Readers Preference Reviews

This book is an excellent tutorial for people who want to understand the basics of good graphic design.  Written in a clear and easy to understand manner, the author walks the reader through how to use design elements to communicate effectively.  Areas covered include balance, using lines, designs, patterns, textures, color, space, grids, stability, layout, grid systems, color theory, and typography.  The result is a product that is visually appealing and moves the reader's eyes in the direction you want them to go for maximum effect.  If you want to learn the art of vis

The author, Tom Monahan, was the cofounder and former creative director of Leonard/Monahan and is now President and Head Creativity Coach of Before and After, Inc. With a client list that includes names like AT&T, ABC Sports, The Wall Street Journal, McDonalds, Sears and others you know that he has a proven track record.

Author: Daniel S. Acuff, PhD, Robert H. Reiher, PhD
Publisher: Dearborn Trade Publishing
30 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2500
Chicago, IL 60606-7481
Copyright: 2005
ISBN: 1419505033
Pages: 241 plus index

Over the past few years one of the most common themes in effective marketing has been tapping into the power of buzz marketing. Finding a way to get people to talk about your product or service is arguably the most effective method of marketing you can get. This word-of-mouth advertising is basically what buzz marketing is all about. There are plenty of books that discuss how effective it can be and have lots of examples of how well it works. The problem is that most of them don't discuss how you go about actually getting buzz marketing going.

If there is one common thread that runs through business networking groups then that thread seems to be people attending the meetings without really understanding how to use them to their advantage. This is true whether it is a professional networking group, chamber of commerce group, or just ad hoc networking opportunity. Filling this information gap between just attending a meeting and using it to successfully network is what this book is about.

The target audience for this particular book is government agencies. Inside you will find tools to get citizens involved with and supporting your agency, using your products and services, and how to influence public behaviors. The authors also include specific roadmaps to creating brand identity, gathering citizen input, and evaluating the results of your efforts. One of the better sections includes a how-to model for building an organization that is both high-tech and high-touch.

This is an excellent explanation of marketing metrics, how to use them, and the strengths and weaknesses of various ones. It is written for the non-technical reader who wants to really understand the effect of their marketing efforts. The focus is not primarily on the technical aspects of getting the information (although this is provided) as it is the correct interpretation of it.

If you are in charge of an event from the small half-day seminar to the week-long trade show you know you have to do your marketing right or it just won’t be a success. This book focuses on the marketing aspect of such events and is packed with lots of creative ideas. The author even includes several excellent templates you can use to help organize your event and keep you focused on the goal. The last chapters bring all the information from the first part of the book together into a cohesive unit.

I'll start by saying that this is a really good book if you want to understand how people influence each other and how to use that information to your benefit. That being said, the beginning of the book can be an exercise in frustration. The authors mention several individuals and how they have influenced others to change whether as an individual or a whole community but they give no details of how it was done. It can leave you wondering if there is anything of practical value in the book.