Profit The Books

As a small business owner I wanted to study up on marketing techniques and this book was recommended. I wasn't looking forward to it; I figured it would be tough work forcing myself through some text book. But this book was great! In an easy-going style with a pinch of wry humour the author took me through the strategies and jargon of marketing. It has very intelligible diagrams and some cute cartoons too. I learned a lot and enjoyed it. It was like eating something that tastes great and then finding out that it's good for you!

"Indispensable Marketing Strategies" by Paul Francis Musgrave is a very pleasant surprise. From the outside, the book may not look like much, but, as the old saying goes, never judge a book by it's cover. Musgrave makes learning about such concepts as "cognitive dissonance" and "cyclical demand fluctuations" easy to understand, and even fun. The author has a great sense of humour that takes the dryness out of the subject matter, and makes you feel eager to keep reading.

Author Paul Francis Musgrave takes the reader down a provocative journey to analyzing the various stages and considerations of marketing your own business. Many useful tools and ideas are discussed in a logical order that allowed me to grow and open my horizons towards my goal of achieving ultimate success with my plans and objectives. From developing new products and markets, profit structure analysis and to pricing strategies and more, this information presented has proven quite valuable to me in the further development of my overall marketing strategies. Running a profitable business is a challenge in any economic climate, and I found this information invaluable in giving me that competitive edge that is needed in today's economic world.

"Learning Paths" by Rosenbaum and Williams takes an innovative look at training and how people develop beyond "graduation day" to "independence day". This book is chuck full of great ideas that anyone with basic training and curriculum development ability should be able to implement within 30 days. My three favorite ideas: shorten the training cycle time to get people productive quicker, proficient at what they need to do, not just trained with skills/competencies. Secondly, the 30/30 jump start CD Kit helps you actually do what they suggest .. I love it. And finally, this book will help those who want to make the transition from trainer to performance consultant, helping get real business results. I can't wait for the follow-up "field book" on learning paths.

This book describes an approach to training that is really different and unique. I can see how to use it with my consulting business to organize and get more out of corporate training initiatives. I highly recommend it to anyone in HR, Training or Management. The book is written in a very friendly and easy to read manner.

This book will help anyone build more effective and measurable training. It's approach to measuring and reducing time to profieincy is truely unique. If you've been asked to link training to six sigma or ROI, you'll find answers in this book. With the CD and the tool kit, it makes it simple and easy to implement the methodology.

A fresh approach to a subject that can be dry and uninteresting. This book presents interesting ideas for business leaders who have to present Diversity training to their workforce. In a way to make it easier and workable for all involved.

Leraging Diversity is an excellent book that gives an honest assessment of why it is important to diversify the work place. It openly discusses how although a lot of companies say they do diversify some possible ways they may be failing. It is written from both the clinical perspective as well as the business perspective. It is also written from the minority perspective and the majority perspective. I strongly recommend this book for all complanies. Deborah D. Street, LICSW

Although, the book is geared towards businesses everyone can benefit from reading this book. Kim & Sylvester give a very comprehensible explanation of why understanding other cultures and embracing diversity in all aspects of our life, not only in the workplace, is so important. A very enlightening book that will make you think.

I am not a fine artist, I am more of a commercial artist/illustrator/surface pattern designer. When I got this book, I couldn't put it down! It has extremely helpful information in it for all types of artists who are wanting to license their artwork in a variety of markets. It is a fast read too, packed full of great advice and resources. It's a book I will keep going back to because it's a good reference manual. If you are thinking of entering into the licensing world, I would HIGHLY recommend that you get this book - it's a MUST, especially for the price!

This is truly a superb book in every way. Not only is it comprehensive in terms of the steps one needs to take to market their art, but there's also a list of questions at the end of each chapter to help you develop an action plan, for which there's an empty column to write down your tasks.

Personally, I respond very well to "to do" lists and deadlines, so using this book in combination of working with a life coach is bringing wonderful results.

