Author: Dee Blick
Publisher: The Chartered Institute of Marketing
Reviewer:Tim Prizeman, director, PRmyBusiness.co.uk
This book from the CIM is primarily aimed at small businesses but, quite frankly, should be compulsory reading for many of the people involved in marketing businesses of all sizes too.
It is a ‘how to market your small business guide’, with chapters starting with the marketing plan, and then ranging through practical aspects, such as ‘copy that sells’; ‘how to get PR’; the importance of direct mail; ‘how to cold call’ and ‘how to build your expert status’.
Whether you are a marketing beginner, the experienced, or an entrepreneur or executive involved in marketing in addition to your ‘day job’, elements that make the book good include:
- Everything is explained clearly in jargon-free plain English (none of that ‘brand architecture’ or other dreadful marketing-speak).
- It covers a broad area. While this does mean each area is not covered in huge depth, this is a bonus since many in-depth books often have lots of tedious padding. In each chapter there is certainly enough to get you up to a competent speed.
- It is full of good experience-based practical advice that applies to businesses of all sizes.
The Twitter chapter is a good example. While you can get whole books on the subject if you really want to go into it, simply reading Chapter 15 will allow you to quickly figure out whether you should even bother with it and then get on and do it reasonably competently. Businesses of all sizes Tweeting dull corporate announcements would benefit from this chapter!
Definitely a great gift for anyone you know starting a business, but plenty in here too for those marketers getting their hands dirty doing real work rather than lots of meetings.
Star Rating:
