Free Gift Inside! argues that corporations should stop chasing customers and, instead, devise strategies to get customers to chase after their products. When customer orientation is ubiquitous, delayed gratification, heightened expectation and limited availability are valuable sources of competitive advantage. After all, people often want what they cant have. The authors present the concept that marketing is not about customer-orientationit’s about selling products to todays sophisticated, market-savvy consumers, who have an infinite number of near-identical offerings to choose from. The aim is to make them choose yours. This book is also packed with case studies showing ‘marketease’ in action, from Beanie Babies to Hermes handbags.
Book Details:
- Author: Stephen Brown
- ISBN: 9780470334294
- Year Published: 2003
- Pages: 300
- BISAC: BUS019000, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS/Decision-Making & Problem Solving
About the Book and Topic:
Free Gift Inside! argues that corporations should stop chasing customers and, instead, devise strategies to get customers to chase after their products. When customer orientation is ubiquitous, delayed gratification, heightened expectation and limited availability are valuable sources of competitive advantage. After all, people often want what they cant have. The authors present the concept that marketing is not about customer-orientationit’s about selling products to todays sophisticated, market-savvy consumers, who have an infinite number of near-identical offerings to choose from. The aim is to make them choose yours. This book is also packed with case studies showing ‘marketease’ in action, from Beanie Babies to Hermes handbags.
Marketing is not about customer-orientation, it’s about selling, and the aim is to drive customers to choose your product over the competition. This book argues that corporations should stop chasing customers and get customers to chase them, which can be achieved by developing marketease.
NEW MARKETING CONCEPT: This book presents the next big concept that will turn marketing on its head. The author proclaims why chase your customers when they can chase you? GROWING BUZZ BEHIND CONCEPT: Brown’s article ‘Torment Your Customers (They’ll Love It)” appeared in Harvard Business Review in 2001 and was singled out as one of HBR’s “Six Breakthrough Ideas” of 2002. The article created a worldwide buzz in newspapers and magazines, including marketing guru Philip Kotler initiating a discussion about it in HBR. Brown has another article appearing in HBR’s June 2003 issue. EXCITING PACKAGE: This book is packed with ‘hidden’ chapters, red herrings, pick ‘n’ mix paradigms and an overall work-it-out-for-yourself-pal ethos, which reflects the ideas explained throughout.
About the Author
STEPHEN BROWN is Professor of Marketing Research at the School of Management, University of Ulster. Following his Harvard Business Review article, he was invited as a guest speaker at “Burning Questions 2002,” Harvard’s annual jamboree for CEOs. Here, he roadtested the content of this book, and scored highest of all the speakers, who included such luminaries as Daniel Goleman and C.K. Prahalad. Brown has previously held visiting professorships at Northwestern University, the University of California, and the University of Utah. He is currently working with the University of Columbia. He has written or coedited twelve books, including Marketing – The Retro Revolution. His website is at www.sfxbrown.com.