AIPMM Book Reviews for Product Management

December 13, 2003

The Marketing Manager's Handbook

AIPMM Rating

An excellent new book from Eric Gagnon.

The Marketing Manager's Handbook: Effective, Proven Marketing Techniques for Business-to-business, Trade, Industrial and High Technology Markets

Book Description

If you are looking for a book on marketing that covers every aspect of marketing including direct mail, advertising, trade shows, planning, metrics to measure success, writing copy, internet marketing, special problems of startups, and marketing turnarounds this is a book that you will want to put at the top of your list of possibilities. "The Marketing Manager's Handbook" is filled with knowledge distilled down to an understandable level and replete with illustrations and example that clearly show exactly what the author is discussing. Mr. Gagnon has a great knack for describing each concept in sufficient detail that the reader can follow along and comprehend, and yet knowing when to stop and move on to the next topic. This ability keeps the entire book tight, concise, and informative even though it is almost 500 pages. Examining in detail both the practical and theoretical sides of marketing "The Marketing Manager's Handbook" is a complete marketing education and a very highly recommended read.

Posted by Therese at 7:01 AM

August 13, 2003

In Search of Stupidity

AIPMM Rating

Buy from Powells

There are lessons in failure and Rick (Merrill) Chapman thinks that by sharing his experience in his latest book, "In Search of Stupidity: Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters" mistakes can be avoided. I am not so sure. Make no mistake about it, I love the book. I will read the book over and over and recommend it to friends, colleagues, AIPMM vistors and association members. The problem is, I've been to the puppet show. I have seen the strings. I know that I can replace every person in each chapter of the book with the current list of "who's-who" and smililar mistakes will happen. It's the nature of the beast. Success breeds know-it-alls. Fast growth covers up weak foundations.

Co-misery loves company

Ok. Call me cynical. Reading this book is a great release of frustration. Especially if you are currently working in an environment where you have a high-profile leader (ala Phillipe Khan) or low energy leader (ala Ed Esber). This book will make you laugh and think, both at the same time. You will experience moments of "ah-ha, that's what happened". But at the end of the day, Jim Manzi, Ed Esber and Ray Norda all parachuted out with more money than some countries in developing nations.

High-Tech Trainwreck

Rick describes several high-tech marketing trainwrecks, however the lessons that can be derived from this book are not limited to this industry. This is an important book to share in any industry. Share it with your sales team, development (however, they will use it as validation--that it is all marketing's fault), marketing, and your local schools. And more importantly, share it with your family. Now you can say, "see, I really did have a bad day."

Book Description

"In Search of Stupidity" is National Lampoon meets Peter Drucker. In Search of Stupidity is a funny and well written business book that takes a look at some of the most influential marketing and business philosophies of the alst twenty years and, through the dark glass of hindsight, provides a educational and vastly entertaining examination of why they didn't work. And make no mistake, most of them did not work.

Richly illustrated with cartoons and reproductions of many of the actual campaigns used at the time marketing wizard Richard Chapman takes readers on a hilarious ride through the last twenty years. Filled with personal anecdotes spanning Chapman's remarkable career (he was present at many now famous meetings and events) "In Search of Stupidity" takes a no holds barred look at the uncreative and hopeless marketing ideas surrounding the technology industry. It offers clear, detailed analysis of what happened, why, and what you can do to avoid acting stupidly in the future.

Posted by Therese at 6:57 AM