Advertising Books

With inimitable wit and clarity, Lou captures the true essence of Alan Siegel - and his role in helping make modern business communications simple for readers. From reducing mundane statements and contracts to paragraphs of plain English to inspiring breakthrough corporate and brand identities, Alan Siegel's vision and successes have compelled companies everywhere to rethink and retool how they market to and connect with customers.

Thanks in large part to Alan, companies today get the need to satisfy customers as well as the benefits from streamlined processes and communications designed to achieve this goal. It's a mission companies like mine, Ohlin Associates (www.ohlinassociates.com), which grew out of my time with Siegel & Gale, continue to promote.

Lou deserves much credit for writing such a user-friendly and compelling narrative. It reminds newly indoctrinated readers as well as us protégés of Alan Siegel (and Siegel & Gale) that business-speak creates barriers to customer satisfaction and commercial success.

Simple is Smart.

Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (4/07)

Alan Siegel is one of the best-known gurus in the industry as far as knowledge and experience in the business/corporate world. He dedicates his time as a consultant to large corporations such as Xerox, American Express, the National Basketball Association, the Girl Scouts, plus creates guides to the Wall Street Journal on how to understand the financial market. Actually, these are just a few of the effects in Siegel's repertoire.

Louis J. Slovinsky created what is called the "working biography" on Siegel. In his book "Alan Siegel: On Branding and Clear Communication" Slovinsky produced not only a biography of a man that became successful and a leader in the industry, but also included the deeper side of Siegel so that readers would understand why he is so successful. The book delves into the Siegel's innate abilities and consciousness.

But, there is more. Slovinsky qualifies Siegel's expertise on branding by saying "Competition is more aggressive and the stakes higher than they were a couple of decades ago. Moreover, clients want to confirm that their investment in identity supports their business results." Siegel's expertise in branding model does just that.

Slovinsky also focuses on many of Siegel's successful programs he advised for implementation or research -- one being the Document Design Project, funded by the Department of Education. Slovinsky says "Siegel's role in promoting the Plain Language movement was seminal."

"Alan Siegel: On Branding and Clear Communication" is an inspiration to all interested in establishing a brand for their company. Reading Siegel's story not only teaches us how to be successful and a leader in the industry but inspires us, as entrepreneurs, to look at our own branding and communication strategies. After reading Slovinsky's account of Siegel's successes I am inspired to implement some of the ideas in my own business.

Being consistent with the title, Clear Communication, the author, Louis Slovinsky, writes without jargon but with humor and simplicity. For those who are concerned with building a consistent image for a non-profit or a small business, this book will give you tools to help define the methods to find your singular voice. Alan Siegel's innovative ideas are not just for the large coorporations that can afford his services, but are also appropriate for smaller entities who want to impact their customers with a clear, consistent message.

Louis J. Slovinsky's superb book captures the essence of its subjects, the field of corporate branding and one its leading figures, Alan Siegel, whose work and ideas have been hugely influential in the growth and evolution of this emerging field.

Since founding Siegel & Gale in 1969, Alan Siegel has worked with many of the most recognizable names in the corporate, non-profit, educational and governmental worlds to create or refine their images. You may not have heard of Alan Siegel, but you certainly know his work. MasterCard's now ubiquitous logo and new global corporate identity and the memorable Dell logo with the "E" standing on its edge - reflecting how Dell made the PC industry stand on its ear - are but two notable examples. However Siegel did much more than create catchy new logos or slogans for companies and graft them onto companies that needed to retool their images. These highly visible creations were the merely end-products of what Siegel calls defining the "corporate voice." Slovinsky brings to light the processes Siegel used to define this "voice." Working with a corporate client, Siegel & Gale creates a project team to examine the history, culture, values and vision of the company and examine how the company differentiates itself from their competition. The team then distills the essence of its findings into a concise "big idea" and elaborates a strategy to express this new positioning. Siegel believes that corporations must speak with a "clear, coherent and distinctive voice", a voice that should resonate at all levels of the organization from the bottom to the top. We the consumer may only see a new logo, but, as Slovinsky demonstrates, Siegel's work involves bringing about significant changes in the internal workings of the company to achieve a coherent corporate voice. Siegel's success with high-profile clients speaks volumes for the effectiveness of this holistic approach.

Clarity, simplicity and comprehensibility in communication are hallmarks of Siegel's work, therefore it makes sense that Siegel's most enduring legacy may be his concept of "language simplification." In short, this means simplifying and putting into plain English, documents, forms and fine print that companies and governmental bodies use when dealing with the public. I was fascinated by the book's description of Siegel's groundbreaking work in this field and the resistance that had to be overcome to accomplish these worthy aims. In Siegel's view, by being simple and clear in their forms and fine print, companies can enhance their image and improve customer loyalty. Amen. Now, if only you can get those ideas past those pesky lawyers!

On Branding and Clear Communications is a perfect introduction to the branding field and an excellent tool for all who are interested in creating a simple, clear and resonant voice for a company or organization of any size. I highly recommend it.

Finally, a clear and accesible introduction to the subject of branding!!!

Slovinsky's extensive research, career experience and lucid writing style make this an essential read for practioners as well as students of marketing. I was so impressed by the content -- and context -- of this book that it will be required reading for the grad course I teach in marketing and public relations for libraries.

Balanced Brand by John Foley with Julie Kendrick is a refreshing and enlightening book that helps people focus on alignment of values. It is not every day that business leaders read about the success of their companies from the true alignment of their Head, Heart and Hands. As the book explains the success of companies like Tiffany is due to their focus on employee training on Tiffany's true values-world-class quality( Their Head), uncompromising service( Their Heart) and social responsibility( Their Hands). They have been able to align their values since 1837 by focused training and transfer of their Core Values, which happens to Align with the many stakeholders.

I enjoyed reading and learning from the Balanced Brand and I would recommend this book to all , who are looking to Crystallize their thinking about Brands. This book will help them develop a plan for achieving that goal, develop a sincere desire for the things that are real for them and all of their stakeholders and also to develop supreme confidence in their organization and it's abilities to execute the plan consistently over many decades.

Jay Seshadri
Om Shanthi Om ( means Peace in Sanskrit)
SESHADRI LLC

John Foley's approach to combining brand identity with corporate values and culture is a worthwhile strategy to assimilate into one's company. Everyone is aware that a brand will get a customer 'in the door' but Foley's strategy for identifying key stakeholders and keeping them engaged, is a strategy every company should learn how to employ and practice. I would highly reconmend this book to all who are interested in advancing both the mission and bottom line of their companies. This book would have particular appeal to young people entering the work force as a tool for staying engaged with their comapany's customers.

