With the Net's ability to boost business now apparent even to the most skeptical of observers, books that purport to unveil the commercial secrets of cyberspace will continue to proliferate. Few, though, can present observations and recommendations about e-commerce as well as HyperWars, by Bruce Judson with Kate Kelly. Cofounder of Time Warner's pioneering Pathfinder Web site and author of 1996's bestselling Net Marketing, Judson has already proven that he knows what he's talking about when he talks about online business--and in this book he turns his attention to the tactics that, he believes, start-ups as well as established companies must employ to stay ahead of their competition. After analyzing the general implications of today's increasingly wired corporate infrastructure, Judson elaborates (using a wide variety of examples) on specifics like "Speed Is Everything," "Get Personal," "Market Relentlessly," and "Never Stop Looking Over Your Shoulder." He closes with a "HyperWars Audit"--"designed so that in a quick and handy fashion you can see for yourself how prepared your business is to survive and prosper in the emerging hypercompetitive environment." --Howard Rothman
From Publishers Weekly
The Web is changing the business landscape in fundamental ways. Judson (Netmarketing) has seen much of the turmoil at close range, having been a cofounder of Time Warner's Pathfinder, one of the first major corporate Web sites. His report from the front lines adds detail and anecdotes to the general knowledge that most of his readers should already have: that the Web is a virtual marketplace where comparison shopping is almost effortless, geographic boundaries are irrelevant and the pace of activity is faster than anyone could have imagined even five years ago. If the first phase of the commercialization of the Web saw the birth of new types of businesses (like Amazon.com and Yahoo), Judson predicts the second phase will be all about the impact of new online approaches on traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. Supplementing his own experience at Pathfinder with hundreds of interviews, Judson boils down his knowledge to some pithy words of advice presented as 11 "survival strategies." Although such phrases as "Speed Is Everything" and "Market Relentlessly" are generic business strategies, Judson goes beyond them. For example, he points out how Internet technology enables businesses to offer consumers value-laden incentives but also alerts neophytes not to give away the farm. Judson also includes a "Battle Plan" at the end of the discussion of each of his 11 strategies, which should be most useful to those contemplating Web launches. Thoughtful, provocative and honoring common sense, Judson's book may, in fact, end up helping the people it initially scares the most.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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