The book also tackles the publishing issue from two sides: one is finding someone to represent you (which is my preference), and the other is how to publish yourself. (I did the independent route in music, and believe me, it's rough. This time around, I'm willing to pay someone in percentages to do it for me and just let me make the art.)

I give it a big thumbs-up.

Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition, "Licensing Art 101: Publishing And Licensing Your Artwork For Profit" takes up where most art classes leave off -- how to make a living as an artist. Drawing upon his more than 31 years of experience and expertise in the licensing industry, Michael Woodward clearly covers such fundamental issues for aspiring artists as how to negotiate fees for their services, how to approach various markets with their artworks, targeting a presentation, exhibiting in trade shows, and protecting their rights as artists. "Licensing Art 101" is enhanced with some 300 contacts including calendar publishers, art licensing agents, greeting card publishers, fin are publishers, and book publishers. Taking a comprehensive, step-by-step, real-world approach to the subject of licensing art, this basic introduction is thoroughly 'user friendly' and should be considered essential, mandatory reading for anyone seeking to pursue a professional career as an artist regardless of the medium in which they work.

We live in an age where virtues have become vices, and vices have become virtues. What most societies shuttered at just decades ago is now paraded and promoted, especially by popular culture. And the old virtues, like faithfulness in marriage, truth-telling, humility and concern for others, are now mocked and derided as hopelessly out of date.

The old virtues have all but disappeared. But there is one "virtue" that has risen to the top of the charts. There is one word that is heard constantly and incessantly: "tolerance". We are to tolerate everyone and everything. All points of view and all lifestyles are to be tolerated.

Yet as this revealing study makes clear, the modern notion of tolerance is far removed from what it traditionally has always meant. The recent concept of tolerance is a perversion of its former self, being the polar opposite to its original meaning.

Today we have managed to turn tolerance into a virtue or a doctrine. It used to be a practice or a habit. It used to be based on the way we treated one another. Today it is a an ism promoted by the state for its own ends. It used to be seen as a means to an end. Today it is treated as an end in itself.

In the past, you tolerated someone, treated them with respect, even though you might violently disagree with their beliefs or their lifestyle. Today, to tolerate someone means you must also embrace their philosophy, their worldview, their lifestyle. That is a big difference.

In this historical and philosophical inquiry, Conyers examines how the concept of tolerance has changed over the last few centuries. He argues that its redefinition emerged at the same time as the modern nation state arose. He argues that there is a connection between the rise of the centralization of power in the modern state, and this redefinition of tolerance.

The modern idea of tolerance first arose in the seventeenth century. He argues that two parallel developments, the rise of the nation state, and emergence of the isolated individual, served as a backdrop to the changing concept of tolerance. As mediating institutions like the church and family began to wane, increasingly isolated and fragmented individuals had to be kept in check by growing state bureaucracies. Indeed, a pressing question for thinkers of this time was, how could a mass of individuals be controlled, when former social glues like religion and community were in decline?

Natural groups like the family and other associations are easily contained. But unnatural groups, like the organised state, need other means to achieve social harmony and conflict resolution. How can individuals live together in peace when natural groupings break down? The state, in order to reduce threats to its centralisation and control, had produced a concept of toleration which minimised absolutes, sought to water down religious and moral conviction, and promoted a fuzzy egalitarianism.

Thus questions of ultimate meaning are settled, not by religion or morality, but by the state. The state maintains power by subsuming to itself powers formerly held by family, religion and the church. Mediating structures between the individual and the state were seen as threats, and the philosophical understanding of tolerance changed to accommodate the centralizing powers of the state.

That is why those who today argue that family does not mean any and all types of relationships, or those who proclaim that the Christian message is exclusive and absolutely true, are seen as such a threat by the state and its supporters. A watered down religion, and an amorphous definition of family, are acceptable in today's climate, but an insistence on truth and absolutes is not. Thus relativism rules.

Conyers looks at how modern thinkers such as Hobbes and Locke altered our understanding of tolerance, to make it serve the interests of the rising state powers. He argues that we need to return to the earlier, Christian understanding of tolerance. That understanding was based on humility, not indifference.