Finally, an approach that takes branding to the next level! I found Foley's thinking on creating and protecting brands by aligning corporate and stakeholder values to be refreshing and enlightening. Today's news is filled with examples of corporate failure due to scandals, breech of trust, and greed. This only underscores the need to project appropriate values.

Additionally, I believe Foley's perspective on the interdependence of a strong reputation and a strong brand is extremely insightful-bordering on revolutionary. He explores how the effects of competition, abrupt changes in customer preference, skyrocketing promotional costs, and even a company's own actions can erode the brand or reputation.

Foley includes helpful strategies and tools to assess stakeholder alignment and put his systems into practice. I highly recommend this book to anyone charged with managing brands and building corporate growth. In my opinion, this is a very important body of work.

Bridget Clark
Corporate Branding and Marketing

Even as we're feeling we've got all our bases covered, finally, Mr. Foley opens our eyes to a critical consideration too many executives--in both the private and public sectors--have failed to appreciate. He not only does an effective job of presenting and substantiating the problem, he then tells us how to deal with it. I really wish this book had been available a decade or more ago! It should be on every manager's "must read" list.

Balanced Brand guided me to higher ground.

For nearly two years, my head has been awash in the technology and behavorial shifts accelerating due to internet connectivity globally and what that entails. There is a river of change flowing and it's reaching flood stage. Blogs, podcasts, vlogs, online social networking sites, news aggregation tools (allowing people to scan and consume hundreds of blog posts and news headlines in a single sitting), and instant online conversations about brand-affecting events are facilitating shifts of consciousness and awareness that profoundly effects a brand.

As a consequence of all of these enabling technologies and shifts, there is a new participatory culture emerging which is allowing stakeholders in record numbers to participate vs. just being passive recipients of some miscellaneous communications campaign or messaging thrust...and this emerging culture is out of anyone's control.

Balanced Brand made me stop and reconsider the complexities of all these changes occurring and instead climb to the top of the hill, sit down and look down on the river. I thought about the deeper meanings and strategies required to guarantee the river down below will be navigable...regardless of what technologies or cultures reveal themselves. This book is not about technology or participatory paradigm shifts, however. It's about balance, the essence of a brand, and how to create and utilize balanced brand strategies.

Within its pages is a framework that allows any organization to understand and assess their values, those of their customers, shareholders, employees and communities within which they're involved, and be able to then understand where and how to align them. Though it doesn't say this as overtly as I am, what I thought was obvious was that -- once this work was completed -- strategic direction would be crystal clear.

Once balanced branding strategies are in place, every stakeholder knows what to do. They know what the brand stands for and what it means. Employees know how to perform and use the river-of-change-shifts to facilitate brand enhancement instead of being victims and drowning in it. What hit me squarely due to my involvement in technology, is that a participatory culture can be created that sparks innovation and creativity, grows top-line revenue and customer satisfaction, all of which is of vital importance to management and shareholders.

That was the higher ground I was guided to by Balanced Brand. It helped me focus and see that first-and-foremost it is the essence of the brand and the brand in practice that really matters. Everything else then falls into place.

My title says it best. Twenty-four hours with this book was like Manna from Heaven! It answered so many of my questions, yet managed to raise (and answer) questions that I didn't know to ask. Best of all, not only does the author advocate the POD-life, he lives it. Thanks to his insights and my additional research on the topic, my company will also thrive in the POD world! Thanks Bruce!!!

This is a morale builder, a practical and encouraging how-to for selling books in an industry completely transformed by digital technology. Most authors set out to be writers, not marketers, and, faced with repeated rejection of their work by a series of publishers, turn only reluctantly to self-publishing. While past guides to self-publishing have dwelt on the art of haggling with bookstore owners over credit for returned books (how much scuffing of the cover is too much, etc), Batchelor reveals surprising new opportunities, and shows how authors take advantage of the changing situation. He notes, for example, that publishers have traditionally rejected manuscripts on the basis that they are written for audiences that are "too narrow." The internet has turned that upside down by making it practical to identify and sell to niche audiences. Thank goodness! This book is stuffed with information about the changing structure of the publishing business, who does what, relative costs, how to figure out what to do, and then how to go about it. This is what the overwhelmed author needs to figure out a rewarding course of action. Good stuff.

Author Bruce Batchelor, a publisher and consultant, has done a nice job of distilling his wisdom into 180 pages that spell out how an author can successfully market a book. Using examples from his experience as a publishing industry pioneer and the advice of many top selling authors, Batchelor provides the reader with a smart and sound format on how to market your book.

It often comes as a shock when newly published authors discover that they must bear most of the burden of marketing their books to the general reading public -- even if they are fortunate enough to be published by one of the major New York publishing firms like Random House, Simon & Schuster or Penguin-Putnam. For self-published authors that marketing responsibility is completely theirs. Most authors are aware of the many 'how to' books that are available to them for the purpose of helping them master the craft of writing, There are also instruction books on turning raw manuscripts into finished books. What is not so obvious is that there are a number of excellent instructional guides for authors on how to market their books after they have been published. One of the best of these marketing manuals is "Book Marketing De-Mystified" by Bruce Batchelor, the man who founded Trafford (Canadian based and one of the larger POD companies servicing North America) and is widely acknowledged as the creator of the print-on-demand (POD) publishing process that has shattered the book publishing monopoly of the traditional publishing firms by allowing anyone to easily become their own publisher. This 167-page compendium of practical advice offers an especially 'user friendly' introduction to the art and science of book marketing because of its conversational style, it comprehensive coverage of book marketing issues, and Bruce Batchelor's unique perspective. It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is positively cited (page 120) as a resource for authors and independent publishers. "Book Marketing De-Mystified" is especially useful in terms of its discussion of where to sell books, price/value setting, personal sales, paid advertising, sales promotions, publicity and public relations. Simply stated, every author and every small press publisher needs to have a competent marketing plan -- and Bruce Batchelor's "Book Marketing De-Mystified" specifically and effectively addresses that need.

Reading this book is like having the pieces of a puzzle come together! I started my book 18 months ago and after reading BMD I was inspired to finish it and make a marketing plan that reflects my goals and is actually achievable. Whether you are an indie POD author or working with a big name publisher, this book provides a wealth of information that helps anyone understand the publishing world. It is full of specific information, real ideas and examples and it really gets you thinking about how you might market your own book. A must have for any author.

great book focusing on an opportunity that everyone underestimates . Also contains great practical solutions

As a boomer myself and a potential marketer I found this book to be on target, logical, and useful. I now find myself analyzing ads and realizing why I am drawn to some and turned off by others. I also like the concept of targeting boomers based on life style and life stage. As the authors note, most of us don't see ourselves as old - or even as getting old - and we are as different as we are alike. The book has given me a lot of insight into "my generation" that will help my marketing efforts.

I really liked this book. It had the right balance between the theoretical stuff and its application in the real world. Straight talking marketing advice from a couple of guys who have obviously done it themselves.

Boomer Consumer has moved from my pile of books in `must get around to reading' category to the day-to-day working section of my library.

Matt Thornhill has been sending out red alerts to corporate marketers for several years now. His message: You are failing to target 78 million consumers who have plenty of money and are willing to spend a lot of it! (Billions? Trillions?) Today, thanks to Matt and his colleagues like marketing gurus Brent Green and Marti Barletta, some companies are beginning to figure out how to talk to, sell to and profit from serving the Boomers.

Matt and his business partner John Martin have written a very convincing book. If ad execs can read this book and still not revamp their campaigns to target Baby Boomers, they are more stuck in their 18-49 year old "desirable demographic" thinking that I would have thought possible!

When the Boomers TV team went to ad agencies in 2005 looking for sponsors to underwrite our 13 part television series Boomers! Redefining Life After Fifty, we were almost always sent into a conference room to talk to creatives and account execs who were in their 20's. They really couldn't relate to a show for a "demo" older than 35! Today, some agencies and the media in general are beginning to change, thanks to Boomers with power and name recognition who are talking about being over 50 as OK, even cool. The influence of people like Katie Couric and Dave Letterman are noted by Matt and John in their book.

Boomer Consumer is an interesting read, even if you don't have a lot of toothpaste or cars or trips to sell. The authors' psycho-social approach and their reminders that there are many kinds of Boomers with many different goals, dreams and lifestyles are valuable. But their conclusion that almost all Boomers will be looking for ways to stay vital in five key areas of life also rings true. They predict Boomers will seek financial vitality, physical vitality, mental vitality, social vitality, and spiritual vitality for at least another 40 years.

The authors also provide a reality check for those who think all of us are getting ready to retire next year...the median age of Boomers is just 51. And the halfway point of Boomers reaching age 65 won't be here until 2022. So Boomers are still young enough to have to keep earning money and to spend it, often on brands that we didn't grow up loyal to because they just weren't around in the 50's, 60's or 70's. (Boomers, show us your iPods!)

With respect to an aging, wealthy and influential generation, the concept of "marketing to Boomers" took off about 2003 with a colossal, "So what?" This was generally how the business world first embraced the marketing idea.

"Why market to a generational niche?" "What's new about Boomers as consumers?" (Translation: We've been marketing to them for decades ... yawn.) "Isn't it time those aging hippies get out of the marketing spotlight and saunter into their marmalade sunset?"

Many executives didn't see the point in understanding unprecedented demographic and economic destiny. They were too busy cranking out marketing campaigns to target adults 18 to 34. They were also about to miss the most significant development in market segmentation in about a decade.

After a gazillion media articles on the topic, what seems obvious today was not clear four years ago -- to most.

Two men who did get it -- and subsequently formed The Boomer Project -- were John Martin and Matt Thornhill. A bit hopeful in their ambitions at first, they nevertheless began collecting data and formulating insights about the possibilities for aging Boomers as an unrivaled market force in the coming years.

These pioneers also continued educating themselves about the newest thinking in areas such as anthropology, neuropsychology and sociology. They tapped into breakthrough insights of respected thinkers such as David Wolfe, Laura Carstensen, Ph.D. and Gene Cohen, M.D.

The result of their original research and multidisciplinary synthesis of outstanding authors and academicians is a book called "Boomer Consumer." It is simply a concise, clear, and coherent compendium of on-target information and insights about a rapidly growing field of inquiry and practice.

If you're interested in jumping on this bandwagon, then you need to add this book to your reading list. Matt and John are two Pied Pipers worth following.

Schwartz' "Breakthrough Advertising" is the most important of all the copywriting books I've ever read. I own copies of virtually all copywriting books ever written, going back to the turn of the century. This one is the most important, and most valuable.

It's difficult to read, and definitely not a beginners "how to write advertising copy" type book -- I like to think of it as a graduate-level resource to help develop world-class controls. I reread it regularly, at least once a quarter, to continue to drill the concepts and the overall approach that Gene covers into my copywriting skill set.

If I had just one book to recommend for successful copywriting, this would be it. Of course one also has to memorize and read Caples, Sugarman, Ogilvy, and the rest of the many masters of the craft... but this is the centerpiece, the strongest and most important of all copywriting books.

My copy's sold millions. A lot of what I do is based on the mechanizing and other processes modeled and explained in this critically important copywriting masterpiece. Buy it now!

Ken Calhoun

Eugene Schwartz was a great copywriter. He understood copywriting. He knew that it was salesmanship in print. In this book Schwartz gives us his method of constructing an ad (he calls all copy ads) and he explains who our market really is. He tells us that our ad is directed to a group of people who have one main desire or need.

This is a great book. It's odd that many of the books that sold only a few thousand copies in their day, such as this one, now are in high demand. This is especially true of copywriting books. It seems that everyone thinks he or she can either become a copywriter or at the very least write copy for his own advertising by simply reading a book! I don't think so. Hey --- I've been at it 40 years and I'm still learning.

This is not a book for the person looking for a quick fix. If you're not a serious copywriter, don't buy this book. Only a copywriter can really understand it. If you're an entrepreneur looking for some basic knowledge, buy Bob Bly's latest books. His are the books for the novice. They're good. They're easy to read. They're easy to understand. And Bob is a great copywriter.

But if you are a copywriter and want to read a great book, you must buy this. Is it worth the money? Oh yes. If you're a copywriter it is. If you're not a copywriter, save your money.

This book is not dated. In fact, one could almost feel he's reading a book written today. I applied some of what I read to one of my Web sites and it really works. Gene wrote long copy and many sites are nothing more than long copy. For those sites, this book is a find for the copywriter who writes them. Fact is, I prefer it to the books on the market directed to copywriters who write web copy.

Some of the books we read today are nothing more than recycled stuff. Here we read the real thing. Some authors today will tell you that people are not motivated by the same things as before. Not so. Since the cave man and until the end of time people will be motivated by love, sex, hate, greed, envy, jealousy and all the other emotions that have held us hostage since the beginning of time.

It may be true that people buy differently. It may be true that they don't respond exactly as they used to because of their multi-tasking and other things. But we sell to the same motivators that we've always sold to.

This book will never go out of fashion. It will never be dated.

