well worth the investment
Eliot Hoppe
Author - Selling: Powerful New Strategies for Sales Success
How to move 'em from THEIR trance to YOUR trance so they'll buy........2007-09-13
We're all in a trance. What are you doing now, interested in, thinking about, etc. That's your current trance. How do marketers try to move you to their trance so you'll purchase their stuff? Read the book.
You are Getting Sleepy, Very Sleepy.......2007-06-30
This book is a slapped together hodge podge of warm over ideas from other books. It lacks focus. The best thing in it is at the end, where wrtier Blair Warren gives Vitale the green light to re-publish one of his more interesting articles., dealing with persuasion through encouraging the dreams of others and allaying their fears.Vitale has a few good notions on the use of negative words in writing, such as "don't do xyz" because it is more memorable, and a handful of decent suggestions on persuading by offering choices. But otherwise, the book is filler. Lots of better choices on the art of persuading others. There is nothing "new" about this book.
If I said "I get it" I'd be lying to you.......2007-06-03
This is the second Vitale book I've read...the first being "The Attractor Factor"...and I've got to be honest with you, I just don't get it.
You can look back to James Allen's quote "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he." There's also George Bernard Shaw's quote "The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them." Finally there's Earl Nightingale's famous "We become what we think about." And if you really want a solid, honest dose of what life is all about, skip "Buying Trances" and buy a collection of Ralph Waldo Emerson's writings.
So where does Joe Vitale fit into all of this? He's one of those authors who devotes no small portion of his books to self-promotion. That's to be expected...every author, especially those who specialize in non-fiction, engages in self-promotion. But there comes a point where you cross the line from "reasonable amount of self-promotion" to "I just paid for an infomercial." Joe Vitale has a virtual truckload of "product" that he'd like to sell you. What percentage of the book is stacked toward getting you what you want in life versus creating a "buying trance" in which you will respond with "Must...buy...MORE...Joe...Vitale...books?"
Second, the whole "believe it and you will achieve and/or receive it" and "draw upon the universe" schools of motivational thought are flawed because they appeal to people who'd like to receive wealth, fame, success as the result of their thoughts rather than their actions. The "universe" (or God, for those who aren't afraid to say it) rewards ACTION, not some kind of slothful rubbing of the magic lamp and invoking three wishes from the genie inside.
Vitale writes "lamp rubbing" books. He wants you to pay him in return for his showing you how to rub the lamp. And he presents his case in a very "trance-inducing" way so that the people who are inclined to do so click the "add to cart" button on Amazon. He'll tell you a story about how he crafted a compelling, teasing "sell the sizzle and you can sell the steak" email or promotion, then he'll wallow in self-congratulatory praise when he describes the number of rubes who lined up to mail him checks.
Ever think you might be one of those rubes?
Example, from page 160: "With Psychic Demand, you can indeed will the universe to give you what you want."
OK, I'm going to test that theory right now. "Universe, I would like a check for $27.11 to appear in my mailbox (the purchase price I paid for "Buying Trances," plus sales tax) no later than Saturday, June 9th, 2007...exactly one week from today.
I'm waiting...If I receive the check on or before June 9th I'll return here and update my review.
Product Description
eBay has changed the way products and services are purchased all over the world. Daily over 1.5 million online customers and providers log on to bid and sell virtually anything that can be bought or purchased. In 2006 eBay sellers are estimated to post $22 billion in sales. There are businesses earning $1 million a year selling products on eBay today. It is estimated that more than half a million people make full-time incomes just with their eBay business. eBay also allows you to run a business that requires no advertising costs. This expertly written new book will show you how to take advantage of this business phenomenon and arm you with the proper knowledge and insider secrets. Filled with actual examples and antidotes from real eBay entrepreneurs, this book is as engaging as it is informational. eBay is a level playing fieldit doesnt matter how old you are, what nationality or income level, whether you own a business now or not, what your background is, or where you are located. Start making money on eBay today! The book starts with a complete overview of how eBay works. Then you are guided through the whole process of creating the auction and auction strategies, photography, writing copy, text and formatting, managing auctions, shipping, collecting payments, registering, About Me page, sources for merchandise, multiple sales, programming tricks, PayPal, accounting, creating marketing, merchandising, managing e-mail lists, advertising plans, taxes and sales tax, best time to list items and for how long, sniping programs, international customers, opening a storefront, electronic commerce, buy-it now pricing, keywords, Google marketing, and eBay secrets; everything you will ever need to get started making money on eBay!
