Customer Reviews

The Procrastinator's Guide to Marketing

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It isn't too often you find a guide that embraces its subject matter with such mastery and clarity, and at the same time is presented in such a manner that those with limited and/or vast impirical knowledge of the subject matter, can benefit from. The Procrastinators Guide to Marketing is without a doubt the first true marketing guide I've used that takes the sometimes scary, often misrepresented ideology, of marketing and breaks it down into simple steps, concepts, and templates. For many business owners or those simply looking to sell their labor of love, marketing is too often overlooked or not fully embraced. As a result most businesses end up failing, or come close to failure, before they realize what marketing is, how it pertains to their business, and how to take advantage of different concepts. Before you start your business plan/model, before your company fails, or if you're at the point where nothing seems to be working, buy this book and I can guarantee you it will help, if not save your company. Don't think your business is different, and the rules for you company are different, they're NOT! I'm in independent film, and I can honestly say I thought marketing strategies, and ideas were different for me than the rest of my corporate contemporaries, but I was wrong. After reading through this book, I can honestly say I'm better prepared for the rigors that will face me, and most importanty I have a decided advantage over my competitors. This is probably the first book review I'll ever write on Amazon, or any website for that matter, but I thought I owed it to the authors and those who will soon benefit from this book. Good luck.

This book was OK. I really wish I could rate it higher than I have. But it just fell short in too many areas. I had high hopes for it because there certainly is a hole in the bookstore offerings for how to write a sound marketing plan for one's small business. If the authors had focused more on the subject at hand (how to write a marketing plan) and written a tighter manuscript, they could have produced a best seller since there isn't any competition. Unfortunately, in my humble opinion, the book does not focus just on how to write a stellar marketing plan. Instead, it also includes some talk of success in life, and some talk related to business plans. This book isn't supposed to be about life coaching or business plans.

This past week I have been posting book reviews for books I read a few years back regarding nonprofit management and nonprofit fundraising. Although nonprofits can, and often do, have a marketing plan as well as a fundraising plan, the two plans are designed and written using similar processes. I mention this here because the instant book I am reviewing reminds me of two of the books I recently reviewed: The Fundraising Planner (ISBN: 0787944351), and Ten Steps to Fundraising Success (ISBN: 0787956740). The quality of the instant book lies somewhere in between these two books, but it is more like the second book. And I had hoped it would have been more like the first book.

In the business coaching that I perform as a SCORE volunteer I regularly advise my clients that a wanta-be entrepreneur needs to write a sound business plan regarding the business they want to start. And when they write the business plan there will be a few "subsidiary plans" that need to be written, too: marketing, publicity (public relations), and networking. Generally speaking, when I refer to a business plan I am referring to the subsidiary plans as well. I don't bother to mention them by name.

When one researches and writes a business plan they usually have to: (1) ID the business they want to start, (2) surf the Internet to find Web sites of companies similar to the business they want to start, (3) surf the Internet to find Web sites of companies they will actually compete with for customers, and (4) study the market and customers within that market they hope to sell to. When one performs steps 2 and 3 and studies those Web sites they should be able to determine what marketing techniques those companies use in order to stay in business and prosper.

So what is involved in writing your marketing plan? First, you basically document a consolidated marketing plan that describes how your competitors market their services and/or products. Said another way, what techniques do they use to market themselves? Second, you strategize to make the plan better so when you use it your business will be more successful than the competition. Third, you determine whether or not you are capable of implementing the plan. Fourth, you modify the plan so you can implement it. And five, you integrate the plan into your overall business plan so it works in conjunction with your publicity plan and networking plan.

What I liked the most in this book was that the authors are firm believers in writing a plan. They spend quite a bit of time trying to convince the reader that it is foolish to try to be successful at marketing without creating a written marketing plan. And I couldn't agree more with the authors. However, the chapters they provide on how to create a written marketing plan don't match up with the way I would advise my clients to go about doing it. If the book had been laid out more like The Fundraising Planner referred to above, then things would be different. 3.5 stars!

What I liked the best about this book is that is breaks down a subject that is so intimidating - developing a marketing plan - and makes it manageable. It sounds simple, but I'm amazed that no-one has taken the time to do that before!

I also felt like I "got" a lot of concepts for the first time - like what marketing actually is - you mean it's not the same as advertising??
This book is well worth the money, not just for the advice but for the clarity and "ah-ha" moments it gave me. Thanks for the help!

This guide is perfect for those of us with a small business and in need of great marketing advice. The chapters are broken down to make it easy to understand and develop a marketing plan. This is a MUST for all of us that are struggling to launch our businesses to the next level. And best of all, it is fun to read!

This is a terrific book for those, like me, who never seem to get around to doing what we should. It is well-written and demonstrates a keen understanding of the challenges faced by small businesses in increasing the number of customers. These two know what they're talking about! This book has been a big help and I highly recommend it.

As soon as i saw the book's title, i knew i had to have this book. With an undergrad degree in marketing and my usual procrastination techniques towards applying for grad school and a MBA, this book revived my marketing interest. Anyone who has visited the business section of any large bookstore knows the horror of choosing one; I would highly recommend this book to anyone in this position. Its a great read especially for those who enjoy books in conversational tones (as i do). Enjoy!!

Okay, so these reviews have never been one for me but after reading this book I had to write! This book is going to save my business before I even begin. As a soon-to-be business owner I couldn't have chosen a better book to fit my needs in marketing. Who knew marketing could be so easy? To be honest, the place where the books I reference most often and enjoy the most, are in my bathroom. As The Oscars are for actors, my bathroom is for books! I'm very proud to say that 'The Procrastinator's Guide to Marketing' has won that honor. As a procrastinator by nature, this book really helped me keep my eye on the bigger picture and get things done in an efficient and constructive way, because the main objective isn't clouded by mounds of nonsense. Thank you, Mary and David, for opening my eyes and teaching me that just because I procrastinate, doesn't mean I can't achieve my dream as a business owner! To the rest, happy reading!

I wanted someone to take me by the hand and lead me from start to finish through that terrifying process of writing a marketing plan. That's exactly what The Procrastinator's Guide to Marketing did for me. Written in a wonderful conversational style, it reads like you're sitting down over a cup of coffee (or wine) talking with knowledgeable friends about everything you need to know about marketing your business. Mary and David's "Lessons Learned" are an added bonus, giving stories from their lives that not only teach about marketing, but let us get to know them. With the readability and flow of a novel, but full of helpful worksheets, tables, and resources, I keep this book within easy reach on my bookshelf.

What a big help! I just received your book this week and I have already found much of the information, such as the templates to be very useful... This book seems very comprehensive but also anecdotal and easy to read. Running your own business so difficult to begin with, I am really grateful to have found your wonderful resource. Thank you.

This is exactly what I was looking for when I started my own company 5 years ago. From high level strategy to detailed implementation, this book has it all. An invaluable tool for growing my small business. I just wish I had it sooner. It walks through all the stages to grow a profitable customer base. I particularly like the focus on details and the personal stories of success and failure. It made it all the more readable. The templates also showed how to easily take a marketing theory and implement it within my own business. I strongly recommend this for any small business owner looking to grow profitably!