This is a book you'll want to read once and then read again with a highlighter. You'll probably want to read it yearly. There are a number of old books that I read once a year and refer to often. There's a real market in everything old because, fact is, they had it right and it still applies today. Why fix it if it ain't broke?

Buy the book. It will make you a better copywriter. Tell your prospective clients to buy it too. Why? Because when they get two or three chapters read they'll see how hard it is to be a copywriter and they'll hire you.

The only black book I know of in any field is this one. Everything you discover in any other book on direct response advertising and coywriting is represented in this book. There are several decent books available - about seven in my view -on copywriting but this one is the dog's bollocks as we say down our way. Read Sugarman's first two books, Caples, John Carlton's expensive but illuminating and highly readable Kick-Ass manual, Robert Collier (for letters). Download Gary Halbert's letters. And maybe Schwab. That's all you need. This book genuinely must be read several times to be understood, which may put off some. Oh, and get hold of Schwartz's 1993 speech to Phillips Publishing. Try Michael Senoff's site - it's free from there. This speech is a fabulous adjunct to Breakthrough Advertising.

This is a rock solid, if challenging, book about writing ad copy from one of the best copywriters who ever lived. It is NOT an easy read so if you're looking to be entertained by a 'personality,' look elsewhere.

On the other hand, if you want to dig deep into the subject of copywriting and go beyond the 'paint-by-numbers,' training wheels
approach that's so widely taught these days, this is a good book to work with.

And 'work with' is the way to look at it. This book is so packed, one chapter could easily give you enough things to think about for a year.

By the way, there is absolutely nothing dated in this book.
Calling this book dated is like saying Claude Hopkins is dated because he used examples from the turn of the century or that John Caples is dated because he used example from the 30s and 40s.

You don't buy books like these for their examples. You buy them for what a highly experienced and successful ad writer has to say about his craft. That being said, this book will probably be too much for readers who want everything 'quick and easy' and need to be entertained.

This is more of a psychology book than a book on marketing and selling. But then, I think that marketing and selling are intertwined with psychology. In order to sell effectively, you've got to understand human psychology.

In order to make a profitable life, you've got to understand people at a deeper level than most. Breakthrough Advertising penetrates on a deeper level, the buying psychology.

It also explains to you the life cycle of any product. It explains to you that you've got to figure out the consciousness level of your target and combine that with the life age of your product.

For example, products like Coca Cola and Mcdonalds have a older life age than say a business that just opened yesterday. Therefore you would advertise a product like Coca Cola differently than if you were promoting a small family business.

But one of the main things I appreciate about this book is the fact that Eugene Schwartz talks about unconscious desires of people that always were and always will be. These feelings, thoughts, and desires cannot be created or destroyed. In fact the way Mr. Schwartz writes about these unconscious desires remind me of the laws of physics. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed.

The key of the profitable and lucrative marketer is to harness and channel these desires on to your product or service.

There are many principles in this book that makes this book a "bible" of marketers and copywriters. This book should be in EVERY professional's library.

There is a Gold mine of information in this book. ANY Price you pay is worth it.

Creating Ever-Cool is must-read for marketers - especially for anyone marketing to kids.

Entertainment brands are often short-lived. As the title of the book suggests, there are ways to revitalize and sustain the life of a product or brand. Gene Del Vecchio's book gives you practical suggestions on how to do it.

Today's brand stewardship involves not only corporate ID, mission and vision statements, but also creating back stories that help consumers understand the brand in context. Nowhere is this more important than in marketing to children. In his chapter, "Develop Kid-Appealing Products" Gene provides matrices that help marketers create a story line for their products and brands. In cases where a story actually is the product or brand, as with film, video games, books, and many toys, his insights are invaluable.

As a marketing professional and former Ogilvy & Mather Creative Director, I've known Gene Del Vecchio for 20 years. He was the head of planning and research at the Ogilvy & Mather/LA office, and his expertise was often tapped by other Ogilvy offices - especially when a project involved kid marketing. I worked with him on major brands including Microsoft, Mattel, Pacific Bell, and Shell. His thinking played a major role in the development of advertising for the brands we worked on together. Creating Ever-Cool is a rare insight into the thinking of a brilliant marketer.

Creating Ever-Cool: A Marketer's Guide to a Kid's Heart

Are you looking for a secret formula to guide your kid focused marketing decisions? Gene Del Vecchio's book - "Creating Ever-Cool A Marketer's Guide to a Kid's Heart" is truly insightful. It is the closest thing to a secret formula that I've come across.

'Ever-Cool' is a book that answers a seemingly simple but actually quite complex question... Why do some brands in the kids marketplace remain the favorites of children year after year - generation after generation. Exactly what gives these brands their staying power? 'Ever-Cool' answers this question in a well written and entertaining style.

The book has 4 sections: 'The Introduction' , 'The Child's Psyche' , 'A Kid's World and Culture' and 'Marketing to a Child's heart'.

In 'The Child's Psyche' section Del Vecchio examines the timeless and underlying needs of childhood. From the differences between girls and boys, to their fears and fantasies.

'A Kid's World and Culture' investigates children in the world today. Their self awareness, shifting family structures, and universal (hopefully) experiences of childhood such as going to school, and living in the neighborhood. The 'Marketing to a Child's heart' section contains lots of advice and suggestions on how to utilize these insights.

I found the concept that there could be 'Kid Psyche Gaps' in the market place to be particularly intriguing. Del Vecchio explains it in the following way: Psyche Gaps are "that part of the child's psyche that is not currently being satisfied by a competitor" (pg. 221.) Clearly identifying what these gaps are and strategically developing a product to fill the gap is very sound marketing.

Another really cool part of this section is the 'Kids' Idea Matrix'. Del Vecchio provides a creative idea development aid that works in the following way: "By forcing our eyes to see relationships, we help our brains consider the ideas that are born from them. This can be accomplished with a system I call Matrixing a simple process of putting various categories of items in front of our eyes, side by side, in a fashion that will help us to easily mix and match them. The items we will force together are those that we have discussed throughout this book." (pg. 185) Del Vecchio essentially is showing us how to use his ideas.

Del Vecchio also briefly covers advertising, setting up a research program, and ethics. All in all I personally have no hesitation in recommending this book. I found it to be highly insightful and an enjoyable read.

The author not only reveals important and interesting aspects of a child's psyche, but also gives you insights on how to use those aspects to make your products and brands "ever cool".

This might be the most useful business book and the best book on kids that I've ever read.

Most business books have just a couple of points, mostly covered in the first chapter, and then drone on to fill the pages with expansions, slight additions, and examples. They should have been articles instead of books.