Customer Reviews:
Great for newbies and everyone.......2007-07-12
Cheryl Russell is articulate and specific in walking a person through the ropes of eBay from square one. She teaches how to do business, not just randomly sell (or try to sell) products. Her book covers details of recordkeeping and how to really grow a large, successful business. She methodically teaches the steps to success and helps the reader see the big picture of growing a business from scratch. Excellent resource!
Great referance for eBay Sellers.......2007-06-14
a Gotta Have book if you are planning on starting an eBay business in your home. also a great reference for the experienced eBayer.
Helpful for sure..........2007-05-08
...but not really anything I didn't already know, and I still consider myself to be a bit of a n00b. But the book does contain some good ideas.
If you are a complete newbie to eBay, this book could pretty much be essential.
wonderful book!!.......2007-02-22
great book! valuable resource, packed with accurate, up to date information on building a business with ebay. this is an interesting read-not at all boring. written for a newbie to ebay, but still an important tool for those with more ebay experience. worth the purchase price. this book has definitely given me important information on getting a store of my own-up and running. buy this book! shannontk
Do Yourself a Favor and Read This Book.......2007-02-09
Let me tell you why this book is important:
1. Listing fees on ebay can eat you alive if you don't pay attention.
2. Security risks are high on ebay,as its success has brought every low-life in the world into its realm.
3. If you want to make a bunch of money buying and selling goods, ebay is a place to do it.
That said, I believe this book provides as good of an overview of the ebay business as any.
You may also want to read "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill and "The 17 Principles of Creating Wealth" by Phillip Collinsworth.
Book Description
Revised and updated techniques to achieve top performance in product management
The Product Manager's Handbook takes the mystery out of this field by detailing how to integrate aspects from production and coordination to value maximization into a cohesive whole, while examining key international issues, new technologies, and the financial side of product management.
Download Description
This second edition of
Customer Reviews:
Great starting point for Product Managers.......2007-09-03
This book is probably the best overall guide for Product Managers I have seen. It is very broad in places because it tries to remain as applicable to Product Managers of all kinds of products, from shampoo to TVs to computer software. The concepts of Product Management are the same, regardless of industry, but the reader needs to be capable of translating broad concepts into something applicable to their own setting.
The book does a great job of describing the scope of a Product Manager's role and the types of things a Product Manager should be thinking about. This is particularly useful for new Product Managers or for experienced Product Managers that want a reference point for helping explain their role to others (often one of the greatest challenges for a Product Manager).
Product Manager must have.......2007-01-16
This book is is a must have for someone that want to have a good understanding of a Product Manager area of competency. It has real-life interviews related to challenges/solutions associated to this role. I absolutely recommend this book for someone that want to have a good understanding of what Product Manager entails.
Provides insight into the roles & responsibilities of the product manager.......2006-08-18
This book gives a good introduction into the roles and responsibilities of a product manager. It makes no assumptions of any prior knowledge or experiences. For each chapter, it provides worksheets or process flow charts. In addition, case studies of actual events are presented. At the end of each chapter, it provides a set of checklist. Therefore I will recommend this to any reader interested to know more or making a career change.
Overall, this book provides an excellent overview of the on-goings within business processes. Below is a brief summary.
This book is divided into 4 parts. Part I gives an introduction into product management. Part II highlights the process that the product managers (PMs) can use in their annual planning activities. It provides a format or guidelines for the annual product marketing plan. Part III highlights the analytical skills of PMs, which is to evaluate existing product line and to determine & implement new product strategies. Part IV elaborates on the marketing skills necessary for a successful product line. Special attention is devoted to pricing and marketing communication decisions and activities.