Indeed, the modern attempt to disavow absolutes and certainty have made matters worse, not better. Our times are characterised by doubt, fear and distrust. The old verities and certainties have been jettisoned for a hodge-podge of multiculturalism, relativism and apathy. In an age if uncertainty, people continue to look for assurance and direction. The state cannot provide this. All it can offer is bread and circuses. But even these are not enough. Thus the persistence of marriage and family and credal religion.

The modern promoters of secularism and tolerance may have won in the halls of power and influence (academia, the media, etc.), but the common person looks for something more sure. A notion of tolerance that waters down all convictions, that squashes dissent, and preaches relativism, is not going to satisfy.

Says Conyers, the early Judeo-Christian understanding of tolerance is preferred. Strong conviction, based on eternal verities, coupled with humility and love, is the right sort of tolerance. Indeed, he argues that the right sort of tolerance is necessarily a theological one.

The modern doctrine of toleration promotes isolation, but the practice of real toleration pushes us gently to community. Thus we need to reclaim the lost tradition of real tolerance. The modern hijacking of the concept has served the interests of those seeking economic and political power, but has not been a panacea to the struggling masses.

In The Long Truce: How Toleration Made The World Safe For Power And Profit, A.J. Conyers (professor at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, Waco, Texas) reveals how the new, comprehensive, jealous, and demanding nation-states of early modern Europe propagated a novel version of toleration based on indifference to all values other than political power and material prosperity. By dissolving the loyalties that had previously bound European men to their church, family, and other intermediate institutions, toleration produced the modern "bi-polar society" in which the isolated citizen confronts the unmediated power of the state. In its modern form, toleration evolved not as a virtue, but as a strategy for the relentless imposition of secularism in the service of power and profit. Original, scholarly, fascinating, iconoclastic, Professor Conyers' The Long Truce is stimulating, informative, iconoclastic, "reader friendly", and a very highly recommended addition to any personal or academic reading list or reference collection in European social history, economic history, and political development.

The subject is tolerance. What does the doctrine of tolerance mean, from what intellectual sources does this doctrine derive, what are the unintended consequences of tolerance? A.J. Conyers weaves an intriguing story around these questions. I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding how a great-sounding idea like tolerance can run amuck.

What I found very interesting about this book is that it is up to date as to what the lender requirements are for short sales. It explains what to do step by step to be able to have a positive outcome with the financial institutions.

The worksheets and all the tips throughout the book are very well thought out and explained.

This book shows investors how to take advantage of one of the most profitable investment opportunities out there. It seems like many people have decided to not pay attention to short sales because they think it could be to much work but this book illustrates in a very precise way exactly how to make money with a very small ammount of effort and no headaches.

A simple easy to read book. Even the starting real estate investor can take advantage of this manual. I am in the field of Real Estate for many years and was always afraid to get into short sales because I had heard it was a lot of work. A short period of time after reading this book me and my husband are already finalizing our first Short Sale deal with our neighbours property and will be making a very good return by laying down a very small ammount of capital.

I have to be sincere here, I was a bit confused with the title and thought it would just be another "how to get rich book", nevertheless I was wrong, the author really gives you very good tips. I really loved how he makes a huge emphasis on caring about other people and how this is the secret to success in the foreclosure business.

Something else I was very impressed with, was the section about how to lower the price of the property by ethically influencing the appraisal or BPO (Broker Opinion Value). Awesome book! Probably the best out there that is in the field of short sales and preforeclosure investing. AAA++

As a small real estate investor I didn't believe that I would have the resources that would allow me to profit in a large manner in this type of real estate market. This book really changed my conception of how much money I could make during this real estate crisis. The information in this book was easy to understand and allowed me to begin immediately to search for homes in the pre-foreclosure stage. I would highly recommend this book for people who are looking to enter the real estate field and also for the seasoned investor.

This is a great book for the professional leader that is looking to understand multiple faceted problems.