This book, however, is absolutely brimming with valuable information about the psyche of kids, chapter after chapter. It starts with ever-present needs; moves into fads; gender specific issues; age based issues; etc etc.

It draws on the authors extensive hands on experience at Ogilvy working with kids marketing. And his apparent research on child development and psychology.

This is an excellent, concise but information-packed book on reaching kids for marketers, product developers and even parents!

Short version: Buy this book now, and get it shipped to you overnight!

This book is the secret weapon for anyone who markets to kids or wants to. Gene Del Vecchio manages to make the subject entertaining and engaging while teaching you a pile of indispensible techniques to capture a kid's heart.

Not only does the book teach you how to market products better, it gets you thinking different. Suddenly, you're developing products and strategies with kids in mind, and you understand why certain products are big hits with kids.

Another funny thing about this book...it helps you to understand kids better. For readers with their own kids, this could be the greates value of all.

Come on.... admit it. You've always wanted to jerk the chain of those spammers who try to get you to part with personal information so they can scam you out of thousands of hard-earned dollars (pounds, pesos, whatever). Bob Servant did just that in 2007 and turned the email exchanges into the book Delete This at Your Peril: One Man's Hilarious Exchanges with Internet Spammers. This was a funny read, gifted with Servant's bizarre sense of humor and the pathetic attempts of the scammers trying to get the information they're after.

Contents:
Introduction - Meet Bob Servant; Editor's Note - An Overview of Spam; Lions, Gold and Confusion; Bob and the Postie; Alexandra, Bob, and Champion; Uncle Bob's African Adventure; The Sea Could Not Take Him, No Woman Could Tame Him; From Lanzhou to Willy's Chinese Palace; Bobby and Benjamin are New Friends; Peter's Pots; Acknowledgments

Each chapter consists of the email exchanges between the scammers and Servant. The scams revolve around 419, local agents needed, and fake Russian brides. I wish the timestamps on the emails had been preserved, as it would have been fun to see how eager these people were to accomplish their goals. In nearly all cases, Servant is dealing with "English as second language" people, so right there you get a fair amount of amusement as they try to string together decent sentences. But the real joy is when Servant starts to lead them down the path of his fictional life in Broughty Ferry, Scotland. Actually, his life is real. It's just the incidents that are way out there. For instance... Lions, Gold and Confusion starts with a 419 scam. Servant tries to get his percentage of the take moved from 20% to 30%. Once he gets 30% through a series of exchanges, he goes for 40%. From there, he says he doesn't want the money in cash as he can't hide it from the taxman. Instead, he wants it in diamonds and gold so he can move it through pawn shops in Lochee. He then introduces the possibility of taking payment in livestock (like lions) for his neighbor's private zoo. We go back and forth on the detail of the "gold lions", only to have Servant insist that he meant *real* lions. Oh, then the lions have to talk... he'll only accept talking lions... or four lions, two leopards, one elephant, one alligator, two parrots, and one hedgehog...

I enjoyed this on a number of levels. For one, Servant's Scottish culture comes through strong in both text and situation. Having a few Scottish friends, I wasn't having a hard time seeing these crazy situations play out in my mind. Servant's fantasy lives are so far out there, that you wonder why *anyone* would maintain the email exchange past the first couple of volleys. I also got a kick out of seeing the spammers beg and plead for personal information, only to have Servant respond with another "day in the life" email, excuses as to why he can't comply just then, or something else completely out of the blue. The change in the spammer's tone from accommodating to *DO THIS NOW!* was almost a given every time. But actually, in a couple of exchanges, he calls them on the scam at the end and they actually 'fess up to it.

I wouldn't suggest that everyone start doing this to spammers, as there's always a chance that you could tick off someone or some group with the ability to do you physical harm. I think I'll just continue to delete them as they show up. But if you want to live vicariously through Servant, here's your chance to turn the tables.

I must confess to have on rare occasions engaged in what Bob Servant describes in this book. Responding to a spam e-mail message expressing interest in their "proposal" and then quickly cutting them off. It is one small way in which you can get back at the harassment and waste of time that the generators of such messages create.
However, Servant takes it to a new level, some of the messages he sends to the "mark" are so absurd that it is astonishing that they don't get the reverse scam sooner. It is also hilarious; Servant sends a message even more ridiculous than what the spammer sent him yet they respond in all seriousness, still trying to troll for the bank account information. The scams he deals with are:

*) Russian woman looking for romance
*) African trying to take wealth out of a country (three times)
*) Foreign company looking for a local agent to market their products (three times)
*) Company looking for people to work at home at a high salary

Servant has written a book containing actions that we all want to do, namely string along a scammer with your own scam, forcing them to waste their time and effort chasing an empty trail. It is a taste of their own medicine and sometimes they find it a rather bitter dose.

While I have a really good anti-spam appliance, this e-mail was received today (other than removing some details and the headers, this is exactly as it was sent):

My Dear


I am Antony. I am contacting you to be my project partner and stand as my

late Father foreign manager for transfer of US$12 million with 50kg gold. This fund is in a bank in Indonesia.

into your account for investment I intend to do in your country.

Please reply urgent to my private email @hotmail.com.

Please call me on Tel +277986


Sincerely

Antony

After reading Delete This at Your Peril: One Man's Hilarious Exchanges with Internet Spammers, by Bob Servant, it took a lot of control for me not to engage "Antony" in a dialog. I don't think that I would be able to reply in a manner befitting Bob Servant, but it could be fun.

Contents:
Introduction: Meet Bob Servant
Editor's Note: An Overview of Spam
Chapter 1: Lions, Gold and Confusion
Chapter 2: Bob and the Postie
Chapter 3: Alexandra, Bob and Champion
Chapter 4: Uncle Bob's African Adventure
Chapter 5: The Could Not Take Him, No Woman Could Tame Him
Chapter 6: From Lanzhou to Willy's Chinese Palace
Chapter 7: Bobby and Benjamin are New Friends
Chapter 8: Peter's Pots
Acknowledgements

This is a short (176 pages), extremely funny book that I wished was longer. My family thought that I was mad, as I was literally laughing out loud while reading this book.