Briefly, product management is about the planning, forecasting and marketing of products and services. There is a need for PMs to be cross-functional leaders. The overall responsibility of the PM 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 the market needs and requirements. PMs manage not only products, but projects and processes as well. The PM's job is to oversee all aspects of a product/service line to create and deliver superior customer satisfaction while simultaneously providing long term value for the company.
In terms of time allocation, the PM typically spends 40-55% on day-to-day activities, 20-30% on short term activities and 15-25% on long term or strategic activities. Therefore excellent time management is crucial. Examples of day-to-day activities are maintenance of product fact books, motivation of the sales force and distributors, collection of marketing information including competitive benchmarks, trends and opportunities and customer expectations, acting as liaison between the sales, manufacturing and R&D, etc teams. Examples of short-term activities are controlling budget and achieving sales goals, participation in annual marketing plan and forecast developments, working with advertising departments or agencies to implement promotional strategies, coordinating tradeshows and conventions, participation in new product-development teams and predicting and managing competitors' actions, modification of product and/or reduction of costs to increase value, recommendation of line extensions, participation in product elimination decisions, etc. Examples of long term strategic activities are creation of long term competitive strategy, identification of new product opportunities, recommendation of product changes, enhancements and introductions, etc.
PMs need a variety of knowledge including product/industry knowledge, business knowledge and interpersonal/management knowledge. In the beginning, PMs typically spend most of the time gathering and organizing information on products, customers and their competition. Product knowledge is paramount. As they gain experience, the focus shifts to more comprehensive business knowledge, including finance, marketing and strategic planning. At the same time, they develop team building, negotiation, communication and leadership abilities. For PM to be effective, they need to build bridges throughout the company and be cross-functional leaders. For product management or marketing management, the emphasis is on being market-driven and not product-driven.
In terms of new product development, the role of the PM will be to represent the voice of the customer, balancing the corporate ROI (rate of investment), customer satisfaction and the manufacturing cost. Whereas for strategic interactions, the PM must work continuously with operations to improve and enhance production line. PMs are frequently involved with operations on cost-reduction projects.
Top notch introduction.......2006-07-31
I agree with most of the other reviewers. This is a top notch introduction to project management. Compared to the previous edition, this edition has added more case studies and interviews with professionals. It has also been reorganized to move the "introducing product management" sections to the end of the book.
I used it in conjuction with Profitable and Successful.......2006-06-13
This is another book that forms the trio of my reference shelf in marketing (The others Succesful Product Management & Sucessfull Product Management). Again, this book gets you in the ready-action mode you need to keep focused on what really matters of your product dynamics.
Book Description
More provocative business thinking from the bestselling author of Purple Cow and All Marketers Are Liars
As one of today's most influential business thinkers, Seth Godin helps his army of fans stay focused, stay connected, and stay dissatisfied with the status quo, the ordinary, the boring. His books, blog posts, magazine articles, and speeches have inspired countless entrepreneurs, marketing people, innovators, and managers around the world.
Now, for the first time, Godin has collected the most provocative short pieces from his pioneering blog—ranked #70 by Feedster (out of millions published) in worldwide readership. This book also includes his most popular columns from Fast Company magazine, and several of the short e-books he has written in the last few years.
A sample:
• Bon Jovi And The Pirates
• Christmas Card Spam
• Clinging To Your Job Title?
• How Much Would You Pay to Be on Oprah's Show?
• The Persistence of Really Bad Ideas
• The Seduction of “Good Enough”
• What Happens When It's All on Tape?
• Would You Buy Life Insurance at a Rock Concert?
Small is the New Big is a huge bowl of inspiration that you can gobble in one sitting or dip into at any time. As Godin writes in his introduction: “I guarantee that you'll find some ideas that don't work for you. But I'm certain that you're smart enough to see the stuff you've always wanted to do, buried deep inside one of these riffs. And I'm betting that once inspired, you'll actually make something happen.”
