Budget Books

So which ones are the best value for the money? Which cruises have the best food, personnel, programs, accommodations, design and layouts? In Scull's book, you are introduced to his selection of the world's best.

From small ships plying the Amazon or Yangzee Rivers to the behemoth liners of 110,000 tons and 2,600 passengers, Scull provides a comprehensive description of the 100 best cruises by explaining the ship and the itinerary in straightforward commentary. A side bar with pertinent information breakdown accompanies each cruise description. I especially like the thorough contact information provided to get additional information for each cruise, which includes website addresses.

I was disappointed that there were no maps detailing where the cruise travels geographically. Likewise, I was annoyed with the absence of any tables or lists that would break down cruises versus their cost. Thus, if you are looking for a five-day cruise for less than $1,000, you must wade through all 100 listings and their cross reference to a dollar sign icon, which designates five levels of cost ranging from $100 to $600 per day (including accommodations, per person, double occupancy, outside cabin), then guess the cruise cost.

Scull, a travel writer, has given us a useful resource with which to make a better qualitative choice when deciding on a vacation cruise. Worth the small investment when considering the financial outlay that any cruise these days will be. Recommended.

My biggest quibbles with the book's format is the lack of maps illustrating the geography of the trip to help get a better handle on where the itineraries actually go, and the lack of an easy to use cost index, which is a factor for many of us considering the astronomical costs of many of these cruises. As always, personal taste often dictates an individual's opinion of certain cruises. For instance, I prefer Celebrity's "Horizon" over their "Zenith," (which Mr. Scull prefers) for a Bermuda cruise.

This is a fine book overall, if somewhat of a 'dream book.' It is excellent for generating ideas for new destinations and ships, and fills it's niche very well. If you are looking for more comprehensive cruise information, I would recommend "Berlitz Ocean Cruising and Cruise Ships 2003" by Douglas Ward as probably the single best cruise reference available, as it is amazingly complete.

I opened it to find something wrapped in plain, brown Kraft paper. (NO -- I didn't order any porno or sleazy stuff! )

Inside were 2 books I had requested from Actium Publishing to review.

The box thing was a suggested promotional idea straight from this book. Right on page 27, Gielgun, suggests that a package in an unusual shape will catch the eye of a customer and make them focus on what it is you're sending them.

He suggests using an ice cream box & enclosing sales materials that might begin, "We just wanted to sweeten your day." You can get white cake & cookie boxes from bakery supply houses. Or gold boxes; that would be attention getting!

How about those Chinese food take-out boxes? They're not expensive.

"A New York based entrepreneur has sent half-envelopes to his potential customers. He cut regular # 10 envelopes in half and sent only one side (glue-sealed at the "open" end) to prospects. The reply rate to these bisected envelopes was 20% to 30% higher as compared with the whole ones." (p. 27)

The box is the reason this book is being reviewed so soon. Once I got it open I just had to start thumbing through the book -- the bright red cover helps, too -- and ideas kept catching my eye.

Next thing I knew, I'd gone though almost 2/3 of the book! From there, writing this review was easy.

I'll never underestimate the power of provocative packaging again.

Broken into 11 chapters, the tips are organized in areas such as:

=> mail order => trade shows & fairs => overseas => wholesale => cold calling => online => & more

When I say tips, don't think I mean 1 or 2 line descriptions. Each idea takes an entire page & many augment the main idea by providing multiple related suggestions.

The best way to show how the book works is to give some abridged examples.

IDEA --New Broom Sweeps Clean (p. 15)

"If your prospects are corporations, and if you want to get on their receptive side, contact the new, rather than long-time employees. Employees who have been with a company for many years tend to stick to work routines and practices which have proven to work for them, and are not very receptive to new ideas."

IDEA -- Find Yourself a Moniker (p. 28)

"For prospects & customers to remember you, the name of your business may not be enough. Develop a professional handle that would convey in a catchphrase the essence of your business. " Example: 'The Tune-Up Maestro' for a car repair shop.

This works because I can't forget a course (the Clinical Action Guide) I bought from Drew Eric Whitman, DRS -- 'Direct Response Surgeon'Ô. He even went so far as to have his sales materials carry a picture of him in surgical scrubs, masked, & holding a scalpel.

IDEA -- Make Your Competitors' Advertising Budget Work for You (p. 94)

Here's a simple way to take customers away from your competitors: accept their coupons, and make it known that consumers will get from you the same discounts or incentives your competitors offer in their ads."

IDEA -- First Year Club (p. 102)

As the owner of a business start-up, your first, most pressing goal is the creation of a solid customer base. One way to create repeat customers from the very start is by offering new customers a 5% discount for life on all your products and services."

IDEA -- Business That Close Down No Longer Need Their Telephone Numbers (p. 114)

This is a little know fact, it seems, or how else can we explain the millions of good phone numbers that go to an early grave together with their owners every year? A business telephone number almost always has some life left in it." If a rival business goes down the tubes, get that number as your own.

I don't want to give away too much here because Gielgun deserves that his book be purchased. Just let it be clear, these ideas & all the others are more detailed than I've written here.

The reason I say this book's level is beginner/intermediate is it's almost 50-50, for me at least, between ideas I've come across before & those totally new to me. The low price makes it affordable to the more experienced marketer.

But, if you're a very savvy marketing maven, this book is probably too elementary for you.

As with all things Internet related, there's nothing new in the 'Online' chapter of the book. It's useful only for the newbie.

I know the author personally, from his time as the New York Times investigative journalist responsible for covering the US national and military intelligence programs, and I consider him one of the most balanced, thoughtful, and well-intentioned reporters in the intelligence field.

His book remains very, very important because the Pentagon is in the process of reconstituting the "Yellow Fruit" organization, with the same blank check black budget, and the same mind-sets that previously led to enormous ineffectiveness, waste, and some outright corruption and theft of government funds. Known as Gray Fox, this new incarnation of Yellow Fruit has Richard Secord, one of the leaders or the Iran-Contra scandal for which several top personalities were indicted and some convicted, as a primary player.

Tim Weiner's book is important, it is relevant, and it should be read by those responsible for the oversight of military intelligence budgets and capabilities--and by citizens who might wish to question their elected representatives on this important topic.