Bob Servant has a lot of time on his hands. What he does with that time is to engage internet spammers in dialog. They want his financial information (bank routing numbers or to wire money to them) and Bob wants . . . well, he wants some authentic African recipes for his new restaurant, talking lions, gardening pots, and his Russian bride to get a job at the local pub. Each keep asking him for his money, and Bob not only ignores them, but writes some of the funniest e-mails you will ever read. The spammers, driven by money, keep the e-mails coming, until they usually sign off with an expletive after a really over-the-top e-mail from Bob. Or, unbelievably, they confess that they are trying to scam Bob out of his money. But the exchanges are, quite simply, some of the best comedy I have read in a while. Bob, from Broughty Ferry, Scotland, spins his friends, footballers, and local sights into his e-mails, which adds color to the manic adventures. For example, one person asked for Bob's personal information, only to receive an e-mail detailing Bob's problems with his postman. Bob has taken to playing pranks on Trevor, the postman, going so far as to build a hide in his garden. From this vantage point, Bob either shoots Trevor with an air rifle or "[chucks] a firework at his head." The pranks escalate to point where Bob asks the spammer for legal assistance. Smelling more cash, the spammer provides Bob with free legal advice and then tries to collect.

Each chapter is a new exchange with a different spammer. After reading Chapter 1 (a typical 419 spam), I didn't think that the stories could get any better. I was wrong. I was only disappointed when I finished this book. I realize that 176 pages is short, but this is a book that I wanted to last longer. It was that good. Adding to the e-mail exchanges, Bob includes some pictures that he has passed off as of himself. How the spammers use those pictures in subsequent e-mails is hilarious. Thanks to anti-spam software and appliances, many of these types of e-mails never get to your Inbox. However, if you ever wanted to "get even" with spammers, live vicariously through Bob Servant. The ride is wild and extremely funny.

How many times have you read of, or thought of, leading scam artists on who want to use your bank account to deposit a cool 10 million dollars (and you get to keep 20 percent!) Bob Servant, a man with obviously TOO much time on his hands (well, he is semi-retired), not only has written back to countless Nigerian Bank Deposit scammers but has recorded the exchanges in a laugh-outloud book "Delete at Your Peril." I was hooting louding by the time I got through the Lions and Gold exchange.

If you want a laugh, this is a funny, funny book. Send email scams to Mr. Bob Servant of Scotland at your peril.

Have you ever been tempted to respond to any of the ridiculous scam messages that flood your inbox on a daily basis, just to see what kind of response you get back or to see how far you can take the discussion before blowing the spammer off? Well, one man has taken that idea and flat-out run with it, and you won't believe the results. If ever there were a true character on this earth, it has to be "Bob Godzilla Servant," former window cleaner (until some gypsies stole his ladders, but don't get him started on that again), veteran of Dundee's Infamous Cheeseburger Wars of 1988-89, all-around man about town, gifted tall tale teller, and now a hero for the twenty-first century. Not only can he vanquish spammers with one hand tied behind his back, he's even capable of leaving at least one of them laughing about the whole thing.

"Bob Servant" is unique, which makes it impossible for me to communicate just how funny this book is. He is as much in his element in front of a keyboard as he is down at the local pub regaling anyone and everyone with his stories, schemes, and ideas. There's just no way I could adequately describe the likes of "Bob's" best mates Frank the Plank, Chappy Williams, and Tommy Peanuts, let alone "Bob" himself, to you here, nor could I even begin to do justice to the halcyon days when "Bob" dominated the cheeseburger van market. Even if I could, it wouldn't be right for me to do so. You are in good hands with journalist Neil Forsyth, who tells you everything you need to know (and then some) about his good friend "Bob's" extraordinary life and times.

Fittingly, the fun begins with the original standard bearer of spam, the old 419 (better known as the "Nigerian" scam). In this case, it's the son of a dead tribal king in Togo seeking help transferring a fortune from his home country into an American bank. "Bob" wants more than the standard cut and ends up getting his African friend promising to deliver talking lions as payment. The guy who offers him a wonderful textile distribution opportunity ends up advising "Bob" on the legal problems he faces after kidnapping his postman. Then he's wooing his new Russian wife-to-be in his own unique way (it involves an ostrich), turning another 409 scammer into the primary advisor to the ultra-realistic African restaurant he plans to open, starting an online love affair (pretending to be a woman, of course) with the son of a dead general in Sierra Leone, etc. There are eight sets of genuine email correspondence in all, each one of them as hilarious as the next.

Frankly, I can't even begin to describe just how entertaining every single page of this book is. "Bob Servant" is the best character to come along in a long, long time, and Delete This At Your Peril is the funniest book I've read since I discovered The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Red Dwarf many years ago. Heck, this might actually be the funniest book I've ever read, period. You won't just enjoy reading this book; you'll want to tell your co-workers about it, buy it as a gift for friends, and light a candle in hopes that "Bob Servant" will someday regale us with more stories or - even better - pen an autobiography of his exceptional life.

Wow! Dreamweaving is a very easy, quick read packed with great sales & marketing tips. I've been in radio sales for a long time, and picked up a lot of new, useful information. I then passed the book on to not just my sales staff, but to my on-air, and promotional staff. After reading the book, we feel we will be able to take care of our advertisers a lot better by addressing their needs & helping with their creative message. It also made us look at how we market our radio station. We did make some sales too, and I'm sure we'll make many more!

The concept of dreamweaving has changed the way I think about the marketing I do. As a bank mareting director for a community bank in Alabama, I have found this to be the best and most valuable thing I do in any day of the week, month, year. Any marketing expert would agree that ANY advertising results are often difficult track directly back to the specific expense. But after embracing (which is truly what you must do to make it work)dreamweaving in Spring 2001, our community bank has grown tremendously with 2003 being one of the best years we have ever had. The promises the book makes are not "hype". They are happening at our bank! Employees that are involved love it. Non-profit organizations have stopped asking for money and started asking for radio time! REALLY! I'm not kidding! Our advertising budget has not increased. In fact, the first full year that we began dreamweaving, we spent 25% less than budgeted. The budget has not increased, though two new branches have been built and marketed since dreamweaving began. If you are to embrace dreamweaving, you will get immediate feedback, no doubt. However, you must go the long-term with it. Many radio stations asked us at first, "Well, how long are you going to do this campaign?" The answer: It's indefinite. It will not end. We will ALWAYS do it.

I manage two radio stations and recommend Dreamweaving to every marketing consultant. This easy to read book makes sense! The content reviews the basic principles of marketing and is a simple guide to your success. You must read it!

I recently accepted a marketing position at a community bank and one of the first books my boss asked me to read was this one - Dreamweaving. This has been one of the most eye opening marketing/communication stratagies that I have seen or heard of in a long time! It makes sense, is simple, and can be the most strategic asset for your bank or business. Dreamweaving builds an emotional bridge between your business and the community. It allows you to focus on the relationship with people first, and then the product. I think that we have placed too much emphasis on the product and that banking/business marketing is the 'same old thing!' Everyone already knows that your bank has checking accounts and CD's - why bother telling them? Invest your time (and money) into relationships. This book is a MUST for anyone and everyone who has a business and wants it to genuinely stand out from the rest - we're talking Top of Mind Awareness!