Customer Reviews:
Another winner- big time!.......2007-09-10
I think that Seth's books are getting better. But this is not a book book, its a collection of articles, newsletters and blog posts. But it is real, quality, and very useful. Such useful ideas as, " The best marketers, of course, use the needle and the vise at them same time:. They don't assault, they don't demand, instead they earn attention. And they apply their marketing pressure so consistently and in such a measured and relentless way that sooner or later, they profit from it. " A great book if you want it in small lumps or more, It would be a good plane ride book, but bring a highlighter! I love this one
"I. Humans tend to work on a problem until they get a good enough solution, not a solution that's right.
2. The marketplace often rewards solutions that are cheaper and good enough, instead of investing in the solution that promises to lead to the right answer."
A Shot in the Arm.......2007-08-24
Whether you're an internet entrepreneur, a New Economy worker, or a creative-type, you'll find something of value in Godin's riffs. Written with a dose of humor, and short enough to be devoured in a trip to the bathroom, these think pieces are just what the doctor ordered to stir things up and give you a new perspective on the business of business.
I have reviewed business books for years and can smell BS a mile away. Godin is one of the few "experts" who really get it. Highly recommended. Buy a copy because you'll want to read it again and again.
For the marketing- minded and money- making only ... .......2007-08-20
Seth Godin is a supersalesman of the NetAge, a wonderblogwhiz successful to the manymillions. He puts in print for us here eight years of his previous postings packaging it anew for paperback bucks. He hypes and rehypes a number of key formulas for making the reader a riskier retailer of his own personal product. He gives us a variant of E.M.Schumacher's 'Small is Beautiful" and tells us 'Small is the New Big" He explores endless examples with small stories which show us how to better be the respectful, rightthinking managers of our own mental means.
He teaches us how to live and think faster and better, and make it all work for us.
However between his message and my execution of it falls the abyss. NO KLUTZES WANTED HERE this book seems to say, and all I can do is go round and round and round with my own worried words never able to sell them not one single little bit. (Dig-a-bit?)
In any case if you are of another mind, more practical, realistic, technically competent, marketing mindful- this work can provide plenty of fodder for the moo.
Get a Great Creativity Boost.......2007-08-07
Reading this book was like hooking up to a battery charger for business creativity. The book doesn't read like a typical "how to." There are just short bursts of genious that jump off the page and make you think about how and why you do what you do. I keep the book at my desk at the office and I often refer back to it when I'm trying to solve a marketing or operational challenge.
Seth is a red rubber ball.......2007-07-19
As I read this book, I thought "Seth Godin is like a red rubber ball." You know, you throw a ball against a concrete wall and it just bounces off. It looks pretty and makes a nifty noise. But the wall doesn't move.
And that's Seth Godin. A lot of action, but no real impact. This book is a big idea without a next step. A complaint without a solution. Seth is the guy who stands up to start a standing ovation, but does it so awkwardly that no-one joins him. This book is a celebration of everything Seth abhors about marketing and business and management, written with the luxurious smugness of someone who cannot suggest a practical alternative.
I can understand why Seth's rant seems to be "everyone is afraid of change". That's what my rant would be if I had a lot of ideas, but couldn't actually convince anyone to follow my suggestions. I'd think "it's them! They're all stuck in the status quo!"
To illustrate the point, Seth recalls a time a salesperson tried to pin an executive down to make a yes or no decision. The exec was non-committal, and then showed the pushy salesperson the door when she asked the exec to sign a document giving her permission to take the offer to a competitor. Seth uses this as evidence that some people are afraid to make a decision. I say, if a salesperson tried to force me to make a decision on the spot, they'd get shown the door too. But this just proves the point. An inability to influence is somehow the other guy's fault.
Actually, I think it's Seth who is stuck. His book "Small is the New Big" reads like it was written by a 14 year old boy - where everything is black and white (you change or you die) and he's discovering things other marketers have known for a long time (it's not about needs, it's about wants).
Yawn.
