Author: Lisa Nirell
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Reviewer: Chloë Garrett-Dyke, director, Effective Marketing & PR
The Mindful Marketer begins with Nirell appraising the new challenges faced by today’s marketers, including the digital intrusion movement – referred to as ‘Going DIM’ – and the new set of tensions between sales and marketing. Nirell does a good job articulating the minefield that marketers are struggling to navigate.
Not being someone who practises yoga or meditation, I was slightly apprehensive on just how ‘out there’ the book might be. However, the content is meaty, and the language accessible and engaging. Nirell provides interesting and entertaining examples to demonstrate her points which make the book an enjoyable read. Don’t be put off by the B2C and US-centric examples given early on, once the book gets going there is a much more consideration and discussion of B2B organisations. Some aspects of the book did jar a little for me such as the ‘Inner Marketing Guru’ section at the end of each chapter, but if you can get past the name the questions are actually a good prompt for the reader to consider how to apply the advice in practice.
Marketers who are feeling overwhelmed by the increasingly fast-paced and varying demands made of them will find the book a lifeline. It reassures the reader that an always-accessible, frantic multi-tasking culture is not an environment where people produce their best work and certainly doesn’t allow creativity to blossom. Nirell provides practical, easy-to-implement tips for improving productivity and also discusses the importance of the physical working environment, making suggestions on what this should look like.
Where Nirell offers most value though is on the subject of increasing the influence that marketing holds with c-suite executives. Her advice is insightful and pragmatic with a chapter each dedicated to improving relationships with the CEO, CFO and CIO, looking at communication and reporting strategies that will help to drive trust, confidence and respect.
Star Rating: 4/5