Customer Reviews

The Case for B2B Branding: Pulling Away from the Business-to-Business Pack

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm the Director of Communications for a technology firm, so I don't have a lot of time for outside reading on my own time. But I ended up reading this book in one evening, because it answered some questions our company was facing.
The 7 steps are good, but the real meat was the case studies. They showed how real companies approach branding, and I liked the down to earth, practical approach. My own firm is in the process of developing a corporate brand, and this book came at a much-needed time; it showed how businesses can target other businesses without a lot of "fluff" (which I hate), and instead had lots of "how it's done" (which I like). I recommend this to anyone involved in branding for the business market.

The available literature on business-to-business marketing is pathetically meager, but Lamon's "Case" is a volume to be read, re-read and referred to until one's copy is worn and frayed like an evangelical's Bible. What little else that's out there is academic sophistry written by professors who've never peddled anything other than a consulting gig or a research project to a business decision-maker. Lamons has been to the books and the battlefields. As a marketing executive, agency owner and American Marketing Association columnist, Lamons knows how to tell the "how to" in a way that inspires deep appreciation of the unique fundamentals of B-to-B marketing and an understanding of how to put those fundamentals to work, right now. After 25 years in the vineyards of B-to-B --- drat! --- It's the book I wished I had written myself.
Rick Segal, Chief Executive, HSR Business to Business Inc.

Bob Lamons gives you two books in one -- a succinct summary of branding fundamentals without the mumbo jumbo, plus 21 concise case histories from leading business-to-business companies. In an era where every brand consultancy must have its own "model," Lamons distills the essentials, the common ground, that every brand needs to thrive. His cases are to-the-point and insightful, although at times almost too brief, too neat, too self-contained. If your firm's (or your customers')brands need help, read this book first. It will be time well spent.

How do you make a consumer feel good about a light bulb? General Electric did it by building its brand identity around trust. When customers attribute such personality traits to a corporation and its brand, that attachment translates into millions of dollars in revenues. This is why corporate positioning and brand building is so important, yet powerful branding remains as elusive as the marketing Holy Grail. Author and branding expert Bob Lamons' road map to building your brand is a very usable resource for navigating your way to a brand strategy that works. Lamons breaks down the brand-building process step-by-step, from wooing management to finding a position to measuring the results. He avoids market-speak and illustrates his points with motivational anecdotes and case histories from business-to-business companies with successful brands. Lamons does seem to concentrate more on branding and less on B2B, but we feel this would be a welcome, well-used addition to any marketing professional's resource library.

This is the best b2b branding book that I have read. Unlike other branding experts, the author presents branding in a simple, straightforward way. None of the typical b.s. other writers throw in to try to make them look smarter (and sell more books). Anyone in b2b marketing should read this book. As trite as this is going to sound, I think we all need to learn about branding in order to make our clients' companies strong which in turn, builds the economy and keeps our country prosperous.

Great perspective and sound, practical advice from one of the world's experts. Lovingly written about a topic that is very important - but all too often not understood - business to business branding. We're using this book to explain the concept and importance of Brands to many B-to-B firms, where the culture is often such that the whole concept is seen only very fuzzily. Lammons writes to that audience and knows it well -and explains patiently and with concrete examples why business-to-business branding is important, different, and can have a profound impact on the bottom line. If you're navigating brands in any sort of business to business environment, this is a must read.

This is a great book for B2B marketers. It is a important tool that you'll want to keep close at hand for tough marketing decisions. Mr. Lamons isn't afraid to address the tough issue of accountability which is so important in today's marketplace. All-in-all this is one of the better marketing books available today.

As President of a branding agency, I read as many books on branding as possible. The Case for B2B Branding is one of my favorites! It is an excellent read for every level of an organization - especially the C-level executive.

This is a book for anyone with the responsibility for increasing the value of their products/services in the B2B marketplace. It's an easy to digest "map" that will help marcom professionals achieve their business objectives by building and leveraging the the power of their brands.

Nobody writes with greater clarity on business-to-business marketing issues than Bob Lamons. His advice is simple, practical and easy to follow. His book is just as interesting and useful as his columns in Marketing News which I never miss reading.