On the positive side, Seth has some creative ideas and a lively writing style. He's obviously an observer and a collector of little marketing nuggets. But after reading about 50 pages it all became very monotone and self-aggrandizing.
Judging from the reviews on Amazon, it looks like Seth has touched some people's lives for the better. So there must be something there. But for me, this is like listening to a first-year MBA student fumbling through a bad business plan. Bounce, bounce, boing, boing.
Book Description
So you want to own your own business, be your own boss, set your own hours, and make real money. If you’re comfortable with computers and have a marketable idea, service, or product, this guide will help you become an ontrepreneur (online entrepreneur). It covers everything you need to know to set up shop in cyberspace. You’ll find out about using established storefronts as a shortcut (sort of like setting up shop in a huge, established cybermall) or building your own Web site from scratch. You’ll explore:
- Doing research, defining your niche and target market, and putting it together in a practical business plan
- Getting the hardware and software you’ll need to get going
- Creating your own Web site with good organization, useful content, and eye-catching design, including ten must-have features and info on clip art and photos
- Selecting a Web hosting service (with info on free Web site homesteading)
- Setting up for handling business online, including building in security, accepting charge cards, creating shopping carts, and more
- Managing your goods and services, including sourcing goods, handling returns, adding shipping fees, and maintaining inventory
- Taking advantage of successful online business models, including storefronts such as Amazon.com, Yahoo!, CafePress, PayPal, or Microsoft that already have all the tools and systems, plus great traffic
- Running a business on eBay
- Marketing your business and the secrets to search engine success
- Keeping good business records and staying on the right side of the law, including everything from trademarks , copyrights, and licensing to taxes, with info on accounting tools and software
Written by e-biz whiz Greg Holden, Starting an Online Business For Dummies, Fourth Edition has all kinds of case studies of successful cyber businesses, including a woman who sells her own insect repellent, a mapmaker, a housewife who sells sweetener and coffee on eBay, a sculptor and painter, and more. Packed with inspiration and information, it includes:
- Lots of Web sites that will give you good ideas
- A companion Web site that includes an online directory of Internet business resources
- A list of legal and business requirements
Get going, and build a booming business right at home. The only people you’ll have to take orders from are customers, and those are the kind of orders you’ll like!
Customer Reviews:
Buy the latest version.......2007-09-16
This book is useful when you are just starting an online business. Just make sure you buy the latest version so that some information is not outdated by the time you are ready to set up your online business.
Worth it's weight in gold if you're going online!.......2007-08-18
I just got this book last week and I'm not even done with it and have gotten so many 'nuggets' that it has more than paid for itself already! It's well written, easy to understand, organized extremely well for easy reference and full of helpful resources.
The section on 'Keeping it legal' saved me great error already (I was going to buy a domain name that could've infringed on a copyright) and I have found several free web builders online that are 10x's better than what I had been using. There's so much practical information in this book that I no longer feel guilty for buying it new.
This book is zero fluff, tons of examples and free or very reasonable resources, and lots of food for thought. The table of contents is so detailed that it makes for a quick reference (does anyone read a book like this cover to cover?) Greg Holden's writing style is personable and to the point and very easy to understand.
I truly don't understand all the reviews that say this book is no good, not sure what they have been reading, but I have no less than a dozen books of this nature, and this is one of the few that isn't 75% fluff. I'm somewhat of a website newbie, starting about a year ago trying to do my own website. It's alot harder (for me)than I originally thought and have tried no less than 6 different hosting accounts, 4 different online web builders, and 6 different web editing software trials (Expressions, dreamweaver, publisher, coffee cup, page spinner and frontpage). One of the best discoveries in this book was that Firefox offered a FREE...quality...web editor!
This is the 2007 edition, maybe people were referring to the earlier version of the same title. I have gotten way more out of this book than I thought I would. I guess I must be a true "Dummie". It's definitely worth your time checking it out if you are new to the online business world, you can always resell it on Amazon and recover your moola.
this one really is for dummies.......2007-08-05
One of the worst "For Dummies" books I've ever read. Normally, I'd rate for dummies books a 3 or 4.
Not worth it.......2007-04-19
You could do an online search and find more information than this book gives you. I did not enjoy and I returned it. It is broad and never really gives you step by step instrucions on how the webite actually works and how to create it.
very rudimentary, broad overview.......2007-04-14
People who use the internet regularly will not get much out of this book--it's no joke when it says "for dummies". Greg Holden does give a broad overview of the many aspects to starting an online business but even then the information is outdated and at some points, simply not accurate making you wonder where this guy gets his facts.
In an environment that is not only competitive but also changes rapidly it is important that you are equipped with the most up to date information. This book however, still proclaims AOL king and web sites using tables and frame "advanced". Although the book was published in 2006 (and in its 4th revision), it feels more like it belongs to the 90's.
So even if you are new to the internet and need a place to start I recommend you find yourself a different book.
Customer Reviews:
Informative but blatantly self-serving.......2007-10-07
I liked this book and learned a lot about a market-research technique that I had hoped might apply to the needs of a small business-to-business company. The book made me enthusiastic about the potential to test product concepts before we spend a lot of money taking final products to market. The approach the authors advocate appears to be able to dramatically reduce risk for companies that are trying to get their offering right. The focus of the book is primarily on consumer-goods companies and their products, though the technique has also be used for B2B offerings.
As I got into the book, I was disappointed that the only practical advice the authors offer is to contact them about using their on-line research tool. Good as their tool may be, it appears not to be well suited for the needs of my small B2B business.
I now feel I've paid about $20 for the authors' elaborate marketing brochure, and I have no way to apply what I learned unless I choose to work with their company. Use of books to promote the authors' business is a consistent trend in the publication of business books. I don't object to it if the book provides real value the reader can apply even without engaging the services of the authors' company. This book fails that basic test, as do many other such books. If the trend toward self-promotion continues without regard for the lasting value a book provides to the reader, I think the entire market segment will lose credibility.
By the way, in contacting the authors' company I learned that the cost of their services comes to about $10,000 per study. That's very reasonable for companies bigger or more mature than mine, but its well beyond what we can afford at our stage of growth.
I'll be selling this book soon on the Amazon.com marketplace. I only wish I had bought it there.
Develop New Products Rationally.......2007-09-19
The authors argue Rule Developing Experimentation (RDE) is the key to developing new products.
Unfortunately for shareholders, during the past 15 years marketers have dominated product development. The result: more than 90 per cent of product launches and re-launches fail.
RDE is a process of designing, testing and modifying alternative ideas, packages, products, or services. It is disciplined. It reveals to the developer and marketer what appeals to the customer, even if the customer can't articulate the need.
It contains seven steps:
1. Consider the problem; identify features that may comprise solutions.
2. Mix and match the features in experimental designs.
3. Show the prototypes to consumers.
4. Analyze their reactions.
5. Optimize your prototypes.
6. Identify attitudinal population segments.
7. Apply the rules to create new products.
Howard Moskowitz is experimental psychologist in the field of psychophysics. Alex Gofman is widely published, technology-oriented experimental psychologist. They argue RDE delivers cost-effective actionable results tied to business directives. As a shareholder, I argue, RDE is worth a try.
Learn how to turn your old products (pink elephants) into new products (blue elephants).......2007-08-11
When I first saw the title of this book, I was reminded of a skit I once saw featuring ventriloquist Edgar Bergin and Charley McCarthy. Charley asks Bergin "How do you kill a blue elephant?" and when Bergin asks the question, Charley's response is "Shoot him with a blue elephant gun." Charley then asks Bergin "How do you kill a pink elephant?" and after the straight line from Bergin, Charley's response is, "Squeeze him until he turns blue and then shoot him with a blue elephant gun." I laughed when I saw that memorable comedy bit and the fact that I can remember it decades later is an indication of how much of an imprint it made on me.
The incongruity of that comedy bit has relevance to the message that the authors of this book are trying to make. Sometimes the making of a great new product is nothing more than taking an existing product (the pink elephant) and squeezing it so that it looks like a new product (the blue elephant). However, before that you need to know if there is a substantial market for the new product.
