Wisdom in a Nutshell
Selling the Invisible
A Field Guide to Modern Marketing
By Harry Beckwith
Warner Books NY 1997 ISBN 0-446-52094-2 252 pages
Businesssummaries.com is a business book summaries service. Every week, it sends out to subscribers a 9- to 12-page summary of a best-selling business book chosen from among the hundreds of books printed out in the United States. For more information, please go to http://www.bizsum.com.
Selling The Invisible The Big Idea
Page 2
A classic book on marketing services, with hundreds of quick, practical, easy-to-read sections; perfect for picking up anytime throughout your day. Beckwith tells you in simple and plain language why focus groups don’t really tell you anything, what positioning really is, and outlines eighteen common planning fallacies. A basic marketing guide that refreshes the mind after reading so many gurus and faddish ideas, now here’s a book with timeless ground rules that are supported by real world stories.
Getting started, misconceptions, rules of thumb, and survey/research
• The first rule of service marketing, or selling the invisible is: The core of service marketing is the service itself. Before you write an ad, rent a mailing list, or fax a press release, first things first – fix the quality of your service. The best thing to do is assume your service is bad and you will be forced to improve it. Forget the excuses and remember McDonald’s. How can McDonald’s deliver spotless restrooms and world-class French fries in 50 seconds for just 79 cents? McDonald’s raised the standards for service excellence worldwide. If you think it can’t be done. Think of McDonald’s. In advertising, creative people win awards for clever copy and arresting visuals, but do these great ads really help grow the clients business? Who is setting your standards? Your ego, your industry, or your clients? Ignore your industry’s benchmarks, and copy Disney’s. Why emulate Disney? They show us how service is clean, friendly, and
A Field Guide to Modern Marketing
By Harry Beckwith
Warner Books NY 1997 ISBN 0-446-52094-2 252 pages
Businesssummaries.com is a business book summaries service. Every week, it sends out to subscribers a 9- to 12-page summary of a best-selling business book chosen from among the hundreds of books printed out in the United States. For more information, please go to http://www.bizsum.com.
Selling The Invisible The Big Idea
Page 2
A classic book on marketing services, with hundreds of quick, practical, easy-to-read sections; perfect for picking up anytime throughout your day. Beckwith tells you in simple and plain language why focus groups don’t really tell you anything, what positioning really is, and outlines eighteen common planning fallacies. A basic marketing guide that refreshes the mind after reading so many gurus and faddish ideas, now here’s a book with timeless ground rules that are supported by real world stories.
Getting started, misconceptions, rules of thumb, and survey/research
• The first rule of service marketing, or selling the invisible is: The core of service marketing is the service itself. Before you write an ad, rent a mailing list, or fax a press release, first things first – fix the quality of your service. The best thing to do is assume your service is bad and you will be forced to improve it. Forget the excuses and remember McDonald’s. How can McDonald’s deliver spotless restrooms and world-class French fries in 50 seconds for just 79 cents? McDonald’s raised the standards for service excellence worldwide. If you think it can’t be done. Think of McDonald’s. In advertising, creative people win awards for clever copy and arresting visuals, but do these great ads really help grow the clients business? Who is setting your standards? Your ego, your industry, or your clients? Ignore your industry’s benchmarks, and copy Disney’s. Why emulate Disney? They show us how service is clean, friendly, and