Every hour of every day we consumers suffer a barrage of advertising, each shouting "bigger, better, new, improved." Our eyes and ears are so afflicted by claims and counterclaims that we soon learn to filter out the noise.

How then, can the creator or vendor of a product of service hope to gain the attention of potential customers and turn that attention into sales?

"To millions of talented businesspeople," says marketing consultant Michael Chandler in DREAMWEAVING: The Secret to Overwhelming Your Business Competition, "SALES is a four-letter word."

What he means, is that just because someone has a talent for business doesn't make them equally skilled in selling their product or service no matter how convinced they are theirs is the best thing since cable TV. The very thought of facing a reluctant consumer and convincing them they should spend their hard-earned cash on THIS instead of THAT gives them heartburn.

Fortunately, says Mr. Chandler, the most successful sales campaigns aren't. They don't sell anything. Rather, they focus on what the customer needs and wants and simply alerts them that the very thing they're looking for is RIGHT HERE. This is the fine craft of Dreamweaving.

"Dreamweavers don't think in or out of boxes," he explains. "Dreamweavers think in circles . . .Dreamweavers understand how people feel, how they think, and what makes them tick. They know what makes people excited and what bores them to tears."

And how to these amazing folks know all of this? Quite simple. They don't talk, they listen. In this era saturated with mass advertising, they don't try to out-shout the competition. Instead, they seek out the needs of their prospective customers and fulfill them. Successful marketing, he advises, is solely a matter of how the customer perceives the product. So, the wise marketer focuses on determining which images and ideas will allow his or her potential customers to personally relate to the product.

"Listen to what your customers want. Then give it to them," Mr. Chandler says.

Does it work? So far, if the examples Mr. Chandler provides are any indication. And we're talking banks, where the difference between one and the next is negligible at best when it comes to services. He has consulted with several banks that have seen their assets and customer base skyrocket simply because they have offered their paid radio advertising time to promote public events and fundraisers. Why? Because the residents of the communities they serve stop thinking of them as "the bank" and start considering them neighbors, friends, people who'll come through when they're needed.

Written in a pleasant, ironic style that entertains as well as educates, DREAMWEAVING offers advice that can be used by businesses no matter how small or large. The principles Mr. Chandler relates are also egalitarian in that they can be adapted to just about any kind of business you'd care to mention, and his focus on customer relations rather than hard sell is refreshing in itself. He honestly admits many are put off by what they consider the "touchy-feely" aspects of his premise, but that doesn't faze him a bit. The important thing is, it works.

This book was helpful in defining all the new technologies and illustrates many challenges businesses face integrating their initiatives online.

There are a lot of facets to running a business that not only must serve an online community but an offline customer base as well. Gutzman does a nice job highlighting the various sectors and the tools businesses must consider to address those needs. She provides examples and case studies. Good book, must read.

In the Preface, Gutzman explains that her book "is designed to tell you what the must-have technologies are for your Web site, with resources listing vendors for each technology. However, new vendors are entering the field daily. For example, for the technology I discuss in the Epiloque, alternative payment systems, I received three press releases in the week before the book went to the printer. In fact, this book has been difficult to write because I have never felt that any chapter was finished." Nor could one be. There are several reasons why I thus begin this brief commentary. First, to indicate that Gutzman focuses on "must-have technologies" rather than on, for example, specific strategies and tactics. Also, to indicate (as does she) how rapidly circumstances in the "digital arena" can change. Finally, to suggest that a Web site is never "finished." Gutzman organizes her material within five Parts: The E-Commerce Climate, Technologies for Driving Traffic, Technologies for Making Buying Easier, Technologies for Customer Service, and finally, Turnkey Growth. Of special interest to me are the various "Case Studies" of exemplar companies and technology applications. Also various "Profiles" such as those of "Net Perceptions", "Soliloquy" and "BroadVision", each of which briefly discusses specific functions, features, and benefits of specific technologies. As a non-technical person, I commend Gutzman on creating access for me to subjects which can sometimes be daunting, if not intimidating.

Gutzman's is a "three-pronged strategy" for meeting your demands: implement essential technologies, maintain a flexible business model, and outsource everything. Think of the material in her book as if it were on display in a store which you enter, tool box in hand. Roam the aisles. Examine various clusters of items. She is your expert advisor as well as the store's proprietress. (I strongly suspect that she had this metaphor in mind when writing the book.) Over time, all of your questions are answered. She helps you to make appropriate selections. In process, she has helped you to understand not only what you need and how to use it but also why you need it. Effective use of the 12 "must have" technologies will drive traffic to the Web site, create and sustain Web site functionality, and facilitate customer service which ensures that the Web site will be ETDBW (Easy to Do Business With). In the Epilogue, Gutzman adds another "must have" technology: alternative payment systems.

For whom will this book be most valuable? First, I highly recommend it to decision-makers in small-to-midsize organizations which already have or are now developing a Web site. The more they know and the more they understand, the better prepared they will be to select and then work with vendors. (NOTE: Reputable vendors will welcome such expertise because it enables them to accomplish more for their client and in less time. The same expertise will enable decision-makers to recognize disreputable vendors, either immediately or soon thereafter. That one benefit all by itself is worth at least ten times the cost of the book and probably a great deal more.) I also strongly recommend this book to decision-makers in larger organizations because, in the "digital arena", they will be expected (if not required) to gain a literacy in the technologies which Gutzman examines. Also, these same decision-makers will become progressively more involved in business initiatives (marketing, client relationships, strategic planning, market research, etc.) which the "must have" technologies support. Congratulations to Gutzman on a brilliant achievement.

Those businesses that make the best use of the best technologies available are the truly innovative and solid e-businesses. The most successful of these companies are the ones that recognize that a retail sale is still a very human activity and requires a mix of technology and personalization. Marketing and promotions are still required; however, the internet requires technology upgrades at a greater rate. There are still three keys of retail, and these objectives must be met properly utilizing the latest technologies in order to be successful:

· Attract customers
· Make shopping simple and easy
· Offer superior customer service

The author of this book lists twelve "must-have" technologies that will help to achieve the three listed objectives. The reader will learn about:

· Place websites high in the search engine
· Partner with aggregators
· Use targeted electronic direct mail
· Connect with customers on the go
· Install search tools to help buyers find what they want
· Make the site personal
· Adapt the site for global customers
· Give customers real-time inventory access
· Keep all information current by using a content management system (CMS)
· Use real-time presales chat and other online customer support
· Integrate on-line and offline customer support
· Realize and use the importance of alternate payment systems

The E-Commerce Arsenal surveys twelve technologies needed to prevail in the digital business world, from submitting a URL and web positioning to using targeted direct email. The case histories from other business experiences are particularly revealing, covering common problems and solutions.