In this book, the authors demonstrate a tactic that can be used to explore the possibilities for new products. It is called Rule Developing Experimentation (RDE) and it is a systematic process to develop and test new ideas for products or different ways to modify existing products to make them more desirable. The particular emphasis is on the development for a product that the potential market does not yet realize that it would want. As all marketing directors understand so well, this is an inherently complex problem.
Nearly all businesses want to expand, and there is only two ways to do that. You can either sell more of your existing product line or develop new products. The strategy for the second requires a significant amount of predictive ability, which can only be generated by detailed study. The RDE process is a sound business strategy that can be applied almost anywhere. Several case studies of specific products are presented as examples of how things can be done, although the general tactics used are not specific to the product.
If you have just attended a meeting where the CEO has said that your company must introduce new and profitable products quickly and you are responsible for it, there are two things that you should do.
*) Sit down and take a few deep and relaxing breaths.
*) Reach for this book.
Both actions will help you solve the problem
Poorly done.......2007-08-08
Interesting concept extremely poorly written. Very confusing. I'd be hard pressed to actually put it into practice after reading this book. I'd read the Gladwell articles and that should give a basic idea. I just wish it was done better.
Simple concept overdone.......2007-07-27
I was disappointed in this book. Wasn't worth the $15.00 I paid, let a lone the $28.00 retail price so many probably paid. Very simple concept that could have been explained in one small chapter, not a whole book. I was bored to tears and kept looking for something else to explain why I bought the book. Great title and interesting chapter titles but did little to give me applicable information beyond the simplistic "RDE" concept. I kept saying, "Ok, ok I got it" and expected more - but there wasn't anymore. Find out what RDE is online and save your money regarding the purchase of the book.
Book Description
"Eating the Big Fish is on fire with ideas.
Best in the marketplace." -Steve Hayden, President, Worldwide Brand Services, Ogilvy & Mather
"In 1986, the Levi's® Dockers® brand challenged the biggest fish in the men's apparel sea, Haggar. And we beat the pants off them! In his new book, Adam Morgan adroitly presents many of the same fundamental marketing principles which worked so well for us. A must read for marketing professionals." -Steve Goldstein, V.P. Marketing & Research, Levi's Brand U.S.A.
Years ago, Avis was a little fish in the car rental industry. Fearing the company would be swallowed up if they didn't "try harder," Avis boldly announced its #2 status to the world through advertising-and the rest is history. Why has this approach become a marketing legend? Because there are more people who can relate to being #2, 3, or even 4, than can claim they know what it's like to be the Big Fish.
There are plenty of little fish out there, circling in schools around the brand leaders they so desperately wish to surpass. Squeezed by new competition, a retreating consumer, and aggressive retailing practices, marketers of second- and third-rank brands are struggling to survive in a business environment where they have fewer resources and less control than ever before. But instead of watching-and copying-every move the Big Fish makes, these "Challenger" brands need their own set of marketing rules if they have any hopes of staying afloat and competing effectively against the leader.
Eating the Big Fish is the first book that sets out to define those rules. Adam Morgan offers an innovative mental and strategic framework for those who find themselves in this new, hostile middle ground, looking for aggressive growth against the market leader. Morgan, the Joint European Planning Director of TBWA (the international advertising agency behind the campaigns for such brands as Absolut vodka, Apple computers, and Sony Playstation), has examined in detail forty of the most successful Challenger brands of the last ten years -new or relaunched brands which have achieved rapid growth (and fame) with limited marketing resources. He outlines the reasons why Challengers must think differently in order to survive, offering hands-on advice, plentiful examples, and invaluable information to help a Challenger learn how to swim out of the shadow of the Big Fish.
