The Best Marketing Book I've Ever Read (you'll Be Surprised)

By Author: Judy Murdoch
Total Articles: 113
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From time to time someone asks me to recommend marketing books. Here's one of my favorite marketing books that always surprises people.

Curious? Read on.

A TRUE STORY

When I graduated in 1983 with a major in business administration and marketing, I couldn't find a job. The only jobs available for marketing majors back then were in sales. If you were willing to go door-to-door selling copy machines or if you were willing to do telemarketing, there was a job for you. Otherwise, you were waiting tables, working as a receptionist, or working in the mail room.

One thing I knew for sure was that I didn't want a job in sales. No way. I'm an introvert and even back then I knew that a job where I was in constant contact with people (who often didn't want to be in contact with me) would quickly fry me to a crisp.

Nope. The only marketing job that interested me was marketing research. I wasn't even sure what exactly marketing research was. I just knew I wanted to learn why people bought (or didn't buy) things because to me, understanding customers was the ...
... logical starting point in sales and marketing. In some ways I was lucky to be so focused. On the other hand, I didn't have the first clue about how to get a job in this field.

Fortunately, the career center at the University of Illinois offered a suggested reading list for job seekers and one of the books was Richard Nelson Bolles' wonderful book: What Color is Your Parachute.

Parachute has been around since 1972 and is updated annually to account for new trends and technologies. What's really interesting, however, is that the book's primary message and job hunting strategy has changed very little in 35 years. In a nutshell Parachute's prescription is:

1.) Most jobs, particularly higher paying ones, are rarely advertised. Therefore, the best and fastest way to find a well-paying job in your field is through your network

2.) The more unique and sophisticated your skills, the higher a salary you can command.

3.) All companies have problems and they hire people to make those problems go away.

Using What Color is Your Parachute helped me land a job with a top Chicago advertising agency. I never, NEVER, would have gotten that job by answering a newspaper ad or by sending my resume to the HR department. It was through a connection that I learned about the job and got an interview with the person who had the authority to hire me.

A JOB SEARCH IS A VERY SPECIALIZED FORM OF MARKETING

When you're looking for a job you are basically marketing yourself in a specific context, as someone whose skills, experience, and knowledge will help an employer solve problems and get things done.

Your marketing materials are things like cover letters, resumes, business cards, and in some cases work portfolios.

Statistically, the very best way to find a job, where the odds are most in your favor, is by asking people you know about job openings at the place where they work. In fact 89% of job seekers who use this method find a job. This beats the heck out of the Internet (1%), mailing resumes (7%), and answering newspaper ads (5-24% where the higher the salary the less likely newspaper ads work).

THAT'S NICE BUT I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A JOB, I'M LOOKING FOR PAYING CUSTOMERS

So what does all this have to do with helping you, the small business owner, attract more business?

Lesson #1 Know What Works and Do It

I realize this may sound to you like a blinding glimpse of the obvious. Yet, most business owners are unsure about the best way to get the word out about their products and services. I often observe business owners doing what

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About the Author:

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Judy Murdoch helps small business owners create low-cost,
effective marketing campaigns using word-of-mouth referrals,
guerrilla marketing activities, and selected strategic alliances.
To download a free copy of the workbook, "Where Does it Hurt?
Marketing Solutions to the problems that Drive Your Customers
Crazy!" go to http://www.judymurdoch.com/workbook.htm
You can contact Judy at 303-475-2015 or judy@judymurdoch.com