This book gives practical, action oriented information for both developers and merchants, and explains it in an easily comprehendible way. The author does not dwell on theory or basics, but gives concrete insight into what's working and what's not from the first chapter - something I've found very valuable as one who has little time to read a book from cover to cover.

This man is a salesman, which means first he sells himself,which he does quite succesfully in this book, a bit to the detrimentof the book. It makes it appear that anyone can go to people with a pretty good product and have it sell. It may sell, but a years worth of 60 hour work weeks isn't worth $10,000.

Found his little tricks like counting competitive products on the shelves, and other stuff, very useful. Resources are OK but have a larger variety as compared to other invention books. Throughout the book he stress low cost and investors, which to me seem contradictory, although his information on both is good. Not much of what makes a good product and clear steps to bring items to market.

For those I recomend Marketing Your Invention by Mosley and Winning At New PRoducts by Robert Cooper.

Overall this book is worth buying and reading.

The Debelak's rock my face off! GTO says: This book is amazing - such good stuff happens!! Marketing banzai!!

This is probably the best book on new product development... for the entrepreneur (those with a great idea, and somewhat limited budget). I ordered this book from Amazon after I read another of his books, Infilitration Marketing). I thought the previous book was A+, and I give that score to this book as well. I have also ordered his Marketing Plan book, but haven't read it yet.

I put this book up their with those of Barry Feig (Straight to the Heart, The New Products Workshop). But this book, Bringing Your Product To Market, is the best overall book for product development - more encompassing. It has lots of marketing material, but also lots of new product development ideas, how (and if, when) to license, how to manufacture (mostly contract manufacture). His book is the best over all book... and thus would be that one book to buy that includes it all.

Unlike other books on new product marketing, he doesn't go endlessly on about how to patent your product, how to hire a lawyer, and other side issues. This is much more practical: it presents a phased plan of new product development, market research, market testing, etc. Contract manufacturing, patents and licensing (excellently done) is then discussed in terms of this phased approach.

The purpose of this book is to get you away from developing a monument to yourself and to control urging of your ego to not listen to what the market is trying to say. His checklist and phased approach almost forces you to spend less on the front end than you normally would, and to constantly check the market's reactions. In this regard, the book is EXCELLENT PLUS. I have not seen any other book that is so practical, yet filled with marketing insight. I would say that if you followed his advice, you would triple your odds of success.

Every page oozes with practical experience (he consults with new product developers). He gives ratios and rules of thumbs for many subjects... again, based on his experience. He also provides lots of examples that illustrate his points. I would recommend that you order any of this guy's stuff. His marketing book was great, and I look forward to reading his marketing plan book.

I would also recommend your reading Feig's book, which goes into more detail in the market research and product idea development phase.

Oh, one last thing, I underlined about 60 % of just about every page in this book. I've filed it under the Dewey Decimal System of "A+".

John Dunbar

This book's author, Don Debelak, is a strong believer in inventors marketing their ideas. However, he also covers the licensing approach. He realizes that raising money is the number one problem and he covers the whole spectrum -- from doing it with zero dollars to how to raise a million dollars.

His advice is based on ten years as a new product marketing consultant. Throughout the book, he gives examples of the right and wrong moves people have made. My quick count (examples are in italics) indicated 106 examples.

Don estimates that in any given year, in the USA, about 200,000 individuals are working on product ideas but, at most, 500 will succeed in introducing their idea. In other words, one in 400 will succeed!

He stresses that in addition to the money problem, inventors should recognize the importance of three things -- that many revisions will be needed, that you can do it, and that you will need help from people experienced in your specific market area.

The author emphasizes entrepreneurs believe many myths about money. One common myth is that you should not borrow money until you have spent all of yours. Actually, in startup situations, banks expect you to have cash on hand equal to the loan requested. He emphasizes getting investors early in the process. If more money is then needed, investors will generally seek to protect their investment by investing more money.

Inventors often have no idea as to what the ratio of the selling price is to the cost of manufacturing. Quite often the selling price must be four to five times the cost of manufacturing the item. Few inventors seem to be aware of what sales, marketing and administration costs will be.

Many inventors fail to do even elementary market research. Can you communicate your product's benefits in 5 to 10 seconds? Is it significantly better? Have you consulted an impartial panel or are you still in the dream world of kind words from friends and relatives? The author gives several suggestions for doing low-cost market research.

You know your invention inside and out -- but do you know your buyers "hot buttons"? That is their motivations for buying products like yours. Don describes four basic reasons why people buy products. Unless you understand these, your sales pitches and your ads may fail miserably.

He points out that everyone loves a winning product. Therefore, it is vital to give your product the appearance of gaining momentum. Don't crank out a mountain of product and hope it will sell -- get a mountain of orders and work around the clock to fill the orders.

Don't assume a big blast of advertising is the answer. Many of the big advertisers succeed because they have established their brand names by years of advertising. Ads are expensive. Advertise, but analyze your results. He lists eight factors to be considered when analyzing the results of your ads.

While Don feels making your own product is better than the licensing approach, he does list 12 key steps to licensing an idea. Ideas don't sell themselves. Dramatic presentations and your ability to create a sense of urgency are vital when going the licensing route.

He gives an extensive check list for growing a company and for making it a smooth-running operation.

Surprisingly, he does not discuss business plans until later in the book. He feels they are overrated. A budget is vital at the very start, but until you gain some experience from producing and selling your product, a business plan will probably consist of wishful and wild estimates.

In summary, the message to inventors and entrepreneurs is that you can do it -- often at low cost -- but you must be prepared to work hard and, most of all, to work smart.

This is the book that I have been looking for! Finally, a book that walks me through step by step market analysis and determining if a product will sell.From inception of the idea, through the "Why does the world need my idea" to testing the idea, to actually setting up how to ask the consumer the RIGHT questions in deciding if the product is sales worthy, this book leads one through all of the steps.Items like price vrs cost of production was detailed. Will I be able to make a profit? Now I can tell!I found the "How to approach prospective clients" section extremely helpful with details on a presentation package to a list of the right questions to ask the prospective distributer. As an idea person, I needed to learn the marketing and the market reasearch part of the business. This book has done it.This invaluable book is worth every cent! Thanks!