At the heart of the book are the Eight Credos of Challenger Brands -Morgan's analysis of the common marketing strands that these Challengers seem to share, which range in scope from the need to project who you are and what you believe in (#2, Build a Lighthouse Identity) to insights about the organizational structure and focus in such companies and brands (#8, Become Idea-Centered, Rather Than Consumer-Centered). Morgan fully analyzes each Credo, discussing in detail the marketing strategy and behavior of the specific Challenger brands that have shaped the rules. He provides case studies that include both his agency's clients and other well-known brands, such as Lexus, Oakley, Fox TV, Energizer, Virgin Atlantic, Swatch, Nissan, and more. Morgan then draws the Credos together into a "Challenger Strategic Program" that can be applied to the reader's own market and brand challenge, offering a proposed outline for a two-day Off-Site Program that will attempt to kick-start the Challenger process for a core group within any marketing or management team. In addition, Morgan looks at the great Challengers of the last ten years who have gone on to become brand leaders, and shows how even the rules of brand leadership have changed -why staying #1 now means, in fact, thinking and behaving like a #2.
Anyone can follow a leader. It takes a smart company to go up against the Big Fish, and Morgan's innovative, strategic program will show even the littlest fish how to make a meal out of the competition.
Customer Reviews:
fantastic read.......2006-07-21
This book did great things for my understanding of a challenger brands greatest strengths and strategies. Not to turn this into a forum, I have a few questions though: Does anyone know more about Adam Morgan? Did he work for TBWA? Any other agencies? What was his discipline? Any info would help.
one of the best marketing books available .......2005-08-31
I own (oooooh) probably between 80 and 100 books on marketing, some are obligatory read for my masters in marketing, some are handpicked in stores and on amazon and I stand by the title of my review. What can you take out from this book: YOU CAN compete with big brands, there are attitudes and ways of running your business that can knock down the goliath in your industry, and this book explains how, giving numerous examples from various industries. Only negative, if I can call it that, is author's writing style, which was rather hard for me, but then again, I am croatian, so it could be my english, not mr Morgan's :). A MUST!! have.
Demolish the 3-piece suits that stand in your way.......2005-08-09
I don't know how to explain the insightful ideas I have taken from this book.
I have read tens of books on branding and how to gain a competitive advantage, yet none were as ground breaking as "Eating the Big Fish".
While others will tell you "what" marketing approaches they used...this one explains the "why".
I got my copy almost free using a coupon from UnderTag.com
Insightful!.......2004-06-09
Author Adam Morgan went hunting for the second most successful brands. He sought commonalities among them to develop guidelines for those who are challenging the number one brands in their fields. In other words, if you are coming into the battle in the number two slot, here's your strategy for winning the marketing wars. Morgan is very adept at breaking things down into precise action steps. Witty and engaging, he offers a detailed analysis of the current consumer attitude about brands plus strategies you can use to market your second or third rank brand. We recommend this compilation of competitive ideas to those who want to boost their "Challenger" brands.
Insightful!.......2003-10-15
Author Adam Morgan went hunting for the second most successful brands. He sought commonalities among them to develop guidelines for those who are challenging the number one brands in their fields. In other words, if you are coming into the battle in the number two slot, here's your strategy for winning the marketing wars. Morgan is very adept at breaking things down into precise action steps. Witty and engaging, he offers a detailed analysis of the current consumer attitude about brands plus strategies you can use to market your second or third rank brand. We recommend this compilation of competitive ideas to those who want to boost their "Challenger" brands.
Books:
- Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant
- Business Market Management: Understanding, Creating and Delivering Value (2nd Edition)
- Creating a Profitable Catalog: Everything You Need to Know to Create a Catalog That Sells
- Customers For Life: How To Turn That One-Time Buyer Into a Lifetime Customer
- Deadly Persuasion: Why Women And Girls Must Fight The Addictive Power Of Advertising
- Designing Brand Experience: Creating Powerful Integrated Brand Solutions
- Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives
- Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease: The Only System Scientifically Proven to Reverse Heart Disease Without Drugs or Surgery
- Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide
- e-Business: Organizational and Technical Foundations
Books Index
Books Home
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Strategy & Competition
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business (Collins Business Essentials)
Seeing What's Next: Using Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change
