Don't Just Relate - Advocate
Customer knowledge and power has changed drastically over the last few years and using the same old marketing methods is a sure formula for failure. That is the basic premise of this book and the author makes a compelling argument while also providing a blueprint for how to adapt to this change. One of the ways that the market has changed drastically is the level of education of the consumer. With the Internet and easy access to information on your company, competitors, and even opinions from your clients or competitors the customer can find out anything they need to know about you or your company.
Instead of selling the potential customer we need to be an advocate for them. That means telling them not only the good things about your service or product but also the weaknesses. Being up front about everything builds trust and trust builds loyal customers. Throughout the book the author argues that by building trust the customer advocate gains several major benefits. Among these are reduced customer acquisition costs, higher profit margins, and a long-term competitive edge. I particularly appreciated the fact that the author followed his own advice and pointed out industries where advocacy makes the biggest difference and where advocacy is unlikely to make much difference. Don't Just Relate – Advocate is a highly recommended read and should be required reading for anyone involved in regular contact with your customers or potential customers.
Author: Glen Urban
Publisher: Wharton School Publishing
One Lake Street
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Copyright: 2005
ISBN: 0131913611
Pages: 221 plus index