This book forms the text for a one week residential training course. The course was a life changing event for me, game me confidence in my abilities and changed my whole attitude to the workplace. Instead of trying to get around conflict in the workplace I now have the tools to tackle it head on. Learn about the skill to critique everything you do in a way that is non-threatening and based on fact and not emotion. Everyone in the workplace should read this book.

Most management texts try to deal with how you as an individual can influence how other people behave so that you come out on top. This book goes under the skin of different personality types to show what it is that motivates them in the way they behave. Instead of showing how to "use" people to get what you want, it shows how to get the best out of everyone, yourself included, to get what is best for the Company / family / business whatever you need to improve. Instead of results driven management being the be-all and end-all it is clear that results are only one side of the equation. To be a good manager you need to bring people along with you, not drive them in front of you. This book forms the text for a management training course that can only be said to be revolutionary. I have three university degrees and I would gladly trade the lot for what I learned in the one week course! Everyone who works for a living should read this book.

This book offers a concise lesson in organizing or re-organizing any nonprofit organization. There are many real-life examples of problems and solutions that have been developed over the years and have stood the test of time. This will eliminate many hours of soul searching for the solution to organization problems and allow you to continue the good works for which your nonprofit was founded instead of drowning in the details. This will also save many hours and dollars of consulting fees to just get your organization off to a good start or to re-vamp a failing one. Before you hire a consultant, read this book.

In the 1970s Abbott Academy was considered one of the top institutions in the country, with a reputation that a student had a passport to success in college and later life. In the 1980s the school's fortunes changed with fewer applications, fewer students enrolling, college admissions less predictable and budget deficits leading to invasion of endowment. Correct diagnosis of the problem would have included;
- identifying the school's constituencies and monitoring their changing characteristics and needs
- changing the program to meet the needs of its constituents
- determining the schools strengths and weaknesses in relation to the competition and its perceived value in the community
- developing a sensible pricing strategy
- responding to the changing environment
- developing a proper image and promoting the institution correctly

In the nonprofit sector marketing is the engineering of satisfaction among a variety of groups including users, funders, trustees, regulators and others who can influence the success of the organization such as the media and general public. A successful marketing strategy allows organizations to accomplish their missions, meet their program goals and achieve long-term financial stability by focusing on the needs of their multiple constituents and satisfying their needs. Different strategies must be developed for different groups but Abbott had not even identified all its key constituencies, addressing itself only to students while neglecting parents, alumni, support groups including potential donors, college representatives, potential students, minority representatives, faculty, and trustees; when fortunes began to wane there was no loyal group to turn to for help. Abbott was unable to meet one of the great challenges that faces many nonprofits - the challenge of identifying each of its constituent groups clearly and accurately and developing separate, appropriate and effective strategies to satisfy each one.

Image is the sum total of beliefs, ideas and impressions that people have of an organization and the programs, services and products that it offers. In the non-profit world a strong, positive image is critical to gaining broad community support and it can change rapidly. It is particularly difficult when an organization's positive image is eroding slowly and imperceptibly, particularly if trustees and staff believe it is flourishing and no one in the institution understands what is happening. Image can be flourishing in one area and deteriorating in another. Because they serve multiple constituencies, nonprofits must develop the proper image for each one. This often involves projecting different aspects of the organization and its program to different audiences.

Had Abbott asked its constituents it would have discovered that its product was no longer competitive in the secondary-school market place. It failed to promote itself, failed to realize that its price was no longer related to its perceived value, and failed to note that its future clientele was locating in different parts of the city.

A nonprofit must have all the facts on how well it stacks up against the competition, how it is perceived in the community, how its programs, activities and products are regarded and how it might command a bigger share of loyalty from its customers, clients, funders or other constituents.

If this story sounds familiar this book will be very helpful to you. It will help you understand your organization by asking searching questions such as "Has your mission statement been reviewed within the last five years?" and "Who are your constituents? Are they well represented? Are they well served?" and "Has there been a formal test for organized abandonment within the last decade or do you propose to become progressively more irrelevant to the community you set out to serve?" and "What criteria have been developed to evaluate the continued relevance and appropriateness of your organization's mission and activities?" and "How much would people suffer if you went out of business?" and "Have the trustees given some thought as to how they will recruit and train a new chief executive when the time comes?" and "Is there a process that ensures that appropriately qualified people become officers in your organization?" and " Has your board engaged in a comprehensive long-range planning process within the last five years? Does your board approve specific goals and long-range objectives each year?" and "Is the chief executive skilled in personnel work and is there a system that ensures that each job will be filled by the best possible candidate?" and "Are the tasks appropriately distributed among salaried staff, volunteers, independent contractors and outside providers?" and "Have you found effective ways to identify, recruit, orient, motivate and recognize the work of volunteers?" and "What activities does your organization do less well? Should they be dropped? If not, how can they be made more successful?"

In addition, this book helps you to understand the ten commandments of fundraising, the six levels of planning, and managing information.

If you are the least bit uneasy about how well your nonprofit is making out, you will find a great deal of wisdom to help you identify the root of the problem and the cure.

I have been using this book as a text for an undergraduate college course that I teach on Management for Non-Profits. It is a great primer offering a a beroad survey of the issues I have found to be the ones that most threaten a small non-profit organization's ability to carry out its mission and survive.

This is one of the most pragmatic books written about marketing, specifically Industrial Marketing! Mike Collins provides a logical, step-by-step methodology for anyone to implement. This how-to manual lays out virtually everything a person would need to create a marketing system for any organization that functions in a business-to-business environment.

Mike Collins dispels the myth that you need an exhaustive education in marketing or massive database skills...knowledge of spreadsheet and word processing software is all one needs to implement this straightforward protocol. This is a must for a business manager or owners bookshelf.

I read this book and took a class from Micheal Collins which covered this book. I am currently putting this book in practice (1998) and have found significant improvements in our marketing efforts as well as profitability of our company. I would call this book the best unknown marketing book around. You don't have to take a class with Collins to put it in practice either.

Collins presents to the small-to-medium size manufacturer a down-to-earth logical approach for solving the problem of finding new customers that possess the best potential for improving the bottom line. He provides many examples of "how-to" and demonstrates that effective industrial marketing can be accomplished in an economical manner with in-house personnel. It's really a matter of applying common sense systematically to good business practices.

His concepts have allowed me to help clients focus on profitable niche markets, provide better sales coverage to existing and new territories, and move closer to attaining competitive advantage.

MARKETING THAT MATTERS: 10 PRACTICES TO PROFIT YOUR BUSINESS AND CHANGE THE WORLD demonstrates just how marketing can advance business values while retaining ethical roots. Any company which would promote both values and trust must have MARKETING THAT MATTERS: its simple contentions tells how to build a socially responsible business and comes not from ideals, but from applied tactics.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Eric and Chip are practitioners, not consultants, and you get that sense immediately in this handbook for those who are a little squeamish about how marketing has been used by some companies. They bring a values-based approach with enough examples and to-dos to help any reader more accurately and honestly promote their offerings in today's competitve global marketplace. Enjoy!

I enjoyed this book. Here are some impressions.

This is an excellent introduction to marketing. Even I, a total naïf in the ways of business, learned a lot. Marketing, as I understood it from this book, is an ongoing two-way conversation between business owner and customer. The sooner in the business life cycle that the conversation begins, the more likely the exchange will be successful for both parties.

What was especially insightful was to aim at conventional business owners first. Only in the last portion of the book did it appear that Socially Responsible Businesses were a major part of the audience. A take-home message was that a social mission does not require a compromise of business success.

The title reinforced this thrust: Marketing comes before Matters; Profit comes before world.

Any business owner would benefit from these messages. They might even decide to apply their own social agendas, previously suppressed for fear of compromising profits.

Good layout. Lots of charts, graphs, tables, and bullet points to break up the text. Bold for section headings. Italics for key words. Pages of text were broken into bite-sized paragraphs. Very easy on the eyes.

Good writing. Plain declarative sentences made picking out the key points easy. I felt an urge to grab a highlighter. The style came across as single voice. I had no sense that two authors were writing independently.

Highly recommended.